Looking for Clever Updates to Make to Your Home? Take a Look at These!

Updating your home to take advantage of wasted space and to include life hacks is just good sense. In order to give you some ideas we found this article with 33 different ideas. We hope you love them as much as we do!

———————
If you need Lafayette dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
———————

From the article:

Recessed outlets mean that your furniture can actually sit up against the wall.

Give your appliances an expensive-looking makeover with stainless steel contact paper.

If your garage is adjacent to your kitchen or pantry, insert a small door for a super easy way to load groceries.

Instead of bunk beds, opt for space-saving murphy beds in a kids??? room or guest room.

Light up your front or back porch with a chandelier.

Install a slide-away ???step??? in your bathroom baseboard to solve your short person problems.
You can just slide it away when not in use instead of constantly tripping over the stool.

Build drawers in wasted space between studs in the wall.

Apply stone or tile to the siding of the foundation of your home.
Because the outside of your home should be just as pretty as the inside.

—————–
Looking to create the perfect man cave? Checkout this article about man cave ideas that could be of interest to you.
—————–

Read the entire article here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/insanely-clever-upgrades-you-should-make-to-your-home

Kids Bugging You For a Treehouse? Get Ideas Here!

Treehouses are so much fun. They can create a lifetime of memories. If you’ve been wanting to build one but want some ideas then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve found this article with 10 different treehouses to give you ideas. We hope it helps!

———————
If you need Denham springs vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
———————

From the article:

Whether it???s a playroom that inspires childhood adventure, a cozy bedroom filled with birdsong or a leafy sanctuary perfect for some peaceful meditation, a treehouse speaks to all of us as a place where we can free our imaginations. Here???s a selection of 10 amazing treehouses ??? in backyards in Russia, Germany, Italy, Japan and elsewhere around the world ??? that are giving dreams a place to roost.

Treehouse by Mom and Dad in Sweden
Location: Mj??lby, southern Sweden
Used for: A treetop playhouse for the family???s two children and their friends
Builders: Mom and Dad

There???s nothing wrong with your typical playhouse on the ground, but when the two children in this family got a bit older, they wanted something more exciting: a house in the trees.

Their dad was in complete agreement. He???d always loved building things and dreamed of having a treehouse himself as a child.

Now he and his family have this adorable one, built with parts of an existing playhouse and tucked within the branches of a grand old oak in their garden. The branches were so well spaced, no nails were required to secure the structure to the tree.

Special feature: Mom scoured secondhand stores and markets for pieces that suited the space, painted them white, then brightened the room further with textiles and cushions.

The children love using the treehouse to hang out with friends, especially when it???s raining and Mom sends up a basket of cinnamon buns.

Family Project in the United States
Location: Burlingame, California (about 20 miles south of San Francisco), United States
Used for: A family???s backyard treehouse
Builders: Linda and Doug Studebaker and their three children

The Studebakers??? treehouse, built in a 100-year-old coast live oak, was a family project and bonding experience. ???Thinking back, I found motivation from a combination of just being a good dad and the opportunity to do something creative and highly original,??? Doug says. ???Each of our three kids helped out from time to time, and in this way built up a little sweat equity and pride in the project.???

Special feature: The treehouse is outfitted with a collection of cozy quilts, vintage furniture, warm rugs and whimsical accessories. The tree???s long limbs wind their way through the interior. Doug says it was important to minimize damage to the tree and pay careful attention to its structure while building the house. This meant the design had to allow for the growth of the branches.

—————–
Looking for ways organize your kid’s closet? Checkout this article about kids closet organization ideas that could be of interest to you.
—————–

Read the entire article here: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/52669568/list/world-of-design-10-treehouses-to-send-your-spirits-soaring

Looking for Easy Garage Storage Solutions? Try These!

Garages are a catch-all. They are used for so many different purposes that they become very disorganized very fast. In order to help you get control back in your garage we found this article with easy garage storage ideas. We hope they help!

———————
If you need Apartment complex dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
———————

From the article:

Suspended Shelving
Tuck medium and lightweight stuff onto shelves suspended from the ceiling. The shelves are designed to fit into that unused space above the garage doors (you need 16 in. of clearance to fit a shelf and standard 12-1/2 in. high plastic bins). However, you can adjust the shelf height and put them anywhere. The only limitation is weight. We designed this 4 x 6-ft. shelf to hold about 160 lbs., a load that typical ceiling framing can safely support. It’s best to save the shelf for ???deep storage,??? using labeled bins with lids, because you’ll need a stepladder to reach stuff. First, find which way the joists run, then plan to hang one shelf support from three adjacent joists (Photo 2). Our joists are 24 in. apart; if yours are spaced at 16 in., skip one intermediate joist. We built ours to hold plastic bins, but if you put loose stuff up there, add 1×4 sides to keep things from falling off. Assemble the 2x4s as shown (Figure A), using 5-in. corner braces ($2 each) and 1/4-in. x 1-in. hex head lag screws (drill pilot holes first).

Now attach the corner braces on both ends of a shelf support to the center of a joist/truss by drilling pilot holes and using 1/4-in. x 2-in. hex head lag screws (Photo 2). The only challenge is finding the center of joists through a drywall ceiling (if your ceiling is finished) to attach the shelf supports. Tap a small nail through the drywall until you locate both edges of the joist. Measure to find the center of the adjacent joists, and measure to keep the three supports in alignment with one another. Finish the shelf unit by attaching a 3/8-in. x 4-ft. x 6-ft. plywood floor

Suspended extension ladder
It’s always most convenient to hang an extension ladder on brackets on a wall. But unfortunately that wipes out all other storage potential for that wall. To save that valuable wall space, we designed a pair of 2×4 suspended brackets so a ladder can be stored flat along the ceiling. Simply slide one end of the ladder into one bracket, then lift and slide the other end into the other bracket. Most people will need to stand on something solid to reach the second bracket. The 2×4 bracket sides are 16 in. long with 5-in. corner braces lag-screwed (like the shelf unit) into the top for attachment to the ceiling joist (Figure B). The bracket base is a 1/2-in. x 24-in. threaded steel rod that extends through 5/8-in. drilled holes on the bracket sides. It’s held in place with flat/lock washers and a nut on each side of both 2×4 uprights. A 3/4-in. x 18-in. long piece of PVC conduit pipe surrounds the rod for smooth rolling action when you slide the ladder in and out.

—————–
Looking for more ideas to organize your garage? Checkout this article about organized garage that could be of interest to you.
—————–

Read the entire article here: http://www.familyhandyman.com/garage/storage/easy-garage-storage-solutions/step-by-step

Want to Build an Outdoor Cooking Unit? Find Out How Here!

Spending time over an open fire smelling the smell of meat grilling or smoking. There isn’t a whole lot better. If you’d like to build your own barbecue or smoker then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve found this article with DIY instructions on how to make your own. We hope it leads to a lot of good memories in the future!

———————
If you need Baton Rouge dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
———————

From the article:

This DIY, wood-fired, outdoor masonry stove can be used four ways: for baking, grilling, cooking, and smoking. Whatever your cooking needs, our outdoor stove/oven/grill/smoker can do it, thanks to interchangeable grill grates and griddle surfaces. If you want to grill steaks or fish, use the grill grate. If you want to bake bread, slide on the steel griddle, stack some bricks on top to retain heat and add the door to hold in the heat. If you want to use the stove top, just slide the metal plate (or griddle) over the top of the firebox.

The MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors and I wanted to design a highly efficient, multi-purpose stove that uses little firewood (or charcoal) and retains heat for baking and cooking. So, we included a thick insulation layer of lightweight perlite/cement between the firebox and surrounding concrete block, and we included a removable door. This design holds the heat in the firebox where it???s needed. (Perlite is the porous white stuff often found in potting soils. You can buy this mined mineral product at garden centers.)

You can build the outdoor oven in stages, a few hours at a time. (You???ll need a few days between some steps.) Check local building codes before you start building. The oven is made from materials you can buy at local hardware or building stores. You may be able to find some of the materials at a salvage yard, too. (See the materials list and the building diagram). Detailed instructions for building the outdoor brick oven are below. Even if you only use it to bake bread, you can save enough money in one year to more than pay for the $300 cost.

Ideally, the stove is built to a comfortable height with concrete countertop space on each side, plus a roof to protect against the elements. We covered the concrete blocks with tile, primarily for aesthetic reasons, but you could apply stucco over the blocks, or just paint them. Having an outdoor sink and storage space nearby is also convenient.

Our outdoor oven requires a fire in the firebox for about 45 minutes to one hour to reach a baking temperature of 450 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Or, if you want to grill, you can start in less than half an hour. For comparison, it can take about three hours to get a clay earthen oven up to proper baking temperature. That???s a lot of time and firewood expended, which really adds up if you???re using the oven frequently. The firebrick used in our stove reaches cooking temperature more quickly than clay because its higher density makes it more efficient at conducting heat.

Another key design element is the firebox size ??? not too small, not too large, but just right. Properly sized fireboxes heat up quickly, have improved combustion, produce less smoke and stay hotter longer. We measured cookie sheets, bread pans, medium and large roasting pans, canners and baking dishes to arrive at our optimal firebox size of 13 inches wide by 28 inches deep by 13 1/2 inches high.

Bread! Pizza! Barbecue!
If you like to cook, you???ll love this stove. Our favorite cooking technique involves cooking foods in rapid succession at dinnertime. We like to start out with pizza when the oven is about 500 degrees. The pizza bakes in about three minutes. After that, the oven has cooled to 350 to 400 degrees ??? perfect for baking bread. (The temperature of the air in the oven drops momentarily when you open the door, but the brick is still hot and maintains temperature.) Sometimes we throw in some potatoes at this stage if we want baked potatoes. When the bread is done after about an hour, we bake various combinations of veggies (and sometimes dessert). You can bake a lot of food from one firing. And if you want added heat ??? to bake extra loaves of bread, for example ??? just keep a small pile of coals burning in the back of the stove.

Another efficient method is to grill meat and veggies before the baking phase.
Our plan includes a grill grate at midoven height for grilling food closer to the coals. This grill grate adds extra space for baking, almost doubling the capacity of the oven. It also provides space for a tray of water for bread recipes that require steam.

The outdoor oven is a super barbecue! About 95 percent of the smoke goes up the chimney after the fire is going strong, making for a pleasant grilling experience. There are two grilling surfaces (one on top and one at midheight). The heat remains steady with minimal fuss. And if you like more control over the grilling temperature, adjust the damper and add the door.

Oven Smoker
The outdoor oven provides the main requirements for a good smoker: It retains heat well, plus the damper and the vent in the insulated door allow you to control airflow. Use the grill grate (shelf at midheight) for holding food. Keep a small fire going and cook until tender. Unlike many smokers, large chunks of meat (even wild game) can fit easily in this stove.

Canning in Summer
Using the stove for canning keeps extra heat out of your house during some of the hottest times of year when lots of vegetables are ripening. Just close the oven door and put the steel plate on the oven to use the cooktop. You can also use the stove top for saut??ing, stir-frying or anything else you???d use a conventional stove top for.

Setting a canner on the grill instead of the stove top is even more efficient because the fire heats the canner directly instead of transferring heat through the steel plate.

Dutch-Oven Cooking
In addition to all the other cooking options, you can cook in a Dutch oven placed inside the firebox. Dutch-oven cooking is ideal for stews, chili, roasts, certain types of breads and rolls, beans and some desserts. It???s more efficient to use the Dutch oven inside the outdoor oven than outside on a campfire because it requires fewer coals.

Why Not Clay Instead of Brick?
We chose our materials after extensive discussion with several outdoor oven experts, including John Gulland, Kiko Denzer, Carol Mack and John Stuart. I love using earthen materials ??? such as earthen plaster, adobe and earthen floors ??? but an outdoor oven is somewhat vulnerable to the elements. We wanted a durable stove. Our masonry stove should last many years longer than an earth oven. An outdoor earth oven can easily be damaged or destroyed by driving rain, snow, freezing weather or even termites.

The stove requires almost no maintenance. There???s no need to clean grease out of the oven because it will simply burn away next time you use it.

The outdoor oven won instant approval from my mother-in-law. She recognized its practicality and was all smiles.
Cost to build outdoor oven: $300.
Approval from mother-in-law: priceless.

—————–
Looking to create an enviable backyard? Checkout this article about backyard ideas that could be of interest to you.
—————–

Read the entire article here: http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/home/stove-oven-grill-smoker-zmaz10amzraw.aspx

Looking for Some DIY All-Natural Cleaners? Try These!

Cleaning your home is a never ending chore. As soon as you get something clean someone comes behind you and makes it dirty again. If you like things a little closer to nature and don’t like to use harsh chemicals then you’ve come to the right place. We found this article with some all natural DIY cleaners. We hope they help!

———————
If you need South Louisiana dryer vent cleaning
services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
———————

From the article:

Making your own green cleaning products is good for the environment as well as the health of your family. But that???s not all it is good for ??? if you are looking to give your household budget a makeover, learning how to make your own green cleaning products will save you money.

Making your own cleaning products is much cheaper than buying individual pre-made products. Baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, cornstarch, isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are effective, inexpensive key ingredients found in many homemade cleaners. These items are readily available in local stores and are commonly found in our kitchens and bathrooms. Since you have these items in your home already, it will instantly save you money, time and storage space.

Multiple Uses = More Green in Your Pocket:
– Since most homemade cleaners have the same base ingredients, they can be used in different ways and amounts to tackle specific areas of the house. Buying these items in bulk will save you even more money.
– Baking soda can be used as a fabric softener, deodorizer, metal polisher, drain cleaner, nonabrasive scrub and toilet cleaner as well as other countless uses (this list doesn???t even cover its health and beauty uses).
– Vinegar can be used to clean multiple surfaces, deodorize, remove mildew and as a fabric softener.
– Lemon juice and lemons can be used as glass cleaner, deodorizer and stain remover while cornstarch can clean windows, carpets and polish furniture.

Recipes for Success!
Below you will find some basic recipes to get you started (feel free to poke around our site to find even more!) If you’re feeling particularly productive, check out how you can create your very own nontoxic cleaning kit designed to help you clean your entire home without a single expensive chemical.

Daily All-Purpose Cleaner
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup seltzer water
8 drops of tea tree oil
1/8 cup hydrogen peroxide

Besides cleaning, this mixture can be used to disinfect surface areas in your home. Hydrogen peroxide eventually turns to water, so make sure to add more each time you use the solution.

Spot Wipes (Bleach Wipes Alternative)
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup club soda
8 drops of essential oil (for scent)

Combine ingredients and soak 20 heavy-duty paper towels in the mixture. Squeeze out the excess and store in a plastic sandwich bag. Use to clean spots and spills as needed.

—————–
Looking for more natural cleaners? Checkout this article about natural cleaners that could be of interest to you.
—————–

Read the entire article here: http://www.doctoroz.com/article/all-natural-cleaning-tips

Looking to Create the Perfect Man Cave? Try These Ideas!

It’s important for everyone to have a place they can go to in order to wind down and relax. For men that’s often referred to as a man cave. If you’re looking to create the ultimate man cave then you’ve come to the right place. We found this article with 19 different man cave ideas. We hope you find some you love!

———————
If you need Condo association dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
———————

From the article:

Do you ever wish you had a place of your own to go relax? A cool man cave so you can have a little dude time to yourself? Maybe your girlfriend left ya, maybe you kicked her out, or maybe you just can???t be bothered with the outside world at the moment. Sounds like you need to make a man cave. Sometimes you just need a little man time to fill the void and cool DIY Projects for men are not easy to find. Yeah, it???s pretty much the science of the male psyche. Tuck yourself away in these pretty badass man caves that you can make yourself. Never worry about your wife finding out about your fantasy football league again. Want to learn more? Scroll on to see our best mancave DIY Project Ideas.

DIY Toilet Paper Holder That Everyone???s Talking About
funky-junky-toilet-paper-craft
via funkyjunkinteriors Probably the most straightforward man projects that you???ll ever have to endure. We know how much dudes love their cars, and this is for sure the best way to honor the dude mobile. All you need is your old rusty license plate and some wood and your good to go! Just glue some slabs of wood together. BOOM. Instant TP holder (and you???ll impress the ladies).

DIY Jack Daniels Soap Dispenser
Man-Cave-Ideas-21-DIY-Decor-and-Furniture-Projects-4
man doesn???t like the smell of Whiskey in the morning? Check out this awesome soap dispenser fashioned from an old Jack Daniels bottle. The best part? Well, you get to drink the whiskey first, duh.

Hooks Made From Wrenches
Man-Cave-Ideas-21-DIY-Decor-and-Furniture-Projects-5
It???s pretty awesome that you don???t need anything other than your super human strength, a screw driver, and an old wrench to throw these puppies up in your man cave. You can bet the dudes will be jealous.

DIY Bar Made Out Of Shipping Pallets
Man-Cave-Ideas-21-DIY-Decor-and-Furniture-Projects-24
Make this awesome bar to impress your friends. All you need is some old wood

—————–
Looking for more ideas for your man cave? Checkout this article about man cave ideas that could be of interest to you.
—————–

Read the entire article here: http://diyready.com/man-cave-ideas-19-diy-decor-and-furniture-projects/

Want a More Organized Garage? Try These Tips!

Garages house all kinds of things. Whether it is a vehicle or two, tools, storage stuff, or some combination thereof the garage has the ability to get really messy, really fast. In order to help you out we found this article with 20 different organization tips. We hope they help!

———————
If you need Apartment complex dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
———————

From the article:

Whether it???s intentional or not, a lot of things end up cluttering the garage over time so having a few tricks up your sleeve and learning a few tips regarding garage organization would definitely come in handy. It???s difficult to keep track of everything you store in there and it???s even more difficult to find the thing you need when there???s no organization, no system to save you time and space. You???re not the only one who has this problem but you can be the first of your friends who finds a solution.

Wall storage.
It???s much better to store things on the walls than to waste floor space. So get all your stuff sorted out and come up with a system that best suits your garage.

Go magnetic.
Another very useful item can be a magnetic tool holder. It???s similar to a magnetic knife holder used in the kitchen and it???s easy to install and to use.

Pegboards.
Pegboards can be quite useful in home offices but they can be just as practical in the garage. Hang all your tools and utensils on a board, save space and keep them all organized and easy to grab whenever needed.

Screwdriver rack.
How do you store your screwdrivers? Are they all thrown in a box ad you have dig for the one you need? You could use a better system. Try this idea: a screwdriver storage shelf which also doubles as a coat rack. The other rack is practical too as it lets you identify the items at a glance.

—————–
Looking for more garage organization tips? Checkout this article about garage organization tips that could be of interest to you.
—————–

Read the entire article here: http://www.homedit.com/garage-organization-tips-and-tricks/

Want to Organize Your Bathroom But Short on Time? Try These Ideas!

Bathrooms are rooms where there are a lot of items but a room that we don’t spend more time in there than necessary. If you’d like a better organized bathroom but don’t have a lot of time then you’ve come to the right place. We found this article with many different 15 minute organization tip ideas. We hope it helps!

———————
If you need Baton Rouge dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
———————

From the article:

Looking for some bathroom organization ideas? If you???re bathroom is a mess, then you???re in luck. If you can spare 15 minutes of your time, you can have your bathroom organized in no time!

Hang it on Shower Rods
You???ll realize you get so much more space when you hang things. With your shower curtain hooks, hang small baskets to keep your toiletries.

File Box Appliance Storage
Easily store all your hair appliances even after using them with this cleaver storage solution.

DIY Pocket Organizer
You can make one or you can also use a shoe organizer. It???s great to hang behind cabinet doors for extra storage space. Check it out here.

Swinging Trash Can
Have the problem of the trash can sometimes getting out of place and getting kicked around? Solve it!

—————–
Looking for fast home cleaning tips? Checkout this article about fast home cleaning tips that could be of interest to you.
—————–

Read the entire article here: http://diyready.com/organization-hacks-bathroom-storage-ideas/