Tips for Staging Your Home

Moving?  Here are some quick tips to stage your home and prepare it for a quick sale!

• Get rid of the clutter in your home.  If needed pack and store unneeded items.
• Group furniture in living areas to create cozy social areas.
• Lighting is essential in creating a warm living environment and allowing buyers to feel at home.
• To make smaller living areas appear larger paint them the same color as an adjacent living area.
• Display art creatively on walls and remove large family photos so the buyer can envision living there.
• Stain or re-face your kitchen cabinets for a less expensive makeover.
• Fix minor repairs in the home:  replace light bulbs, repair holes in the wall, fix door handles etc…
• New kitchen appliances (especially in stainless steel) can add an incentive for buyers.
• Clean and re-stain outdoor deck for an updated look.
• Tidy up your landscaping with a freshly cut lawn, new mulch and planted flowers.

Tips to Clear the Clutter in Your Home this Holiday Season

Many of us don’t realize how much stuff we have until we are faced with moving it. Whether you are planning to move in the next year or in 10 years, the Holidays are an excellent time to lighten your load for the next relocation.

When you want to keep an item ask these qualifying questions:

1. When will I use this?
2. When was the last time I used this?
3. Do I have more than one of these items?
4. Is keeping this item worth the hassle of packing and moving it?

Here are some tips to a happy, clean, and organized Holiday!

• Get the whole family involved and spend time during your winter break going through items
• Take a trash bag to your junk drawer
• Have your kids pick out toys they no longer play with
  • As you go through past toys and games use it as a time to reminisce
  • Start a tradition of giving old toys to a shelter or other charitable organization? This is a great way to get your kids involved!
  • Organize closets, cupboards and drawers
  • Break it up:  Spend 30 minutes a day on clearing the clutter and organization

Remember to ask the qualifying questions, involve the family, create new traditions and spend a little time each day to clear the clutter in your home. It will be well worth the extra relaxation and time with loved ones this Holiday Season and you will be thankful when it comes time to move!

Spring Forward with Spring Cleaning

Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 11, 2012, 2:00am!  To most of us that means we lose an hour of sleep.  It can also be a reminder to get MOVING with your spring cleaning!  To help things along we have mapped out some guidelines on what to remember when cleaning out your home.  Spring is the time for new beginnings:  flowers blooming, birds chirping and getting some chores completed so we can enjoy the sunshine coming our way!

Let’s get MOVING!

1. Clean walls and ceilings for spider webs and dust.
2. Wipe down light fixtures and ceiling fans.
3. Vacuum and shampoo all carpets.  Dry clean or launder area rugs depending on their fabric care instructions.
4. Sweep/Vacuum/Polish all other floor surfaces such as vinyl or wood according to care instructions.
5. Remove all items from shelves and dust thoroughly.
6. Clean/Polish all door and window hardware
7. Furniture:  Wipe down Leather furniture with leather wipes and for upholstered furniture gently beat cushions outside to remove dust.
8. Clean out your medicine cabinet and replenish your First Aid Kit.
9. Change the batteries in smoke detectors and change filters in your heating system.
10. Wash windows inside/outside, including window screens.
11. Clean window treatments according to fabric care instructions.  You can even put them on low heat in the dryer to remove dust.
12. Wipe down blinds with wet cloth.
13. Clean out all indoor trash cans to keep them smelling fresh.
14. Clean out bathroom cabinets, throwing away old cosmetic products and other unwanted items.
15. Reseal grout where needed.
16. Rotate mattresses. Clean blankets, comforters and pillows.
17. Clean out closets getting rid of unwanted items.
18. Home office:  Organize files, cleaning out items that aren’t needed and shredding documents.
19. Outdoor spaces:  Sweep and scrub/power wash decks, patios, driveways and walkways.  Clean outdoor light fixtures.
20. Wash outdoor furniture.