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How to Decorate Your Backyard for a 4th of July Celebration

July 1, 2015 By

The 4th of July is fast approaching, so it’s time to break out the sparklers and all things red, white, and blue! If you’ve agreed to be the host for this year’s 4th of July bash, we’ve got you covered. Here are some quick and easy some tips that will help turn your backyard into the a place to celebrate Independence Day. Time to get decorating!

Spice up your table with patriotic centerpieces: Running out of time to decorate? No sweat. Fill some mason jars with red, white, and blue gumballs and put a small American flag in the middle for an extra patriotic touch. Who needs bouquets as centerpieces when you can have flags?

Create a candy bar: It’s a surefire way to keep the kids happy and entertained, and it doubles as decoration. Keep it red, white, and blue themed; fill mason jars or vases with gumballs, jelly beans, and all the other colored candy you can find!

Provide extra lighting with 4th of July themed lanterns: Having an evening party? Decorate luminaries with cardboard paper and ribbon for an easy and festive decoration. You can even enlist the kids’ help in this one!

Get your game on: Fill your backyard with games that both adults and kids will enjoy! Cornhole is a classic, and you can look for a set with red, white, and blue beanbags if you really want to stick to the theme. Three-legged races, frisbee, and outdoor badminton are some more games that will ensure your guests will be entertained at all times!

Get fired up: If your celebration is extending into the night, a bonfire is the perfect addition to the party. After all, nothing says summer like a campfire and some s’mores! Plus, it’s one less dessert for you to prepare!

There you have it—five quick and easy ways to get your backyard 4th of July ready. These ideas can work for any other outdoor summer party as well—just change the decoration theme according to your preference. Happy celebrating!

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5 Books to Inspire You to Get Organized

May 5, 2015 By

It’s time for spring cleaning. The beginning of a new season is a great time to make your home look its best. Between clearing out clutter, packing up your winter items, and making every room shine, getting your home in shape can also be time consuming.

It may be tough to figure out where to start, but with these inspiring books, your inner professional organizer can come to life.

Here are five books to help you get started.

1. Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Doland: Expert organizer, Doland gives great advice and insights on how to quickly clean up your home…and clear your mind. She explains the best ways to part with sentimental items, something a lot of people struggle with, and offers advice on how to prevent procrastination.

2. Real Simple: The Organized Home by Real Simple Magazine: From the popular magazine, Real Simple, this book focuses on creating a more productive, clutter free, home and life. The authors dish out advice on everything from taking care of one room to giving your entire home an organizational makeover.

3. The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life by Francine Jay: This is a book for the person looking to declutter multiple aspects of his or her life. It walks you through how to adopt a minimalist lifestyle. The book is divided into four parts: inspiration to get organized, a ten step process to pare down possessions, a room by room guide to decluttering, and how to declutter your life and be more productive.

4. Banish Clutter Forever: How the Toothbrush Principle Will Change Your Life by Shelia Chandra: Chandra explains that if everyone follows the “blueprint” that naturally neat people follow, organization will come naturally. Chandra also explains the “Toothbrush Principle” which states that even the most disorganized person doesn’t lose their toothbrush, it’s just in the midst of clutter. The author explains that a clutter free home will lead to a more productive life.

5. Home Organizing Workbook by Meryl Starr: Starr produced a straightforward handbook for home organization. The chapters are filled with questionnaires to make readers aware of their core organizational problems. The author also gives strategic solutions and tips for tackling projects, no matter the size.

Organizing your home can be fun—with the right inspiration. Whether you are taking on your refrigerator or your attic, decluttering your home and getting organized is the best way to start living a more productive life!

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Here Comes the Sun: How to Prepare Your Home or Spring

February 25, 2015 By

Open the windows. Come out of hibernation. Spring is just around the corning! Rejoice by getting your home in shape for spring.

1. Inspect air conditioning units: Hire a professional to install or examine your air conditioner. Clean the filters and replace them as needed because dirty filters make the system work harder, increasing energy costs.

2. Change the doormats: Doormats collect a lot of dirt. By the end of winter, your doormat has seen better days. Buy a new doormat to reduce the amount of dirt and grime that is carried into your home.

3. Prep the outdoor areas: Dreaming of lounging by the pool, playing soccer, or dining al fresco? Get your outdoor space ready. Take out the patio furniture, power wash your deck, and plan your gardening.

4. Inspect the roof: After a rough winter of holding heavy snow and ice, your roof may be in need of some TLC. Take a pair of binoculars and inspect your roof from the ground level. Check to see if there are any leaks, broken shingles, or other damages. If you spot something, hire a professional to come repair it.

5. Repair broken walkways: Snow takes a heavy toll on the grounds around your home. The snow and sleet may have caused cracks in your driveways, walkways, and sidewalks. To make sure that the perimeter of your home is safe, check for cracks and fix any problems.

These tips can make your home safer and help you get ready for spring!

 

Recommended Reading:

-How to Keep Your Home Cool Without Touching the Thermostat

-5 Ways to Create a Beautiful Backyard

-Landscaping 101: Great Grass Alternatives

 

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How to Get Your Home Ready for Valentine’s Day

February 9, 2015 By

As the author Melissa McClone wrote, “Life takes you to unexpected places. Love brings you home.” Although this adage almost always holds true, it has extra value on Valentine’s Day. This year have a Valentine’s Day date at home. Here’s how you can fill your home with lovely details of love.

1. Romantic photos: Display your wedding photos and other romantic photos around the house then find them all together. Walk through your home together and talk about the stories the pictures tell.

2. Flowers: There is nothing like a beautiful bouquet of red roses to make your home feel ready for Valentine’s Day. Display a few bouquets in your bedroom and on the dining room table. Feeling extra romantic? Scatter rose petals in a heart shape on your bed.

3. Candles: Light scented candles in your living room, kitchen, and bedroom. Candles are soft, romantic, and can change the ambiance of any room.

4. Date night activities: Cook a decadent dinner together then set the table and eat by candle light. Hang a sheet on a large wall and use it as a movie projector. Watch your favorite romantic movie and share popcorn. Move your living room furniture and dance to love songs.

5. Details: Add details like heart cutouts, heart shaped garland, and your favorite candy.

Setting the mood is the first step. Turn the lights down, set out some wine glasses, and enjoy a nice evening in with your loved one!

 

Recommended Reading:

-5 Creative DIY Projects You Can Do with Wallpaper

-5 DIY Projects to Tackle This Year

-How to Decorate Your Home for the Holidays

 

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Instagram Inspiration: Interior Designers to Follow

February 3, 2015 By

The goal of decorating your home should be to reflect your taste and to create a space where you enjoy spending time. Stay up to date on new interior design trends to inspire your design updates. Whether you’re moving to a brand new home, or sprucing up your old one, there’s always room for inspiration.

Follow your favorite interior designers on Instagram for instant inspiration. Here are a few interior designers we admire.

1. Jonathan Adler: Jonathan Adler’s Instagram feed is beautiful rooms filled with colorful throw pillows, duck figurines, and gorgeous flower arrangements. Follow Adler for inspiration on decorating with bright colors, patterns, and quirky accessories.

 

2. Emily Henderson: This interior designer turned style blogger keeps her Instagram feed filled with colorful art and sleek design trends. From serene bedroom setups to brightly lit sunrooms, you can find plenty of insight on her feed.

 

3. Grace Bonney: Bonney has an eccentric, abstract design aesthetic. From geometric patterns to colorful quilts, Bonney is bound to make you want to add some life to any room.

 

4. Kate Arends: Arends has a simplistic design style. She favors clean lines, white walls, and a clutter-free home. Follow her if you hope to achieve a clean, modern look for your home.

A photo posted by Kate Arends (@witanddelight_) on Jan 28, 2015 at 3:52pm PST

 

5. Caitlin Wilson Textiles: Caitlin’s feed is filled with crisp, simple spaces with vibrant pops of color thrown in. Caitlin is known for her textiles and her pillows, furniture, and decor that can complete any room. Try adding a few pillows to your couch or bed for a budget-friendly upgrade.

 

6. Studio McGee: Syd and Shea McGee, the husband and wife behind Studio McGee have a classic, timeless, and preppy aesthetic. Their designs often incorporate white, gold, and pastels. They certainly follow their motto which is to, “Make life beautiful.”

A photo posted by Studio McGee (@studiomcgee) on Jan 27, 2015 at 3:45pm PST

 

You should make your home decor decisions based on what makes you and your family feel good. Advice and inspiration from professionals is just an added bonus that might spark your interest to try something new!

 

Recommended Reading:

-How to Make a House a Home: Creating Memories

-Small Changes, Big Difference: 5 Low-Cost ways to Give Your Home a New Look

-5 Ways to Take Your Living Room from Good to Great

 

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How to Sell Your Home in the Winter

February 2, 2015 By

Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call (an agent affiliated with CENTURY 21® Real Estate) and we’ll be there. Here are a few tips for to help ensure an efficient home sale during the winter months.

1. Shovel and salt: Blizzard or no blizzard, a few flurries can freeze quickly and create an ice patch [1] in front of your home. Shovel and put out salt the moment the snow starts. Additionally, always keep a clear path from the sidewalk to the door to make it safer to walk into the home. There is nothing worse than having a buyer or agent almost slip on ice!

2. Keep it warm: Keeping your home the right temperature is an important aspect of creating a successful open house, regardless of the season. In the winter, it’s especially important because you don’t want buyers to be shivering as they walk through your home. Find a happy medium between hot and cold.

3. Let there be light: A well-lit home is welcoming. Since the days are shorter and the nights are darker, it’s crucial to make sure there is enough light during your open house. Turn on all the lights throughout the home, including the closets, to show everything off.

You can add even more lighting to rooms that don’t have as many windows by placing spotlights on the floors behind furniture to accentuate parts of the home. Make sure that walkways and outdoor areas are well-lit so that people can navigate them safely.

4. Make it cozy: People want to feel cozy in the winter, especially when they’ve traveled through the cold to get to your open house. Your home should be as decluttered and depersonalized as possible during an open house, but feel free to add a few cozy elements like throw pillows and an extra blanket.

5. Curb Appeal: You may not have beautiful blooms in the winter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t upgrade your curb appeal. Paint your door with a fresh coat of paint, assemble planters with plants that do well in winter, and trim shrubs and trees so that people can walk safely.

You never get a second chance at a first impression. These tips will help you have a safe and successful open house in the winter.

 

Recommended Reading:

-Snow Safety for the Home

-Open House Oops: Don’t Make These Mistakes

-5 Biggest Seller Mistakes

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How to Build a Winning Home Buying Team

January 28, 2015 By

Buying a home is a huge milestone – especially if you are buying for your first time. Although buying a home is exciting, there is a lot to keep track of and manage. It’s imperative to have a solid team behind you. Aside from having an excellent real estate agent to guide you through showings and the closing process, there are other essential people that you should have on deck.

Meet your home buying team:

1. Real estate agent: Your agent will help you research the homes that cater to your needs, negotiate with the seller, and help you find the rest of your home buying team. (Learn more about how your agent can help you.)

2. Lender: If you’re purchasing a home, you will most likely need a loan. Your lender can come from your bank, mortgage company, credit union, etc. Once you apply for a loan the lender will then decide if you qualify.

3. Home Inspector: An inspector will make sure that the home you hope to purchase is in good shape. Even if the seller has already had the home inspected, it’s a good idea to have someone else double-check and triple-check.

4. Appraiser: An appraiser will determine a “fair price” for the home by evaluating the home and comparing it to similar homes on the market. It is best to have an appraiser come before you negotiate with the seller.

5. Attorney: Your attorney will write contracts, settle any disputes, and review all documents before the closing.

6. Escrow officer: An escrow officer takes care of everything happening during escrow—the amount of time between when the purchase contract is signed and the date of the closing. The officer works for both the buyer and seller. Their main job is to hold onto all the documents and money during escrow, making sure that everything is taken care of.

With a team of professionals to take you step by step through the process, you’ll have a very positive home buying experience so that you can enjoy what matters most – your new home.

Recommended Reading:

-Open House Advice for Buyers

-On the Road Again: The Ultimate Moving Checklist

-We Asked, You Answered: Advice for First-Time Homeowners

 

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How to Incorporate Collections into Your Home

January 26, 2015 By

Your home should be a reflection of you and your family. Incorporate your personality into your home decor by displaying family collections. Your collections tell stories that deserve to be told – and represented throughout your home.



Get creative and find a place for all of your cherished collections. Here are a few sample ideas to get you started. Modify them according to your collection of choice.

1. Stamps: Do you have a bevy of vintage or one-of-a-kind stamps? Frame pages of stamps. Display your framed collections on mantels, in your entryway, or even create a gallery wall.

2. Crystal Figurines: Display your figurines in glass cases or on a shelf near a window. The light from the windows and glass will reflect on the figurines and make them sparkle beautifully.

3. Matchboxes: If you have a collection of fancy, beautifully designed matchboxes, put them out for show. Group them together on an end table or in an armoire with glass panels.

4. Antiques: One of the most popular collections to display in a home is antiques. Whether it’s antique furniture, picture frames, or something as small as a breadbox, place them in their appropriate room for added decor. Display them in different rooms so that you remember the story behind them whenever you see them.

5. Travel Souvenirs: Save travel souvenirs like museum tickets, plane tickets, and even currency. Put them in memory boxes and frame them throughout your home. Hang a map with pins representing every place you’ve traveled as a family.

6. Any other quirky item: Any collectible has the ability to be hung up on a wall. Creating a gallery wall is the easiest, no fuss way to display your items. Grouping similar picture frames, silver trays, or any other like items on a blank wall in your home creates a focal point of beautiful decor.

Displaying your beloved and timeless collections throughout your home is not only a great way to display your interests, but it’s also a great conversation starter.

Recommended Reading:

-5 Creative DIY Projects You Can Do with Wallpaper

-Old to New: Tips for Rearranging Your Furniture

-How to Make a House a Home: Creating Memories

 

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How to Turn Your Bathroom into a Spa-Inspired Escape

January 22, 2015 By

Your home should feel like a calm and comfortable space where you can unwind, relax, and recharge. Here are tangible ways to let the soothing qualities of a day at the spa inspire your bathroom decor.

1. Aromatherapy: Choose scents that match your desired mood and intention. If you are stressed, nervous, or can’t sleep use scents like bergamot, chamomile, cinnamon, lavender, clove, rose, sandalwood, or vanilla. If you are feeling a bit melancholy, use scents like clary sage, cypress, or marjoram. Tired and fatigued? Try cinnamon, cypress, eucalyptus, fennel, lemon, peppermint, sage, or spiced apple. Learn more at Underground Health, then set up a collection that makes scents for you!

2. Vanity: You’ll feel like a celebrity when you do your makeup at your vanity. As an extra perk, you can keep all of your beauty products and jewelry organized and accessible.

3. Mood Lighting: Skip the florescent bulbs. Your lighting affects your mood. Take some cues from the New York Times article, LEDs Change Thinking About the Light Bulb.

4. Calm Colors: Use the principles of color psychology when you choose your paint colors. In an interview with WebMD the color consultant Leslie Harrington recommends painting the bathroom in shades of blue, green, or turquoise. These colors, “give a sense of being clean and fresh — and calm.”

5. Little Luxuries: Incorporate little luxuries like, fresh flowers, a heated towel rack, pretty soaps and storage containers, a bath pillow, bath salts, fluffy bathrobes, and an additional shower head.

6. Storage Space: Keep your bathroom clean, open, and clutter-free. Recent studies have shown that clutter causes stress. Don’t let a mess ruin your at-home oasis.

Now the only thing left to do is to draw a bath, pick up a good book, and relax.

Recommended Reading:

-5 Ways to Make Your Home Cozy for Fall

-5 Ways to Take Your Bedroom from Good to Great

-Be My Guest: How to Style a Guest Room

 

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5 DIY Projects to Tackle this Year

January 6, 2015 By

With the New Year in full swing, take this fresh start as a time to complete some fun DIY projects. You’ll save money and get the satisfaction of having made something yourself. Take out your paint brush and your tool kit and get started.

Tackle one project at a time and you can have an improved home in no time.

1. Install a new backsplash: You can instantly alter the aesthetic of your kitchen by sprucing up your backsplash. There are lots of creative ways to DIY a backsplash. Tile, stainless steel, glass, chalkboard, or mosaics are all lovely options. Regardless of what you choose, you can pay a fraction of the price by doing it yourself instead of hiring a professional.

2. Change your architecture: Change your architecture – without hiring an architect or needing a wrecking ball. Add a chair rail and/or crown molding to give your room texture and depth. Take the proper measurements, then head down to your hardware store to get the materials you need.

3. Paint cabinets: Whether it’s your bathroom or your kitchen cabinets, adding a fresh coat of paint can make the room feel brand new while also adding value to your home. This DIY project doesn’t take much time or money.

4. Curb Appeal: Make a good first impression. Paint your front door, change the address numbers, add a unique knocker, and repair or paint the exterior trim. This is another quick and easy DIY that project that can make your home feel new again.

5. Paint: Paint your interior for an instant upgrade and shift to your decor. Change a light colored wall to a dark one for a completely different look, or simply repaint with the same color to make the room look fresh again. You can also put up wallpaper to add a more detailed design.

DIY projects don’t have to take a lot of time or money. Projects like these can be done in a few days and you could end up with an improved home at a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional.

Recommended Reading:

-Creative DIY Projects You Can Do with Wallpaper

-Just DIY It: 5 Natural Cleaning Products

-How to Style a Gallery Wall

 

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