5 Tips To Prepare Your Home For the Summer Travel Season

(BPT) – According to AAA Travel, nearly 100 million Americans – four in 10 U.S. adults – are planning to take a family vacation in 2019, with two-thirds of all families embarking on a summer getaway. As families across the country take time off to travel and spend quality time together, the last thing they want to worry about is if their homes and belongings will be the victim of theft or break-ins. Luckily, there are several ways that can help summer travelers keep their homes safe – even from miles away.

From alternative delivery options to light timers, here are five tips that will keep you stress-free and your home safe during upcoming summer vacations:

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4 Ways To Add Value To Your Home

(BPT) – When it comes to your home, you want updates that make your property more comfortable, beautiful and of course, valuable. Whether you have a big budget or more elbow grease than cash to invest, there are numerous things you can do to improve your home’s worth immediately.

Here are three small things you can do to boost your home’s value, plus one big one that will really make an impact.

Small change #1 – Fresh paint

Paint is one of the most affordable ways to bring dramatic change to a room. Adding a fresh hue will instantly update the entire feeling of a space while also making it look more stylish and clean. Neutrals – like tan, gray or greige (gray and beige) – are always a good choice, but don’t fear a bolder color. Not sure? Consider painting neutrals on three walls and using the fourth as a focal wall that features a bolder color choice.

For walls, start by patching and sanding any holes so you get a smooth finish. Use painter’s tape to protect molding and ceilings and help you get a clean line when finished. Drop cloths will protect flooring and furniture. Taking time to properly prep helps ensure you get professional-level results that look great and last a long time.

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How To Add a Bathroom In the Basement Or Garage

(BPT) – It’s home improvement season, which means you’re probably dreaming of enhancements to make your space more livable and to enhance property value. Adding a bathroom is a great way to do both, but for many people, concrete poses a potential problem.

Want to add a bathroom to your garage? How about in the basement? A bathroom addition means you need proper plumbing, and often in these types of spaces none exists. You have a cold concrete slab and a bit of a dilemma: Do you give up on your bathroom dreams or cut through the concrete to put in the conventional below-floor drainage and piping necessary for a bathroom?

Cutting through concrete is not to be taken lightly. Before you hire a contractor or rent a jackhammer and concrete saw, remember these red flags.

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4 Home Upgrades, Suitable For the Whole Family

(BPT) – With a bustling household and busy family schedules, updates to the home are often a low priority compared to time spent with loved ones. Consider four home improvement ideas fit for the entire family, which require little time commitment and deliver long-lasting benefits.

Pick paint colors that age well.

Paint can dramatically transform a space, so when you choose a color, pay attention to tones that age well. While kids are drawn to bright hues, reach for colors that are soft on the eyes. Choose colors that work in harmony, like whites and blushes; charcoals and blues; and sages and taupes. To maximize wall space, consider chalkboard paint for calendars, to-do lists and a creative outlet for kids to draw. With the proper equipment – plenty of painters’ tape, goggles and mask filters – painting can involve the whole family.

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