Revitalize Your Space with These Easy Home Upgrades

Ready to revitalize your space? Whether you love redecoration or your house hasn’t changed in decades, upgrading your house doesn’t have to be complicated. Let’s help your house feel more like a home with these easy home upgrade suggestions.

Small Personalized Touches that Make All the Difference

With home upgrades, we tend to think big, but you don’t have to do a large-scale renovation to make a significant positive impact on how your space feels. Small personalized touches can make all the difference, and it’ll be easier than you think if you can just find what will make your space exemplify your personality. Sometimes, this is as simple as marking the territory directly with the name. For example, the nursery pictured above would be pleasant but basic without the personalized neon sign that instantly elevates the space from generic to one-of-a-kind. 

We recommend that rather than trying to follow trends or match your upgrade to an influencer’s home you love, you focus your upgrades on your own interests, or the combined considerations of all the personalities living in your home. If you’re a sophisticated drinker, you’ll love having upscale barware, but if you usually just pop back a beer when you’re watching the game, you might prefer some homage to your favorite team on or near the TV stand. If your spouse loves baking with your kids, that might be something to factor into your kitchen, from upgrading your pantry area to hold more baking ingredients to buying a bigger cookie jar or cupcake holder. Your house will feel like a home when it feels like you.

Cultivated Decor that You Adore

Especially if you’ve been in a house for a while, it can be easy for stuff to accumulate, especially decorations. But when it comes to decor, it’s much better to have a cultivated selection of choices you adore rather than an overwhelming mess with options you don’t even remember buying. And that holds even with sentimental items: you’ll get more enjoyment out of your space and your decor when you only have one of grandma’s quilt art pieces displayed rather than one for each of her grandchildren. 

This means that you might have to really go through your decorations and consider what you really love and what you really could get by without. And it can really be as easy as recognizing that you don’t have a specific attachment to the landscape painting on your mantelpiece but you’ve always really wanted a historic map of your hometown. “It’s been there for ten years” isn’t a good reason to keep something on the wall unless you want it there. Your wall space is prime real estate. Even moving a picture to the opposite wall can change the feel of a room, so don’t feel like you necessarily need to rush out and buy all new art to upgrade your home.

Sleek Appliances for a Styled Look

A lot of us logically drag our feet about replacing appliances unless absolutely necessary, which makes financial sense. But when you’re looking for easy home upgrades, nothing revitalizes spaces faster than new appliances. It goes without saying that upgraded appliances will be an upgrade, but not just in giving you a double oven that finally heats up on the top and the bottom at the same rate or a washing machine that beeps like it’s supposed to again. Upgraded appliances also affect the space around them. We don’t tend to think of our fridges and TVs as design statement pieces, yet our appliances, for size and importance, do tend to define the room that they’re in. 

That means that with sleek new appliances, you can easily add a styled look to your home without changing anything else. New, matching kitchen appliances that are all white or all silver, for example, could instantly elevate the tone of your space. And don’t be afraid to experiment with less traditional looks for your appliances to find what really suits your style. Maybe you love the vintage mint green toaster or you’re ready for a chic countertop dishwasher, like the one pictured above. Find the style of upgraded appliance that gives your space the feel you want.

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

Finally, take heart. Most of our ideas for easy upgrades to revitalize your space rely on you knowing what you like, which can feel daunting at times. The good news is that there are no hard rules or hard timelines, so you can feel free to experiment with how you want to upgrade your home. And even if you live alone, you don’t have to work on the transition from house to home alone. 
At House to Home Organizing, we can help you get organized and centered on your goals for the space so you’re ready to make those easy upgrades that can make all the difference. Reach out so we can get started today.

Appliances in Your Home That Are Worth Repairing Instead of Replacing

Repairing an appliance is a more economical and environmentally friendly alternative to replacing it. It can also be a less time-consuming option than waiting for the appliance to break down again, having someone come out and fix it, or even buying a new one. This article will discuss ten appliances in your home that are worth repairing instead of replacing.

Refrigerator

A refrigerator is one of the most common appliances in your home that you might need to repair. A leaky water line, a broken ice maker, or a freezer section are all fairly typical problems. If an expert appliance service technician can quickly repair these problems, it may just save you from buying a new fridge.

Oven

Oven repair is also fairly common. If the oven has stopped working, it's usually cheaper to fix than replace. It can be as simple as a broken heating element or even just an old thermostat. When you call for appliance service technicians like Northshore Appliance Repair Inc, they will look at your specific problem and let you know if it's something that needs to be replaced or if it can be repaired.

Washing Machine

Another common appliance in your home that you might need to repair is the washing machine. If there's a broken motor or belt, it may be cheaper and easier for an expert technician to come out instead of buying a new washer.

Dishwasher

A dishwasher is another appliance that could go wrong and require a little bit of expert help. If you have an older model, it may just need some minor plumbing repairs or replacements to get your dishes sparkling again.

Microwave

A microwave can sometimes be a tricky appliance to fix. If the problem is not with the heating unit, it may just need an expert technician to come out and help you identify what's going wrong. Most modern microwaves have very few problems that cannot be resolved quickly, so if you're experiencing any issues, give your service provider a call.

Garage Door

If you have a garage door that is not opening or closing properly, it's usually worth giving your service provider a call to get an expert opinion. Garage doors can be extremely dangerous if they are malfunctioning. If the problem isn't too severe, it might just need some minor repairs to get back up and running again.

Furnace

A furnace can sometimes need a little expert service. If the pilot light goes out, it may just be dirty and in need of some cleaning. However, if there is no spark at all or an issue with starting up your system again, you should call for support before trying to fix it yourself.

Lawn Mower

A lawn mower might seem like a simple appliance that you can fix on your own, but some parts of the engine should be left to an expert. If it's just not starting up or needs additional belts replaced.

Pool Heater

A pool heater can be a little tricky to fix on your own. If you're experiencing problems with the heating unit, it might just need some expert service. This appliance should be left to the professionals.

BBQ Grill

A BBQ grill can also be a little tricky to fix on your own. If the problem is with the propane instead of electricity, it might just need some minor repairs.

There are many benefits to making repairs around your home. Call a professional and save some money on replacing appliances. 

Appliances to Get Serviced Every Year

Appliances are not cheap, and probably very highly valued in your home. They make things easier, especially when it comes to household chores and day-to-day living. Getting your appliances serviced on a regular basis can help them last longer and keep them nearly as efficient as the first day they were installed. The following is a list of some of the appliances that you may need to have serviced every year. It also might not hurt to clean them around the same time too.

Dryer

There are things that you can do in order to ensure that your dryer is working properly. For example, you need to clean the lint trap every time that you use it. Allowing lint to build up between dry cycles increases the chances of the dryer overheating and starting a fire. You should also avoid overloading the dryer. Additionally, you should probably get a professional dryer vent cleaning every year. This will also prevent your dryer vents from getting blocked up and overheating. It can also reduce allergens and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

HVAC System

Your HVAC system keeps you comfortable all year long. One of the keys to ensuring that it is working the right way is to get maintenance. An hvac contractor will ensure that everything is working the right way. They will change the air filters and clean out the ducts. They can also repair and replace parts that have worn out or broken.

Washing Machine

Top-loading washing machines do not require as much maintenance as the front-loading ones. However, regardless of which type of washing machine you have, it needs to get maintenance on a regular basis. A professional will ensure that your washing machine is working the correct way. They can also replace the hoses, belts, and pressure switches if necessary.

In addition to regular professional maintenance, there are things that you should do to ensure that your machine is working the correct way. For example, you can wash the machine itself occasionally, leaving the door open to let it air dry. You should also avoid overloading your washing machine when you run laundry as that can cause damage to the drum and wear out the entire machine quickly.

Garbage Disposal

Your garbage disposal makes your life more convenient when disposing of food while washing the dishes. However, it is one of the appliances that need professional maintenance in order to function the correct way. Both because a professional will know what to do if something goes wrong and because working with anything that uses sharp blades can be dangerous.

You should also be cautious about what you put in your garbage disposal. Avoid putting grease and fat in the garbage disposal, or anything that could possibly break the blades. Drain cleaners, bleach, glass, and wood are some of the other things that you should avoid putting in the garbage disposal. It’s very easy for utensils to fall in, especially while doing dishes, so you should keep an eye on them to prevent that.

Regular maintenance is one of the keys to making sure that your appliances are always working correctly. Garbage disposal, dryer, washing machine, and refrigerator are some of the appliances that require yearly maintenance. Additionally, you should make sure that are taking good care of your appliances.

Guest Post - Appliance Care and Tracking Chart

One home organization and care task that’s often overlooked is is appliance maintenance — unfortunately, most people only bring in a professional or do a check-up when things go wrong with their home components. Preventative care and check-ups can save you money and headaches in the long run. If you catch an issue early enough or get your appliances tuned up when they’re supposed to, you could avoid having to prematurely replace them.

If you’re keeping maintenance on the top of your mind, you’ll likely take better care of the component on a daily basis. Understanding how much replacements will cost should have a similar effect, as attaching a real money value to items helps you see their true value.  

ForSaleByOwner created appliance life span charts, maintenance tips and printable tracking sheets to help homeowners stay on top of their home maintenance. To get the most out of the tracking sheets, we suggest keeping them with your appliance and home warranties and updating them as needed. Press the button below to download the life span and maintenance tracking chart PDF. 

You should fill out the date you purchased the appliance and your anticipated maintenance check-in date. If the manual doesn’t have a recommended maintenance recommendation for your specific appliance model, use the visual below or the full chart here to estimate when you should check-in. 

To get the most out of your investment and keep appliances from being dumped into landfills prematurely, treat your belongings with care and teach your family to do the same. Not only does this save you money but it also improves the equity in your home should you choose to sell one day. 

When an appliance has truly reached the end of its life (after attempting professional repairs) there are still things you can do to maximize its use. Many people will re-purpose kaput items to create new furniture like unique storage or seating solutions. Treat your house with care — your wallet and the environment will thank you!