Tag Archives: home

Get Ready for A Great 2016!

17 Thursday Dec 2015

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It’s almost a new year, can you believe it? Time to get ready for the best year of your life! Make 2016 a great one with these 5 ideas for your home:

OUT WITH THE OLD
If you haven’t worn it or used in in a year, you probably won’t. But maybe someone else can!  Donate clothes, housewares, books to a local charity. Many come to you – it just takes a phone call.

OUR PETS ARE FAMILY, TOO
You change your sheets on a regular basis – do the same for your furry friends. Wash that dog and cat bed or pop for a new one.  They can’t tell you, but they love a clean sleeping place as much as you do!

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FIGHT THOSE BLUES
Some of us are prone to the winter blues, especially after the holidays. Don’t let dreary days get you down.  Move your favorite reading chair near a window. Find the sunniest area in your kitchen and keep a small potted plant there. You will enjoy seeing it every morning and it gives you something to care for – a sure way to fight depression.

KEEP IT SAFE
It’s easy to let home maintenance go.  Make sure all your doors and window close and lock properly to avoid drafts. Check for places where you or a guest could trip, a loose threshhold, water pooling on the front porch, a tear in the carpet. Can’t fix it?  Replace it!

PLAN YOUR YEAR
Anticipation keeps us excited! Mount a large white board calendar in your ofice or kitchen where everyone can keep  track of upcoming vacations, parties, birthdays. Studies have shown we work harder when we have a goal to look forward to.

Make your new year the best one yet – and keep following us for great ideas and design in 2016!

5 Tips For An Organized Life

12 Thursday Mar 2015

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In todays crazy and busy world, keeping your home in order helps you handle stress.  These 5 easy things can be easily accomplished and keep you on track to deal with your day!

1) Check your coat and shoes at the front door. Even if you don’t have a closet near the front door, you can keep it clutter free. Place shoes on a mat or in a basket to keep them out of the way and easily accessible.

2) Make your bed every day. Studies have shown that people who make their bed on a daily basis start the day feeling good about themselves. If you don’t have a lot of time, simply pull up the comforter and straighten the pillows.

3) After showering, squeegee the walls and glass and get a start on keeping the shower clean. Keep shampoos and face scrubs all in one place, and limit the amount.  You don’t need four different shampoos in the shower all at one time!

4) Be a creature of habit and put your keys in the same place every time you walk through the door. Doing so will save time and eliminate frustration. A small tray or  dish on the counter or the entry table works perfectly.

5) Plan in advance what you’ll have for dinner. I write down at the beginning of the week what every nights meal will be. Not only will I be prepared, but it can be fun to anticipate your evening and not worry when your family asks “What’s for dinner?”

Getting and keeping your home organized doesn’t have to be stressful. Setting aside 30 minutes a day can help keep your living space organized and your sanity intact!

Is Your Home Haunted?

30 Thursday Oct 2014

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Many of us live in a haunted house and don’t even realize it.  I don’t mean haunted in the traditional sense; like the kind you go to on Halloween or an abandoned mansion you may see in the movies.  But, our homes can be and often are haunted by the ghosts of our own furnishings.  We tend to keep possessions and stuff we don’t really need anymore.  Look around you…  do you still need to display that trinket you bought on your vacation in 1985?  How about the framed wall hanging that says “Have A Nice Day” your Aunt Ruth gave you for a housewarming gift when you moved in 20 years ago?  It’s time to go through and refresh your accessories.  Edit out what’s old and just a dust collector.  Arrange like things that are precious to you in a collection, not spread over every surface.image

Another way you may be living in the past is your upholstery.  When was the last time you had those chairs recovered?  Maybe it’s time to stop living with what you liked when you first moved in and just haven’t really looked at in many years.  Over time, upholstery fades and discolors.  Wear and tear from a busy family really can take its toll on furniture.  Paint colors will change over time and can look dreary and drab.  Try freshening up those rooms with a modern color or new wallpaper.

Pictures and artwork can also really make your home feel dated and old.  Your tastes have probably changed, you might like abstracts now but just can’t part with the landscape you bought at a garage sale a few years back. Maybe there is art you’ve had since college, and it has memories.  But those memories might be holding you back, keeping you in the past.. when you should be looking to the future.

It’s easy to go day-to-day thinking that next year you’ll buy a new sofa, or paint the den or have that painting reframed.  But days turn into months and months into years, and before you know it.. you are living in a home from yesteryear.. Yes, a haunted house!  Haunted by old, used and sad furnishings and colors.  Make a change before those ghosts decide to just take over.

Oh, and be spooked by a real haunted house.  Happy Halloween!