ServiceMagic Connection

Weekend Warrior- How to choose the right building materials for your next project

by ServiceMagic on May 18

Whether you’re redoing your kitchen, replacing your windows, or putting in a stone patio, one of the first and most important decisions you’ll have to make is what kind of materials you’re going to use. The question is: what are the right materials for the job?

Understanding the Costs

As with most products, building materials come in many options across many price points. Your budget, application, and expectations will go a long way in determining what materials you should buy. The biggest factor, of course, is your budget. It is generally advised that you buy the best materials you can afford. You might be tempted to save money up front, but you might end up spending more in the end, as cheaper materials tend to have a shorter lifespan than more expensive ones. Many pros refer to this as the “life-cycle” cost. It might sound complicated but it’s actually a pretty simple concept. For example, if the cost of a product cost twice as much as the alternative but lasts four times as long, the first product will ultimately prove to be the less expensive option. [click to continue…]

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Creative and eco ways to spruce up your decor

by Adria Saracino on May 17

It seems everyone is scrambling to jump on the eco-friendly bandwagon these days. And you know what? That isn’t a bad thing. The more aware we are about our impact on the world, the better.

We spend so much time in our homes that it makes the perfect outlet for practicing our “green” thumb. When it comes time to spruce up your abode, consider ways that will help you follow the old adage: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Here are some ideas to get you started.

For Your Walls
Of course, the first step of decorating our homes usually begins with what we hang on the walls. One way to reduce and reuse is to scour your local second hand shop for amazing, one-of-a-kind frames. Fill them up with images from old calendars or, better yet, print out your favorite stock photos. You’ll be able to choose just what you like and, if you get tired and want a change, they’re easy to swap out.

Most of us listen to music digitally these days, which means we have stacks of CDs sitting around the house gathering dust. Luckily, their jewel cases make lovely modern frames that can be hung in interesting patterns. Here are some simple instructions to follow.

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Lawn Decluttering Tips: Get a Beautiful Looking Yard this Summer

by Joe Eitel on May 16

While many times it’s the inside of the home that gets all the attention when it comes to staying clutter-free, it’s equally important to declutter outside the home to increase curb appeal and keep your lawn and garden looking great. Here are a few useful tips to declutter your lawn this summer.

Break out the Rakes

Springtime and early summer are the perfect times to thoroughly rake your yard for a couple of reasons. First, it helps remove leaf and stick clutter for a well-manicured looking lawn. And second, raking the grass helps to aerate the lawn and remove dead grass clippings from last year, which helps promote thicker growth. It’s especially beneficial to use a steel landscape rake rather than a plastic leaf rake because it aerates much more efficiently and handles big sticks much more easily.

Trim and Dump

Untrimmed bushes and ornamental trees add clutter to an otherwise great looking yard. Trim overgrown bushes and tree limbs using the tools of your choice, such as manual or electric hedge trimmers, tree trimmers and chain saw. If you’re inexperienced at pruning hedges or trees, just focus on hitting the longest pieces rather than trying to shape the plant.

Once the pruning is complete, load up the scraps into your landscape dumpster or rent a dumpster from a local rental company. Depending upon the size of your yard, a 10 or 20-yard roll off dumpster is probably adequate to clear out the yard scraps.

Declutter the Plantings and Flowerbeds

Inspect your flowerbeds and areas containing smaller plantings with a sharp eye. Pull out the dead flower stalks and plants from last year as completely as possible. Early spring is the ideal time to do this because it helps the new season’s flowers to grow and bloom properly. Summertime works as well if you’re behind the ball.

Toss the dead flower stalks and plant scraps into your landscape dumpster or compost pile to keep the flowerbeds looking clean and debris-free.

Sift through Landscaped Areas

Although it’s a painstaking process at times, it’s important to declutter any areas decorated with mulch, bark, stones, gravel and similar landscaping materials. This means sifting through these areas to clean out leaves, large seeds, acorns, weeds, trash and grass. Using a leaf blower can speed up this process. Cleaning up the landscaped areas of a yard can really make its curb appeal pop.

Yard Décor

Yard décor shouldn’t take over a lawn, it should add to it. So, it’s important to think like a minimalist when it comes to decorating the yard. This means taking it easy on things like statues, yard gnomes, bird baths, signs and other gimmicky yard decorations. What does a pink flamingo yard ornament really add to the appearance of your lawn anyway? Less is better in this case. If you’re unsure about whether or not your yard décor is overkill, get your friends or neighbors to give you an honest opinion.

Joe Eitel is a web content writer for Hometown Dumpster Rental, the leading online resource for finding local dumpster rental and junk removal service providers nationwide. Search Hometown’s extensive dumpster rental listings for free and find reputable roll off dumpster rental companies in your area. Also check out the Hometown Dumpster Rental Blog for industry news, tips and tricks.

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10 ways towards a healthier kitchen experience

by Rubela Jhonnie on May 15

The kitchen is the hearth of the home where everyone loves to assemble for food or just to sit and chat. Therefore, keeping your kitchen not only comfortable but clean is very essential for the health of your family. A kitchen can become the harbinger of illness if the food preparation and items are not done properly or kept hygienically. You have no excuse for postponing your kitchen cleaning spree as more dirt accumulates the risk to the health becomes intensified. Here are some ways in which you can make your kitchen a safer and greener zone for your family.

1. Remove all the clutter and organize

In every home you get the same complaint of having excess things in the kitchen which just seem to accumulate. Sometimes, you will be surprised at how you hardly use some of those items which you thought would come in handy. Well, it is time to get rid of all those unnecessary things which have been overstuffing your kitchen cabinets. Go through all those items which have long since expired or are not essential for your kitchen and get rid of those things. Then start arranging those ones which you use daily and lighten the load. Make it a point to designate items into assigned cabinets as this will not only be neat but will help you to identify where each item is without having to hunt for them.

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Image of the Week: Victorian Spiral Staircase

by ServiceMagic on May 14

Image Source: Pinterest.com

What a grand entrance you would make walking down this staircase! We love this Victorian inspired spiral staircase from the details on the banister to the eye-catching pink and black contrast. Would you put a spiral staircase into your home?

 

 

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A Foolproof Lighting Design For Your Kitchen

by Emily Wilde on May 12

The formula for designer kitchen lighting is simple: Work in layers. The most common mistake people make is centering one light fixture in the middle of the ceiling and assuming it can effectively light the entire kitchen. If you’ve ever admired a luxury kitchen, consider the lighting layout. Notice how illumination came from multiple light sources? There were under the cabinet lights, ceiling lights, and perhaps a few pendants over an island. Here’s how to work magic on your kitchen’s lighting design:

First and foremost, a kitchen should have fantastic counter lighting. It’s your primary location for slicing, chopping, and reading recipes, and it’s often overshadowed by upper cabinets. Adding under cabinet lights to illuminate your countertop space will make your kitchen easier, and more enjoyable, to cook in. You can opt for plug-in fixtures and snake the power cord to a plug behind the refrigerator or above the microwave, or call an electrician to hardwire the lights to power for a cleaner look.

Image Source: Pinterest.com

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Weekend Warrior- 5 ways to incorporate your children’s artwork into the home

by ServiceMagic on May 11

If you’ve got kids, you know how quickly your house can become an art gallery. And while you want to nurture your little Van Gough’s artistic spirit, if you’re like lots of parents, you’re running out of ideas on how to display their masterpieces. Here are a few solutions.

Magnetize!

Want to reclaim your fridge? With a little bit of magnetic paint you can turn any wall into a permanent art installation, allowing you to move their art from the fridge. The best part is you can customize the shape and color to fit the room.

You’re Framed

A great way to keep things fresh is to rotate out your kids’ art as they bring home new pieces. These nifty dynamic frames allow you to quickly swap out the old with the new so you can showcase their latest and greatest work.

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