Stephen Alberts

Feb 21 2020

5 Must-Need Tools To Make Spring Cleaning Easy

As spring is quickly approaching, thousands of homes are being prepared for renovations, repairs, or a deep clean. Often, the size of the renovation depends on the size of the toolbox. Whether you are re-tiling your bathroom, replacing your wallpaper, or re-organizing your cupboards, these seven tools will help make your spring cleaning a breeze.

Heavy Duty Sponge:

Most households have a go-to sponge for their kitchen surfaces and dishes. Over time, sponges collect bacteria and mold so it is very important to replace your sponge every month. You should also make sure that you rinse your sponge after each use in order to wash away any harmful chemicals you may have used. It may be helpful to have multiple sponges to use on different surfaces so that you are not washing your dishes with the same sponge you use to clean other surfaces!

Glass Spray Bottle:

Popular cleaning solutions can become expensive and the amount of plastic they contribute to landfills is horrific. Why spend hundreds of dollars on these name-brand cleaners when you can make your own right from home? All you need to do is fill your spray bottle with white vinegar and combine it with a mix of baking soda and water. Watch tough stains and marks disappear!

Multi-Bit Screwdriver:

Nowadays, household appliances are assembled using a vast array of screws and bolts. Bringing home a new refrigerator and unboxing it only to find that you do not have the right screwdriver for the job can kill your mid-day motivation. That is why every household toolbox should be equipped with a multi-function screwdriver that has interchangeable bits for every kind and size of screw.

Cordless Drill:

Springtime often inspires redecorating. When purchasing new furniture or home decor, assembly can become irritating. A power drill can turn a day’s work into a several-minute-long job. Imagine building a treehouse with a screwdriver! A cordless drill is the answer to any problem that requires tedious screwing or assembling. It is more portable, safer, and quieter than its plugged-in counterpart and should be a priority for any homeowner looking to make spring cleaning quick and easy.

Adjustable Wrench:

Just like the screwdriver, a wrench should be equipped to adapt to multiple sized jobs. Often, this may include tightening bolts on furniture or fixtures. In bigger jobs, however, this may include loosening or detaching pipes in the bathroom or kitchen. Pipes that carry water throughout the house can become loose and start to leak. An adjustable wrench can help prevent water damage or even a call to the plumber!

Jan 27 2020

5 Things To Consider When Hiring A Handyman

Every homeowner experiences the occasional household mishap. Whether it is a leaky pipe or clogged gutters, or something a bit more serious like water damage or a blown fuse; every household is equipped to handle varying levels of problems differently.

Like most things, safety should always come first. Determining whether to hire a handyman or attempt to fix the problem yourself can be a difficult choice but, let’s be honest, you probably are not a professional, your spouse’s sarcasm is in full effect, and you have a full-time job.

Do not fear! The handyman is here!

Here are 5 practical and important things to consider when hiring a handyman:

1: How Big Is The Problem?

Determining how severe the problem is can be as simple as assessing the situation yourself or calling the nearest handyman service to assess the size of the problem. This step should always be first because it determines who is fit for the job. For example, a small-time fixer-upper is not likely to be equipped with the tools or the experience for a huge job. This first step can also help to determine how much it will cost to fix your problem.

2: When Does The Problem Need Fixing?

More often than not, everyday household inconveniences do not present any immediate danger. For example, your pine straw-filled gutters are not likely to bring your roof down. There are some dangers, however, that require immediate attention even if they do not appear to be severe. It is important to call a professional when dealing with the safety of the home you and your family live in.

3: How Much Will It Cost?

Different problems have different prices. Often, it is cheaper to fix household problems with a handyman than to file an insurance claim because of high deductibles and increased monthly payments. Most handyman services offer free estimates for projects based on an on-site visit and assessment. It is important to factor in every possible cost when budgeting for a project including the cost of what might happen if the problem is left unfixed!

4. Who Am I Letting Into My House?

Do. Your. Research. It is always important to visit a company’s website and read their standards and guidelines. Is the handyman insured? Does the company conduct frequent drug and alcohol screening? Do they run background checks? Learning these important details can help prevent a possible disaster from happening. Reading online reviews and talking to your friends and neighbors can help you decide on the perfect match for your needs.

5. How Can I Make This Process Easier?

Establishing a good relationship with your local handyman can save you stress and money in the future. Life can get hectic and the last thing on your mind should be the safety and well-being of your home. Leaving an honest and thorough review online for the handyman is also a great way to compliment a good day’s work or to warn others of less-than-qualified “professionals”

Dec 30 2019

3 Steps to Creating the Perfect Playroom or Area

Kids like to play and they like to be uninhibited when they do so. The walls of your home may become abstract works of toddler art, your floors become littered with toys that seem to have come to life because no matter how many times you pick them up they’re right back out ten minutes later. And every December those toys multiply because, of course, you got them everything on their Christmas list.

Is there a solution?

Yes!

Creating a designated playroom or play area for your child, complete with a space for their abstract toddler wall-art.

Let’s get started.

Step 1: Choosing a location and making it playful

The first step is simply finding space in your home to dedicate as your child’s play area. If you have a spare bedroom or an unused bonus room then choosing the location of your child’s playroom/area is simple. You can skip ahead to the next step.

If you don’t have an unused room in your home you may be thinking creating a play area is impossible for you, but it isn’t.

Option 1: Color- block an area in your child’s bedroom as a play-area.

This is probably the most practical option. If your child’s bedroom is large enough to designate enough space that they don’t feel cramped while they play. You can delineate your play area with color blocking. Pick a corner of the room and paint the play area walls with vibrant colors and place down a large, colorful area rug.

Option 2: Dual Purpose spaces.

If you don’t have a spare room and your child’s bedroom is also too small to contain their active playtime, consider utilizing a less used room in your home or a room where their playtime will be less disruptive.

For instance, if you have a den area that is under-utilized consider sectioning off a portion in the same way that you would their bedroom.

Step 2: Providing a canvas for toddler wall-art

Kids like to draw and paint on everything. Unfortunately, that includes your walls.

You can toddler-proof your walls by using high-gloss paint to make removing their doodles a whole lot easier. You can also dedicate a wall to their artistic expression.

Option 1: Dry Erase Wall

Choose one of the walls of your child’s dedicated area and turn it into a giant whiteboard so they can doodle to their heart’s delight.

You can install dry erase wallpaper such as Murals Your Way. This is a great option for young children who like to color. Murals Your Way provides a variety of coloring book style murals to choose from at a convenient price. If you would rather give your children more freedom to explore their imagination you can use dry erase paint such as Notable.

Option 2: Chalk Board Wall

Chalkboard paint can be used to turn any surface into a drawing pad.

When you’re picking up your paint, however, don’t confuse chalky finish paint with chalkboard paint. They are not the same thing. Chalky finish paint will give your surface a matte-like finish but will not allow you to write on that surface with paint.

Chalkboard paint actually creates a chalkboard for your little ones to draw on. You can find Chalkboard paint in powder form or pre-mixed at your local crafts store.

Step 3: Storage for the multiplying toys

The final step is giving your children a place to put all of their favorite toys. While a toy box may seem like the easy option, the truth is that children generally have several favorite toys. A toy-box doesn’t give them easy access to those toys and they may remove every single toy from the box searching for them.

A better option is to use shelves for their favorite toys and a large storage box for the toys they don’t use very often. Make sure to install the shelves low enough for your child to reach. You can add in a few small crates for toys that won’t sit on the shelves by themselves.

Nov 11 2019

4 Easy Ways to Update Your House Before Thanksgiving Dinner

The host of the holiday dinner this year is you but you’re not sure your home is quite hosting ready. No worries there are a few quick cost-effective updates you can do to make your home feel warm, welcoming and polished without planning a full renovation.

Paint Your Front Door.

A quick and affordable way to give your home a facelift and even add a little curb appeal is adding a fresh coat of paint to your front door. Before you call in a painter make sure you pick a color that you love. Think about how you want your guests to feel as they enter your home.

Sand Down and Paint Rusted Railings.

Another way to add instant curb appeal is to give your outdoor railing a little TLC. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on brand-new railing. Instead, sand down what you have and give it a fresh coat of paint.

You should be able to scrub off most rust with a wire brush. Next, scuff sand the surface to smooth out any imperfections. To help prevent rust in the future coat the railing with a rust-inhibiting primer. Finally, for the finishing coat go over the railing with a rust-inhibitive enamel that is compatible with the primer you used.

Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets.

With the cost of appliances, countertops, cabinets, renovating a Kitchen is one of the most expensive home improvement projects. But you don’t have to fork over thousands to give your kitchen and updated look.

Most of the visual space in your kitchen is taken up by your cabinets. You can give your kitchen a fresh look by painting the cabinets a new color or just refreshing the old paint.

Before you run to your nearest Home improvement store and pick out a new color. Make sure you’ve properly prepared your cabinets.

Make sure you wipe down the cabinets and remove all oil or build up from the surface. This is essential for your primer to stick. Do a double cleaning of cabinets above your stove top. These are generally coated with grease.

Next you’ll need to remove the finish from your previous paint job. Sand away the finish with a palm sander fitted with 100-grit sandpaper. You will be able to tell you have removed all of the finish when all the sheen is gone. Cleanup all the dust and wipe the cabinets down.

Now you’re ready to prime and paint.

Update Your Cabinet Hardware.

While your working on the cabinets anyway go ahead and update the hardware. This is one of the most inexpensive ways to give your kitchen a new look and paired with a new paint job can really make your kitchen feel brand new.

This is a simple, if time consuming, project. The first step in this project is simply deciding on the style of hardware you want. Maybe you want to replace knobs with pulls or cup pulls. Perhaps you would like something more minimalistic.

After you’ve decided on style, you’ll need to find out how many new pieces of hardware you need. Count up all of the hardware that you will be replacing.

You will be able to remove the old hardware and replace it with new hardware using a power drill. The only tricky part of this project is making sure your pulls are straight. You can use a level to make sure your holes are placed in the right spot and you don’t end up with crooked hardware.

Need help updating your home? Request service below

Oct 02 2019

7 Ways to Update Your Kitchen

Many people believe the kitchen is the heart of the home, but have you ever stopped to wonder why your family and friends tend to congregate in the kitchen? In many homes, the kitchen wears many hats. Besides being where you prepare meals, it is also home to last-minute school projects, a place to catch up with your friends, and more. If your kitchen is starting to feel a bit dull, consider these 7 ways to update your kitchen.

Hang Artwork.

The kitchen isn’t an obvious choice to hang artwork. Whether you have some extra space above your cabinets or an entire blank wall, set your kitchen apart by incorporating your personal style.

Add Some Wallpaper.

The peel-and-stick wallpaper options are endless these days. This is a great, non-permanent way to make a statement in your kitchen. If you change your mind, it’s a simple fix. Wallpaper isn’t the easiest thing to install, so we recommend hiring a professional to help. If you decide to get going on your own, start with an accent wall.

5 Must-Need Tools To Make Spring Cleaning Easy

5 Things To Consider When Hiring A Handyman

3 Steps to Creating the Perfect Playroom or Area

4 Easy Ways to Update Your House Before Thanksgiving Dinner

Paint Your Front Door.

Sand Down and Paint Rusted Railings.

Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets.

Update Your Cabinet Hardware.

7 Ways to Update Your Kitchen

Hang Artwork.

Add Some Wallpaper.

Paint the Cabinets.

Install New Light Fixtures.

Replace Cabinets Doors with Glass.

Display Your Collectibles.

Create a New Backsplash.