Going through house renovation during a coronavirus outbreak

Paint a wall in a bright daring color

The world is facing one of the biggest challenges in its recent history - a coronavirus outbreak that has affected all the continents. Due to the seriousness of the situation, most of the countries have imposed strict preventive measures restricting interactions allowing the employed to work from home and children to attend online classes while staying at home, too. This is a time we need to take on the bright side and do something creative. Why not get down on house renovation during a coronavirus outbreak? All of a sudden, our family is at home spending time together. Or, if we live alone, we finally have that me-time we have dreamed of and which we haven’t had in years. Freshening up our homes can keep us busy and let us enjoy the time we spend on making it more the way we like it. It is time that we have now, and let’s use it. 

House renovation during a coronavirus outbreak

Try to avoid getting in touch with too many people due to the coronavirus outbreak. You should avoid some demanding renovation attempts like changing bathroom tiles, pulling down the walls and doing electrical work, as these require professional help and workers moving around your house doing their job. You can do a lot on your own - declutter the space, paint a wall or two, turn the balcony into your beautiful nook, or move the furniture around. Sometimes, a thing as simple as picking an accent chair and putting it in the right place can do wonders. What follows are a few easy and highly effective ways to freshen up the looks of your home and call it a successful home improvement.  

Make your space breathe - declutter

Getting rid of unnecessary things that choke your living space is a great way to start. Throw away everything that seems useless and then start decluttering room by room. Begin with the kitchen, as it is where we hide away loads of things we don’t need. Empty the cupboards, reorganize them, label the jars and keep the surfaces clean, giving them a minimalistic look. That’s the first step for getting your home in order.  Then do the same with other rooms throwing everything that seems unnecessary and out of place at first glance. You will be amazed at how fresh, new look it can give to your space. Decluttering is a step in the process of house renovation during a coronavirus outbreak that will also give you a feeling of relief, as everything will be much easier to keep clean and safe. 

Paint a wall or two

You have always wanted to have a wall painted in a bright, daring color to give a tinge of elegance to your spacious, white living room, but you never seemed to have that extra weekend to do it. Here is your chance. Order the shade you love and get started. Do it slowly and enjoy watching it turn into a home improvement detail you so longed for. 

Tidy your wardrobe

A tidy wardrobe makes you smile with joy when you open it - everything is organized, neat, and pleasant to look at. The clothes you aren’t wearing this season should be folded, rolled, and hung separately from your current clothes. Having a lot of time at your disposal should be enough for you to organize it the way you have always wanted to. Return to it over a few days and improve it each time a bit. Some of the things you decided you still needed yesterday may seem absolutely unnecessary on another day. You can always opt for storing items to prevent clutter.So, should you still feel emotional about the old clothes you don’t need, store them wisely and make your heart at peace. None of us can say an easy goodbye to things we are emotionally attached to. It is just so human. In the end, home improvement has a lot to do with how we feel.

Make your bookshelf catch the eye

Booklovers care a lot about the look of their bookshelf. Some like it with books scattered casually, breathing out a sophisticated charm. Others want it in order, looking color and size-smart. Decide what it is you like and get down to work. You can never make a mistake if you pile some books on the floor, too. If done properly, this can add to the overall look of the shelf, giving it a sense of smart extravagance. When you want to decorate your living room on a budget, a bookshelf and the way you organize books around can have a wonderful cost-free effect. 

A balcony nook

For all of you who are lucky to have a balcony - be it a tiny one; decorating it and making it an inseparable part of your home improvement plan is simply a must-do. Paint the walls if you need that change, put out some plants, add a cushion or two on the chairs or a tiny garden sofa, a few books on the coffee table and see how well that can beautify your balcony. Put up a sunshade, sit back and listen to music, read a book, phone your friends. That’s your perfect getaway spot. 

Boxes to store away

Once you have finished your home improvement project, it’s time to take care of the boxes you got ready to store away. For those of you who do not have any extra home space for storage, the best solution is to hire a professional moving company such as movers101.com, because they offer storage services and keep your things safe. 

Easy to clean and disinfect

Now when you have put your home in order and refreshed it to your taste, it’s much easier to maintain a good level of cleanliness and safety during a coronavirus outbreak. Large, empty surfaces are easy to clean and disinfect. Stay safe, keep calm, and enjoy the new look and comfort of your home. 

image:pexels.com/photo/purple-paint-roller-2065971

The Common Mistakes People Make When Visiting Urgent Care Centers

Urgent care centers have popped up all over America. And it has become a common way for a majority of people to receive care. According to the Urgent Care Association of America, there are over 9,000 urgent care centers in the U.S.

The urgent care centers treat diseases such as urinary tract infections [UTI], cold, flu, cough, joint and muscle sprains and strains, STIs, and so much more.

image:urgencyroom.com

Most of the urgent care centers are usually located conveniently and there is no booking an appointment, you just walk in and receive treatment as quickly as possible. But while visiting urgent care centers, patients often make some mistakes that sometimes cost them a lot. The mistakes include;

1.       Failing to know their insurance policy

Urgent care centers often take some types of insurance. This makes it cost-effective. However, as a patient, you must ensure that your insurance plan covers for urgent care and that the urgent care center you intend to visit accepts it before you can see a doctor.

You can give your insurance provider a call and discuss the urgent care payment options before heading to the center. You don’t want a scenario where you’ll be hit by a huge bill after treatment.

2.       Treating an urgent care center as an emergency room

The difference between an urgent care center and an ER is that ER treats emergency situations, such as heart attack, stroke, severe bleeding, difficulty breathing, or vision changes. On the other hand, urgent care treats minor diseases rather than the ones mentioned above like coughs, flu, STIs, etc. So if you need immediate care for a life-threatening condition, you shouldn’t go to urgent care, book an emergency room instead. Going to the wrong place will mean that there will be a delay in treatment which could be dangerous.

3.       Expecting to be seen by the main doctor

 Just because there’s no guarantee that you’ll see the main doctor doesn’t mean that you are in bad hands. All the nurses and assistant physicians are highly knowledgeable and qualified. They can diagnose, offer a treatment plan and direct support when you need it. Just ensure that you know who will be seeing you.

4.       Thinking you can get refills on prescription

Urgent care centers can prescribe medication such as anti-inflammatory painkillers or acne medication, but there will be a cap on the number of pills, and so you won’t get a refill unless you book another appointment at the center. Furthermore, if you already take medicines like Adderall, an urgent care center may not refill that prescription for you.

5.       Assuming that all urgent care centers offer the same treatment

Clinics vary when it comes to the services that they offer. Some centers can stitch you up if you are severely bleeding or offer STI testing on-site, while others may not. The services a center offers depends on the facility, location, the types of staff, and the kind of medical equipment that are available. You can call the center first to know the services they offer.

7 Tips to Make Your Garden Look Bigger

To create and design a beautiful backyard is not necessarily a thing only those who live in the countryside can do, as owning a small garden has become more and more popular in the past few years. Let us introduce you to seven tips on how to transform your small garden with just a little effort and determination.

1. Play With Shapes

You would be surprised at how the shapes in your small garden can make a big difference. One of the best small garden landscaping ideas we found out there: have a circular lawn in your square-shaped small garden. Or like putting a curved path of stones that will trick the eye into thinking that it is bigger than it is.

2. Think Vertical

If you own a small garden and you find yourself with a limited amount of ground space, no problem, just go and explore the vertical space of your small garden. Good examples would be growing vertical climbing beans or even sweetcorn. You can even plant the tallest flowers you can get your hands on, instead of planting bushy flowers.

3. Carefully Choose the Colors

When choosing how to grow a small garden, colors have a specifically interesting duty here. Exactly like owning a small apartment, where you look to influence people's perceptions by choosing complementary colors. For example, you can opt for pale-colored plant blooms just so you give a lighter appearance to your small garden design.

4. Avoid Clutter

Nobody likes hoarders, especially when it comes to building a big world in a small garden outside of your house. Try to keep the garden furniture light and foldable and organize all the essential garden tools nearby.

5. Feature One Mirror

Although it might sound like a strange thing to do, installing a mirror in your small garden can be a good perception-bending addition, and trick the eye into thinking it is a much bigger space than it actually is.

As we all know, mirrors can bring space-perception to a whole new level, and it would be a shame if you wouldn’t profit from the science behind it.

Safety advice: Make sure the mirror is not in direct sunlight as you can risk starting a fire.

6. Emphasize Entryways

By adding a few plants and flowers near the entryways, you take your friends' eyes away from the small garden that you own. When the entry is inviting and lively, it can create a massive change of perception for the common eye.

7. Use All Available Space from Your Small garden

Do not forget to use the sides of your walls, the fence, and all the shed space you have.

The best idea, if possible, would be to install a small garden irrigation system so you can plant all the tomatoes you want and not worry about raining or weather. Instead of this, you can use tools like wall mount garden hose reel in order to make you able to water plants anytime by yourself.

Conclusion

Just because you own a small garden, it doesn’t mean you should feel frustrated about it, or that your friends have bigger gardens at their homes. All you should care about is making it perfect for you and your family, by using all sorts of small space tips that can trick the eye into perceiving it bigger than it is.

Ranging from color schemes to carefully chosen plants, the ideas can be wild, and we challenge you to come up with your own.

What ideas and tips did we miss? Feel free to share your experiences and stories about building a beautiful oasis in your humble small garden.

Author’s Bio: Kay Burton is a content writer and plumbing specialist. Originally from Boston, he moved to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist and joined a university for this. He likes covering topics that range from interior design to plumbing.

Images:

https://www.pexels.com/photo/garden-walkway-view-2224956/  
https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-plants-on-brown-clay-pots-3673763/