Front Porch Design Ideas

An attractive front porch can add remarkable value to your home. It creates a lovely view of your neighborhood and gives your home a distinctive look. The design of your porch depends on your aesthetic preferences and the materials available in your area. The durability of the materials that you use is an important factor to consider, especially if you live in a constantly changing climate. Your porch should also be comfortable for you and for your whole family to enjoy.

Since the design of your front porch is like a huge welcome sign, it has to be well-planned. Think of your porch as an outdoor room. Combine garden decor with comfy seating and nice lighting. A plant lamp is perfect for the outdoors and can work with a potted plant or a hanging basket. Putting up a mirror outside your house can reflect the beautiful trees and flowers around you. Just make sure that it is secure enough to prevent wind from blowing it.

Think of the ages of the people in your home. If you have mostly older adults, you might consider adding bentwood rockers and relaxing hammocks. If you have teenagers, they love to bounce up from papa-san chairs and bean bag fixture.

Painting your decor is a great way to create a unified look for your front porch. Always remember to use high-quality spray paint and take time to wipe and clean everything thoroughly before coloring. By simply coordinating the colors of your front porch, you will be surprised by the transformation.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

Tips for Storing Breakables Inexpensively

Over time, as you look around your house, you notice that you begin to accumulate things.  Some of the things that seem to accumulate the most are extra cups, plates, and glasses that you buy on sale or purchase so you can be prepared for parties and unexpected guests.  Although you do need lots of dining essentials for large parties and holiday get-togethers, they can feel like clutter during your everyday life.  The space they take up is disproportionate to the frequency with which they’re used.

When you do not need your extra dining wear, the most practical way to keep them from taking up a ton of kitchen and storage space is to store them in a safe place that will protect them, yet allow them to be easily accessible in case you need them.

Below are some tips on how to store your home breakables effectively without spending a lot of money during the process:

• Use old newspapers to wrap your breakables. Make sure you have enough newspaper to cover the item entirely and provide a thick layer for added protection. Seal the papers with scotch tape or masking tape so they won’t fall apart easily.
• Store your kitchen breakables in a sturdy box. Store all similar items in one box, so you have a box for plates, a box for cups, etc. Just be sure that you choose a box that can support the weight.  Label the boxes so you can easily find something if you need it and make sure you seal everything well.
• Create a soft bed of padding before you begin packing the box. You can place used foam, thick bubble wrap, or several crumpled newspapers in the bottom to provide shock support for when boxes are moved.  Also, fill the top of the box after placing all your breakables, so they are protected in case the box falls or is stored sideways.
• Fill your cups, mugs, and glasses with crumpled paper as an added protection against breakage.
• Do not forget to label your boxes as FRAGILE. This will alert others to handle them with care in case you are not the one handling them.
• Avoid placing one box on top of another, as the weight of the other items on top can easily crush the items below. If space allows, avoid doing this.

 

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

How Does Home Moving Affect Children?

In all the hustle and bustle of a big move, parents can lose sight on what kind of impact such a large change has on their children. While a move across the country will have a bigger impact than a move across town, any kind of large change in their life is bound to effect them.

Possible Impact On Children

• Leaving Their Life Behind – For children, the thought of leaving behind what may be the only home they’ve known can be incredibly difficult. Even if a child has moved before, another move can still be seen as a major upheaval. Familiar locations such as a school or church will be left behind. More importantly, the many friends that your child may have cultivated will no longer be an integral part of your child’s life, and leaving behind all the familiarity of their old home can be very difficult to accept for a young one.
• An Unfamiliar Place – It may take some time for a new home to really sink in as “home” to a child. The sites and sounds will be different, they likely won’t know anyone, and they may experience feelings of loneliness and disconnect.
• Your Stress Is Their Stress – Children often mimic adult behavior, and if they see their parents becoming overly stressed due to all the details and difficulties inherent in a move like planning ahead, getting the house organized, and dealing with companies that provide moving services, they may begin to emulate that behavior.

What You Can Do To Help
Even the most well-adjusted child is going to go through some anxiety in a move. As a parent, there are some things you can do to help your child adjust to their new home and situation.

• Social Media – Thanks to services like Facebook, it is very easy to keep up with friends and family that live far away, which may help alleviate some of the disconnect your children may feel. Depending on your children’s age and maturity this may be a way to keep up with some of their friends. You can take advantage of other modes of communication such as phone calls or video chat to keep in touch with the people they left behind.
• Social Interaction – While you don’t want your kids to forget about their old friends, it is important to get them out into the community to make new ones. School is the most obvious way to do this, but there are other avenues to take as well. If you are a church going family, then various church functions provide a great way for your kids to meet other children. Communities often have programs that can get kids together like sports or library reading groups.
• Setting Up Their New Room – Kids need to establish a sense of identity and ownership in their new surroundings, and letting them take charge in setting up their new room can help them establish some roots.
• Exploring the Town – A new location can be scary and unfamiliar to a child. Take some time to explore your town, either by walking around town or by visiting various shops and attractions in the area. The more your child learns about their new home, the more comfortable they should be living in it.

Above all else, you have to be there to listen to your child if they do have trouble adjusting to your move. Listen to what they say and offer an encouraging voice to help them through the transition. They depend on you to be their point of stability through everything, so don’t let them down!

Original article sourced from: http://blog.sensoryedge.com/2011/04/moving-will-it-affect-your-children.html

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com