WR-Home Resort

Outdoor entertaining is of the utmost importance when inviting friends or family over for a gathering, regardless of the season. The good news is that there are a few strategic decorating changes that you can make to your outdoor space to make it attractive and inviting, rain or shine.

Outdoor Decorating: Where to Begin

Use plants moderately. If you’ve gone overboard as a gardener, guests sitting on your back patio may feel like they’re in the middle of a jungle. When landscaping and planting your back garden, use your editing eye. The best way to create a calming environment is by using a color theme in potted flowers and by choosing plants with a similar texture, such as short, round bushes or long vines and trees.

Mix-and-match. If you’re the type that likes to pick up secondhand items at a thrift store or antique shop, this design trend will work perfectly in an outdoor space. You can revamp and repaint used furniture in different sizes and colors to work beautifully in one patio space. You can also stick with the funky, retro vibe by planting flowers and plants in mismatched, hand-painted flower pots to decorate your back porch.

Focus on a fire pit. Instead of switching on expensive heating lamps to provide guests with warmth in cooler weather, your back deck can center around an inexpensive fire pit or Ventless fireplace. The beauty of a fire pit is that it provides an immediate focal point in an outdoor space that guests can gather around to chat and sip on wine or coffee, without having to spend much time on outdoor decorating.

Use salvaged materials. Instead of using brand-new wood to create an outdoor countertop or bar, go with a reclaimed barn door and recycled cinderblocks instead. These materials cost next to nothing and can create a natural, rustic feel when decorating your outdoor deck.

Light the way. If you plan to have a gathering with several guests, it’s important to create the right atmosphere with mood lighting, especially after the sun goes down. You can decorate your back patio with strings of lights as a cheap lighting solution or consider investing in battery powered lanterns to provide ample light in the evening hours.

Once you have your back patio completely decorated, you have the perfect outdoor space to kick back and relax in after a long day of work. You can also wake up in the morning and start the day right by watching the sunrise with a fresh cup of coffee, savoring a moment of peace before hitting the daily grind.

As a homeowner, it’s comforting to find that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to decorate your outdoor patio. By decorating strategically with reclaimed materials and used items, you can create a unique, eclectic space that friends and family can enjoy for years to come.

As one final tip, consider refinishing indoor furniture that you no longer need to use outdoors instead. … READ MORE ...

The temperature has already dropped in most northern states, but that doesn’t mean it is too late to get your home buttoned up for the really cold winter months ahead.

Give yourself the peace of mind that comes with knowing your home is prepared to weather the ice and snow efficiently – in other words, without costing you an arm or a leg.

Alicia on “Knowing your home”

It can be tempting to run everything in your home by the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” motto – not touching or thinking about maintaining an appliance until it dies or fails. When it comes to your house, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For example, a dryer from 1985 that still works well and is problem-free probably has a filter system that isn’t working as well as it did the day it was purchased, which makes it a serious fire hazard. So, put your preventive-medicine hat on and get ahead of fires, leaks and other costly damages by enlisting a professional to check the pipes, and appliances like the refrigerator, washer/dryer, furnace and water heater.

Sarah on “Tracking warranties service plans”

Warranty papers and service plans, especially those that come on the actual product receipt, have a way of floating around kitchens, home offices, purses, pockets and dresser tops without ever landing in a permanent, easy-to-find spot. Think about taking some time now to round up the paperwork on all of your appliances and storing them in a designated file or folder. We recommend buying an inexpensive accordion file, titling it “Appliance files” and using it to safely house all of the warranties, service plans and receipts for important household items. Keep your file folder in an easily accessible spot, like a filing cabinet, utility closet or bookshelf and refer to it as needed. That way, if a professional checks an appliance, like your refrigerator, and finds it isn’t functioning properly, it doesn’t have to mean hundreds or even thousands down the drain.

Here are other key areas of your home/property you should winterize to save money.

#1: Check seals on doors windows

If the heated air is escaping your home through creaky, leaky doors and windows, you’ll be wasting hundreds of dollars heating your home. On the next blustery day, check to see if cold air is blowing in by holding your hand next to windows and doors. If you do find a drafty door, try an inexpensive fix – those sand-filled, fabric-covered draft stoppers for doors leading in and out of the house. For windows, check to be certain that they are properly closed and, and if you have them, that storm windows are in properly. Thick drapes are also helpful at nighttime, but during the day, be sure they’re open for windows that get direct sunlight.

#2: Check the chimney

Be sure yourfireplace damper is closed when there is no fire lighted. Think of it this way: Leaving the damper … READ MORE ...