Outdoors
We are always looking for ways to bump up the curb appeal of our home and when Clopay approached us about sharing some interesting new products that do just that, we had to take a look.
But first we wanted to know what a garage door manufacturer knew about increasing a home's curb appeal. Turns out A LOT! Typically garage doors don't rank high on the beauty shot scale and we've yet to come across a Pinterest board dedicated to beautiful garage door photos, but according to a Remodeling Magazine 2011 cost vs. value report, maybe we should take garage doors more seriously.
According to the study, garage door replacement ranks in the top 5 exterior home improvement projects, netting a 71% cost return at resale, on average, nationwide. This is a huge number that could make a big difference in appraisals and your listing price.
Garage door replacement ranks high in both categories for a few reasons:
1. It is among the least expensive projects in the survey.
2. A new garage door improves curb appeal in a way that can affect a potential buyer's first impression and, consequently, a home's resale value.
Garage doors are a major exterior design feature, especially if the garage faces the street. An upgrade doesn't necessarily cost a lot but it makes a big first impression, considering 73 percent of Americans now enter their home through their garage.
A remodeled kitchen and bath can help sell a home, but curb appeal is what gets buyers through the door. If they don't like what they see from the street, chances are they won't waste time going inside.
Door replacement can be done in less than a day and the visual gratification is instant.
3. Smart exterior upgrades improve energy efficiency - another important factor as homeowners look at ways to reduce the long-term costs of owning and maintaining a home.
Gyms are expensive and if you've got the space at home, why not invest a bit in building and setting up a home workout space. Not just a home gym with some weights and a Soloflex but a real place to do your favorite workout whether that's lifting weights, running, biking, basketball or yoga.
You are the true expert when it comes to doing the workout you enjoy and here are 7 steps to building the ultimate home workout space.
1. Make it Fun
Why don't you go to the gym? Because it stopped being fun. The same goes for your home workout space. If it's a room with a treadmill, it will soon become the least used room in the house. Take time to design the room and add some color or motivational posters or mirrors, whatever you need to get your juices flowing.
2. Pump up the Volume
If you're at home then ditch the ear buds and setup a nice sound system in your workout room. Music is a great motivator and not as distracting as a television.
3. Keep it Clean
Don't let your workout room become storage or you'll be reminded of all the stuff you need to do or get rid of. Keep the room clean so you can stay focused on your workout.
4. What Sport Do You Love?
Follow your gut and setup a space to practice your favorite sport. Basketball hoops are easy and if you've got room a lacrosse goal is fun to shoot on if that's your thing. You'll be surprised at how many homes have wrestling mats in the basement or yoga bars. If you've got kids this is where the good ones start which is early.
5. Share with Friends
Don't hog all the fun, share your new workout space with your friends and invite them over for a game of basketball on your new DIY court or have them do a workout with you with your new recumbent bike.
6. Be Kind to Neighbors
If you've got an outdoor workout space, be respectful to neighbors when it comes to sounds and lighting. Nobody likes to hear basketballs bouncing while they are enjoying dinner with their family.
We cut our own Christmas tree this year at a tree farm just outside Fillmore, CA. They have a few different varieties but specialize in Monterey Pines which have the perfect cylindrical shape. Almost too perfect for us so we opted for a Spruce.
Most Christmas tree farms will provide all the tools you need to cut the tree which means a selection of dull hacksaws, but with some foresight we brought along our own cordless recip saw and gloves.
1. The recip saw makes quick work of cutting the tree especially being bent over and at an awkward angle next to the ground. You can spend quite long time cutting away with a regular saw.
2. Gloves and long sleeves will also help reduce blisters and the risk of stabbing yourself on bark and pine needles.
3. I recommend cutting at a downward angle instead of straight across to release pressure off the the saw blade and allow it to cut through easier.
4. You should also have a friend holding the tree as you cut so it doesn't fall on you.
5. And finally make sure you give the tree one last straight cut across when you get home as it will make it work in the stand better.
6. Bonus - If you've got long hair and you're a dude maybe pull it back so you don't look like such a hippie when taking a photo
Falling trees are frightening -- and worse, they pose a safety risk not only to your property, but to you and your family, too. Although you can't predict storm damage, you can examine the trees on your property and determine if they pose a higher safety risk than others.
Jennifer Stell compiled a fantastic tree safety slideshow on iVillage.com that lists 13 warning signs of potentially unsafe trees. They include:
*Large, dead branches. Dead branches can fall even on a calm day, so if you notice that a tree has large dead areas, consider getting them removed.
*Mushrooms. If you notice mushrooms at the base of your tree, or especially higher up on the trunk or branches, these are signs of advanced decay--and it's probably time for the tree to come down.
*Twin trunks. Dual trunks are weakly attached to each other, posing a greater risk that high winds or ice will split the tree and cause it to fall.
