Simple to Stunning: Bonus Room
Not too long ago we highlighted a pajama lounge in our simple to stunning section of the blog and as cozy as it sounds, dedicating a whole room in a family home for feeling cozy outside your bedroom or other living area can feel unpractical for many. John and Sherry on the Young House Love blog show off their use of their bonus room. Their bonus room, “crammed in a decent amount of fun, function, and a big ol’ spot to sit down and never get back up again. The couch in here is truly a vortex that’s impossible to resist.”
Manufactured Homes
Can’t seem to find a house to buy? You aren’t alone in this, the inventory is at a 20-year low, according to USA Today. Plus, in our area, homes priced between $120k and $200k seem to be flying off the market. For many families this creates a bit of a pickle because of the inventory they can’t find an existing home to buy but don’t have the amount of money required to build a traditional home. The solution may be found in manufactured and modular homes.
Buying with Student Loan Debt
We have spent the last few weeks talking about the consequences of student debt on our children’s futures. But if you are in a situation like mine where the decision was already made and you have accumulated a considerable amount of student debt, you are left wondering how that might limit your future. One might wonder, “could I buy a house someday despite my debt?” In fact, an article on Bankrate quotes the managing director of survey research and communications for NAR (National Association of Realtors), Jessica Lautz, “of those who don’t own a home, 83 percent of those say that student loan debt is holding them back from purchasing a home.”
Clean Out the Dryer
Last week we discussed how to clean your front-loading washing machine to make sure our clothes are as fresh as possible! I couldn’t help but feel that our task was half done; after all, the other half to the washer is the dryer. While cleaning out the dryer won’t help make your clothes any fresher it will assist in keeping it in tip-top shape, running efficiently and more importantly, won’t cause your home to burn down… it’s a win win! And to do this only takes a few minutes!
Wash Your Washing Machine
We invested in a front-loading washing machine about a year ago and while I love it, I really do love it, I’ve noticed an odd smell over the last month or so. Luckily my clothes still smell fresh but I do use dryer sheets and those scent boosting beads so who knows what they’d smell like if I didn’t… eww. I didn’t consider the need to wash a washing machine—after all, every time I use it, water and soap get all sloshed around in there. But as it turns out, these front-loaders tend to harbor mold and other unpleasant smells, according to an article on Popsugar. They go on to recommend cleaning the washing machine once a month.
The Piggy Bank: Haunting Debt
Do you know what the two largest consumer debt amounts are comprised of? If you have been paying attention to these Piggy Bank blog posts over the last couple weeks you can likely guess one of them. Americans owe more than $1.3 trillion in outstanding student loans, according to Consumer Reports. They go onto tell us that, it’s “the second largest consumer debt, surpassed only by mortgages”. While a college education can cost as much as a mortgage they vary in ability to manage.
Simple to Stunning: Bathroom Mirror
One of these days I am going to do this. Framing my bathroom mirror has been on my list of things to do in the last two places we’ve lived and now again in my current home. It is easy, inexpensive and makes a huge impact on the space! Follow along as I recount Shanty 2 Chic’s steps in updating the boring, builder-grade mirror that can be found in bathrooms everywhere. The best part is, this tutorial uses materials that won’t damage the mirror and aren’t permanent so it works even in rentals- or if you aren’t sure you will love the result. (But how could you not?)
Home Maintenance Checklist: February
Man! We are busy, as a society! I often feel like I don’t have time to take a breath and then I look at friends of mine and think, “seriously, where do they find the time to____?”. More often than not, the blank in that question is filled in with some sort of deep cleaning or home maintenance activity. But let’s be honest with one another, to be a good homeowner and to save us money and headaches in the future we should be performing preventative maintenance on our homes. When I used to work in hotels, we made sure that all of the guestrooms received preventative maintenance on a consistent basis to catch maintenance issues before they happened. If hotels do that for the complete strangers that stay with them, shouldn’t we for our families?
Fall in Love with Your Home
Does anyone else develop crushes on homes? As you stroll through the established neighborhood with its stately homes and towering trees, do you day dream about living in one of these with its squeaky staircase and wooden floors? For me, the charm of an older home and the character it possesses can make my head spin into a fantasy that is miles away from reality. I picture myself lounging in front of the big bay windows, taking in the sun and sipping lemonade. But the reality of the situation is I would likely have the curtains drawn, trying to keep the heat out helping the AC do its best to keep up in a drafty old home.
The Piggy Bank: College Talk
Discussion of which college is the right fit is often an emotional quest for the student and parents alike. There are so many options, liberal arts school, large research university, small school close to home—guidance counselors talk about finding a school that offers an atmosphere that fits the student and suits their academic pursuits. One aspect of selecting a college that can sometimes be overlooked or kept as more of an afterthought is, how will the costs be covered? Losing sight of the financial consequences of their decisions can leave families of college-bound students scrambling to figure out how they will pay for it all.
