4 Ways to Reduce the Stress of Moving House

July 17, 2015 by

Moving house can be an exciting prospect but when the reality of having to pack and relocate really sets in, few people can maintain their enthusiasm. Unfortunately, the excitement that moving house can bring is replaced with feelings of frustration, stress and anxiety. Don’t dwell on the difficulty! There are ways to significantly reduce moving-stress and make the whole process much easier, efficient and even enjoyable.

Image by Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image by Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. Use professional cleaners

When moving, it is not just packing and unpacking that consumes your time and energy. In most cases, you will need to leave the house that you are moving from completely clean. Also, you will want to know that the house you are moving to has been thoroughly cleaned with close attention to detail.

Unless you passionately love cleaning and have abundant time on your hands, you are wisest to engage the support of a professional cleaning company, such as Absolute Domestics. Professional cleaners know how to get a home hygienically clean and ready for you to either depart or move into. They will also willingly do the cleaning jobs that are time consuming and that you least enjoy – think of cleaning venetian blinds and shutters or scrubbing the grout in bathrooms. You might even cringe at that thought so much that you’re wanting to change those things and look into getting new Plantation Shutters fitted into your new home! Now that sounds way more exciting to me.

You will almost certainly have so much to do and so much to think about when moving that having professional cleaners help you will be a great load off your mind and a valuable source of support.

2. Have a mass clean-out

Without question, getting rid of clutter and all the bits and pieces that you really don’t need is an excellent way to reduce moving house stress. Clutter provokes stress and by getting rid of your junk, you will feel more free and ready to move.

You should definitely carry out your de-cluttering effort prior to moving, as there is little to be gained from taking things with you only to sort them out at your destination. As you de-clutter, decide whether each item should be thrown out, donated, recycled or even sold. There is now so many ways to re-sell items and make a little money from the items that you no longer want or need. You could even consider self storage for some of your items that you don’t desperately need whilst you’re moving. This will save time and space during the moving process, as you can keep the storage as long as you need.

3. Schedule packing time

Knowing you have to pack can be a huge weight on your mind. Tackle your packing by scheduling chunks of packing time in your calendar. Just as you would schedule an appointment, this time should allow you to exclusively focus on packing in readiness for your move. To make optimal use of your packing time, try to find someone to care for any children you may have and do not be distracted by other demands (such as work) during the time you have designated for packing. If you’re looking for a hassle free way to move home as you don’t fancy packing everything yourself there is always the option of hiring a removal service, the easiest way to find a professional removal service you can trust is by visiting a website like Shiply where you can get a quote within minutes.

4. Collect boxes

In advance of your move, start to accumulate boxes, newspaper, butchers paper and bubble wrap. All of these items can be used for wrapping items and moving, and collecting as many boxes as possible will save you money – there is no denying that packing boxes are expensive to buy, especially when you need so many of them. Check with friends, stores and businesses to see if they have any boxes that you could use. We used crate hire from PHS Teacrate when we moved house instead of collecting boxes as it’s much less stressful!

Moving is generally stressful, but by using these and other strategies, you can reduce the anxiety and difficulty that is typically associated with moving house.

Image by Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image by Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed Under: Handy Tips, Home Improvement, House Matters Tagged With:

3 Ways To Find the Best Air Conditioning Company

July 7, 2015 by

Having an energy efficient boiler and air conditioning that works properly is essential for feeling comfortable in your own home. If you live in a climate that is prone to having extremely hot or cold temperatures, heating and air conditioning become even more vital. Therefore, it is important to have a company you can call to repair these systems if something should go wrong with either of them. If you own a furnace or an air conditioner long enough, it will eventually break down. You may notice convincing promotions on AC units for sale from the reputed manufacturers, but you should take your time to research well before finalizing. Here is how you can go about hiring a heating and air conditioning company.

1. Ask your friends and neighbors

In your effort to stay cool or warm, whatever the case may be, you should first attempt to gather some references by speaking to people that you know very well. These are people you can trust. They have your best interest at heart. They will not steer you towards a specific repair company because of some ulterior motive. In these situations, it is always good to have people you can talk to who you know are always being honest with you. Find out the last time these people had their furnace or air conditioner repaired. Did the repair company do a good job? Were they on time and professional? Would they recommend that you use the same company?

2. Surf the Internet

You should also spend some time online visiting the websites of various heating and repair companies in your area. Take a look at the level of experience each company has. This will be an important factor in whether or not you hire them. You should also look at the equipment they use and the services they offer, read more information on their website to see exactly what they do. Also, you should have a look at reviews as this will determine the level of service you’re going to receive, a good suggestion could be look further into, http://www.gohomeheating.com/ID/Twin-Falls.php.

3. Set up appointments

Once you have a few heating and air conditioning companies in mind, you will need to set up a few appointments. Have the companies come to your house and give you an estimate for how much the repair work is going to cost. Let each company know that you have called other companies for estimates. This will give them more incentive to give you their best price.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, House Matters Tagged With:

Benefits of SAD Lights

March 7, 2015 by

For people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, the seasons with less hours of natural light bring on senses of depression, anxiety and other gloomy, discouraging feelings that can be just as debilitating as other forms of clinical depression. It isn’t merely a personal dislike of times without much sun, but an actual, medical issue.

Treating any kind of mental health condition is always going to involve an element of finding out what works for you. For example, one of my best friends has recently started using green kapuas hulu and has found that this has boosted her mood. If you are tempted to try an alternative method of managing your mental health, you might want to do some research into the potential benefits of kratom.

Today though, we need to talk about light therapy. Light therapy is one method of trying to help people burdened by SAD to live happy, normal lives during all four seasons. The lights are specially made to simulate the feel of natural light while filtering out most UV content. Supporters of light therapy feel that the SAD lights positively influence the chemicals in the brain that affect people’s moods. While they are not for everyone, nor are they generally the only treatment for SAD when used, they are worth looking into, and light therapy lamp reviews may be worth checking out if you’re intrigued by them.

photo SAD Lights.jpg

Clockwise from upper right: Northern Light SunRise Alarm Clock, Verilux Happy Light Liberty 5K, Jenatzy Sunrise Light Box (All images from www.buysadlights.com)

SAD lights are placed in mounted boxes that are positioned at a comfortable distance from the user, usually within two feet. Some people may also wish to attend light therapy sessions with a therapist. Brighter lights require less exposure time per use than dimmer lights. Some lights, like the Lucia Light, flash in the users face to increase stimulation. You can learn more about Lucia Light here. Lights are generally on stands short enough to fit on tables or desks and come in assorted shapes and sizes, including rectangular, triangular and cylindrical. Some lights are attached to alarm clocks.

Since light therapy is used for various purposes, the light therapy box for a SAD sufferer must be one that is specifically designed for SAD.

For sufferers of SAD, seasonal affective disorder light therapy may be an option. Stores such as http://www.buysadlights.com/ have a wide range of lighting products.

Filed Under: Health, Home Improvement Tagged With: ,

3 Important Questions to Ask Your Renovation Contractor

March 7, 2015 by

There are times when renovating your home takes only a few DIY projects which do not require any special skills or technical know-how. However, to ensure a great outcome, especially for major renovations, it is best to hire a contractor.

When hiring a contractor, you are essentially putting all of your faith in their abilities. That can have its positives and negatives. Firstly, it’s great because a contractor will bring all of their own materials and tools. This saves you from sourcing your own materials and tools. If you were to source your own materials, it would mean searching for the best skip hire sydney has to offer, ordering numerous raw materials and even having to buy various tools. This is a lot of effort but can also be incredibly costly too, especially if you only need certain tools for one job. However, it does mean leaving the renovation to someone else which can make you feel less in control.

Using a professional is even more important if you are renovating your property with the intention of putting it up for sale. Renovation projects are one of the many ways you can increase the value of your home. Did you also know that there are a wide variety of online estate agents out there that can make selling your house on the internet easier? For more information about online estate agents, take a look at these reviews from Ask Susan. As always, when trusting an estate agent to sell your property, make sure to do as much research as you can to make sure you are making the right decision.

Subsequently, when you hire a renovation contractor and invite this person into your home, there is a great deal of trust that must go into making such a decision. Not all contractors are created equal. In fact, they tend to vary greatly in the skills they possess, their honesty and the quality of their work. This is why it is foolish not to do your homework before you hire a contractor to renovate your home or office.

Image by tiramisustudio / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image by tiramisustudio / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

To help you with your decision, here are some questions you should ask to evaluate prospective contractors:

1. Where is their office?

You need to make sure that the contractor you hire actually has a brick and mortar office that you can visit. For example, one of my friends recently hired a roofing contractor and after visiting their office gained peace of mind that her renovation project was in safe hands. Unfortunately, however, there are many contractors who travel around the country doing unlicensed and substandard work. Be the time the client discovers the extent of the bad work, the contractor has already left town. This makes finding the person and getting them to repair the damage almost impossible. Ideally, you should not hire a contractor unless they have worked in your area for at least two years.

2. Are they licensed and insured?

If you hire an unlicensed or uninsured contractor, you are taking a big risk. Insurance is important because it will protect you in the event the contractor damages anything in your home during the project. Ask to see the contractor’s license and proof of insurance. I know a contractor and he told me that if you need contractors all risk insurance, visit constructaquote.com for a reasonably priced quote.

3. What is their estimate for the project?

Contractor estimates can vary greatly, so talk to a minimum of five different contractors before making a decision. Keep in mind that the lowest estimate is not always the best. Scrutinize their cost breakdown and check which contractor gives you the best value for your money.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, House Matters Tagged With: ,

Renovating Your Home

February 26, 2014 by

You’ve had a renovation in mind for months, and you’ve finally managed to save up enough money to start those all important improvements on what soon will be your dream home. This might mean you just changing the garage doors to your house (from somewhere like Coastal Garage Doors). Or you might want to completely change a room inside your house. However, whether it is a large or small renovation, you still need to be able to live comfortably in your house while renovations are under way. If you are simply redecorating one room in the house, it is easier to carry on living comfortably, unless it is the refurbishment of a kitchen or bathroom. For house extensions and renovations to the exterior of your home, you might be making a lot of compromises when it comes to living conditions over the next few weeks.

Damp

The weather is at the best of times, unpredictable. It could be sunny and bright one day and cloudy and miserable the next. Particularly in the UK, where rain is as common as night and day, it can be frustrating during renovations to find that your new foundations are now muddy and boggy. However once renovations are under way, there is little you can do other than tough it out.

If you are a fan of garden parties and have a few spare gazebos in the garage, you can set them up to reduce the amount of rain the renovation is exposed to. Alternatively you can also buy tarpaulin from home improvement stores and drape this over the materials most exposed to the weather. If you want to plough through with renovation works, a gazebo can be a good way to go.

Security

Burglars and thieves are always looking for an opportunity, and home-owners in the process of a renovation are frequently considered easy targets. This is because of workers that you don’t particularly know, walking in and out of your home and your renovation may open up another part of the house, making it far easier for thieves to break in and enter.

You can increase your home security by making sure that your home is well lit overnight. Lights with motion sensors are a great way to deter burglars, as they will prefer not to take the chance. You can also increase security by putting up fencing around your new renovation, so that it is much harder for potential thieves and burglars to get into the property.

Heating

If you are in the process of remodelling your home, particularly in the winter, heating may be an issue. This is more often the case when you are building an extension, because part of the house is now open to the elements. You don’t want to waste money on ‘heating the whole street’ so close doors and windows where possible. You might also be interested in getting a HVAC system installed in your house. If this is the case then you can easily check out someone like these HVAC contractors in Hillsborough, NC, to give you a better idea of what you could do to your house.

Don’t forget though that now is the time to get everything sorted for your house. So even though it’s cold now you should probably make sure that you’ve planned everything perfectly. If you are worried about the heating now (particularly if your extension isn’t complete just yet), then consider what you’re new extension will be like when it is complete. If you don’t have the right type of insulation or windows then that extension may still be cold even if it’s completely. That’s why it is so important to have the right types of windows for you new extension. Why not check out someone like MWT Windows who can provide with durable windows that will keep your house warm even when it’s cold.

If your extension has no doors as of yet, try hanging an old sheet from the doorway to block out drafts and to reduce heat loss from the rest of the house. Alternatively you could bite the bullet and simply cover yourselves in blankets for the time being, so avoid extra heating bill costs.

Renovating your home may seem like a lot of work, but you’re undertaking the project for a particular reason, and it will all be worth it in the end. With that being said, you can always decide to ease the pressure from yourself by looking at how somewhere like this Boston design build company can help to remodel certain rooms for you, so you don’t have to spend more time living on a construction site. They have a good reputation, so this could be an option worth considering if you want professional assistance. But don’t worry, if you stay vigilant and prepare for anything, you’ll be relaxing in your new extension in no time.

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About the Author: Clara Campbell is a home design blogger who has contributed this post on behalf of Maltaward, suppliers of high quality security products such as mesh panel fencing

Filed Under: Home Improvement, House Matters Tagged With:
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