A Clean House Is a Sign of a Broken Computer

          

         I don’t know about you, but I really hate it when I go to visit someone’s house and they offer the proverbial “Please excuse the mess in my home” and you walk in and their house is completely immaculate.  Yes, I have used that phrase before too, but when I said it, there was dog hair on the floor, fingerprints on the microwave, and a few dishes in the sink.  What I mean is you stop by on a previously unplanned, but not unannounced, visit and there is not a speck of dust or bit of clutter anywhere in sight.  Their home is picture perfect like it is the cover shoot of House Beautiful.  How do they do it?  With today’s busy schedules and demands on your time both day and night, how do you keep your home looking ready for anything that comes your way?

            One of the best tips to keeping your home looking clean and ready for visitors at a moment’s notice is to keep it clean continuously.  It is easy to just have to do a quick touchup when someone is coming over rather than only clean because someone is stopping by.  If you take 15 minutes everyday and clean to the best of your abilities in that small amount of time, things don’t pile up.  That small amount of effort can make the difference between a quick wipe down of your kitchen counters when company is coming and having to spend hours deep cleaning and deodorizing.  Make a weekly schedule, either on paper or even on an app, and follow it.  Assign different areas of the home each day in addition to the general things that must be done everyday, like making the bed.  Another thing to keep in mind is the more stuff you have cluttering an area, the more you have to clean.  All the furniture, knick-knacks, or appliances piled into a room, the more areas there are to collect dust and grime.  Simplify cleaning by streamlining the amount of stuff you have in a room.  The less there is you have to move or clean off, the easier it is to clean an area.  One of the best ways to keep your house clean is to think strategically.  If you have to lug out the vacuum to clean the carpets in one bedroom, why not vacuum them all.  Since you have to clean the bathrooms often, keep all the supplies you need to clean it in each bathroom.  If what you need to clean is all there, you’re more likely to remember to do it right then and there rather than after you have to take ten minutes finding all the things you need.  Keeping your home clean, especially when you have dogs, kids, spouses, etc. can almost seem like an insurmountable task, but if you keep a clear head and a plan in mind, you too can be one of those that annoy the rest of us. 

He’s a Foodie, She’s a Foodie, Wouldn’t You Like to Be a Foodie Too?

With the arrival of the “celebrity chef” like Emeril, Wolfgang Puck, Gordon Ramsay, Nigella, Mario Batali and even going all the way back to Julie Childs, is it a wonder that more and more people are interested in cooking and food.  Because of the Food Network, Cooking Channel, and shows like Master Chef, the Chew, and The Taste, people want to experience the joy of creating such masterful pieces of art and share these unforgettable bites with others.  These days, a lot of people want a kitchen to be the showcase of their home and to fill it with good food, good wine, good friends, and good cheer.  But when you look at your kitchen, if all you can picture serving is tuna noodle casserole or fast food, maybe you should think about making a few changes to make your home a happier place and maybe even attract a new breed of buyer, the foodie. 

While a gourmet kitchen is any foodie’s greatest dream, even making a few simple changes to your existing kitchen can attract even the most discerning of them.  If your kitchen is looking like you just stepped out of the 70’s and an avocado or mustard is not just a color but a way of life, it is probably time to upgrade.  If your appliances were last updated during the Ford administration or are in disrepair, you will need to replace them.  While stainless steel still seems to be the most popular these days, there are still other options out there.  If you still have Formica countertops, consider replacing them with the myriad of options out there, from granite to quartz, and even to concrete.  Simple clear counters with plenty of work space are more important, as well as plenty of storage space.  If your kitchen does have an island, but has room for one, consider getting a rolling work table to add to the available counter space to the room.  Remember, to a foodie it is all about the illusion of being able to prepare beautiful meals there, so form and function are the most important.   Don’t worry about all the latest gadgets, as any good foodie will probably bring their own to their new home.  Fabulous lighting is always important and can really open up kitchen, making it more inviting.  Also think about adding a little warmth to the space by incorporating edible plants, such as herbs in small planters throughout the room.  Not only will it bring some life to your kitchen, they will fill the room with the scents that will entice any foodie at heart.   

There’s No Place Like Home

            You have been renting for years but now you have just bought your first home.  Life is perfect and you have lofty visions of you and your family living there for years.  But now what?  What do you, as a new homeowner, need to keep in mind now that you are calling all the shots?  If you truly want to lord over your new domain, take a look at some of the things successful homeowners do, or don’t do in some cases, in order to fulfill that dream.  First of all, be yourself.  Find your style and go with it.  You don’t have to worry about a landlord, so make your place your own.  If you want to go completely crazy decorating, who is to stop you?  Just keep in mind that you may need to tone things down if you ever plan on selling your home again, but until that time, carpe diem.  Total bonus, you are in charge.  The downfall, you are in charge.  If there are repairs to be made or things to be fixed, you can no longer call the landlord to help, it is all on you.  The best thing to remember is to not ignore small problems and take care of things right away.  A small easily fixed issue can transform into a huge very expensive problem in the blink of an eye, so you better keep yours open. 

             Whether things are still small problems or the huge and expensive variety, know when you can handle it yourself or when you should call in a professional.  If you have never had to repair things for yourself before, it makes sense to bring in someone who has the experience you may be lacking, or you could easily turn the former into the latter.  Also keep in mind that while it may be more fun to go shopping for new furniture or renovating a perfectly adequate kitchen in to your dream gourmet spot, you may want to instead spend your money on something that will improve your home and save you money in the long term.  Things like roof repairs or solar panels may not seem like fun, but having them will let you put more money back in your pocket for the more enjoyable improvements later.  One of the best things that a successful homeowner can do is to become part of the community.  Use what your neighborhood has to offer and as well as your neighbors.  Many of them can offer advice, help, or even refer you to the best professionals in your area.  In some cases, they can become your life-long friends or family you never knew you wanted. 

Would You Be Mine? Could You Be Mine? Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

You are looking for a new home and think you have found the one.  Everything is just as you imagined and you are ready to make an offer, or so you think.  You may think you are ready to take the plunge but you have forgotten one of the most important steps when determining what home you should purchase.  You need to talk to the neighbors.  This one simple step can make a difference on whether your new home is a dream come true or a nightmare waiting to happen.  One of the biggest causes of buyers’ remorse is not finding out more about the neighborhood you are going to move into.  Sure you can do your due diligence, checking websites, looking up utilities and schools, and everything checks out on paper.  But what happens when the paper doesn’t tell you that the neighbor three doors down likes to water their yard in a speedo or the one across the street practices their drums for 3 hours a day.  Who else but the other neighbors around you know all the pros and cons of the neighborhood, and I most cases are all too happy to share it with you, a potential buyer. 

Before you put down your hard earned cash on any property, there are a few things that you need to ask the neighbors.  First, ask them about the house you are buying.  If anyone knows about any construction or repairs, it is the neighbor that was woken up by the people working on the home.  The neighbor will know if there were issues with plumbing, electrical, etc., just by knowing what van was parked outside the house each day.  Also, a neighbor will usually let you know if there was an issue in the neighborhood that affected all of the houses, like tree root damage of flooding.  Second, ask about the makeup of the neighborhood and the things that go on around there.  Do they all get together and do neighborhood activities, or does everyone just keep to themselves?  Depending on what type of person you are, this could be a deciding factor as to whether you will fit in.  Are there any problem neighbors that you should know about, like ones that party excessively every week end, or a house that has had numerous visits from the cops.  Third, ask if the neighborhood is kid-friendly.  This is a really important question whether you have children or not.  If you do have children, this will make the difference as to whether the community is safe for your children to play in.  If you do not have children, do you really want a community that caters to them or would an adult only community make you feel more comfortable.  The most important thing to consider, when moving into a new neighborhood, is whether you like the people you will be moving next to.   When asking your questions and talking to the neighbors, you need to ask yourself can I live here next to these people for the next 5, 10, 20 years. Keep in mind, these people could turn out to be life-long friends or a thorn in your side.