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You never know when the occasion might arise when you will need some basic tools for problems around the home. Most people do not have what many will say are ‘common sense’ items such as a hammer or screwdriver. There are a few things you should keep together in the toolbox so that if there is a problem you can sort it without the need of a plumber or electrician. Not talking about anything major but things like a leaking radiator, a door that keeps sticking, loose screws, nails sticking out and many other minor things.

What basic tools should I keep in my toolbox?

• A set of good quality screwdrivers of all shapes and sizes
• A hammer
• Tape measure
• Pencil and small notepad or sticky note cube
• Pliers
• Torch with spare batteries
• Spare drill bits for drill
• Saw

You may need to have two toolkits one that houses everything and another one that’s smaller and can be stored within easy reach with common items such as a screwdriver and torch. Many people tend to keep tools for electrical work, plumbing and decorating together. I wouldn’t really advise this because if they are all in the same tool box you may never find what you’re looking for.

Storing tools

If you have hundreds of different tools for different jobs, it may be an option to separate them all into categories. Buy clear boxes that are stackable and label them: electrical, plumbing, and decorating and so on. So when you come to decorate, you will have everything in the same box and the same for plumbing tools and electric.

If you have larger tools such as a circular saw, drill and sander, try and keep them in their original cases or boxes so the instructions can be referred to if necessary. This can be very useful if you haven’t used a tool in a while and may have forgotten its other uses. Try and have a shed where all of these tools can be stored out of the way until needed.

Most people do a good spring clean between March and June; this is because over the Autumn/Winter months we tend to neglect a lot of house hold chores due to the cold and shorter days. Spring cleaning at least once a year is a good way of de-cluttering and removing dust that piles on during the winter when we tend to stay home more. When cleaning, there are many places we seem to miss out but by doing it occasionally you can keep your home cleaner for longer.

Spring cleaning tips and tricks

• There are always people who advertise their window cleaning services, have it done at least twice a year to keep windows gleaming and dirt free.
• Clean the tops of the kitchen cupboards first before doing the floors and work surfaces; put some newspaper or paper to reduce the stickiness that will build up over time due to cooking.
• Have separate cleaning cloths for everything: windows, furniture, work surfaces and cookers. Buy cheaper brands so you can throw them away after a few times of using to reduce germs and bacteria spreading.
• Remove plinths in the kitchen and vacuum under it.
• Hire a carpet cleaner and thoroughly clean at least once a year
• Move furniture around and mop to remove fade marks and stains that form around furniture.

De-cluttering

As time passes by, we get lazier to put things back in their place, so you will find that the dining table is housing all sorts of junk. When you come to look for that important bill to pay or want to check a statement you have no idea where to start. Try not to let yourself get into the habit of just piling things in the same place. Have a bookshelf for books and important documents. Don’t leave too much out on kitchen worktops because if they get too crowded, you will forget where you’ve put something when you really need it. Get into the habit of keeping everything together such as spices, tinned food, cereals and snacks; it makes life so much easier when they’re out of sight.

Keep the bedroom tidy by having a laundry hamper for dirty clothes and a basket for clean clothes. Encourage children to make their own beds and to put away everything after taking it out. Donate clothes to charity as much as you can to avoid ‘hoarding’ clothes you won’t wear again.

There are advantages and disadvantages to having a gas hob or an electric hob. To make a better decision you need to ask yourself a few questions about your cooking style before deciding. Below are a few things to consider:

Gas hob vs. Electric hob

Gas is so much quicker at cooking food

If you have a spill, you can clean it up straight away without having to leave it to cool down

Gas is easier to control and won’t burn the outside rim of a pan

Gas hobs are cheaper to run than electric

Why you shouldn’t buy an electric hob

It takes too long to clean because it takes a long time to cool, so food ends up getting stuck

Food takes longer to cook compared to a gas hob

Depending on how much electricity you use, it can cost more than having a gas hob

Due to the positioning of the knobs, the numbers will disappear in time by cleaning products

Having searched forums and asked friends and family, the majority of people tend to prefer a gas hob to an electric hob. Contrary to what most think, gas is cheaper and more economical; electric hobs take time to heat and then too long to cool whereas gas hobs are instantly hot and cool when you lower the temperature making it easier to control.

How to save on a gas hob

Most people decide to change their gas hob when they get a new kitchen. When you have your kitchen designed by a planner, they will try and get you to purchase as many appliances as possible. If you spend over £3,500 they will even throw in a dishwasher. Do not accept, they over price their appliances so when you add them all up you’re paying way over the odds. Have a look at the types of hobs available and even if you see a top of the range designer hob, I guarantee you can get it cheaper elsewhere.

So after you are pleased with your kitchen design and with the appliances, go on the internet and check the hobs availability to purchase. You can get free delivery as well as better prices off internet only companies that save money by not having a shop to run. Save money by getting the gas hob of your dreams today. Remember that there are several types of gas hobs and the cheaper ones will not let pans sit well due to cheap and rushed designs so read reviews before purchasing.

Coving for the home has been around for hundreds of years and dates back to the Victorian times. In those days, coving was only found in rich people’s homes and the upper class while nowadays the majority of houses have coving. Coving is used to neaten up the join between the wall and the ceiling; many people also find it difficult to paint neatly after doing the ceilings so using coving is a good way to hide not so perfect painting and mistakes. It is also good at hiding any small cracks that sometimes appear at the top of the wall joining the ceiling.

The good thing about coving is they come in many different materials (polysterene, plaster, wooden) with the most common being polystyrene because it’s light and easy to fix to the wall. Plaster coving is still widely available though but it can be very heavy and a professional decorator will have to be hired. Cutting coving can be tricky as well so a modern tool has been made where it guides you to cutting at the right angle to make it all fit together better. Polystyrene coving can be done by anyone who can cut neatly as it is lightweight and easy to glue to the wall and ceiling.

Choosing coving for your home

If you have an older style home that still has its original coving, then it is advisable to retain this as it will add to the value of the home. If the coving has deteriorated in time, you can get replicas made at a reasonable cost. If you have an older style home and do not have coving, then a patterned and sophisticated plaster style can be bought. You can also paint it in a contrasting colour to add depth to the room. For more modern homes, polystyrene coving is the best way to go as it’s inexpensive and easy to do it yourself.

If you have a small room, then it is best to use plain narrow coving whilst larger rooms will benefit from broader and patterned coving. Use a bold colour on coving to lift the mood of the room. For instance in a cream room with red furnishings, paint the coving red to make the room look more exciting.

Putting up coving

You will need:

• Pencil
• Glue for coving
• Mitre box for cutting angles
• Fine tooth saw

If you are cutting polystyrene coving, the steps are quite simple:

• Measure the wall
• Using a coving mitre, cut to size and angle
• Then using an adhesive, glue to the wall
• You may have to use nails to adhere in position until the glue dries

Note that sometimes you will have to join up two pieces of coving if the length is not enough to cover a whole portion of the wall. Once the coving has been put up, it should give a more attractive look to your rooms.

When winter starts to approach, the last thing anyone is thinking of is doing any gardening. As soon as the clocks go back at the end of October, we all get lazy and prepare to stay in the house for longer periods of time. Everyone who has a garden should take up this opportunity to tidy up the garden and prepare it for winter and even better, plan so you don’t have to do gardening until spring. If you’re clever and good at organising you could go for more than 7 months with none or little gardening effort.

Below are some tips to make tidying up your garden for winter easier:

• Firstly check to see what trees, plants and flowers can be pruned. Some of them can only be pruned at certain times of the year so the sooner you do it, the healthier they will be.
• Use weed killer to kill any weeds growing in between flowers or in flowerbeds
• Cut grass as short as you can to prevent it from overgrowing; during winter the lack of sun and rain reduces growth time for grass. If you get frost and snow, this will also slow down the re-growth period.
• Put away garden furniture or cover to make it last longer and prevent rust.
• If you have herbs growing in the garden, take a small cutting and transfer all of them into a large pot. You can then store it on the kitchen windowsill and use when needed.
• In October most bulbs and seeds can be planted to enable germination by spring; so benefit from summer sales by stocking up on loads of different coloured tulips and spring bulbs.
• Wash and scrub down patio before it starts to get cold; it should stay nice and clean until March/April.

By doing all this in the months leading up to winter, you can save yourself the hassle of having to do it when it gets too cold. Remember that when the clocks go back in October the days are shorter. You may not be able to get as many things done as you would during the longer days of sunshine; this is good to know for people who work weekdays. By doing the maximum amount possible, you can save your weekends for family time and catching up with friends.

Save yourself unnecessary lost time by preparing ahead and preserving flowers and trees in the garden. Some councils also stop or reduce garden waste collection in the winter so do it now before you’re left with 6 months worth of garden waste to get rid of.

As we all try to recover from the recession, those who couldn’t afford to move are now thinking of how to make their homes more desirable to the buyer’s market while also making a hefty profit along the way. We all know that by spending just a little bit of money on our house, it can make a huge difference so can we expect the same if we were to spend just that extra bit more?

With home improvement, you can do little things which will make your house more attractive, look cleaner, neater and tidier. This will also increase your home’s resale value because the money that you spend on your house will bring you a profit afterwards. Here are a few thing which you can do to to add value to your home:

An extension – having an extension to a property cost an average of £19,922 but adds £25,590 to the value of a home meaning you stand to make a £5,668 profit just by having an extension.

Loft extension – where property prices are high, by having a loft extension you could make a £9,195 profit and in some cases you could make back the money from creating a loft extension with no loss

Kitchen – kitchens are a very important deciding factor when purchasing a house and most people with young families do not want the added expense and headache of having to do it themselves. The average price for a new kitchen is just over £6,000 and you add just over £7,000 by fitting a new kitchen. Just remember to have the kitchen in proportion to the value of the home or you could spend thousands unnecessarily.

Fuel and energy efficiency – the average cost for this is £1,722 but the return is far greater as you will be making a £2,605 profit. Insulate cavities, board up the loft and upgrade the central heating system to attract potential buyers.

Install security system – by adding a security system, you could add £3,091 on average. The cost of a security system is £1,200 and by installing it yourself you could save yourself some hard earned cash.

Refresh interior paint – by splashing a new coat of paint on the walls, you could revive the house at the cost of just £998.  The added value of doing this is £2,231. Remember to choose natural tones and maybe even changing the colour theme to bring out features in the house such as fireplaces and bay windows.

Bathroom – if you can upgrade your bathroom with new fixtures and tiles, you wouldn’t actually make a profit but if the bathroom was in dire need of a makeover, then you could make a little profit if not a sale

Garden – by spending just £857 in improving the look of the garden, you could add as much as £1,399 to the value of your home

You do not need to make all the changes above to add value but if you have the money to make all the improvements, then you could make as much £70,000 profit when you come to sell. Remember that even by doing the cheapest home improvement thing possible, you will still add value to your home that will become profit when you come to sell.

Vinyl flooring is best suited to kitchens and bathrooms as it’s easier to clean spills. Having said this, you could even put it in the conservatory and storage cupboards as an inexpensive way of decorating.

How to lay vinyl flooring?

Before starting you will need the following items:

• A stanley knife
• Scissors
• Rulers
• Pen, pencil or marker
• Glue

Just like laying laminate flooring, leave vinyl flooring in a room for a day allowing it to soften and making it more flexible to work with. Turn up central heating a few degrees to increase vinyl flexibility as this can make a big difference when it comes to laying the flooring.

Prepare the surface before placing vinyl floor covering. Cover floorboards with hardboard, ceramic tiles and concrete flooring with leveling. Make sure there are no gaps on the surface to ensure a flat level finish when applying floor covering.

Make sure the room is clean by removing shoes and vacuuming. Unroll the floor covering against the longest wall in the room and make sure the pattern lines up neatly against the wall. Make sure you leave an overlap of 4in to allow cutting away any excess. Making sure the roll is flat, cut into the corners in a V shape which makes cutting of any excess easier.

If most of the excess is cut away first, it makes the fitting process easier. Some people find it easier to mark off areas and then cut them off with scissors or a stanley knife. Once you are pleased with the fit you can then proceed to glue it to the floor. The easiest way is to roll part of it back, apply glue and then do the other side.

Remember to push out bubbles using a broom and place a door strip over the joining piece in the doorway to cover any joins.

There are some vinyl floor coverings that lay flat and therefore require no glue. Just make sure that you have tucked in the floor covering under kitchen units and skirting boards for a better fit. Some floor covering also have a self adhesive backing making it a little less complicated. As soon as the excess is trimmed, you just remove the backing to allow it to stick to the floor. Some vinyl floor coverings also only require glue on the edge of the floor covering. To get professional results remember to prepare the surface and work in a clean room to avoid any bumps under the floor covering.

Most people buy a starter home and don’t really know how long they’re going to live there. So when it comes to decorating, the majority just leave it a neutral colour as it’s easier to sell with minimal work later. The same applies for young children who have yet to decide how they would like to personalise their room. The answer is simple – wall decals also known as wall stickers, transfers, wall art and even wall tattoos. Wall decals for the home are inexpensive and temporary and you can remove them from wall without stripping of any paint or wallpaper.

The advantages of using wall decals

As they are only temporary, they are easy to stick on the wall and you can take them to your next home should you decide to move. As young children are very indecisive, wall decals are a cheap and convenient way of keeping them happy. When children grow out of their selected wall decals, you can pass them onto any younger friends or family with children of their own. As an adult, don’t feel like it’s only children that get to have all the fun as there are many designs that you can apply all over the house. You can have fun designs, contemporary, modern and even really girly just to annoy partners.

Where to put wall decals?

You can put wall stickers, wall tattoos and transfers in virtually all rooms and surfaces. To give you some inspiration here are some really good places to start.

Living room – if you have a chimney breast or specific area you would like to stand out, you could place long stemmed flower or even tree stickers to liven up the room

Bathroom – to make the bathroom more interesting, you can have water animal stickers to encourage children to bathe or something grown up for any adults living in the house

Kitchen – you can get kitchen themed decals to make cooking more exciting

Dining room – if you have a dining room, why not have a themed decal to make the dining room stand out and be a conversation starter

Children’s bedroom or play room – there are endless designs aimed for children of all ages; stickers are safe and non toxic compared to most paints, so save some money and get decorating today

Hallway and stairs – you could have birds, butterflies or any theme for a hallway or stairs, adding excitement and individuality

As there are so many different wall decals available, explore your options and remember to take them down if you decide to sell your house. Future buyers may be put off of extensive wall decorations so remember to take them with you.

Do you want to add a touch of class and personalisation when decorating your home? The inexpensive and unique way is to buy a wallpaper mural. As we know, wallpaper can be purchased in any colour or design but by purchasing a specific design for just part of a wall you can really add a touch of luxury. Most people do not take the time to make their home unique and show this bit of individuality, so why not take the chance to do something amazing today

How to choose a wallpaper mural and where to place it?

The first thing to think about when purchasing a wallpaper mural is quality, what is it printed on and whether you can return it should it not meet your expectations. When you have found a supplier that meets your requirements, then you can proceed to think about where you would like the mural to be. Some people have a striking mural across a feature wall like a chimney breast, some like to have a attractive mural near the dining area. I have even seen some who purchase corridor murals that stretch the whole corridor passage; you can even have a subtle one for the wall at the top of the stairs. It’s completely up to you to decide where to hand your mural and many of the suppliers have galleries so you can have an idea of what location suits it best.

Children’s wall murals

As we all know children can be quite demanding when they’re old enough to make decisions on how their room should be decorated. Why not purchase a ready-made mural that you just need to glue onto the wall? They are inexpensive and easy to apply and when the children grow out of it, you can always purchase another. Common kids’ mural are princesses, dinosaurs, spongebob, disney characters, underwater marine life etc.

Custom made murals

If you want that extra bit of luxury, then get a custom made mural designed for your home. If you have a favourite picture of you on holiday or a nature picture you took yourself, then have it made into a mural and display it proudly.

Remember you can also get freestanding murals that are affixed to hardback so they can be moved if you decide to change its location. This is also great if you don’t plan on living in the same house for long; also if you have a child’s mural you can give it away or take it with you without having to listen to a tantrum.

We all know that double glazing is a double glass panel that has been proven to reduce noise and draughts coming in. Double gazing is also good at insulating the home by keeping cold air out and keeping the hot air in. Depending on the size of your home and which double glazing company you choose to go with, you may be out of pocket by thousands of pounds. Sometimes the double glazing panels are fine but the rubber lining has eroded so it is no longer present on some windows. You may also have an older style house where double glazing was not available such as single pane windows and there’s no need to have to replace every single window. By acting fast you can save your windows but if cost is an issue, then there are other ways to get temporary double glazing.

What is temporary double glazing?

If you cannot afford to redo the double glazing in your current home, then you may be in luck – you can get temporary kits that are just as effective at keeping in the heat and reducing drafts. You can purchase temporary double glazing in all local DIY shops and you don’t have to be experienced in DIY to install it.

How to install temporary double glazing?

Double glazing kits usually consist of polythene plastic and double sided tape; you will also need a hairdryer handy.

• Apply the double sided tape around the window frame
• Then stick the polythene plastic onto the double sided tape
• Using a hairdryer tighten up the polythene by drying outwards, this will make the polythene stretch and keep cold air out

It has been known that 10-20 years ago, students used to do the same in rented accommodation by using cling film and double sided tape. The cling film method works just as well as polythene plastic but cheaper. Depending on how many windows you have to insulate cling film may be the cheaper option.

How much does temporary diy double glazing cost versus proper double glazing?

If you buy a double glazing kit form a DIY store, it can cost you £8 for 4 standard sized windows. So if the average house has 14 windows, a kit would cost £32.

If you buy double sided tape at a cost of £3 and cling film at £2 this would cost £5 for all 14 windows, assuming you already have a hairdryer.

If you have to buy double glazing and have it installed by the company, this could cost anywhere between £5,000 – £10,000.

So if you only need a short term solution, save yourself the cost of a new car and buy a temporary double glazing kit today.