PLAYGROUND COTTAGES HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.

Mobile Homes – New Trend of Houses?Posted by admin on March 6th, 2010

It seems that mobile homes are the new trend for houses given that the real estate market is still in bad shape. Actually, you would be surprised about the new mobile homes out these days, they really are in with the design trend of houses done on site. Take a look at the sample mobile homes from AZChampion:

Most of the time your payments on the home, and the lot rent combined are less then that of the area rental market. I think that is the main advantage. The mobile homes for sale are still sold a lot less than actual homes on real estate property. There are also a lot of misconception that mobiles homes are a bad investment.

Mobile homes in parks do go down in value, but mobile homes on privately owned land usually go up in value, particularly if the land is in demand. In certain desirable areas, in fact, you’ll find a lot of of mobile homes: property around lakes, for instance, where people have been living in mobile homes as vacation or retirement homes! Mobile home are movable – that’s the main advantage of it especially if you want to retire to a new place. Mobile homes also serve as vacation houses when families are on vacation – they just lug their homes around. Isn’t that neat? In case you would want to sell yours, make sure to keep it on great shape and you still can sell it for the amount you paid for within five years.

Going GreenPosted by admin on February 5th, 2010

One of the things we are actively doing at home is make compost pits out of biodegradable stuff we have at home, that way, it will be easier for us to make sure our gardens flourish. It’s just hard to dig up a pit as we need to have one made that is not too near where the kids play because it must be deep enough for the chickens, cats and dogs not to dig into it. A compost tumbler should solve our problem!

Here is what they have to say in the site:

As an alternative to traditional compost bins, a compost tumbler can speed up the composting process due to the ease of being able to turn and mix the compost.  Additionally, the enclosed container helps with odors or preventing unwanted critters from rummagin around in an open pile. Just 7 give it a spin once a week to aerate the mixture and you could be compost-ready in just 21 days!

I think we we will be getting this!

Bed and Beth IdeasPosted by admin on February 3rd, 2010

What has been keeping me occupied the past few days? I have been adding finishing touches to our rooms as I have unearthed a couple of decorations I can use around our clutter-free (finally) room. I still have yet to decide (and order) the big brother’s study table and double deck-bed though. Lack of budget and my fickle-mindedness really go hand in hand together.

I also bought some bathroom accessories and toiletries last weekend while I was in the grocery and was disappointed to find out it won’t fit into our little basket in the bathroom. We really can use a nice vanity in there. So far, a search on bathroom vanities – contemporary and white, my preferred style – yielded these results:

I really like the second picture for a powder room, I love the fact it hangs on the wall and the round vanity mirror offsets the corners. The third picture would look better if they were white but I love the sink! The first image reminds of a 1950’s bathroom – very vintage and chic.

This one is very nice too:

I love the open shelves with baskets and how wide the mirror is! Once we have our own house I will really fight for a big bathroom, because I really want a small closet for our towels and linens. Beside that will be the space for towel warmers! I really like the stainless steel ones, it reminds me of bathrooms in five-star hotels:

But these one would be more organized (it also keeps things hidden):

Look at how diverse towel warmers are these days, they can really make interesting designs i the bathroom already:

Imagine the spiral towel warmer having different colors of towels, they would really be an eye-candy! Of course, for me, I would prefer my towels be white.

Small SpacesPosted by admin on January 14th, 2010

I spent a lot of time browsing the Small Spaces blog, as we have a small house and I have been quite focused on trying to make it more homely for us (as we are stuck here for at least one or two more years).

This won’t work for our living room as our sofa rests on windows that open up to the kitchen. But I was thinking I can make the shelves work along the TV rack. Let us see. I love minimal designs with clutter elements that make the house look more :lived in:, if you know what I mean.

Obviously, I was not able to look over the Medicare supplement quotes I was supposed to review tonight.

8 Tips on Refreshing Your HomePosted by admin on January 8th, 2010

1. Bring in some fresh flowers and starting forcing those bulbs.

2. Warm it up!

3. Make paper snowflakes, create a new wreath for winter, leave the white twinkle lights up (just hang them over the bookcase, over your bed, or along the fireplace mantle vs. on the tree which you’ve no doubt removed by now).

4. Drag out your cd collection and play some music you’ve not listened to in a long time, music that uplifts and makes you feel positive and energetic since energy is a big thing we’re all in need of right about now, right?

5. Break a sweat.

6. Edit! Winter is a good time to photograph your space, look at the photos four hundred times over, and consider what works and what doesn’t work. And start editing from there. Edit, edit, edit!

7. Move things around.

8. And… if all else fails, there is always hot cocoa.

SOURCE

LeakingPosted by admin on May 8th, 2008

The faucet in the kitchen sink needs to be replaced. The water sometimes doesnt come out even if we have the faucet fully opened. It is a good thing that the owner of the house has told us we can replace, improve or renovate the house and have the expenses deducted on our rent. (I think they dont have money to do the repairs. Oh well, we dont have either! Ha!). Kohler faucets have been the recommended ones when I asked around the hardware store. I just dont know which style the husband wants to so I need to wait for him to make a decision.

I sound like a domesticated, submissive housewife there.
(So not true, by the way).

To-Do ListPosted by admin on May 4th, 2008

My favorite thing to do and write about are lists.

I so love to be able to write everything in an organized way and feel such a great accomplishment when Im able to cross it off my list

So here is mine, to be accomplished today (since it is already 1:30AM).

1. Draft to-do list for the house (one area per day).
2. Set up a mock station for myself. I think the reason why Im so depressed is that my need for organization and seeing all my stuff in one place is not happening. I need to do something about it tomorrow.
3. Set up G’s space – use cooling pad, clean, install sheet protector.
4. Buy some ink pens and art materials for the kids. Get some schedule going for them (crafts, play time, etc.)
5. Post menu plan at the ref.

Remember to breathe.

Third and Fourth Parts: To-Do's.Posted by admin on April 23rd, 2008

This will be the agenda for the week:

Today and tomorrow, I will be fixing all the things we can get here at my parents’ place into the new house (the treadmill included – Im so excited about that!). Friday I will take the kids with me to the city for their pediatrician check-up. I want to make sure they get a clean bill of health before we finally reside in the suburbs. There were symptoms of hepatitis cases going on a few towns away and I wanted to make sure we are also up to date with the vaccination of the kids and their boosters.

Friday night I continue packing (all major appliances and albums and my knick knacks are still there) and Sunday morning we move to Amadeo. Hopefully, everything will be as smooth as before.

I miss having my own space here. We have a desktop and two laptops with two desks. So I camp here and there. It’s hard to find my time, which I steal when the daughter is sleeping (Thankfully she sleeps long hours in the afternoon – like now).

I will update our move here and make this into an album someday.
Love this idea.

Second Part: DonePosted by admin on April 23rd, 2008

The house is spikingly clean, ready to be moved in. We just need to move over the big appliances and we are ready to stay there. Thank God for helpers. I got two helpers to clean the house and now even the garden and backyard are clean. I cant wait to plant some flowering plants – one day at a time, I say. Anyhow, all the things are going perfectly for us. Even the problem with (lack of) money seems so little as compared to how smooth the move has been going.

Safe house.
Clean house.

What next?

Today, we went to three prospective schools for my eldest. One school really stood out to me. The building, church, gymnasium, classrooms and bathrooms were mighty impressive. The one thing that drew me back was the summer program all new students need to go through next month. My son hasnt even enjoyed his summer vacation yet! The other school is not so impressive but the boy wanted it. The last one was OK – given that I wanted there first. I still need to consult with the husband how we go with that stage of the house move.

First Part: DonePosted by admin on April 21st, 2008

So I had an eletrician check all the wiring and outlets in the house, installed new bulbs and then had all the doorknobs replaced. Phase one: security of the house done. Tomorrow we go to phase two: general deep cleaning. Since I dont have a maid yet, people here are kind enough to refer me to helpers who I can pay per day. I’ll get one tomorrow and have the place looking shiny and clean for the husband. I was wallowing in self-pity awhile ago since I get to do all the dirty job – unpack, clean and make sure the house becomes a home, AND still be a nanny/mommy/poo washer to the kids without the husband. But I realized I can really do it, as long as the husband gives me money to hire help Now, once phase three is complete, I can now demand the installation of my workspace – I got some leftover shelves from the old house. I just need an adjustable desk so that I can do some crafts while the kids are sleeping. I want to have a worktable. Hopefully, everything can be accomplished before I go back to the city by Friday.