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5 Secrets Every Green Thumb Knows

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Gardening is such a great hobby because it can be taken up by anyone. Of course, there are people who are better at it than others. This comes only after years spent in and around the garden. During this time, they have picked up numerous tricks that they now use to make the job easier. These green thumbs are usually reluctant to reveal their secrets, but we have prepared 5 of them to help gardening rookies.

Research

Even before you start gardening, you have to know and be aware of all the relevant factors. Nobody just starts gardening in any plot, in any climate, at any given time. Real green thumbs know well enough that preparation is important. Firstly, check which species will grow best in the terrain and climate you intend to plant them. Then, see if the plot is tilted and which side of the world it faces. Whether it is the north side or the south side, will have an effect on the amount of sunlight it gets. For every plant species you introduce be sure to check how much water and sun it requires. Googling can prove to be useful here. Soil composition is also important, but more on that later. Finally, estimate if your garden is going to need fencing off. If the answer is affirmative, look into the types of fencing available. White picket fences are aesthetically most appealing, but thoroughly research if they will provide enough protection for your garden in particular.

Make your own compost

The proper way of using compost can be tricky for new gardeners. Even harder is making your own compost, but this method has numerous benefits in the long fun. In the beginning, just a bucket of compost will more than suffice. There is no need to build those huge wooden crates that you see on bigger estates. They probably have animals such as horses, so they use large quantities of compost. For your garden, just a couple of layers of earth and organic debris will do. Wood chips, dry leaves, and food leftovers are enough for a good compost to form. The latter will serve a better purpose as nutrients for your flowers rather taking space at the local landfill. Another upside is that the compost you make will be more cost-effective than the one purchased from the store, and what is more important, you’ll know it is 100% organic. These are all reasons not to shy away from making your own compost.

The importance of soil

We already mentioned that it is important to know the exact soil composition. The reason for this is that you’ll know precisely which plant species will grow best. There is no point in planting a palm tree if you live in Finland, is there? In most cases, you will have to add hummus to your soil, even if it’s of formidable quality. Just as in humans good health is necessary for all other activities, you want your soil to be as healthy as possible. Seeds will have an easier time growing in ideal conditions so most crops will thrive in your garden. This ought to be the goal of every committed gardener. Also, be sure to have the right tools to manipulate the soil. If it has a high clay content, then you will most certainly need a garden fork to break it up to prepare the hole for seeds. Having the right tool for the job also eases the aforementioned hummus enrichment.

It is OK to make mistakes

Just like in any other activity you undertake, you can make mistakes in gardening as well. However, there are nothing to be ashamed about, since you are still learning. Actually, this might be the best well-kept secret of green thumbs. Mistakes will happen, so why not embrace them. Things are not going to go as planned and you have to be ready for it. For instance, you might plant a species that is unsuitable for the climate and it will die after a couple of weeks or the seed won’t even reach the light of the day. All you can do after such a blunder is to memorize the breed and never plant it again. Also, a common mistake is that you make a wrong overlay of the entire garden, not leaving enough room for pathways. Some plants will, unfortunately, have to get trampled upon for you to learn to include them in the next season’s plan.

Ask for advice

Although gardening is a singles game, communicate with other gardeners. Their experience will prove valuable and if they are willing to share it with you, never say no. You can seek advice from professional gardeners, your neighbor who is a green thumb, or even the staff at the local garden center. Googling is also a recommendable solution to problems that might come along.

Remember that gardening is an activity to be enjoyed in. That’s why you should use these 5 tips in order to become a green thumb yourself one day.

Selling Your Home – Tricks Of The Trade To Help You Get Top Dollar By Jason Phillips

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Selling your home is easier than you think. It all comes down to several basic principles: marketability, price, and advertising skills. Hiring a competent realtor to sell your home is equally important; you think you can do it all on your own, but you’re wrong. Here are some cool tricks of the trade to help you get the best deal.
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Settle on the right price
Before putting your home up for sale you’d better find out how much is it worth first. After you’ve done that, shave about 15% off that price. You’ll instantly be pelted with bids from multiple buyers; and that will happen even if the market is not strong. They’ll start bidding and the initial price you gave will go up. Your house’s value will increase, although let’s not forget that we’re talking about an investment. You are taking a risk, so it is important that you know what you’re doing.

Pay more attention to half empty closets
Many home buyers crave for storage. If you want to make a good impression on potential investors, you are advised to empty your closets. Take your stuff out and make sure all storage spaces left available are neat and clean. This will create a positive impression. Buyers like to snoop around, so it is fundamental that your cabinets and closets look tidy and organized.

Let your home shine
Light up your home if you want to people to like it. Apart from an ideal location, buyers search for good lighting. This is key to purchasing a home. Nobody would want to invest in a property that’s dark and unappealing, so keep that in mind when putting your house up for sale. Take down all the drapes and curtains, make sure the light bulbs are bright, clean all windows and change the lampshades. Welcome as much natural light as possible and you’ll make your house appear welcoming and sellable.
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Hire an informed broker
Believe it or not, hiring an informed broker is easier said than done. There are so many inexperienced realtors out there who claim to be the best. Make sure yours knows what he’s doing. Perform a thorough check on his background before employing his services. He should be able to monitor multiple listing services, know property types that hit the market, as well as neighborhood comp. Go for someone who likes to use technology; a tech savvy broker will have all the tools necessary to help you sell your house at a convenient price.

Avoid over-upgrades
It’s always a good idea to go for quick fixes prior to putting your home up for sale. However, stay away from over-upgrades because you won’t any cash back. Significant improvements don’t pay off. As an alternative, you could stick to updates that are worth it. Painting the walls, cleaning the curtains, or even purchasing new ones, can be a convenient and effective way to make your home appear more welcoming.

Minor décor touches can go a very long way when aiming to sell a home. Replace cabinet hardware, door handles, and it might even be a good idea to place welcome mats at the entrance. Clean the grout too, and be sure to fix leaky faucets.

Depersonalize the home
When trying to sell your home it is important to depersonalize it. If you keep things that are too personal, buyers won’t be able to imagine themselves starting a life there. Put all your personal stuff in storage. Memorabilia collections, family photo and other personal keepsakes should go away. To maximize your home’s potential; you could consider hiring the services of a home stager. A stagger is a professional that will help you arrange the furniture in order to maximize the space available.
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All eyes on the kitchen
Many home buyers would say that a house’s most important room is the kitchen. There are endless benefits to remodeling a kitchen prior to making the sale. The best part is that you have 85% chances of getting back the sum invested. The most convenient, fastest kitchen updates are painting and replacing old cabinet hardware. Stick to a neutral color in order to allow the buyer to envision a personal style.

Whether you’re selling a property in Turkey to a foreign investor or you’d rather stick to the US marketplace, it is essential that you abide by several basic principles to get top dollar. And believe it or not, sometimes the most effective upgrades are the simplest.

Money Saving Home Decorating Ideas By Lubna Ali Khan

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1~ You can always go out in your backyard to find beautiful things like cones or flowers and bring them in your home to add a beautiful and natural feel to the room.

 

2~ A room’s floors can add to its beauty because floors are an important element. Redoing hardwood floors can be very expensive so you can place rugs or carpets instead. They create a sense of warmth and coziness in the room. You can look for amazing overdyed rugs for sale and pick the ones that are the best match for your home.

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Photo credit: http://www.mybutterfly.com

 

3~ Decorate with affordable toss pillows. Toss pillows are relatively affordable and the right pattern and color can really add an impact to your space.

 

4~ You can look in magazines or on the web to find a room that speaks to you. You can choose picture of a high end room and then mimic that in your space. Look at all the details of the room that you like and recreate those details in your space by going to inexpensive and budget friendly stores. Look at the placement and execute your design.

 

5~ Make sure that those budget friendly things are not low on quality. The last thing you want for your home is to look like you have designed it with a bunch of second hand items. Plus it won’t come together like you want it to.

 

6~ Calender’s are an excellent budget friendly way to get artwork in your home. Basically they’re printed on quality paper and they look good when framed. You can get inexpensive frames from yard sales, discount stores or thrift shops. If they look old then you can always paint them a nice color to give them a fresh new look.

 

7~ Take your time and don’t feel like you have to rush in and design your home all at once. If you do that you won’t be happy with it because you rushed into it.

 

8~ Take your old furniture pieces that are worn out but are in a great condition and paint them white to make them refresh and new again. Painting anything white totally brightens up the room.

 

9~ If you don’t have the time and money to spend on curtains then you can take some spare bed sheets and make curtains out of them.

 

10~ If you keep your eye out then you can get really good deals on furniture. You can go to auctions, yard sales or garage sales to buy inexpensive furniture or decorating items.

 

11~ You can make your own picture frames by repainting old frames and gluing pearls or beads on them to make them more sparkly and pretty.

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Photo credit: http://www.theotherduckling.co.uk

 

12~ If you’re tired and bored of looking at the same sofas everyday then instead of buying a new sofa set or dining chairs you can simply change the fabric as the trends change over time. This is an inexpensive way to make your home look completely different and better.

Author Bio: This article was written by Lubna Ali Khan. She is passionate about home improvement, beauty, arts, writing, healthy living and entrepreneurship. She blogs at alrug

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turn Your Little One’s Bedroom Into Gorgeous Spaces With These Linens By Jason Phillips

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Bed linens come in a wealth of designs, patterns and prints. Parents who want to revive their kids’ room should first focus on quality fabrics. Egyptian cotton and cotton blends are ideal choices. In fact, they’re healthy choices too. During the summer season your kids won’t be hot at night, and in the winter they won’t freeze under the covers. Transform average, unappealing bedrooms into amazing spaces; consider the finest fabrics for linens and make sure to select the finest designs. Here are some ingenious ideas to help you decide.
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Educational sheets
Become a teacher for your kids and buy them “educational” sheets. Linens with letters, colors, fruits & veggies, and animals, are a fun way of introducing your little ones to the wonderful world of words. Every night, before going to bed, use the bedding to practice the alphabet. Each time reward your boy or girl with a kiss or even a healthy snack. Consider colorful designs, and make sure the pattern of the bed set matches with the overall décor of the bedroom.

Focus on diversity
A bed’s components should include mattress protectors, pillow case and sheet sets, blankets, and comforters. Most kids are picky when it comes to going to bed at a reasonable time. However, if they see a bed that looks appealing and comfortable they might be willing to give it try. Tuck into bed with them and read them a story; or have fun admiring the car printing of the bedding set. For boys, make sure to consider darker colors of blue and brown with animal patterns. Girls on the other hand, will definitely appreciate a pink bed set with white polka dots and golden linings.

Decorative pillows for an added effect
Decorative pillows can create an effect in your son or daughter’s bedroom. When they’re little all they want to do is stay awake for as long as possible. But, the right bed set could convince them to go bed earlier. Leaving aside the sheets, their beds should also feature decorative pillows with fun shapes and interesting patterns. The coolest are those with favorite cartoon stars imprinted, like Mickey Mouse, The Minions, Cinderella, and so on.
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Gorgeous linens
Each time we hear the words line fabric, we immediately think of bed sets. But there’s more to Egyptian cotton materials than meets the eye. The fabric can be used to make curtains, table cloths, towels and more. If you want to personalize your kid’s room, you can purchase the fabric and have both bedding and curtains made. Matching bed sheets with curtains will instantly transform a dull room into the coolest space. Kids will love the end result; when they’re little they want to have colorful, bright rooms filled with toys. You can make that happen without investing a fortune. Custom-made linens are becoming increasingly more popular. People use the same patterns for covers, curtains, table linens and more. This way your room will look extremely harmonious and balanced.

Stripes and zigzags
Preschoolers adore having the most colorful bedrooms; teenagers on the other hand are a lot more pretentious. They want to act like adults, and instead of colors and toys, they would rather go for more modern designs that blend beautifully with their desk and tech devices. Stripes are an excellent design type for the bedroom of a teenager. It creates movement without looking too striking and it looks modern too. For girls, combos of white and pastel pink for the bedding set are ideal; and boys will certainly love a black and white mix. For an added effect, you can opt for sheets with ombre colorings. Kids will adore the pattern because it looks striking without being too flashy or extravagant.
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Selecting a linen fabric can be a challenge too. Not everyone can afford to purchase sheets made of Egyptian cotton. However, it is important to focus on quality. 100% cotton written on a label has to be 100% cotton; this way your kids won’t sweat when sleeping and in the winter they’ll feel warm and cozy. As an alternative, you can also consider cotton blends. These have a lower quality but they feature affordable costs.

Tips For Green And Modern House Decorations By Patricia Cornwell

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If you wonder how to create a modern and stylish atmosphere in your house, there are some innovations you can make. To decorate your rooms so that they give you the comfort you need in your home, you can add some green flowers in pots, accessories and decorating elements, which will suit the whole style and design of the room. You can add different green flowers in almost every room to make it more alive. Check the following tips for green and modern house decorations. They can give you some ideas you can apply in your home.

If you have green carpet or rug in some of your rooms you can combine it with curtains in the same or close colour tone. You can buy a decorative indoor bamboo plant and place it in your living room. This will make this room look modern and refreshed. You can use green colour just as an accent in your decoration by adding some green accessories and plants. You can also add different tones of green in some rooms and combine them with brown, dark or light yellow and earthly tones.

You can create a mixture of modern green and blue colours, which can be combined with each other well. These can be some accessories, vases, candlesticks, antiques. Sage and sea blue, for example, are colours which combine well and match each other. This decoration is appropriate for bedrooms because it gives the sense of peace and comfort.

Putting a small decorative green tree in a pot, located outside next to your doorstep, is a great way to decorate your home from its entrance. You can attach porcelain decorative items in similar tones of green on your wall in your dining room and put a green plant in a pot on the shelf. Keep the decoration in your rooms simple using minimal number of things. This will not only make your house more stylish and effectively decorated, but also make it easier for cleaning and maintaining. A couple of fancy vases, a flower and a picture is enough for a living room. This simple decoration keeps your room from getting dusty and will take you less time when cleaning.

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Create symmetry using lighting fixtures of one kind attached in the same distance to one another. Do the same with your flowers in pots, placing two or three in a row on your window sill, if it provides enough space for them. You can combine two green armchairs absolutely identical and a white sofa with small cushions in orange. You can use a wallpaper of some tree for decorating some of your rooms to make it stylish and modern.

You can decorate the outdoor area in your house using identical large pots with decorative shrubs or small trees. Adding pots with different green flowers in every room and outdoor area of your house is a great way to decorate your home and refresh it. They never go out of fashion and will make your rooms look more alive.

You can decorate your room in a minimalistic style by keeping only the furniture, a pot with flower or two and a wallpaper or a picture on the wall. The less things you have in your rooms, the less time you will spend cleaning them. Keep your home tidy and clean, make it modern and stylish, using less items are saying from Tenancy Cleaners in Mill Hill. You can put table lamps and vases in a design you like in your living room or bedroom. To make your living room more modern you can hang picture frames with papers in different geometrical shapes and patterns on your wall. This can be applied if your wall is white or light-coloured and consists of one colour.

Use some of the tips you like for creating green and modern house decorations. They can help your design your home in a way that corresponds to your preferences and reflects your idea of stylish and contemporary home.