5 tips for storing your wedding dress – before & after your wedding

5 tips for storing your wedding dress - before & after your wedding | H is for Home

Most brides spend weeks or even months finding the perfect new or vintage wedding dress. However, most brides haven’t given much thought as to how to best store their wedding dress, either before or after their wedding. These 5 wedding dress storage tips are designed to help ensure that your gown remains as pristine as it was the day you fell in love with it, for years to come.

Before the wedding

White fabric bag with bride written in gold sequins

  1. Fabric vs plastic garment bags

In the weeks and months leading up to the wedding, it’s recommended that you hang your dress in a fabric or cloth (non-plastic) garment bag. You’ll want to stay away from using any type of plastic garment bag, as the chemicals in the plastic can cause your dress to yellow.

White wedding dress hanging from a padded hanger

  1. Padded hangers

Dresses that are heavily embellished with beading, crystals or other appliqué, can make the dress quite heavy. Therefore, special precautions should be taken to avoid stretching the shoulders or sleeves. Make sure the main hanger is padded and consider an extra hanger to fold the train over, in order to distribute the weight of the dress on the top hanger.

White stiletto shoes with wedding dress in the background

  1. Location, location, location

While your dress is being stored for the big day, you’ll want to keep it as much out of harm’s way as possible. It’s tempting to want to hang it on the back of a bedroom door. However, it’s risky to expose it to pets, dust, heat, humidity or extreme sunlight. Ideally, you should store the dress at the back of a cool dry wardrobe and away from animals, boilers, windows and moisture.

After the wedding

Detail of an intricately beaded wedding dress bodice

  1. Proper cleaning and preservation

You’ll want to be sure to have your dress professionally cleaned and preserved as soon after your wedding as possible. This will help prevent stains from setting into the fabric of your dress and optimally prepare it for long term storage.  Be sure to use a highly reputable company that specialises in wedding dress preservation, such as the Affordable Preservation Company, top rated on both The Knot and WeddingWire.

Strappy wedding dress hanging inside a wardrobe door

  1. Long-term storage

After your wedding dress is cleaned and preserved, it’s essential that it’s stored properly for the long term. The preservation chest should be stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and extreme temperatures. The preservation chest should also be stored laying flat to prevent the dress from shifting. It’s best stored under a bed or on the top shelf of a wardrobe. You’ll want to be certain to avoid storing your gown in a basement or loft where temperatures and humidity can fluctuate and harm the dress.

Properly storing your wedding dress from the time of purchase, to having it professionally cleaned and preserved, and finally storing it properly for the long term, will help to ensure your wedding dress will be an heirloom that can be cherished for years to come.

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Give your home a style makeover with reclaimed wood

Give your home a style makeover with reclaimed wood | H is for Home

Reclaimed wood is having a moment in the design world right now, for good reason. Recycling old wood is environmentally friendly and reclaimed wood brings a unique look to any home. Plus, it’s an affordable way to give your home a big style boost. From walls panelled with reused wood to recycled wooden accents that give your home some natural warmth and old world charm, there are dozens of spaces in your home that you can use reclaimed timber.

Here are 4 creative ways to use this versatile material in your home.

Bookshelves made from reclaimed timber

Shelving

Shelves look more appealing when they’re made from salvaged wood because the unique colour and texture of the wood makes the shelving a focal point without dominating the room. Consider using reclaimed wood shelves in your bedroom, living room or kitchen.

Reclaimed timber beams

Accent beams

If you want to add some serious drama to your home, reclaimed timber beams in a colour that complements your existing scheme will transform the way that large rooms like your lounge or family room look. Additionally, accent beams in the bedroom can bring the outdoors in and make your sleeping space feel a lot cosier and more harmonious.

Wall in a coffee shop that is panelled using reused timber

Panelling

Decorative wall wood panelling is back according to design experts, but with a modern and updated look thanks to sheets of reclaimed timber. Sleek panelling made from aged wood looks great in an office, shop, man cave or living space. If you want to add some boho charm to your home use panelling made from salvaged wood in several different natural shades that will add an eclectic bohemian flare to your walls.

Pair of dark grey desert boots on a worn parquet floor

Flooring

Reconditioning old wooden flooring is a great way of recycling wide plank wooden flooring and beams from old barns and vintage homes. It will instantly add authentic vintage charm to your home and give you that beautiful look of real hardwood flooring.

For more info on everything you need to know about reclaimed wood, check out the infographic below:

Everything you need to know about reclaimed wood infographic | H is for Home

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Get their look: Dog-friendly garden

Dog-friendly gardencredit

I truly identify with this home-owner. I remember helplessly trying to stop Fudge from walking roughshod our lovingly prepared allotment beds and seedlings. They have designed this attractive yet, at the same time, dog-friendly garden with damage limitation in mind.

There’s an obvious pathway – to keep spaniel, Coco on the straight and narrow. They’ve sown robust plants that can stand up to being pushed past and trampled; bamboo, phormium (New Zealand flax) and yucca. They also add shape, drama and lend a tropical ambiance.

That giant outdoor Anglepoise is a real talking point – and extends the length of time you can spend outdoors to well into the night. Probably my favourite feature, is the stunning 1m2 porcelain tiles. Named ‘carpet for the garden’ they’re printed with what looks to be an antique Persian rug design. It really makes it feel like bringing the inside out!

  1. Phyllostachys nigra/black bamboo
  2. Original Anglepoise 1227 giant outdoor floor lamp
  3. Yucca gloriosa/Adam’s needle
  4. Phormium ‘Black Velvet’
  5. Grid left / right end table unit
  6. Carpet for the Garden tiles

Get their look: Dog-friendly garden | H is for Home

Get their look

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Carpet for the Garden tiles
Carpet for the Garden tiles
Grid left / right end table unit
Grid left / right end table unit
Phormium ‘Black Velvet’
Phormium ‘Black Velvet’
Yucca gloriosa/Adam’s needle
Yucca gloriosa/Adam’s needle
Original Anglepoise 1227 giant outdoor floor lamp
Original Anglepoise 1227 giant outdoor floor lamp
Phyllostachys nigra/black bamboo
Phyllostachys nigra/black bamboo
Carpet for the Garden tiles
Carpet for the Garden tiles
Grid left / right end table unit
Grid left / right end table unit
Phormium ‘Black Velvet’
Phormium ‘Black Velvet’
Yucca gloriosa/Adam’s needle
Yucca gloriosa/Adam’s needle
Original Anglepoise 1227 giant outdoor floor lamp
Original Anglepoise 1227 giant outdoor floor lamp
Phyllostachys nigra/black bamboo
Phyllostachys nigra/black bamboo
Carpet for the Garden tiles
Carpet for the Garden tiles
Grid left / right end table unit
Grid left / right end table unit
Phormium ‘Black Velvet’
Phormium ‘Black Velvet’
Yucca gloriosa/Adam’s needle
Yucca gloriosa/Adam’s needle
Original Anglepoise 1227 giant outdoor floor lamp
Original Anglepoise 1227 giant outdoor floor lamp
Phyllostachys nigra/black bamboo
Phyllostachys nigra/black bamboo

The DIY projects you must never tackle

The DIY projects you must never tackle | H is for Home

While you might be a dab hand with a paintbrush or can apply wallpaper like a pro, there are some home improvement projects you would be smart to avoid. It is common for some home-owners’ DIY dreams to get ahead of their skill-set, which can lead to damage to their property.

When renovating your home, there are some tasks that should be left to the professionals. Learn about the DIY projects you must never tackle yourself.

Sanding a short plank of wood

Floor sanding

Never assume sanding a floor is easy, because it isn’t. It’s a skill that takes a great deal of time to master and attempting to do it yourself could permanently damage your flooring. It could lead to a variety of lumps and bumps that will not only stand out in your interior, but it could reduce your home’s value.

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Group of sledgehammers

Removing a wall

If you want to create a more open-plan home, you might be tempted to take a sledgehammer to a wall. However, before you do so, you must consult a contractor to identify if it is a load-bearing wall.

If you do hit a load-bearing wall, not only do you risk the roof collapsing and the ceiling caving in, but you could be seriously hurt. Instead, hire an experienced professional to do the hard work for you.

Person testing a fuse box

Electrical wiring

While it’s often perfectly safe to install a dimmer switch or light fixture with instructions, this is where you should leave your electrical wiring projects. Unless you’re a licensed electrician, wiring should always be left to the pros. If you fail to do so, you could experience an electrical shock or set fire to your property.

Drawing with a pencil on a white brick wall using a spirit level

Fixing drywall

It might be tempting to fix broken drywall for yourself to restore your interior, but it is possible you will make the problem worse instead of better. Unless you want to exacerbate the issue, you would be smart to get in touch with a reputable Houston drywall repair expert, who can quickly and easily repair a wall to its former glory.

Group of large metal weights

Lifting heavy objects

Even if you pump iron at the gym seven days per week, you should still stay away from DIY projects that require you to move heavy objects from one place to another. For example, carrying a granite worktop could lead to a physical injury, and you could potentially damage the expensive material. Remember, the pros will have the experience and tools needed to quickly and effectively lift and transport the objects.

Two men reroofing a house

Repairing a roof

If you have noticed the wind blew away some shingles or you have a leak in your bedroom ceiling, you might be tempted to take to a roof to make an essential repair. However, not only will the DIY project pose a risk to your safety, but you’ll also need to:

  • Identify the location of the problem
  • Replace the shingles without causing additional damage
  • Buy the tools needed for the DIY project
  • Match the roofing materials

Amateur workmanship could also cause you more problems in the future, which is why it’s a smart idea to enlist the help of an experienced roofing specialist such as Team Roofing. It will ensure your roof remains in great condition for many years to come.

Dripping kitchen tap

Resolving low water pressure

If water is running from a tap at a snail’s pace, it is more than likely due to low water pressure. While it’s fine to remove an aerator and remove any gunk or debris, you should leave more complex tasks to the professionals. Low water pressure could be an indication of a much bigger problem inside a plumbing system, such as:

  • A water leak within the system
  • A fractured pipe
  • An eroded water line

Stainless steel dishwasher and stack of white crockery

Installing a dishwasher

While some retailers can provide free installation for a dishwasher, others might not. If they don’t, hiring a pro will be worth the extra expenditure. Many home-owners don’t realise that dishwashers come with many pieces and tasks to perform.

For instance, you need to:

  • Drill a hole in a cabinet for a water line
  • Position the water and electric lines
  • Attach the water lines

It can be rather tricky to set-up, which is why you should avoid embarking on the task yourself if you lack experience.

Always make an informed decision before attempting any home improvement project, as it could be more complicated than you think. By doing so, you could save yourself money in the long-run and can create a safe, beautiful home for both you and your family.