miscellaneous

• What is Asset Tracking & Do I Need for Artwork?

  

  When people hear the term asset tracking, they often think of trucks, tools, or IT equipment. But asset tracking is just as important in the world of artwork security. 

  Whether you own a private collection, manage a gallery, or oversee artworks in offices, museums, or hotels, knowing where your artwork is—and what condition it’s in—matters more than ever.

  This guide explains asset tracking in simple terms and helps you decide if it’s something you truly need.

   

  What Is Asset Tracking?

  Asset tracking is the process of monitoring valuable items to know their location, movement, and status at all times. This is usually done using tools like:

  • Digital asset registers
  • RFID tags or QR codes
  • GPS trackers (for transport)
  • Cloud-based tracking software

  For artwork, asset tracking goes beyond basic inventory. It creates a clear record of ownership, location, movement, and condition, helping protect pieces that may be rare, fragile, or irreplaceable.

   

  Why Asset Tracking Matters for Artwork Security

  Artwork is different from most assets. It can be highly valuable, emotionally significant, and easy to move without obvious signs of loss. That makes it a common target for theft, misplacement, and damage.

  Here’s why asset tracking plays a key role in artwork security:

  1. Prevents Loss and Theft: Knowing exactly where each piece is at all times reduces the risk of artwork going missing. If a piece is moved without approval, tracking records can quickly show when and where it happened.
  2. Creates Accountability: When artwork is loaned, transported, or displayed in different locations, asset tracking creates a clear chain of responsibility. This discourages careless handling and makes investigations faster if something goes wrong.
  3. Protects During Transport: Artwork is most vulnerable when it’s being moved. Asset tracking allows you to monitor transit routes, delivery times, and handovers, reducing risk during shipping or relocation.
  4. Supports Insurance Claims: In the event of theft, fire, or damage, detailed tracking records can be critical. Insurers often ask for proof of ownership, location history, and condition reports—all of which asset tracking systems provide.

   

  What Does Artwork Asset Tracking Include?

  A good artwork asset tracking system usually covers more than just location. It may include:

  • Artist name and artwork title
  • Photos and condition reports
  • Current and past locations
  • Loan and exhibition history
  • Insurance values
  • Transport and handling records

  All of this information is stored digitally, making it easy to access when needed.

   

  Who Needs Artwork Asset Tracking?

  You might think asset tracking is only for large museums, but that’s no longer true. You may need it if you are:

  • A private art collector with valuable pieces
  • A gallery owner managing rotating exhibitions
  • A corporate office displaying artwork across locations
  • A museum or cultural institution
  • An art logistics or storage provider

  Even smaller collections benefit from tracking, especially as artwork values increase over time.

   

  Signs You Might Need Asset Tracking

  If you’re unsure whether asset tracking is right for you, consider these questions:

  • Do you manage multiple artworks in different locations?
  • Is your artwork insured or increasing in value?
  • Do pieces move often for exhibitions, loans, or events?
  • Would it be difficult to prove where an artwork was last seen?

  If you answered yes to any of these, asset tracking can significantly improve your artwork security.

   

  How Asset Tracking Improves Daily Management

  Beyond security, asset tracking makes day-to-day artwork management easier. You spend less time searching for records and more time focusing on care and presentation. It also reduces human error, such as forgotten loans or outdated inventory lists.

  Many modern systems are simple to use and designed for non-technical users, making them accessible even for small teams.

   

  Is Asset Tracking Expensive?

  The cost of asset tracking varies depending on the size of your collection and the level of detail you need. However, when compared to the financial and emotional cost of losing artwork, asset tracking is often a smart and affordable investment.

  In many cases, digital tracking tools cost far less than insurance premiums and can even help lower them by improving security practices.

   

  Final Thoughts: Do You Really Need It?

  Asset tracking is no longer just a “nice to have” for artwork owners—it’s a practical tool for modern artwork security. If your artwork has value, moves between locations, or needs protection from loss and damage, asset tracking gives you peace of mind and control.

  Knowing where your artwork is, who handled it last, and what condition it’s in can make all the difference when it matters most.

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• How Much is My Carriage Clock Worth?

  

  If you own an old carriage clock, you may have wondered whether it is just a nice decoration or something far more valuable. Carriage clocks have a long history and are collected all over the world. 

  Some sell for modest prices, while others are worth thousands. The value depends on several clear factors, not just age.

  This guide will help you understand what your carriage clock might be worth and why.

  What Is a Carriage Clock?

  Carriage clocks are small brass clocks made mainly in France during the 19th and early 20th centuries. They were designed to be portable, with a handle on top, so people could travel with them. Many were made with fine craftsmanship and accurate movements, which is why they are still admired today.

  Although similar clocks were later made in other countries, original French carriage clocks are usually the most valuable.

  Age and Period Matter

  One of the first things collectors look at is when the clock was made.

  • Early 19th-century carriage clocks are often worth more
  • Late Victorian and Edwardian examples are still collectible
  • Mid-20th-century clocks usually have lower values

  Older does not always mean valuable, but early clocks made between 1830 and 1900 are often in higher demand.

  Maker and Signature

  The name on the dial or movement can greatly affect value. Well-known makers usually command higher prices.

  Highly respected carriage clock makers include:

  • Drocourt
  • Dent
  • LeRoy
  • Jacot
  • Margaine

  If your clock is signed by a famous maker, it is worth having it properly assessed. Unsigned clocks can still have value, but usually less than signed examples of similar quality.

  Condition is Critical

  Condition plays a huge role in the value of carriage clocks. Collectors prefer clocks that are complete and original.

  Things that can lower value include:

  • Cracked or replaced glass panels
  • Dents or heavy wear to the brass case
  • Missing handle or feet
  • Rust or corrosion inside the movement

  A clock that runs well and keeps time is always more desirable. However, even non-working clocks can still have value if they are rare or made by a notable maker.

  Complications Increase Value

  Some carriage clocks do more than tell time. Extra features, known as complications, often increase value.

  Common valuable features include:

  • Strike or repeat mechanisms
  • Alarm functions
  • Calendar displays
  • Grande sonnerie or petite sonnerie

  A clock with a repeat button that strikes the time on demand is often worth significantly more than a simple time-only example.

  Originality and Repairs

  Original parts matter greatly in the world of antique clocks. Carriage clocks that have not been heavily altered usually sell for more.

  Professional repairs done long ago are often acceptable. Modern replacement parts, especially visible ones, can reduce value. Over-polishing the brass can also lower appeal, as collectors prefer natural aging over a shiny new look.

  Provenance and History

  If you know where your carriage clock came from, this can add interest and sometimes value. Documentation such as old receipts, family records, or maker’s papers helps support authenticity.

  Clocks with a known history, especially if linked to an important person or event, may attract higher offers.

  Typical Value Ranges

  While prices vary widely, here are some general ranges for carriage clocks:

  • Simple unsigned clocks: £300–£800
  • Signed French clocks in good condition: £800–£3,000
  • High-quality or rare examples: £3,000–£10,000+

  Exceptional clocks with rare features or famous makers can exceed these figures.

  How to Get an Accurate Valuation

  If you want a reliable value, avoid guessing based only on online listings. Prices shown online often reflect asking prices, not what clocks actually sell for.

  Better options include:

  • Consulting a specialist clock dealer
  • Getting a professional auction house valuation
  • Having the clock inspected by a horologist

  Do not clean or repair the clock before getting advice, as this can unintentionally reduce its value.

  Final Thoughts

  Understanding how much your carriage clock is worth takes a bit of research, but it can be rewarding. Age, maker, condition, and features all play a role. Whether your clock is worth a few hundred or several thousand, it represents a piece of fine craftsmanship and history.

  If you believe your carriage clock may be valuable, a professional assessment is always the best next step.

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• The Difference Between an Arborist and a Tree Trimmer

  

  Professional arborists offer a variety of services, from insect and disease control to growth regulators and tree treatments, as well as tree root fertilization. These and other tree maintenance solutions can help improve tree health and support local ecosystems in residential properties. The roles of an arborist extend beyond those of tree trimmers, who mainly focus on basic cutting or pruning and shaping of trees. Here are a few key differences between an arborist and a tree trimmer:

  Service Scope

  Arborists focus on promoting the long-term health of trees through services like tree diagnoses and injections or treatments. This makes an arborist an ideal professional if you want expert help controlling insects and diseases. These experts understand how to assess the unique biological and environmental needs of various species across different areas to provide tailored preventive care, such as tree injections.

  Tree trimmers focus on offering physical tree maintenance services, such as cutting and removing dead trees or branches and pruning. Services from a tree trimmer may be ideal for aesthetic purposes and enhancing safety by removing hazardous branches. An arborist can also help assess your trees’ structural stability and growth patterns to determine ideal preservation methods.

  Specialized Equipment

  An arborist combines both standard pruning tools and specialized diagnostic equipment for a comprehensive assessment of tree health. Tools such as increment borers and resistographs enable an arborist to assess trees for issues such as structural weakness or internal decay. An arborist may also use precision tools such as loppers and pruning saws. These pruning tools enable clean, targeted cutting that aligns with a tree’s biological standards, for faster healing and enhanced health. Tools tree trimmers can use for efficient removal of tree branches and routine shaping include power saws and pole pruners.

  Some specialized techniques a tree doctor may employ include disease treatments, soil aeration, bracing, and cabling. These techniques contribute to improving trees’ structural integrity and prolonging their life. While tree trimmers focus on general pruning techniques for quick branch removal and shaping, arborists take a more tailored approach using specialized tools. Tree trimmers’ equipment is designed for standard, repeatable trimming, whereas arborists can customize their methods to the tree’s specific needs.

  Structural Expertise

  An arborist possesses extensive knowledge of things like tree anatomy, soil interactions, and tree physiology. Professional arborists understand the specific pests and disease risks that affect different types of trees, including magnolias and oaks. This knowledge allows them to accurately assess and address issues such as vascular diseases, root rot, and other threats to tree health. By diagnosing these and other tree issues, an arborist can recommend targeted interventions like fertilization and also conduct tree injections. Since tree trimmers lack expertise in tree biology, they specialize in structural cuts.

  Hire Professional Arborists Today

  An arborist possesses expertise that enables them to conduct health assessments and manage insects and diseases in trees more effectively. Tree trimmers can be ideal for efficiently handling mechanical or physical tree upkeep. Call a trustworthy arborist today to safeguard your trees’ long-term health and aesthetics.

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• Choosing the Best Hardware for Your Cabinets

  

  Installing new cabinets in a remodel changes the look of the room and is a significant upgrade. They are fitted with doors and drawers and can include other components that support specific functions. Selecting the proper hardware for the cabinet, such as handles, hinges, and drawer slides, depends on factors like material, size, and color, which can affect both usability and aesthetics. Here are a few tips for choosing the best hardware for your cabinets:

   

  Evaluate Cabinet Material and Size

  Choosing hardware for your cabinet depends on factors such as the cabinet’s material and color. If your cabinet is made of wood, select hardware that does not split or dent the surface when tightening the screws. When choosing hardware for metal cabinetry, confirm that the selected components integrate visually and mechanically with the metal construction, and also match in texture.

  A larger cabinet may require longer knobs and pulls than a smaller cabinet. Heavy cabinetry has doors and drawers that require more force to open than those of a lightweight cabinet. In such cases, hardware with longer extensions can provide additional leverage for opening and closing. To open drawers or cabinet doors, you need grips large enough to fit your fingers and grip securely. If the hardware is smaller than your fingers, the holding surface may reduce grip and increase contact pressure on the cabinet finish.

   

  Check Hardware Placement

  When choosing hardware for your cabinets, its placement plays a key role in how easily you access and use your furniture and storage spaces. A handle positioned at an appropriate cabinet height makes it easier to reach and retrieve items. Placement includes both utility and circulation factors. Hardware choices that balance aesthetics with functional reach and clearance support both appearance and day-to-day use. You can place the most important items in your cabinets toward the bottom so they are easier to reach.

   

  Assess Lighting Effects

  Cabinet hardware design is influenced by both natural and artificial lighting. How specific materials and finishes reflect or absorb the lighting environment can affect your decision. Bright spaces incorporate reflective or light-colored hardware that maintains a sense of openness and visible detail. Rooms with limited lighting frequently use hardware with matte or darker finishes that reduce reflections and can visually emphasize form and contour. Evaluate the arrangement of artificial light and whether it is directed toward hardware in ways that produce noticeable glare. These conditions can guide the choice of finishes that support visibility for practical tasks while limiting distracting reflections.

   

  Select Quality Hardware for Cabinets

  Quality cabinet hardware appears in a wide range of styles. This includes antique and modern, formal and casual, and simple and ornate. Some users select hardware that closely matches the current room character, while others introduce deliberate contrasts within a consistent design plan. Neutral hardware may reduce the likelihood of strong stylistic clashes if the room motif changes later. Durable, well-constructed hardware can support the everyday operation of custom home and office cabinetry over extended use. When choosing cabinets, evaluate hardware that complements both function and design, enhancing usability while reflecting the overall interior style.

   

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• do not buy Kenmore Elite ranges: a cautionary tale

  I would rather use Hewn & Hammered to steer people toward good products, but sometimes that goes hand-in-hand with recommending against those that are substandard. And this is one of those times.

  A few years ago, my wife and I decided to radically remodel our kitchen, tearing everything down to the boards and replacing all appliances with shiny new versions, all well-reviewed in consumer magazines and on similar websites. What we didn't realize is that those websites and magazines can only review the use of an item, and not how it will degrade over time.

  We purchased a 36" Kenmore Elite black-and-steel finish range, and were (and are) happy with its operation and, to a lesser extent, its design, which seems slightly faulty, at least in materials choice. The materials it is built with tend toward the cheap, the flimsy, and – most unfortunately – the short-lived.

  Within months of installation, the knobs on the stove started to come apart. At first, we thought perhaps it was just a layer of shrinkwrap that had been left on, but after consulting with a number of appliance salespeople, Sears service folks and even an industrial designer, we realized it was something else: the stove knobs are coated with a fake chrome plastic wrap, glued on, which is not heat-resistant – and the oven door seam leaks quite a bit of heat, which (as a non-oven-designer) I would guess that it probably should not. Not only is the finish almost completely gone on some of the knobs, but the knob itself is made out of a plastic that is degrading quite quickly as well, with significant cracking and the beginning of deformation.

  We contacted Sears about what seemed to be a design flaw, and was told that while other people (one Sears rep admitted many other people) had complained about this, they saw it more as a consumer problem and not an issue that was theirs to remedy; they would charge me approximately $60 per knob if I wanted to replace them. Unfortunately, the replacements they offered are identical to the original knobs, and would degrade within a few years as well, making this cost repeat every three or four years for as long as we wanted the stove to look halfway decent.

  I'm still looking for replacement knobs that match the stove, but luckily most of the cheap knockoffs on the market are made of better materials than the original knobs, so I'm certain I'll find something. My word of warning: if you buy a Kenmore Elite range, replace the knobs with the $15-for-5 set you can buy on Amazon, if you see some you like, and don't expect good customer service from Sears, who will do everything they can in their endless contortions to avoid the fact that they make a substandard product and refuse to fix or replace the affected parts.

  Shame on you, Sears! I am hereby removing the Sears ad that I previously had in my sidebar, and ending my advertising relationship with a company whose product I can no longer endorse – and who refuses every opportunity to make whole their guarantee, presented upon purchase, of providing me an appropriately working and non-defective stove in exchange for my hard-earned money.

  Update 1: a Sears representative asked me to remove this article. I believe they were expecting me to capitulate in exchange for a small discount on new knobs, which of course would fall apart as well. I will not. Since that time, the hinges on the oven door have worn out and had to be replaced. The screws that are intended to hold the new hinges in place are no longer available, either.

  Update 2: I have now received more than 11 emails from other owners of Sears/Kenmore-brand ovens with similarly-eroded knobs. Most are less than 2 years old. I have also been approached by an ex-Sears installer, who tells me that the issue is most likely the door seal, and that it's so variable that Sears won't bother sending anyone to fix it even if we caught it immediately.

• ofuro: Japanese soaking tubs

   

  pictured above: a beautiful custom wooden ofuro designed & built by Bartok Design

  A few years ago, I remodeled my bathroom, and removed a traditional shower/tub combo. In replacing it with a tiled shower stall and a tub, I faced a dilemma: how to fit these two new items in the same space? Luckily, my solution was Kohler's Greek Soaking Tub, substantially deeper, wider and shorter than their traditional tubs. However, I originally investigated building a custom Japanese soaking tub – or ofuro – before discarding that idea in favor of my lower-cost Kohler alternative.

  My father is facing a similar project: he wants to turn the upstairs in his 1917 Craftsman home into a small apartment, with the 1/2 bath currently there becoming a full, albeit tiny, bathroom. Being that the entire upstairs of his house is finished in rich rough wood – mostly raw redwood planks and other woods – he wants the bath to be similarly subtle and consistent, so I recommended an ofuro.

  One of the best resources on the subject is Bruce Smith & Yoshiko Yamamoto's Japanese Baths book – lots of eyecandy and ideas in it. But here are some other resources that may be useful.

  • Hydro Systems' 4040 round/square soaking tub
  • Neo-Metro's luxury baths
  • THG's Yoko
  • Neptune makes some larger whirlpools in a vaguely Japanese style
  • MTI has a huge line of luxury baths, including several space-saving corner models and a few deep soakers
  • online retailer Signature Hardware has a nice consolidated listing for several different makers of unorthodox bath & soaking tubs
  • I saw a Cabuchon tub recently installed in Portland, Oregon; it looked great but I couldn't exactly strip down and take a bath at the cocktail party where I saw it
  • Bathpro's Yubune are short and deep
  • TeakTubs look gorgeous but I'm not sure how safe they'd be on a second story, but as long as they're sealed well, I know teak shouldn't split or swell, so maybe they're fine
  • Robert's Hot Tubs makes some really nice tubs, several of which are bathroom-sized
  • Bartok Design's custom Japanese tubs are beautiful and minimalist
  • Driftwood Design also makes custom wooden baths
  • master carpenter Hiroshi Sakaguchi also makes custom tubs, all of which are absolutely gorgeous
  • of course, if the floor is strong enough, you can always frame & pour your own concrete tub to fit any possible shape or space
  • for less than $900, you can have a portable ofuro that will fit in a large shower stall or which can be placed above a drain on a tiled floor – something you can take with you, and one of the simplest solutions to this sort of problem. No reason you can't use a flexible filler, with a hook on the wall above it to turn it into a shower!
• Symbolic Meaning of Color in Native American Design

  
  

  Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. CC-licensed image by Al_HikesAZ.

  Since Native American textiles and pattern design are a strong influence on Prairie and American Craftsman design, we thought you might enjoy this:

  If you are looking to do a design project in your home, you may be considering doing a Native American theme. For several years this type of décor has been in great demand but oddly, many homeowners aren’t aware of the fact that many of the facets of this particular style are actually mired in symbolism. Whereas other types of décor use color as an aesthetic feature, in Native American culture color means something – it is symbolic of some deeper spiritual meaning. Before finalizing your plans to remodel one or more rooms in your home, you might like to know a little bit about what color meant to these early, and very spiritual people.

  Colors Vary by Nation

  Sometimes a ‘nation’ is referred to as a ‘tribe’ and this varies from region to region and among tribes as well. One thing to be aware of when designing Native American décor is that colors meant different things to different nations. Therefore, if you are using a design specific to a particular tribe, it would be important to factor in the colors you are going to use. Dream catchers are an example of a craft you might want to undertake yourself, but if parts of the room are done in Cherokee fashion, for example, you would want to pay special attention to colors they found sacred.

  To the Hopi tribe, the color blue signified the most sacred of all colors so that might be something you would want to use. If you are thinking of making a dream catcher, you can find an awesome guide on how to make a dream catcher by following this link. Just remember to keep colors in mind if you are looking for an authentic Native American piece of art.

  The Meaning behind Some Common Colors

  As mentioned, each tribe ascribes meaning to specific colors and if you are going for a particular look within one of the variants of Native American culture, you would want to ascertain that you have colors in keeping with their traditions. Even so, there are some colors that have a universal meaning. Following is a compilation of colors and the most common meanings attached to them.

  • White – death, winter
  • Black – male, night, death, disease or sickness
  • Red – blood, wounds, sunset, thunderstorms, war
  • Blue – female, moon, water, sky, sadness
  • Green – earth, summer, life, rain
  • Yellow – morning, day, sunlight

  Although not all tribes (nations) attribute the exact same significance to these colors, these are the most common among the 562 tribes recognized today as genuine Native American nations.

  The point in understanding colors as they pertain to specific meanings or concepts is to make sure you are creating a design that is authentic. Many tribes in today’s world believe that their way of life has been distorted because of misuse of their traditions. So that there is no misunderstanding when it comes to having respect for a culture different from our own, it is really important to pay special attention to the significance they have attached to each and every color. In so doing, you will be honoring their culture while designing a new look for your home – the best of both worlds.

• Better Heating in Winter

  
  

  Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. CC-licensed photo by Keka Marzagao.

  Heating and cooling is the largest contributor to the cost of housing or running a brick and mortar business. The structure itself might have a loan, but heating and cooling tend to consume the most energy. Unlike a fixed loan, the energy demands of heating in winter is adjustable. While the simplest solution might seem to be to set the thermostat lower, most HVAC units can be maintained to improve efficiency.

  Residents should study their energy bill every year. A variation from the norm means either an unusually cold winter or a loss of efficiency. HVAC units should be checked every year, and the rewards of maintenance are efficiency and longer unit life. Large structures have mechanics that examine kilowatt hours and clean the system to reduce its load.

  A common problem is lost refrigerant. Pressure drops as refrigerant leaks, and less viscous refrigerant does not transfer heat as effectively. The HVAC unit must run longer and harder, which both consumes power and wears the motor. Refrigerant slowly leaks from all systems, and this is one reason why HVAC units should be examined once a year by a professional heating and cooling service, such as All Weather Heating and Air Conditioning. Replacing and cleaning refrigerant is standard practice.

  Another common problem is blocked vents and air ducts. Large cooling units have a complicated set of parts, including chilling towers that use water vapor to cool refrigerant. Any surface that transfers heat should be free of debris, and vents must be cleaned to allow air to circulate. Blockage is commonly provided by fall leaves and dust.

  Residential HVAC units can also become blocked by leaves and even snow. Circulating air can allow lint to accumulate on interior parts, and these must be cleaned periodically. The key is easy air circulation and thermal transfer. Lint, grime, and other obstructions act as insulation and reduce the system efficiency.

  Other problems lay with the duct work. Damaged insulation, leaks, and blockage all reduce heating efficiency. Leaks spew conditioned air into the crawlspace underneath a house and also reduce pressure. Blockage reduces air flow at the far end of the system and overworks the air conditioner. Regular maintenance clears all these problems.

• 8 lies estate agents will tell you

  
  

  House sellers can make terrible mistakes when dealing with property. These errors in judgement and holes in their knowledge can cost them thousands or tens of thousands of pounds and one of the most desperate is the use of a scurrilous estate agent. Regular studies into the behaviour of an average agent rarely show a positive side, simply because of commonly heard falsehoods such as these:

  Idyllic/rustic/peaceful

  The art of the short property description is a skilled one. And some words and phraseology, while undoubtedly correct, just don’t sell (‘must sell’, for example).

  So other, more effervescent wordsmithery is employed, such as ‘manicured gardens’ or ‘elegant’, even if the former is a patch of grass and the latter is about as dignified as an abattoir. The key lesson; don’t believe anything until you’ve seen it with your own two eyes.

  “We’ve already had several people looking around the house already”

  or

  “We had another offer just after yours that was higher, do you want to match it or beat it?”

  Two heads of the same beast, both designed to extract more money. They may not have had anyone even look at the property for three months or longer, but it just so happens that on that particular day a glut of visitors decided to book spots. Or bizarrely, table an offer a couple of thousands of pounds north of yours. Totally unproved, of course.

  “You like this place, don’t you? We’ll get a good deal for you”

  If they’ve picked up on the fact that it’s perfect for you, then they know that they can exploit your emotions, especially if you’ve spent some period of time searching before landing here. Some clients look at 40 houses over a weekend, others get excited by the first they see and don’t search any further – just be careful not to reveal your hand too early.

  “Selling a home is too complex for a non-estate agent.”

  It’s 2015. Knowledge on every process and step in selling a home can be obtained online, from advice on photography and writing, to templates of forms, to legal clarification. Companies such as HouseSimple.com can also negotiate and manage the entire process for you – it’s worth looking around before diving in.

  ‘The fffsss sound’

  Estate agent David Pollock writes here about this sound that an agent might make, in the form of a sharp intake of breath, when a buyer puts in a low offer. Sometimes that one sound convinces the buyer that their bid is unrealistic or silly and they bump up the price, costing them several thousand pounds in the process.

  “You have to get a mortgage with xx company for this house”

  “…because I’ll get a commission that way” is the unsaid communication. Many estate agents have connections with mortgage companies and are keen to pick up a little slice of the transaction. Do your own research and look for a lower mortgage rate than what your agent has ‘found.’

  “We’ve searched all the mortgage companies and arrived at the best deal”

  …which is coincidentally the same mortgage provider mentioned above. It’s very possible that they have scanned hundreds of lenders for deals, but not all of them will benefit the agent or broker.

  Before signing up to a mortgage that could cost you thousands of pounds, have a quick search on the Internet, using exactly the same information you gave the estate agent. You might be surprised.

  partnered post • CC-licensed photograph by Paul Mison

• 10 Amazing Storage Hacks for your Home

  

  Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. Creative Commons-licensed photograph by David Lofink.

  If your home is severely cluttered and you can’t go a day without clenching your fists in frustration because of it, it may be time to consider bringing in some handy hacks to help free up space in your house. The first step is to battle one room at a time and don’t overwhelm yourself. This process may take more time than you first thought but by using some of these tips you might de-clutter your home by the end of the week.

  1. Self-Storage

  Many homes have a great deal of extra furniture, equipment and things that they no longer have enough space to hold. The quickest way to deal with this problem is to use a self-storage unit from Readysteadystore. This will take the burden off your shoulders so that you can instantly free space and start feeling right at home again.

  2. Wall Storage to keep shoes

  If you have a lot of shoes and have no place to store them, consider installing a simple wall storage compartment that is ideal for shoes, scarves and other essential items that never seem to find a place in the home.

  3. Christmas Ornaments inside Egg Cartons

  Christmas ornaments are quite delicate which is why egg cartons are the perfect place to store those shiny ornaments until next year.

  4. Rods used to hang Cleaning Products

  Underneath the sink tends to look like a bomb has hit it. By installing a rod along the bottom of the sink, you can make yourself a handy cleaning product holder so that your under sink area becomes more organized and you can easily find the products again when you need them.

  5. Store Toys in Fruit Baskets

  If you have kids in the house then you know how frustrating it can be to see their toys lying about the house. According to Life Buzz, a simple fruit basket can be used to hang toys or bath accessories.

  6. Magnetic Strip in the Bathroom

  Tweezers, nail scissors and hair clips are easy to lose and can be difficult little things to store. A long magnetic strip on the bathroom wall is perfect for holding these slippery gadgets and will make finding them again a lot easier.

  7. Cereal Box Dividers

  The next time you reach the end of the cereal box, cut it up and use the boxes as dividers for your drawers. These can be great devices to store sowing equipment, jewellery and stationary.

  8. Velcro to store Remotes

  Remote controls can be stuck to the wall using Velcro strips. This is a great way to keep track of your gaming and television remotes so that you never lose them or mix up their wires.

  9. CD Racks to sort Tupperware

  Sort out your Tupperware and other kitchen essentials using CD racks inside your cupboards. This is a great way to organize your drawers.

  10. Wine Rack used as a Towel Holder

  According to www.lifehack.org a useful way to store towels is to use a traditional wine rack. This will make separating the clean towels from the used ones so much easier and you will never have to get out of the shower without a towel ready again.