Everyday Life

Insightful Interiors – What Your Decor Says About You

February 27, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Owning your own home is the great Australian dream. If you’re blessed enough to have a place to call your own, there’s a lot more to do than just pay off the mortgage. You need to maintain it, keep it clean, develop a green thumb to keep that garden look pristine as well as pay all the bills, rates and other expenses like insurance. And then there’s your interior to consider. Your home needs to be a direct reflection and expression of yourself and your unique personality. Let’s check out some interior insights and see what your decor says about you.

Dull Interiors are a No No

There’s nothing worse than a bland and lifeless interior. Well, maybe a few things, but it’s definitely up there. Your home space needs a spark of love, light and creativity to really bring it alive. There are lots of reasons why people suffer from dull interiors – lack of time, energy, motivation, money or taste. That’s why employing an interior decorator in Melbourne may be just the ticket. A local interior decorator can help transform a lifeless, dead space into one that’s just bursting with vibrant personality.

Art Tells a Story

One way to let your individualism shine through inside your home is to invest in some art. You don’t have to rob the Louvre to acquire a few pieces that really speak to your innermost vibe. You may even find that scouring some op shops and second hand stores will suffice. All you need is something that resonates with you. Some people prefer soft pastels and oils while others like bright and bold modern pieces. You could even do some research online to find out what you like best.

Get Green

Did you know that indoor plants are a great way to both decorate your home and make a statement about yourself? There’s a wide range of indoor plants that all tell a story about the homeowner. If you’re careful and considerate choose something that requires a lot of care. If you’re more laid back then choose something that you can just water once a week and forget about for the rest of the time.

Paint Schemes

Your choice of paint palette says a lot about you as a person. If you’re bright, sparkly and colourful then choose some indoor paint colours that will perfectly reflect your personality. If you are more reserved, that’s fine, just pick a paint palette that doesn’t make a huge statement. Either one is fine, and that’s the beauty of modern individualism. And the best news is that if you ever have a change of heart and mind either way you can just paint again!

Minimalism

Do you think that less is more? Are you a bit fed up with clutter and chaos in your house? Then a minimal approach may be right for you. Minimalism essentially means living with less stuff, including home decor. It can be a tough road to travel, but a well-designed minimal interior is to die for. Having a lot of space in your home can mean that a few well-placed items really pop out and scream “this is my stripped-back, bare essence”.

Do it Yourself

If you’re a fan of DIY – renovations, crafting and artwork, then why not decorate your space with all of your own creations? They will look truly unique, and it’s a great bragging point when somebody compliments your decor.

There You Have It

Hopefully by now you’ve got a clear idea of how to make your personality shine out through your home. From getting creative and doing it yourself through to adopting a minimal approach, there’s a lot you can do. Consider hiring an interior decorator, choose your paint scheme carefully, invest in some houseplants and pick up some new or second-hand art. Enjoy your new found expression.

The Ant Almanac – A Guide to Common Household Pests

February 27, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

The planet Earth is filled with life. Creatures great and small inhabit its forests, oceans, springs, glades and oases. From great white sharks through to quokkas, there are so many majestic, magnificent, malicious and mighty creatures that are awesome to behold. And then there’s ants. And flies. And spiders. And all those creepy crawlies that just love to call your house their home. We’re going to take a quick look at the most common household pests and how you can avoid them.

Termites

Termites, or “white ants”, are tiny insects that are found on every continent of the planet except Antarctica. It’s probably too cold for them there. They love to eat dead plants, which actually makes them a vital part of our ecosystem. Unfortunately, dead plants include the timber that makes up the frame of your house. Once you have a termite infestation they can destroy your home within months. You may want to consider a termite inspection to ensure your home is safe and secure.

Spiders

Spiders. Ugh. Sadly, these eight-legged scary things love to live in your home. Especially in dark nooks and crannies like your garage or garden shed. The good news it that the humble huntsman and other non-venomous spiders help to keep the population of other pests, like flies and mosquitoes, at manageable levels. The bad news is that deadly species like redbacks, whitetails and funnel webs can also take up residence too. Do yourself a favour and take care when poking around your garden shed or garage.

Ants

Ants, like termites, play a vital role in the world’s ecosystem. But of course, when they invade your home that’s the last thing you think about. Ants tend to be attracted to stray crumbs and bits of food, especially sugar and sweet things. Did you know they can carry many times their own weight? Although that knowledge is no comfort when you find them crawling all over your stash of doughnuts. If your home is prone to ants, try to keep all sweet food sealed in tight containers so they can’t get in.

Bed Bugs

While we’re on the topic of creepy crawlies, bed bugs are another common household pest. Bed bugs actually live on the blood of humans and other animals. They tend to find their way into your home through infested linen, furniture or luggage. So, think twice before buying or accepting second-hand gifts of these items. Their bites can feel like mozzie bites. If you suspect a bed bug infestation, it’s probably best to recruit a professional to come and examine your home.

Rodents

Mice and rats are another common household pest. They tend to live in between your walls or under the floor and love to feed on leftover food scraps, compost and other bits and pieces you may leave laying about. They can be a real hazard as they can chew through insulation and wiring, creating a serious fire hazard. Do yourself a favour and contact an exterminator if you find an infestation.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are a really common household pest. They tend to thrive in your kitchen and other areas where food is prepared. They can actually spread salmonella and gastro to humans, as well as trigger allergies. It’s important to keep your house clean and tidy and free of food scraps in order to avoid visits from these awful critters.

In Summary

There are many other common household pests, but these tend to be the most common. From wood-devouring termites, ants and scary spiders to disgusting cockroaches, rodents and bed bugs – many creepy crawlies can come knocking. Try to follow some of the advice in this blog and your home will be a clean and serene haven.

Wallet Wisdom – 5 Tips For Saving Money on Your First Home

January 18, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Buying your own home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make in your life. It’s complicated and even a little scary, but there are a few simple things you can do to make it easier and save yourself money at the time you’re making your purchase and over the life of your mortgage.

Continue reading for five great money saving tips you can employ when buying your first home.

Plan ahead

Whether you are dreaming of a ranch in the country or a project home in Sydney, one of the best things you can do to prepare for home ownership is to reduce your debt. Not only does it make room for the mortgage payment in your budget, you’ll get a better interest rate that can save thousands over time.

What Can You Afford

Don’t base this off of the highest loan amount that you can get approved for because going for the maximum can leave you in over your head later on. Instead, look at your budget and decide what you are comfortable with for a monthly payment. You can start with a home loan eligibility calculator to help you choose a price range.

Get Expert Help

Getting a professional home inspection will help you to find problem areas before you buy and save you money on repairs. Even if you are a handy person, it’s better not to assess things on your own. If the inspector finds something you can ask the seller to deduct that amount from the price or to fix it before you sign the contract, plus you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into.

The professionals helping you to find your dream home should also be willing to help you, from your realtor or your mortgage broker to your conveyancer. Ask questions and be suspicious of anyone who doesn’t seem willing to explain the process. Remember, they are working for you.

Know What Your Agreeing To

There can be costs that are separate from the mortgage, such as Homeowners Association fees. These can range from $50 to hundreds per month on top of your mortgage and taxes. Read HOA agreements thoroughly and be sure you understand what the additional cost will be. Take into consideration concessions such as stamp duty or removal costs if you plan to renovate part of the property.

There are also helpful options, such as a First Home Owners Grant, that you may qualify for to help with the cost of buying your first house. Look at the whole picture, not just your monthly house payment.

Kinds of Mortgage

All mortgages are not created equal, so do some reading and see which kind of mortgage will be best for you. It’s smart to talk with your realtor or mortgage broker, but in the end, you will be the one making the payments so it’s important to understand what you are signing up for.

Having Money Saves Money

It’s not a requirement, but if you save up a deposit of at least 20% not only will it improve the interest rate you will be offered but you can avoid having to pay for Private Mortgage Insurance. A PMI agreement protects the seller in case you default and it can add up to thousands over the life of your mortgage.

Ready To Make An Offer

Once you fall in love with a particular house chances are someone else will be interested too, so be prepared to act. By knowing how the process works, what you can pay and being ready to make an offer you will be in a position to snap up that perfect house before anyone else can.

The Question of Quality – 6 Things to Look For in a Community Care Provider

January 16, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Community care is aged care that is provided to you or your aged loved ones within the comfort of their own home. It is a common alternative to residential care, and allows an individual to retain a good measure of independence and control over their own life, while receiving assistance in the areas that they need.

With that said, choosing a care provider can be tricky, especially with so many to filter through. Let’s take some of the stress away from that decision by exploring six different things to look for in a community care provider.

The Level of Support Offered

Not all community care providers offer the same level of assistance with daily living. For example, some may come to clean the home, change the sheets and do some gardening – things that can get difficult with age. Others may come and bring meals, or cook for you, or perform minor maintenance activities around the house.

Others yet may do all of the above. Check in with some different providers and see what level of support they offer you, and see if they can tailor a package that’s right for you or your loved one.

Cost of Community Care

This is an important factor, as you want to be able to afford the best without breaking the bank. Ask some different providers for an outline of the expected costs of community care. It may be worth sketching out a rough budget of your income and expenses and seeing what you can afford. Did you know that the government offers subsidies for community care? This can make it more affordable than you think.

Attitude of Staff

This is really important. Working with aging people requires a great deal of tolerance, patience, compassion, kindness and acceptance. The last thing you want is someone without these attributes providing care for you or your loved one.

Ask to meet with some of the care staff before you choose a community care provider, ask them some questions and try to ascertain their attitude prior to picking a provider.

Allied Health Professionals?

Check in with the providers to see if they offer Allied Health professionals in their community care packages. These are highly qualified physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other specialists that can provide a great level of assistance for those who are aging. Not every provider will have them on the books, and keep in mind that you may incur additional expenses for these individuals.

Frequency of Visits

This is another important aspect of community care. How often are they able to visit you or your loved one? Ideally you will want to work out a schedule that is right for you, and enables you or your relative to live in relative independence for as long as possible before transitioning to residential care.

Do They Offer Social Support?

You may not realise it, but social connections are incredibly important as we age. Social interaction has a range of positive physical and mental health benefits, and the sad thing is that we often do less of it the older we get.

Some aged providers offer a simple drop-in service, where a friendly staff member can come and have a cuppa and a chat. See if the providers you’re investigating offer something like this.

To Sum it Up

So, work out a budget and check how much different community care providers cost, keeping in mind government subsidies. See what the level of support and frequency of visits are, and check to see if social support is provided. Finally, see if Allied Health staff can come to you for extra specialised care and always remember to get a feeling for the attitude of the staff.

How to Turn Your Old Garage into a Brand New Bedroom

January 16, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

When you first bought the house that you and your family are living in right now, you might not have initially paid much attention to the number of bedrooms included in it. You may even have been thinking at the time that your children could share a bedroom, or you yourself wouldn’t mind sleeping in what used to be an office. However, unexpected situations such as guests visiting your house or a relative dropping by and planning to stay overnight can necessitate the need for you to have an additional bedroom. If you’re unable to come up with enough money to have a brand new bedroom added to your house, you might want to consider renovating your old garage instead.

Why Are You Using Your Old Garage as a Junkyard?

Your house might have come along with a garage when you first bought it, as most houses often do. But over time, you may have resorted to just using your old garage as a storage place for all kinds of junk that you have acquired throughout the years.

You might have forgotten somewhere along the way that your garage is supposed to be a place where you park and store your vehicle.
Maybe you don’t even have a vehicle at all, but you bought your house along with its garage anyway.
You’re not letting your old garage realize its fullest potential by merely relegating it to an enclosed junkyard.
A lot of space is getting wasted by dumping items that you feel aren’t that useful anymore inside your old garage and just letting them sit there and collect dust.

How Can You Turn Your Old Garage into a Brand New Bedroom?

Instead of just using your old garage as a storage bin for all things junk, you can turn it into a brand new bedroom by doing the following:

1. Declutter your old garage.

All the old items stored in your old garage have to go for you to be able to turn it into a brand new bedroom.

You can hold a garage sale just outside your house if you think that any of your neighbors or anyone who might pass by the area may find some use for your old belongings.
You can also send your old items to a pawnshop nearest you for them to appraise which ones can be pawned in exchange for some cash.
If you’re generous enough that you’re into helping other people you don’t even know at all, you can donate some of your old things to your charitable institution of choice.

2. Add some insulation to your old garage.

As you would want anyone who decides to spend a night in your garage-turned-bedroom to get comfortable with it right away, you should be sure that your garage is properly insulated.

Since the floor of your old garage is most likely to have a slightly lower elevation compared to that of your house, you would want to raise it a bit by adding a layer of insulation and pouring some concrete on it.
You should also add layers of insulation to the walls and ceilings of your old garage so that whoever wants to hole up in there¾especially during the winter months¾would be able to sleep peacefully.

3. Refurbish your old garage.

Turning your old garage into a brand new bedroom should be less about retaining any garage-like qualities it has and more about totally redesigning it so that it becomes an entirely functional bedroom.

If your old garage doesn’t have any windows, you would want to tear down parts of its walls and install large windows to give it a roomier feel.
The rolling door that you’ve previously had in your old garage could probably use a garage door replacement¾or be updated with sliding glass doors instead.

4. Add some bedroom furniture.

Any bedroom can’t be called as such without any of the furniture associated with it.

It should’ve been evident to you by now that the very first thing you should put in your old garage that you’re turning into a brand new bedroom is a bed¾particularly a double size one, so that two guests can sleep comfortably.
You can also add a dresser, a bedside table, and a handful of shelves in there to further enhance its bedroom quality.

Having a brand new bedroom added to the existing structure of your house costs a lot of money¾not to mention the chaos it would bring to you and your family’s living situation once the construction crew you’ve hired starts working on it. By turning your old garage into a brand new bedroom, you can save money, as most of the renovation work can be done on your own. All you have to do is to carefully plan and invest in features that should make your brand new bedroom a comfortable place to stay.

George Anderson – George is a specialist when it comes to lowes doors and other garage doors. Working in the industry for over 20+ years he takes pride on helping his clients fulfill their needs when it comes to garage construction. In his spare time he loves spending time with his family.