Making your home more spacious

A lot of people that are planning to do home changes for the new year and I guess most of them will be focusing on creating more space in every room in their home. This weekend past I was doing the post festive season clean up and I discovered great places to put the items I use the most and those that are less important in my home.

The garage

So at the moment there are loads of stuff just laying around in my garage that needs to be put somewhere. For some reason certain family members want stuff to be kept even though they didn’t use it for a few years. It is some kind of addiction(or disease I like to call it) that makes people want to hold onto all sorts of old stuff because it has sentimental value. Like I said the stuff is all just laying in my garage at the moment but I plan to build a few cabinets with adjustable shelves in there in order to pack all this stuff away no matter what the shape or size of it is. I also made use of some chrome wire shelving in order to put stuff on that I or anybody else might need quick access to.

In the home

I have manged to create a completely new room by adding hanging cupboards in the storage room. This means that I have space to do other things on the floor instead of having stuff just laying around. The cupboards is not that big either and there is still space for other items in each of them. The first thing that I thought of was using the room as a guest bedroom because I always have people over but never have a real room for them to sleep in. This leaves them on the couch which is not really ideal for them or my couches.

The kitchen – My favourite room

So in my kitchen I had this huge black bin that we used for every piece of dirt that the house made. Well being a new year I decided to try something new as well. We have brought in a couple of plastic bins with labels on for different types of dirt. My kids love this idea as it teaches them about recycling as well. They love that kind of thing. This different bins takes up less space than the massive one I use to have and helps the environment in some way as well. I have also used hanging cupboards where possible in the kitchen to free up more space for myself to move around.

When renovating your house consider these...

You might have just bought a new home and you need to improve the infrastructure and other things but you don’t know where to start...that’s why we’re here to help. Follow these tips to improve your home and the value of your home; you never know if you want to sell again. If you don’t want to sell then it’s always nice to improve your home to make it feel homier.

First off you will need supplies and that’s why you should always keep an eye out for tiles for sale, second hand furniture and bargains! It’s amazing what you can do with second hand things when you renovate them or just give them a polish. I would advise buying the tiles from the shops since you might have to lay down more than a few tiles and you need the continuity to let give your room that perfect look.

Never ignore the power of a fresh lick of paint to a room. You will notice that the change of colour in a room can make a big difference. Take your time to pick a colour which enhances your rooms theme, picking the right colour will also give the room the illusion of being bigger or smaller. Bright colours give them a bigger feel where dark colours will make them appear smaller.

The kitchen is a very good place to start renovating. Renovating your kitchen area will give you more space and it might give you the opportunity to buy new appliances which are ideal when you cook food. It’s easy to give your kitchen a new look, buy new kitchen sinks, repaint the room and wash the cupboards. You’ll be amazed at the difference in your kitchen when you’re done.

So you want to start your own herb garden?

There’s nothing better than your own herb garden. It’s great when you want to relax and its an amazing hobby to pour yourself into. There’s nothing like planting something and seeing it grow, and if you fertilise your soil correctly the herbs and plants will shoot up! Here are a few tips and things you can use for your herb garden as well as a few plants we suggest you start out with.

Before you plant your herbs you should clear the spot off any weeds as well as big stones, trash and junk. When you are finished clearing the area throw on compost and start working it into the earth, be throughout and see how deep you can work it in.

Good herbs and vegetables to plant are:
Chives
Basil
Cabbages
Rosemary
Thyme
Penny Royale
Cherry Tomatoes

These herb and vegetables are relatively easy to grow and for a first time garden should be perfect to maintain.

Two easy DIY Construction

Creating these extra contraptions will help boost herb growth and give you excellent produce. If you have

Floating Backyard Deck with Planter Box - DIY



How to Make a Compost Bin

Part 3: Building and Setting Deck Posts and Footings

Part 3 of the How to Build a Deck video series teaches viewers how to build and set deck posts and footings.

we will discuss all of the materials you need when building, setting and notching together your wooden deck posts.

Part 2: Simple Deck Layouts and Plans

Part 2 of the How to Build a Deck video series teaches viewers how to plan for your decking construction plans, design a simple layout and begin backyard construction on your decks.

Part 1: Design a Deck and Build Deck Plans

Part 1 of the How to Build a Deck video series teaches viewers interested in diy wooden decking projects

Designing a wooden deck is the first step in deck construction and we have all the tips and tricks you need to construct a deck plan for any backyard. The other parts of this 6-part series to follow.

In the market for kitchen appliances

Many of us have been there before, or it could’ve happened to a friend or family member of ours. You have just returned from the much needed vacation that served its purpose of easing the stress and strain that you have been under as of late. As you walk through your front door you are met by the unmistakable odour of food that has gone bad and you discover that while you were enjoying your vacation you refrigerator has packed up.

So you find yourself trawling the internet for home appliances, not exactly what you had in mind after your vacation. It’s then that you realise that your refrigerator had been so old and outdated that you are surprised that it lasted this long. Technology has found its way into the humble refrigerator as well. The are models that link up directly to the internet and order groceries on your behalf if they are running low, or those that don’t ice up at all and that defrosts themselves. The days where kitchen appliances were simple have passed you by.

Microwave ovens, dishwashers but to name a few of the kitchen appliances that have gone through radical changes over the last few years. The basic functionality still however remains the same but the sheer amount of frills and spills are mind boggling.

The Yard.....A Mans Playground

A mans yard is maybe the only part of the house where he has complete control over what he wants to do with it. Most of the other parts of the home is mostly pimped out by the woman as they have a better sense of what works where and what doesn’t. This is the case in most homes I would say but sometimes the man can be the one making the decisions like these. So you have done your wooden decking and have a small BBQ area but there is still something missing for you. One of the things I want to talk about adding to your yard is a water feature or actually a pool and jacuzzi. This could be exactly whats missing in your setup.

We have all seen homes on TV shows with pools and a jacuzzi along side it. Well this might seem like something only the rich and famous can do and to others it might seem like a pool is just digging a big hole in the ground and filling it with water. Well I choose to stick with the second option and say that yes its just a dig hole in the ground! The thing is that with a pool comes loads of extras that you wont even notice.

From just having a pool you will start to get some pool chairs and maybe a table that people can relax around while others swim. Its almost like the pool is the starting point and you build your outdoor entertainment around that. The pool and jacuzzi can be designed in many different ways and that’s where you will see the price difference when installing one. Look at this picture below to see a example of one that might be a bit pricey to create but look at the effect it gives the yard. I think its simply amazing.

This is of course a very fancy place that could do something like this but it is something that anybody would want to walk out to every single day of their lives. This one has loads of different areas where people can sit and socialize while others spend time in the pool or jacuzzi. This is something that can be done for a bit cheaper and less extravagantly as well but still look exceptional in your backyard. The choice of some good decks to go with it and everything will be sorted for the next family gathering.

Tips to creating the perfect greenhouse

Everybody thinks about building a greenhouse after buying a house. It’s strange but it seems as if all of us have this need to plant and grow something in our yards. Greenhouses are very relaxing and there’s nothing better than working in your greenhouse on a weekend. The best feeling must be when you can harvest your crops when they started from nothing more than a seedling.

Most people would think of buying a greenhouse kit, but it can get really expensive and in the long run building your own greenhouse is the best choice to make. Building a greenhouse really isn’t that difficult and you will see that building a basic greenhouse can be done in a matter of hours when you have the right tools and materials.

Here are eight easy steps you can use to design a great greenhouse

Be safe

Well yes it’s our first one but it’s important. Before starting with construction you should be sure to wear your safety gear. We recommend full safety gear such as snickers workwear and yaktrax safety shoes. Not only will it keep you safe but clean as well when you work in the greenhouse. Try using safer tools like cordless power drill instead of electrical ones. Also try out some thermal imaging cameras to keep pests away.

Ventilation

Take the plants you want to grow in your greenhouse into consideration when you plan on ventilation. Change your ventilation according to how humid you want it to be and how warm or cold it should be. Ventilation is very important and you need to get the perfect flow in your greenhouse for fantastic plants.

 Location, Location, Location
Determine the location of your greenhouse by examining your garden throughout the day. Determine where the sun is the hottest and where you get enough shade. Then according to the type of plants you wish to grow you should build your greenhouse on that location. If you only have full blown shade then you need to make a plan with artificial lighting.

 Greenhouse Construction Materials

Decide on the kind of material you want to use for the sides of your greenhouse. The best materials are glass, greenhouse plastic and fibreglass. We use the plastic since it’s easy to replace as well as cheap.

 Picking Your Greenhouse Base
The foundation is a very important part of your greenhouse and we suggest you use concrete which is a very stable material to use. Concrete is easy to clean as well and doesn’t swell like wood foundations. The foundation is one of the more expensive parts of your design so think carefully about your foundation layout.

Using Greenhouse Pest Control
Control your pest control by organic means. Introduce natural predators to fight of pests and quarantine and plants which might be sick. This way the sickness won’t spread and you will be able to heal the plant without infecting any other plants.

Organising your garage

Doesn’t sound like the best thing in the world right? Well to be honest it’s definitely worth it to jump into the garage and do some digging, reorganizing and cleaning. I’ll give you some reason to motivate you.

You’ll know where everything is

The biggest problem I had with my garage is that I didn’t know where my tools and materials were. I had to scratch for hours to find what I was looking for and when I eventually found it I wasn’t in the mood to continue the work I was doing or I pulled a muscle. When you clean out your garage you’ll have more space to organise your tools and materials. I just hammered a board onto my wall where most of my tolls are hanging and my materials are on a convenient slab of wood. Now I don’t have ot wade through tons of junk and tools to get to where I want to go.

Storage space

Companies have thankfully helped us with the problem of storage space. Plastic Bins and stackable storage bins make for the perfect place to store your equipment and materials to make your place tidier. It’s amazing how something as organised as these stackable storage bins can change your garage.

Park your car in the garage

Once you have all of your things in place you will have more space for things which should be in the garage, mainly your car. Cleaning your garage and packing everything where it should be, as well as using some convenient storage bins, you should be able to park your car in the garage with ease and still have enough space left to move around freely and work in your garage.

Last but not least...

If your wife won’t allow you to have a space for your hobbies you might as well clean out the garage so that you will have a place where you can ply your trade and play with your miniature armies and do your taxidermy in peace. Having your garage organised and your items stored is the best thing that can happen to you.

Big trucks of the world

There are some pretty enormous trucks out there and found them, gathered statistics and ranked them for your viewing pleasure. Here are some of the big trucks of the world.

Caterpillar 797B

The 797B is the second generation of the 797 series. The 797B was introduced to the public in spring of 2002 and first entered service with a customer in October, 2002. The 797B remained in production until December, 2009 when Caterpillar started full production of the 797B's successor, the 797F (which has a smaller payload).

Some interesting stats:

• Height: 23' 6" (7.2 meters)
• Length: 47' 7" (14.5 meters)
• GVW: 688 tons (688,000 kilograms)
• Payload: 380 tons (380,000 kilograms)
• Engine: 3,370 horsepower

Hitachi EH5000

Hitachi also has its fingers in the big industry pie called mining equipment. It’s a multibillion dollar enterprise and it’s buying machinery by the dozens . The Hitachi Company develop and manufacture a wide range of leading-edge construction machinery.

Some interesting stats:

• Height: 23' 6" (7.2 meters)
• Length: 47' 4" (14.4 meters)
• GVW: 642 tons (642, 000 kilograms)
• Payload: 315 tons (315,000 kilograms)
• Engine: 2,700 horsepower

Komatsu 930E-4

The Komatsu 930E-4 was manufactured by the multinational corporation that manufactures military equipment and industrial equipment. They are also the largest manufacturer of mining and construction equipment. The manufacturing operations are located in Japan, Asia, America and Europe.






























Some interesting stats:

• Height: 24' 2" (7.4 meters)
• Length: 51' 2" (15.6 meters)
• GVW: 553 tons (553,000 kilograms)
• Payload: 321 tons (321,000 kilograms)
• Engine: 3,700 horsepower

 

Liebherr T 282 B

The Liebherr T 282B was designed and manufactured by the Liebherr Mining Equipment company in Virginia.

 Some interesting stats:

• Height: 24' 3" (7.4 meters)
• Length: 47' 6" (14.5 meters)
• GVW: 652 tons (652,000 kilograms)
• Payload: 396 tons (396,000 kilograms)
• Engine: 2,700 horsepower

Biggest of them all?

Terex MT 6300AC
The Terex is the tallest of the lot, the heaviest and it can carry more than any of the other trucks with its powerful engine. The only statistic where is falls short is the length as its 2,54 centimetres shorter than the Komatsu.














Some interesting stats:

• Height: 26' 0" (7.9 meters)
• Length: 51' 1" (15.6 meters)
• GVW: 660 tons (660,000 kilograms)
• Payload: 400 tons (400,000 kilograms)
• Engine: 3,750 horsepower

I can just imagine the fleet management for these massive trucks. The fuelmanagement supervisor must be a wreck from all of the fuel theses massive beasts are guzzling!

Creative Advertising: BMW Interactive Boards

I spent many childhood afternoons as the only girl in the room, playing PlayStation games such as “Need for Speed: Most Wanted” and “Gran Turismo 4”. Now that I can finally drive, I’m quite disappointed that the reality of driving isn’t quite as thrilling as I’d always imagined it would be. The video games had sexy cars like Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Maseratis that smoothly veered around corners at over 300 km/ h. The video games also didn’t have traffic signs, speed limits, worn out rubber flooring mats or bumper-to-bumper traffic jams. It was all about freedom, speed and ‘sheer driving pleasure’.

A few weeks ago, I was walking along Long Street in Cape Town when I came across a new advertising campaign created by iLogic (a South African tech firm) for the BMW 1 Series. The company developed an interactive video projection car game that was projected onto major billboards in areas with high foot traffic. People could race each other using their iPads, and their scores and comments were linked to Facebook in real time. I don’t have an iPad, but nevertheless enjoyed watching as people challenged each other and had fun playing video games in the middle of the street. It was definitely a brilliant strategy to get people to talk about BMW (the 1 Series in particular) and indirectly promoted the iPad. According to the video below 105 300 people shared their results with friends on Facebook, and 47 600 people posted their results on their walls.

I thought my PlayStation days were done and dusted, but this innovative campaign and others like it are evidence of the fact that the division between gaming and marketing has been blurred. 

Best 10 Reliable Used Cars

Cars lose half of their value in a time span of three years. Never the less they still seem to be an excellent buy since most cars lose their value anyway. You get a car at a much more affordable price and then almost nothing is wrong with the car.

Used cars will be rated according to the price of the vehicle, the year it was made and the reliability of the model. The Annual Auto Survey gathers statistics from different car owners over a span of nine years. They use the data to determine the best cars for your pocket.

You will also be surprised to learn how some 2008 models are actually more reliable than some 2011 cars. That just shows you that the latest car isn’t always the one you should choose. Do some research of your own and take a friend with you to look at the car you’re interested in. To help you we’ve constructed a list with all the most reliable cars of 2001 and 2010:

• Small Cars - Honda Fit
• Family Cars - Toyota Prius
• Upscale Cars - Lexus ES
• Luxury Cars - Acura RL
• Sports/Sporty Cars - Mazda MX-5 Miata
• Small SUVs - Honda CR-V
• Midsized & Large SUVs - Toyota Highlander
• Minivans - Toyota Sienna (FWD)
• Pickup Trucks - Honda Ridgeline
• Compact Cars - Toyota Yaris

I’d rather pick a used car sales agent since you will be able to return to them if you found any problems. They are always helpful and normally help you find the best car to suit your needs and your finances.

When buying a used car you should look at the service history, inspect the tires and engines as well as check the lights. If you feel the need ask the agent or seller if you can take the car for a drive with them. The agent at the used cars pretoria branch helped us with all of our needs and allowed us to thoroughly inspect the car.When you are happy with your choice you won’t feel unsure about the buy since you personally checked everything.

Looking after your truck

Being a truck owner has its advantages. We can park where we want to (including sidewalks), we can attempt rough patches other cars can’t imagine and our trucks can take a beating before they die.

Although they are tough we/you should keep an eye on our magnificent vehicles. I’ll share some tips I use when looking after my truck.

Be patient with your new truck

Take the time to drive your car’s engine in (if it’s not been driven in by the factory already). Putting in the miles will enhance your engine for future years of driving. Also don’t overload your trucks, hummers and rovers with too much weight in the begin; let the car smooth into the loads it will be carrying.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is next to godliness. An old saying but it’s true. If you keep your car clean grime won’t be able to accumulate and start eating through your car. Dust can also scratch your car so be sure to wash down your car before wiping it with cloths.

Type of fuel

The type of fuel your car uses is important to a healthy car. Keep track of the kind of fuel your car uses and keep to the legal speeds on the road to save fuel and wear and tear on your car.

Tires

Read your manual to determine the correct tire pressure for your car. Keeping your tires at the optimal tire pressure will ensure you save fuel and that the treads on your wheel have a longer life expectancy.

Manual

To look effectively after your truck you have to ensure that you know everything about it. Read the manual from page one to the end so that you can pick any extra tips on how to care for your truck.

I’ve found that if you look after your truck you won’t ever need any rollbacks to come pick you up when you’ve bought that big trailers forsale special and it broke your axel in half because you weren’t looking after your truck.

New home essentials

If you just moved into a new place with your wife and you hopefully stay settled in one place it’s time to plan your home and buy all those essentials needed in this modern day and age.

A home theatre or media room. 

A decent home theatre with a 32” screen, surround sound and media storage devices are what modern home theatres are about. In this room you can watch television, play games and listen to your music.

Some home theatre systems have a media storage device which acts as a hub for all the movies, series and songs in your home. This storage device is connected with all the pc’s, laptops and other multimedia devices. With the iPod revolution most people buy docking stations where they can dock their media device and play their whole playlist.

Internet connection

Every house needs a fast internet connection be it uncapped business adsl or uncapped adsl for business or gaming. Online services have become a necessity with social media and online shopping hitting the scene. If you are running a business from home it would be ideal to have a adsl connection as you will be able to do group conversations with others and make business deals instead of having to drive everywhere and make expensive landline calls. Uncapped adsl lines make it even easier since you don't have to worry about running out of bandwidth.

Lighting and automation. 

Lights have become more interesting as the years passed by. These days you can set up a lights which are able to sense your movement in each room. This way you can save electricity because the house automatically switches the lights on and off as you enter and exit a room. Some advanced houses have light control boards where you can monitor your lights and switch on different lights with different styles to your liking.

Security systems. 

Security systems become more sophisticated as time passes. Two important ones is video surveillance which sends images to your phone if it detects movements as well as a software program which learns your routines when switching the lights on and off. This way you can go on holiday and the lights will still go on and off as per normal.

Gaming rooms. 

Gaming rooms can range from table tennis to Xbox and Wii. Having a space where you and your friends or even your children can play their games on their own dedicated TV instead of them disturbing you while you want to watch a movie is ideal in modern homes.

The history of the fire engine

When boys (and some girls) grow up they want to be two things, a fireman or a policeman. Nothing is as exciting as a big red truck speeding down the road with sirens blaring and lights flashing off to put down some big fire and most likely save people’s lives. Where did it all start though?

1700 – Water pumps on wheels:

The first fire engines were water pumps fixed with wheels. You had fire fighters called “bucket brigades” who pulled the water pump to the fire and started pumping while the other fire man hosed the fire down. The water pump didn’t have any seats and was just a basic pump and wheel design. It moved slowly as the water filled tank was heavy. Even if two people were pulling it they took quite some time to get to the fire and then the fire most likely destroyed everything already.

1800 – Water pumps pulled by horses

Paid fire fighters came into the scene which made it easier to set up a budget. This way the service could hire horses to pull the heavy water pump. This resulted in quicker response times and a lot of homes and lives being saved. The only problem was that this still didn’t solve the issue of transporting the firemen since they had to run after the water pump and rest before they could start fighting the fire. The fire fighters later added running boards and steps which they could jump onto.These added designs made the pump heavier for the poor horse which resulted in the next invention.

1841 –Steam powered fire engine

The first steam powered fire engine was built in New York and was self propelled. It didn’t last though as most fire fighters saw this design as a dangerous concept and didn’t trust the propulsion solution. They only started using it ten years later once they trusted the design.

When the building started to grow in size in the 1930’s fire fighters installed ladders to reach the higher floors. This resulted in a 150 feet long ladder which was installed on a swivel which was built onto the fire truck.

1960’s – Modern day Fire trucks

The full final design of the fire engines as we know it was defined in the 1960’s. The truck was self propelled, had seats for the fire fighters, had a modern water pump, ladders and a cherry picker.

 Time surely does improve inventions; it’s great that technology can become so advanced in such a short time. Can’t wait to see when they invent Hover Fire Trucks or fire truck trailers for sale. 

Small changes have a big effect

When people talk about building on or re-doing a certain room in their house I bet most of them think big changes that are going to cost a lot of money. This should not always be the case and people need to realize that there is actually smaller changes one can make to your home that still has a big impact on the whole look and feel of it. I want to go over some things I think is great ideas to make your house look and feel more modern and big.

Dinning Room and Lounge

When you think about re-doing your lounge then there are a few things people may want. If you looking for more space then there is lots of things you can do. If you currently have a display cabinet in your lounge then its time to get rid of that thing. If you have items in your display cabinet that you still want to keep in your lounge then install some shelves to hold them instead of a big display cabinet taking up space. Hang your TV against the wall or get a TV stand if you do not have a flat screen television.

Cool the house down

Installing a air con in your home might seem like an expensive option but it works in the long run. Another option that is longer lasting and gives you more options in terms of customization is installing some tiles. I have recently installed some ceramic tiles in my home and it has cooled it down considerably. I have installed the tiles in my bathroom, lounge and kitchen. I replaced our old door with a sliding door which allows more air to pass through the house. The trick with leaving doors open is to leave one open at the back and one in the front of the house. This allows the air to flow more freely through the whole house.

Outdoor entertainment

Invest in some outdoor entertainment. I BBQ area works well for when you have friends over and its a hot day. If you don’t have a pool then maybe install some other type of water feature that is cheaper to install but still does a job of cooling you down. Here you can opt to install some porcelain tiles in the outside area if you want to add a special touch.

These are just a few of the things you can do to improve your home at a low cost.

The new year interior changes

The new year is here and I have planned some exciting upgrades for my home. By upgrades I do not mean buying some new home and kitchen appliances. I am talking about some really big changes to my home. I am planning to build some new rooms and entertainment areas in the house before the middle of the year. After some long thinking I realized what rooms I need to add to my house.

The entertainment area
I plan to build a entertainment area in my house where I could add a few fun things to do. I will be adding a pool table and fireplace where I can have a BBQ anytime. This is of course going to be indoors as I am not a fan of having this kind of stuff outside. Its best to have it inside because once winter comes around I would still like to make use of the fireplace.

Guest Bedroom
I always have friends wanting to stay over at my house so I think a guest bedroom is a must for me. I don't intend on pimping this room out to much but I at least want to make it a comfortable area for somebody to spend the night in. Some nice duvet and curtains with neutral colors so that males or females would feel at home in the room. I would also like to add a en-suite so that they can freshen up in privacy instead of coming to the public bathroom in the morning.

My lounge area
I already have a lounge area but I want to break down a few walls and have the lounge and kitchen in one big area. I like the open plan more than a small kitchen where I have to stare at 4 walls while cooking. I have recently bought a new TV and surround sound system and I want to be able to watch some programs while I stand in front of a stove of counter.