When I first presented this idea to some guy friends, they laughed. The response I got was, "why - she already has the whole house to be hers!" While that's true that generally your wife is in control of how things are organized, decorated, and even scented for most of your home - that doesn't mean it is truly a space for HER. Most women... especially those who work from home or are stay-at-home moms certainly don't look at the home as a place where she can relax and enjoy life. While she might organize the kitchen in a certain way... it's often simply so she can get her job done easier.

You have your home and outdoor kitchen, what's next when it comes to building your perfect outdoor space? For some it might be a pool and others it might be a putting green, but what about a home basketball court instead? Sure, you can throw a hoop up on your garage but that risks hitting cars and potentially uneven surfaces that aren't designed for the game. Let's take a look at how you can take the game to the next level by adding a real basketball court to your home!

When most people think of smart home technology, it’s just about convenience. Sure, they might have cameras to monitor intruders or movement from kids and pets, but monitoring isn’t security. I had the chance to install the new, Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt recently and I’m impressed. It does everything that a smart device should – easy to use, perfectly integrated with the existing ecosystem, full of features, plus it is both great-looking and built strong enough to do what it was designed for – keeping your family safe.

No matter what happens tonight (or tomorrow or next week... or even next month), one thing is certain right now... uncertainty. I'm in a lot of different "prepper groups" and the one thing that shocked me is how many people are just regular ordinary folks like you and me. We see images in movies of the radical right-wing extremists building bunkers under their homes filled with guns and ammo, but practical prepping is far more important. It starts simply with having a plan of what you need to do to keep your family safe and what obstacles you plan to prepare to survive. Let's take a look at some key items that you will need to prepare for what might come next.

Spray painting uPVC windows is the most efficient way to give your house more curb appeal, and it also provides the best finish because there are no brush marks or obvious brush stroke in the finished uPVC window frames once painted.

While the world is becoming more progressive, gender roles are becoming more fuzzy. There’s nothing wrong with this, but societal norms and expectations are changing to where it’s becoming more challenging to know and understand basic skills that people would know generations ago. 

Are you scratching your head over what is the best power tools brand? You're not alone. Picking the right tools can be tough with so many options out there. In 2024,  Milwaukee tops the charts  as the  go-to brand for pros and DIY enthusiasts  alike.

Generally when we hear the unfortunate news that someone’s house caught on fire, immediately we think of possible causes.  The typical culprits are usually something like faulty wiring, leaving a curling iron on, a cigarette accidentally caught the house on fire, or the owners left the house but forgot to turn off the stove.  The one we rarely ever think about is that the dryer vent was clogged and caught on fire.

When we think about creating a more sustainable future, the first things that come to mind are solar panels and electric cars. However, many people don't realize that there are other things you can do in your home to make your life greener and less wasteful. One way to do this is by installing smart thermostats and energy monitoring sensors in the home. This blog post will discuss why these devices are important for a more sustainable future and what parts of your home can be made more efficient by investing in these sensors.

If you’re inviting anyone into your home, no matter the purpose behind the invitation, you hope that this person will be trustworthy. Inviting someone into your home is an act of trust in itself, even if it’s as simple as having your internet modem installed. Many people consider that construction workers or perhaps repairmen are simply coming into fix something, but to have your cherished home worked on is quite an intimate activity. You trust the handyman to complete the job, to respect your space, and to do so in a manner that rectifies the issue instead of creating new ones.

Renovations can be tough, and kitchen renovations doubly, so, after all, you have all those built-in cabinets, plumbing, and power points to worry about. Luckily, there are a few tactics you can use to make doing up your kitchen space a little less stressful. Keep reading to find out what they are.

Like most of you, I'm on a mission to improve my quality of life - that means paying attention to self care and personal health but the environment around you is just as important. Enter the Airthings View Plus. This air quality monitor tracks radon, PM 2.5, CO2, temperature, and VOCs. It's easy to install and syncs with your smart home system and the Airthings app can keep tabs on trends and get tips for healthier indoor air. What I like about it most is that it is by far the most "complete" indoor air quality monitor that we've tested this year.

Damp is a common problem in North American as well as UK homes, with approximately 1 in 5 houses being affected. However, it is much more common in areas with older housing stock and sometimes it can be hard to know whether a house really does have damp problems or if it is something else. There are some surefire signs of damp that you can check for and there are steps that you can take to damp proof your home to prevent it from getting damaged. Let's take a look.

Pooping and toilet culture in general isn't something normally talked about with men but over the past few years I've noticed that aside from "potty humor" jokes... whenever I'm on a press trip where the hotel rooms feature a bidet - guys talk about it. Until this year though, I didn't realize exactly how affordable and easy to install they could be though - and now I have two different models that I've installed at home and have even gone as far as adding an outlet to our new studio bathroom - just to avoid having to use an extension cord to plug it into an outlet by the sink. 

While these two different models offer slightly different experiences, suffice to say - I'm hooked... and so is my wife and more importantly, the model we've installed at Jim's house is helping my Father-in-law keep clean easier so that he can stay healthy, comfortable, and avoid infections!

Garages are wonderful things. So much so that they’re a non-negotiable addition on many a home buyer’s list. Not only do they provide private protected parking, but they also give you the option to expand your living space or even just simply store "stuff". In an age where we’re growing out of our homes like there’s no tomorrow, that’s a sure plus. Unfortunately for those of you who might be looking at that space out back that hasn't been used in ages... watch out! There may be some unexpected surprises waiting for you in there...

I've been a fan of TruFuel for a while now - frankly speaking, it's convenient and less messy than having to mix petrol and oil to make it the right formula for my 2-stroke engine power tools. That was enough for me, I'm generally pretty happy just that something saves me time and energy. What about that third selling point though, the fact that it contains no ethanol. Why is ethanol bad though and how does it actually hurt your engine? Let's take a look...

At one point or another, you’ve likely had an issue with your roof. Whether it’s a leaky roof or a roof full of moss, you’ll have had problems. The traditional solution for a leaky roof when you’re young is a bucket collecting all the water, but as you grow up, you begin to understand this might not be the smartest course of action. 

Lockdowns and restrictions due to the Coronavirus pandemic have meant that many of us have decided to try our hand at doing the tasks that we used to call out the professionals for, whether that is decorating, home maintenance or building furniture. Now is not the time to try anything too drastic - the last thing you want to do is end up knocking a wall out and the rest of the house coming down with it, or to unscrew that pipe and end up with a waterfall in your kitchen. However, there are definitely some tasks that even a DIY novice can have a go at. Let’s take a look at some of them here.

A large DIY project requires various steps, and missing just one can be a nightmare. Preparation is everything for a complex job that requires more than a hammer and a few nails. A full decor project or renovation needs planning and an emphasis on health and safety.

As a homeowner, you're probably familiar with the idea of an energy audit. But do you know what to expect from one? A home energy audit is like a checkup for your home's energy efficiency – and it can be an eye-opening experience! As Benjamin Franklin famously said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," and this couldn't be more true when it comes to maximizing your home's energy efficiency. An audit will provide invaluable information on how to make improvements that can save you money in the long run. So let's take a look at what homeowners should expect from a home energy audit.