Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Along with tidying up your yard from the falling leaves, you also have to keep a close watch on your gutters. When leaves, twigs and other debris get trapped in your gutters, it prevents the rainwater from flowing through the downspouts. As a result, standing water sits and harbors bacteria and other viruses including West Nile, which poses a health risk. Also, a build up of debris in your gutters can welcome unwanted guests.

This Mesh Gutter Leaf Guard from Improvements allows rain and melted snow to flow through your gutters, but it keeps out large debris. It’s designed to fit most gutters, and it’s constructed from a durable material that won’t sag.

Installing leaf guards in your gutters will prevent you from hiring a pricey professional to do the cleaning every year.

Slushies are delicious any time of year, but particularly in the summertime. These cool, icy drinks are often over priced at festivals and beach side stands, but you can create your own at home with your favorite juices.

The Retro Slush Maker from PrezzyBox.com is currently out of stock until November 20, but you can pre-order yours now. This slush maker has a retro inspired design, and it’s meant to look like an appliance from a 1950s kitchen or diner. This appliance features an easy pour spout, red exterior and easy cleaning parts.

You can buy syrup for the machine or simply use fruit juice in your refrigerator. It’s a great way to keep cool during the summer, and the device is easy to use.

Maintaining your yard during the changing seasons can be an extra chore you don’t have much time for. However, it’s important to clean up those sticks and leaves so your lawn can breathe and come back stronger next year.

One way to make that hard work easier is to have a convenient wheelbarrow by your side. With a Folding Wheelbarrow you can rake yard debris right into the wheelbarrow. This design has a non-slip rubber handle, and it’s less bulky for storage too. It measures 61” L x 34” W x 9” D. The sturdy black powder coated frame is durable and tough.

In addition, to using this wheelbarrow for collecting yard waste and clippings, you can also transport the gear and tools you need for gardening.

Along with the couch, coffee tables are the heart of the living room. Without them, you have no place to set your food, magazines, drink, remote control, books, etc. Since it’s such an important part of the room, you need to put some thought into which design you choose.

One way to streamline your living room is to choose a glass table with minimal accents and sleek lines. The Liatrop Coffee Table from IKEA is a great example. It features a classic glass top and a separate shelf for storing all of your goodies.

The table measures 46.5” L x 20.75” W x 19.625” H. You can further organize your living room coffee table by placing trays on top of the glass to keep drinks, remote controls and other loose items together.

There are probably estate sales, auctions and tag sales happening near you every week, but do you know about them? While you might think these events are hard to track down, one website brings a list of these happenings straight to your inbox every single week.<p

By signing up at EstateSales.net, you can receive e-mail notifications every week or even the day before sales start. All you have to do is go to the site and provide your email address and zip code.

Now if you’re looking for a particular item, you can use the Sale Sleuth and type in the exact item you have on your watch list. Then the site will track down the item and send it right to your email. It will even provide you with a picture if that information is available. Now finding the sales is more convenient than ever!

Disposable dinnerware is piling up in landfills along with the rest of our waste, but sometimes those one use plates and cups are desirable. Who wants to wash several loads of dishes after a busy surprise party? Who wants to risk guests breaking your good China? Fortunately, there is a green alternative.

VerTerra dinnerware is the answer for backyard barbecues, dinner parties and picnics. This collection is 100% biodegradable and compostable, and even though this it’s eco-friendly, you can still microwave it, put it in the oven and refrigerate it. You can purchase an eight pack of plates, bowls and trays inexpensively.

Believe it or not, these dinnerware products are made from fallen leaves and water, which makes them non-toxic and lightweight.

What is the one thing you keep readily available in your junk drawer? Probably a pair of good scissors, right? Scissors definitely come in handy. You might need them to open a package you received in the mail, and there are many reasons for having a pair in the kitchen for cooking and crafts.

But do you have “the world’s smartest scissors?” Smart Sizzors are multi-functional. They have hardened, razor-sharp blades, and they can easily cut touch materials as well as open beer bottles, strip wire and crush food. Of course, you can use them for traditional purposes like cutting paper and making crafts.

Because these scissors are so powerful, it’s important to store them in a place where children can’t reach or use them. These steel scissors have a serrated edge and can even cut through a chicken bone!

End tables are functional in the living room, because it provides another space for you to put drinks, plates, electronics, decorations, etc.

However, many end table designs don’t come with storage. Instead they are simple table tops with only enough room for a lamp.

The Espresso Pyramid Trunk End Table is for those who want more function and convenience from their end tables. This model has a table top as well as a trunk, so you can place items on top and inside.

This trunk/end table has an espresso stain finish, black metal hardware and pine veneer. It measures 20” W x 20” D x 23.75” H. With this model, you can have extra pillows, blankets and family pictures all within reach from the couch or chair.

Believe it or not but that loose change in the couch adds up fast. You probably come across quarters, nickels, dimes and pennies while you’re cleaning and doing laundry. Instead of throwing the money in a drawer, it’s best to put it in a money machine.

The Money Machine 2 is an automatic counting bank that organizes the change into neat stacks. Then when you’re ready to deposit the money into the bank, you can easily transfer it into those paper money rolls. The extra cash also comes in handy if you have to pay the meters to park for work or school.

In order to retrieve your money from the machine, simply unlock the tray. The digital display keeps a running tab of your total. This device requires two AA batteries.

Are you constantly trying to get your room to a comfortable temperature? If you’re finding that you need more warmth, you might want to consider a supplemental heat source called radiant heating.

The Empire 10,000 BTU LP Hearthrite Radiant Manual is a vent-free system that has a 99.9% efficiency rating. These types of systems use the air in the room to create a clean burning blue-flame combustion. Since the model is equipped with an Oxygen Depletion Sensor, the device turns off if the room has an unsafe level of oxygen.

This heater can be mounted on the floor or wall, and it doesn’t need electricity. Also, it can be controlled manually or hydraulically. If you need more heat in a certain room, this supplemental heat option might be the right choice.