We all know that life can be tough. But luckily, there are some ways of making it a little bit easier. We’ve found some home upgrades that can improve the quality of everyday life in your home, so you can concentrate on the bigger issues.
Water softening
The mineral deposits in water can cause all sorts of problems for those living in hard water areas. Calcium and magnesium are essential for our health but can play havoc with our household appliances. A build up of limescale caused by these minerals can severely shorten the life of our coffee machines, kettles, washing machines and other appliances.
While there are limescale prevention products, these chemicals end up in our water supply. If you want a more environmentally friendly approach, consider a water softener installation. The water from a water softener will no longer coat your appliances and pipes with limescale, extending their service life.
You’ll also find that your skin and hair will feel better following installation of a water softening system. You may also find that you need to spend less on detergent and soap with soft water.
Smart home technology
Even the most technophobe among us cannot deny the benefits of smart home technology. From the simple convenience to the energy savings we can make, the enhanced security to a more personalised home, there are a multitude of upsides to using smart home tech.
Aside from all these benefits, technology can also improve the quality of life for the elderly by automating certain functions around the home. For example, using voice commands or an app to control the lighting, having a video doorbell for enhanced security and using virtual assistants such as Alexa to set reminders for medications or appointments.
In essence, anything that can be connected to the internet can be integrated into a smart home and operated remotely. This frees up time, saves energy and makes life a little easier. Most technology today is very user friendly so even the technophobes can embrace it.
Letting in natural light
Having as much natural light in your home as possible can really improve the feeling of the space and make it a much more pleasant place to be. The impact on your wellbeing will be noticeable and it doesn’t take much to implement this inexpensive home improvement. The most obvious place to start is with your windows.
Replace heavy, dark coloured curtains with blinds and sheer panels to allow more light to filter through. Make sure your windows are clean and cut back any foliage outside that may be blocking light. Painting your interior walls a light colour and adding a mirror to bounce light around the room also help.
Internal doors can be swapped from solid to glazed or semi glazed to allow more natural light to penetrate the whole house. A rooflight can significantly illuminate a dark extension and solar tubes can provide light in otherwise inaccessible places.