Tips for Around the House

·Sharpen razor blades by using the striker on a matchbook.
·Duct tape, how can people forget the most flexible and useful material known to man? It has so many uses, from repairing torn greenhouses to sealing pipes.
·For nailing small nails, place the nails between the teeth of a comb.
·Sandpaper will last longer and work better if the paper backing is dampened slightly before wrapping around a block of wood.
·You can secure a loose chair leg by wrapping the loose end with a small strip of nylon hose or thread, apply glue, then reinsert.
·Sticky dresser drawers will slide easier if you rub candle wax or soap on the runner on the side of the drawers.
·Remember that left is loose and right is tight.
·Apply soap or wax on screws for easier screwing.
·If a screw is loose, stick a wooden kitchen match or tooth pick in the hole and break it off, then put the screw back in.
·If you have a problem with dampness in closets, fill a coffee can with charcoal briquettes. Place container on floor, punch holes in the cover. For larger closets use 2 or 3 one-pound cans. Chalk will also help cut down on dampness. Tie 12 pieces together and hang in closet.
·Fill an old nylon stocking with cedar chips for a sweet-smelling closet. This also will serve as a moth repellant.
·If you've lost the back of your earring or other small object in your carpet, run a coat hanger over carpet. Most small objects will be tossed in the air.

How to Increase the Value of Your Home

The notion that "home improvement increases value" is really true. In fact, home improvement is the smartest way to increase value. The profile of the house is the first thing that the buyers will notice. To support the claim that home improvement increases value, here are some of the samples of returns for some of the well-known home improvement projects: kitchen remodel (minor) is 125% in Connecticut; basement remodel is 98% in California; bathroom addition is 96% in Missouri; kitchen remodel (major) is 92% in Kentucky; bathroom remodel in Oregon is 90%; exterior paint in Pennsylvania is 90%; and master bedroom in Florida is 86%. These statistics support the claim that home improvement increase value are compiled from various published surveys, and these are mainly based on major cities within states

1. Do the kitchen and bathroom first. Remodeling of these rooms really offer the highest percentage return on home owners’ investments. In addition, bathroom and family room renovations offer a fairly high return to the home owner.
   
2. Repaint regularly. In fact, many of the home value experts noted that repainting the exterior of the home will show formal returns in most markets.
   
3. Keep the original design of the home in mind. Stick with either similar materials for remodeling or complementing ones. It is just as important that you know how to make your home attractive and inviting for the buyer to fully submit his attention and interest. It's also important that you must try to think for some color scheme and decors for your home.
   
4. Make additions as necessary. Certain research has noted that if there are some important things to be put up, such as putting additional deck or spacious basement for the children to play, then go for it. It will make your home look good and inviting

Is there a need for Handyman Services?

When people ask why remodeling is growing, the answer is very basic arithmetic. There are now in the United States over 100 million housing units, and of that number 70 million are at least 15 years old. Everyone who knows construction recognizes that houses, if they are structurally sound, tend to last forever, but their integral parts wear out on a predictable basis. Roofs wear out in a 15-20 year cycle, kitchens and baths become outmoded in about that same time frame, major equipment such as hot water heaters and furnaces wear out on a predictable cycle, and every house needs constant upkeep and maintenance. So, as we add one million new units each year at a minimum, and the existing housing stock gets one year older, there has to be an increasing market for remodeling, renovation and maintenance