Home Solutions San Diego Blog

A small kitchen can be a big problem. Not only do you have to fit a variety of tools, accessories, and utensils into the space, but you also have to leave enough room to effectively work in there. However if you use a little bit of strategy and organization, you can actually make a small kitchen into a very effective space, with all of your tools and utensils no more than a hands reach away.

The first thing you have to do is determine the absolute essentials of the space. These are the items you will be using on an almost daily basis. Kitchens are notorious for collecting a variety of juicers, novelty grills, specialty bowls and fancy gadgets that are great in theory, but in practice never really get used all that often. All of these items should be stored separately, either in a spare closet or an attic or anywhere that you can find a little extra room.
Read the rest of this entry »

Downtown San Diego has an abundance of condominiums and has grown into a contemporary urban landscape. Buying a condo is the easy part. Furnishing that condo or home may be the bigger challenge.

Fortunately, downtown condo dwellers don’t have to venture very far to find experts who can help them turn that condo into a comfortable haven.
Read the rest of this entry »

The art of Feng Shui is a style of interior decorating, which is concerned with the relationship between personal energy, and the environment one is in. Feng Shui principles are designed to help make spaces better fulfill their purpose. The purpose of a bedroom is to help you relax, to make you feel safe, and to leave you feeling more invigorated in the morning than when you got there in the evening.

One of the main ways that Feng Shui helps the bedroom to accomplish these goals is through the manipulation of a person’s energy. According to the theory which Feng Shui is built upon, the world is filled with many types of positive and negative energy. The goal of this practice is to create a space which retains and maximizes the positive energy, prevents energy leaking away from a person out into the world, and stops negative energy from getting in.

Read the rest of this entry »

In the current economic climate people are thinking about budgets and Needs vs. Wants. So I wanted to share this guest post to help out those of you have have just purchased your first home and are in this situation…Enjoy!

Homebuying is a big investment and an important undertaking. It is also a chance to look at your financial picture and make some key decisions about the future. Are you a young couple just starting life together and thinking about your first home? Are you getting close to retirement, or dreaming of it, with the kids long since having grown and gone? The particulars of each one’s situation will differ according to their life stage, and in each case their future will be what they make of it.

If you are in the position of being able to afford anything you like, you are in control. You can satisfy your wants, the luxuries that make living easier or nicer. Your needs will be easily met and you will be able to tell yourself, “I’ll buy it.” If you are under a tight budget, you will have to prioritize.

It is all too easy to overbuy when interest rates are favorable and the market seems rigged in favor of the buyer over the seller. Even if it is truly a terrific deal, keep in mind that the economy and the market fluctuate over time. Avoid wanting too much.

Now let’s look at some essentials that fall into the “needs” camp. If you are young and just starting out, this is a good time to sit down with your spouse and discuss how many children you would like to have. A family needs a secure home. You don’t want to need a bigger house too often for another baby expected. Do you manage a home business? If that is the case, you will need a home that will allow an office and storage and work areas.

Next, look at things in the “wants” category. Look at how you live. If you entertain often then you might need to focus on a house with a formal dining room and a kitchen or a backyard deck and a pool. Alternatively, if you don’t see this playing a major role in your activities, then focus on alternative pursuits. A rec room? An area for doing work on cars? Accommodations catering to a hobby or interest are a luxury, you must admit, and should be handled accordingly for evaluation in finding their place in a priority list.

The boundary differentiating wants and needs will vary significantly depending on different individuals’ incomes, family size and interests, and their future plans. This is a good time to sit down with pencil and paper and get out in the open just what it is that you really need, and put the needs first, and then list your wants in their proper order. Only when you get this list firmly in mind will you be in a good position to go out and start the hunt in earnest.

Content furnished by Automated Homefinder, the Denver home experts of Colorado.

Photo Credit: Redvers

Are your electricity bills climbing monthly? Are you looking for ways to save money in your home budget? Here are a few simple tips to decrease your electrical usage at home. This will allow you to put extra money in your pocket while conserving energy.

Change your light bulbs. Standard 75-watt light bulbs are manufactured to last 1000 to 2000 hours. Furthermore, during this time they consume 75,000 to 150,000 watts of electrical energy. In contrast, compact fluorescent twist bulbs last up to 8,000 hours and use only 23 watts of energy. If you do the math, and factor in the cost of the bulbs, this translates into a savings of $74 per bulb over the lifetime of the bulb. Multiply this savings by the number of bulbs in use on an average evening in your home. You can save this much money every four years!

Consider replacing older electric freezers with newer, energy-efficient ones. For example, older chest freezers use, on average, 50 kilowatts of electricity more each month than newer freezers do. A newer freezer may cost $150 to $200. If you calculate the cost of the additional energy, however, (12 cents per kilowatt-hour times 50 hours), you spend up to $12 more per month to cool an older freezer. In one year, you have almost completely recovered the cost of the freezer.

If you use your computer frequently throughout the day, don’t turn it off. Computers actually use more energy by powering on and booting than by remaining on throughout the day. A better alternative is to adjust the settings for screensaver and sleep mode. Allowing your computer to go into sleep mode or standby after five minutes of non-use is much more cost effective than turning off your entire system. Additionally, if you use the printer, fax, or scanner only rarely, put them in standby when they are not in use.

During the winter, consider setting your thermostat at 65 degrees and purchase a ceramic heater. These energy saving devices require minimal wattage to operate. In fact, you probably won’t notice even a slight increase in your electrical bill. Your heating bill, however, will decrease by several dollars each month.

The most effective way to save electricity, however, is to determine what appliances or devices in your home are using the most electricity. The easiest way to do this is to purchase a small meter or to borrow one from a friend. These meters are very simple to use. Just place the meter against the cord of the appliance being tested. The meter will display a readout of the watts being consumed by that device. If a piece of equipment is using excessive energy or creating a surge, the meter will indicate this. You can then have the equipment repaired or replaced to decrease your energy usage.

Don’t waste dollars by using outdated equipment. Repair or replace damaged power cords. Following these simple steps allows you to save money and energy. Enjoy the savings while you protect the environment!

This article provided courtesy of http://coasters.pebbleZ.com home of the absorbent stone drink coaster.

Photo Credit: Just-Us-3