A small kitchen has its perks – having everything in arm’s reach can make cooking easier. However, you could find that multiple people can’t use the kitchen and that you’re constantly running out of space to store food and cooking apparatus.
Extending your kitchen might be an option if you own your home and have the available land. However, even those with the ability to do this may find it too expensive. Learning to make do with the space you’ve got may be the only option. Fortunately, there are many ways in which you can maximize the space in a tiny kitchen to make it more practical.
Sort through your shelves and cupboards
We all have stuff in our kitchen cupboards that we don’t need. Getting rid of this clutter could help to free up space for more genuine essentials. Sort through your food first – make it your mission to use any unopened cans of food (or take them to the food bank). Then consider selling or donating any appliances that you never use such as toasties machines or pasta makers.
After this clutter is gone, take the time to reorganize all your kitchen belongings. Try to find the most space-efficient ways to store things such as stacking cans.
Use space-saving appliances
You may be able to further free up space by choosing specific space-saving appliances.
For instance, a fridge-freezer could be a better option than having a separate refrigerator and freezer. Many slim but tall models can be great in a small kitchen.
A more radical option could be to do away with your oven and consider countertop appliances. An air fryer could be an option – you can cook everything from roast chicken to frozen fries in an air fryer. By removing your oven, you could free up a huge amount of extra space for storage.
Make use of empty walls
If you have any empty walls in your kitchen, consider ways in which you could convert these into extra storage.
You could try building shelves on empty walls for storing containers of food or utensils. Alternatively, if you have an empty wall above a sink, you could build metal racks for draining plates and cutlery, reducing the need for a draining board at the side of the sink.
You could also look into magnetic strips for hanging knives – this could eliminate the need for a wood block, which could be taking up countertop space. Hooks on walls for hanging utensils could be another option.
Buy kitchenware that stacks
Being able to stack things can save space. While most sets of bowls and plates are stackable, you may also be able to look into other kitchenware such as stackable pans. It’s even possible to buy stackable coffee mugs and even stackable wine glasses.
When it’s time to move, it’s time to move. For many of us, even thinking about hauling all of our stuff to a different location can be a real headache, and that is without even thinking about searching for a new place to live and getting settled. Selling your home is a big decision and is one that comes with a lot of strategic planning to get it done with minimal stress.
Here are some of the things you should focus on when trying to sell your home.
Here are some of the things, both emotional and physical that will help you to get your house sold, and your life moving forward.
You’ll have your reasons for wanting to move, but that doesn’t make letting go any easier.
When it comes to selling your home, you must sell it for what it is, its physical features, and the potential it has to be a future home for others, rather than simply holding onto the associations you hold onto.
Start by removing personal photographs, kids’ paintings, and awards. As proud as you are of your child’s painting of a tree they made at kindergarten, a buyer might have a hard time seeing past these personal features.
Utilize a local storage facility to store excess furniture. Even if the old dresser given to you by your great aunt means the world to you– if there’s no logical serving for it to be in your home at the time of sale- store it away. Yes, you may love your home furnishings, but it may not be to every buyer’s tastes- they are buying the room, not the couch.
Deep Clean and De-Clutter
One of the most stressful things about moving is packing up all of your belongings. Do yourself a favor and de-clutter before allowing potential buyers to walk through your home.
Not only will it help you out in the long term with moving your belongings (seriously, if you haven’t even seen it in years, you don’t need to take it with you to your next home) but it will also aid in the sale itself. Assume your buyers have no creativity and can’t see through personal clutter and you’re set.
A deep clean will improve the prospects of selling, too. As well as the positive psychological effects of cleaning (or paying somebody else to do it for you..) a cleaner house will sell better, showcasing it to its full potential.
Use your nose to trace the hidden smells in the home- it may be that some food rolled under the refrigerator some time ago, long forgotten, or the windows have been kept closed for too long? Not everybody can stand the smell of our furry friends. Use an air diffuser to eliminate pet odors before having people round to view your property.
When guiding people through the home, the scent can either make or break a deal. Overly musty, damp, dirty-smelling homes are going to put people off, as will overly perfume homes. Aim for something neutral and inviting that teases all of the senses. There is something magnetic about the smell of baking or freshly brewed coffee that puts buyers at ease and feeling at home.
You want to draw buyers inside your house as soon as they pull up outside the door. They have to be so intrigued by the property that they cannot help but want to look inside and see what the deal is.
Outdoor space can be an even more critical selling point to a home than the property itself. It’s what encourages somebody to turn the door handle and walk inside. Make it seem move-in ready by focusing on the front yard, doors, cladding, etc, not something made to seem like an afterthought.
Paint the door an inviting color- nothing too garish that will put buyers off, but something that makes the home look like a finished piece that could be a home for them- not a project!
Make sure that a buyer can see the door number so they know which property they are walking through. Ensure all the paths point to your door, and not at number 1029 when you’re at 1038- don’t leave them guessing.
Create a DIY Checklist
Of course, there will be those DIY projects that have been on the ‘to-do’ list for years. A blown light bulb here, and a scuffed wall there-it can soon become a little overwhelming to deal with.
However, a buyer may well naturally begin to mentally decrease their potential offer depending on what they see needs doing around the house. Check on the smaller, and bigger things that need doing.
If you have a cracked window pane, enlist the services of Renewal by Andersen windows to get that sorted right out. Clear your gutters and get the windows cleaned. Check all of the lights and electrics work throughout the house.
If you’ve disassociated yourself with your home, it can be even easier to put these things off, but now is the most important time to focus on these little tasks so you don’t have to think about them later on.
Even spending those extra few hundred dollars can increase the property value by thousands, which is thousands toward your new home.
A kitchen has the most value tied to it per square footage, so it’s obvious to focus on this when preparing your home for sale.
Your budget may not allow for a complete kitchen refit, which is fine- there are some simple ways to add value without having to do that. Even something as simple as painting cupboard doors or changing the handles can make it look more finished.
When selling your home, you need to show it off to its full potential so that buyers cannot refuse to make an offer having walked through. Use some of these simple tips and tricks to get your property sold for the biggest possible amount of money!
Everyone loves to do a bit of DIY work because it helps them save money and also get some experience to make future repairs and renovations quick and easier. This is great if you’re starting up a fairly simple or easy project, but what if you’re trying to do something that is deceptively difficult or time-consuming?
Not only does your renovation have a chance of failing, but it can also lead to a lot of wasted money and, in some cases, even lead to you getting injured if you’re not careful. This is why you must think twice before DIYing certain areas of your home, and in this post, we’re going to cover 6 of those areas.
Trying to repair anything on the roof is dangerous because there’s always the possibility that you might slip and fall off. Even if you think you’re being safe, one misstep on a loose tile is enough to send you off to the side. Whether it’s renovating your roof with asphalt shingle roofing or repairing a leak, it’s a good idea to speak to a professional that offers roofing services instead of risking your own life.
Repainting areas of the kitchen
Repainting the kitchen might seem easy, but you’d be surprised at how challenging it is to tackle the layers of grease on areas like your kitchen cabinets and walls. A contractor can help you clean these areas to ensure the paint bonds to your kitchen furniture and walls.
Any kind of “custom” DIY
Custom DIY projects, such as a custom shower, custom shed, or even a custom sofa should only be carried out if you have experience in those fields or if it’s a small project that won’t affect you or your home should it fail. Leave these to designs and contractors that know what they’re doing.
Plumbing-related DIY
Plumbing issues such as low water pressure or a leaky pipe might seem like easy fixes, but this is a DIY project that can quickly get expensive. This is because it’s easy to damage your pipes and make things a lot worse, leading to more expenses and more time with a poorly-functioning plumbing system.
Electrical projects
Electricity is no laughing matter, and it’s not something you should be messing with unless you have ample experience and protective gear. While replacing something like a socket face plate isn’t a huge deal, anything related to the internal wiring of your home should be done by a professional.
Anything related to the structure of your home
Thinking about knocking down walls? Want to replace a wall with something else? Adding an extension to your home? These are the types of areas that you should not try to fix or renovate on your own because it involves the structure of your home. This means that it could potentially make your home weaker, it could cause damage to the foundation of your home, and could lead to issues like wonky floors.
Carrying out your DIY projects is admirable, but there are times when it’s far better to hire a contractor or at least contact someone that knows what they’re doing. This will save you a lot of time and money in the long run, so it’s ultimately worth it despite the potentially increased costs.
