Article by HouseLogic Published: January 11, 2011

Follow these six tips to get your home trim and clutter-free in the new year.

Every January, millions of people pledge to lose weight by hitting the gym or going on a diet. But like our bodies, our homes also accumulate excess baggage. So this New Year, why not put your house on a diet? Here are six tips to help your home lose its “love handles” of old clothes, obsolete gadgets, furniture and more. Now you and your house can both meet your weight-loss goals this year.

Do the 27-fling boogie

You might not be able to think of 27 things in your house you no longer use, but if you get a box and don’t stop until you find them, you’ll clear up space and have something to donate to a local charity. FlyLady, who learned this tip from Suze Orman, adds this advice: “As soon as you finish filling the box, take it to the car. You are less tempted to rescue the items.” You can also do this again for a 54-Fling Boogie, and send 27 more items directly to the trash.

The biggest losers

If your home is on the obese side of the spectrum, it calls for extreme measures. A Bagster acts just like a dumpster but with the portability of a large shopping bag. Just fill the container with all of the items you’re ready to let go of, schedule a pickup, and before you know it, you’ll have shaved some serious weight off your home.

Oprah’s diet plan

If you’ve been loath to help your home lose that extra baggage because you don’t know what to do with the items, Oprah has the answer. She gives a comprehensive, state-by-state list of where to get rid of anything from furniture to that old pair of golf clubs. Plus, you get to help a local charity.

Lose that post-child weight

Did your kids skip town but leave their clutter? When children go to college or move out, their old stuff can add some serious heft to your home. It’s best to get them to come clean it out themselves—they know what items are significant, and which ones aren’t. But if they moved across the country, and home visits are too precious to waste cleaning, you can do the deed virtually. Just take photos of their items, upload them into a shareable album, and have them choose what gets sent to them and what gets pitched.

Don’t let the mailman ruin your diet

A few days of piled-up mail can easily put a few extra pounds on your kitchen table. Household advisor FlyLady says to combat the daily onslaught, deal with the paperwork the moment it comes into the house with a garbage can and calendar at your side. Then always put the bills in the same place, and set one or two days a month to tackle them.

Book yourself a healthier weight

It’s hard to let go of books you’ve read, but bookshelves can only hold so many. Put them to a new use—as shelves! This simple DIY project actually uses your old books as a storage solution. With this, you’ll clear out your place and–just like with your own diet–you’ll probably impress your friends.

If you’ve lost the extra weight and still have a messy house on your hands, consider some of our top organization tips: 7 Storage Solutions You Didn’t Know You Had, Pegboard Storage Solutions: Hole-y Sheet!, and Low-Cost Kitchen Storage: Cheap Stress Reduction.

Article by HouseLogic By: Jeanne Huber Published: August 18, 2016

Whether your roof is brand-new or years old, here’s what you need to do to keep it in the best possible shape for the longest possible time.

A new roof is an expensive proposition — $18,800 on average for composition shingles, according to Remodeling magazine’s Cost Vs. Value Report, and as much as $36,000 for high-end materials. Once you’ve made that kind of investment, you’ll want to protect it.

And even if your roof is years old, maintaining it in good shape will prolong its life and keep you from having to replace it prematurely. Here’s what you need to do to get the most from your roof.

Clean the Gutters

Ruined paint on siding and a wet basement are typical problems caused by clogged gutters, but it might surprise you to learn that the overflow can also go upward. When leaves pile too deeply in gutters, water can wick into roof sheathing and rot it, or even rot roof rafters.

Fixing that kind of damage could run into the thousands of dollars, but you can avoid it by cleaning your gutters each fall and spring. Do it yourself in a few hours if you’re comfortable working on a ladder, or hire a pro for $50-$250, depending on house size.

Related: Fast Fixes for Common Gutter Problems

Remove Leaves

If you have a simple peaked roof surrounded by low landscaping, your roof probably stays clear of leaves on its own. But if the roof is more complicated or if towering trees are nearby, piles of leaves probably collect in roof valleys or near chimneys. If you don’t remove them, they will trap moisture and gradually decompose, allowing moisture to accumulate in your roof — or worse, create fertile ground for weeds to grow.

If you have a low-slope roof and a one-story house, you may be able to pull the leaves down with a soft car-washing brush on a telescoping pole. Or you can use a specialty tool like a roof leaf rake, which costs about $20. A leaf blower gets the job done too, especially on dry leaves, but you or a pro needs to go up on the roof to use it.

If leaves are too wet or too deep, you might need to wash them off with a garden hose. Don’t use a pressure washer, which can force water up under the shingles.

Get Rid of Moss

In much of the country, composition roofs often become covered with black algae. Although unsightly, this filmy growth doesn’t hurt the roof. A little chlorine bleach or detergent mixed with water will kill it, but it’s safer for both you and the roof to just leave it alone.

If you live in the Northwest, you’re likely to find moss growing on your roof, particularly on wood or composition shingles. Moss, which looks more three-dimensional than algae, needs to go because it traps water. If you tackle it early enough, you can just sweep it off.

If there’s a lot of buildup, you may need to kill the moss first. The Washington Toxics Coalition recommends using products based on potassium salts of fatty acids rather than more toxic formulas with zinc sulfate. Even so, apply the soap only where moss is growing, and try to keep the wash water from getting into storm drains.

Once the roof is clean and free of moss, consider investing in zinc strips to keep it from coming back. For about $300, a roofer will install strips near the top of the roof. When it rains, the runoff from the strips inhibits the growth of moss. It’s effective and more environmentally friendly than treating the entire roof with pesticide, as long as you don’t live near a stream or a lake where the runoff can harm aquatic life.

Trim Overhanging Branches

A little prevention in the form of tree-trimming goes a long way toward keeping leaves and moss off your roof and keeping your roof damage-free. Abrasion from limbs and leaves that touch your roof can eventually damage shingles, especially in high winds.

Overhanging branches also give squirrels and other rodents access to your roof. They can gnaw on your roof and siding. Branches need to be 10 feet away from your roof to keep these pests at bay. If that’s not possible, wrap the tree trunk with a sheet-metal bank to prevent them from climbing the tree.

Trimming branches that hang over the roof is a job for a pro, though, or you might cause more damage than you prevent.

Related: The Best Trees for Your Yard

Prevent Ice Dams

If you’re plagued by ice buildup on the roof, removing some or all of the snow between storms might forestall leaks into your house. Don’t try to pry off ice that’s already formed, since that could damage the roof. Use a roof rake to dislodge snow within three or four feet of the gutters. Get a telescoping pole and work from the ground, if possible. If you must be on a ladder, work at an angle so the falling snow doesn’t push you over.

Inadequate insulation and air leaks into your attic greatly increase the risk of ice dams, so once the storms pass, address those problems, too.

Look and Listen

After every big wind or hail storm, or if you’ve heard scurrying on the roof at night, give your roof a quick check to make sure everything’s still intact.

Look for:

  • Curling, loose, or missing shingles
  • Damaged flashing around vents, chimneys, skylights, and other openings

If anything seems amiss, ask a roofer to inspect ASAP. Most problems are fairly easy to fix, but if you put them off and water gets in, the damage and costs escalate.

TIP: You don’t have to climb a ladder to inspect your roof. You can use binoculars.

Article by HouseLogic Published: December 14, 2011 By: Courtney Craig

How deep do you go when cleaning for holiday guests? There are some who take it to the extreme — but you can have a clean home without going overboard.

If you think wiping down countertops and fluffing a few pillows in advance of the guest onslaught will land you on Santa’s “nice” list this holiday season, check that list twice. The extreme cleaners (telephone buttons! vacuum brushes! remote controls!) featured in this New York Times article may make you feel like a slacker.

But you can bring your home to sparkling guest-readiness without going overboard. A few tips from the “Times” will keep your home merry, bright, and clean:

  • Scrub your entryway. Wipe down your front door, give the doormat a good shake, and make sure dust and dirt haven’t collected on floors and furniture legs. These are the first things guests will see when they arrive, so keeping them clean will guarantee a good first impression.
  • Focus on the kitchen. People tend to gather around the food during the holidays, so make sure your kitchen looks and smells nice. Don’t forget to dust the light fixtures and flush sink drains with boiling water.
  • Whatever you do, don’t neglect the loo. Don’t just wipe surfaces; break out the stiff-bristled brush and scouring powder to really scrub things clean.
  • Sniff out bad smells. If you clean your home and something still doesn’t smell quite right, brew some coffee. The aroma will cover it up.

HouseLogic also has a few cost-conscious cleaning tips to get your home holiday ready:

  • Give your garbage disposal some love, considering how much it will “consume” this season. To cut down on odors, chop up a whole lemon — rind and all — and let the disposal gobble it up. Throw in ice cubes to sharpen the blades.
  • How about one soap for everything? If you’ve got a bottle of castile soap ($10 for a 16-oz. bottle), you’re ready for anything. It can be laundry detergent, mopping solution, and shampoo, just to name a few.
  • Make sure you can see the guests coming. Keep windows clean and streak-free on the cheap with an easy mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Wipe down windows with a reusable microfiber cloth.
  • With all your holiday cooking, stovetops and ovens are bound to get dirty. Baking soda and water make a simple scouring solution that can scrub off that baked-on gunk.
  • To save money, make your own bathroom cleaning products. For example, to unclog a drain for pennies, pour half a cup of baking soda followed by half a cup of vinegar down the drain. Cover the drain for at least 30 minutes, then flush it with boiling water.

What are your tips for keeping your home guest-ready during the holiday season?

Article From HouseLogic.com
By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon
Published: November 14, 2011

Here’s how to prepare for the (friendly) invasion of friends and family.

Hosting has its shares of anxieties, especially if you’re striving to make your home welcoming.

How do you know everyone wil feel comfortable?

And will you ever get a chance to relax yourself?

You will if you focus on what’s really necessary. Here’s a list of steps to get your home ready — and take the stress out of hosting.

Prioritize

The day before guests arrive is no time to pull apart junk drawers and clean out linen closets. Declutter guest rooms and public areas — foyer, kitchen, living room, den, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, and ottomans; if it’s out of sight, keep it out of mind, for now.

If you run short of time, bag up the clutter and store it in car trunks, basements, and out-of-the-way closets. Sort and arrange after your guests depart.

Related: How to Get Rid of Stuff and Declutter Your Life

Safety

Light the way: Even though you can navigate your home blindfolded, your guests can’t. Make sure outside lights are working so they don’t trip on the way to your door. Put motion-activated night lights in hallways, bathrooms, and bedrooms to ensure safe passage after the sun sets.

Child proofing: Ask parents to bring hardware that keeps their small ones safe, such as baby gates and cabinet locks. Transfer toxic cleaners and medicines from base to wall cabinets. Hide matches and lighters.

Fire prevention: If you didn’t freshen smoke detector batteries when you switched the clocks to Daylight Savings Time, change them now. After your guests arrive, run a quick fire drill: Make sure they can locate exits and fire extinguishers, and that they know how to open windows and doors.

Related: Outdoor Lighting for Curb Appeal and Safety

Entryway Upgrades

Your home’s foyer is the first place guests see, so make a good first impression.

  • Upgrade exterior entry doors or give old doors a new coat of paint. Polish and tighten door hardware, and oil hinges to prevent squeaks.
  • Remove scratches from hardwood floors, stairs, and wood railings. Place a small rug or welcome mat at the entrance to protect floors from mud and snow.
  • Clear out shoes, umbrellas, and other clutter.
  • Add extra hooks to walls so guests can hang coats and hats.
  • Add a storage bench where guests can remove boots and shoes.

Kitchen Prep

Your kitchen is command central during the holidays, so make sure it’s ready for guests and extra helpers.

  • To increase storage, install a pot rack to clear cooking items off countertops and ranges.
  • Move your coffee station into a family room so guests don’t crowd the kitchen when you’re trying to fix meals.
  • If you like to visit while you’re cooking, place extra stools and chairs around the perimeter of your kitchen so guests can set a spell.

Sleeping Arrangements

If you’ve got a guest room, replace the ceiling fixture with a ceiling fan and light combo, which helps guests customize their room temperature without fiddling with the thermostat for the entire house.

To carve sleeping space out of public areas, buy a folding screen or rolling bookcase, which will provide privacy for sleepers. Fold or roll it away in the morning.

Related: Holiday Cleaning: Tips for a Guest-Ready Home

Bathroom Storage

Bring toilet paper, towels, and toiletries out of hiding, and place them on open shelves so guests can find them easily.

If you don’t have enough wall space for shelves, place these items in open baskets around the bathroom.

Also, outfit each tub with a bath mat (to avoid falls) and each toilet with a plunger (to avoid embarrassment).