{"id":169165,"date":"2017-12-27T12:30:10","date_gmt":"2017-12-27T10:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/?p=169165"},"modified":"2017-12-28T06:00:50","modified_gmt":"2017-12-28T04:00:50","slug":"staying-home-holidays-use-staycation-home-improvements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2017\/12\/27\/staying-home-holidays-use-staycation-home-improvements\/","title":{"rendered":"Staying at home for the holidays? Use your \u2018staycation\u2019 for home improvements"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many South Africans decide not to go away on holiday, but rather stay and relax at home, on what is known as a \u2018staycation\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

With most service providers usually shutting down over the festive season, big projects are unlikely; however, it is the perfect time to do small improvements to your home that will not only freshen it up, but will also give you a great start to the New Year.<\/span><\/p>

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\u201cUsing your \u2018staycation\u2019 to make small inexpensive improvements to spruce up your home can be a fun way to spend time on your home, that you don\u2019t get to do during the year,\u201d said Simphiwe Madikizela, head of projects at FNB Housing Finance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Use your \u2018staycation\u2019 to declutter. Most homes, whether it is a small apartment or a big home, tend to build up clutter throughout the year, everything from broken items, piles of magazines, to letters and half-used bottles are piled up in a room, cupboards or in the garage.<\/span><\/p>

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\u201cClearing out the clutter during the holidays is actually the perfect time, as unwanted items can often make a great festive season gift, and by the end of the holiday your home will feel spacious and ready for the New Year,\u201d said Simphiwe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sort out one room at a time, placing items in piles that are to be thrown away, given away or packed away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe items that you have decided to keep need to be stored neatly and labelled, this will not only make your life easier when trying to find them again, but will also create more space in your home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Take time to fix small home issues. Go around your home and take note of all the small issues that need fixing, such as replacing light bulbs, rewiring plugs, fixing loose planks and door handles that don\u2019t work correctly, or faulty appliances that need to be repaired or thrown out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNone of these household items are expensive to replace, or particularly difficult to do,\u201d advised Simphiwe. When replacing light bulbs consider buying LED lights, which are both energy efficient and cost-effective.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take on a bigger DYI project \u2013 whether it be adding shelves to the kitchen, or repainting a bedroom, now is the time to take on a project where the materials are fairly simple to acquire and not highly labour-intensive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other DYI projects that are simple to take on in the various rooms in your home include:<\/span><\/p>\n