When you’re ready to sell your house, you should put it up on sale. It takes time to find the perfect buyer. However, you might also worry that it’s not an easy process. Given the number of properties for sale, finding the right buyer could take time. Before you lose hope, you should realise that selling a house isn’t as difficult as you think.

There are plenty of potential buyers

While there are many houses for sale, there are also many potential buyers. Some of them are actively finding, while others are waiting to receive a recommendation. You won’t find the perfect match right away, but it will come. You have to be patient. Whether it’s a couple eager to start a new life or someone who recently relocated in your area, there will always be an interested buyer.

You have to work on your marketing skills

Just because there are properties that look better than yours doesn’t mean people will choose them. It’s a matter of highlighting the best features. You can use your marketing skills to convince these buyers that you have the best offering. If you have a walk-in closet, you should highlight it when advertising. Some people are specific with what they want. If some buyers want to have a walk-in closet, they will forget all other features. They will close the deal right away.

Be patient in answering questions

Some people are willing to buy and are financially capable of doing it. They want to take time before making up their minds. They will also bombard you with questions. It might be annoying, but you should be patient. You will eventually win them over. However, if you’re impatient and dismissive, you will lose potential buyers.

Prepare your documents

When you decide to sell your house, you should prepare the documents. It helps to transfer the ownership to the buyer once you closed the deal. You don’t want to put the other party at an inconvenience. You can also walk away from the transaction as soon as you legally transferred the property ownership.

Consult with a real estate agent

Just because you decided to sell your property doesn’t mean you have to do everything on your own. You can work with a real estate agent like the experts at Beresfords. You need these people to guide you in the process. They’ve been in the industry for a long time, and they can connect you with hundreds of potential buyers. They will also tell you how you can convince more people to buy. It’s better to have an agent than to start the process from scratch. You will also receive advice related to the legal aspects of the transaction. It will be a smooth and easy ride.

Given these reasons, you shouldn’t hesitate to sell your house. Once you receive the amount as a result of the deal, your effort will pay off. You can invest in another property that you might want to sell at a higher price later.

Installing thermal insulation in your home is one of the best ways to reduce energy consumption and save money on your power bill year round.

Thermal insulation products are made from materials such as glasswool or polyester which are effective at slowing down the flow of heat. That means on a hot day, insulation will help keep your home cooler and during winter insulation will keep your home feeling warmer.

With better temperature regulation, you’ll find that you don’t need to turn the heater or air conditioner on as often. And when you do, having insulation will mean your heater and air conditioner don’t have to work as hard and won’t consume as much energy. That means greater savings on your power bill!

Check out the awesome ideas below for ways to reduce energy consumption and save money with insulation.

Top up the insulation in your roof

The roof is where the greatest heat loss and gain occurs in a home. More than any other area of your house, ensuring your roof is insulated will make the biggest difference to indoor temperatures and energy usage.

Roof insulation is usually installed during construction and renovation phases when the ceiling cavity is exposed. However, if your home has safe and convenient access to the roof, you can install insulation at any time.

Check out the existing insulation in your roof. It may be possible to install new insulation over the old insulation if it’s in fair condition. If you notice any damages to the old insulation, any moisture or mould issues or rodent infestations, you should clear out the old insulation first and then install the new.

Make the most of renovations

The best time to install insulation in your walls is during the renovation phase when wall cavities are exposed. If you are planning a major renovation, make sure you think about upgrading your insulation as you won’t get another chance once the walls have been plastered!

Insulation batts are the most effective way to insulate your home. They are typically made from glasswool (fibreglass) or polyester and come pre-cut to fit between the timber joists of most Australian homes. Insulation batts are easy to handle and can be installed as a DIY project or by a professional. If you’re planning a DIY installation, make sure you read up on the best practices to ensure a safe and effective result.

While you’re at it, consider choosing acoustic insulation for your walls. Acoustic insulation batts will still provide you with the thermal benefits, but they’ll also prevent the transfer of noise so you can keep your home quiet and peaceful. Acoustic insulation is great for between floors of multi-storey homes too.

Upgrade to a higher R-Value

The best way to get more out of your insulation is to choose a higher R-Value. This number indicates the effectiveness of an insulation product. Or in other words, how much insulating power it has. The higher the R-Value, the better the product is at slowing down heat flow and the more potential savings you’ll make.

Experts recommend installing at least R4.0 in the ceiling for warmer climates like Perth and Brisbane and at least R5.0 if you live in a cooler climate like Melbourne, Sydney or Adelaide. By choosing to upgrade to R6.0, your home will be even better at regulating temperatures. And when you switch the air con on, it’ll cool your home faster and more efficiently. That means less money spent on your power bill.

Insulate your hot water system

Already ticked off the home insulation and looking for other ways to make your house more energy efficient? Try insulating your hot water system tank and pipes!

Modern hot water storage tanks are usually made with in built insulation, but adding extra insulation in the form of a jacket can help minimise heat loss. If your water stays warmer, you won’t be wasting energy on continually heating it up.

Your hot water system pipes transport water from the storage tank to the taps inside your home. During the transportation, heat can be lost out of the walls of the pipes. Pipe lagging is special insulation for pipes.

When you install pipe lagging around your hot water pipes, less heat will be lost, making your hot water system more energy efficient and ensuring you get lovely hot water when you need it. It’ll also protect the system so that it lasts longer – another way hot water system insulation will help you save!

Draught-proof your home

Anywhere that air can get into your home, heat can escape or creep in too. You’ll notice that if you leave a door open on a hot day, your house will heat up much faster. In addition to installing insulation in your walls, ceiling and floors, you should draught proof your house to seal up any unwanted gaps around your home.

Start by checking around windows and doors and any piping that goes from the inside to the outside of your home. Sealing gaps is fairly easy and can be done as a quick DIY project by using an inexpensive sealant to fill in any gaps.

Consider using door socks / door stoppers at the base of your doors to prevent heat loss and gain through the gap under your doors. When you turn your air conditioner on in one room, shut the doors and place a door stopper to make your cooling more energy efficient.

How much will I save with insulation?

According to the Australian Government’s website Your Home, installing insulation in your ceiling could cut your power bill by 30% and installing insulation in your walls could cut your bill by as much as 25%! Draught sealing may reduce your home’s energy consumption by 10-20%.

What’s more, the payback period of insulation can be as quick as a couple of years. You’ll feel the temperature difference immediately and you’ll be saving on your power bill in no time.

Dining tables are almost always the heart of a home where people come together and connect with one other. But if your table is looking a little worse for wear, you might not feel so great about inviting people to share a meal at it.

Whether you’ve got an extendable timber dining table, an antique heirloom or a bargain you grabbed second hand, refinishing your table can transform the way it looks. And the good news is, it’s not too tricky to do. Follow the steps below to refinish your table top and fall in love with it again!

Decisions to make before you start

What type of table do you have?

Identifying what your table is made from and whether or not it has been stained can help you decide the best way to finish it.

• Solid wood – solid wood tables will have growth rings and a grain which wraps naturally around the sides and edges of the table. Solid wood is the easiest to refinish. If the wood is stained, beware that underneath a different colour may emerge.
• Composite or faux wood – manufactured wood will not have the growth rings. Sometimes there may be a veneer on top which is a thin layer of real wood on top of the composite or particleboard. Veneers are much harder to refinish than solid wood as the layer is so thin.
• Laminate – much like the veneer tables, laminate tables have a thin layer on top. However, instead of being made from wood, the laminate layer is made from plastics. These types of tables are not appropriate for refinishing.

What type of finish do you need?

A finish is the layer you put on the wood furniture to protect the surface of the wood. Without the proper finish, or if the finish is damaged, your wood may expand out of shape when exposed to too much moisture or shrink and crack if it dries out.

There are many different finishes available. They can fall into two categories:

• Penetrating finishes – this type of finish will soak into the wood, leaving a more natural look and protecting the wood from the inside. Examples include linseed oil, Danish oils and tung oil.
• Surface finishes – these stay on the surface of the wood and are often more durable, but they don’t look as natural. Examples include shellac and varnish.

What safety precautions should you take?

You should do steps 2 to 4 in a well ventilated area such as outside, in a carport or garage with the doors open. It is also recommended to wear a dust mask, safety glasses and gloves.

Step 1. Gather your tools and equipment

For a simple table, the equipment needed for refinishing is not expensive and should be easy to find in any major hardware store. You will need:

For general cleaning purposes:

• General cleaning spray
• Cleaning cloth
• Clean rags

If you are using a stripper:

• Stripper (preferably environmentally friendly)
• Paint scraper

For sanding the table:

• 3 x sandpaper at different coarseness (e.g. 60 grit, 100 grit and 150 grit)
• A sanding block or mechanical sander

For finishing:

• Stain (optional)
• Primer and paint (optional)
• Varnish or finishing oil
• Brush or cloth for application

Step 2. Clean the surface

It’s important to thoroughly clean the surface of the table, including the legs, to ensure dirt and grime won’t get trapped when you refinish it. Use a general purpose cleaning spray and a damp, clean cloth. You may need to go over it a few times.

Step 3. Strip and sand the surface

You now have to decide how you are going to remove the existing finish, and how deep you want to go. Your two options are essentially: sanding or applying a stripper and then sanding.

Using a stripper

Using a paint brush, apply the stripper across the table according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It will usually be quite a thick application. Then cover the table in plastic wrap and leave for 24-36 hours.

By this time, the varnish will have separated from the wood and you can use a paint scraper to remove the finish. If parts of the varnish still remain, you may need to repeat the process. Once all the varnish has been removed, sand the table down until it is smooth.

Sanding

Sanding can be done by hand (sandpaper around a sanding block) or using an electrical sander. For both methods, start with a fairly coarse sandpaper across the entire table. Then repeat the process with a finer sandpaper until the surface is smooth to touch. Use clean rags to clean the dust off the surface. You can also wipe the surface with mineral turps to remove any fine dust that remains.

Step 4. Apply the appropriate finish

Follow the steps below for the type of finish you are applying.

Stain

Stains should be applied with a brush or clean rag evenly in the same direction as the grain of wood. Any excess should be wiped off. If you want a darker result, leave the stain longer before wiping off. You can apply more layers until you achieve the look you want. After staining, you will need to apply a protective finish as well.

Varnish

Apply varnish with a brush in the same direction as the grain. Smooth out any lumps as you go and then let the varnish dry completely. Once dry, apply a second coat.

Paint

If you want to paint the table, make sure you apply a primer coat first and wait until it dries before applying your coloured paint to the surface. When the paint is dry, you will need to apply a varnish as well to protect the table’s surface.

Oil

Apply oil to the clean surface with a brush or clean rag. Follow the grain of the wood and aim for a consistent and smooth finish. You may need to use quite a lot of oil. Keep going until the wood stops absorbing it and use some force to rub it in. The oil will enhance the natural colour of the wood as well as protecting it from moisture.

Step 5. Fall in love with your table again

Now that you have transformed the look of your table, you can make the most of it! No more annoying scratches, stickiness or flakey bits of varnish. You’ve got a table you’ll be proud to have at the heart of your home.

Wherever you live, you hardly get too much storage in your home. Modern day homes are generally created keeping the day by day smaller getting families where majority of family members spend much of their time outside their house, i.e. home, school, and office etc. Hence, it is obvious that sometimes, you may feel limited on home space and sometimes, you have too much stuff to deal with. Surplus of massive closets and strategically built storage cabinetry is a wonder that one always thinks of having in his home. But if do not have any such privilege, you can rely on plenty of other creative ideas to store all your essentials. You have to just bust out one time to wrangle the situation and your home will no more remain overwhelmed with clutter. Let me throw some light on some simple storage ideas and easy project designs for organizing and streamlining the messiest trouble areas in your home.

Organize from closet to cabinet

You can create the closet inside the cabinets to keep the your things organized and. Make some space to pull the things out that will help you to choose the desired stuff then and there and will not spread the things anywhere in the room.

Hidden staircase drawer

Your stairs outside home can turn into hidden drawers to keep the shoes and mats. This amazing idea will save you from the clutters around the main door of your home. Hidden drawers can also be created in the staircases installed inside the home to keep your home items safe and let them do not occupy much space. Elfa storage system is worth providing you the best quality modern and artificial staircase drawer and store-cases.

Storing musical items on wall

You should be a bit tricky to store your musical items. You can wall-mount them and they will enhance the beauty of your home walls. So, instead of using floor stands that are pricey and can leave your instruments accessible to the kids and hurt your pets, it is always better to hang on the walls and make space in your home.

Garage pallet organization hack

If you have a garden at your home, you must have a number of long-handle tools to manage it well. A pallet organization hack is best to store the gardening shovel, a couple of screws and a drill. Always remember that gardening and electrical tools if not stored properly, can harm people roaming around at home, especially the kids. So, it is better store them properly and in the garage to the best.

Spinning storage unit

For kids, sharing the same bedroom, can be given spinning storage units to store their things. This idea is best for dorm-dwelling school and college students when they have an ample study and gaming related materials to keep safe and uncluttered. These storage units may comprise a full-length mirror, small shelves, cupboards with bins, and magnetic board for hanging photos. Spinning feature makes it turn-able and easy to handle to the kids.

Customized truck bed drawers

Customized storage drawers can also be installed in your truck beds for efficiently organizing tools supported by the rubber bed lining that safeguards the drawers and tools from rains and other outdoor elements.

Refurnishing old cabinets

You can modify the two second-hand kitchen cabinets into one tall and trendy kitchen and bathroom cabinet. It would definitely be a new stellar storage piece of design at your home and for a perfect design, there is nothing better than Elfa storage solutions.

Magazine storage

You can easily have a stack of saved magazines in a drawer. You just need a bunch of hanging folders and a drawer to set them up for hanging. Cut a bit off the bottom of each folder, drape your magazine over the rod and hang it in the drawer. You can easily read the spines to find out which magazine you want to take out to read.

Use color-blocked pegboards

Use pegboards to store and organize a range of household products, kitchen tools, garage tools, and more. It is also useful to store the miscellaneous items like scissors, tape, crafting supplies etc. Generally, these things are typically found in the junk drawer, but when hung in full view or the pegboard, they are much easier to find and use.

Bats, rats, raccoons, mice, and other animals are uninvited guests who can find their way to your roof and make it a home; while others like birds and squirrels, may find their way into your attic and pitch their tent there. These critters can cause damage to your roof: moreover, animal rustling and scratching at midnight can be disturbing. And nobody wants that.

Now, the question is, how does this website suggest you manage them to prevent damages to your roof? There are several ways you can keep your home free from animal infestation. And below are 6 of the commonest ways you can protect your roof from critters.

6 ways you can keep critters away from your house

Inspect your attic and carry out regular roof checks

Your attic can be the perfect hiding place for animals as they always search for a warm place to breed their kind. When you don’t inspect your attic regularly, you may arrive late to the party. One rat can give birth to a dozen more, a raccoon can turn into two tomorrow, and birds can weave their nests and make a family. And before you realize what is happening, you’re battling an animal infestation.

To avoid this, fix the damages on your roof as soon as you can. Because openings in your roof can be the passageway for critters to become your free-living tenant.

Likewise, regular roof maintenance is essential to extend the lifespan of your roof as well as to keep critters away. Inspecting your roof often can help you figure out roof problems and stop critters from taking advantage of it.

As often as you can, check roof areas that are vulnerable like the chimneys, vents, and gutters. Your roof sheathing, roof soffit intersections, or weak spots and holes in the roof, can be entry points for critters. As long as you practice good roof maintenance, you will discover these entry points before critters find them. Then, get a professional roofer to fix the holes and spaces that you can’t fix yourself.

Clear your gutters

Roof gutters are designed to collect water and give a direction to rainwater. But your gutters can be a home to some critters especially birds as it is a comfortable place for them to set up their nests. Moreover, if that gutter is full of debris, then you’ve issued a certificate of living to the birds and other critters.

And when this happens, they can easily find their way into your home. If you practice good roof maintenance you would discover that your gutter needs to be cleared. So, clean your gutters as often as you can to avoid clitters taking over.

Treat and trim trees around your home

Except for the critters that fly, trees can be the perfect ladder for these animals to climb to your roof. And you make the work easier for them if you allow tree branches to drop directly on your roof.

Therefore, I advise you to trim your long tree branches. And although this may not entirely keep the critters away, it surely makes their journey difficult.

Keep your trash at a distance

Raccoons and rats can sniff off food from miles away, and your trash probably contains reachable food. Consequently, it draws them to your home. And though your trash may not be near your roof, the critters may decide to explore your house (roof) after visiting the trash.

Therefore, you should keep your trash covered always and as far from your house as you can. Sealed containers work better as waste bins.

Fix damaged shingles

Harsh weather can bend, remove or weaken your roof shingles. When this happens, they become an easy entry point for animals. Critters can then follow that route to gain entry into your attic. To prevent this, inspect your roof regularly, especially after a heavy storm.

If your roof is always affected by bad weather conditions, you should consider switching to metal shingles. Contact your roofer for more details.

Go for metal roofing

Roofs can last for many years, as it depends on the material used. Although they are quite expensive, metal roofs are extremely durable and last longer than other roofing materials. Aside from that, harsh weather conditions do not affect them, unlike the other roofing materials. This makes it easier for you to prevent access posts of critters, as they cannot lose or pry off metal shingles. So, do use a metal roof if you can afford it.

Finally, if you don’t take care of your roof, critters will help mess it up for you. And since animals can now infest us, humans, with deadly viruses, trust me, the last thing you would want in your home is animal infestation. Follow the above steps and you won’t have any critters’ issues.

If you’ve done a price comparison on custom frames vs the premade frames you get in big department stores, you might be tempted to go with the premade option. Afterall, they are much cheaper. But are they worth it?

If you are framing a cheap photo print or an item that you don’t care that much about, perhaps the premade option is the better choice for you. However, if you’re framing a precious photograph, giving the frame as a gift or hoping it will last a long time, custom frames are definitely the way to go. They might be more expensive to buy, but in the long run they are much better value for money.

Check out the reasons below why investing in quality picture frames is worth it.

Preserve your precious items

Custom picture frames will protect your precious photographs and artwork, unlike the cheap, premade frames you get in department stores. These can actually end up damaging your artwork because they are made from acidic materials. Over time, the acid may cause discolouration or an unsightly yellow staining on your photographs or artwork. Many cheap, premade frames are also poorly constructed, which means they could break on you unexpectedly.

In contrast, professional framers use acid free mat boards and backings so that your precious items stay in good condition for longer. They also use UV resistant glass which can help prevent damage from the sun. A professional framer will use the correct techniques to ensure the frame is constructed in a sound and sturdy way.

Get the best results

Whether you’re framing a precious family photograph for Mother’s Day or an eye-catching landscape painting for your own wall, you’ll always get the best final result with a custom frame. They simply look more attractive than the cheap, pre-made frames which can chip and scratch at the slightest bump.

If you’re an artist or an art lover yourself, you’ll know that choosing the right frame is crucial. The frame is almost an extension of the art itself. Choose the right frame and your artwork will sing off the walls. Choose the wrong frame, and you can completely change the look of the artwork and distract the viewer away from what’s important.

You wouldn’t display a gorgeous bouquet of flowers in an empty tin can you pulled out of the recycling bin. It’s the same with your most precious photographs and art pieces – they deserve a beautiful frame to complement their beauty too.

Control every little detail

It can be hard to find the perfect frame in a department store. They’re often not quite the right size, or slightly the wrong colour. Or perhaps you’ve found yourself wishing that the premade options just had a bit more pizazz. Thankfully, you don’t have this kind of problem with custom frames. Quite the opposite! You can control every detail to achieve the exact look you’re going for.

Starting with the frame style – whether you want minimalist and chic or romantic and ornate, a professional framer can help you achieve the right look. They can also help you choose the ideal matt board colour and style to complement the work. Some artworks look great with a thin white matt board and others pop best with a thicker, coloured matt board.

When you choose a custom frame, it will be made to the right dimensions to perfectly balance your artwork or photograph – not the other way around. What’s more, if you want to display a series of photos in the one frame, or add in a piece of memorabilia, a professional framer can make your vision come to life.

Love your frames for longer

Are you trying to cut back on the amount of waste you throw out every year? Thoughtfully choosing a well-made frame that you know you’ll love for years to come is the more environmentally friendly choice.

Cheap and nasty frames get damaged easily and become unattractive very quickly which means you’ll probably want to throw them out and replace them in a few years. On the other hand, custom made frames are made to last a lifetime. As with any consumable product, it’s worth taking your time to choose an item you will love and cherish for a long time rather than the cheapest and most convenient option.

Support a local business

By choosing to get a custom frame, you are also choosing to support a local business rather than a billion-dollar corporation. Supporting a local small business can help you feel more connected and engaged with your community.

Check out picture framing near me for a high-quality custom frame that looks amazing, protects your artwork and will last a long time.