The Key to Keeping Dogs Off Your Lawn

frank
Purebred English bulldog dog canine pet walking towards viewer getting exercise outside in yard grass
Do you have a hard time keeping strays and neighborhood dogs off your lawn? Here are some of the most effective things you can do to keep your lawn dog-free. | Photo Credit: Adobe Stock, © Lindsay_Helms

If you’re a homeowner who puts a lot of effort and attention into maintaining a lush and healthy lawn, the last thing you want is someone’s dog coming into your yard and ruining all your hard work. Roaming pups can do a number on your flower beds and green grass. 

The Today’s Homeowner reviews team has taken a look at the most effective home remedies that will keep dogs off your meticulously maintained lawn. This guide also discusses commercial dog repellents and shares tips on how you can prevent your dogs, the neighbor’s dogs, or strays from doing further damage to your lawn. 

Today’s Homeowner works with an independent reviews team to create evidence-based research that helps our readers make informed decisions. The reviews are always independent. For transparency, we may be compensated if you purchase through a link.

Use Specially Designed Commercial Dog Repellent 

If you put a lot of effort into maintaining your lawn, the last thing you would want

… Read More

Your Complete Guide to Lawn Care Services

frank
Green lawn lined with stepping stones and manicured hedges and flower beds
Everyone wants a gorgeous, green lawn — but not everyone has time to do their own lawn care. This guide to lawn care services can help you choose the right team for your property. | Shutterstock, © aimful

Caring for your lawn can cost you time, money and stress. From mowing your lawn to removing weeds, comprehensive lawn maintenance can be a pain. Fortunately, you don’t have to tackle your lawn care alone.

If you want a healthy lawn without having to take all of the time and effort to make it look its best, you may want to consider hiring a professional lawn care company. Just make sure you do your homework on which company you go with. Not all lawn care companies are the same, and the services they provide aren’t all equal.

The reviews team understands that you only trust the most reliable companies with your lawn. The team has researched lawn care services across the United States, considering factors like price, customer satisfaction, services offered and more. 

In this Article

Today’s Homeowner works with an independent reviews team to create evidence-based research that helps our readers make informed decisions. The reviews are always independent. For transparency,

… Read More

4 Easy Ways to Make a Small Garden Look Bigger

frank
Small garden, fenced in, with dog in backyard
The secret to an inviting small garden is to keep it simple but picturesque. (DepositPhotos)

Taking in the
sights and smells of a small
garden can be relaxing. The trick, however, is creating the feeling of a
vast expanse, especially with limited space.

So, what’s the
magic formula? Here are 4 tips to enhance any small garden’s appearance.

Decluttered small garden with hardscaping
Mixing landscaping and hardscaping, such as this stamped concrete patio, is one way to declutter a small garden while keeping it visually pleasing. (DepositPhotos)

1. Declutter Your Small Garden

Remove any features
in your garden that use up a lot of space; having too many large features ends
up making your already limited space look and feel cramped.

Maybe you’ve
installed outdoor seating for 10 people — how about reducing that seating to
serve four? The idea is to get everything you don’t need off the floor, if it’s
a balcony, or your lawn, and to see more of the ground.

To that end, if your garden hose doesn’t have a proper home, and it’s just curled up like a snake on the ground — a wall-mount garden hose reel will free up considerable floor space for you! And it will make

… Read More

Backyard Paradise Contest Rules | Today’s Homeowner

frank

Return to the Contest Entry Form

OFFICIAL RULES

The
“Backyard Paradise” Contest (the “Contest”)is intended for legal residents of
the United States of America and Canada (excluding the province of Quebec) only
and shall only be construed and evaluated according to the laws of the State of
Alabama.  Do not enter this Contest if
you have permanent residence outside of the USA or Canada at the time of entry.

SPONSOR/ADMINISTRATOR: The Contest is sponsored by Today’s Homeowner Media,
75 Midtown Park East, Mobile, AL  36606
(the “Sponsor”) and administered by American Sweepstakes & Promotion Co.,
Inc., 300 State St. Suite 402 Rochester, NY 14614 (the “Administrator”).

ELIGIBILITY: The Contest is open and offered only to legal
residents of the United States of America and Canada (excluding those with
primary residence in the province of Quebec) who are at least twenty-one (21)
years of age and current homeowners at the time of entry. This Contest is
not open to the general public. Employees, officers and representatives of
the Sponsor, Pavestone (“Prize Provider”), Quikrete (also “Prize Provider”), the
Administrator, their respective parent companies, employees, officers,
directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, distributors, sales representatives and
advertising and promotional agencies, and the officers, directors, agents, and

… Read More

5 House Cleaning Tips to Save Time and Energy

frank
Gloved hands cleaning countertops and washing windows
Cleaning your home doesn’t have to be complicated — not when you have a plan. (DepositPhotos)

Are you ready for spring cleaning, but feeling overwhelmed? These 5 house-cleaning tips will save you time and energy — and they might even make some chores fun!

Assorted house cleaning products, spray bottles and sponges
Purchase all the cleaning products you’ll need beforehand. This way, you’ll have no surprises to slow you down! (DepositPhotos)

1. Buy All
the Gear.

You’ve probably heard the expression, “If you fail to plan, then plan to fail.” This applies to anything in life — including house-cleaning — so, take this tip to heart: Before you pick up a speck of dust, make a list of all the gear and products you’ll need.

Take it room
by room. No single space requires the same safety equipment, appliances and cleaning
products as another. Make a list of items you’ll need to clean just the living
room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and garage.

Think about each space’s unique needs and how to address them, whether that’s with a broom, vacuum cleaner, mop or a just old toothbrush. No one knows the space as you do, and in many cases, you can ‘make do’ with simple cleaning tools.

Also, consider

… Read More

Home Finance 101 for First-Time Home Buyers

frank
Piggy bank and house symbolizing real estate
Before you start the home-buying process, you need to understand how financing a home works. (DepositPhotos)

People interested in buying a home are often overwhelmed with all the information they need to know about the process. To save time and money, you need a basic overview of home finance options.

Not all properties and locations are equal, and in many
cases, the local market and location that offer premiums to lenders might
determine your options.

Here’s a crash course so you can get the loan that best
suits your needs.

Piggy bank and stacks of cash for down payment
How much are you able to spend on a down payment? That can help determine which kind of loan you need. (DepositPhotos)

The Down Payment

If you are borrowing money from a bank or other lender to purchase a home, you’ll need the initial money or down payment.

With most lenders, a buyer must deposit at least 20 percent
of the borrowed amount, with the lender loaning you the remaining 80 percent.
This means, if you’ve set your sights on a home at around $600,000, you
should’ve saved at least $120,000 before you can borrow the rest.

For first-time buyers, governments often can help, with home finance programs that lower

… Read More