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Ways to Revamp Your Living Room For the Holidays Without Breaking the Bank

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The holidays are here, and there’s a good chance that you already have a series of events planned. This means that you need to get your home presentable and ensure that it reflects the holiday spirit. This isn’t something that has to break the bank. Read on to see some practical ways in which you can revamp your living room without digging a deep debt hole that may be quite hard to climb out of.

Repaint the Walls

One of the best projects to tackle at any point in time is repainting a space. That’s because this project is fast, easy, and affordable, but it makes a massive change to the space. You can repaint the walls for the holidays, picking calm and warm colors that are going to set the perfect backdrop for the rest of the projects and decorations. Remember that living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms should all be repainted roughly once every three to five years, according to House Digest. This means that if these years have already elapsed without you having repainted the living room, it’s high time you did so.

Deep Clean the Space

Next, you need to make sure that your living room is in the best possible shape in terms of cleanliness. The best route to take in terms of this is to call a team of reliable professional cleaners and ask them to deep clean your entire home for the best outcome. With their assistance, your home’s interior is going to look and smell amazing, ensuring that the holiday mood is not interrupted by coughs and sneezes among your guests when they arrive. A clean living room is also going to have a low likelihood of making it easier for germs to spread. It’s important to keep this in mind, knowing that your hands spread around 80% of germs that cause illnesses.

Re-Arrange the Furniture

Once your home has been cleaned thoroughly, it will be quite easy for you to move the furniture around. This is because you won’t have to be scared about stains and other issues like this, concealing them with the furniture. A clean house will be the best canvas for a new organization of the living room, so take full advantage of this fact. While re-arranging the furniture, remember to make room for any decor, including massive Christmas trees that you may put up.

DIY Some Holiday Decor

The holidays are synonymous with decoration, so it’s a good idea for you to get creative. Check online to see if you can find practical ideas for holiday decor that you can DIY successfully and add to your living room. This is a step that can help you save a considerable amount of money because holiday decor can be quite expensive to get.

Art and decor are generally expensive, especially if you get them in large quantities. This is based on the fact that the global art market had a value of $65.1 billion in 2021, an amount that has probably gone up since then. The worst part is that most holiday decor may only ever be useful for Christmas, making it a very singular expense.

Set Up Warm Lighting

Finally, you can capitalize on the cozy and relaxing holiday spirit by installing warm, relaxing lights strategically around the house. Simply changing bulbs that have cool tones to those with a yellow hue can make a big difference. Some fairy lights or string lights can add to the effect, and you may already have these somewhere in your house from some other use.

Clearly, getting your living room ready for the holidays does not have to be an intensive and expensive project. By making use of these tips, you can end up with a beautiful space to which you’re proud to invite friends and family and share the holiday cheer. Whatever amount of money you can save this time, you may be able to double it by making use of more cost-effective tips over future holidays.

How to Protect Your Home From Theft This Holiday Season

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The number of theft arrests is alarming. In Pennsylvania, for instance, there were almost 35,000 theft-related arrests in 2019. Nationally, in 2020, police reported over 4.6 million larceny theft cases. These figures highlight the concerning likelihood of becoming a theft victim.

Leaving your home unattended during a long holiday opens up possibilities for burglaries. Thieves might break in and take valuable belongings since there’s no one around to stop them. How can you ensure your safety while vacationing in the Bahamas? We’ve crafted this article to offer you some tips for safeguarding your home from theft this holiday season. Here’s how you can protect your home from theft this holiday season.

1. Install Cameras

First up, think about getting a front door camera. It keeps an eye on your porch and alerts you if someone’s around or trying to get in. Having surveillance like this can scare off burglars and crooks. Plus, if they swipe your packages or break-in, it’ll help the police catch them in a snap. While installing cameras will cost you money, investing in them helps you to protect your valuables as well.

2. Reroute Your Parcel

A clear signal that you’re away is when mail piles up or packages sit untouched on your porch. Thieves keep an eye out for these signs to know nobody’s home. That gives them the green light to break in and leisurely search for valuables to steal. When you’re heading out for a holiday, it’s smart to reroute your packages to a different address instead of your home. Many companies offer online options to switch delivery spots. You also can simply pause deliveries while you’re away and arrange for them to resume when you’re back home safe and sound. According to Statista, there were more than 4.6 million cases of larceny-theft reported in 2020. Don’t be a part of that statistic. Plan deliveries ahead of time!

3. Get Deadbolts

Ever heard of deadbolts? They’re budget-friendly locks perfect for beefing up your door security. When paired with other locks, they provide an extra layer of defense for your home. Intruders will have a tough time cracking them open. Plus, you’ve got choices—mechanical or digital deadbolts—both great at keeping unwanted guests out.

4. Keep the Lights On

When you’re away for a while, it’s smart to avoid signaling to intruders that your house is empty. Keeping lights on at night can help, but leaving them constantly lit might look suspicious during the day. That’s where timers come in handy—they’re automatic and can give a more realistic feel to your home’s activity. For those with Nest home security, connecting TP-Link Kasa products is a nifty option. With Kasa’s smart plug system, manageable through your Nest app, you can control your lights remotely.

5. Lock Your Doors

Before you head off on your holiday, do a thorough check and ensure all your doors are securely locked. If you spot any faulty locks, get them fixed before you leave. It’s crucial to replace any non-functioning locks with new ones. Keep in mind that burglars sometimes use universal garage door openers to break in. According to Bob Vila, a well-insulated garage door can keep your garage 10 to 12 degrees warmer. Not only this, but a well-secured garage can prevent the likelihood of intruders. Set your alarm system to keep them from simply strolling into your garage and taking what they please.

Securing your home costs money, but it’s a worthwhile investment compared to the potential losses from theft. Unfortunately, theft remains a significant issue in the United States, and it’s likely to persist for some time. Thieves tend to go to homes that are easily accessible and without anyone around to stop them. Especially during the holiday season, while we plan our festivities, thieves are also scheming their next burglaries. Taking steps to safeguard your house is crucial, as it could prevent it from becoming their next target.