Ah . . . living in the Chicagoland area is sure a lot of fun. I mean with in a 40 mile radius we have access to great fun. We have Lake Michigan, great museums, zoos, food, country roads, miles of forest and natural habitats, and many awe inspiring places to visit.
The downside is we only have about 3 months to enjoy all of these amazing places and to get all of our summer home improvement projects done. Do we stay home all weekend and pull weeds, paint the garage, and powerwash the house or go to Great America????
We have a few tips to not spend your short few weeks we have left of Summer breaking your back to to strike a balnace between summer chores and summer fun.
1. Break task down to a certain time limit. For example if you want to weed your landscaping. Set a time and stick to it. You be surprised what even 15 min. can do.
2. Buy tools that can help. You can cut down on cost if you look in to used equipment. Sites like Craigslist, yahoo groups and facebook can get you what you need on the cheap. I posted I wanted to buy a screen tent for camping on Facebook and a friend offered to borrow me hers! I save $$$ for a item I need only 1 time.
3. Look for High School kids to help. They might be looking for some quick cash. Some kids might be trying to make money for camp or mission work this can provied a win win situation for everyone.
4. Make a plan so you don't bite off more than you can chew. Stay focused and don't get overwhelmed. Who wants to spend all weekend working on their house!
break it up into manageable task and striking a balance between getting it all done in our short season and having fun!
5. Hire a pro to help you out. Even if it is a few tasks it can help. Set a budget and see what you can get done with that dollar amount! Seek help for things you don't know how to do or you don't like doing. In the long run it my "pay" to pay someone to do the things that you can do yourself.
For example, we had a person call our company Affordable Luxury Painting and Remodeling to do a repair on something they could of taken care of themself, but didn't have a tall enough ladder. They would have rented a ladder, but they had no way to transport it with out renting a truck. They could have gone to Home Depot and rent one of their trucks, but the time and money and energy it would take just seemed exausting so, it was easier and more efficient to hire a pro.
The time is ticking in Chicagoland, but by thinking through all the options, making a realistic plan you can easily make progress on you "summer to-do list" and enjoy the rest of the fun summer activites!
Friday, August 8, 2014
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Do it yourself Painting!
With easter fast approaching, isyour home company-ready? If not, there’s still time to do something about it. You can dramatically upgrade your décor in just a weekend – or even a day — by doing some interior painting. And this type of remodeling is affordable even in the gift-giving season, typically costing a do-it-yourselfer less than $100 a room.
Why is it that we tend to spot the deficiencies in our décor just before family and friends are due to arrive?
In the throes of day-to-day living, most of us become somewhat blind to the condition of our rooms, including their color. But when it really counts, we take a harder, more critical look. All too often, we don’t like what we see. When that happens, we are left with a couple of options: We can panic. . . or paint!
Nothing changes the appearance of a home interior faster, or more effectively, than a fresh coat of interior paint. And, giving a room an entirely new appearance at holiday-time will help lift your spirits and that of your guests.
What’s especially nice about painting just prior to the holidays is that you can even choose colors that are just right for the season, as long as you’ll still love them when the day is done.
Assuming that your pre-holiday painting is focused on rooms that will be filled with people, keep in mind that paints with higher levels of sheen will be more stain-resistant and easier to clean. Certainly the woodwork, but even the walls, in gathering spots like the kitchen, kids’ playroom, and rec room should be done with semi-gloss paint. To make cleaning even easier, be sure to use 100% acrylic latex interior paint.
And keep in mind that top quality latex paint offers another nice advantage: It’s a “green” product with very low odor; plus, any minor odor it does have will dissipate very quickly. Even if you paint only a short time before your guests arrive, no-one will catch a whiff of it!
I suggest that to save money do your bedrooms your self. Have the pros (that would be us) paint the "company" areas. Family room, kitchens, baths people use. These are the rooms you want to look professional.
Why is it that we tend to spot the deficiencies in our décor just before family and friends are due to arrive?
In the throes of day-to-day living, most of us become somewhat blind to the condition of our rooms, including their color. But when it really counts, we take a harder, more critical look. All too often, we don’t like what we see. When that happens, we are left with a couple of options: We can panic. . . or paint!
Nothing changes the appearance of a home interior faster, or more effectively, than a fresh coat of interior paint. And, giving a room an entirely new appearance at holiday-time will help lift your spirits and that of your guests.
What’s especially nice about painting just prior to the holidays is that you can even choose colors that are just right for the season, as long as you’ll still love them when the day is done.
Assuming that your pre-holiday painting is focused on rooms that will be filled with people, keep in mind that paints with higher levels of sheen will be more stain-resistant and easier to clean. Certainly the woodwork, but even the walls, in gathering spots like the kitchen, kids’ playroom, and rec room should be done with semi-gloss paint. To make cleaning even easier, be sure to use 100% acrylic latex interior paint.
And keep in mind that top quality latex paint offers another nice advantage: It’s a “green” product with very low odor; plus, any minor odor it does have will dissipate very quickly. Even if you paint only a short time before your guests arrive, no-one will catch a whiff of it!
I suggest that to save money do your bedrooms your self. Have the pros (that would be us) paint the "company" areas. Family room, kitchens, baths people use. These are the rooms you want to look professional.
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