For most folks, home is a sanctuary. A place away from the world, to rest and re-charge. The place where we spend quality time with friends and family and create life-long memories... In most instances, it’s the largest investment we’ll make in our lifetimes. Since your home is such a significant part of your life, it only makes sense to do everything you can, to keep it in great shape. So here are some home-improvement tips and tricks that will help you with that: 1. If your hardwood floors are squeaky, you can sprinkle baby powder on the squeaky area, then sweep it into the cracks. The powder will act as a lubricant and help stop the noise. After you get most of it into the cracks, wipe the floor clean. 2. Driving screws into dense hardwood surfaces can strip the hole, right? So to help prevent that, lubricate the screws with a little bit of wax or soap. 3. Placing a couple of small silicone beads on a few contact points of the door, will soften the blow if the door slams shut with a lot of noise. After the application, leave the door open for a couple of hours, to let the silicone dry. 4. If your wood furniture got dinged, take a wet cloth and an iron (that you use for your clothes) and steam out the dent. 5. To help clean the blades of your garbage disposal and eliminate odors, freeze vinegar using ice cub trays. A couple of times per week when using the garbage disposal, drop a couple of those vinegar ice cubes into it while running. 6. How many times has this happened? You’re trying to hammer a nail into the wall, but at contact there’s slippage. Use sandpaper to sand the face of the hammer head. It will help the hammer grip the nail on contact. 7. When paining, wrap the paint rollers and/or brushes in a plastic bag in between applications. Doing so, will help prevent them from drying out. 8. You know those marks that are left behind when picture frames rub against the wall? To keep the frames from damaging the wall, glue small erasers from yellow pencils, to the 4 corners of the frame. 9. If you have a paint roller that's now too dirty to use in your home, you can use it with an extended handle, to clean the outside gutters and remove the leaves and debris. 10. Every penny saved is a penny earned. If you’re interested in saving money, shop at your local re-use centers. You might be able to find great pieces of granite or marble left over from big jobs. 11. Clean and vacuum the dust from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns. Cleaning the millions of particles of dust, hair, dirt, pollen and other allergens piling up inside the vents can reduce any causes for illness, while saving you money on heating and air conditioning. 12. If you're looking into giving the garden a makeover, consider drought-tolerant plants into your redesign. Plants like the Portulaca, Lewisia cotyledon 'Sunset Strain' and Catmint, are not only beautiful and vivid in color, but they help save money and time on upkeep. Remember: things like a well organized home with inside neutral-color paints, an upgraded look to the front entrance and a fresh coat of exterior paint are key elements to helping increase your home value. Join the Facebook community for more! Your friends in tips and everything self storage, US Storage Centers
