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Making Your Home More Manageable

Regardless of whether you live alone, or have a large family to contend with, there can be a lot to take care off. It’s understandable why many want to face the management of any household alone, but there’s nothing wrong in accepting help or using a professional to ensure that some of the tasks are taken care off. For example, those who work long hours may not have enough time to deep clean the property regularly, so may want to consider a cleaning company such as Shine Cleaning Solutions. Not only does the management of the home become much easier, but it makes updating the home much easier. Be Realistic Different people will have different plans to consider, but it’s important that we’re realistic in what can be achieved. If we’re working long hours, are we really going to be up to cleaning when we come home? Similarly, those with animals will want to ensure that pets are being walked in their absence, or just to take the pressure off. Cleaning companies and dog walkers have become popular for a reason, and that’s because of how beneficial and affordable they are. [caption id="attachment_452" align="alignnone" width="500"] Cleaning service with professional equipment during work[/caption] Can Others Help? If you live alone, then the pressure can be on you to maintain order. However, those who have other family members residing in the property should ensure that everyone has a role to play, no matter how small the role is. For example, teenagers and adults should be more involved with washing up and laundry, while younger children can learn the importance of keeping order by wiping the table after meal time. Of course, there still may be times when help is needed, but having a routine in place makes it much easier to schedule a professional cleaning service. Don’t Put Tasks Off A series of small tasks can soon turn into one big headache and leaving everything to the last-minute means tasks are rushed or missed as a result. It’s easy to write off the small tasks as non-important but dealing with chores and issues as soon as they arise ensures that improvements are being made around the home with minimal effort. What Do You Really Need? The rate at which we purchase new appliances and technology is much higher than times gone by, and because of the money we invest, we want to ensure that we’re getting the full value of the items. However, these can lead to clutter, which soon invades the peaceful karma of the home. Although you shouldn’t throw out everything, if there are items in the home that aren’t being used, then it could be worthwhile selling them or handing them over to charity. The less cluttered our home, the more we’re able to get done. The last thing anyone wants when renovating their home is having to move a series of possessions around when undertaking work. Work Out a Rota Once you up-to-date with the home, you will want to ensure that you keep the momentum moving forward. A rota may be old-fashioned, but it remains a popular way of keeping on top of daily tasks, and also allows you to schedule in more cumbersome work like decorating. Rotas can be created in several different ways, and there are several apps that can be made use of to ensure that you’re never allowing tasks to pile up around the home. Minimise Décor When Possible Although there’s nothing wrong with ornaments and pictures, too many of them could mean that the house soon becomes overcrowded. If you wanting to display the children’s school photos, then simply replace these each term when new photographs are taken. Achievements and certificates can be scatted throughout the home to ensure that maintaining the property doesn’t have to be a complicated endeavour. Get Rid of Kitchen Utensils No Longer Used When making improvements to the home, it’s easy to become distracted with the sorting out of what we want to keep and what we want to dispose of. This is especially true in the kitchen, which can be a breeding ground for all sorts of unwanted utensils, crockery and cutlery. Those who move into a property for the first time will accept items from friends and family to see them through the transition period. As people become more settled, it’s normally the case that they start making their stamp on the property, which will often include the purchasing of new kitchen items. However, if we simply keep hold of old kitchen items and appliances, then we could find that when wanting to decorate to update the kitchen, most of the time will be dedicated to clearing the kitchen out. Staying pro-active can help you determine as to whether a certain utensil is worth keeping, or whether it should be passed to a charity shop. Some goods can even be sold online to help raise money for your next home makeover. Smart Storage Can Make All the Difference Depending on the size of the property you reside in, storage may be somewhat restricted. With no storage solution in place, it should come as no surprise that clutter is inevitable. Fortunately, smart storage offers the practicality of conventional storage, while being able to merge with your surroundings. The options you choose can depend on your particular set of circumstances. For example, some like to make use of a foldaway desk, whereas others may want to use their bed as a storage solution. With the choice available, the possibilities are endless. Renovations and home makeovers are good and well, but those who are able to ensure that their home is managed in the right way will find that there is less distraction when making plans. This will mean more focus can be put on the makeover, as opposed to the sorting of household goods.

4 tips on how to resolve conflicts with your contractor

In any construction site conflicts will be inevitable. There could be conflicts between you and your contractor or between the contractor and his/her team. It’s therefore a good idea for you to prep on conflict resolution to ensure that when such issues emerge they don’t end up disrupting the work and the timelines therefore causing a delay in the project delivery. In this article we will share with you 4 tips on how to resolve conflicts with your contractor.

Tip 1: Ensure the issue is clearly defined

The very first part of resolving a conflict is being able to clearly define what the issue is. In many occasions, conflicts will usually escalate due to miscommunication between the parties involved in the conflict as they don’t take time to clearly understand what the issue is. It’s therefore very important to for the conflicting parties to lay down the facts so that the matter can be addressed.

Tip 2: Let a neutral party mediate

The only way conflicting parties can be willing to openly resolve their issues, is if the person mediating is neutral and there is no indication that they are likely to take sides. That why it’s very important to bring in a person who is perceived to be neutral by both parties to play the role of mediator. It’s only such a person who will be able to create a conducive environment for the resolution of the conflict because both parties will be willing to open up to them.

Tip 3: Only focus on the facts

During conflict resolution, you must ensure that people’s opinions are kept out of the discussion and it’s only the facts about the conflict that are discussed. This is because in many cases, conflicts tend to escalate because the conflicting parties put more focus on airing out their opinions as opposed to focusing on the facts.

Tip 4: Listen listen listen

During conflict resolution, the best way to ensure a win-win solution is by ensuring that the parties involved in the conflict feel as though they are being listened to. If they get the feeling that the mediator or the other party is not listening then they are likely to shut down and this is a sure guarantee that the conflict will not be resolved. The beauty about listening is that the parties may even discover that there’s no real reason why they should have been in conflict in the first place. If you put the above tips into your own context anytime you find yourself in a conflict situation with your contractor, you will realize that any emerging issues will always get sorted out very quickly.

Make Your House a Home

Although buying a house can be an exciting endeavour, it can take time to make it a home. However, this isn’t to say that there aren’t some shortcuts that can be taken to ensure that there is a warm atmosphere in the home. The following are some tips that can keep you warm during the winter months, as well as giving the home some much-needed ambience during the darker nights. Lag Your Piping The art of pip lagging may be one that is somewhat aged when compared to other approaches, but it’s one that works, and it’s cheap to do. Lagging is essentially putting foam around your water pipe to ensure that there is no loss of heart, and what’s more, no tools are required. Although there may be other things you need to do to ensure heat isn’t lost, lagging the hot water pipes can be the ideal starting point. Consider Wall insulation Although its common knowledge that wall insulation can help save on fuel bills and retain heat, there are still many people who haven’t enjoyed the benefits. Although wall insulation comes at a cost, the money will often be recouped in what you save on fuel moving forward. What’s more, wall insulation ensures that your home retains as much as heat as possible, which is vital for the colder seasons. Use Your Curtains Properly It’s not unusual for the weather to be sporadic, so it’s a good idea to make use of the sun when it's available. Opening the curtains when the suns out ensure you’re making using of natural heat in the day, allowing you to conserve energy for nightfall. The sun will often heat the home substantially in the day if the curtains are open, and eve Not only is this more cost-effective, but you can ensure that you don’t have to ration your energy as much. Draught Excluders Are Still Useful Given all the technology that is put our way, it’s to dismiss simple and cost-effective ways of keeping the home warm. Although basic in their approach, draught excluders do a sterling job of keeping heat in the room. Even if all the rooms need some form of draught exclusion, the process is generally quite cheap. Bleed Your Radiators (If Necessary) For the most part, radiators carry out the duties without a hitch, but there can be times when we need to intervene to ensure that they’re working at the best. Air bubbles present in the radiator could mean that the radiator isn’t creating as much heat as it could. [caption id="attachment_447" align="alignnone" width="500"] Happy young family using a tablet pc at home by a fireplace in warm and cozy living room on winter day[/caption] Arrange a Boiler Service It’s not only problematic radiators that can restrict hear in the home, as boilers play their part too. Although we can take them for granted, it’s a good idea to get your boiler serviced before the cold month's strike. If you’re unfortunate enough to have your boiler break down at the wrong time, then there could be some discomfort until a repair can be arranged. Fortunately, the method to rectify this is simple and merely requires you to bleed the radiators. You will need to use a radiator key, which can be purchased from any DIY store, and simply twist the valve until the hissing stops and water appear. Once this happens simply close the valve. More information on arranging boiler service check out - https://www.britishgas.co.uk/home-services/guides/annual-boiler-service-article.html Invest in Some Rugs Wooden floors can look great around the home, but they can also leave rooms feeling cold. Although there are alternatives, such as heated flooring, those looking for a cheaper solution can simply invest in some rugs. Whether you decide to use one large rug or a series of smaller rugs will depend on the layout of the home, but either approach can be more cost-effective than modern alternatives, while still adding character to the home. Find the Right Temperature for You It’s understandable that some people are concerned about having the heating on too high, as they will waste money. However, having it too cold can cause some discomfort. Finding the perfect temperature for you ensures that you can time your boiler accordingly, meaning that you’re not wasting energy when not at home. Those looking for something they can control when out and about may want to invest in a smart option, which allows you to amend settings from an app. Soft Lighting Creates Ambiance As well as ensuring your home has heat flowing through it without escaping, you can also create a warm abidance that contributes towards the cosiness of your home. Harsh bright lighting can make it hard to relax, regardless of how much heat you’re conserving. Swapping your bright lighting for something a little softer doesn’t have to be expensive, as a few lamps can be just as effective as opposed to spending hundreds on electrical work What’s more, this can be done throughout the house, and you can even combine with modern technology to streamline the operation. For example, those who can’t afford smart lighting may find a Bluetooth-enable light bulb just as effective. Display Your Proud Moments Given the advancements of technology, you’re more likely to see photographs on someone’s social network as opposed to their wall, but this doesn’t mean that memories and achievements don’t look amazing and create a homelier feel overall. The frames you use can be tailored to your décor. For example, those with a modern abode may decide to use clip frames, whereas those with more rustic surroundings may decide a wooden frame is best. The possibilities are endless and framing photographs, certificates and diplomas are a great way of adding warmth and charm to the home. Some of us can struggle when it comes to making a house feel more comfortable, especially if you’ve only just moved in. However, some simple approaches can ensure that your home is prepared for the winter and inviting to friends and family.