Monthly Archives: March 2017

Planning the Perfect Wedding Floral Arrangements

Best selling flowers

Flowers are often associated with weddings. They are a symbol of love, attraction, and beauty, all things that people strive for when planning the perfect wedding. Yet, many couples struggle with choosing the best floral arrangements for their big day. How do you pick the perfect flower to suit your needs? How do you select the flower that will look best in photographs? How do you know which flowers will be the most affordable? These are all common concerns when shopping for a wedding florist. Keep these floral suggestions in mind during your wedding planning process.

Budget of flowers

The type and amount of flowers that you use during your wedding day will depend on your specific budget. You should have already created a wedding day budget that entails all of the necessary purchases. Although different wedding calculators will suggest allotting a specific amount to the flowers, the exact portion that flowers make up in your wedding day budget will depend on your desires. If you desire a hall full of red roses, you will need a larger flower budget. However, if you are satisfied with silk flowers throughout the reception and only want a small bridal bouquet, you can cut your floral budget.

Work with local florists on the price of current flowers. The price will be affected by what is in market at the time of your wedding. Specific colors will also play into the price. Normal flowers colors, like greens, yellows, and pinks are easier to come by. More unique of colors, like blues, purples, and reds may have to be dyed, and thus, may cost more. Although flowers typically make up a 7 to 8% of the wedding budget, your actual budget will depend on your floral dreams.

Arrangement of flowers

The specific arrangements of flowers will also factor into the price and overall look of your wedding day. Some of the best selling flowers are so expensive because of their handcrafted design. Wedding florists are experts in arranging normal flowers into unique designs. It can be helpful to go into your wedding florist consultation with an idea of the type of designs you are looking for. But remember, the more complex that a floral design is, the more expensive it will be.

Delivery of flowers

You will also have to establish how you will get your flowers on your wedding day. The day may be too hectic to arrange a pickup the same day. However, if you pick them up too early, they will wilt and not look as nice. Your wedding florist will suggest the best pickup timeline. In most cases, it is best to arrange for a flower delivery to ensure that they are fresh. Some wedding florists will include the delivery in the cost of the floral price, while others will charge a small price to have them safely delivered.

If special circumstances require early pick up, you will want to consider the type of flowers that are used in your floral arrangements. Roses tend to wilt quicker and may not be best for future pickups. Tulips lifespan is also very short, being 3 to 7 days. Keep the minimum lifespans in mind when choosing a flower that requires early delivery or pickup. If too early of pickup is required, consider silk flowers that will not wilt.

Lasting flower memories

The flowers are an important part of your wedding day. They are something that will be in pictures and in your memories for many years to come. Be sure to select flowers that you enjoy and that mean something to you. Continue the meaning and memories of these flowers with anniversary flowers. Continue the tradition by purchasing a similar arrangement of flowers every year on your wedding anniversary.

The annual spending on floral products in the U.S. is $26,600,000,000. A large percentage of these flowers are purchased for wedding decorations. Create your dream wedding with floral arrangements that add to the decoration and memories of the event. For the best results, keep in mind a flowers lifespan, cost, and overall look. Choose something that is meaningful and that looks beautiful with the rest of your wedding designs.

The 8 Steps of Home Building

When you are ready to find a house that has everything you want and need to make a home for yourself and your family, it might be time to consider building your dream home. Working with custom home builders to make this a reality. These experts can answer all of your questions about the average cost of building home like the one you want and they can help you calculate all the specifics like the average cost of building per square foot.

Working out all of these details is critical to making your dream house into a home. The building experts will walk you through the process of figuring out the average cost of custom built home designs and what materials and features you should consider. These building experts are a great source of quality materials at an affordable price and can help you lower the costs of your materials, such as the average cost of lumber to build a house like yours. Contact your local pros today to get started!

 

 

Kitchen remodeling chattanooga tn

Are you considering having your home built instead of buying one pre-built. There’s a lot of work that goes into the job, but also a lot of reward. If you are in fact considering it, then you need tips and tricks to help you get along. In order to do that, here is a list to help. Specifically, here is a list of the 8 steps to building your next home.

  1. Budget
    The first and potentially most important step is to realize just how much money is going to leave your wallet because of your building plans. It’s a great idea to budget in any form of life that involves money, and this is not different. Knowing how much you can spend can also help you know the limitations that you have going into the building process and let you know when it’s time to compromise and when it’s time to splurge. It’s all in the budgeting.
  2. Fine and Buy Property
    Next, you have to find the right location for your home. This is a very important step because the land you pick will be your home for the indefinite future. There is a lot that goes into the planning. You have to think about who you want your neighbors to be, what town do you want to be in, how far do you want to be from a large town or city, what the nearby schools are like, and much more. Remember that this part of the process can’t be changed later, so you must be cautious.
  3. Look at Your Method Options
    Next, you have to know what is in store for you in terms of the construction. There are different kinds of construction methods out there for you to decide. There are custom, modular, and developer and builder methods. You should brush up on the differences of each method to see which one is right for you. that way, you’ll know which custom home builders and new home builders to hire.
  4. The Design
    Next, you have to figure out what you want the house to look like. Budgeting will play a big factor on that, so it’s a good thing you budgeted earlier right? If you aren’t experienced enough to make the plans yourself, you may need to order some, but be prepared. They aren’t cheap. In fact, the bigger and grander a home you want, the more expensive this part of the process will get. That said, don’t skimp too hard on the design. Remember, this is you planning out the look of your future home after all.
  5. Legal Documents
    Next, it’s important that you have and follow all legal documents. That includes all permits and inspections. Keep in mind that there will be several inspections and several documents to sign during the whole process. If you’re worried about this one, it’s ok to get home builders to come in an d help you with it all. After all, it’s their job to know all the ins and outs of those legal documents that come with building a new home.
  6. Construction Insurance
    Adding to that, you want to make sure that you have insurance for anything that goes wrong. That is both for construction insurance and home owners insurance. For instance, if something were to go wrong and a part of the building gets damaged, you ahve the insurance to protect you. Also, if you have a problem after the home is built such as a later home remodeling, kitchen remodeling, or even a theft, you are safe and protected.
  7. Construction
    That’s right, you only now can start actually building up your house. Within that, there are a lot of steps that must be followed (but that’s a whole different article). You have to deal with plumbing, electrical, and roofing to name a few.
  8. Landscaping
    Lastly, once the structure of the home is ok, you can worry about what’s outside it. This is the part the focuses on the yard’s grass, trees, pathways, bushes and such.

Your home is yours and if you take a more active role on it you will need to know every possible step necessary to make it complete. Follow this list and find professional home builders to help you make your home everything you want it to be. Helpful links.

 

FAQs on Waterproof Sheets

Baby bed protector

One of the many interesting challenges of parenthood is how to deal with bed wetting. All children are going to wet the bed at some point in their lives. In fact, studies show that around 15% of children are still wetting the bed when they reach the age of 5. When figuring out how best to deal with this issue, it’s important to ask a lot of questions. Below are some of the most common frequently asked questions when it comes to waterpoof fitted bed sheets.

What Kinds Are There?

There are multiple kinds of waterproof sheets and waterproof mattress protectors. Vinyl covers are the plastic sheets that go over a whole mattress, mattress pads are set on top of the bed, premium covers are cloth that is water resistent and so on. What you need depends greatly on your child themselves.

Waterproof fitted sheets vs zippered sheets.

When deciding which of these to get, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. If the mattress is heavy or difficult to lift, it’s best to use a fitted mattress sheet rather than a zippered sheet. If you want to prevent a bedbug infestation, a zippered sheet is the better option.

Do They Work for Cribs?

Absolutely! Waterproof crib sheets are able to fit around your baby’s bed with ease. Depending on the kind you get, the material can actually be quite soft and gentle on your baby’s skin and pose no risk of irritation.

Are They Machine Washable?

Most, if not all, waterproof fitted bed sheets can be washed and dried at home. It largely depends on the company you buy it from, so make sure to look over packaging labels to see what the best course of action is when cleaning the sheets.

Do Waterproof Sheets Protect Against Allergies?

Some do help with a child’s allergies. Allergy relief bedding either comes as membrane or non-membrane. Membrane covers also are waterproof, whereas non-membrane sheets are not.

Parenthood will bring many new things, huge joys and trying challenges. You will face a lot of questions and need a lot of answers. We hope, with this brief FAQ on waterproof fitted bed sheets, we have answered some of those questions for you. Parenthood will give you a lot to overcome. With any luck, messy sheets will not have to be one of them.

For more information on waterproof fitted bed sheets, please visit us.bsensible.com

You Pick Your Dream House with a Production Home Builder

Homes tampa fl

Some people have a very clear picture of what they want their dream home to look like. They have had it planned for years and can close their eyes and see the way the walls are painted, they way the floors are covered, and the way neighborhood is all laid out. Sometimes this dream is of an already existing home they have seen or other times it is a custom home they want to build from the ground up.

More often than not, these people have very specific ideas in mind that cannot be altered very much. Most people, however, are not quite like that. They might know what they like, and they definitely know they want to build, but they are interested in starting fresh in a brand new community built from the ground up. This is where the benefits of the production home building process become clear.

Production homebuilders are home builders who will build a community of homes simultaneously. These homes are based on a library of floor plans and home design options that allow buyers to personalize their home in a myriad of ways. The production home building process takes the buyer through a number of choices that make their home unique. At the same time, the builders are designing and building homes in the same way for other buyers who want to start a new community as well.

Some of the ways in which new homebuyers can customize their new home through the production home building process are by customizing their kitchens. Many people mix and match appliances, cabinetry, and even flooring to have things just the way they desire them. They might have to spend a little bit extra but when surveyed, 69% of new home buyers said they would be willing to spend more for quality kitchen appliances.

In addition to kitchen customizing, other features of the house like central air conditioning and central heating are extras that buyers most often get. In fact, 70% of new home buyers would spend the extra money for central air.

The production home building process is nothing new, but it is growing rapidly in states like Florida where the population is increasing all the time. Every day, roughly a thousand people move to Florida. All throughout the state, production homes are going up. New communities are being built and families are settling down into their new homes and new communities.

There are many who would like to pick out their own parcel of land and have a home built the way they want it with no expense spared for the design and building. That simply isn;t possible for everybody. Instead, the production home building process gives new homeowners the opportunity to have a brand new home built for them and customized to their liking. This is the way of America. This is progress.

Need to Move During the Semester? Hire a Professional Moving and Storage Company

Storage facilities

While many people in the United States never move away from their hometowns, others do so around 12 times throughout their life. If you’re a renter, chances are you may move more often, particularly if you’re a student.

A recent survey showed that many students move to attend college. Approximately 77% of these students have moved into new communities at least once, while 56% of people with or without a high school diploma have moved as often.

College graduates, however, tend to live in several states. For some, this may be to attend graduate school. Others may be moving to a new state to explore employment opportunities or to begin a new career.

When it’s time to change apartments or houses, especially when the school semester is in full swing or you’re experiencing the crunch of finals, hiring a moving company makes sense. In addition to moving furniture, boxes, and other items, moving companies can also pack and unpack your belongings.

Sometimes, you may need to put your belongings in storage for a while. In this case, you may be interested to know that storage services are also available. When you’re not ready to move into a new residence yet, a company that provides both moving and storage services can safely store your items in a private storage facility. Once you’re ready, the moving and storage company can deliver your items to your new home or apartment.

If you have just moved into a new place and haven’t gone furniture shopping yet, it’s good to know that residential moving services can also assist you with local furniture delivery. This makes it so much easier when you locate just the right couch or dining room and bedroom set. If you love shopping at local antique stores, when you discover a great find, these local movers can pick up and deliver this to you as well.

Moving can be stressful when you attempt to do it on your own. When you hire professional movers, however, you can focus on your studies rather than worrying about how you’ll transport all of your belongings from point A to point B.

Planning a Family Reunion? Stay on Track With These 5 Tips

Party rentals maryland

Whether it happens annually or once per decade, a family reunion creates invaluable memories. As it could be a rare reunion for your loved ones, taking all details into account will create the best possible experience for everyone. From activity planning to budgeting for party event rentals, use these tips as a guide for planning a memorable event.

  1. Schedule Ahead of Time

    By choosing a date at least one year in advance, you will not only give your family ample time to set off that day, but you will also get first picks of a venue. Consider sending a survey out to your family members to see if anyone has creative venue ideas.

  2. Decide on a Budget

    As with any large event, planning often begins with a budget. When asking your family about their reunion ideas, also find out what they are willing to contribute. Once you have a number in place, you will be able to fit the rest of your plans within those boundaries. A smaller gathering, such as a backyard party, will likely require a smaller budget than a large gathering at a rented venue.

  3. Build a Planning Team

    Planning a family reunion is no small feat, so you should not have to tackle it alone. Ask different family members to be in charge of certain tasks based on their specific skills. Your accountant cousin, for example, would be a great choice for handling the finances. Select people to handle the food, activity planning, venue rental, and the invitations, for example. Be realistic about what you can handle and delegate accordingly.

  4. Order the Basics

    Be sure to have all of your party event rentals in place ahead of time. Order your chair rentals and linen rentals, for example. Begin the catering selection process early, as you might want to sample different companies before hiring one. In preparation for rain, consider setting up a tent rental.

  5. Plan Activities

    When planning activities for your reunion, be sure to keep all ages in mind. Especially for outdoor events, lawn games will keep your guests active and engaged. If your family has many young children, consider planning games and crafts in advance.

    6. By staying organized in your reunion preparation, you can plan an enjoyable, memorable, and stress-free day for your loved ones.

Your Backyard is a Peaceful Retreat and a Sound Investment

Garden

There’s a good reason why backyards and outdoor spaces are so highly valued. Outdoor living fulfills some very deeply seated needs: for fresh air, a chance to connect with the natural world, a place to relax and let go the stresses and cares of the world. Backyards become your own private escape, a place to entertain friends, and so much more. Even if you’re not a gardener, once you have a yard to play around in, you may find yourself making trips to the plant nursery and learning about mulch and butterfly gardens. It’s the best excuse for grown ups to get their hands dirty, play with mud, and get away with it.

Landscaping and backyard improvements: the financial factors
Even though it’s not the primary reason why people love and care for their backyards, a beautifully kept and landscaped yard adds to the value of the home. Almost all, of 97%, of real estate agents believe that garden improvements offer a significant return, up to 215%, on the value of the investment. For larger projects, it’s better to hire a landscaping and design company that will have the experience and crew to do a professional job.
For those planning to sell a house, 90% of real estate agents recommend landscape improvements to get a better price. That’s because your landscape design is the first thing that visitors see, and the first chance to make a great impression on potential buyers. Your local plant nursery is a great place to get started with backyard improvements. From planning to plants and tools to upkeep and maintenance advice, you can get it all there.

A peaceful place
For the majority of Americans, their backyard is just the place where they can get away from it all for a little while. As many 75% of respondents said that they find it important to spend time in their backyards, according to a survey conducted by Harris Poll for the National Association of Landscape Professionals. The survey polled 2,034 adults over the age of 18 years.
Further, having a yard is important for 83% of Americans; and 90% of those who have a yard feel that it should be well kept. Some of the most popular backyard activities are gardening, relaxing and entertaining.

Just add color
The majority of homeowners are DIY gardeners, and they tend to focus on food and flowers. As many as 92% choose native plants from the local plant nursery, creating yards that are suitable to the local climate and for local fauna like birds and butterflies.
Fruits and vegetables are another favorite for DIY gardeners. Tomatoes and squash are relatively easy to grow and in just a few weeks you can enjoy cooking vegetables you’ve grown yourself. Fruit trees a few years to mature, but there’s practically nothing to beat the taste of freshly picked berries from your own yard.

For a number of reasons, the local plant nursery and garden center is the best place to get started for DIY gardeners. They will have the right plants and tools for local conditions, and also the best advice for your specific situation. Gardeners are always happy to talk shop and share their advice. Fresh air, a chance to connect with the earth, and even healthy fruits and vegetables to add to your diet: all good reasons why people love their yards and give them so much time and attention.