
A resource for those seeking information on organizing and transforming spaces.
How to Recover From a Hoarding Situation
Although one of America's greatest strengths is its easy access to just about any material item you could want, this can also lead to some people's greatest problem: hoarding. If you or someone you know is recovering from a hoarding situation, it can be a long and difficult process to go through. Fortunately, if you stick with it, there is light at the end of the tunnel. To help you make your way through the mounds of stuff, here are a few steps to follow.
Although one of America's greatest strengths is its easy access to just about any material item you could want, this can also lead to some people's greatest problem: hoarding. If you or someone you know is recovering from a hoarding situation, it can be a long and difficult process to go through. Fortunately, if you stick with it, there is light at the end of the tunnel. To help you make your way through the mounds of stuff, here are a few steps to follow.
Address Mental Health
The goal when recovering from a hoarding situation is to make sure you or your loved one don't return to that situation. Therefore, it's often beneficial to seek professional counseling to help you identify the trigger behind the hoarding so that you can address this root issue. Otherwise, you'll simply be attacking the symptoms and likely end up right back where you started at some point.
Take It One Step at a Time
A house full of trash and treasure can be an overwhelming task to tackle. That's why it's a good idea to focus on the small stuff. If you can achieve a small victory by cleaning out a drawer in the kitchen, for example, that victory will inspire you to move on to other areas of the home. By taking on one small task at a time, you'll eventually be able to tackle the entire house.
Dispose of Unneeded Items
As you go through various items, it's important to have places to put them once they've been sorted. For example, you may want to rent a dumpster so that you can have a quick and easy place to dispose of garbage and unwanted items. You can even find a junk vehicle buyer for cash if there are junk cars on the property so that you don't have to go through a time-consuming process to dispose of these large and unruly items.
Craft a Plan for Future Success
After you've completed your cleaning journey, it's important to craft a plan for future success. You want to be sure that you know what to do with new items as they come into your home so that they don't start accumulating again. You'll also want to make a plan that will help prevent you from bringing certain items into your home altogether. This will help you stay on top of the cleanliness of your home with minimal effort.
Always Ask for Help
During every step of the process, it's always a good idea to ask for help. Although it can be embarrassing to invite someone into a cluttered home, the fact is that most people are more than willing to help if you're willing to ask. Don't let pride get in the way of you finally tackling a hoarding problem once and for all.
Tips for Picking the Right Siding for Your Home
Picking the right siding for your home can be a complicated decision, and the results of it are literally something you'll see every day after it's done. Having a few tips at your hand helps you navigate this process.
Picking the right siding for your home can be a complicated decision, and the results of it are literally something you'll see every day after it's done. Having a few tips at your hand helps you navigate this process.
Determine the Aesthetic You Would Like
Vinyl and other kinds of siding have come a long way, to the point that they can even sometimes mimic the look and feel of other kinds of siding. Just like there are tile floors that look and feel like wood, you can get sidings that give the texture and appearance of something entirely different while still protecting your home. Get to know the possibilities.
Set a Budget
You might not be able to set a realistic budget until you get a few quotes and know what your options are, but at some point, you'll need to put a cap on how many dollars you will spend on this project. Without one, you might wind up blowing a lot more money than is necessary.
Think About Who Your Installer Will Be
Your choice of siding materials might be restricted by who you have done the installation. Using someone like Kelly's Construction Inc can mean having multiple options available. However, if you've decided on vinyl siding, then a brick mason can't do the whole home for you.
Consider How Much Time You Have Left in That Home
The time you have left in your current home matters in two different ways. First, if you're going to be there a long time, then you want a siding that will give you protection and peace of mind for an equally long time. Second, if you're going to be selling soon, you want to put up something that will make a good impression on local buyers and perhaps match their tastes.
Remember Your HoA
If your community doesn't have a homeowner's association, then you might not have to worry about this one. However, if you do, then there might be bylaws that dictate what you can and can't do with your home's appearance and siding. Learn what the details are so you can abide by them.
Make a Decision You Can Live With
As you can see, there are multiple factors involved with picking the right siding for your home. Some of these tips might apply, but others might not. Weigh each of them carefully, though. This is a decision you might have to live with for quite some time.
Why You Should Fix Clogs in Your Sink Quickly
You might experience clogged drains at some point in your life. Some even deal with them on a regular basis. If you do notice that one of the drains in your home is not working like it should, it is important for you to address the issue as soon as possible.
You might experience clogged drains at some point in your life. Some even deal with them on a regular basis. If you do notice that one of the drains in your home is not working like it should, it is important for you to address the issue as soon as possible.
Ignored Issues Can Get Worse
When you notice that a drain in your home is taking much longer to clear water from your sink than it used to, you should start to look into the problem right away. If you ignore the issue and pretend that you do not notice it, it will quickly get worse and soon you will not be able to get any water out of the sink. The sooner that you deal with a clogged drain, the easier it will be for you to deal with that and continue on with your life.
A Clogged Drain Can Lead to a Big Mess
If you ignore a drain that is not working well, your sink might overflow and you might be forced to deal with a big mess. If the drain is not working correctly and you leave your water running a little too long, you might have the sink send water all over your floor.
Sitting Water in a Home Can Attract Insects
If you have a drain that is not working properly and there is water sitting in your sink because of that, you want to address the drain to keep insects away. If you let water sit in your sink for days on end, you might attract all kinds of insects and make your home a miserable place to be.
Clearing Clogged Drains Can Keep All of a Home's Plumbing in Good Shape
It is important for you to care for the drains in your home so that you keep all of your plumbing in good shape. If you cannot take care of a clog on your own, you might consider reaching out to a company such as Bud's Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric so that professionals can look over the drain issue and all of your home's plumbing.
It is important for you to take care of all types of issues as soon as they come up in your home. A clogged drain can lead to a big mess if you do not address it quickly and make sure that it is fully cleared out.
Things That Make Your Home Look Cluttered
There are many things that make your home look cluttered and messy. Here are the ones you should be wary of and how to avoid them.
The first time you move into a new home, everything feels perfect. All your knick-knacks have fallen into place, and there's no clutter in sight. However, this, more often than not, changes quite rapidly. Since we live in a very consumeristic world, we tend to purchase endless supplies of unnecessary items (or even necessary ones that just aren't pleasant to look at). In the spirit of both discovering things that make your home look cluttered and trying to solve the problem, we've made a list that is hopefully eye-opening.
Don't strive toward perfection
Before you actually dive into our list of things that make your home look cluttered, there's one thing we should get out of the way. No matter how tidy and perfect you want your home to look, you'll never reach your goal all the way. It's impossible to sustain. Especially if you have younger children, there'll always be some stuff lying around your floor or hiding behind the sofa; it's the law of nature. Do your best but then just relax and remind yourself that there are far more important things you should give your energy to.
Open shelves and full countertops
Although open shelving has become more and more popular over the years, it's not always such a great idea. If you're someone who doesn't own too many dishes and glasses and loves to color coordinate these items, more power to you. However, if you live in the land of us mere mortals, you might want to skip this trend. It's simply not worth it. Nevertheless, if you've already remodeled your kitchen and opened it up, there's still hope. People usually solve this problem by placing the excess items into a storage unit. Although a fine approach, you don't have to get rid of your items altogether. All you really need to do is get some cabinet doors and close everything up. It'll make all the difference and your place will look much more put together.
Too many decorations
Decorating your home gives it character and warmth. However, overdoing it can have a negative effect. Make sure to shop for decorative pieces mindfully. Always keep the big picture in mind of what you want your home to look like once you're all done. This way, you won't buy items that don't fit and don't serve a specific purpose.
Memorabilia
Even though we all love to display photos of our loved ones in our favorite rooms, memorabilia can really make a house feel cluttered and cramped. If you don't want to avoid it altogether, make sure to do it tastefully. White frames that aren't too flashy and shiny make for a really lovely and subtle effect.
Visible cords and cables
If there's one thing that we could all agree on, it's our mutual hatred of cords and cables. No matter how you tangle and untangle them, they always look messy and sloppy. Luckily, there are ways to deal with cables and cords with ease and organize them so that you never have to see them again. You can hook them to the back of your furniture or walls if they aren't visible. However, the best way to do this is to purchase white seamless tubing. This way, you can stretch them wherever you like, and they'll be invisible.
Things that don't have a place
If you're not too big on organizing your home, chances are that you'll have some loose ends lying all around it. Of course, the best thing you could do is dedicate a spot to every item you purchase as soon as you buy it. On the other hand, this isn't the most realistic thing for everyone. An excellent solution for those that don't want to bother finding a particular spot for everything is to set aside a box or a drawer that'll simply be for all sorts of things.
An untidy hallway
One of the first things people see when they walk into your home is your hallway. Regardless of how the rest of your space looks, your hallway is the thing people will remember the most. Make sure that it's organized and tidy.
Fridge magnets
Even though most people love displaying magnets that show where they've been and remind them of dear memories, they can be unnecessarily imposing. The first thing you should remove when decluttering your home is these little things. If you still want to display them somehow, you can do so in a place that is less visible than your refrigerator.
Too many throw pillows and blankets
Throw pillows and blankets are usually really pretty and give off a luxurious feel. However, they can also be overly eye-catching. Be careful not to overdo this display since it can make your space seem cluttered and smaller than it is.
Are you planning to relocate?
The best time to get control over the things that make your home look cluttered and remove them from your space is during relocation. You'll get a fresh start and be able to completely reinvent your house. According to moving experts from Simplify Valet Storage & Moving, people usually place their items in storage so that they have enough time to plan and organize their future space.
Finding balance with the things that make your home look cluttered is key
No matter how much you want to avoid the items that make your home look cluttered, you still need to have some details to make it look homey and cozy. You should aim to add a personal touch to your place but not overcrowd it. If you're not too sure how to do it yourself, you could look for inspiration online or find a professional interior designer that'll do it for you.
Keep your home clean
It really won't matter if you find a suitable place for every single knick-knack that you own if your home is untidy and not properly cleaned. Leaving dirty dishes around after you've used them or having dirty carpets is something that will negate all the effort that you've put into your house. Once you've removed and dealt with all the things that make your home look cluttered, make sure to maintain it to the best of your abilities.