By Guest Contributor Home Improvement 22 Comments

How To Turn Your Garage Into A Cozy Extra Room With A Solid Garage Door

Renovating the rooms in your house or apartment is not uncommon but, you may think of converting your garage sometimes. This can be necessitated for many reasons. You may decide to sell your vehicle or opt for rented garages which prove to be cost effective. Sometimes, you may feel like expanding the house, but owing to monetary and other reasons adding another room may not be viable.

Converting a garage into a livable room is certainly possible, but this conversion can be quite tedious. To ensure the conversion is done properly and you do not end up drying up your bank balance- proper planning is necessary.

Uses For a Converted Garage

You can turn your existing garage into any of the following, subject to available money and legal clearance:

  • An extra bedroom
  • A Children playroom
  • A home-office
  • A home-gym
  • A guest room
  • An additional kitchen

Step by Step Guide To Garage Conversion

Converting an existing garage to a room is never easy and you may need the services of specialized contractor agencies to get the job done in the right manner. You also need to get a certain feasibility checking done.

The converted garage will have a drainage system which will be added to the general drainage network. If the garage is part of an apartment shared with others, you need clearance from apt entities. Before embarking into the conversion-these clauses have to be checked and resolved.

  • The door– First of all, the existing garage door has to be replaced. The shutter or other types of door used in garages will not suffice if it has to be returned into a proper room- to start with! You may not actually need another door and fill the door space by setting up a wall if you want to connect the new room with the rest of the house through other sides.

Otherwise, a new door has to be set up. For aesthetic and practical purposes, the new door should resemble the existing doors in your house. A new wall has to be set up to accommodate the new door.

  • The walls – Based on the design style of the existing garage, walls may have to be set up on one or more sides to make it a room. For this, checking the foundation of the garage is very important. In many such cases, a deeper foundation may have to be set up. The soil type, nearby trees, drainage possibilities have to be assessed for that. The wall beneath the ground has to be built in the best way so that it can support the wall above the ground. You may opt for solid walls or cavity walls with thermal insulation inside. The latter may be necessary for areas with extreme climate conditions. Based on the condition of the existing garage wall, that has to be replaced with a new wall or enhanced with an outer layer of insulation.
  • The floor– After setting the walls up for converting your garage into a room, the floor has to be revamped. You may replace the floor if it is worn out or opt for timber flooring atop the concrete layer. Of course, based on your budget, you can opt for stone or marble flooring too. You have to think of the existing flooring in the house for the sake of aesthetic similarities and usage needs. If the garage floor is originally below that of the rest of the house, the floor level should be increased. It may be prudent to apply a damp proof coat on the floor for staying safe.
  • The roof– Some garages are made under a patio or have a room above it. In that case, you need not to think of altering or enhancing the roof, but in other cases, it will be necessary. Typical garage roofs are meant for keeping rain and ice off but when that becomes a room, such roof will simply not fit the bill. You can opt for a flat roof with insulation. Or, you can go for pitch roofs with added insulation between the ceiling and roof.
  • Ventilation– This is another important aspect involved in the conversion of the garage into a room. Again, the type of ventilation will depend on the intended usage of the room. Typically, a kitchen requires more ventilation than a study room. The room should have one or more window, based on the location.

Based on usage, extractor fans on the outside may have to be set up. It is better to set up windows in a way that let natural light seep in.

  • Electrical setup– The converted room will have to be equipped with the required electrical wiring. Thereafter, the wiring has to be connected to the main wiring of the house. If you plan to install any high voltage appliance in the room, suitable provisions have to be made too.
  • Cleaning tips and tricks -While converting the garage to the room, arrangements have to be made for cleanup and drainage. If you plan to cook occasionally in the room, a chimney has to be set up. If the surrounding is dusty, setting up an air purifier unit in the room can be of great help.

These simple tips can help you convert your garage into a cozy room without having to break the bank.

By Maid Sailors Cleaning Company • Cleaning Tips • Do It Yourself • Home Improvement • New York City • NYC • Tips and Tricks 28 Comments

How To Sell, Donate Or Junk Furniture In NYC

One of the worst parts of living in NYC is moving. You can’t bring your furniture on the subway, a cab will never stop, and getting a moving truck near your front door is almost impossible. That’s why many New Yorkers simply buy cheap furniture and get rid of it when they have to move. But what exactly are you supposed to do with it?

Leaving Old Furniture On The Curb

Unlike in most neighborhoods, you can’t just leave your furniture on the curb for someone to take in New York City. To begin with, it’s illegal for someone to take items left on the curb. Anything you leave out becomes city property, and no one is allowed to touch it even if you leave up a sign saying it’s free.

You also can’t just leave your furniture out for trash collection. Bulk items require a special appointment for pickup. They’re free to schedule if you can get an appointment, but getting the right time can be difficult if you don’t want to be without furniture before your moveout date.

In addition, your landlord might have something to say about you leaving furniture out. They can set rules on how you bring furniture out of the building and where you can leave it. In many cases, they’ll simply ban leaving things out on the curb. Since they’re the property owner, it’s within their rights to do so unless you managed to have furniture disposal included in your lease.

Donating Used Furniture

New York City has a wide range of donation options available. This includes big names like Goodwill and The Salvation Army, local churches and charities, and other specialized non-profits.

If you don’t already have an organization in mind, you can check out donateNYC for a complete list of organizations that accept donations in the city. Some will come to you, while others won’t help you much because they require you to bring your furniture to them. More on that later.

Selling Used Furniture

You can also sell your used furniture on websites like Craigslist and Facebook, in traditional classified ads, to consignment shops, or directly to other people. The trouble here isn’t so much where to list your furniture but how hard it will be to actually sell.

Most consignment shops and other middlemen won’t come to you unless you have something very valuable. Even then, the pickup costs will reduce what you receive for your furniture.

If you go the private route, you could find a steady stream of lowballers, flakes, and just plain crazy people before you find a reasonable buyer. Remember, these are the same people you ride the subway with.

In most cases, you’ll be disappointed with how much you got for your furniture especially when you add up the hours it took to sell it all.

Why Is No One Willing to Pay for Used Furniture?

Remember how you took the ferry down to Ikea or just had everything mailed to you off of Amazon, Overstock, Walmart, or Wayfair? Everyone else had the same idea.

Assemble-it-yourself disposable furniture that comes in a nice little box right to your door is one of the most popular furniture buying options for renters precisely because of how cheap and easy it is. For just a few dollars more than buying used, you get brand new items with delivery included. There’s no hassle of dealing with strangers, trying to lug the furniture back to your apartment, or hoping someone’s Ikea handiwork doesn’t fall apart in the process. This type of furniture is so cheap now that it has almost no resale value.

Trying to get rid of furniture that’s a little higher end — maybe something you got from a relative? Nobody wants that, either. Traditional furniture, that’s heavier, more difficult to move, old, and brown, is out. Disposable furniture is in. Sure, some people might want your old, brown furniture but the demand is far less than the supply created by aging generations downsizing and finding out their kids don’t want their stuff. Unless your furniture is a truly high-quality antique or a top of the market piece, you’ll be lucky if you can get even pennies on its original purchase price.

Why Don’t Charities Want Your Furniture?

Charities don’t want your old furniture, either. In many cases, donations are sold through thrift shops to the same people that you’d be trying to sell to. If your furniture doesn’t sell, the charity has to spend time and money disposing of it. They also have to make enough money to cover the costs of picking it up from you — which is why many charities are now very picky about what furniture they’ll pick up for free.

For charities that directly use the furniture, they usually have better options than hoping someone’s old Ikea furniture doesn’t fall apart. This includes bulk buying new, cheap furniture or working with large estate sellers.

Simply put, charities are trying to further their own mission not provide you with a free way to dispose of your stuff. Many furniture donations would end up losing their money, so donations to charity don’t work out.

The Bed Bug Scare

Bed bugs are also another big reason why no one wants used furniture anymore. They can be almost impossible to detect within a cushion or pillow, but getting just a few into your home can mean almost literally burning it and all of your clothes and furniture to the ground. This makes it much harder to get rid of soft furniture, like sofas, and hard furniture, like wood tables, already falls into the rule of no one wants old, brown furniture.

The Risk of Damage When Selling Furniture
Whether you sell, donate, or give away your furniture, there’s the risk of damage to your apartment or the building’s common areas when someone comes to move it. Even if you didn’t directly cause the damage yourself, you’re still on the hook for it as the person who let them into your building.

When you’re dealing with a reputable furniture reseller, junk removal company, or charity, they should have insurance to cover potential damage. You should ask to see proof of insurance, and your building may require you to give management a certificate of insurance before any move or any move out cleaning.

If you’re dealing with an individual you met online, you may not have enough contact information to get them to pay up for any damage. Even if you do, it could take a small claims court case before you can get them to pay up.

If you do choose to roll the dice and hope nothing happens, you could still end up with a nosy super who is worried about damage trying to put a stop to your move — or ratting you out to management if there’s an “illegal” moving fee in your lease.

How to Stay Safe When Selling Furniture

If you do decide to sell your furniture, here are a few tips that can keep you safe.

  1. Try to deal with people you know — coworkers, friends of friends, etc. If you sell to strangers, use a third-party app that verifies the identities of people who sign up. Even if you don’t have their personal information, the police can retrieve it from the app if needed.
  2. Using a marketplace that has payment processing, like PayPal or an escrow system, can help alleviate concerns over handling large amounts of cash or getting a bad check.
  3. Never meet a stranger alone except in a public place such as a well-trafficked street or lobby. Don’t meet in a quiet side street, a lobby with everyone gone for the day, or your own apartment.
  4. Have the right number of people to lift the furniture plus at least one extra to hold doors. Don’t hurt yourself trying to lift too much.
  5. If the person taking your furniture is coming to you, have a helper so you can bring the furniture down to their truck rather than them coming up to your apartment. If they need to come up to your apartment, let your doorman or a neighbor know what’s going on ahead of time so they can keep an eye on things and check in on you if you don’t swing by to tell them everything went smoothly.
  6. If you’re dealing with a business or charity and aren’t sure if they’re legitimate, you can call 3-1-1 for assistance. You can also call 3-1-1 if you feel you’ve been ripped off or overcharged.
  7. When possible, schedule furniture removal after you’ve moved your valuables to your new home. This reduces the risk of theft during the move or if you meet with someone who decides to burglarize you.

Get Help Cleaning Out Your Apartment

If you need help getting furniture out of your apartment or just getting a final clean to make sure you get your full security deposit back, Maid Sailors is here to help. We provide a full range of home cleaning services by bonded and insured cleaning professionals. Call, text, or chat now for a quote.

By Guest Contributor General Information • Home Improvement • Tips and Tricks 3 Comments

A Guide to Maintaining a Yard Drain

Otherwise known as landscape drains, yard drains are pretty common. Depending on the type of landscaping you do or if you have an ingrown pool in your yard, you might have a yard drain. It’s just like having a drain in your basement floor or the bathtub. In this case, it’s used to prevent your yard from flooding. But just like other drains, a yard drain can get backed up.

But the real question is what do you do when your yard drain gets backed up? That’s what you’re here for right? Let’s start by looking at the basics of a yard drain.

The Basics

As we discussed a yard drain is pretty simple: It’s a collection of water that’s carried to a termination point to prevent yard flooding. Though they often deliver collected water to a nearby street or a storm drain, they can also terminate into a dry well or a surface-drainage field. 

The Maintenance 

If you have a yard drain the best time to service it is in the fall. The fall is the time when the leaves start to fall clogging up your gutters and your drains. If your gutters happen to connect to your yard drain be sure to clear that first before working on the drain. If you don’t do that you’ll just be making more work for yourself. No need to backtrack.

When servicing your yard drain the first thing you want to do is remove the cover and remove any leaves or guck that you can by hand (a shop vac works too). You want to remove anything that shouldn’t be in there. Next, you want to check the termination area (the ending) just like you did the top of the drain and make sure there isn’t anything clogging it. Once that’s done you can take your garden hose and flush it out to ensure that it’s working properly.  You’ll want to repeat this servicing once a month during the fall.

The Back-Up

If you’ve serviced your drain and it still isn’t working properly chances are it’s backed up. In this case, there are a few things you can do.

Consider a Drain bladder

A drain bladder is a rubber bag that you can attach to a garden hose. After you put it on the hose and put the hose in the drain turn the water on. The bag will then become pressurized and seal the pipe. It will then shoot water out at pressure to remove the clog.

Try a Motorized Drain Auger

If you’re familiar with a roto-rooter (used to clear sewer drains), this is pretty much the same thing. Motorized drain augers use a rotating cutter cable with a head that cuts roots and debris from inside the drain’s pipe.

Pro Tip: Whichever method you use to unclog your drain, be sure to check both the entrance and exit of the drain. You may need to do the same thing at both ends to ensure both ends are working properly. Check out our post on mistakes to avoid in the front yard.
By Guest Contributor Do It Yourself • Home Improvement 0 Comments

Easy Spring Updates you can Make to your Home Right Now

It’s here! It has finally arrived! Spring is the season for restoration indoors and outdoors. It’s time to put away all the heavy blankets and dark colors and bring out the lightest and the brightest. Below we are sharing five easy Spring updates you can make to your home right now.

Add Bright Colors 

Adding fresh bright colors to your house is one of the best ways to get rid of the winter blues. Start your spring updates by putting away all of the things with dark colors and replacing them with fresh bright colors.  There are many ways to add bright colors throughout your home. But note that it is essential for a seasonal mood booster.

Some Style Tips:

Bring On The Sun

Springtime means sunshine. And since you’re probably going to change your curtains you might as well open up the blinds while you’re at it. Allowing the sun to shine in your home will surely bring in the vibe that Spring has arrived. 

Change The Lampshades 

Lamps are one of the coolest home decorations because most of them allow you to change the lampshade. Lampshades come in a variety of colors, patterns, and sizes. The best part is that you only have to buy them once and just switch them out each season.

Some Style Tips:

Diffuse Oils

Essential oils like sweet orange, lemon, and grapefruit are a wonderful way to bring in the Spring season. They’ll add a wonderful, mood-elevating aroma to your home and improve your air quality. 

Grab Some Flowers

Flowers are a great way to brighten up any space. Any color and combination will work in any space. You can add this spring update to your home using real or artificial flowers.

Some Style Tips:
  • Add arrangements to your kitchen, living room, and bedroom
  • Place flowers both inside and outside
  • Use artificial flowers and real flowers
Be sure to check out our Spring cleaning checklist for more tips and tricks during the Spring season.
By Guest Contributor Home Improvement • Tips and Tricks 2 Comments

The Holistic Home: The Art of Feng Shui

What is Feng Shui?

The term Feng Shui comes originated from the term ‘wind-water.’ It is simply used to find correlations between humans and the universe. We as humans are more powerful than we will ever know.

The art of Feng shui has been around for years. It’s basic ancient art history that we developed over 3,000 years ago in China. It is a complex yet simple at the same time. The body of knowledge that teaches us how to balance our given spiritual energies in any given space. This space could be in your home, in your office, or even in your garden.
 
Some say that good fortune comes in many ways. Ways such as better health, a successful career, or a fulfilling love life. Some people call it luck, but it’s really the universe feeding off your spiritual energy. The practice of Feng Shui has detailed tips any area of your life. It is based on the Taoist vision and understanding of nature, particularly on the idea that the land is alive and energetic.
 

When should I start the process?

If you’re interested in bringing the art of Feng Shui into your life, into your home, the good news is that you can start right now. There’s nothing to hold you back. The real question is where do you start?

Start by doing your research. Try reading a book or consulting an online forum like Reddit. One thing that I really recommend, if you don’t already do this, is to get a journal and write down your progress. Not only will you be able to look back and see how far you’ve come, you’ll be able to enhance your practice of this spiritual journey.

Do I need to hire an expert?

Some people do need to hire an expert to help turn their homes into the spiritual sanctuary they desire. And some people can do it all on their own. It all depends on the person, what they’re willing to change, what they’re not willing to change, and whether they want help or not.

It’s never a bad idea to hire help. But if you are going to go that route be sure that you shop around first. Make some phone calls. See exactly what services they offer you. And how they are going to benefit you before making your decision.

However, before you decided to hire a Feng Shui expert, think about hiring Maid Sailors to come in and do a deep cleaning. This way everything’s nice and clean. And there will be more room to work with.
By Guest Contributor Home Improvement • Tips and Tricks 0 Comments

The Benefits of Having A Humidifier in Your Home

Are you thinking about having a humidifier in your home but aren’t really sure about it? Or maybe you already have one but you don’t know all the benefits of using it. Either way, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve got a list of benefits to using a humidifier in your home including the best way to clean it, and how to use it. Keep reading!

Reduce Risk of Infection

Moist air is great for killing viruses and bacteria. They don’t spread as well in the moist air as they do dry air. Keeping a humidifier in your home could mean the difference between getting the flu this winter and staying healthy. It’s also good for preventing and reducing airborne allergies. If someone in your home is prone to seasonal allergies, it’s best to have a humidifier for them.

Have Healthier Plants

Houseplants already improve your household environment in a number of ways. They provide oxygen to the air and pull out the toxins. But depending on the plant, they can be a lot of work. Humidifiers can help you keep up with them by preventing the plant from drying out and dying. In return, you get a healthier plant, and a healthier you.

Heal A Cold Faster

Humidifiers can help you heal a cold faster. When the air is moist, your nasal passage and your throat will be moister and this will allow them to heal faster and prevent them from becoming dry and itchy. I don’t know about you but if there’s one thing I hate about a cold is an itchy throat!

Improve Your Sleep

Did you know you are more prone to snore if your nasal passage is dry? It’s true. So if you or your partner snores and it’s causing your nights’ sleep to be interrupted a humidifier can help add comfort to your sleep by adding moisture to the air.

Work Wonders With Essential Oils

Using essential oils can improve the benefits of using a humidifier by a long shot. Essential oils already have their own benefits to using them, which are amazing if you haven’t used them yet. So imagine adding them into your humidifier to get double the benefits. 

Certain oils like lemon oil and tea tree oil can help kill and prevent mold in your home. Eucalyptus oil helps you to relax and improves the quality of your airwaves. And oils like Jasmine and Rose have been proven to elevate your mood levels.

Note: If you are going to be using essential oils in your humidifier make sure it’s not a warm air machine. A warm air humidifier will cause the essential oils to heat to the machine and damage the therapeutic properties of it.

If you are going to be using a humidifier in your home it’s important to. ..

Clean It Regularly

Failing to clean your humidifier on a regular basis can cause bacteria and mold buildup inside. It will also make your job cleaning it a lot harder. In order to keep a clean home be sure to clean your machine at least once every two weeks.

Use Distilled Water

Tap water has minerals that can create buildup in your humidifier which can in return promote bacterial growth. Distilled or demineralized water contains fewer minerals so there won’t be as much buildup. Using the correct water will cut your cleaning time in half. You won’t need to clean it as often. And there will be a better airflow coming from the machine.

By Guest Contributor Home Improvement • Tips and Tricks 0 Comments

How To Give Your Walls A Proper Face-lift

You’ve either had your wallpaper for years now, or you’re thinking about getting some. If you already have it, you might still remember the exciting time when you picked it out. And then all the fun you had when you applied it. In any case, redecorating (or decorating) your walls can profoundly transform your apartment for little cost if you’re willing to put in the work. Replacing your existing wallpaper will ultimately provide a refreshing new look to your apartment and represent a real change of environment.

If you can’t clean your wallpaper and you’re looking to replace wallpaper, it’ll take some dedication to get the job done properly. Luckily, we’ve written an all-inclusive guide to aid your pursuits – further, once you finish, you’ll be done for good (until you dig this up again in a couple of years). But wait! You’re probably thinking, “Guys, can’t I just cover the existing layer with my new design of hearts and cute flowers and be done?” The answer is a resounding NO!

There are few reasons for this. One is that existing wallpaper may be hiding damage to walls, which you will need to address sooner or later – hiding won’t help you in the long run. Another reason to remove old wallpaper is that existing ink and patterns can be seen through any new layer of paper or paint, which defeats the purpose of the redecoration, to begin with. Lastly, adding moisture on top of older layers can cause them to lose their adhesiveness, potentially leading to detachment (read: disaster).

Thus, for those reasons and many more, the old paper has got to go. Now that you’re about to get your hands dirty (only for a moment), prepare yourself both mentally and physically. Removing wallpaper is one of the messiest jobs – there will be dried glue and water streaming down your walls, so it might be a good idea to hire an effective carpet cleaning service post-renovation.

Here are the four steps to wallpaper happiness – completing these steps will allow you to save future headaches by avoiding damages and stains and maximize the beauty of your apartment’s new look.

Recommended tools: masking tape, putty knife, sandpaper, glue

Step 1: Clear

Clear the room you will be working in – remove furniture, electronics, and decorations to protect them from stains and damage. This will give you the space you need to move around. Cover your floor with a cloth canvas to protect it from spills and dust; additionally, cover the power switches, vents and other openings with tape.

Step 2: Strip

Now, let’s get down to business. Start by stripping wallpaper from areas where it is already loose – usually the ceiling, the base of the walls or power switches. Strive to remove as much of the material as possible and leave only small areas glued. Removing those may be tricky – apply some cleaning solution to strip the stubborn patches (a putty knife is also helpful).

Step 3: Prepare

At this point, any damage to walls should become evident. Use a joint compound for holes, scratches, and gouges – make sure to sand the surface to ensure it is smooth. It’s important to prepare yourself. Any imperfections left behind can compromise the way your wall-papered masterpiece will look.

Step 4: Apply

When all of that is done, you can finally start giving your walls a desired new look by applying your new wallpaper. There are many ways you can go about this. But in any case, you’ll want to do it slowly and steadily. Use an approach that allows you to carefully apply your wallpaper to the surface area of your touched-up wall.

By Guest Contributor Design • Do It Yourself • Home Improvement 0 Comments

5 Hacks For Your Small Kitchen

If you live in New York City, your kitchen is probably part of your bathroom. Even if you’re well adjusted in the suburbs, you probably wish you had a Kitchen fit for Food TV. Maid Sailors wants you to know that it’s possible without cleaning out your savings account. You have to think outside the frying pan in order to make your small kitchen more spacious. Here are 5 time-tested hacks to optimize kitchen space.

  1. Open It Up

The kitchen can sometimes cause claustrophobia. Cabinets hang over your head, sleep by your feet and surround you. Sometimes it is even impossible to reach what’s inside them. Sometimes, space just comes down to the number of cabinets you have. Open up space by exchanging cabinets you can barely reach for shelves you can clearly see. Use shelves for easily accessible and often necessary items – spices, condiment, and oils. For cabinets placed above your head, replace with shelves and place dishes, cups and other utensils. Remove cabinets you don’t need and liberate your kitchen.

  1. Use Lights

It’s all about the perception. Poor lighting choices will induce a prison-feel. For example, fluorescent lighting will give your kitchen a sickish glow, making it seem miniature and stressful. Cure your kitchen by installing incandescent lighting that will introduce artificial sunlight; for best results, set it up above your countertops. Also, replace lighting on your ceiling with incandescent spot lighting directed towards the cabinetry and introduce the shadows that will illuminate and “enlarge” your kitchen. Give your kitchen some character by installing some floor lighting fixtures. If you plan on having this kind of fixtures, make sure that your flooring is on point; play with the colors to set the mood just right (but don’t get too carried away).

  1. Change Colors

Colors change everything. For our purposes, use them to transform the atmosphere. Want to make your kitchen ceilings seem higher than they are? Draw the attention upwards by painting the walls in pastel colors and add some white details; alternatively, you can pick lightly colored cabinets and countertops. Does your kitchen induce a dullness that reminds you of mayonnaise? Incorporate some bold details and repaint a few cabinets or a table with some vivid colors, such as red or purple. Also, if you have some pipes that simply cannot be hidden, try incorporating them into the whole design.

  1. Decorate

While empty walls can give away the impression of bigger space, they often facilitate unnecessary clutter all over your tiny kitchen. Those dull walls should be utilized and you can create so much more additional storage. Mount an appealing pot rack and hang all of your shiny pots and pans as decoration. Put up some shelves for your spices, decorative boxes, and bowls. Set up a small wooden rack for your favorite drinks or bottles of wine. If you haven’t caught our drift, understand this: the possibilities are endless. You can even install a small foldable wall-mounted table for enjoying a cup of coffee or cutting up some veggies.

  1. Pantry

But wait! “My house didn’t come with a pantry!” you’re probably thinking. Well, remember when we asked you think outside of the frying pan? Turn an old, unused closet in your hallway into a do-it-yourself pantry. Fill the shelves with boxes of food, flour, and cans. Organize each shelf, group items by their type and call it a day. This additional storage area will make your kitchen clutter free and leave allow you to use other parts more efficiently.

Don’t blow the bank on construction. With these simple hacks, you can allow your kitchen to evolve from a claustrophobic storage box to an open, attractive culinary shrine. If you end up getting too carried away afterward, call Maid Sailors to clean up the mess.

By Guest Contributor Do It Yourself • Home Improvement 1 Comment

Is Your Garage Putting Your Home At Risk?

Do you live in your garage at times? Are you one of those people who has a poker table in their garage? Do you spend a lot of time out there? Or do you live in a community where people leave their doors open an smile at one another? That’s all fine and dandy until you get so busy enjoying life that you forget to take necessary precautions for keeping your family safe.

Now, this isn’t some article that’s going to make you want to call your insurance company. There’s nothing faulty wrong with your garage. It’s fine. However, there may be some things that you’re not doing out there that are putting you and your family at risk.

Here’s a list of reasons your garage could be putting your home at risk:

  • It’s Probably The Main Entrance

Most of the time the garage door can act as the main entrance to your home. You might even use that door more frequently than the front door. And maybe certain people know this about your home. If this is the case, It’s time to upgrade your security as soon as possible. Add new locks, with deadbolts. Put a motion noise detector inside, so you’ll  be able to hear anybody that walks in. And install security cameras. Nowadays you can even put up cameras that are easily accessed from an app on your smartphone.

  • Your Car Is There

Having a vehicle is a big investment. The last thing you want to do is walk outside in the morning and notice that your car is gone. Trust me, it happens more often than not. Even inside your garage keep your car doors locked and install security features. You can also try frosting any windows that are attached to the garage and then try adding motion detector lights. When those lights pop on, chances are they’ll get scared and run.

  • Expensive Items and Tools Are Stored There

Yes, your car is valuable but you probably have other valuable items in there too. Storing valuables out there is like leaving your kids unattended in a park bathroom. Just because they right outside don’t always mean they’re safe. Keep things that are truly valuable locked in a fireproof safe.

If your garage needs a little TLC we can tidy it up in an hour or less.

By Guest Contributor Design • Do It Yourself • Home Improvement 0 Comments

5 Ways To Make Your Home Classy

Are you looking for efficient but creative ways to add a splash of refined individuality to your home? While most homeowners want a beautifully decorated home that their friends will envy, many homeowners struggle to develop a style that has simple personal flair. Many will simply “copy and paste” the styles found in local stores or even purchase an entire ensemble of pre-set furnishings found in a department store. While these approaches are acceptable (at a bare minimum), Maid Sailors wants to share five easy ways to add instant swag to your home without depleting your funds. Add an extra, visible touch of individuality. Take your interior design game to the next level with these solid plays.

1. Update Your Pantry Doors

Your kitchen pantry is one of the most visible features in your space. Install a decorative pantry door to transform your kitchen’s pantry. For example, one idea is to install a framed glass pantry door with a gorgeous etched or frosted design that is suitable for the décor in the room. The frosted or etched design can conceal the items inside the pantry while also giving the space that extra touch of character that sets it apart from your friends’ kitchens.

2. Choose Hardware Loaded With Flair

With interior décor, less is more. Often, the smallest touches can have the biggest impacts on your room’s look. The hardware on your doors will determine the look that you’re trying to achieve; thus, it’s highly effective to choose unique hardware. For example, barndoor hardware works well with homes that have a rustic or country style. It can also look amazing in homes with restored wood features, such as distressed doors, cabinets and drawers. This is just one example of how hardware can be used to add a great finished look to the space (there are obviously hundreds of examples, if not thousands).

3. Add Dramatic Arches

If you want to make a truly elegant statement in your home, replace your standard 90-degree corners in doorways and entryways with dramatic arches. These can be enhanced with rounded corners and columns can be used sparingly for extra emphasis. This method gives a grand impression of the space and sets the stage for those entering the room. They also add graceful definition in the backdrop of the room that adds a decadent frame to the space. This may seem like a major undertaking, but the technique of adding arches and rounded corners is relatively simple. A contractor may be hired to help you produce the desired results in your home (for cheap).

4. Create Display Areas in the Kitchen

Many kitchens lack the same flair that other rooms have, and this is because there is often limited space to add accent pieces to décor and style. Most of the wall space may be covered by cabinets, backsplash or appliances. While the cabinets and backsplash may have styles of their own, you can add further definition and character to the room by creating decorative display areas. Install see-through glass cabinets, open shelves or other display areas. If you choose to use glass cabinets, keep in mind that the dishes and other pieces behind them will become part of the décor. Ultimately, consider if you want to have a few accent cabinets or if you want the entire cabinetry system to include see-through facades.

5. Install Decorative Tiles

Subtle variations with your tiles can revolutionize your home’s character. For example, even the most basic tile design can exude elegance if it’s installed diagonally. Another method is to alternate tile installation designs for extra flair; for example, the lower section of a tile back splash in the kitchen may be installed in an offset pattern. Additionally, there may be a decorative border followed by tile laid on the diagonal above this. Lastly, you can install standard tiles in combination with a gorgeous mosaic. This artistic touch will truly differentiate your space and set you milestones apart from your neighbors, friends and enemies (haha!).

 

While you may be tempted to mimic the styles showcased in magazines, home décor stores, and the internet, you really need small, subtle extra touches to make dramatic improvements to your personal space. Take a shot, and then take a screenshot. Maid Sailors can come clean up the mess after you’re done.