4 Improvements to Make Around the Home & Knowing When to Get Help:

As a mum, no doubt you pride yourself on how well everything gets taken care of at home. When it comes to making home repairs, general maintenance, decorating or gardening, that might just be the exception though. 

What’s important with improvements or decoration projects is to separate out the ones you believe you can learn to do versus others where hiring in a crack team of labourers is going to be the best route. In this article, we make four suggestions for mums who need a little guidance in this area to make the right decision. 

1. Painting the Interior Walls

When you are dead set on changing the interior wall colour or it’s just looking too shabby and a new paint job is needed, this is a great weekend task. While you probably haven’t done any painting or decorating previously, you shouldn’t let that stop you giving it a try.

We’d suggest looking up and watching some YouTube videos to get a better idea of how to proceed. You’ll want to buy some cloth flooring to cover the wooden or carpeted floors from paint spills. Also, consider either moving the furniture out of the room to be painted or covering them over. You’ll be amazed how far paint will fly and ruin a fabric. 

Also, calculate the time it’ll take to complete the task. Don’t start too late in the day. You’ll probably need to use more than one coat and each one will take time to dry before applying the next one. Being able to stay home while opening the doors and windows helps speed up the drying process and avoid the whole house smelling like paint for days afterward. 

2. Check the Gas/Electrical System(s)

The way to avoid issues arising with either the gas or electrical systems is to get them periodically checked for issues. Both a hot water heating system and the feed through to the kitchen for cooking all benefits from annual maintenance. Early signs of a problem can result in swapping out a worn part for a new one to prevent losing the use of the heating or other systems. 

Consider using an experienced service like Pascoe's Plumbers. They provide free quotes for different services, from diagnosing a strange knocking sound coming from the water heater to offering a same-day service to performing an inspection or regular maintenance. Given that most parts of these complex systems aren’t accessible to homeowners, it’s best to leave this job to the professionals. 

3. Hanging Paintings or Framed Photographs

When you moved into your home, probably the last thing up for consideration was what to do about the blank walls. Maybe the odd photograph or old painting that you’re not particularly fond of went up to fill the space. Isn’t it time for a change?

Whether you choose to repaint the walls a different colour or not, adding some well-chosen framed still photos that capture a moment or evoke a positive emotion is ideal. Like a favourite song, it brings you back to that happy time and serves as a good reminder to never forget to enjoy life!

The same goes for picking out a piece of artwork that you love. It doesn’t have to be expensive or painted by anyone famous in the art world either. Let your emotions and personal taste guide your selection. 

4. Give Your Garden Some Love

Whether you’re a keen gardener or a little absentminded with it, your outdoor space will only look as good as you devote time to it. When it’s well managed, it’s a joy to relax out there on a Sunday afternoon when the sun is shining and everything is right with the world. 

It doesn’t matter how large or small the outdoor space is. If there’s something that’s stopping you from spending more time there, think about what that is and how to resolve it. For instance, if your lawnmower has seen better days and you never like the finish after cutting the grass, change the mower for a new model. Similarly, if the existing plants don’t excite you when they bloom, research different plant life to find ones you love to see. 

Sometimes landscaping adds new visual elements that will appeal to you. Adding a fountain or a pond to include new water elements is a crowd-pleaser. People listen to nature soundtracks just to evoke this same sensation. When you make your outdoor space an area that puts a smile on your face when you look out or relax there, you’ve hit the mark.

There are usually a few things that you can learn how to do at home and outdoors. Figuring out how to change a lock isn’t too hard but prepping a space in the garden to add a pond is one where you’ll want to call in a landscape gardening team to do that. Just use your common sense and it will work out fine.