HomeKeepr Blog

With more people staying at home and avoiding crowds, a lot of homeowners are turning to home prepping as a way to cut back on trips to the store and avoid shortages. Unfortunately, many people find themselves overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what to stock up on. And once the pantry is fully stocked and prepped, maintaining it, and finding what you need among all the other things, can be difficult. Organization is a key part of successful prepping, so if you want to have an effective pantry, here are a few organizational tips to keep in mind.

Having a pet, no matter how old, is a lot like having a toddler around. You’re constantly having to make sure it’s not going to put itself in harm’s way by doing something unexpected, like chewing a cord, vaulting off the furniture like a circus performer or eating a poisonous houseplant. Saving your dog or cat from your houseplants isn’t always easy, but it sure helps if you know which plants are safest in a household with pets. Fortunately, most of the plants that are safe for dogs are also safe for cats, which can make life a little less complicated if you have both.

When you think of your home, the last thing you probably imagine is that it can breathe. Well, maybe not literally breathe, but it does have a way of moving air in and out, whether you like it or not. One of the most important, and intentional, places for this to happen is in your attic. Attic ventilation is key to exceptional climate control in your home. This may seem a bit counter-intuitive; wouldn’t you want to keep all the warm air trapped up there when it’s cold?

As a part of maintaining good social distance, many people are limiting who they bring into their homes. But this can lead to a bit of anxiety when you need to bring in some extra help to do jobs around the house. Plumbers, electricians and other contractors can’t do their jobs without access to your home’s internal space, but is it safe to bring workers inside when they also have to visit other homes and businesses as a part of their job?

One of the best things about owning your own home is how much you can do to make it your own. Although big jobs like laying tile and building decks might be more than you’re ready for, a simple and easy way to make a big change to the atmosphere of a place is to give it a paint job.

In uncertain times, it can be easy to sit back and worry your time away hoping things will work out eventually. Although worrying will absolutely give you something to do, it won’t get you anywhere. So if you’ve been wanting to buy a home or refinance this year, don’t discount the possibility just because your income may have dropped. It’s true that qualifying for a mortgage is getting trickier for many potential borrowers, but you still have plenty of options and opportunities for a home loan.

There are a lot of reasons that you might want a shed on your property. Maybe you just want some extra storage space. Maybe you need a place to put your mower and gardening tools to keep them out of the weather. You might even want a shed to create a home office or other workspace that won’t require you to rearrange your entire home. Regardless of the reason you might want a shed, there are several options available for getting one.

A home is supposed to be a sanctuary, a place where you escape the chaos of everyday life. But sometimes those sacred spaces get pretty chaotic almost on their own. Maybe it’s clutter that’s overtaking your space, or maybe it’s something far worse: room colors that fail to harmonize. Repainting can be a big job, but if you go in with a plan you can create the home you’ve always wanted.

Buying a home is a big deal, especially for those who have had credit problems in the past. The most common way to buy a home is with a mortgage loan, which requires both a credit score that the lender finds acceptable and enough cash on hand for a down payment (and usually some other costs). For some, this can be a barrier to home ownership because they either have previous credit problems or are unable to get the cash together to cover down payments and other costs. Fortunately, there are some alternatives available.