If you're planning to put your house up for sale this winter, don't lose hope. Many individuals are still looking for a house, even though purchasing a home may be off the top of everyone's priorities at this time of year.
Here's the question, what is the best way to sell a house this winter? Here are the top tips on selling your home, which will surely help you a lot. If you wish to sell your home quickly and easily this winter, follow these helpful tips first.
Even the real estate market can have the winter blues around this time of year. Home buyers and available homes experience a steep decline once the weather begins to cool and the holiday season begins. However, there are some occasions when it is necessary to sell something, even though there are better times to do it than the winter months. If you seem to be one of the unlucky people who is trying to sell your home around this time of year, you are going to need to take these additional steps to create your listing stand out from the other available options because there is a lot of competition.
Accept the fact that there will probably be some potential buyers coming through to visit the home during the winter months when you post the house for sale, but be aware that those buyers will be very motivated to make a purchase. Your home should be valued and priced fairly simply because fewer people have seen it.
If you live in a snowy area, ensure that all the walkways around your house and any outbuildings are salted and shoveled and that any porches, patios, or decks are clear of snow. If feasible, you should maintain the outdoor furniture set up and free of snow so potential buyers can imagine how they would utilize the space if they bought the home.
The presence of cloudy skies and bare trees can be made to appear less depressing by the addition of seasonal landscaping. Trim the edges of the garden beds, add a layer of new mulch, blow away any dead leaves, remove any dead vegetation, and then add seasonal splashes of color around the yard and the front door using decorations such as wreaths, holly, or evergreen topiaries.
Buyers can be enticed by all that beauty in the spring and summer when homes are surrounded by green grass and lush vegetation. These disadvantages are winter listings, so provide some images of your home at various seasons if you can. Choose images without a date stamp in the corner if you decide to. An image with an outdated date may indicate that your house has been on the market for a while, which raises a red flag for potential buyers.
Few things will put a performance on hold more quickly than a big appliance breaking down in the middle of the tour. Be sure to learn that the furnace needs to be repaired before the open house. Hire a professional to examine the house's furnace, fireplace, and other seasonal systems before you list them. Let your real estate agent know so she can bring it up during showings.
Winter days are shorter, so it's crucial to leave the lights on for potential buyers even when you're away. Add path lighting or spotlights and put your lighting on a timer to create a welcoming atmosphere for anyone stopping by or driving.
During the showings, the temperature ought to be in the range of 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the fireplace is locked and someone is there to watch it, you can light a fire and serve clients hot beverages like coffee and hot chocolate.
If potential buyers of a house observe that it has a draft, they may interpret this as an indication that either something is wrong with the home's heating and cooling systems or that the existing owners have failed to keep up with necessary repairs. Alternatively, they may conclude that the current owners need to catch up with essential maintenance. Caulk and weatherstripping should be utilized where it is required to shut off drafts.
If you have already moved out of your home and it is currently lying vacant, consider having it set up by a professional who can create a warm and inviting atmosphere. If professional setup costs are prohibitive, consider leaving a few anchor pieces behind or borrowing extra furniture from friends. To bring warmth and happiness to each room, layer rugs, throws, pillows, and linens, including various winter plants.
Although your real estate agent will be responsible for most of the marketing efforts, running your social media campaign alongside their actions is always a good idea. Spread the word about your listing by posting it on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Look for local Facebook groups that center around local house buyers and sellers so you can publish your information in one of such groups.
You can do various things to boost the value of a home and make the selling process more manageable. The vast majority of these things are applicable whenever you choose to sell your house, regardless of the season. Even a handful of well-chosen changes can make all the difference when selling your home.
If you can afford to employ a handyman to fix all of your household problems, by all means, do so. But if you want to keep hold of your cash and practice self-sufficiency, you can purchase some clever items that address a million and one minor difficulties around the house.
These are just some of the tips you can consider when selling your house in winter. If you have more tips, feel free to drop them in the comments section below.
The solution to your storage is to organize your garage. The garage could be the answer, whether your home is overflowing with clutter or needs more storage space. To make the most of this area, you will first need to bring order out of the anarchy that now exists in it.
This should be simple if you implement the best way to organize your garage storage. You can turn your garage from a disorganized dumping ground into a practical and well-organized annex to your home with careful design and a little bit of hard work.
You need to discard the unwanted items first. Then after cleaning up your garage, organize everything into groups. Garden tools and sports equipment should be kept together. Put similar goods in clear plastic containers with lids. Use opaque bins, but mark them. Handy stackable containers. They protect your items from insects and rodents, enhance floor space, and reduce aesthetic clutter.
Getting items off the floor is essential for organizing and storing them in the garage. Wall space allows you to pack the most into your garage while keeping everything accessible and visible. Depending on your storage space, project budget, and personal tastes, you can choose different types of wall storage. The following storage solutions are popular choices among homeowners.
For seldom-used items, the ceiling is great storage. Clips or straps on the ceiling joists can hold ladders and seasonal gear. You can also use hoist pulley systems, which work like window blind cords. The ceiling storage must be arranged, so it does not block or get in the way of the garage door.
Note that positioning items to be stored thoughtfully and strategically is a key component in efficiently using the available space. Safely organize your garage.
Keeping flammable liquids like gasoline and propane in the garage is dangerous since even the slightest spark could start a devastating fire. Keep fertilizer and pesticides out of reach if you have kids or pets. Locked cabinets are ideal for poisonous materials like power tools and sharp objects.
People yearn to have a place that offers warmth and safety, and it's evident even during earlier times.
For instance, the Stone Age people who lived in caves protected by warm fire and round wooden or stoned huts with thatched roofs that Bronze Age People lived in.
Even until now, the same principle is applied, whether it's a 10-bedroom luxury home or a 250 sq ft studio apartment.
The need for an accommodation that offers safety and coziness is essential, and is part of being human.
So the question remains: how to make your home cozy? Here are some tips that might help!
A cozy atmosphere requires candles as a fundamental component.
They don't just emit lovely, delicate lighting, but they also make the room seem cozier and smell better.
Advice: Use festive aromas to get in the holiday spirit, or pick a summery scent to chase away the winter blues, such as coconut and flowery.
The comfortable environment is centered on comfort food. However, it starts even before you bite into the cake (or cookie) or slice of pumpkin pie -- it begins with the idea of baking something good.
Go through your cookbooks or recipes passed on to you or check delectable baked goods online. Purchase the ingredients and mix them with love. The beauty of baking lies in taking time to appreciate the process at hand. The fact that your baking will fill the air with scrumptious aromas and taste good is merely a bonus.
Tip: Want to level up your skills? You can ask a friend or relative whose dishes deserve praise by asking them to demonstrate their amazing cooking skills for you. If meeting in person isn't possible, you can arrange a video call.
A room looks considerably more inviting with plush rugs, sheepskins, and pillows. Place as many plush textiles and pillows when you find surfaces that need to be covered, and curl up.
Tip: Don't hesitate to use faux or any inexpensive alternatives to make your place look cozier.
There's a reason why good lighting is a must when you want to make your home feel cozier. It's the key to creating the atmosphere you're aiming for.
But first, ask yourself these questions:
Are you using warm or cool bulbs?
How many light sources do you have in your room?
Do you like the design of each light?
If you don't like any of it, or if you find anything overhead lighting that's harsh, avoid it.
If you want to know how to make your home cozy on a budget, you can focus on adding warm bulbs only to places you want to feel cozy.
However, if you have extra cash that will allow you to add more or re-arrange your lights, feel free to do so.
Make sure you have enough lighting, table and floor lights, candles (ideally scented! ), and task lighting.
Make clusters of lighting on places you want to focus on and have conversations with after the sun goes down.
Don't have any plants yet? This is a sign to get one (or a couple more!)
Unless it's a spider, any living thing in the house will assist create a warm atmosphere. And because they are living beings, plants provide comfort.
If you're frequently traveling, you can ask a friend or a neighbor you trust to come over and water your plants so they won't perish.
But take note: eventually, some of your plants will perish.
Don't give up; it happens to even the most experienced gardeners.
It is a step in the educational process.
Worried about spending so much? The truth is, plants can be pricey; however, there are several ways to cut costs without sacrificing a lush, green environment in your home:
And now, fresh flowers. Colorful blossoms always add a magnificent touch in the room, and we bet every decorator or interior designer would agree to that.
Fresh flowers can stay quite a while if you're meticulous about changing the water and cutting the stems, despite the fact that it may seem expensive.
One bouquet can alternatively be divided in half and placed in several vases around the home.
Still hesitant about living plants? Want to learn how to make your home cozy on a budget with flowers?
Then try faux greenery.
There's nothing wrong with adding fake plants or flowers in your home; however, try to avoid anything that is obviously artificial.
Get hanging if you have absolutely nothing hanging on your walls and you're wondering why your home feels so bare.
Keeping a wall completely empty and displaying only one piece of art might already add a dramatic result.
Make sure it's intentional and not just because your wall art was an afterthought if you choose to go that way with your art.
Prints are always an excellent and (usually) affordable option if you aren't in a position to spend on original art.
These are just some ways on how to make your home cozy. If you have more tips, feel free to add them in the comments section.
Why is curb appeal so important?
What does it mean?
Before stepping inside, homebuyers form an opinion of a property based on its curb appeal. What a person can anticipate finding on the other side of the front door can be inferred from the aesthetic appeal of a home's front. Buyers' interest in entering the home will, at the very least, be influenced by the exterior. Therefore, it makes sense to concentrate on enhancing the curb appeal of your house if you want to optimize its worth. Buyers won't ask more questions until they are certain that the interior is worthwhile seeing.
The term "curb appeal" describes how appealing a home appears from the outside, from the street. However, in its most basic form, curb appeal is a subjective evaluation of a physical asset. For instance, people who see a home on the street find it attractive when it has a high curb appeal. The yard is kept up, the paint is brilliant, the siding looks good, the roof is intact, and everything is in its proper place. The house presents itself beautifully.
Effective curb appeal is a clever marketing strategy that goes beyond how homes seem. If not for another type of marketing intended to sell a house from the outside in, what purpose does curb appeal serve? Exterior appeal creates anticipation.
If potential purchasers enjoy what they see from the exterior, they are more likely to look inside. When it comes to selling a house, first impressions matter. Though it may not be as interesting as trying to decide what to do with the kitchen, improving the exterior of a property is more crucial in many respects.
Your property should be visually stunning when someone first views it. It shouldn't, at the very least, turn away the vast majority of customers. In contrast, the home's curb appeal ought to encourage consumers to request more information.
Nearly 90% of purchasers start their web search for a new house there. However, if you want to pique the interest of potential buyers, you absolutely must have images that show off your home's curb appeal. The optimum time of day for lighting is when you can take multiple shots of your house without any additional clutter, such as automobiles, bikes, toys, etc. You want to present your house in the best possible light.
Your property will gain value and sell more quickly if you improve the curb appeal. Financial companies struggle to quantify the exact contribution of curb appeal to property value because homes are often valued mainly on the condition and amenities of the interior. However, properties with well-kept lawns and expert landscaping often sell for 7% more than comparable properties with unsightly front yards or exterior flaws.
Sadly, unattractive curb appeal may make some purchasers reluctant to examine a property that is for sale. Buyers typically form their first opinion of a property based on the yard and exterior. Before a showing, if people pass by by car, they might not be enticed to go inside. Additionally, purchasers can contrast the house with nearby yards. Buyers can be wary if a house is the least desirable in the community when compared to other, more alluring offerings. It might be a mistake to neglect curb appeal in markets where competition is fierce.
The best part about curb appeal is that it's simple to improve with a few relatively few changes. Here are six strategies to raise your home's curb appeal:
If the exterior of your property is a disaster, spending your entire budget on inside improvements is useless. The state of the lawn, landscaping and any other greenery close to the front of the home should serve as the foundation for your curb appeal. You can make landscaping upgrades as simple or as complicated as you like. The grass is a good place to start, then move on. The property appears outdated, burned down, and uncared for.
Most of the time, the solution is as simple as sowing some seeds and watering the lawn for a few weeks. If the issue is more serious, you might want to think about installing sod or fake grass. You might also want to concentrate on the region that is closest to the house. Bushes that are overgrown or withering are unsightly.
As a result, they need to be cut back or eliminated. Mulch is another area that needs updating. The façade of a building can be radically changed by adding a fresh covering of mulch. Drive down your street and pay attention to the first feature that sticks out when you pull up to get a thorough sense of the home's curb appeal. Other people will also notice these things.
You should also consider your property's physical condition, specifically the house's roof, in addition to enhancing the landscaping. Few aspects will either turn away or entice potential buyers more than a home's roof, even though it is not often thought of as its most attractive feature. If the roof is old and just has a few years remaining, replacing it and attempting to sell the house for a better price will provide you with a return on your investment.
Unless they are receiving a terrific deal, buyers won't want to spend their own money on a new roof once they have moved into a house. The likelihood is that they will make a lowball offer if they anticipate needing a new roof shortly.
The color of the roof also counts. The temperature in your attic can vary significantly, typically by 20 to 40 degrees, depending on the color of the shingles on your roof.
As light hues tend to reflect sunlight and make your home cooler, lighter shingles perform better in warmer climates. On the other hand, dark shingles absorb heat, making them ideal for colder areas. They also have a tendency to hasten the melting of snow.
Of course, style. Lighter hues complement light-colored homes the best. On the other hand, dark hues complement homes of similar hues well.
You must consider the siding and exterior of the building in addition to the roof. Don't ignore something that seems unclean from the outside. Although it won't take long, power cleaning your property's siding or deck can make a significant difference. Imagine that you are attempting to sell a dirty car. Selling a clean, well-kept car is considerably simpler than one that is unclean. If you want to sell your house, the same applies.
The driveway is another outdoor space that gets disregarded frequently. Your driveway doesn't need to be replaced or resealed, but it also shouldn't be in disrepair. Your property won't look its best if your driveways are overgrown or have cracks in them. The solution is as simple as a bottle of weed killer and twenty minutes of work. Make sure to only touch up the areas that require the most attention if you're on a tight budget.
When you enter your home, what is the one thing you can hardly avoid seeing? Your front door holds the solution. Check to determine if a new coat of paint will be sufficient to give the door an updated look before completely replacing it. A new door is unquestionably money well spent and will have an outstanding return on investment if you're seeking a more long-lasting solution.
There are a few additional areas you should address to enhance your curb appeal if you want to offer yourself the best chance to rent or sell your property. Consider what parts of the house need to be updated. Examine the current condition of your own house to determine which elements need to be updated. Remember to look out for these things:
Windows & Gutters: Gutters and windows both contribute significantly to curb appeal, whether they need to be cleaned, changed, or added.
Lighting: Curb appeal isn't just for the day. Making sure the house is just as appealing at night as it is during the day is therefore in your best interest. Install low-voltage lighting around significant landscaping components, your driveway, and sidewalks. Feel free to adorn your front porch with a decorative lamp. Your efforts will be rewarded if you use appealing lighting to illuminate your home at night.
Upgrade Mailbox: Upgrade your mailbox to improve curb appeal if it is located in front of your house. You don’t need to spend a lot on doing so; sometimes, as little as $20 can go a long way. Take Note: Before installation, confirm that you are adhering to all local laws and ordinances.
Mold & Mildew: Address any mold or mildew signs immediately because they are guaranteed to turn away potential purchasers. Do your utmost to stop any sources of moisture that might be the issue, or better yet, eliminate them.
New House Numbers: To improve the curb appeal of your home, you should replace any outdated, faded, or damaged house numbers. New numbers start at just $2.00 each, but personalized plaques cost between $50 and $100. Try to match the new numerals' finish to your home's light fittings for aesthetic purposes.
Equipment: No one wants to see the tools you employ to keep your property up. To avoid confusion, place everything where it belongs. You should properly conceal everything, including garbage cans, hoses, and lawnmowers.
Coordination Of Colors: Try to choose colors that go well together while painting or choosing new ones for the exterior of your home. For instance, match the railings' stain to the front porch's dark wood stain. For a splash of color against the neutral siding, think about utilizing plants. Coordination rather than color matching can produce a fantastic overall image.
Final Notes
Now that you know all the ways you can improve the way others see your house, you probably know the benefits of curb appeal and what it can do to your home.
Some of these projects might be more expensive than you anticipated, but they might significantly affect your sales price. Although investing time and money in the interior of your home is crucial, increasing its curb appeal will be well worth the cost to draw in purchasers.
Managing a property can be challenging. There are numerous factors to consider, such as choosing your home's management system and dealing with different clients.
Buyers may occasionally find themselves in precarious situations, usually because they don't know the actual condition of the building they are about to purchase.
Nonetheless, be cautious whether you are purchasing or selling a home.
Why?
It's because buyers may not know that they need to spend a lot of money to fix electrical problems, plumbing issues, etc. to comply with the maintenance obligations.
To avoid paying for unnecessary costs when selling or buying a home, you might want to take note of these common pitfalls.
Most owners allow their tenants to fix maintenance problems and deduct the expenses from the rent. While this might sound easier, this might do more harm than good.
For instance, if a tenant got insured while doing the repairs, owners might be obliged to shoulder the costs of the damages.
Also, a minor problem might turn into something bigger if a tenant does a poor repair job. Worse, they might not inform you about it. Therefore, to avoid such a thing, be sure to hire a licensed contractor or a reliable maintenance worker to address the problem.
As mentioned above, it's important to work with trusted maintenance workers. Some owners ignore this, especially when they want to go for a cheaper option.
While licensed contractors might charge higher, their repairs might last longer for up to 5 to 10 years, saving you from paying for repair jobs from time to time.
Some owners don't take time screening tenants as long as they have money to buy the house. They might think that they are saving themselves from the burden of doing so, however, this might actually pose a major issue down the road.
A solid apartment management system includes doing background checks on potential tenants, too.
It might be time-consuming but doing a routine inspection can actually help you save time and money.
Every time you visit your property for routine inspection, you can see your home's situation first hand and this lets you spot minor problems before they get bigger. It might also leave an impression that you are a responsible owner.
If you're not sure what areas to inspect, this might help you:
Rotten Wood - Any areas that are made of wood should be checked regularly to make sure that it's not rotten and infested with borer beetles, termites, and fungi.
Drainage System - Check for any sign of drainage problem. Often, soggy ground indicates water pooling beneath downspouts, so make sure to thoroughly check if stormwater flows away from your place. Also, find out if you need new or extra gutters and downpipes for the roof.
Hazardous Materials - Your property might have various hazardous materials to remove, such as toxic mold, asbestos, or lead-based paint.
Poor Ventilation - Poorly ventilated rooms might pose a bigger problem, such as being a health hazard and damage to the structure.
Leaking Roof - Even if it's not leaking, check this area once in a while for possible blocked gutters or old roof coverings.
Faulty Plumbing, Electrical, Or Gas Installation - Check distribution boards, hot water geysers, gas lines, wiring, and other sanitary ware for possible problems.
Check Insulation - Check whether this area is defective or problematic.
Water Seepage - Check windows, doors, and even the floor for possible water seepage, and perform necessary repairs immediately.
Check Structural Damage - A weakened foundation might result in structural damage, making the roof structures, doorways, walls, and support unstable. Therefore, be sure to check this regularly and address problems immediately.
Selling a property is not easy as it sounds. Often, you have to spend a huge amount of money to fix damages; however, this might help in avoiding pitfalls and paying for bigger costs.
Normally, houses in good condition sell for more money than houses in a less desirable state. While this is often true, there's such a thing as "over-improve," which might lead to losing money if the return doesn't justify the investment.
Knowing what to and what NOT to fix can be challenging, especially when you're planning to list a house.
So, to help you decide which adjustments are important (and which are a waste of time), we put together a list of things you shouldn't fix.
We've also added some recommendations that might help you sell your home.
Let's look at three preliminary actions that will help you decide how to address repairs as you prepare to sell your place.
Find out from a top local agent what, if anything, needs to be renovated or mended. Their responsibility is to advise sellers on how to maximize profits by highlighting which improvements and repairs are required, as well as where to maximize savings by postponing some tasks.
Aim for something in the middle of turnkey and "as is." You want to attract the right buyers but that doesn't mean that you have to spend a lot of money on unnecessary repairs and upgrades that won't really help with your home's value.
Real estate agents can offer wise insight into what to fix when selling your house that would help earn a decent return on investment. They can also suggest what not to fix when selling your house as these repairs could be just a waste of time because they are familiar with the neighborhood and the situation of the market.
More or less, agents will instruct sellers to ignore minor flaws. You can determine where you need to spend money by waiting for the results of the home inspection and the buyer's requests.
This prevents you from "wasting" money on possible fixable cosmetic issues.
Before you do anything, ask yourself this: Are you gonna yield a good return on investment on improvements, renovations, or repairs?
Usually, we think that such enhancements can gain returns; however, you have to know that it still depends on your location and the market will determine this.
According to a study conducted by NAR or the National Association of REALTORS®, hardwood flooring improvements typically yield a huge ROI of 147%.
Another improvement that yields a good return is kitchen upgrades. Meanwhile, painting and landscaping are two low-cost upgrades that might offer more value for your money and be a safer investment.
In essence, the return for major renovations is dependent on the neighborhood and the market. An expert real estate agent can assess the market value of your house, perform comparable home sales research, and determine the ROI to know if it's financially advantageous or not.
Selling a home can be exciting, and it might even trigger homeowners to bring out their old to-do lists.
Keep in mind that your house doesn't need to be perfect and that not every repair will be cost-effective.
Painting and landscaping are two examples of cosmetic problems that are often simple to resolve.
These are quick and inexpensive fixes that might help create a "brand new face" for buyers; however, it's not a top priority unless the repairs negatively affect your property's aesthetic.
However, some cosmetic issues, like replacing outdated countertops in the kitchen or bathroom, could be a little more complicated. Other problems could be in the middle, including a few cracked tiles, obsolete finishes, or slight scratches on hardwood flooring.
If you have the capacity, money, and time to do these projects, then it can be on the list; however, if you don't have the home improvement skills for this, it might be best to leave it as it is to avoid further damage.
Remember, your home doesn't need to look like a "showroom" to sell, so there's no need to spend so much time on cosmetic flaws.
Unless it's a potential hazard, most buyers won't really care about sidewalk or driveway cracks.
However, curb appeal that includes features, such as trimmed shrubs, freshly mowed grass, a couple of nice, comfy chairs, and a fresh coat of paint might affect a buyer's decision.
There are electrical problems that might require immediate attention because they serve as a threat to safety, including exposed wires, hanging light fixtures, or ungrounded outlets.
However, minor electrical concerns, such as a light switch that doesn't affect anything, wobbly outlet plugs, or dead outlets, may not require immediate attention (or no attention at all).
Appliances that are more than 10 years old, incompatible, barely functioning, or not energy efficient might affect your home's value negatively. So if you want to increase your home sale, you might want to replace them with brand-new appliances.
However, you don't have to spend a lot buying branded or premium ones instead, you can replace them with used or standard new appliances.
There's nothing wrong with upgrading a room; however, if you don't have the time or money to complete it, it's best not to begin these projects.
For one, it might be challenging for potential buyers to visualize what it would look like once it's completed. Second, it would only show how the entire room needs an upgrade.
Partially upgraded rooms won't add value to your home; if anything, it might suggest that you are concealing something, so if you can't finish it, just leave it.
It's tempting to enhance the home or fix almost everything, but then again, if it's not a top concern or it's something you're not skilled at it, it's best to not worry about it all. This will not only help you save money and energy but also, avoid further damage.
If you're not sure which repairs should be prioritized or how to increase your home value in general, you can talk to an experienced real estate agent.
If you don't have one, our team at RE/MAX Advanced Realty is here to help! Just send us a message or leave a comment below!
Studies have shown that reorganizing a space has proven to be surprisingly beneficial. In this article, we are bringing you 3 positive effects that rearranging a space can have on the human body and brain.
Our memories form in various environments and they have the ability to linger in that space. In order to break free from old attachments or refresh ones we are fond of, we need a new environment. When we rearrange our space, we experience a feeling of renewal and freshness. This change provides us with something new in our day-to-day life, an added or completely new layer of comfort in the place where we can be the most free and honest with ourselves.
According to Carrie Barron, a psychiatrist and director for the Creativity for Resilience Program at Dell Medical School in Austin, Texas, rearranging furniture can increase your energy and put you in a good mood. “An impact on the environment lifts mood, provides concrete satisfaction, and instills a sense of effectiveness,” she wrote in Psychology Today. “Inner and outer harmony happen when pieces are placed in a way that makes sense for you".
Another way to heighten this new experience is by burning incense or candles. A new and pleasant aroma that greets you at the door is a great way to brighten the mood, as smells are also linked to positive sensors in the brain.
Not only will rearranging a space provide you with a new and refreshing space to get comfortable in, changing this space about is also a great way to work in a decent workout! Between moving pieces of furniture such as heavy couches and/or beds, you will find yourself working up a little sweat. In the middle of moving pieces of furniture around, you may find yourself needing to clean. This cleaning can involve wiping down tables and chairs, or vacuuming in once hard-to-reach spots such as an area that was once covered by the couch or bed.
These cleaning tasks also add to the workout that moving furniture has created. For example, vacuuming on and off around the house during a deep cleaning day for 30 minutes allows your body to burn around 94 calories. If you were to engage in cleaning a home for almost an hour then it will burn the same amount of calories as half an hour of gym. There are also some rigorous cleaning activities that burn more calories. Some examples include the infamous cleaning of the shower, mopping, sweeping the floor with a broom, and washing the dishes by hand. Instead of spending time and money on a gym, why not start cleaning for good health. This is a very good exercise for your health.
Cleaning has been used to help in fighting depression. There’s a reason why so many of us are captivated by cleaning videos on social media platforms such as Tik Tok, Youtube and/or Snapchat that are labeled as “satisfying”. We experience joy in watching things and environments being transformed from a dirty state to a clean one. Cleaning does an incredible job at distracting our minds from invasive thoughts and channeling them to the task at hand, whether that task be cleaning the shower or the guilty pleasure in making sure those carpet lines in the living room from the vacuum are perfect! This is a great way to help us sign out of our social media accounts and to focus on the task of bettering ourselves through improving and refreshing our environment.
Cleaning is also a great way to improve concentration. When it comes to cleaning, there’s no true form of multi-tasking. When cleaning, you don’t run back and forth from the kitchen to clean the dishes to the bathroom to scrub the shower; each task is completed one at a time and this helps boost our concentration. As pointed out in our first paragraph in this article, our moods are linked to our environment. Having a cluttered space is no way to alleviate a cluttered mind. Turning cluttered rooms into a refreshed and newly arranged space can help us wipe away the negative thoughts and feelings we had consciously or unconsciously associated that space with.
Every year, millions of people around the world make intentions to better their lives by improving their habits. These habits can include going to the gym or reading one book every month. However, how many of us include the health of our home on our list? In this article, we will explain the importance of having a healthy connection with your home and list 3 house resolutions you should be making in 2022.
Understanding the Importance of Home Health and Experience
Our homes serve as both our shelter and personal safe haven. In being a space in which we share and experience memories over the years, it’s important that this space emanates feelings of comfort and ease. The way we set goals and intentions to better ourselves in the new year, we should seek to improve the health of our home as well. Factors that complete the health of our home include its organization system and cleanliness. Factors that complete our experience with our home include its design and functionality. Below we will show 3 ways you can turn these factors into 3 resolutions for your home in the new year.
1. New Year Intention: Cleanliness
Cleanliness plays a huge role in mental well-being. With the hussle and bussle of everyday life, it’s easy to leave the cleanliness of our home on the backburner. Studies show that cleaning has the potential to alleviate some degree of depression. This may be so because our physical environment affects our internal environment. Creating a system in which you can keep your home tidy is key. It is essential that you find or develop a routine crafted specifically for you. This is so because it will allow you to clean at a rate that is doable for you. Seeing others on Youtube for example with elaborate cleaning routines may seem like a system you would like to adopt, but it’s important to keep in mind if their system will work for you the way it does for them. Make a list of areas of concern and write 3 cleaning tasks you would like to accomplish in that area.
Don’t know where to start? Check out our New Year New Home cleaning graphic! With this graphic, you will have a simple step-by-step outline of main areas around the home to keep tidy and an easy list of things to clean in each space. Check out our Facebook page to get your free resource!
2. New Year Intention: Organization & Functionality
Organization plays a huge role in the flow and functionality of our home. In an organized home, things are easily accessible and easily returned. This easy access keeps our stress at bay and allows our home to look and operate at its best. Take time to discover and implement the best structure for your home. You can find inspiration on Pinterest and YouTube, and try out various organization methods. Feel free to modify techniques and schedules you find to better fit your lifestyle and daily routine.
3. New Year Intention: Design
Allow your personality to show throughout your home through interior design. Research various styles to get a feel for the kind of designs out there and see what catches your eye. Popular interior designs include minimalislism, maximalism, terracotta, contemporary and many more. Great resources to use to look up designs are interior design magazines and Instagram accounts, and of course, Pinterest. Once you find your desired aesthetic, you can use what you have in the home to reset and redesign.
If you find yourself needing to buy a few new pieces, great places to shop for home decor include Home Goods and At Home. Both stores are priced affordably and are fairly large buildings so you have lots of options to choose from and ground to cover. You can even create an interior dream board, creating a collage of pieces to ultimately design the look and feel of your home.
We also recommend exploring YouTube to see what type of interior design channels are available. The channels that show your average everyday people making changes to various areas of their home often have more subtle content with great tips, tricks and resources compared to big company channels.
Seasonal cleaning is a great way to deep clean your home on a routine basis. This fall deep cleaning guide will serve as a fantastic resource in what cleaning products, areas and tools need to be catered to in giving your home its best clean of the season. This is an article clean freaks will not want to miss! Click on the name of the products to be directed towards a store link.
1. A Powerful Cleaning Duo: Removing Hard Water Stains in Toilet Bowl
In taking a view at the upper rim of your toilet bowl you notice dark stains coating the prerimter. After scrubbing with products that have successfully cleaned other areas of your bathroom you find your hard work to have been in vain as the stain persists. What can be done about this? Those dark stains that you’ve found in your toilet bowl are hard water stains and happen to most toilets. Even if you give your bowl a quick scrub every Sunday, it’s easy to miss the deeper and harder-to-reach crevices of the bowl and hard water can begin to build a film around the bowl that seems impossible to scrub away.
There are 2 products that do a seriously fantastic job in ridding bowls of these tough stains. The first is Zep Acidic Toilet Bowl Cleaner ($5.48 at Lowe’s). This product is a thick acidic gel that clings onto hard water and rusted covered surfaces in a toilet bowl. Apply a thick even layer of the product around the primator of the toilet bowl and wait 5 minutes for the cleaner to break down the soiled surface.
Once 5 mins is up, use a toilet pumice stone, yes a product like this exists and it’s amazing! Pumie Heavy-Duty Scouring Stick ($2.98 at Lowe’s) does a fantastic job at tackling heavy stains. These scouring sticks effectively break hard water stains from the toilet without damaging your toilet, as the are a of the stick that makes contact with the bowl dissolves with time as you scrub at the stain. You may have to repeat the process of applying a new layer of the cleaner, waiting 5 minutes, then scrubbing with the stone, but by the second time, it’s sure to have your toilet bowl free of hard water stains. You’ve seriously got to try this powerful cleaning duo out!
2. A New Mattress: Remove Stains from Mattress
No one likes seeing stains in the investment that are mattresses. When a stain comes along we find ourselves scrubbing for an eternity to revive our mattress back to the spotless gem it once was. These next 2 products are sure to bring the surface of your mattress back to life. The first product you’ll need is Biokleen Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover ($7.99 at Target). This product is fantastic for the mattress and other upholstery because it is hypoallergenic, non-toxic, planet based, and free from artificial fragrance, colors and preservatives. It is also cruelty free. This powerful product destroys accidents from pets, wine, kids and more. It can also be used on various surfaces such as carpets and on clothing. Apply the product to your mattress and let it sit for 5 minutes. Once finished it’s time to break out the upholstery cleaner. The Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Cordless Upholstery & Carpet Cleaner is an affordable and powerful cleaning gadget to use in ridding surfaces of stains. It runs for $97.99 at Target, but is on the lower end of the upholstery cleaning tool spectrum.
Use this tool to vacuum out the Biokleen product from your mattress and watch the stains be sucked out with it. Below you will find a cleaner surface of your mattress exposed. You may have to give your mattress a bit of elbow grease and time, but it’s sure to come out stain free with this combo. After cleaning, allow your mattress to air dry properly, keeping any sheets, blankets or pillows away from the freshly cleansed areas. This mattress cleaning combo is simply amazing.
3. A Sparking New Sink: Removing Grout and Hard Water Stains
The sink can accumulate hard water stains on the counter and grout around the opening of the sink. We have another 2 amazing products to recommend to you, our beloved reader. The first product is 9 Elements Bath Spray ($4.99 at Target). This product is made from a powerful combination of lemon and vinegar (it's important to mention that the vinegar smells really strong). It cleans up soap scum, hard water build up and grime. It is plant based, free from synthetic fragrance, dye-free and can be used on a variety of surfaces.
Spray the product over your sink and wait 1 minute. After 60 seconds use a traditional scrub brush that is safe for your bathroom countertops to watch the stains be scrubbed away. It may take a second or third scrub to get the surface completely free of stains, but the end result is so worth it. To tackle the hard to reach grout, we recommend the Rubbermaid Power Scrubber ($19.99 at Target). This electronic cleaning brush has been given a big status on Tik Tok and various Youtube cleaning channels. Use this tool to clean up hard-to-reach grout. This tool can also be used in the shower to clean up grout and does a fantastic job in doing so.
With various end-of-summer events approaching and many countries returning back to their familiar lifestyles, studies are showing a rise in COVID cases. In this article we are bringing you 5 key methods to keep your home disinfected and safe during these times. Please be sure to practice proper safety guidelines such as proper social distancing, educating yourself on the importance of vaccines, wearing a mask and keeping your hands clean.
1. Disinfect High Touch Surfaces and Objects
It’s no secret that high touch surfaces harbor our daily weight of bacteria spread. High touch surfaces are surfaces or objects we come in contact with every day, multiple times a day. We touch these items and surfaces with uncleased hands and cough or sneeze near these areas frequently. Our reoccurring time with these areas unfortunately makes them easy targets for an overload of bacteria, germs and viral matter. A foundational solution to keeping a home disinfected is to disinfect these high touch surfaces. High touch surfaces include our car and house keys, the TV remote, handles, light switches, counters and tables, and our electronic devices (mobile phone, keyboard, etc). Keeping these surfaces free of germs will stop them in their tracks from spreading about the rest of the home. It will also be a great defense against spreading these germs to sensitive areas of our bodies such as our eyes, nose and mouth.
2. Limit Who and How Many People Enter Your Home
It is critical that you limit who and how many people are allowed into your space. During these times, we can’t be sure of the health status of everyone we confront. Even those who appear to be well in health can be asymptomatic or showing no signs of a current illness. After putting in so much effort to make the home a clean and safe space, the last thing we want to do is jeopardize our hard work by not being careful in who we allow into our home. It’s important you put your foot down to those who are unvaccinated and/or non-mask wearers by denying them access into your home. Regulating who enters your home keeps bacteria, germs and viral matter at bay and protects the health of you and your family members. Be sure to avoid maintenance appointments if possible, and tell your unvaccinated and/or non-mask wearing friends and family members to come back once they meet proper safety guidelines regarding their health.
3. Keep Your Hands Clean
In many households, having anyone, especially the children, touch the walls is a big no no. Why is this? It is so because when our hands meet the walls, we spread dirt onto the walls, ruining the flawless coat of paint that adorns the walls of our precious home. Even though we may not see what we are spreading, we spread germs to various areas of the home the same way, by touching them with unclean hands. To avoid contaminating our home with dirt and germs, it is vital to keep our hands clean. Find an effective antibacterial hand soap that will properly cleanse the hands without stripping them dry. Be sure to wash for 20 to 30 seconds, getting your palms, fingers, under the fingernails, backs of the hand and wash up to your wrist. This is also another powerfully effective way to avoid spreading germs to sensitive areas of the body such as our eyes, nose and mouth.
4. Keep Your Laundry in Check
As we spend the day outside our homes at the grocery store or at work, our clothes are caught up in a storm of dirt, germs and debris flying around the air. This matter can stick to our clothes and sneak their way into our homes. To further avoid spreading dirt, germs and debris, be sure to keep up with your laundry properly, especially during these times. The last thing we would want is to spread these things to sensitive areas of our bodies by, for example, rubbing our eyes with the sleeves of our shirt or jacket that was resting on a public table in which a possibly infected person was sneezing or coughing onto. During the pandemic, companies have come out with antibacterial spray for clothing to help to prevent these germs from clinging onto our clothes to help keep us safe. Be sure to also be extra mindful of your bedding and change your pillowcases regularly, especially if you rest at night with a partner.
5. Shower Before Roaming Your Home
Showering before you roam the halls of your home is a great way to knock two birds with one stone. Showering before exploring your home allows you to wash your hands, feet and to dispose of clothing worn outside in one go. This preps you to be squeaky clean for your home and further prevents the spreading of germs via the hands, feet or from bacteria or debris that may have clung to your clothes and snuck into your home without you knowing. You never want to relax on the couch or in your bed with an unclean body or clothes that have been exposed to the outdoors. Showering allows you to get comfortable and clean before you explore and relax around the precious space that is your home.
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Indianapolis IN 46234
dennis@indyhomepros.com
317-316-8224