8 Great Improvements to Make to Your Garden

Make the most of your garden, and give yourself somewhere to relax and play, by making some simple improvements. There are lots of different things you can do, from planting trees for shade, erecting a pergola or even, if your budget allows, putting in a pool. Remember, with a pool, as well as the continual maintenance, there are additional expenses, such as a pool filter, plus the cost it's going to add to your water bill when you initially fill it.

Landscaping

It's not much of a garden if you don't have any plants. If you feel your garden is lacking something, or if you have just built a house on a vacant block, it is important to do something about the landscaping. With a brand new home it is a good idea to start putting in your garden as soon as you can so it gives it plenty of time to get established. You can hire a landscape designer, who will create a backyard haven for you, taking in to account your budget, the climate, the slope of your block and the style of your home. Otherwise you can do it yourself. There's plenty of advice out there, both online and in books.

Patio

Having a patio or veranda will give you somewhere to get out of the sun while you are in your garden, and a great place to relax. It is also a good idea to have a patio or veranda so that you can have your own outdoor entertainment area. Build or place your barbecue under the patio so that you can use it no matter what the weather, and also keep your outdoor furniture protected from the elements.

Vegetable garden

A vegetable garden will not only provide a splash of colour in your yard but it will also provide you with an almost endless supply of vegetables when the season is right. Start preparing your soil in winter, adding plenty of fertiliser to your soil, and just before spring you will be ready to plant a whole variety of vegetables. There is nothing quite like home grown vegetables, plus it will help save you some money on your weekly grocery bill.

Play area

Build a play area for your kids. It will encourage them to get outside and out from in front of the television. It will mean they get some fresh air and some all important exercise. You can build a cubby house, tree house, put in swings and other equipment, and even leave aside a garden plot for them to plant their own flowers or vegetables.

Paving

Create pathways through your garden by putting down paving. It is a good idea to have pathways to the areas that you use the most in your garden, such as a path to your clothesline or the garden shed. This will stop you from wearing a track through your lawn.

Pool

If you have the space and the budget then why not consider putting in a pool. Australia is a lucky country with a climate that lets pool owners get a lot of use out of their swimming pool, so it will be money well spent. A pool will not only help keep you cool this summer, it is also a good excuse to have friends over and it will increase the value of your property.

Outdoor kitchen

For the ultimate outdoor luxury you should put in an outdoor kitchen. As well as your barbecue you can put in a large bench space, with a weather proof bench top, a sink and even a bar fridge. If you entertain a lot it will make your life much easier.

Somewhere to relax

Importantly you should consider creating somewhere you can relax. Separate your garden into 'rooms', with an area for children to play, the entertainment area and then a quiet corner with a comfortable hammock or outdoor lounge for you to rest, read or even sleep.

Any improvements you make to your garden will not only increase the value of your property, but also increase your use and enjoyment of your garden.

When IS The Right Time To Buy Property?

Deciding to buy property is somewhat similar to deciding to have a baby. It can be a trying process, it’s scary, and people constantly offer you unsolicited advice. Of course, the other similarity is that there’s always that niggling doubt about whether or not it’s the ‘right’ time to jump in and do it. Sadly, we can’t tell you how to decide whether it’s the right time to have a baby, but we CAN share some tips on figuring out whether the time is right to make the leap into property ownership. Whether you’re looking for an investment property or a first home, the leap is a scary one, but there are a few Dos and Don’ts to live by.

Don’ts

Firstly, let’s start with what NOT to do when deciding if the time is right.

Don’t base your decision on newsletters sent to you by Real Estate agents, ‘investors’ you meet at dinner parties or articles in the paper. If you look long enough, you notice that day in and day out the papers report a different state of affairs in the property market, proclaiming one day that the property market in Australia is a bubble that is about to burst, and the next that we’re about to see prices rise even further. Basically, other people’s opinions are like baseball cards. They’re good to collect, but you need more than a few of them or at least a really special one for them to be worth much at all.

Don’t Let yourself be panicked into it. Things like the First Home Buyer’s Grant coming to a close or the market starting to rise are factors to consider to be sure, but they shouldn’t be factors that cause you to over-commit before you are ready. Think about it logically: are you prepared to go into possibly unmanageable debt simply to save $14,000 on the purchase price of the house?

Dos

Now for the things you SHOULD do when deciding if the time is right to buy.

Do your research. Watch properties over a period of time, and figure out exactly what it is you’re looking for. If you start looking before you know what you’re looking for you’re likely to be confused by everything out there on the market; first, make a list of all the things you want from a property, then go searching for options that fit your budget and wish list.

Do talk to a financial advisor and go through what you can and can’t afford, and where you want to be in five or ten years. Markets go up and down, property prices rise and fall, and if you’re in it for the long haul (which we recommend—property investment really only pays off if you hold onto the properties for a while) then the biggest factor in deciding whether it’s the right time has to be you. YOU need to decide if you can handle the commitment, and you need to decide if you’re ready.

At the end of the day, whether you’re buying an investment property in Sydney or a family home in Brisbane, there’s not such thing as ‘the right time to buy’, only the right time for YOU to buy.

How to Make Moving Home Easier

Moving home can be extremely stressful, because as well as having to pack up all your belongings, organise the removalists, cancel your accounts with your utility providers and change your address with a whole host of different organisations, you also have to continue going to work and going about your normal day to day life. Make sure that when you move your contents insurance is up to date so that when the removalists shift your furniture and belongings that they are covered against any accidental damage.

Hire a removalist

The easiest way to move, by far, is to hire a removalist and have them do all the work for you. A can have a removalist pack your belongings too, although this will cost you extra. The benefits of having them do this, however, is that they will pack things properly so they won't get broken or damaged and they will have the right sort of boxes and packing materials. It will also save you from doing the heavy lifting when it comes to shifting your furniture, and once again, you will avoid items being damaged because the removalists will load the truck in such a way that they will fit more on while avoiding ruining any of your furniture. They will also have a truck and can move everything in one trip and they will have the right things to pack and stabilise your furniture when it is in the truck.

Moving yourself made easy

There is no reason that you can't move your furniture and belongings yourself. You can either hire a small truck, which you can drive with a normal license, or organise all your friends with utes. Make sure you have plenty of blankets to protect furniture and if you are using a trailer everything needs to be tied down properly. It's not difficult to move furniture and your belongings yourself, you just need to have the time and it does help if you can get either friends or family to help. Make a weekend of it and once it's all done treat your helpers to a big feast of take away food as an impromptu house warming. It is unlikely you will feel like cooking so take away Chinese or Thai food, pizza or fish and chips is perfect.

Start packing early

You don't realise how many personal items you have until you start trying to collect boxes to pack it all up. Moving is also a good opportunity to have a big clean out, so anything that you haven't used or worn in over six months should either go to the op shop or you could have a garage sale. Rather than waiting until the day before the move and frantically trying to pack everything start a few weeks in advance and gradually pack a bit at a time. Pack up those things that you don't use often first and other things like books or the clothes you currently aren't wearing because it's the wrong season.

Detailed lists

It also helps to make detailed lists of everything you need to do before and after the move. This includes things like changing your address with your bank, on your drivers license and with all the other organisations you are with, and arranging for the utilities to be switched off in your old house and turned on in the new one.

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A Mud Volcano

Since the first eruption at May, 2006, last Sunday was my first time to see it with my own eyes. This under ground mud volcano is commonly called as the Sidoarjo mud flow or Lapindo mud. It’s one of the biggest mud volcanoes in the world that created by the blowout of a natural gas well drilled by PT. Lapindo Brantas, although the company officials argued that it’s caused by a distant earthquake.

Though the recent spewing up mud volume has already decreased to the half of the amount at its peak (180.000 m3 of mud per day), I still can see it as the big disaster that has affected many people’s life around the area of 1.500 ha.

It’s expected that the flow will maintain for the next 25 to 30 years. Since November 2008, the Sidoarjo mud flow has been contained by levees. The visitors aren’t allowed nearing the gush point. We only saw it from a far distance.

Two reservoirs are made to receive the water from the mud lake. That's why the mud lake looks dry.

The Weekend in Black and White

Metal Café Chairs are a Perfect Choice for Imparting New Look to the Cafes

When you are planning to change the interior of your restaurant or café, then pretty look is not enough. For those restaurants that want to keep their eyes on the bottom line in order to keep pace with their business, durability is perfectly a requisite word.

There are numerous chairs that are available in a wide range. These are offered in different designs, styles and colors to choose from. Along with these, dining chairs are also available in bar stool height. These stools are mainly used in the drinking area of the restaurant and the chairs that have a standard height are mainly used in the dining area. Café chairs are available in different kinds of materials, such as aluminium, plastic, wood and wicker. The wicker type o chairs can be used for both, inside or outside dining areas. The seats of the café chairs can be padded or hard depending upon the specification of the business owners.

With a wide variety to choose from, metal chairs are the best café chairs to be used in the restaurants or cafes. Metal chairs are cost effective solution as these chairs do not require lot of maintenance as compared to the traditional wood, plastic chairs or the bar stools. Wood café chairs are available in few colors but metal chairs are offered in numerous colors. As in the case of metal chairs, these can be painted for ensuring longevity but this is not in the case of the wooden chairs. Wooden chairs are mainly available in traditional wood finishes that includes mahogany, walnut and cherry. These type of wood finished café chairs are perfect for old fashioned restaurants and not the modern café.

In addition to the wooden chairs, there are also available plastic chairs. Plastic chairs are modern looking chairs that are available in numerous designs, styles and colours. These types of chairs are not able to stand the weight of our common overweight society.

Some of the benefits that are offered by the metal chairs as compared to the plastic chairs include their contemporary looks and sturdy designs. Metal chairs are designed and manufactured using superior quality aluminium that is light in weight, ensuring portability of the chairs. In the chairs that are made using aluminium, non-metal or wooden, wicker or plastic seats can easily be attached.

With numerous chairs available in market, metal chairs are the best option to opt for. So, selecting the right chair for your restaurant is very important because when one visits a café, ambiance and the chairs certainly contribute to a great extent. Chairs should match with the color, design and theme of the decor of the café. Metal chairs would surely provide comfortable seating to your customers and they can easily relax, ensuring their maximum satisfaction.

Pine Café Furniture Brisbane

Some business owners think that café chairs are not as important as tables are, but the fact is that chairs can make your area appealing. Café chairs should go together with the style and construction of the restaurant or the cafe.

Pine café furniture Brisbane is available in various designs, colors and styles to choose from. There is a wide range of pine café chairs that includes chairs with and without arms, padded, and so on. With all the variations of café furniture Brisbane, we must select the best and appropriate café chairs that best meets your requirement and specifications. Moreover, you also need to take into consideration design, specific dimensions and finish of the chairs and the tables.

The first choice of every person is whether or otherwise to select the chairs that are with or without arms. Many-a-times, people select armless café chairs. These types of chairs have a larger element of fashionable appeal and are much more comfortable than other chairs available in market. On the other side, there are pine café chairs with arms that offer a classy look to the interiors of your cafes or restaurant.

The cafes that have smaller sized café tables can select armless chairs that would acquire less space as compared to the chairs with arm. With this option, you can also accommodate one more person at the table because armless chairs do not require a lot of space. One specific assortment that's well liked recently is that the chairs with arms are paired along with the rectangle shaped table and the armless chairs are placed with the round tables.

Another important factor that has to be kept into mind is the dimensions of your café table and the chairs. This would help in ensuring the practical sitting and walk through situation. The specific height for your chairs should match with the height of your cafe table. The particular distance between the seat on your cafe chair and table needs to be a minimum of twelve inches.

When the table has a modern look then contemporary looking chairs are the best option. Selecting the pine cafe chairs that require lower maintenance as compared to the other café chairs that are made using other type of wood. Wooden cafe chairs are offered in numerous styles, finishes and designs. The rear framework as well as support of the chairs is built well and appear stylish. Café chairs are available in sets of two, four, and six. Enjoying a number of choices made available with arms and without, it really isn't tough to have the ability to match up together with a pre-existing cafe table.