Tips for Moving In to a New Home In San Diego

wooden floors

The excitement of moving into a new home can be distracting, so much so that you may fail to take some logical actions that are essential for moving into a new home. Here are some tips on what you should do a.s.a.p. when moving into a new home…

First, you should always change the locks on the doors to your new home. This is absolutely crucial, as you never know how many keys were made for the particular locks on the doors. It’s truly better to be safe than sorry in this scenario, even if it’s going to cost you some extra bucks. The safety of you and your family is important, and shouldn’t be risked to save a few dollars. If you’re renting the home/apartment/condo, make sure you contact the landlord to discuss the building policy. Changing the locks is the first step to securing your new home.

Second, you should always re-program the garage door opener for the safety of you and your family. This will add to the sense of security of your home because if you can’t feel safe in your own home, you’re not going to feel safe anywhere. Former tenants may still have the same garage-door opener, and they may have access to your belongings in the garage, in addition to your car. Almost all garage door remotes have a reset function, so research it and reset it.

Third, you should change the furnace filter in your new home/apartment/condo. The furnace filter should be changed at least once a month in the winter, since the filter is used more during the winter than any other season. You will not know for sure when the last resident changed the filter, so it’s best to do it yourself so you can keep track of it.

Fourth, you should change the batteries in the smoke detectors around your new home. All security and safety measures should be taken when moving into a new home, so changing those smoke detector batteries are important.

Lastly, change the toilet seat covers. You don’t know when the current seat was cleaned, so you can either change it or clean the current one thoroughly.

Homemade Cleaning Solutions In San Diego

spring cleaning

Home cleaning solutions from the store can slowly bite away at your wallet. There are a couple of home cleaning solutions you can make yourself, probably with ingredients you already have, and all you have to purchase is a spray bottle that cost less than a dollar (unless you already have one).

Mix: 1 cup white vinegar + 1 cup of water.

With this mix you can clean bathrooms, counter-tops, floors and other exterior surfaces. If you’re going to use this mixtures for tougher exterior surfaces, like shower walls, you can heat the homemade cleaning solution until it’s a little hot. This will help the solution be more effective in breaking down the residue.

Mix: make a paste of baking soda + water

This mix can be used for tougher grime and mildew. Apply this paste to an exterior surface and leave it there for 10-15 minutes. This will soften the soap scum and mildew, making it easier for you to wipe away.

Another thing you can use baking soda for is slow-running drains. Pour about 1/2 to ¾ of a cup of baking soda into the drain, along with just the right amount of water to wash the solution. After 2 or more hours, flush the drain with hot water. Not only will this clean the drain, but it will also deodorize it! Baking soda is always a miracle worker of sorts, and this is just touching the surface of what baking soda can do.

Money Saving Tips for your Home In San Diego

Rancho Bernardo

There are many things you can do around the house that will save you money here and there. Every little bit helps, so taking these tips into consideration will definitely help you out financially in the long run. These random tips for maintaining your home will save you time and money.

When you’re using your heater or your air conditioning, you can lower the cost of using them by lowering your square footage. How do you do this? Close your closet doors, as well as your closets along exterior walls. This will also help insulate your home better. This is a very beneficial thing to do, and you will save a nice amount of change every year off your energy bill.

Make your dryer run more efficiently, and minimize its potential problems, by shortening the dryer-vent hose. Beforehand, disconnect the hose and vacuum it out. After, cut the hose length so it’s long enough for the drawer to be a few feet out from the wall and no longer. If you have a short, unobstructed dryer hose, your dryer will run smoother for longer. Not only will you save money by doing this, but your clothes will dry faster as well.

Whenever you decide to paint or repaint your house, choose one neutral trim paint, as opposed to buying a gallon of a particular color for each room. If you buy a particular color for each room, you’re wasting money by only using part of the paint in each can. Better yet, get white paint: it matches with anything and you’ll never have to struggle to find a can of touch up paint.

Use these three simple tips and save over one hundred dollars a year.