House Of Gold

A dirty kitchen is no one’s favorite. Especially if that dirty kitchen is splattered with grease and oil from that delicious meal you prepared. Once that grease and oil dry, it’s a real pain to get off – unless you use these clever grease-removing hacks. A sponge with water will only get you so far when removing caked on grease. Try these 7 awesome grime-removing tips instead. No need to scrub and scour the kitchen for hours – these kitchen hacks will save you so much time. 1. Flour It’s strange to think that you’d use flour to clean up a mess, but it’s actually amazing for soaking up grease. If you’ve spilled oil or grease while cooking, it’s best to clean it up right away. All you need to do is sprinkle some flour over the spill, let the flour absorb the oil or grease, and wipe away with a damp paper towel. 2. Dish soap A few drops of liquid dish soap can work wonders on a greasy kitchen. Just add a bit of dish soap to some warm water and grab a sponge. The sim...

Renovating your house is an adventure, one that can easily go off the rails. There are a mind-boggling number of wrong turns homeowners can take, from going over budget, to hiring a shady contractor, to just realizing that the quartz counters or paint color they picked are so wrong—after the work is done. So if you want to make sure your renovation turns out all right, it's essential you be prepared. Here are eight things you should do before embarking on any major home improvement project to avoid a whole bunch of headaches and regrets. 1. Know what you like Oh that part's easy, right? You want a totally new kitchen. But what exactly does that mean? You have to narrow down whether that’s just cosmetic (e.g., new cupboards, counters, and appliances) or structural (e.g., reconfiguring your space or knocking down a wall). “I suggest my clients spend time browsing Pinterest, flipping through home decorating magazines, and watching design shows on TV to assemble a ‘vis...

No matter how convenient it is to download a book on your tablet, there's nothing like the sensory pleasures of an old-school hardback: The smell of the paper. The feel of turning the page. The cover art that evokes the story. That said, books do take up space—and depending on how much you read, potentially a lot of space. And unless you live in the Library of Congress, you may have reached a point where you’re at a loss for how to organize them all. Before you give up and go digital forever, take heart: There are some clever ways to show off your favorite tomes and make them the protagonist of your home decor. 1. Lean into the library look If you're a book lover, there's no sense hiding it—embrace your bibliophile tendencies and design your home around your books. The more it feels like a library, the more you might feel like you're in your own happy place, where a new world is only a page turn away. “Few things are more lovely than a solid wall of libr...

Free furniture is out there—you just need to know where to find it. For one reason or another, plenty of people are looking to ditch furniture that's stylish and in good quality. They might be moving, downsizing, or unloading the contents of a deceased relative's house. Here's where to look to score free goods, no dumpster diving required. 1. Social media You’d be surprised by how many of your friends and family have pieces they’re willing to part with. You just need to let them know what you’re looking for, says Ali Wenzke of Chicago, author of the upcoming book "The Art of Happy Moving." Expand your quest from just your own contacts by searching and posting on other sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor, Craigslist, 5miles, Freecycle, or other local virtual bulletin board or yard sale sites. Search for “free patio furniture,” or post "ISO [in search of] free couch for my son's college dorm.” When you're asking for free furniture, b...

Chances are, you’ve been tossing around the term feng shui for years...without ever truly understanding what the heck it is. In a nutshell: Feng shui is an ancient Chinese discipline that examines object placements and how they affect a home’s energy. In the hopes of ridding our homes of any and all bad juju, we tapped feng shui expert Bryce Kennedy for the absolute essentials. 1. Never hang mirrors across from the front door. The reason: Any good energy that comes across your threshold will immediately get bounced back outside. 2. Never put a bedroom over a garage. Garages have heavy, chaotic energies. And that is the last thing you want to feel when it comes to rest. 3. Treat your stove like your most prized possession. Stoves are money makers in feng shui: They bring good fortune and attract abundance. Keep yours clean and grease-free. 4. Ban electronics in the bedroom. Huge no-no: Electronics prime the brain to buzz. Plus, actually think about what it is that you l...

We have all thought about what our dream home would look like. It’s natural! After all, we spend most of our time at home, so we might as well make it as perfect as possible. Some of us would like to have two staircases in the house for easy access, to be perched on top of a hill with a great backyard view, or to have a his and her walk-in closet. Regardless of what your dream home will look like, I guarantee you that the creative and unique home remodeling ideas below will make you reconsider. After reading through this list, I couldn’t help but add a few new ideas to my wish list. Create a bedroom for the dog! Save space in your home and create a bedroom under-the-stairs for the family dog. Lower the living room Create a unique feel to the living room by making it “sink.” It’s an elegant design that creates a space within a space. Baseboards that vacuum! Rather than vacuum or use a dustpan to clean up the crumbs and other scraps on the floor, this special baseb...