Wouldn’t your house be a lot more fun if it had a game room? This is a place where you can escape from the stresses of running a household and just have fun with your family. Many people would love their own game room but don’t think that they have the space or money to create one. You might be surprised at how inexpensive creating a small game room can be.

The first thing that you need to do to create a game room is to set aside the space for one. If you have an extra bedroom or unused office space then this is ideal. However, it’s okay if you don’t. Select a section of the living room, kitchen or garage for your game room. Section it off with room dividers, hanging sheets or strategically placed furniture. You can also get more creative. A large tent pitched in the living room or an unused kids’ tree house can also be great game rooms.

After selecting your space, you will want to make it comfortable. Your game room should be a place where your whole family can relax. Check around the house for any furniture and bedding that you aren’t using. Old couches, faded blankets, kids’ bean bags and other items that you don’t want in your main rooms anymore can gain a great second life in your game room. If you truly don’t have any of these things, check yard sales, second hand shops and giveaways on your social networks to get them for cheap. Inexpensive colorful fabrics can be tossed over these items to make the game area prettier.

The next thing that you need to add to the space is an organizing system. You want a space-saving method of keeping the game room clean and clutter-free. Old boxes covered with fabric, pretty crates, cheap tote boxes or inexpensive shelving systems are all options for affordable organization in this new room.

Once you have decorated your game room, you are ready to fill it with games. How can you do this on a budget? Here are some of the top ways that people get game room games without spending a lot of money:

• Check your storage closets. You probably already have some games that can start your game room collection.
• Ask your friends and family for donations. With grandma’s donation of a shuffleboard set, the neighbors’ old board games and your sister’s collection of playing cards, your game room could be ready to go.
• Buy second hand games. Yard sales, thrift stores and online auctions are great places to get inexpensive games to stock up the game room. Be careful that you ask if all of the pieces are included when you buy secondhand, though.
• Look for coupons and clearance deals. You don’t have to stock the game room completely full right away. Take advantage of off-season deals and coupons to slowly add the right games to your collection.
• Make your own games. Crochet a fabric checkerboard set and checkers. Use your computer, printer and card stock to make your own card games. Get creative with pen and paper.

Having a game room makes your house a lot more fun. It can also save you money in the long run. Instead of paying to go out for entertainment, you can stay in and have a great time together at home. That’s worth more than you can imagine.

This was a guest blog by Chris Bennett . Chris Bennett is a gamer in the truest form – with his favorites ranging from Super Mario Brothers to shuffleboard to board games.   When he’s not gaming with his two sons, he loves to blog and spend time fixing up his house.

Photo Credits: Jeff Kubina

Originally posted 2010-08-18 20:26:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Home Improvement Grants for Home Improvement Help If you are seeking out home improvement help, then one of the best things that you can do, at least on the financial side of things, is to get the home improvement help that you need by way of home improvement grants. If you are looking to sell your home......
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It’s no secret that a house’s curb appeal can make a tremendous impact on its resale prospects. Although we always tell ourselves not to judge a book by its cover, it’s only human nature to assess something upon the first impression we form. Even if a story is great, we’re less likely to give it a chance if we don’t like the cover. Even if a house’s interior is charming and highly alluring, we may not give it proper consideration when the exterior doesn’t appeal to us.

For this reason it is important to pay attention to your house’s curb value when you’re trying to sell, especially in the current buyer’s market. With prices stagnant and inventory high, refinancing your home may be a better option than trying to sell it under current conditions. But, if you ultimately need to sell, you’re going to want to maximize your curb appeal as much as possible.

Fortunately, it doesn’t take too much money or effort to upgrade a home that is lacking in curb appeal. Here are four easy options that you might want to consider:

1. Start painting.

The easiest and most beneficial way to boost your curb appeal is to get some paint and add an layer to your house’s front façade. Since this may be a challenging solo project, you can get essentially the same value for your work by painting your garage door and your home’s front door. A clean layer of paint on each of those surfaces can go a long way towards boosting your house’s perceived value.

2. Pave the driveway.

When looking to improve curb value, many people focus on their home or on their garden and overlook the driveway. This is a mistake. A chipped, cracked, or faded driveway can reflect poorly on the house and on the property as a whole. The general rule of thumb is that a dark, smooth, and clean driveway is probably your best bet. If you want to take it a step further, however, you can instead top your driveway off with crushed gravel or limestone to give it a more sophisticated look.

3. Brighten and clean the yard.

Most people realize that an appealing front yard can make a house appear much more desirable. This does not, however, require that you plant exotic bushes and spend a tremendous amount of time and money cultivating the perfect garden. Instead, just make sure that everything in the yard is well-trimmed (ie bushes, the grass, any trees). If you’re looking to sell during the warmer months, you also want to make your yard as colorful as possible. This may entail using fertilizer to darken your lawn or buying some cheap flowers to plant near the house.

4. Get outdoor lighting.

Buying and installing a few well-placed outdoor lights can go a long way towards boosting your curb appeal. These lights should be facing towards your house and should be used to illuminate bushes or the home’s façade once evening falls. Having lights can be especially useful in winter, when many homes are viewed after the sun has begun to set.

There are numerous other ways that you can easily improve your home’s curb value. For example, if you drive a nice car, giving that car a wash and then letting it sit in your driveway has been shown to add perceived value to a home. But even without a high-end vehicle, following the above tips can go a long way towards improving your resale value. In a tough market, it’s an easy and obvious investment to make.

Photo Credits: bgautrea

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A fabric mesh is used to make the screen. Depending on the density of the mesh, the screen will have a certain amount of light control and view through abilities. The official term for this variability of screen density is described as openness. A percentage of openness is calculated for each degree of change in light control and visibility. So basically, the higher the percentage of openness the more light you will allow in to your room and the more you will be able to see out. The openness factor is the most crucial element in choosing your solar screen. If you have great views you will want to have a high percentage of openness like a 10 or 12 %. For rooms that do not have great views and are only concerned with light control should choose a 3 or 4% openness factor. This will reduce glare, reduce solar heat gain, and block harmful UV Rays.

By blocking UV Rays and reducing solar heat gain, solar screens improve the energy efficiency of your home. These solar shades will significantly lower your need for central air conditioning therefore making your home more energy efficient. They will also prevent the UV rays from damaging your skin and your home furniture.

Some optional upgrades include cordless loop and motorization. Both of these features improve the child safety of your home by eliminating long dangling cords. The cordless loop features a looped cord that never changes in length regardless of whether the screen is open or closed. If your window is hard to reach or very large consider adding motorization to your solar shade for convenient operation. This screen will be adjusted with the use of a remote control from any room in the house.

Available in a wide range of colors and styles, solar screens are just as stylish and appealing as they are functional. Fabric patterns include solids, stripes, and weaves to match any type of home decor all the way from traditional to contemporary. By using solar screens you will be adding a lovely finishing touch and accenting the other elements of your room very nicely.

Overall, solar screens, often referred to as solar shades, are the recommended window shades for your living room, family room, and media/entertainment rooms. These screens will keep the room at a comfortable temperature, block damaging UV rays, reduce glare, improve energy efficiency and provide appealing looks all while still allowing you to maintain your view. Solar screens are offered from all the leading industry brands at very affordable prices.

This is a guest post written by Michael Callicotte, who works for Blinds Galore.

Photo Credits: tom.arthur

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Originally posted 2010-04-05 19:53:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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What it is:

CLR is an instant cleaner for plastic or resin, rattan, wicker, wood, wrought iron, vinyl, PVC, and canvas furniture. On top of that it is biodegradable and will not harm grass.

Other pluses:

It supposedly helps protect from fading and discoloration. It is supposed to inhibit mildew. It is also supposed to absorb ultraviolet light. And it is supposed to protect metal.

Before you start:

The directions say to test the product on an inconspicuous spot for color safety. I chose not to do this as my furniture was light.

What I did:

I used it today to clean 8 chairs and 2 tables. 1 bottle (26 fl oz) was not quite enough to do the job the way it needed to be done.

Granted my chairs were super dirty. They had not been cleaned since Easter. And they were outdoors under trees. My furniture was beige plastic.

How to use:

• Use rubber gloves.
• Spritz the furniture generously, then let it sit. I let it sit while I sprayed the next chairs. This loosens the dirt before you wipe it off.
• Then for woven surfaces, cushions or fabric use a soft bristled brush to finish cleaning.
• For smooth surfaces such as plastic, use a brush, cloth or sponge. I used a sponge.
• Finish by rinsing well.

My take:

I had to rub thoroughly (hard) on some areas that were especially dirty. It might have worked better and faster if I had used a brush.

For the most part, it worked very well. All the chairs, except for one, came quite clean. That chair appears to be stained. Perhaps a second application will take care of it.

Have you used this product? What do you think?

Where to Buy CLR.

This product was tested and this post was written by a thirteen year old girl.

Originally posted 2009-07-10 20:50:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Exterior Maintenance:

Often, the source of moisture or flooding begins outside the home. Gutters collect and move mass amounts of water on a single home with just a few inches of rainfall. A quick inspection of your gutters, down spouts, and the grading surrounding your foundation can indicate a potential problem. Gutters should be clean and properly sized for your home. Down spouts should draw drainage away from the home, to the lowest portion of your lot. In other words, the water should be directed to where it would drain naturally. Some areas allow drainage systems to be connected to city storm sewers and retention basins. Check with the water and sewer department in your area before making any changes that involve public systems.

The surface grading around your home should provide a gentle slope away from your foundation, pulling any added rainfall or moisture back into your lawn. Most building codes state that the surface grading should, in the first ten feet from the house, slope down at least six inches. Check with your local building codes to find out the specifics for your area.

Interior Maintenance:

Some basic steps for keeping your basement moisture free are to provide proper ventilation for dryers, bathrooms or any other sources of moisture, and making certain that your sump pump is in proper working order. It is essential in dealing with moisture, and during a flood can save homeowners thousands of dollars. A dehumidifier can help remove moisture from the air, which can aid in the prevention of the formation of mold.

Applying a waterproof sealant can keep moisture at bay and is not only easy, but relatively inexpensive to apply. Walls and flooring must be prepared before the sealant is applied, by scraping away loose materials, filling in cracks, and creating the cleanest surface possible by vacuuming. Simply follow the instructions included with the sealant for application and drying processes. If a sealant has been used in the past, but is no longer effective, you may need to remove the old material from your flooring before applying a fresh coat. This can be time consuming, but a little bit of extra work in the beginning of the process will yield a dry, moisture free basement in the long run.

Flooring Solutions:

If your basement is mostly used for doing laundry and completing small projects, a fresh, bright coat of paint is often enough to improve the appearance and help keep moisture at bay. However, a finished basement may have carpeting, tiles, and even hardwood flooring in some cases. Moisture and flooding can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage on these types of materials.

A simple, attractive and cost-effective alternative to these typical flooring materials is water resistant carpet tiles. Not only do carpet tiles not require a carpet pad, which can become soaked with water, causing a nightmare for homeowners dealing with flooding, but the tiles themselves are often water resistant and can be individually removed, cleaned, dried, and replaced in their original position at no cost to the home owner.

With a little knowledge and preparation, you can have not only a dry basement, but an attractive and inviting space that will likely add to the ultimate resale value of your home.

This was a guest post written by Jason Capshaw. Jason Capshaw is a weekend warrior and former general contractor. He loves woodworking and spending time on home improvements.

Photo Credits: cafemama

Originally posted 2010-02-05 16:29:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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