Smart Living

Get practical advice and inspiration on organizing, home décor, lifestyle and personal finance for everyday living.

How To Make Your Kitchen Smarter: From Smart Appliances To Smart Organizing Tips

Smart technologies became an integral part of all aspects of our lives, helping us with everything, from working and entertainment to the more mundane tasks of cleaning and cooking. Smart kitchen appliances save us a lot of time and effort – your food cooks itself while you’re working, relaxing or even away from home, and your fridge makes shopping lists and places orders online.

Top 10 Local Resources For Interior Design In Jacksonville

With its year-round perfect weather, the over 20 miles of beaches, solid job market,  a flourishing music and arts scene and access plenty of family-oriented activities, Jacksonville, Florida, is definitely a great place to live. If you’re one of the city’s lucky residents – or if you’re planning to move to the area – you might need help to remodel and decorate your dream home here.

man installing roof insulation

5 Home Improvement Upgrades To Save Energy

A homeowner should get home improvements that save the most money on energy costs. Home improvements can also increase the value of a home with the right upgrades. Here are some of the home upgrades every homeowner should consider.

gardening tools

How To Organize Your Lawn Tools In Time For Summer

Maintaining your lawn helps to increase your home’s curb appeal. This project comes with lots of different tools. In the winter, you may want to store them away, and keeping them organized can make landscaping easier. Here are some tips for sorting out your tools in time for summer.

How To Find A Fixer Upper In Austin And Make The Most Of It

Austin’s real estate market is on an upward trend, fueled by economic growth and low interest rates. Big corporations like Google, Tesla and Oracle are moving operations to the city, creating a steady influx of high paying jobs. This, in return, leads to numerous corporate relocations, on one hand, and to an increased inbound migration from professionals looking for better job. Mortgage interest rates are also at historic lows: the 30-year fixed rate is around 3%, while the 15-year rate is slightly above 2%. Thus, it’s not surprising that home sales are booming in Austin: the median sales price rose almost 42% year-over-year this April, to an all-time high of $460.000.

Bedroom Décor Ideas: How To Add The Wow Factor Without Hurting Coziness

The bedroom is the space in your home where you spend most of your time–granted, a lot of that time is spent sleeping, but also relaxing, reading, and preparing for your day. Your bedroom needs to be airy and uncluttered, well organized, but also cozy, to facilitate all these different needs: relaxation, a good night’s sleep and getting ready in the morning.

Home Improvement 101: Five Must-Have Tools

If you own a house, you’re well aware of how costly maintenance and renovations can be when hiring a professional. Though there will be times when it would be necessary to get professional help, such as when running wiring, however, on the other hand, there are many jobs that you can complete on your own to get satisfaction and obviously to save money.

relaxing rooftop deck of an apartment building

Gilbert And Chandler In AZ And Irvine In CA Stand Out As Best Renter Hubs For Lifestyle Amenities

Key takeaways:

Multi-purpose Homes: How To Create A Living Space That Serves As An Office, Playground, Gym and More

The way we use our homes and the roles that a house must fulfill change over time, as society itself changes. Those changes are usually subtle, and it takes plenty of time until new trends become generalized. For example, we now live in much larger houses than in the past, but this shift in housing size happened over decades – in 2019, the median size of a newly built home was over 2,300 square feet, according to the US Census, almost 1,000 square feet more than the median home in 1973.

5 Stylish And Sustainable Home Renovation Projects

The housing market has seen significant traffic during the pandemic with more and more people investing in homes. While purchasing and renovating a home, it is important to remember your responsibility to the planet. Climate change is a major issue facing our globe today. Luckily, there are many ways you can live an eco-friendly life, even at home. When renovating your new or old home, consider projects that are not only stylish and fun but also sustainable and eco-friendly. There are many projects you can do using eco-friendly materials so that you don’t have to sacrifice your style for the environment and vice versa. Start renovating your home today in a way that is both stylish and sustainable by considering the five ideas below.

Should I Fix Up My Home Or Try To Sell It As Is?

An eternal real estate market question is whether it’s worth renovating your property before you try to sell it, or is it unnecessary to spend that money? According to the experts, a pre-sale renovation may pay off; however, due to higher and higher construction costs, the renovation might be pricey. At the same time, the question for buyers is whether it pays to buy a renovated home or is it better to renovate a cheaper property that could become a dream home?

Setting Up A Kids Playroom At Home (Plus Some Great Toy Storage Ideas)

Children are often at the center of attention when organizing space at home, and many parents think about setting up a playroom. Kids generally need a fun and versatile space where they can play, keep their toys, be active, develop their skills and imagination, and also have a cozy spot to relax. Naturally, school-aged children also need a dedicated space for reading and doing homework. Fitting all this into a home or apartment is challenging, but with careful planning, effective storage solutions, and a bit of inspiration, you can create the perfect playroom to nurture your child’s creativity and well-being.