Home and Yard

Planters for the Home and so Much More

January 12, 2020 By Paula 1 Comment

At stores, there’s only a certain amount of planters available, but that means that there is a likelihood that multiple houses or businesses will have the same bland planters, nothing that really stands out. However, there are specialty stores that focus on high-quality planter options for a variety of homes and businesses, and these are not likely to be replicated by others. Pots, Planters and More is one such business, and they have a large variety of planters for plants, trees, homes, and businesses. Whether you need something more modern or something more traditional, they have you covered.

For some people, the first thing that comes to mind when they think of pots and planters is something in their garden or home. Perhaps a small pot to hold their basil plant in the kitchen or even a window planter box to add some fresh flowers to their house. However, there are many others that understand there is much more to pots and planters than those smaller pieces. If a customer were in need of larger planters for their tropical backyard escape, going to any hardware store just wouldn’t do. Instead, they’d need larger tree planters, things that may not be as simple to find at those stores, but are exceptionally easy to find at Pots, Planters and More. If designing for a hotel pool area, tree planters and tall planters are a must-have, and when you shop a store that sells just these, you can easily find coordinating pieces, rather than struggling to make a uniform purchase. For others, adding a touch of green to their home is the most important thing on their mind. They need a medium size pot for inside where they can have some beautiful greenery, without it being totally overwhelming or a basic color. That’s where having the right options comes in handy. Others know they need something sturdy and those plastic ones just don’t hold up which is why they’ll need fiberglass or metal options that can hold up to whatever the elements throw at them.

With so many options to choose from, the most difficult part of this process may be choosing the best option for your needs. From large planter boxes to commercial and outdoor planters, there is something for everyone in this selection.

Quality Lush Sheets at Affordable Prices From California Design Den

January 22, 2019 By Paula 31 Comments

Quality Lush Sheets at Affordable Prices From California Design Den

If you love the durability and crispness of hotel bed sheets, you’ll love these luxurious ethically sourced sheets.

Enjoy life-long softness without pilling due to fine compact yarns made from 100% pure, long-staple combed cotton fibers. An innovative, bio-polish finish eliminates fuzz and provides an incredibly smooth texture. These sheet sets remain soft, wash after wash.

100% Long Staple Pure Cotton
Sateen Luxe Weave – A lustrous, closely woven ultra-soft, smooth and shiny Satin like fabric.
LEED v4 GOLD CERTIFIED – Made Ethically in India in a certified, socially compliant and awarded factory which supports more than 300 working families.
400-thread-count eco-friendly sheets retain softness for a lifetime and resist fading.
Deep Pocket fitted sheet features Smart Head/Foot Tag to indicate the width side of the bottom fitted sheet for ease of use.
CERTIFIED STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX – tests for harmful substances.
Wash Care & Maintenance: Machine wash warm, gentle cycle, use only non-chlorine bleach when needed, tumble dry low, use warm iron if needed
Quality Artisan Crafting: Skilled artisans measure, cut, and stitch each piece by hand with strong 3-ply threads.
FLAWLESS – They carefully inspect each linen to ensure perfection. These sets are individually inspected piece by piece, to be defect free.

There’s more to buying sheets than just choosing the right color. After all, you’re going to be sleeping on them for 1/3 of your life. Since your linens can determine whether you get a restful nights sleep or spend it tossing and turning, shouldn’t you buy the best? Some sheets can be scratchy and uncomfortable or thin and nothing like what the description promised. This set came out of the packaging soft to the touch. Thread count is an important part of getting the most comfortable sheet set possible, you don’t have to get 1,000 thread-count sheets to have comfy sheets when you pick one that is made from the right material. Because California Design Den makes their sheet sets from long-staple combed cotton not only are they luxurious feeling they will fray less, pill less, wrinkle less, and even fade less. Long staple cotton is the best for weaving quality cotton bed linen fabrics.

If you tend to sleep hot as I do, you want crisp, cooling sheets made of 100% cotton to help you sleep cooler. Thanks to hot flashes, I often find myself throwing the covers off halfway through the night. After sleeping on this set for the past week, I am pleased to say that although the comforter had to go several nights, the top sheet stayed on me until morning. This isn’t the case with microfiber sheets or those made from blends.

Overall, Marcus and I are very pleased with the quality of the linens that we received. This sheet set is made from quality material, the stitching is straight and tight thanks to excellent craftsmanship, and the fabric is evenly dyed. We found that this sheet set to be a good buy and look forward to many good nights sleep on them.

Tips for Getting Your Home Short-Term Rental Ready

January 11, 2019 By Paula 23 Comments

Image source: Architectural Digest

Get Your Home Short-Term Rental Ready

Listing your home on a rental platform like Airbnb is a great way to bring in some extra income. The average annual revenue for people who list their homes is $20,000, making it a very profitable source of extra cash—especially considering that the majority of people list their primary residences, and have other jobs as well.

But unlike being a landlord, listing your property for short-term rental isn’t exactly passive income. Managing reservations and communicating with guests is a crucial part of the job. And your home also has to be ready to accept guests. With that in mind, here are a few tips on how to get your home ready for short term rentals:

Image source: Kohler

Invest In Your Home

While you’re in the process of getting your home ready for short-term rentals, now is a great time to invest in your property. Smart home remodeling is the key. Not only will this be better for your guests, but it can improve your home value and allow you to price your property a little better on home rental platforms.

The bathroom and kitchen are among the best places to start a bit of rehabilitating. Add custom-made vanity units to your bathroom or repaint your cabinets white to make the space feel bigger and cleaner. Throw in new countertops and add a backsplash for a bit of color and sophistication. There are endless options for throwing around a little TLC. Of course, this all depends on your home’s needs and style.

Image source: Contemporist

Start Decluttering

Decluttering seems like a simple tip, but it’s one that’s too often ignored. Unless your property is being marketed as artsy and kitschy, keep the “noise” to a minimum. For instance, once you’ve optimized your storage across your cabinetry—and perhaps gotten rid of a few things—you can get rid of many of the items that sit on your countertops.

There are a few storage solutions that you can easily implement. For example, use risers in your cabinetry to vertically separate items and create more space and organization. You can also install a pegboard or pot rack to hang up the bulkier items that you may have stuffed into one of your cabinets. In the bedroom, good storage techniques can be extremely handy. You’ve got to check out Happy DIY Home! They have some awesome bedroom storage ideas that will help you get your bedroom organized.

Pegboards are particularly useful because of their versatility; not only can you hang pots, but when you purchase hooks, you can hang nearly anything—including additional shelving. Use it to decoratively display and store spices, small plants, spoons, graters, and other kitchen essentials.

Over in the living room, clear off your coffee table, save for a select few books or magazines, candles, a tray, or simple decorative items. Install wall shelves to organize your living room must-haves. Fill it with books, artwork, extra folded throw blankets, plants, and more. By delegating “clutter” to an organized wall shelf, your home will much more cohesive and comfortable.

Do a Deep Cleaning

A deep cleaning goes beyond the standard house cleaning process. In fact, it will like take more than just one full day to do a proper deep cleaning, but it’s a necessary preparation step when it comes to having guests stay in your home.

A deep cleaning involves a thorough cleanse of each room in your home. This means scrubbing the walls, tubs, and showers, toilets, shower curtains, in and around the refrigerator, fans, window treatments, and much more. It’s a huge task to undertake and is best broken up over the course of several days or weekends. Alternatively, if you have the budget for it, hire a professional cleaning service or independent team through a platform like TaskRabbit.

Fortunately, you won’t need to do a deep cleaning in between each rental; schedule a deep cleaning every few weeks, and that will do the trick.

Source: Igloohome

Don’t Forget About Amenities

Living in your home, you may not realize what travelers and vacationers consider basic necessities. Amenities add a personal and premium touch to the rental experience. In fact, if you read over some Airbnb reviews, you’ll find that renters are often raving about the simple things that go above the call of duty.

First and foremost, consider creating a welcome gift basket for your arrivals, as this will go a long way for your reviews. Your gift basket could include items like bottled water, snacks (such as nuts, chocolates, chips, and granola bars), or a bottle of wine.

If you live in a popular city or neighborhood, try to infuse some local flavor. In Lisbon, Portugal, this might include pastel de nata, a popular custard tart in the region; in Paris, macaroons and local cheese would farewell; in Southeast Asia, local fruit spreads are ideal.

Here are some other amenities you can add:

Coffee & tea
A suitcase stand
Toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner)
Extra toothbrushes and toothpaste
Board and card games
Disposable razors
Universal chargers
Eye masks & earplugs (especially if you live in a noisy area)
Umbrellas
Local brochures and maps

Have you ever stayed in a or offered your home for short-term rental? What would you include or like to find in a welcome basket?

How To Save Thousands On a Home Mortgage Loan

December 15, 2018 By Paula 6 Comments

For many, homeownership represents the ultimate American Dream. The way many achieve that dream is to take out a home mortgage loan in order to finance their home. When you make your monthly payment as required, then you’ll wind up paying almost as much in interest as principal.

That’s because, during the early years of your mortgage, your payments will go primarily toward interest. So how do you save money on those interest charges? To save you need to pay your principal down sooner. Here are four relatively painless ways to do that.

How To Save Thousands On a Home Mortgage Loan

Consider a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year mortgage. By opting for a 15-year mortgage and paying off your loan faster, you will save money on interest. Although you will have higher payments, over the long term you can potentially have years without a mortgage payment at all! On a $100,000 mortgage with a 4% interest rate, you can save $38,726 in interest by paying it off in 15 years instead of 30. The Motley Fool has a nice article that provides guidance to help you decide if a 15-year mortgage is right for you.
Make extra payments monthly or one large payment per year. When you do be sure that it is applied to the principal of the loan, not the full loan. Otherwise, the bank could apply it to the next month’s interest. By just paying $100 extra per month on a $100,000 mortgage with a 4% interest rate, you can save $21,998.23 in interest and pay off a 30-year mortgage 8 years sooner. See how much you can save with the refinance calculator on The Mortage Reports website.

You can also make one large payment per year by opening a savings account and saving 1/12th of your mortgage payment in it each month then withdraw it once a year and apply it to your loan principal. Also, putting tax returns and holiday bonuses toward your mortgage is a good way to make a large payment.

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Homeowners who come into a windfall consider recasting your mortgage loan. When you recast your mortgage, you pay a lump sum toward the principal of your loan to reduce your principal balance, which reduces your monthly principal and interest payment. Your monthly payment is then reset, or re-amortized, based on the new, lower amount due – and according to your original interest rate and loan terms. There are many benefits to recasting vs. refinancing. It’s low cost. Lenders typically charge around $200 for the service, but since it’s not considered a new loan, there are no closing costs. And, there’s no credit check or income verification required.
Refinancing may be the best choice, especially, if you are at the beginning of a 30-year loan or have had unexpected changes in your circumstances. When it comes to qualifying for a home loan, bad credit doesn’t have to hold you back. Homeowners and want-to-be homeowners with bad credit can turn to companies that specialize in alternative lending resources. Their flexible underwriting guidelines allow them to make bad credit loans tampa. These companies are great for people with nontraditional sources of income, too.

When you take out a home mortgage loan, remember banks are in business to make money. When a bank lends you money to buy a home, it does so to make a profit. The faster you pay down your principal, the less money you’ll pay the bank in interest. Leaving you more cash to save for retirement, college, or whatever other goals you have in mind. When you are ready to take out a home mortgage, check out this great SuperMoney article that will help you find the Best Mortgage Lenders.

Since the pandemic started many people are not only working from home but have started new businesses. Are you running a business from your home? For some great money-saving tips visit our, Top 10 Ways to Save Money, home-business post!

Buy 3 Get 1 FREE SALE on the Soy Candle that has the Perfect Wick!

November 28, 2018 By Paula 28 Comments

BUY 3, Get 1 FREE SALE
Handpoured Wood Wick Soy Candle!

Forget those flowery, overpowering smells. This candle gives off a fresh scent, with subtle notes of almonds and cherries.

With wood wick candles the amount of education needed for proper burning (how long to light, when to blow out, how tall of a wick, when to trim, how to save a drowning wick, etc. etc. etc.) is NO MORE! At Free Reign Farm, their goal has been to ensure all of their candles burn all of the wax for extended burn time, offer a soft crackling sound as they burn, remain easy to light, and burn as clean as possible. Thanks to their new cotton boosted wood wick which has an easy-to-light cotton strip right next to the wood wick you can enjoy your candle all the way to the bottom without the extra hassle of traditional wood wick candles.

Cherry Almond Wood Wick Soy Candle

From Appalachian Breakfast to Vanilla Pumpkin Free Reign Farms offers over 20 great scents in their candles. With so many unique scents selecting which scent we wanted to try was really hard. Their pairing of the sweet scent of cherries and nutty aroma of almonds was a combination that we had never seen before and decided that it would be one that we’d enjoy trying. And, it didn’t disappoint! We both loved it as the balance of the two scents was perfect.

Which scent is right for you? Appalachian Breakfast, Blueberry Pie, Berry Basket, Cherry Almond, Evergreen, Forest Path, Gardenia, Gingerbread, Grandma’s Brownies, Harvest, Honeysuckle, Kiwi Melon, Latte, Mint Chocolate Truffle, Mountain Orchard, Orange Blossom, Peppermint Swirl, Sandalwood, Sea Breeze, Starburst, Smokey Mountain Christmas, Spring Lilac, Strawberry Shortcake, or Vanilla Pumpkin. Don’t worry…there are no stinkers in this bunch!

Thanks to the wooden wicks that these hand poured scented candles have you do feel like you are right next to a crackling fire. The ingredients of these candles are Pure Soy Wax, Fragrance Oils (phthalate-free), Wood Wick & Cloth Wick Combo. That’s It! We love that they are made from pure soy wax and have no added dyes, phthalates, or paraffins, which make them a perfect choice for burning clean candles year round. An added bonus that we both appreciate is Free Reign Farm’s commitment to producing the highest quality products possible from natural ingredients while limiting the impact on the environment.

If you are tired of candles that smell like a perfume shop, then you’ll love the aroma of these Free Reign Farm Candles. They fill your home with a warm inviting scent, as a candle should. Quality, purity, and a great price make them ideal for holiday, wedding, & housewarming presents. Now is the time to stock up for your entire gift list.