Most homeowners know that the act of buying a property hardly comes without a certain amount of compromise. For some, instead of having sprawling grounds, it is better to make peace with a seemingly cozy yard.

You can transform your postage stamp yard to an amazing hideaway with just a little planning and forethought. You can create a space a highly functional and aesthetically pleasing small backyard if you can put certain simple ideas together. Here are some small background ideas that can help you transform that ordinary space behind your house to a perfect backyard for your family.

Render Your Space Function

One effective way to make your space look more cohesive is by defining its function. You can begin by thinking of various ways through which you can ideally choose to use your exterior. This may include installing a large dining table for some kind of al fresco summer feasting or a turning it into a perfect relaxation spot with plush seating area. You can either decide to break up your yard into a few distinct areas or stick with one feature depending on the availability of space.

Build a Tree House

This is almost a must have for every home with a backyard and kids. In fact, the tree house is the No. 1 DIY project for the backyard. This is a place where kids will love to set up meetings, play together and have fun all through the day. If you do not have any in your backyard, it is important you start constructing one with your kid but if you already have one, ensure to render a quick makeover.

A Nice Pool

No doubt, swimming pools has a calming effect. They tend to give a backyard that cooling effect. Building a swimming pool or even a Jacuzzi in your backyard would definitely go a long way in transforming your space into a soothing oasis. This special edge can even be obtained from a simple bird bath.

Plant a Vegetable Garden

Your yard can be brought to life if you plant flowers and shrubs in it. Even if they may only live for a few months, change the look of your backyard and make it come alive by strategically placing flower beds, shrubs and herb gardens. This will make your space lively and perfect for family parties and pensive personal moments.

Put in a Hot Tub

Whether in the middle of a regular-length day or at the end of a long day, nothing is more relaxing than soaking in a hot tub. However, ensure to apply extreme caution around the water, so as to keep things family-friendly.  If you want to use your hot tub for health and exercise, then consider getting a swim spa for your home.

Construct an Outdoor Fire Place

An outdoor fireplace comes in very handy during the chilling times of the winter season where you and your family members can cuddle up together to share warmth. It is also a great spot for barbecue parties and to enjoy your backyard in the cooler months of the year.

Getting a mortgage is one of the most important steps in the life of any person, a step that needs to be performed with care. One of the crucial things you need to take into account is whom you are contracting the loan from. One of the main options you have is either a mortgage broker or a bank. Both come with advantages and disadvantages, so you nee to be aware of both before taking into account any of the two options.

Despite the fact that mortgage brokers have been around for quite a while, people are still weary to work such an important loan from them because in the past some of these brokers added hidden costs that increased the overall cost of the loan, something that was fixed recently with a law specifically created for this alone.  Mortgage brokers offer homeowners more choices and more education than you would typically see at a bank.

Many people with non-traditional circumstances also benefit from working with a mortgage broker.  People with mediocre credit or self employed people may find a mortgage broker the better option when it comes to getting approved for a mortgage.

The mortgage broker is basically the middleman. He won’t loan you the money, instead he will find the best loaner that you need at an accessible price. This can be either a commercial bank, community bank, credit union, or even a mortgage bank. Some of the most important banks in the country are Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase. In Canada, you have Toronto Dominion, RBC, Scotia and BMO as some fo the major national banks. One of the main advantages of a mortgage broker is that is offers you a wide range of variety when compared to the bank, meaning that you have access to a wide range of services from multiple lenders, and you, as a client, only need to select the one that you want. This makes the overall experience a lot more convenient, something that we definitely want.

On top of that, as a borrower that contacts mortgage brokers you will save a lot of time because the broker will do whatever it takes to fin the best deal for you, according to your own parameters. Brokers also handle the paperwork and meetings with the lenders, so all you need to do is sign the papers and the money will be delivered to you as fast as possible. This surely makes the service very convenient and it’s specifically created to help busy lenders.

The banks on the other hand are the ones in control because they make the decision of lending the money. If a borrower is a longtime client of a bank then he might be able to receive some favorable terms when it come to contracting a loan. Getting the loan using the services of the broker means that you need to pay a fee, while contacting the bank directly will remove that fee. Remember that in the end the bank is the one that sets the interest rate, so the broker is basically a middleman that will help you find the best deal without worrying. However, this comes with a cost.

To sum up, you need to figure out how much time you have to speak with the lenders and take care of the paperwork. If you can do that on your own, then the services of a mortgage broker are not required, but if don’t have the time to do that, then the broker might be a good option. It’s a good idea to find out the fees first, so you won’t end up with unpleasant surprises.

When it comes to helping the planet, every little helps and whilst attitudes have changed in recent years with the use of household recycling bins and the rise of the reusable bag, there is still much work to do in order to achieve a ‘waste less’ society. Here we reveal the five steps every household can take to cut waste…

 1. Love food, hate waste

Food waste puts a huge burden on our landfill sites, and a recent survey showed that over a quarter of waste thrown away by UK households is food. With rising food costs, you’d think that everyone would take on a ‘waste not, want not’ approach, however as a nation we are still buying and throwing away too much food.

Being savvier when it comes to food shopping is the best step to reducing food waste and the amount that you spend at the checkout. Take a look in your cupboards before you leave to see what you need and write a list concentrating on creating meals for the week ahead.

2. A bag is for life…

Talks are still underway regarding enforcing a charge for the plastic bags found in the supermarket, and whilst the reusable ‘bag for life’ has risen in popularity, many people still rely on using plastic bags. We understand that it’s not always easy to remember your bag for life every time you hit the shops but by carrying one in your car, you will always have a bag for life to hand. Cloth bags also work too!

3. Recycle or reuse

As well as household waste, many individuals throw their household furniture and fixtures in the trash too. Instead of visiting your local tip, aim to recycle or reuse these items. There are many ways in which you can recycle household goods, kerbside recycling schemes pick up unwanted items or you could give something back by donating to charity.

4. Profit from your recycling prowess

There’s even an opportunity to earn a quick buck from unwanted household goods, salvage yards pay good money for good quality items. These items will then be sold on to their customers, who are certain to repurpose and breathe new life into products that you find tired or unusable in your own home.

5. Say ‘no’ to junk mail

Whilst many of us have become pros at recycling paper goods, there is still 550,000 tonnes of paper used to create unsolicited mail in the UK alone. If we all work together to say ‘no’ to junk mail, we could save over 9 million trees and 16.5 billion litres of water! Use a ‘No Junk Mail’ sticker to tell your postman and other visitors that your home is no place for junk mail.

This post was written by the UK’s leading salvage and reclamation specialist Cheshire Demolition. Their Macclesfield-based yard is the perfect place to buy and sell unwanted household items.

There are many ways in which we are harming the environment and waste resources on daily basis, but few of us consider car maintenance (and the associated costs) to be one of them.  For instance, car washing has a huge impact on the environment, since it wastes huge amounts of water, and the wash water that is created in the process, containing petroleum, dirt, oil, cleaning agents, goes into storm drains, which then carry it to the nearest water bodies. That’s why people should be very careful when they wash their cars in their yards, and do whatever they can to avoid polluting nearby bodies of water and wasting large amounts of water while doing it.

When washing your car at home and in your garage, you probably don’t think too much about where the wash water goes, or how much water is wasted. The waste water contains various potential pollutants, such as rubber, mud, detergents, grease, and it usually enters storm drain systems, that transport it to lakes, rivers, or oceans. Alternatively, it can also go directly into the ground, which also pollutes the environment. As far as the amount of water that is wasted, various studies suggest that on average, people waste 10 gallons of water per minute when washing their cars in their yards.

If you want to save some water while washing your car, you should try and follow a few simple tips.

For starters, you can put a quick-action shut-off nozzle on your hose, or a trigger hose, to prevent wasting water when the faucet is on, but you don’t need to use the hose. Also, you can save a lot of water if you use a bucket.

When it comes to the wash water and what to do with it, it’s important to know how to dispose of it properly. A lot of things depend on the area you wash your car on. If you wash it on your driveway, the waste water will probably run into a roadside drainage ditch, a gutter or a curb inlet, which means it will end up in a nearby lake or river. That’s why it’s better to do it on your lawn. This way, the wash water will run off directly into the ground, and you prevent it from flowing into the street and entering the drains. However, you need to be very careful when washing your car on your lawn or garden area, and prevent the waste water from running off into an area that’s close to your vegetables or fruit trees.

The best way to save water and prevent wastewater from entering your storm drains is to take your car to a commercial car washing facility, where water is treated before it is disposed. They clean the water, removing all pollutants that may harm the environment, and then discharge it in the sewer. They also recycle it and reuse it several times before disposal. Additionally, they waste much less water, as they use more sophisticated, automated equipment, which is far more efficient than using hoses and buckets.

As homeowners, we’re always looking for ways to reduce our energy consumption and in turn lower costly heating and electricity bills, which can easily spiral out of control in the autumn and winter months when plummeting temperatures hit our homes.

We have compiled our top five ways to reduce energy consumption within your home so you can look forward to more manageable costs all year round…

Alter your everyday habits

The first and perhaps most important step of reducing your household’s energy consumption and carbon footprint is by altering how you operate on a daily basis. Just a few simple changes can dramatically cut your energy costs resulting in major savings for you and your family.

When appliances and other gadgets are not in use, unplug and save energy. Even when everyday household items like televisions and audio equipment are in standby mode, electricity is still being used so prevent this by hitting the off switch. Computers are a major consumer of energy so customise your sleep mode to conserve electricity. Lighting can also drain your energy supplies, don’t forget to switch these off when you leave the room.

Control temperature throughout your home

Making use of the thermostatic valves on your radiators and the timer features on your boiler will ensure that all heat generated is used effectively within your property. Adapt your temperature controls from room to room, lowering your temperature in areas of your home that you use less such as spare bedrooms. Rooms that are prone to high humidity such as your kitchen, bathroom and utility room will also require less heat as heat is generated naturally via showering, bathing, washing dishes and clothes, and cooking.

In addition to this, your timer can be adjusted to regulate temperature at different times of the day so you use less energy when in bed or at work.

Invest in humidification

The main reason why you increase the temperature of your central heating system is to enhance your property’s warmth and comfort, however, you can achieve a more comfortable atmosphere without increasing your heating bill. Humidifiers can be used to add moisture to your home environment and create a more comfortable ambience. Humid air also holds heat better ensuring any heat generated by your radiators and other energy sources is retained effectively and efficiently.

Investing in a home humidifier won’t break the bank, and will make sure you feel the effects of a well heated home without having to ramp up the temperature.

Take advantage of energy saving appliances

Many modern appliances are equipped with handy energy saving features which many homeowners fail to take advantage of. Computers, refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines can be switched to power saving mode to conserve energy by making more efficient use of the appliance. Take a closer look at the settings of your home appliances to make energy saving a priority in your home.

Energy saving bulbs are also available and will dramatically cut costs year on year.

Insulate your home thoroughly

A well-insulated property will retain energy more effectively and prevent costly heat loss. Make sure your attic space and cavity walls are sufficiently insulated and windows and doors throughout your home are sealed correctly to avoid waste and high energy bills.

About the author – Martin Davies works for Airandwatercentre.com. As the leading specialists in humidification and air quality, they assist thousands of homeowners across the globe looking for more energy efficient and comfortable properties.