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

• The Best Home Improvements for Home Value Home improvement is a field that is relatively widespread in nature as there are a number of different ideas for you to choose from when it comes to choosing the best home improvements for your space. During the summer months, many people put thought into remodeling and improving their home,......
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One of the first things we noticed about this book was that the projects were easy on the budget, and even easy on the environment. If you’re trying to renovate or fix up your home and you are concerned about being eco-friendly, this is the absolute best book you could buy. It’s nice to see a shift towards more green building methods and there are some great methods that everyone can employ to become an eco-friendly DIY’er.

The book is very well divided into different categories, such as which tools are right for which job, bathroom projects, kitchen projects, things where you don’t know the name but they have to be fixed, advice on how to lower your utility bills and much more, including the kitchen sink. We loved the section on antiques, as well as the advice in the outdoor section.

Andrea excels at making it easy to understand every step in the process of fixing or making something and even newest newbie can easily complete 99.9% of these projects without a single problem. The resource guide in the back of the book is very helpful and overall, this is one home repair book that you really don’t want to miss. It’s well worth the cover price and incredibly fun to read.

For novices, this book is easily one of the best on the subject of home repair and it’s got more than enough to keep them busy for a very long time. Professionals that already have a good grasp on home repair can still get quite a lot out of the book, if for nothing else, than for the project recommendations alone. It’s always nice to get new ideas and this book is chock full of them.

With the holiday season approaching, if you have someone on your list that loves everything DIY, this is the absolute best gift you could ever get them. It’s also a great present for new homeowners, or for those that wish they could take up that hammer and get started, but they lack direction and motivation. The tips are easy for anyone to follow and overall, it’s one of the most concise and informative books on home repair that we have read in a very long time. Two strong thumbs up, this book deserves to be on every DIY’ers book shelf. And if you don’t have one, you can use the tips inside to build your very own shelf.

Originally posted 2008-11-21 05:37:26. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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The number one issue to keep an eye on is safety, especially for those confined to a wheelchair. First issue to consider is living conditions. The bedroom needs to be on the first floor with easy access to the bathroom and home, and a easy way out of the home in case of an emergency. Each and every room of the home which should be accessible has to be able accommodate the wheel chair turning a full 360 degrees. Doorways have to be at least 36 inches in width, along with hallways needing to be 4.5 to 5 feet wide. It would be beneficial to have a minimum number of hallways which need to be traversed. This set of requirements will ensure that the mobility of your loved ones is not compromised while providing a safe environment.

Of all of the rooms that need attention in the home, the bathroom tops the list. This is where the most mobility and assistance is required, but this is where it is the most embarrassing to require assistance from others. It is for this reason that the bathroom should be designed for providing as much independence as possible. The biggest expense with the biggest impact is to provide a tub with a sealed door, which when opened allows entry by just walking. These wash tubs provide grip handles for easy support, allowing for unassisted entry and exit from the tub. These tubs also provide a bit of safety in that the door allows a quick release of the bath water to avoid drowning. You can also add grip handles above and next to the toilet for easier access. You can also try and find a sink at a lower level with mirror, to prevent your guest from needing to try and prop themselves up.

Around the home, it is very helpful to lower tables and keeping handy items at the lower, more accessible height. Items such as telephones, refrigerator handles, drawers of silverware, etc. should be accessible to someone in a wheel chair. Make sure also that there are ramps where the are stairs on the way into your home and within your home. All of these steps are designed to make sure that your home is safe and accessible to a guest. Other common sense items should also be addressed, but if any involve the space about your wheelchair bound guest, then be sure that he or she is comfortable.

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Originally posted 2009-01-13 05:30:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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The first chapter goes into basic principles about your home and how everything works. This lays a great foundation for the next few chapters which start to go a lot more in depth. We still recommend reading this first chapter, since it does contain some great information. Chapters two through four go into the different tools you will need for each project in the book and this can serve as a handy shopping list. You’ll also be learning more about basic repair before you get started on the actual tips.

Chapter five basic plumbing projects and everything is broken down until it is incredibly easy to understand. After that you’ll be moving on to electrical systems and the advice contained in this chapter could easily save lives, while helping homeowners tackle jobs that need to be done. We really enjoyed Chapter Seven since it is packed full of project ideas for little remodeling things to do around your home. This section actually had a few ideas we hadn’t thought of, so it was quite useful.

The last chapter covers everything you could ever need to know about remodeling and once again, the editors have done a fantastic job of making it easy to understand and read. Don’t skip over the appendix – there are some great resources and even more tips that you’ll find in there that are very beneficial.

Whether you’re an experienced weekend warrior, or just starting down the DIY path, we can’t think of a better book to read. This is packed with great project ideas that will not only walk you through fixing up your home but will also provide you with some creative sparks to start your own projects. By far, this is one of the best books we’ve ever come across for beginners and yet it will still appeal to those of us that are well versed at home improvement projects.

We commend the authors and editors of this book for taking the time to put together such a comprehensive book. By simply following the project steps in this book, literally anyone can start fixing up their home. It’s nice to come across a book that completely delivers on its promise in the title and we highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to get their home fixed up. It’s a great buy and one that will certainly get a lot of use.

Originally posted 2008-11-14 05:20:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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By renting your tools instead of purchasing, you can greatly reduce the cost of buying new tools. Plus, this gives you access to tools that you would not normally have access to, which can reduce costs down the road. There is further a benefit, since the employees and staff at a tool rental store will be able to provide free advice about regarding the use of tools and how to use them to help you finish your project. These employees have been trained in how to use the tools, and they can impart that expertise unto you to help you with your project.

It doesn't take much to improve the value of your home. Below are three projects which will help add equity to your home.

A good first step is to work on the front of your house.

This area is that which will be seen first by prospective buyers. Cleaning up here will greatly increase the value of your home with a minimum amount of work. This is first done by cleaning the facade of the house, which is easily accomplished by a power washer rented from an appropriate location. The power washer will collect water from your house's outdoor water system and output it at a great pressure, blasting away filth and potentially damaging growths. It will not only remove dirt, moss, mildew and other forms of filth from the facade, but you can use it to also clean off your front porch and walkway, the garage, shed, even the deck. A word of caution: make sure you get instruction as to how to use the power washer. If used incorrectly, it can be powerful enough to damage your home.

The next step is to take care of your lawn.

This will provide the two of the one-two punch of a first impression provided by the outward appearance of your home. Every lawn is as unique as its owner, but there are things that can always be done. A pair of tools that you should rent is a dethatcher and an aerator. The dethatcher removes the built up layer of dead grass, leaves and stems that have built up in your lawn. This will increase the amount of water and feed that the ground can absorb. The aerator will also perform this task by providing channels through which air, water and fertilizer can reach the roots and lower parts of the plant. Be sure to choose a fertilizer appropriate for your lawn, and make sure that there are no growths of weeds.

The final step is a tip to greatly improve the appearance of just about every room in your home.

It is nearly unavoidable that the carpets in your home will collect large amounts of dirt, up to 10 times as much. To clean your carpets and give them a new home appearance, rent a portable hot-water cleaning system. You will be left with a floor that really brightens every room in your house.

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Originally posted 2008-12-10 05:05:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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