6 Ways To Keep Your Cat Happy And Healthy Indoors

 Sometimes, it might be too cold outside to let your cat explore the outdoors, so they need to stay in. Keeping your cat happy and healthy indoors does not need to be complicated. With enough attention, toys and entertainment, the kitty will be able to stay busy and get all the exercise they need. Here are our top ways to keep your cat happy and healthy indoors. 

Make Sure They Have A Balanced Diet

To make sure that your cat stays happy and healthy, you should pay attention to the pet’s diet. Cats should not eat too much dry food, and their diet needs to be meat-based. Companies such as Reveal offer food made of a variety of different meats. Choosing the right food for your pet can only help you to improve their health and overall quality of life.

Let Your Cat Watch The Birds From The Window

Even domesticated cats can be a danger to your local wildlife and birds, even if they are well fed. However, you can let your cat enjoy the beauty of wildlife even from the comfort of your home. Try making them a perch by the window where you have a bird feeder. From there, they can watch birds safely without being able to attack them, and it might entertain them for hours.

Allow Them To Climb

It is only natural for cats to climb. Therefore, you should allow them to do so even indoors, where they cannot climb up the trees. Instead, install a cat tree that will allow them to exercise their muscles, have fun and rest. You can find cat trees in many pet stores. But if you are good at DIY, you can try to build a cat tree from scratch.

Look For The Right Vet

Most vet clinics are busy with dogs. To keep your cat relaxed and happy, try to find a vet who has a clinic that is cat-friendly. Ideally, they should have separate areas for cats and dogs. That way, your kitty will not be scared or need to worry about other animals, especially if you expect to be in a waiting room for an extended period of time. 

Accept Their Affection

Some people might say that cats are mean. However, they are only pets that need to be loved, and with enough attention, they return the affection. The ways cats show affection might differ, but some of the most common is when they bring you their favourite toy or follow you around. And if the cat falls asleep in your lap, it is a great display of trust and love.

Ensure They Feel Loved

Unlike wild cats, domesticated cats need your attention to stay happy. Therefore, you should make sure that you have time to play and snuggle with your cat every single day. As long as you pay attention to your pet, the kitty will stay healthy and happy. Even with a few moments of attention, you will be able to make a significant difference to their well-being and happiness.

Strawberry Ghosts

Trying to eat a little healthier this fall? You are in luck! With this simple recipe you can make a serving of candy coated fruit to satisfy your cravings.

I am always trying to make fruits and veggies more appealing to my kids. This recipe is a sure way to get kids excited about strawberries, while giving them a little of the candy they desire.

Supplies:

Strawberries

White candy melts

Candy eyes

Parchment or wax paper

Directions:

Wash the berries and dry them on a paper towel.

It is very important that you remove all the exterior moisture before you dip into the chocolate.

If there is still water/moisture on the berries when you dip into the chocolate; it will clump up fast.

When the berries are dry melt the white chocolate/almond bark according to the directions on the packaging.

Dip the berries into the melted chocolate, working fast.

Place the berries on the wax paper.

Before the chocolate has a chance to harden, drop 2 candy eyes on each berry.

When all of the berries have eyes, you can place them in the fridge to help the chocolate harden.

You can enjoy these within 15 minutes or so.

These are perfect for sharing at a Halloween party! What a sweet little spooky ghost!

I bet you can't eat just one!

These are delicious, easy to make, and while they do have a candy coating, they are so much healthier than some of the options Halloween is best known for!

Make a batch and stop by to share a little BOO! with a friend or neighbor!

Or maybe just eat them all by yourself! 

 You can find all of my Halloween ideas here

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How to Liven Up Your Craft Projects

 The chillier months will soon be with us, and that means that we’re all likely to be spending a little more time at home than we have done during the last few months. This is a great opportunity to get into some domestic hobbies, and right at the top of that list are craft projects. This is a fun way to spend a day, and you’ll also be adding some new skills to your repertoire, too. But of course, you can’t just expect your crafts to be solid gold — you’ll need to work on making them as good as possible! In this blog, we’ll run through some useful tips that’ll put you on the right path and which will ensure that you end up having fun and creating something you truly enjoy.

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Find Inspiration

One of the hardest things about starting a crafts project is…getting started. When you’ve got essentially a blank canvas staring at you, you’ll need to find a way to narrow down your focus and pick a particular project. But good news: there are plenty of options out there! If you’re struggling to find a project, then look at getting inspiration from other people. There are plenty of arts and crafts websites, videos, and magazines that’ll put some useful ideas in your head.

Work Together

There’s a lot of value in undertaking a craft project on your own, but don’t discount the idea of working with other people, such as people in your family. For one thing, it can be really enjoyable to work on something together with your loved ones. And second, you might just end up creating something of better quality than you could have on your own. We all have our own skills, and when you put all those skills together, you usually end up with something that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Give it a try!

Quality Materials

You could have all the crafts skills in the world, but if you’re not using quality materials, then you could find that the end product isn’t quite as special as you hoped it would be. So don’t let your project down by using subpar materials; get the best! There’s the excellent flannel fabric that you can buy, and once you have it, you’ll find that you’re able to make a wide range of DIY products that very much look the part once you’re finished. Using the best materials you can find is a surefire way to bump up the quality level of your project. 

Just Have Fun

Finally, remember to have fun with your project! You’ll hope that your end result comes out well, but when it comes to DIY crafts, remember that it’s the journey, not the destination. The more fun you have when you’re doing your project, the more you’ll enjoy making crafts — and that probably has the biggest impact on the long-term quality of your products since you’ll want to engage in the activity more. And it’s only practice that makes perfect! 

How To Personalize Your Home

 They say home is where the heart is. As a result, you should find a way to showcase as much of your heart and the things you love in your home as possible. After all, this will help turn your home into your safe haven, a place where you can retreat after a busy or stressful day.

Photo by Jimmy Dean on Unsplash

With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to personalize your home! 

DIY your decorations. DIY is more than just a method for tackling home improvement or maintenance tasks, it can also be a great way to add an extra personal touch to your home. For example, if you had a diy cnc router, you could use this to turn a regular old piece of wood into a coveted work of art, which you can proudly display in any room of your home. You could also use this to create bespoke furniture, such as a coffee table or desk. 

Make use of all the spaces available to you. Another way in which you can make sure your home caters to your every need is by ensuring you make the most of every space you have available to you. For example, if you are a bookworm,  instead of using your attic as a glorified (and rather dusty) storage unit, you could convert your attic into a reading room. This way you have the perfect cozy space to retreat to when you fancy entering another world for a few hours. Alternatively, if you work from home, you could turn this space into a stunning WFH station. 

Paint your walls a bright, bold color. Many home interior guides encourage homeowners to use neutral shades when painting their walls. This is because it allows your furniture to take center stage by acting as a blank canvas. However, as color impacts our emotions and behaviors, featuring your favorite colors in your home (no matter how bright or bold) can truly transform your home and how you feel when spending time there. 

Reupholster your furniture. Learning how to reupholster furniture such as sofas and chairs is another great way to add a more personal touch to your home, without having to buy new furniture outright. It can also be a great way to breathe life into older furniture items, making them look good as new. Try to keep an eye out for bright, bold, or eye-catching fabrics you can use to achieve this goal.

Create a photo wall. Personalized crafts are a great way to spruce up your home. As a result, creating a photo wall is always a great idea. This way you can look back on some of your favorite memories, from vacations to wedding ceremonies every single day. This will not only brighten up any room in the home but can also contribute significantly to your happiness as “photos remind us of people, pets, places, and activities that we love as well as remembering the past. This has been shown to reduce our stress and enhance our mood and overall wellbeing”. There are many ways in which you can create a dynamic photo wall. For example, you could use a variety of different print mediums, from framed photographs to canvases. Alternatively, you could choose a theme for your photo wall, such as black and white images. 

Paint the front door. Home makeovers should include both the interior and exterior of your property, especially if you want to make a real difference. As a result, you could add an extra personal touch to your home by repainting the front door and window frames. Again, do not feel as though you have to choose a plain, neutral color for your door (even if other homeowners on your street have gone down this route). A splash of color will help your home appear bright and inviting! However, you must ensure that you invest in quality, durable paint so that it does not fade quickly or require regular topping-up. 

Paint a Canvas. Hanging art in your home is not only an excellent way to brighten up a dull, blank wall, but it can also trigger creativity and decrease stress. You could take this to the next level by painting your own canvases instead of buying some. This will save you a great deal of money, and will also work to ensure that you have a unique piece of artwork to display in your home. Furthermore, this could be a fun activity that the whole family can partake in, and who knows,  maybe you have a budding Picasso in the family! 

Overcoming The Common Challenges You May Face When Moving Home

 

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Moving home is one of the most exciting times in your life, but it can serve up several stressful moments too. Therefore, preparing yourself for all possible outcomes is vital as it enables you to respond in style.

Here are five of the most likely problem that you’ll experience during this process, along with potential solutions.

Finding The Right Home

Property prices are currently sky high. Therefore, finding a home that suits your needs isn’t always easy. Crucially, you must take financial responsibility by understanding the true cost of moving. Taxes, survey fees, and solicitor fees will be needed. If selling a home too, many of the processes need to be completed twice. Meanwhile, when looking at home, you must consider the functional requirements over the coming years. There is a huge pressure to avoid making a decision that you’ll regret, so making a list of your priorities is advised. Obviously, if you're only looking for student accommodation, like this student accommodation in rome, you'll only need to commit for a couple of years, but it's still worth checking the local area and amenities to ensure you actually enjoy your university experience.

Transporting Your Possessions

When moving out of your parents’ home for the first time, you might not have too many assets to worry about. If you are in another situation where you have furniture and other goods to transport, taking the DIY route could be a big mistake. It can be time-consuming and stressful while fragile items could be at risk of breaking. A professional moving team will often provide the best solution, not least when you consider the cost of hiring a van and buying gas. Besides, it’ll allow you to focus on the process of actually selling the home.

Problems With The Schedule

Buying a property requires a lot of organziation. Whether selling a property too or moving from rented accommodation, you have to make sure everything is synced up. Sadly, problems can surface. It could mean that you have to spend a few weeks with friends or short-term accommodation until the new home can be moved into. Finding a self storage area to temporarily hold your possessions will take a weight off your shoulders. And then your moving team can transport it to the home once it’s ready. It’ll be far less stressful.

Making The House A Home

Unless you’ve had the home built yourself, it’s likely that some work will be required. While it could take years to perfect the home, you can begin to stamp your authority right away. Some of the best steps include changing the color scheme, adding family photos to the walls, and adding one luxury that you’ve always wanted. This could be a home cinema screen, a backyard hot tub, or a dishwasher. As long as it creates a sense of ownership and personality, the benefits can be huge. And it gets you in the mood to make more upgrades.

Settling Into The New Area

Finally, when buying a home, you must remember that it’s not only a property. It’s a new lifestyle. The transition may be a little less daunting when you are only moving across town. Nonetheless, getting to know the neighbors and local surroundings will make a telling impact. Likewise, you should look to protect the new property to put your mind at ease. When you feel more comfortable with this new chapter, it’ll be far easier to live life to the fullest. Frankly, it’s the least your family deserves after making this huge life change.

How to Convert Your Garage into a Cool Livable Space

People often do all sorts of things to create more space in their homes, e.g building more storage rooms or creating multipurpose rooms. However, many people often ignore one important part of the house with a lot of space, and that is the unused garage. If you have a garage in your home that's unused, consider converting it into a more useful part of the home.

A garage can be converted into a home gym, a home office, a mudroom, spare bedroom, or kid playroom among others. However, there are several considerations to make before you begin the project and they include the following.

Safety Considerations

Safety is always a top priority on every job site, especially ones close to your home. Create a safety zone around the garage so that children, pets, neighbors, and guests know to stay away. Get a well-stocked safety kit that would include safety glasses, gloves, ear muffs, dusk masks, respirators, and proper workwear made from durable materials. Don’t forget hard hats and steel toe work boots. There are work boots made especially for women and ones made for men, so ensure you get the right specifications for everyone working on the site.

Lastly, even when you’re remodeling your garage using the DIY method, there are certain permit jobs that need to be left to professionals. This includes electrical jobs, structural alterations, HVAC, and plumbing. So make sure your budget covers the cost of hiring a few professionals who can do the job safely.

Cost of Converting a Garage

The cost of converting a garage depends on several factors, the chief of which is whether you're going to be hiring an architect to oversee the project or if you’re going the DIY route. 

Choosing to convert your garage yourself as a DIY project would involve working side-by-side with a tradesperson or contractor to build your dream. This option does not cost as much as the alternative which requires hiring a professional architect to design the entire conversion and hiring construction experts to do the entire work.

Garage conversions are never cheap; however, they’re much cheaper than building a whole new addition to the home. According to Forbes Advisor, it could cost anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 to convert a garage using the non-DIY method.

Check Zoning Regulations

Converting a garage is more than just hiring a contractor or architect. It’s very important to research the local regulations for garage conversions in your city. Some regions may prohibit residents from transforming car spaces into living spaces. Others might permit, provided you have sufficient off-street parking to replace the lost garage space. Also, if you share your home with tenants or ever plan on sharing or renting out your home then it may be difficult to get a garage conversion permit. So before you invest any money into this project, make sure you look into all the legalities.

Features that Make Your Garage Livable

To make your garage livable, there are fun and stylish elements you must install to make the space more like home. Some of these elements are extremely important. They include:

Windows: Garages typically do not come with windows so to make your space more livable, you would need to create space for a window or two.

Waterproofing: Most garages are not as thoroughly waterproofed as living spaces. This is because garages are designed to store vehicles and equipment; this means they do not fully resist water penetration. So waterproofing is very essential when converting a garage to a living space. Waterproofing your garage for conversion must be done carefully, thoroughly, and with the best waterproofing materials because any mistake could compromise the entire project. You don't want water leaking into your space after it’s been fully set up.

Lighting: The already existing lighting in your garage might not be sufficient for living, so you’ll need to add one or two more lights and switches to make the space brighter.

Drywall and Insulation: You might need to add basic drywall to your garage for insulation purposes because garages are typically built with no drywall and no insulation. Sometimes garages have drywalls that are just hung up with no sort of sanding, painting, or finishing. If your garage already has drywall, you may need to have it uninstalled, insulated, and then reinstalled and finished. Conventional forms of insulation for your new walls include rock wool, sprayed foam conventional fiberglass roll insulation.

Ceiling: The ceiling height must at least be 7.5 feet if you want to make your garage a living space. So take note of this especially if you have plans to raise your garage floor. The ceiling would also have to be insulated. Fiberglass batts are great materials for ceiling insulation.

Other features you may want to install to create the perfect living space in your garage include heating, power outlets, Ethernet cables, Wi-Fi, and storage space.

What to Do With Your Converted Garage

Once you have converted your garage into a cozy space, there are several things you could do with this space. They include:

Kids Playroom

If you have more than two kids in your home, you’ll find that there’s ever hardly enough space for them to play indoors, yet you may not want them playing outdoors at certain times of the day. Having a kid-friendly playroom in your garage guarantees a safe space for children to spend time while closely supervised by adults.

Home Office

You can use your garage as a home office where you can work away from distractions from other family members.

Home Gym

If you love working out, you could set up your renovated garage with a couple of gym equipment and spend some minutes there working out daily.

Guest Room

If your renovated garage is now well-insulated and pest-free, you may put a bed in there and have your overnight guests spend the night in the cozy space.

 

4 Benefits of Buying a Fixer-Upper

 

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Searching for a new home can be stressful. You want a place that's close to work, schools, and easy for your parents to visit when they want. But, it’s often tricky to tick all of these boxes, especially with newer homes or properties in up-and-coming areas. Still, you shouldn’t panic just yet, because there is another option. A fixer-upper could be a great way to get the home of your dreams, so consider why so many people are testing their skills by transforming an old house. 

A Cheaper Price 

No matter where you are in the world, buying a house seems unachievable for a generation of people wanting to settle down, get on the property ladder, and start a family. A fixer-upper could be the answer to this. With less competition, you won't need to pay as much as you would for a new property. 

Of course, there;’s a reason it’s so cheap. There could be extensive repair work inside, and you may need to pay more in the long run. However, if you have the skills and the patience (and are not in a hurry to move in right now) this may not matter. 

A Clean Slate 

With many homes opting for replicas of the one beside them, you may feel stuck into a specific home style, and while this can be convenient, it also may not work for you. You might have specific needs or ideas about how to transform your home to make it perfect, and a fixer-upper provides a clean slate to achieve this. 

This clean slate includes doors, floors, and even getting the windows in top condition and cleaned with guaranteed satisfaction to bring in plenty of light. With a fixer-upper, you can do whatever you want and design a house that is perfect for you. 

A Controlled Quality 

The clean slate also allows you to control the quality of everything, from materials to appliances to furniture and accessories that will make your new home cozy once you’re settled in. 

As you expect to do some work on the house yourself, you can look for the best deals and find specific fabrics, metals, and styles that suit you. You’re also not restricted by contracts with the builders, so you can find a company that works best for you and your budget. 

A Feeling of Accomplishment

Do not be under any illusion that fixing up your home will be a walk in the park. It will take plenty of hard work and stress. But, when you’re finished with your DIY adventure, you will feel something that people who buy their homes will never understand. 

A feeling of accomplishment will make all the sweat and long days so much more worth it, and that first night in your fully finished (and furnished) property could be the best night of your life so far. 

Fixed Up 

Buying a fixer-upper can be a significant risk, but it can also be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made. If you have the time, patience, and skills, your project could be the start of something special. So, while it may not look good right now, imagine how this will change once your journey is complete.

DIY Tips for Protecting Crawl Spaces from Pests

 DIY Tips for Protecting Crawl Spaces from Pests

Crawl spaces are an important component of homes, and they can have a direct impact on your energy efficiency, air quality, and many other things. One common problem with crawl spaces is that pests are often able to find a way to get into them. This presents a variety of problems, necessitating the need to keep these critters out. Continue reading to learn some DIY tips for protecting your crawl space from pests.

Problems Pests Cause

You might be wondering what kind of problems pests can cause if they are in your crawl space. One of the most serious problems that pests can cause when they get into crawl spaces is that they can decrease your energy efficiency by creating holes, allowing heat and cold to come in under your home. Another problem caused by pests is that if there is any wiring or structural materials in your crawlspace, they are able to chew through these things, potentially causing fires or damage. Perhaps the most serious problem is that many HVAC systems get their air supply from the crawl space. If you have pests down there, they will be leaving their disease-laden feces all over. In addition, if a pest dies down there, they will decompose. This means you and your family are breathing in the diseases and stench of pests. For these reasons, it is very important to keep pests out of your crawl space. If you are unsure if there are pests in your crawl space but see signs like your energy bill increasing, call a pest control company to safely inspect the area.

Clean Your Yard

One of the best ways to keep pests away from your crawl space is to diminish the attractiveness of your yard in the first place. Most crawl space invasions only occur because the pest was initially attracted to the yard. Start by cleaning up any tall grass or weeds around your property. Clean up any wood piles or other accumulations of debris. Finally, keep any pet food, garbage, and fruit from fruit trees cleaned up, as these are all serious attractants.

Seal It Up

This piece of advice is applicable to every pest-related scenario. If you are trying to keep pests out of an area, the best way to keep them out is to ensure that they do not have easy access into the area. When it comes to keeping your crawl space sealed, one of the first things you have to do is inspect your crawl space. Visit pestcontrolanimal.com to learn about animals’ potential entry points. If you find any problems, repair them using whatever material you prefer to use. Many people will use all-weather sealant, aluminum sheeting, or other repair materials. Once you have the crawl space sealed off, you can be less worried about pests making their way in.

Prevent Digging

One common problem that occurs with pests getting into crawl spaces is that they will dig their way into it. This makes it hard to prevent, as you can seal up your crawl space and still have rodents and other animals dig their way in. One way that you can keep animals from digging is to install slabs of metal around the perimeter of your crawl space that extend into the ground a certain depth. This can deter many common digging pests.

 Set Traps

While this is the type of thing you hope does not ever have to work, this can be a great way to keep an infestation from  occurring. If you set different traps in your crawl space, you will be much more likely to immediately take care of the pests when they get in. Setting a few rodent traps is smart. Glue traps are actually a homeowners best friend here, as they are capable of catching all kinds of crawl space invaders, such as snakes, mice, rats, insects, and many more. This is a great and affordable preventive step that can save you from having a serious infestation.

Hire a Pro

One of the smartest things you can do to prevent pests from getting into your crawl space is to hire a professional pest control company, such as District Wildlife Solutions. These companies have years of experience in not only removing pests from homes, but in preventing them from getting into homes and crawl spaces in the first place. In addition, these companies generally offer many other pest-related services, such as attic and crawl space restoration, cleanup and sanitation, and many more.

Home Remedies to Keep Wildlife Out of Your Garden

 

When you have spent a lot of hard work, time, and money on creating a beautiful flower garden or a bountiful vegetable and fruit garden, nothing is more irritating than watching wildlife eat and destroy your plants. Doubtless, you want to figure out some ways to prevent this from happening anymore. Continue reading to learn about some home remedies to keep wildlife out of your garden.

Herb Plants

This is a great home remedy to keep certain animals out of your garden, as it uses plants that you can eventually use to cook with! One of the most useful plants to repel certain animals, such as moles, deer, and rabbits are chives. Mice and rats hate lavender (not an herb, but a plant nonetheless). Garlic, spearmint, sage, and rosemary are useful to keep ants, rabbits, deer, and many other animals away. Absinthium is also a great plant to deter many different species of small garden destroyers. The best way to utilize these plants is to place them around the perimeter of your garden, barring access to the plants these animals do want to eat.

Pets

If you have an outdoor cat or an outdoor dog, you might have a perfect garden protector already! If you start incentivizing a pet to stay over by your garden during the day and at night, they will likely be a very thorough protector, keeping most wildlife away from your plants. While they will not be able to do anything about insects, they can prevent most small animals and deer from feasting on your plants. 

Homemade Repellents

Most of the pests that ravage gardens hate certain mixtures of substances. One of the easiest all-purpose repellents to make is one that uses chili powder (or chili peppers) mixed with water or vinegar. This solution can then be sprayed around the perimeter of your garden, and should be effective at deterring rats, mice, moles, deer, rabbits, and most other pests you may encounter. Another versatile mixture is one that includes lemon juice mixed with water or vinegar. Use this solution just like the chili mixture, and you should have excellent results! One issue with this type of homemade repellent is that it will have to be applied fairly often, particularly after a rain. If you would rather get professional experience on your side, look into Gray Brothers Wildlife LLC, as these experts will be able to take care of your animal problem, and help you prevent the problem from happening in the future.

Decoys

While these may not work perfectly, a visual deterrent, such as a decoy, can often keep certain pests from ravaging your garden. One of the best, most versatile decoys to use would be an owl. Owls can scare many different pests away. In particular, mice, rats, voles, moles, squirrels, rabbits, and other small critters will definitely be more cautious if they see an owl. It also provides a deterrent for smaller birds that might be trying to eat your plants as well. Another good decoy would be a coyote, as this would keep small critters away, as well as deer and birds. 

Fences

While unsightly, putting in a fence can be a great idea, depending on the type of pests that are ruining your garden. In some cases, a fence might not protect your garden that well. If you are primarily having problems with rabbits, squirrels, birds, or deer, a fence could be an excellent addition to your garden’s defenses. If, however, you are dealing primarily with threats from rodents, they will very easily be able to dig or squeeze through the fence. If you insist on building a fence, a great way to do this is by using chicken wire with a small hole pattern. This allows plants to have access to water and sunlight, but prevents most creatures from getting access. Be sure to put some fencing above the plants as well, as this will keep squirrels, birds, and deer from getting your plants. 

Removal

If these home remedies do not seem to be working, it may be time to consider the wildlife removal process. You have two options: DIY or hiring a professional wildlife removal company. To learn about the specifics of the DIY process, visit pestcontrolanimal.com to learn about DIY methods for animal removal.