Have you noticed that plastic bags are starting to fade away as grocery stores across the nation have planned to discontinue their use? This comes after the plastic straw has lost favor significantly among beverage drinkers, in favor of metal. Are you seeing a trend?
The trend toward environmental responsibility has been championed in no small part by a group of teenagers called VSCO girls.
If you’re reading this post, chances are good that you know what a VSCO girl is, or are one yourself! You may even be wearing 5 scrunchies around your wrist and sipping out of a metal straw as you read this. Given the title of the article, it’s also probably not a stretch to assume you might be interested in creating some of these VSCO fashion accessories yourself.
How to Make a Wrist Scrunchie
Let’s start off with a little relief…you do not need to know how to sew to make this scrunchie! As far as tools go, all you need is a hot glue gun (or some fabric glue).
Start off with a piece of fabric about 24 inches wide and 5 inches tall. You don’t have be exact on those measurements.
Add a bead of hot glue (or fabric glue) along one of the shorter sides of the fabric.
Quickly fold the edge over and press down so the glue sticks.
Repeat for the other side. This will ensure that you don’t have frayed edges on your scrunchie.
Now, we’re going to fold the fabric in the other direction, in half and glue it together lengthwise.
And finally slip a piece of elastic through the tube you just created and tie it together at the ends to create a “circle”.
You can use anything for the elastic. Even cut tie together rubber bands or hair ties!
Make Your Own Metal Straws
Making your own metal drinking straws is so easy that you’ll wonder why you’ve never considered it!
I don’t need to bore you with details here! Just buy some round metal tubing and start cutting!
This product is perfect because it’s just slightly wider than a traditional drinking straw, making it perfect for liquid beverages as well as smoothies. And believe it or not, it’s already sized perfectly as a drinking straw at about 9.5″ long. So, you can skip the cutting part and just give them a good wash!
If you are interested in trying out some different materials (brass, for example) or sizes, check out this Amazon search for a list of metal tubing that’ll work.
If you want to get real fancy, you could even pick up a tube bender to give your straw a bit of a drinking angle!
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Homeowners in the US are a restless lot. Data out there shows that the average household moves every five to seven years. While the motivation to move may vary from one family to the other, all home sellers want to get the highest return on the sale of their homes. A homeowner might, therefore, decide to eliminate the typical 6% commission fee paid to real estate agents and sell the house without the assistance of a realtor either with an investor or on their own.
What is FSBO or for sale by owner?
This type of real estate sale is known as an FSBO or a “for sale by owner.” FSBO is the process of listing and selling your home without the assistance of a real estate agent. If you are planning to sell your house yourself, worry not, you’re in good company.
Thousands of homeowners sell their homes to save on the commission fee paid out to realtors. The commission percentage might look negligible compared to the more substantial sum left, but make no mistake about it, it is still a significant amount if you do the math.
Why? Though based on the final sale price of your property, the realtor’s commission is usually hived off your home’s equity. If, for instance, your home is worth $350,000, and your mortgage costs are $250,000, then you are supposed to make $100,000 off the sale.
If you, however, are going to give your realtor $21,000 of this amount, you will only have $79,000 at the end of the deal. This amount could further be eaten up by other seller related closing costs.
Can you sell your house without a realtor?
It is possible to sell your home without the assistance of a realtor. By eliminating the middleman, you could take charge of the property sale. It’s not a walk in the park, but data shows that over 34% and 36% of urban and millennial sellers, respectively, do succeed in their FSBO attempts.
It can, nonetheless, become a very overwhelming process if you are not sufficiently prepared for it. This is the reason why, according to Zillow, a real estate property firm, at least two-thirds of all property owners that try their hand at an FSBO fail and turn to realtors for help.
More data shows that home sellers that prefer to sell their homes also could get lower sales prices compared to agent-assisted home sales. You will need to invest a lot of time to make a for sale by owner work flawlessly. There also will be financial and legal tasks to deal with, which will require the assistance of a good lawyer.
How to sell your house for sale by owner?
Determine a fair market price for the property
Most FSBO sales often fail because the property sits for too long in the market. One of the most significant causes of this problem is an overpriced home. If you also value your property poorly, you could also end up selling it for less than what it is worth. You, therefore, must get the price of the property right before embarking on the sale process.
Online valuation sites owned by reputable real estate agents such as Trulia or Zillow.com will give you a free price estimate of your home. A price estimate could be off by a few thousand bucks, so have your property’s value appraised by a licensed appraiser or a real estate agent.
Prepare the property for the sale
Put yourself in the place of the buyer and take a walk around the house. What aspects of the house would you dislike if you were planning to purchase it? Is the curb appeal good enough? Is it the living space too cluttered with personal items? How clean are the nooks and crannies?
Each flaw in the property could cost your potential buyer thousands of dollars once the closing is done. They will hesitate to purchase if your home has too many of them. Therefore, make minor repairs, declutter and give the walls a fresh coat of paint. Give the house a professional deep clean and swap your items for impersonal décor items such as decorative candles and area rugs.
Market it!
Purchase a good yard sign and get to work. First, get a hold of your property’s quantitative information such as square footage or year built. If you have a good knowledge of photography, take good photos that have plenty of natural light in them. If you are not good at photography, hire the services of a professional. Bad images can ruin your chances of a good sale.
Next, design brochures or flyers using the data and images and ensure that your contact information is strategically placed. Pass these advertising materials to interested house buyers. It would be best if you also advertised the sale on popular home sale websites such as HomeFinder.com or MLS My Home.
Alternatively, post your advertisement on FSBO sites such as FSBO.com, real estate sites, or on social media. Take advantage of the weekends and host an open house for increased marketing exposure.
Negotiate and close the deal
The negotiations will start verbally but ignore offers that are too low or uncertain. Exercise patience and avoid the urge to lower your price for a quick sale. A buyer to be will need to submit to you a written offer. You should have a real estate contract prepared beforehand specific to your state. Let the closing take place in the office of a title company or an attorney as required by law.
The for sale by owner method of selling a house has its advantages and disadvantages. If you master it, you will save thousands of dollars over time. With a bit of diligence and patience, you too can master the art of the FSBO.
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“Saving the planet” has turned from a cool slogan into a necessity. The amount of waste we produce each year is only going to increase so it is important to come up with novel ways to recycle. Apart from recycling waste, we can save the planet it by reducing consumption and reusing items such as water bottles.
Most of them are made from plastic which is already suffocating the marine life in the world’s oceans. The problem might be local but the solution is definitely local. Join in on the fight to save the planet by reusing plastic bottles in these 6 innovative ways.
Creating multicolored lights
If you have some old lightbulbs lying around, you can reuse them together with plastic bottles. Cut open the bottles to fit the lightbulb in and then pull the cord through the bottleneck. Since plastic does not react well to heat, you can use LED lights that use 95% of power to produce light, instead of heat like incandescent lightbulbs do.
Storage units for nuts and bolts
If you own a shop, have a garage or simply possess a lot of nuts and bolts, then you can use plastic bottles to save money on costly storage solutions. Nail a couple of pegs on the walls and then hang the bottles from their respective caps. A hole in the neck of the bottle will allow you to throw in and take out different types of nails, bolts, and nuts you wish to store separately.
Making a pencil case
Buying stuff for school each fall comes hard on all parents but luckily, plastic bottles can help in this segment as well. Namely, a no-sew zipper case can be made from two bodies and heels of a typical plastic bottle. You’ll need a zipper with fabric on both sides and some glue to create a custom pencil case. We bet no other kid in class will have such a unique and cool pencil case that cost close to nothing to make.
A broom from a 2-liter bottle
If you like fizzy drinks, then you are bound to have a bunch of 2-liter bottles lying around. Cut off their finishes and cut them across the middle of the body. After you get tens of funnel-like cutouts, place them all inside one another and connect them to a long wooden stick using a rope. The end result will be a broom made from plastic! If you think this design is wacky, know that there are running socks made entirely from plastic salvaged from the ocean.
Kids’ bowling pins
If you have a lot of those half-a-liter plastic bottles, you can easily convert them into a fun toy for your kids (or for yourself). Take a piece of fabric and write the numbers from 1 top 10 on them. Now remove the labels from the bottle and wrap the numbers around the bottles. All you need now is a ball of some sort to knock over these plastic water bottle pins.
A beach bucket for the kids
Another toy that you can use plastic bottles to make is a beach bucket. In general, eco-friendly beach sets for children can be pricy so you’ll actually a nice amount if you reuse the detergent bottle. Cut it across the body sideways leaving the handle intact. After you’re done cutting, gently polish the edges so the newly made beach bucket is safe to use.
The 6 alternative uses for plastic water bottles listed here are by no means exhaustive. There are hundreds of other ways to reuse plastic, from rattling cat toys, across garden sprinklers, all the way to constructing a greenhouse in your backyard.
However, before you become creative with old water bottles, you should shop for clothes that are made from recyclable materials. Your drive to give plastic a second life has been recognized by numerous brands out there so the least you can do is support them.
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Building a man cave is just as exciting as all the time you’ll spend in it having fun with your mates. Whether you choose to build a man cave in the basement or in the garage, there a few tips to help the renovation go smoothly. There are certain entertainment units and home improvement projects that fit into the man den better than others and here are just a few of them.
Purchasing the perfect bar with a built-in fridge
Perhaps the first thing that comes to every man’s mind is installing a bar. This is the ultimate man cave addition but you shouldn’t just buy the first bar you come across. Your dream bar should be made from wood but feature chromed elements like the foot rail. Ask the sellers if they have any barstools to go with the bar and they might offer you a discount if you purchase the whole set.
If you wish the bar to be something really exclusive, apart from an in-built beer tap, there should be a refrigerator build inside the bar. You are going to have to install a fridge anyway so why not solve two problems in a single go, i.e. purchase. Finally, a good bar will also feature storage space for extra beer kegs.
Creating an arcade section
When it comes to video games, don’t go for modern game consoles but try to revive the spirit of the (gaming) past. You and your friends probably spent hours at the arcades when little so why not throw in an arcade machine (or two). You can go on a real scavenger hunt to find as many old games as possible. If you’re not feeling that much nostalgic, then there are excellent VR entertainment centers available online.
Open arrangement seating
The whole point of creating a man cave is to have a place for your mates when they come over. In order to accommodate as many people as possible, place seating in an open arrangement. Instead of putting the couch and upholstered chairs in the center of the basement or a garage, place them against the walls to save on open space. This way, you won’t have any dead zones and room will open for interactive additions for your mantuary.
Setting up a home gym
It is easier for ladies to create a gym at home since all they need is a yoga mat and a set of dumbbells. For men, setting up a home gym is slightly more complicated but definitely achievable. Leaving enough space in your man den for exercise machines or a boxing bag is a good way to start. Stay focused and choose the machines you are actually going to use.
A central game table
A couch with a widescreen plasma TV in front of it and a gym are all nice but you need an entertainment unit that will take center stage. This choice depends on your preference but everything from a pool table to a poker table will serve the purpose just fine. In fact, you can always change the central game table with another sport by selling a pool table, for instance, and then using the money you got to buy a foosball table.
Luxurious LEDs
Finally, you should ditch the old incandescent lightbulbs and go for LED strips. They are cheap to acquire and can be installed anywhere you like. If you build a home gym, then you’ll definitely hang a large mirror that can be illuminated using a colorful LED strip, much like Hollywood stars have those tacky vanity mirrors in their dressing rooms. A touch of glamour could not hurt your man cave’s interior design.
The 6 improvements listed here should be the starting point of creating your ideal man cave. After you create a home gym, place LED strips all over the place, and build a bar, you’ll earn the respect of all your mates!
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Chairs have a tendency of getting wear and tear on their covers from being used heavily. Or sometimes, you just feel the need to change the covers of your chair to go with the decor or theme of your room. But the problem is that the cost of having your chair reupholstered is quite high.
If you are into handiwork, we have a solution for you: Why not reupholster the chair yourself? In this step by step tutorial, we’ll show you how to easily do so yourself at home.
Step 1. Get the Supplies
Before you start working on the project, you need to get the necessary supplies. Get the fabric that you want to cover your chair with. Make sure that you have enough fabric to cover all the sides. While taking this measurement, add 2 extra inches on each side and get the fabric accordingly.
You’ll also need a staple gun with ample staples inside, scissors, a hammer, and a screwdriver. A wooden work surface and a measuring tape are recommended too.
Step 2. Get Rid of the Old Fabric
Considering your chair has a fabric covering on it already, you can either remove it completely or cover it with the new fabric. However, we suggest you remove the old fabric covering the chair.
This task may be easy or difficult depending on what type of chair you have and how the cover has been affixed. Pull out the staples holding the old fabric in place with a hammer. However, be mindful as to not cause any damage to the chair itself.
Step 3. Take Measurements and Prepare the Fabric
Once you have removed the old fabric, it’s time for you to prepare the material. Put the fabric on the front side of the surface you want to cover. Here, you must ensure that not only is the whole surface covered, but there is extra fabric on all four sides. This will provide ample room for stapling the fabric to the backside of the chair’s surface.
In case your fabric is larger than the amount necessary, use your scissors to cut it from all sides according to the measurements. That’s important to make sure that the excess fabric does not create any unwanted bulk.
Step 4. Time to Staple!
Now that you have the fabric ready, it’s time to staple it to the chair. Put the fabric on the front side of the surface. For the top long side, put the excess 2 inches of fabric over the edge and pull it tightly from all sides to ensure that there are no folds or bunches anywhere.
When you’re happy with the positioning, start stapling the fabric to the chair, i.e. staple the 2-inch extra fabric to the backside of the chair. Put a few staples along the line but make sure to space them out evenly. We’d suggest you don’t put too many staples so as not to damage the surface’s material.
Step 5. Handle the Mishaps
Sometimes when you are using a staple gun, it might not be effective, i.e. the staple may not get pushed the whole way in as intended. This usually happens if you are unable to exert as much pressure on the staple gun as needed. As a result, the staple does not help in securing the fabric tightly on the surface.
If this happens, there are two things you can do:
Hammer the staple in by using the hammerhead and hitting the staple repeatedly.
Alternately, you can use the other end of the hammer to pull out the staple altogether and redo the stapling on that spot.
If you think that the staple has gone deep enough, use option A. Otherwise, use option B. Use your judgment in this case. The objective is to secure the fabric on the surface, so as long as that is being done, you’re good to go!
Step 6. Staple the Other Sides
Once you have attached the top long side, it’s time to secure the fabric along the lower long side. Pull the lower part of the fabric on the front side across the bottom edge similar to what you did in Step 4. Make sure that the fabric is taut and stretched amply. When it is perfectly positioned, staple the fabric to the backside of the surface.
Now that the top and bottom long edges are done, it’s time to move on to the left and right shorter edges. Follow the same process on these two sides as well, ensuring that they are tightly pulled and that the fabric is not loose.
The major task is now done. Take a look at all sides and make sure that there are no loose staples. If so, fix the error by following the processes described in Step 5.
Step 7. Take Care of the Corners
You might have noticed that we haven’t talked about the corners yet, but when you are working on the project, you’ll see those problematic corners with excess bunched up fabric. It’s time to take care of that.
To do that, pinch the spine of the corner and fold it in such a way that there is no other loose fabric. If there’s still some excess fabric left at the corner, you should cut it off with a pair of scissors. Otherwise, when you staple it, it will form an odd-looking bulk.
Once you’ve cut off the extra piece of fabric, staple the corner on the backside of the surface, similar to what you’ve done with the sides. Repeat this process for all 4 sides.
Step 8. Final Touches and Reinstallment
Examine your work properly. If the fabric makes any bubbles on the front side, pull it tightly, thus pushing out the air from underneath it, and then staple the corresponding end on the backside.
And you’re done!
But wait – your beautiful upholstered chair surface is ready but still needs to be reattached to the chair. Do so, and you’ll have a beautifully reupholstered chair that you made new with your own hands!
Final Thoughts
It’s a joy to take care of something at your home that needs fixing, especially if that means you get to save a lot of money! Reupholstering a chair is one such opportunity.
Now that you have reupholstered your chair, it’s time for you to relax. So, sit back on that chair and chill out. You’ve done a great job and deserve a break!
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It’s difficult, if not impossible, to relax in a chaotic environment. If you have a messy, extremely cluttered home, you won’t be able to let yourself go. You get stressed just by looking at the piles of dishes sitting in the sink. When you look at all the mess, you find it overwhelming. You don’t know if you should clean it all up or tackle it the next day. If you’re very clean and tidy, everything is noticeable to you.
When kids are in the house, it can be a challenge to keep the house clean all the time. Maybe so, but it’s not impossible. Keep on reading to find out what you need to do to keep your house clean and organized.
Declutter Your Home Every Week
There are numerous benefits to having a clutter-free home. You get rid of pests, it’s easier to find things, no tot mention that you can reduce the number of injuries caused by falls. Decluttering the house every now and then is a good way to practice self-care. If you love to go shopping, and so do the other people in your home, it’s necessary to declutter more often.
Do something every day. Take care of the mail, clothes, toys, and other things lying around. 20 minutes a day is enough to clean up the mess. The junk won’t pile up in your home. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it.
You could get your kids involved in the process. Or you could hire a junk removal service. Professionals cater to the needs of residential homeowners, as well as commercial companies. They can help you with the sorting, packing, and hauling of the things you no longer need. Think about it.
Don’t Feed the Kids Messy Food
Feeding your children can be a messy experience. Popsicles or powdery Cheetos always drip and stain. It’s impossible to eat certain foods without making a mess, so don’t blame it all on your kids. Even if they take food from a spoon or fork, it will be all for nothing. If you want your house to shine all the time, don’t give your kids crackers, pretzels or cookies too often. Make sure not to feed your kids any of the following foods:
Powdered doughnuts
Croissants
Burritos
Noodles
Corn on the cob
Chicken wings
They may be delicious but these foods are the messiest when it comes to eating them. Start making better food choices. If you want a clean, clutter-free home, feed your kids sliced fruits and veggies, sandwiches, and steak. You won’t have to see the remnants of breakfast, lunch, and dinner for weeks to come.
Wake Up Before the Children
It’s a good idea to wake up before the kids. Why? Because you can have some time to yourself. The morning before everyone in the house wakes up is the perfect time to start cleaning. If you’re a morning person, you won’t find it hard to get out of bed when the sun rises. You’ll have more time for the dishes and laundry, not to mention other tasks that you might need to take care of.
Use a basket to collect all the toys, clothing, blankets. The youngsters aren’t in the habit of putting things away immediately, so they can undermine all your best efforts. Don’t forget to wipe down the kitchen counters. Even though you don’t do any cooking, you’re likely to use the counter. It’s the place where you put the mail and where you wait for the coffee to brew. You could vacuum the floors, but you risk waking up your children.
Getting up a little bit earlier is just what you need. Freelancers working for writing companies don’t find it practical to write past midnight. They prefer waking up earlier. If you want to do a good job, so should you. You’ll get more done.
Don’t Buy Unless It’s for Birthdays or Holidays
Maybe you’re not a shopping addict. However, you do like to buy things when you feel down in the dumps. If you don’t invest in things that add value to your life, you’re better off saving your money. Don’t go shopping unless you have a birthday coming up or the holidays are coming. If you do indulge in shopping, make sure to get rid of some items.
The point is that you need to stop bringing so many new items into the home. They might keep everyone in the house busy and entertained, but think about the mess they’ll create. Your house will become a mess and tidying up will become impossible. Here’s some advice on how to stop buying stuff that you don’t need:
Don’t visit your favorite retail stores
Stay away from temptation
Be grateful for the things you have
The children don’t need too many toys. The fewer toys they have, the happier they will be. children should use their imagination to create games and toys. Even if you have enough space, don’t purchase flashy new things. It’s just not worth it.
Teach the Kids How to Clean Their Rooms
When the youngsters are in elementary school, they are able to do most of the tasks involved in cleaning. You can’t expect your kids to pick up the vacuum. However, they can do their fair share of chores. So, don’t be a martyr. Make the children clean their rooms. Knowing how to make and keep order will turn out to be useful later in life.
Keep your kids accountable for cleaning their rooms. If you don’t do this, they will delay the tasks until it’s too late. Make sure that they keep up with room cleaning. They should pick the clothing off the ground, put their toys away, and not waste time in front of the computer. The responsibilities that you give them at home will prepare them for schools, where it will be necessary to write down assignments or keep track of homework.
To conclude, even if you have a house full of kids, it’s possible to declutter the home and keep things clean. With a little bit of time and effort, you can create good habits and keep your home neat and tidy.
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If you have been tinkering with the idea of a bathroom remodeling for quite a while, then maybe this is the time to take the next step and go all out. There are a whole load of new design styles this year and many things that have been around for quite a while are being replaced by new looks, designs and cool ideas for your bathroom space. Renovating your bathroom does not require a complete overhaul, a few simple things such as swapping some wall lights, the taps or the wallpaper can completely change the ambiance to something brand new.
The year has brought with it a whole range of new styles and collections and designers moving away from angular shapes and lines to flowing shapes. So, whatever your style may be, whether you love a patterned look or pastel shades or a natural space, our trends have got you covered.
Gold Fixtures
Gold fixtures are back in style and offer a subtle and classy way to glam up your bathroom. Shades of gold and brass and taking over everything in the bathroom – from the faucets, sinks, toilets, just about anything. A simple way to add gold to your bathroom is by building it up gradually. Begin with the hard-wired fittings, a light fixture or a faucet and then layer on the accessories. The warm-toned gold fixtures are guaranteed to add just the correct bit of depth and luxury to your bathroom.
The warmer brass-gold accents are preferred by most homeowners compared to the polished shiny chrome that give a more modern, sleek and cool look. The gold fixtures come in spun gold, matte and satin finishes that add to the classic charm of your bathroom.
Natural Finishes
Raw and unrefined finishes can give a break from cold and hard surfaces that are usually found in bathrooms. Wood is a great option. But opt for darker timbers having a rough surface or with a vintage stain. This can add a bit of history and old-world charm to your bathroom. You can also make use of porcelain tiles with the wood look, but it should have a textured finish which can help to recreate the right kind of “natural”.
Industrial Styled Vanities and Fixtures
The industrial style is very current and contemporary and this type of design is slated to become quite popular. The wooden accents, metal finish and hip tile patterns — it’s easy to see why this look is in. The edgy but classy trend fits perfectly with the modern, sleek and contemporary look. You can pair industrial sinks with brass and gold accents, splashes of color, funky-patterned tiles and fixtures in matte black to make the look even more modern. The industrial look is great for small-sized apartments and will even look great for your bathroom in the hall. Look out for this trendy, urbanized style!
Wooden Accents
Gray palettes are gradually moving out of the home and making way for warmer wood accents and tones. You can use wood to complement bathrooms that are green, blue, white and in any dark color. Wood accents go very well with industrial and vintage styles too. Wood instantly adds classic old-world charm and traditional style to any modern-looking bathroom.
Compact Storage Spaces
If you’re fed up with your messy, overflowing and cramped cabinets, the current bathroom trends reveal minimized storage spaces with clean lines and lesser space requirement. Simple, compacted shelves, cabinets and storage spaces encourage you to be minimalistic in your habits. Not only will this style help you to be very organized, the reduced clutter can also reduce stress levels too.
Even if the other rooms in your home is not minimalistic, your bathroom is your haven of relaxation and compacted storage can make your bathroom just that. The use of modern wall shelves, hidden cabinets and having your vanity under the space storage will help to make your bathroom feel less cluttered and will make it more organized, open and inviting.
Splashes of Color
As the trend moves further away from tones of gray, there is bound to be a rise in color in bathrooms. The trend is more splashes of colorful fixtures, accents and accessories. Splashes of color go very nicely with light or dark neutral shades. Today, blue and green kitchens are becoming extremely popular. You can see this trend in bathrooms too. The color that you choose can help to set the mood. Splashes of blue can help to increase the serenity and calm of your spaces and can help you relax, while green accentuates nature and wellness. You can use other fun colors to boost your creativity and mood and splashes of color is a fantastic way to add a colorful twist to your otherwise drab and dull bathroom.
Tile Patterns and Shapes
Today, tiles are available in all sorts of patterns and designs, right from classic, to cool to funky, name it and you have it. But now, tiles are going beyond just colors and graphics. New tile shapes are the mantra of the day and this trend is sure to make your bathroom really interesting. While the use of tiles in bathrooms is making a comeback, but the large-format tiles and subway tiles are things of the past.
There are plenty of newer and more interesting and funky tile shapes to choose from. You can choose from chevron patterns, hexagon, diamond, arabesque, Moroccan fish scales and colorful mosaic, the list goes on. And, not only can these tiles be used on your bathroom floor, you can use them on your shower walls, bathroom backsplashes and also create accents on the ceilings and walls. So, if you’re looking for a way to liven up the look of your bathroom, differently shaped tiles are the way to go this season.
Pretty Sherbet Shades
While splashes of color may be trending, some prefer to have one color all over. The trend of doing up the bathroom is shades of pink and blush is still prevalent. While blush is quite a popular hue, rose gold is another color that is becoming very trendy. Now, you can match your drawer pulls, faucets and also your bathtub with your latest iPhone! This color trend is definitely going places.
Sherbet hues are also making a huge comeback. When you think of pastels with a funky twist, it brings back the era of high-living, glamor and glitz – pool parties, huge convertibles and glitzy homes. The best part of sherbet shades in your bathroom is that it works extremely well with metallic fixtures. You could try a mix of pink with taps in spun gold, the effect is sure to be nothing short of stunning and will take your bathroom to a new level of oomph.
Open Showers and Large Bathtubs
Today, the trend is to have more space in the bathroom and all design styles are all about big and open. And, this is probably the key reason as to why homeowners turn to bathroom remodeling. Using compact storage options can give you more space to expand your shower or bath.
Open Showers
While open showers help to increase the size and space of your bathroom visually, it also gives you plenty of space and convenience. The days of worrying that you will slip over your bathtub while getting off it is long gone. Open showers are a great solution to this. While some people may find an open shower design to be lacking in privacy, many others enjoy the increased shower space and the open, unfettered feeling.
Large Bathtubs
What can be better than winding down completely and relaxing after a long tiring day? And, what could be a better place than your own bathroom? Replacing your shower cubicle or your existing small bathtub with a large one can give you more space to chill out, relax and unwind. Today, jacuzzi-style bathtubs are no longer as popular as they used to be in the past. We are seeing a shift in the trend towards big bathtub styles.
Asymmetrical Mirrors
The trend in mirrors is going asymmetrical. Geometrical and unique shapes of mirrors are in vogue. But it does not end there, like the rest of the bathroom, mirrors are also turning smarter. You have mirrors with smart touch, anti-fog technology, USB charging ports, etc. The days of plated mirrors are long gone, you can get as creative as possible with uniquely shaped frames and you can pick any style you want.
But the most important part about bathroom mirrors is the lighting. Having a trendy and stylish bathroom means nothing if you are not perfect. While it’s all good to have gadgets, fun shapes and cool looks, in the end, functionality is the key. Today, contemporary back-lit mirrors and also mirrors with front lights are becoming very popular. While the back-lit mirrors are more subtle and the lighting is optimal. Front lights are cooler and more creative; however, they may take away from the asymmetrical shape of the mirror.
So, that brings us to the end of our 10 contemporary bathroom design trends and we hope that it has inspired to you give your bathroom a makeover and get the bathroom of your dreams.
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If you have a secondary basement / garage refrigerator or if you maintain a seasonal home, chances are good that you’ve run into some spoiled food issues.
Whether the power goes out for a while or the fridge or freezer door wasn’t completely closed, it doesn’t take long for meat and fish to spoil and leave a rotten smell embedded in your refrigerator.
If you’re like me, you’ve tried using baking soda to absorb the moisture and smell. You may even have gone as far as bleaching the entire inside of the fridge. But if the rotten smell really had time to propagate, you’ve discovered that neither of those methods does the job.
So what do you do? New refrigerators aren’t cheap.
You could come to terms with the fact that your fridge has lived its life, given you all it’s got and has been running on borrowed time for years. In that case, a new fridge may not be a bad idea.
Your friend may have an old fridge to hand down to you, or you might be comfortable searching on Craigslist.
Before you do either of those things, you might want to consider spending $75 on an Ozone Generator.
Ozone kills bacteria. It eliminates just about any odor you can think of. Give Ozone 20 minutes to work it’s magic inside your fridge and freezer and you’ll be amazed at how will it works. Just skip to the questions and reviews section on any Ozone GeneratorOzone Generator on Amazon to see how many people were able to eliminate their rotten meat smell.
The process really couldn’t be simpler:
Open up all your windows in the room with the refrigerator.
Leave the Ozone Generator unplugged while turning the dial to 20 minutes.
Put the Ozone Generator in your fridge or freezer, then shut the door.
At this point, once the door is shut, plug in your Ozone generator.
This helps to ensure that you don’t breathe in the Ozone at any point. Ozone is a harmful gas. Be sure to read ALL warnings in the instructions.
Leave your windows open for an hour or so afterwards to help clear the air of the Ozone a bit more. Again, follow the safety instructions on the product you purchase.
You may need to do a second “treatment” if you detect a faint hint of the smell after a few hours/days.
Ozone Generators have many more applications including elimination of smells from smoke, pets, gas, mold, mildew and more. So even if you’re on the fence about whether or not it’s worth it to “save” your fridge, you might find that the Ozone Generator comes in handy down the road.
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Fit a pantyhose leg, mosquito net or other breathable material over the wand of your vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner can then be used to “draw in” small objects without actually sucking them up.
If your basement isn’t very welcoming due to a lack of natural light, you may not need to hire a block mason to install windows just yet. With some some old frosted glass windows and a flat panel LED light, you can create the illusion of natural light!
Start saving those bare toilet paper rolls! Smaller cables fit nicely without having to zip or bread tie them. You can also label them easily. We’ve seen this hack on Reddit a few times before, so it must be popular.
If you collect too many toilet paper rolls, don’t despair. You can use them as wrapping paper cuffs.
Rip cut a pool noodle and you’ve got a $1 child safety bumper. Put it up high on the door so kids aren’t able to reach it. The top of the door may even work.
This is especially handy if you want your kids doors to remain ajar.
The Electric Pencil Sharpener You Didn’t Know You Owned
It’s hard to say what this Redditor is spinning the pencil tip against (perhaps a sanding block). The alternative is to use the drill to spin a pencil sharpener bit.
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Boat engines are notoriously difficult when it comes to oil changes. The inability to access the bottom of the engine makes it practically impossible to drain the oil.
This problem isn’t specific to boats alone. More than a few small engines have oil drain plugs that aren’t exactly in convenient locations. In some cases, even if the drain plug is accessible, attempting to drain the oil into a container is difficult or messy.
An oil extractor pump is kind of like a sump pump for oil. It’s designed to suction hot oil through a small opening and drain it into a container.
There are two kinds of oil extractor pumps, manual and electric.
The manual pump requires that you continually pump the device to keep the oil flow moving. It requires effort, but they’re great when you don’t have a power source available.
Electric pumps are far more convenient, but require a little extra care. You can’t pump water or other non-lubricating liquids through them, as the pump components often require lubrication from the medium that is being pumped (the oil).
Removing Oil with the Extractor Pump
The process is fairly simple, but there are a few things to be aware of.
When pushing the suction tube down through the oil fill port, you might be surprised to find that the deeper you go, the less oil you are extracting. Try moving the suction tub up from the bottom until you start sucking oil.
When you remove your oil filter, you might be able to suck up a bit more oil through the oil filter opening.
The oil should be warm. Run your engine before trying to pump the oil.
Have a rag handy. As long as you’ve placed the drain tube into a large enough bucket and are keeping an eye on it, this process is pretty clean. But you never know!
Place the pump higher than the drain contain/bucket if possible. It reduces the possibility of spillage when you’re done.
The short video below demonstrates how to use the extractor pump on a jet boat engine. The process worked flawlessly. The pump seen in the video was purchased for under $20 on Amazon.
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