Powered by Blogger.
  • Home
  • About
  • Categories
    • Beauty
    • Food
    • Reviews
    • Career
    • Family
    • Giveaways
    • Finance
    • Health
    • Real Estate
    • Tech
    • Travel
  • Privacy
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
facebook twitter instagram pinterest bloglovin Email

Rants and Raves of a Bum




Picture Source


Most people would probably agree that feeling comfortable in your own home is an absolute necessity. It’s strange that so many people aren’t happy with the state of their household, however. Maybe you’ve lived in your home for a few years now and you’ve just let your standards slip a little. We’re all guilty of letting clutter build up in the household or neglecting to tear down horrendously outdated wallpaper, but it’s time to freshen things up. Let’s turn your home into a comfortable place.


Clean up your house.
If you want to feel comfortable in your own home then you should clean up the place first. No matter how big or small your house might be, you shouldn’t feel cramped in each room. You should be using your available space to the fullest of its potential. It’s time to get rid of some of the things you’ve been hoarding for years. Get rid of those furnishings, art pieces, or even clothes that you don’t want anymore. Cut down on the clutter.


And if you have too much rubbish for your normal bins at the end of the decluttering process (which is very likely) then you could even look into skip bin hire to get rid of it all. It’s important that you dispose of your unwanted possessions properly and don’t just leave things in a pile of bags or boxes in the garage. Otherwise, you’ll still be hoarding things, but it’ll just be cluttering a different part of your house.


Improve the lighting and colour theme in each room.
Design is an important part of feeling comfortable in your own home. We’ve already talked about decluttering your home, and that definitely helps to improve the design of any house; it’ll make your rooms feel more open and minimalistic. However, you can go further than this when it comes to interior design. You should aim to improve the overall appearance of your household in terms of lighting and colour; these two elements are crucial to the aesthetic of each room.


For starters, you should aim for a neutral palette in terms of colours. White walls create a nice backdrop for a room because any colour scheme can work with white. Plus, white naturally reflects light, so it’ll help to brighten rooms when sunlight pours in through the windows during the day. In terms of artificial light, you need to consider the vibe of a room. Soft lighting with a yellow or orange hue suits bedrooms and the living room because you want to relax in those places. Harsh white lighting suits the kitchen because you need to be able to see what you’re doing.


Create a natural theme.
As discussed throughout this article, the appearance of your surroundings has a big impact on the way you feel. If you want to be cozy in your own home then you should use nature to help you out. After all, natural materials make us feel comfortable. You might want to get rid of the tacky carpet and replace it with wooden flooring, for example. You could get some rugs to make sure there’s still an element of homeliness to your house, but the important thing is that it’ll look more visually appealing. Plants and flowers can spruce up your home too. Bring nature into your house to create a nicer environment for yourself.


Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments


Sometimes your home needs a new lease of life, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have unlimited funds to complete the job. Sometimes small and simple changes can make a huge difference, so if that’s what you want, then follow the simple steps below.

Pixabay

Budget

Before you even get to the decorating, you need an actual budget. Decide what rooms may need a bit of a spruce up, and work out how much money you are willing to spend on those rooms. Once you’ve got this, you need to find the funding for your project. You may have some stashed away already in a savings account or a jar in the kitchen, but if you haven’t then you’re going to have to think of where you can get the money from. Borrowing from friends or family members is an option, but it’s not always available and isn’t always the most sensible even if it is. The other option is getting a loan, from your bank or a high street lender, for example. There are places that you can secure personal loans even with poor credit, so don’t let debts or missed payments of the past stop you from having the home of your dreams.

Pixabay

Colour Of The Walls

Although this may not be a small change, it certainly is a simple and relatively cheap one, that can make a room look completely different.  You can purchase a relatively large tin of paint for very little money nowadays; You can even find ones with great quality if you have a good look around. Decide on a general color scheme for the entire house, and have individual rooms painted in various shades in this color scheme. This will give each room its own personality but will tie up the room together nicely, so that there are no glaring color transitions when you go from room to room. For your living room, you could even splash out on some nice wallpaper or a wall mural to cover one of the walls and create a professional looking feature. The amount of paper needed for this one wall will cost very little but will have a big impact on the room.

Pixabay

Use What You’ve Got

There’s no point in getting rid of perfectly good furniture, even if you want to update the room. Simply moving the furniture around in your room can make it look and feel completely different to how it was before. You could even upcycle some of your existing furniture, for example, you could sand down and gloss the wooden table and chairs in your kitchen to make it match the new color scheme. You could add some new fabric to your worn-looking armchair too.

Pixabay

Change The Cushions

It’s completely understandable if you can’t afford to get a new sofa, especially if your old one still does its job, but that doesn’t mean it has to continue looking the same. Adding some new cushions or throws can make a world of difference. There are tons of stylish, yet affordable cushion on the market for you to purchase. Try to find ones that match your color scheme, if your sofa doesn’t already.

Flickr

Lighting Is Everything

Changing the lighting in a room can have a massive impact on the way it looks and feels. A room that is completely illuminated, depending on the brightness of the light and where it’s positioned can feel lovely and big, or like you’re sitting in a dentist waiting room. Similarly, having few lights in your room can either make it feel cozy and warm, or dark and dingy. What you want is to have a room that feels big in the day, but cozy at night. To do this, lamps are your best friend. Have them positioned in the places in your room that aren’t illuminated by your main light fitting or light from the windows. Then, in the evening, you can have on just one or two of these lamps, and perhaps some fairy lights to make your room feel lovely and cozy. If you don’t have the funds to buy new lamps or light fittings, then simply changing your existing lampshades can have a huge effect.

Decorating your home when you’re on a tight budget can be difficult, but it’s certainly not impossible. Make sure to keep a small amount of money aside, just in case you see something slightly out of your price range that you want to splash out on. There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself, and your home for that matter, as long as you don’t go overboard.



Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments

One of the important must have in our home is the curtains. It helps block the sunlight or rain showers. It can also add a unique vibe in our homes especially the bedroom. As you know, curtains can make a difference in your room only when chosen correctly. It's only a matter of fabric, length and lining, color and whether it is from the store or custom made. So let me give you a quick guide to selecting the right curtains for your home.


Fabric and Color

The best fabric material to choose is linen, faux silk, silk, and velvet. The fabric of the curtain should not be too heavy because it might be difficult to fold and it should not be too light or else it won't fall well. You should refrain from getting bright colored curtains if your room gets a lot of light since the color will fade faster. Choose curtains with neutral colors that are more likely to easily blend in your room's decoration. 


Length and Lining

Use hanging panels higher than the window to give height to your room. Also, curtains hanging from the floor can give a traditional look when slightly spilled on the floor or let the panel fall for a modern look.


Custom Made and Off the Shelf Curtains

Customized curtains offer many benefits: You can choose the size, design, material that will suit your taste though it may cost a lot compared from curtains that can be bought in-store or online.




For those who are on a  budget but looking for unique curtains like Roman shades, visit Roman Shade Sale. They are the most professional Roman shades retailer which aim to provide high-quality products at the lowest price compared to their competitive retailers. Their product ranges from Roman Shades, Venetian Blinds, Roller Shades, Beaded Curtains.


Take a look at my chosen curtain for my daughter's future room below.  It is a Fabric Roman Shades 
with a rabbit pattern design that will make her room look chic and cute.





Visit RomanShadeSale now and you may want to also check out the current home decor trend for some guidance in choosing the best curtains for your homes. 





Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments

11084578354_5840f4e6f6_z.jpg
Image source

Whether you live in a quaint little cottage, a huge house or a small unit, you’ve probably spent a fair amount of time and money making sure that the inside of your home looks and feels good, but what about the exterior?

Most of us don’t tend to spend as much time and care doing up the outside of our homes because, well we spend most of our time inside, so it doesn’t seem to matter as much. However, the exterior of your home does matter, especially if you plan to sell your property at any point in the future.

Here are some tips to help you beautify your home’s exterior and make the most of your whole home:

Paint the Walls

The easiest way to dramatically change your home’s exterior and give it a beautiful new makeover is to treat it to a fresh lick of paint. Over time, exterior walls attract dirt and grime, and they may even be stained by pollution, so repainting them once a year is a great way to keep the home looking fresh. Alternatively, if your exterior walls are just dirty, rather than stained, you may need to do nothing more than a power wash them back to their best.

Create a Covered Entrance

Adding a covered entrance to your home not only makes your property look a bit more interesting, but it also helps you to shelter from the rain as you make your way from the driveway to the front door.

A covered entrance doesn’t have to be anything special or particularly expensive to look good either - a simple wooden porch or portico will do fine – just make sure that it matches the style of your home overall.

Lots of Lanterns

8142788589_e595813a92_z.jpg
Image source

Hanging lanterns by the front and rear doors, and placing them on the porch, if you have one, will instantly give your home a beauty boost, especially in the evenings, when the soft glow of the lights will create a magical atmosphere. They’ll also help you to find your way safely to the door when it gets dark.

Change the Doors

Changing your property’s doors is a simple and affordable way to create a more beautiful impact with your exterior. You should seek out the best doors for your garage, front and rear entrances and any other doors that may be on your property. Try to choose doors that match your home’s façade as closely as possible. And don’t be afraid to experiment with colors if you aren’t worried about having a home that appears to be a little quirky.

Install Window Boxes

If the facade of your home feels a little bland and boring, you can change its look in an instant by adding a few window boxes into the mix. Fill the boxes with a mix of flowers in different styles and colors and paint them to match your walls and they will look like they’ve always been there while providing a huge beauty boost to your home’s exterior.

Landscape the Garden

8560860486_065e6dd718_z.jpg
Image source

If you’re fortunate enough to have a garden, you should make the most of it by having some landscaping done. It doesn’t have to be anything too elaborate or expensive,  but ensuring that the lawns are perfectly manicured, planting a few well-placed trees and flowers, and perhaps adding a water feature will all help to massively improve the appearance of your property from the outside.

Get a New Gate

Whether you already have a gate at the front of your property or not, investing in a new one, preferably a wrought iron or white wooden one will give your home more gravitas, and show onlookers that you have style. Having a gate is also a great way to establish your property’s boundary and draw the eye forward to your landscaped garden and beautiful new doors.

Add an Arbor

Once you’ve added a gate, you might also want to think about adding an arbor above it. It might not be essential, but installing an arbor and filling it with beautiful climbing flowers, which look beautiful and produce divine fragrances will increase the charm factor of your property ten-fold.

Resurface the Driveway

21278694073_a68f8b80fd_z.jpg
Image source

If you have a driveway, then a lot of your home’s exterior is going to be taken up with it. So, it makes sense to ensure that your driveway is the best driveway in the neighborhood. If you want your driveway to be truly beautiful, go for brick or stained concrete materials, which look more expensive and which can be selected to perfectly match the rest of your home.

Replace Old Windows

If your windows are looking old and the frames are starting to rot, replacing them will give your home’s exterior and interior a huge boost in the beauty stakes. If you want to really impress with your windows, go for wooden frames rather than UPVC or plastic and perhaps consider adding patterned glass or even stained glass windows in a few areas. They will make your property really stand out from the rest and they’ll add an extra touch of beauty to the place.

Give Your Roof Some Attention

The roof of your house is highly visible and it takes up a lot of space, so it is very important that you get it right because it’s really noticeable when you don’t. I know that getting a new roof can be expensive and it’s not exactly convenient, but if your roof is damaged and looks well past its sell-by date, it will be worth the effort. Just make sure that you choose a roof colour and style that’s in keeping with the rest of your property.

Of course, if your roof is basically in good condition, but it’s just dirty, moss covered and home to a few nesting birds, getting up there to clear it out and give it a good clean with a power washer could be all it needs to look brilliantly beautiful again.

How does the outside of your home look? Do you have any tips to beautify the home’s exterior?




Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
1 comments

Let’s focus on something a little unusual for once when it comes to talking about the home. It’s all well and good to discuss decor and design options, but sometimes, it’s important to turn your mind to practicality as well.

If you were to pick the most well-trodden route around your home, what would you say it would be? Perhaps it would be the living room to the kitchen, as you head to grab a snack while you wait for the next episode of your favorite binge watch show to begin? Or maybe it’s a less enjoyable path, such as the route from the laundry room to the bedroom to stash clothes - one of those chores few of us take much delight in.

Both of the above are good choices, but here’s an entry that might surprise you: the route from your front (or back - whichever you use as your main entrance point) to the car, and back again.

Think about it: we walk this route multiple times per day, often while juggling several items as we hastily try to ensure we have everything we need with us. It’s the route we’ll walk when we come home from the grocery store laden with bags and have to try and close car doors with our hips before walking. Given how much we use this area, isn’t it worth investing some time and thought into ensuring it’s as good as it can possibly be?

Idea #1 - Check The Surfaces

Source

If it’s been raining, then one of the worst feelings is the sense that you could slip over at any moment. That’s why it makes sense to ensure the flooring both outside of where you park and the first few steps into your home can handle wet footsteps. The best way to achieve this is with a more textured finish, which has the additional benefit of also helping to hide dirt.

Idea #2 - Think Coverings

On the same line as the above; think of the times of year when rushing to your car is a matter of battling the elements. It might be brushing aside rain and snow; or on the flip side, getting to your car of a morning and realizing the sun has been slowly baking it. Structures like carports are a perfect solution to this problem or, if that’s outside of your budget, even a few strategically placed stand umbrellas can make a difference.

Source

Idea #3 - Handrails & Hooks

Part of making this area easier to live with is about managing the route, which often involves - as mentioned - the transportation of objects either to or from the car. The best way of managing this is might be to install handrails and hooks at strategic points, meaning you can rest things for a moment without worrying about forgetting about them. Don’t think that these items can’t look stylish and deliberate either; cast iron is an all-weather metal that holds up to even the sternest of design scrutiny.

Source

While it might not be the more glamorous area of your home, as the above prove, it’s still worth putting some time into considering it.



Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments

If you are planning on celebrating Halloween, here are some tips and ideas from MyProperty for decorating your home


MANILA, 12 October 2016: Are you excited about the spookiest night of the year? Perhaps you are planning a party. Maybe you are just considering giving some trick-or-treat kids a fright! We are here to help you make the most of this opportunity to be gruesome. Leading real estate portal MyProperty.ph has prepared 10 spooky tips for Halloween home decoration.


1. Innovative Pumpkin Carving




Look up some unique pumpkin carving designs. There are many techniques you can use to make your pumpkins look even spookier, such as moulding and drying wax onto them to create a scary lumpy texture, or creating different surfaces for the light to fall through. The uglier and more unique your pumpkins the better. You could even hang them on chains!


2. Orange Globe String Lights


Put orange globe string lights behind white blinds to give your home a spooky, orange glow. This is also useful for creating a backdrop for your silhouettes (see the next tip).


3. Spooky Silhouettes




Either make your own or purchase some black figures to place in front of your spookily lit windows… Skeletons, witches, ghosts, and ghouls are a great choice. How about a crazy scientist? Just make sure that they are positioned in terrifying poses.


4. Ominous Green Bottles of Poison


Fill up large jars with green liquid and line the entrance of your home with these terrifying bottles of poisonous doom. Place a cauldron in your kitchen and fill it with water and red food colouring to make it look like a witch’s cauldron of blood… Invite guests to stir the cauldron with an ominous wooden spoon; don’t forget to cackle (and to protect your surfaces!).


5. Ghosts Dancing Around a Campfire


Create some scarecrow-like figures for the garden and wrap them in white sheets… Stuff their heads so that they look like people. People will think they are ghosts! Place them in a circle, hand in hand. In the center of the circle, place a messy pile of orange and red LED lights, which are suitable for the outdoors. This will look like a bonfire. Enjoy the look on the faces of passers-by as they walk past a circle of dancing ghouls.


6. Front Garden Graveyard



Invest in some plastic headstones for Halloween… This is a fantastic way to decorate your outdoor space, and it does not cause too much mess.


7. Poison Ivy


How about draping artificial ivy around your dinner table, doorways, or mantle piece? Not only does this add greenery to your space during this fun holiday, it will also create a fun and poisonous look for your home.


8. Creepy Halloween Mirror



This one is a fantastic DIY tip to create a creepy home. Buy an old mirror from a garage sale or take a look in your own basement for an old creepy looking mirror that nobody uses. Find an old photograph or a printout of a scary face that is about the same size as your own. Purchase some steel wool, some transparent tape, some acetone, and find some paper towels. You will also probably need gloves, a screwdriver, and a cloth. With the steel wool, make the mirror look aged by scratching it. Take care not to strip off all the material. Fix the photo behind the glass, and you will have an eerie wall piece to scare all your indoor guests.


9. Spider Web Doorways



Either use cotton wool or a specially made spider web gun to create spooky spider webs in your doorways. You can even spruce up your webs with some realistic-looking plastic creepy crawlies. Just make sure that you and your guests can still get through the door and that you do not create a fire hazard!


10. Hold “Dark Dinner Night”


Nothing says creepy better than eating in the dark… Cover your windows with dark sheets and provide each of your dinner guests with a candle and a blindfold as they walk in. As your guests make their way to their seats with candles in hand, explain that you will serve them shortly, but that before you do, they must help their neighbour put a blindfold on so that everyone in the room is drenched in darkness for the entire evening. Make your guests food with interesting and unusual textures. You will give your guests a unique dining experience and make Halloween super memorable for them!



Have a spooky ghoulish Halloween!



Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments
Older Posts

About me

A Stay At Home Mother / Proud mama of Andres and Amira / Blogger




About Me

Disclosure and Privacy Policy

www.istintotz.com is a personal site written and edited by me. This site accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made on this site. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

This website does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

Contact me through my email for inquiries or collaborations: istin_21@yahoo.com


Read my Privacy Policy here

Follow Me

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • Google+
  • pinterest
  • youtube

Philippines Parenting Blogs

Sponsors

casual maxi dresses for women

affordable Items under $5

Soinyou young men's clothing

mens casual clothing

Shoessee Loafers Shoes

mommy and me matching outfits

BerryLook Shift Dresses

Uniwigs

Instagram

QuickRebates - UK Tax Specialists

Voogueme Eyeglasses

Followers

Blog Archive

  • ▼  2024 (1)
    • ▼  December 2024 (1)
      • Little Explorers for the Little Ones: Gifting Your...
  • ►  2023 (2)
    • ►  September 2023 (1)
    • ►  June 2023 (1)
  • ►  2022 (6)
    • ►  October 2022 (1)
    • ►  September 2022 (2)
    • ►  March 2022 (2)
    • ►  January 2022 (1)
  • ►  2021 (37)
    • ►  December 2021 (3)
    • ►  November 2021 (2)
    • ►  October 2021 (3)
    • ►  September 2021 (1)
    • ►  August 2021 (3)
    • ►  July 2021 (4)
    • ►  June 2021 (5)
    • ►  May 2021 (6)
    • ►  April 2021 (3)
    • ►  March 2021 (5)
    • ►  February 2021 (1)
    • ►  January 2021 (1)
  • ►  2020 (16)
    • ►  December 2020 (1)
    • ►  October 2020 (2)
    • ►  September 2020 (1)
    • ►  August 2020 (2)
    • ►  July 2020 (1)
    • ►  June 2020 (2)
    • ►  May 2020 (1)
    • ►  April 2020 (1)
    • ►  March 2020 (2)
    • ►  February 2020 (2)
    • ►  January 2020 (1)
  • ►  2019 (61)
    • ►  December 2019 (3)
    • ►  October 2019 (2)
    • ►  September 2019 (2)
    • ►  August 2019 (3)
    • ►  July 2019 (7)
    • ►  June 2019 (8)
    • ►  May 2019 (3)
    • ►  April 2019 (3)
    • ►  March 2019 (7)
    • ►  February 2019 (12)
    • ►  January 2019 (11)
  • ►  2018 (233)
    • ►  December 2018 (8)
    • ►  November 2018 (19)
    • ►  October 2018 (15)
    • ►  September 2018 (13)
    • ►  August 2018 (12)
    • ►  July 2018 (21)
    • ►  June 2018 (20)
    • ►  May 2018 (42)
    • ►  April 2018 (24)
    • ►  March 2018 (25)
    • ►  February 2018 (22)
    • ►  January 2018 (12)
  • ►  2017 (392)
    • ►  December 2017 (29)
    • ►  November 2017 (23)
    • ►  October 2017 (29)
    • ►  September 2017 (44)
    • ►  August 2017 (50)
    • ►  July 2017 (47)
    • ►  June 2017 (45)
    • ►  May 2017 (33)
    • ►  April 2017 (16)
    • ►  March 2017 (18)
    • ►  February 2017 (26)
    • ►  January 2017 (32)
  • ►  2016 (197)
    • ►  December 2016 (15)
    • ►  November 2016 (34)
    • ►  October 2016 (21)
    • ►  September 2016 (14)
    • ►  August 2016 (7)
    • ►  July 2016 (12)
    • ►  June 2016 (12)
    • ►  May 2016 (11)
    • ►  April 2016 (16)
    • ►  March 2016 (12)
    • ►  February 2016 (16)
    • ►  January 2016 (27)
  • ►  2015 (107)
    • ►  December 2015 (21)
    • ►  November 2015 (19)
    • ►  October 2015 (18)
    • ►  September 2015 (4)
    • ►  August 2015 (8)
    • ►  July 2015 (13)
    • ►  June 2015 (15)
    • ►  May 2015 (7)
    • ►  April 2015 (1)
    • ►  February 2015 (1)
  • ►  2014 (99)
    • ►  December 2014 (3)
    • ►  November 2014 (3)
    • ►  October 2014 (8)
    • ►  September 2014 (2)
    • ►  August 2014 (9)
    • ►  July 2014 (7)
    • ►  June 2014 (12)
    • ►  May 2014 (13)
    • ►  April 2014 (19)
    • ►  March 2014 (4)
    • ►  February 2014 (9)
    • ►  January 2014 (10)
  • ►  2013 (152)
    • ►  December 2013 (10)
    • ►  November 2013 (6)
    • ►  October 2013 (11)
    • ►  September 2013 (11)
    • ►  August 2013 (18)
    • ►  July 2013 (17)
    • ►  June 2013 (14)
    • ►  May 2013 (11)
    • ►  April 2013 (22)
    • ►  March 2013 (4)
    • ►  February 2013 (14)
    • ►  January 2013 (14)
  • ►  2012 (332)
    • ►  December 2012 (21)
    • ►  November 2012 (37)
    • ►  October 2012 (55)
    • ►  September 2012 (53)
    • ►  August 2012 (31)
    • ►  July 2012 (34)
    • ►  June 2012 (33)
    • ►  May 2012 (18)
    • ►  April 2012 (24)
    • ►  March 2012 (26)
  • ►  2011 (1)
    • ►  August 2011 (1)
  • ►  2010 (1)
    • ►  June 2010 (1)
  • ►  2007 (4)
    • ►  September 2007 (2)
    • ►  June 2007 (1)
    • ►  January 2007 (1)
  • ►  2006 (22)
    • ►  June 2006 (3)
    • ►  May 2006 (9)
    • ►  March 2006 (4)
    • ►  February 2006 (3)
    • ►  January 2006 (3)
  • ►  2005 (27)
    • ►  November 2005 (4)
    • ►  October 2005 (13)
    • ►  September 2005 (10)

Search This Blog

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Popular Posts

  • Joey/ Angela 2's Private Pool Experience
  • Welcoming New Year at Angela 3 Resort in Antipolo City
  • Summer Fun at Angela 1 Private Pool Resort

Total Pageviews

Created with by ThemeXpose | Distributed by Blogger Templates