Sometimes you can try to clean the entire house and still find that it does not smell as good as you’d like. If this has happened to you, worry no more.  Here are some tips to help make your home smell fresh.

Try odor neutralizing agents to make your home smell fresh

There are some out of the ordinary odor neutralizers available today. An example is soda which has an incredible ability to absorb all sorts of odors.

Just put a small container of a little soda and a few drops of lemon juice in different corners of your home. Of course, be careful that they are out of reach for children.

Charcoal is another good option. It is very effective when it comes to neutralizing strong odors especially in places where there is a lot of moisture. To be effective, make sure to replace it with fresh coal often.

Water and white vinegar

To get rid of cooking odor, mix equal parts water and white vinegar into a bowl.

Then add some aromatic herbs or citrus peel. Leave it in the kitchen so it absorbs odors while cooking. This is also a good remedy for tobacco smoke and you can use it in any room.

Get your home to smell fresh

You should try using a home-made air purifier. All you have to do is add 15 drops of lavender or lemon oil to a spray bottle filled with water and shake to mix the ingredients well.

You can use this preparation to refresh any corner of your house. Homemade air fresheners are a good option to place near windows because the airflow will circulate in the room and improve the smell.

Flowers, a natural choice

Gardenia, geraniums and orchids can all be great floral choices to make your home smell better. Jasmine flowers are also very fragrant. Place them in a container of water to release their strong fragrance.

Try air cleaners at home

An air cleaner is one of the best ways to eliminate all sorts of odors and pollutants, such as viruses and bacteria. They are especially useful if you have pets because they will help keep your home clean and fragrant.

You can try natural vanilla flavor. Just add a few drops of vanilla to a cotton ball near the filter once every 6 hours.

• A homemade pine air freshener is another option. To do this, cook three pine branches, two laurel leaves and a mushroom seed. To maintain the aroma longer you should keep it at low heat.
• Orange air refresher: To make an orange air freshener, cut an orange open, scrape out the inside and fill it with coarse salt. Place this in a tight container and you will have a fantastic homemade air freshener.
• Rosemary Air Freshener: To make this kind of air freshener, cook some rosemary leaves and lemon slices for one hour. Then add a few drops of vanilla extract to get a fresh scent which will last a few days.
• Dried Flower Air Refresh: This air freshener consists of chopped rose petals, laurel leaves, eucalyptus, thyme and sage. You mix everything well and add them to bags. If you find that they lose their smell, just add a few drops of alcohol.

Do not forget to ventilate your home to make the house smell fresh

One of the key things you should not forget is ventilation. Try to vent out your home every morning. This is an important and simple step to take.

All you have to do is spend 10 minutes to refresh the air and remove any bad odors that are left.

Make sure you have a good flow of air to have the desired effect.

Wooden pallets are convenient and often free sources of wood used. Many hardware stores and lumber stores routinely pull large amounts of wooden pallets, which can be reused in a variety of ways. The platforms are durable and usable for many types of furniture, including kitchen shelves. The dimensions of a wooden pallet made for a kitchen shelf ideal for an open-display to hold spices and cookbooks. You can easily make your own kitchen shelves with wooden pallets in an afternoon.

Instructions

1. Lay the platform so that the side with the slats is facing up. This side will become the back of the kitchen shelves.
2. Slot two D ring hangers to an edge of the platform, along one of the short sides (the edge becomes the top of the platform, so that the rack wall hanging as a rectangle). Drill hooks in the platform with a drill fitted with a Phillips head bit, using the screws that come with the D rings. Place each D ring in two inches from the outer edge of the platform.
3. Flip the platform over. Balance it against the wall with the D-rings along the wall and at the top of the palette. There should be nine shelf openings in the front of the platform, between the four vertical and four horizontal slats.
4. Set a cordless drill with a 1/32 inch drill bit and drill two holes in the bottom edge of each of the ninth slat. Space the holes evenly between adjacent vertical slats. These holes will prevent the wood from splitting when you drive the nails on the shelves.
5. Drive a common 3-inch nail into each predrilled hole. Make the nails vertical and lead them to the bottom of each shelf. Hold your nails or other objects into place on each shelf opening when the platform is installed.

When you live in a small house or apartment, you have to find creative ways to store items, all while maintaining a clean and tidy home. No need to spend a small fortune on specific items to store your belongings. A little imagination and creativity can make the difference between a room that offers plenty of storage space and is completely organized.

Tables

Use extra floor space under the tables of your home. You can stack boxes, books or any other object that fits under your tables. Purchase attractive and decorative fabrics and glue with hot glue to your tables to form a valance. Your guests will not realize that these attractive tables have a dual purpose, of course, unless you tell them.

Furniture

Buy furniture containing drawers and doors dedicated to storage. Entertainment centers, bookcases and all those large pieces of furniture should include drawers or shelves for your storage needs. Furniture with doors ensures that your items will be well kept. Buy at your local discount stores and garage sales for deals on furniture.

Book stand

The shelves are wonderful solutions for small rooms. Purchase and install shelves for all your small rooms. Place shelves on windows, behind cabinet doors or cover an entire wall with shelves. Place your objects on shelves in an orderly fashion to ensure you have an ordered environment in your room.

Beds

Under your bed there is a fair amount of floor space that isn’t typically used. Use this space to store objects. Manufacturers have created a variety of containers specifically created for the purpose of going under a bed. Shoes, sweaters and quilts can fit smoothly under the bed. For added storage benefits, raise your bed frame up and add a long skirt. The skirt will hide all stored objects under your bed.

Cupboards

The cabinets have the extra space that is rarely used. Move small pieces of furniture, such as a cabinet, inside your closet. Paste hooks to the walls of your closet and the inside of the door for hanging belts, ties and lingerie items. Save items you do not use on a daily basis for the upper shelves of your closet or in containers. When you’re considering a storage solution for your wardrobe, consider all the space you do not use and how you can use it.

When you see that paint on the ceiling has begun to flake off, you must act quickly to find the cause and remedy possible problems with the house. To restore the ceiling you must go through multiple steps, including the removal of old paint and restoration of the ceiling surface.

Check for moisture

Chipping paint usually indicate moisture problems running through the ceiling or high humidity in the house that produces condensation of water in the ceiling. You should check if there is moisture on the site where the paint is peeling off simply by placing the hand over the area where the paint has begun to come off. However, if you see mold growth, do not place your hand near it. If you see water seeping through the ceiling, check the pipes in the upstairs room to see if they’re leaking, if there is a room upstairs, or call a roofing company to find the cause of the damage.

Protect yourself

If your house was built before 1978, there is a possibility that the paint on your ceiling contains lead and can be toxic. For added security, it means that at least one layer of paint contains lead, if you live in an older house, wear clothes that cover arms, put on gloves, a face mask and safety glasses. If you see the presence of mold, protective clothing will also help protect your health.

Remove the loose paint

Before you can do something with the section of the ceiling where the paint is peeling, you must remove the old peeling paint. A spatula is a good way to remove the old paint without ruining the ceiling. Remove the loose paint in the area where it is peeling off, while still scraping ceiling around the painted parts until you find chipped paint firmly attached to the ceiling. If the flaking was the result of water damage, dry the ceiling with fans before proceeding.

Patches up the place

Having taken all the peeling paint off and drying the damp ceiling, patching is the next step. You have to use a patch to smooth into the plaster ceiling, where there are cracks or other surface damage. The patch also helps bring the ceiling level with the rest of the ceiling. It might be a good idea to apply several coats before the area where the paint is missing is level. Once the patch is completely dry, you can apply a primer to match the rest of the ceiling

Studies have shown that 70% of us have too little light in our home. At the same time, 40% of our total energy consumption goes to heating, ventilation and lighting in our homes.

Sunlight can get you in a better mood and make your home more welcoming while lightening your energy bill. In other words, there are many good reasons for creating more natural light in your home, so here are some good tips on how to easily improve existing light and create new light sources.

New windows and doors

Even smaller rooms can appear bright and large if there is a greater amount of natural light entering. Today, doors with large glass windows are available, which can create a welcoming entrance hall; The installation of French doors and with large windows are an easy way to create additional light and an easy expression.

Elsewhere in the home is also worth considering. Windows in the kitchen and dining room are good places to start, as well as staircases which are often darker areas where new windows will make a world of difference.

Additionally, a replacement of existing windows can do wonders. Older windows with worn thick glass can leave much to be desired when it comes to the use of sunlight. Modern windows have narrow arms and a slim profile that ensure that you get as much sunlight into your home as possible.

Interior

Finally, you can easily utilize and optimize the light that already comes into your home through reflectivity and light flow.

You can maximize the amount of light that is thrown back into your room by choosing bright colors on the ceiling, walls and floor. In addition, matte surfaces will often be preferable, reflecting the light in all directions, whereas shiny surfaces often cause the light to aperture.

In addition, sunlight can be blocked if furniture is placed in front of windows and doors. Bookshelves and room dividers should be placed in a 180 degree angle in the window wall, ie. on side walls if the window sits on an end wall. Also, remember that the light from the top of the window can reach the furthest into the area, so blinds or curtains should not block this part.

Useful tips and good ideas

Other ways to create more light – and give the impression of a brighter home – is by hanging up mirrors, painting in bright colors, or by choosing bright colors for wood floors or carpeting. In addition, cleaning the fixtures, light bulbs and windows makes the natural light better.