Keeping your home clean can be quite a challenge after a busy holiday season. Here are a few helpful suggestions to ensure that you begin 2017 with a clean house. Plan for Trash It might not seem like a wonderful concept to have small garbage cans in your living room or family room, but putting small trashcans in busy areas will help you better manage the trash in...
By Brooke Chaplan Home inspections are most commonly ordered by home buyers before closing on a home, and can also be used by current homeowners who want to learn more about the condition of the property they live in. These home inspection reports are often a dozen pages or more in length, and they contain very detailed information about components that range from...
With the many different projects reported annually in Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report, not much has changed from last year...and that's not a bad thing. The 29 projects found on this year’s report paid back an average of 64.3 cents on the dollar in resale value. Looking at the 24 most tracked projects (projects consistently tracked for the last...
With the summer months approaching, chances are you're already bracing yourself for higher energy usage, and along with it, larger energy bills. It's a price you're willing to pay to stay comfortable during those warm summer months, right? The reality is, you're not the only one. During peak summer months, air conditioning accounts for about half of the nation's energy...
Whether you’re in the process of downsizing or simply looking to open up your home a bit (without saying goodbye to your belongings for good), self-storage units offer a practical solution to the issue surrounding the lack of space homeowners are faced with on a day-to-day basis. While factors such as security, cleanliness, temperature control, customer service...
By Sage Singleton
Home safety is an important, even life-saving topic that you should teach your children about at an early age. If you educate your children on basic home safety principles when they’re young, the lessons will stick with them for a lifetime.
Learn to lock a deadbolt. Teach children how to lock and unlock a deadbolt. Let them know that the...
Buying a new house is an exciting adventure to embark on. Whether you are a newlywed just beginning your life with your significant other or a retiree looking to downsize, purchasing a new home is a time of new beginnings. Despite all of the anticipation of owning a new home, there are some housekeeping items that should be taken care of prior to settling in. Committing...
Curling up in front of the fireplace has long been a source of warmth and comfort as Old Man Winter tries to break us down with bitter cold temperatures, mind-numbingly harsh winds and inclement weather. But like everything else in the home, the beloved fireplace of yesteryear (aka the simple brick cutout with a mesh screen positioned just so) has become just another...
While I painfully preach advance planning and preparation to my sons, I was actually the kid in school who waited until the last minute to cram for tests and was up until 5 a.m. banging out term papers due later that morning. Even right now, I’ve waited until the last possible minute to finish this blog—the RISMedia holiday party kicks off in 45 minutes and trust...
Let’s face it: We all know moving is a pain. And according to the American Moving & Storage Association, the average move in the U.S. costs a shocking $5,630. Of course, costs will vary greatly upon family size, house size and location. However, it's safe to say that moving is often more expensive than expected. This brings many to the question: should you...
