The Simple Way to Remove Wax From Candlesticks

“The holidays are over and now it’s time to start putting things away. If you burned some candles, you may just have to deal with this situation.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Holiday meals, romantic dinners, winter nights — all of these occasions become even more special with candlelight. Unfortunately, the clear light of day may reveal that wax from the lit candles has dripped and hardened on the sides and base of your candlesticks. The good news is that removing wax is relatively simple.

LDa Architecture & Interiors

The best method, according to Deena M. Bermudez of the National Candle Association, is to chip at it with a blunt wooden or plastic stick, such as an emery board. Carefully chip away until all the wax is removed. Wipe the candlestick clean with a towel or cloth to get rid of the rest. It’s that easy.

Amy Lau Design

If by chance there’s some residue left, then you may have a choice of cold or hot. For the cold method, you can try freezing the wax until it chips off easily.

Place the candlestick in a plastic bag to protect it from excessive moisture and put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes, then remove it and chip off or wipe off the remaining wax. Another option is to put an ice cube in a plastic bag and hold it on the wax until the wax freezes. “If candlesticks are placed in the freezer, ensure that they are completely dry before adding new candles, as water may have condensed on them,” Bermudez says. “Water in candleholders can result in the candle flame spitting.”

Eclectic Dining Room Eclectic Dining Room

Freezing works well for some candlesticks but should not be used on antiques or ones made of wood, metal or a porous material. Instead, you’ll need to use the chipping method.

Marie Burgos Design

Another option, which is not recommended by safety experts, is heat. Running the candlesticks under warm water, if that won’t harm them, can help soften the wax. Dry them thoroughly and dispose of the wax in your trash, not your sink’s plumbing.

Originally published on HOUZZ, by Marianne Lipanovich

Light up Your House for the Holidays, Not Your Energy Bill

“When it’s time to decorate, or replace some of your old lights, consider these for your new lighting ideas.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

These energy-conscious lighting tips will help you save some money on your energy bill this holiday season, leaving you with more funds to spend on loved ones.

The holidays are a fun, but often expensive, time of year. It’s easy to blow budgets on gifts for loved ones and on electric bills by making the season bright. Fortunately, saving money during the holiday season can be just as simple with a few energy-conscious lighting tips.

Look on the bright side

Substituting new LED holiday lights for run-of-the-mill incandescent holiday lights can give you big savings and make a big statement. LED (or light emitting diode) lights are brighter than traditional lights, and they last longer while using far less energy. In fact, LED light strings can use 90% less energy than regular incandescent lights and last about ten times longer. When you shop, just make sure you’re getting what you pay for. Look for government and industry-approved energy-saving logos.

No matter what you choose, buying holiday lights can be expensive. So keep your eye out for manufacturer rebates and coupons, and be sure to check with your local utility provider to see if they offer any special rebates for LED decorations.

Besides being energy efficient, LED holiday lights offer other important advantages. They’re cooler than incandescent lights (which can help reduce fires), have no filament or glass to break and can help prevent overloading sockets when you string them end-to-end. And believe it or not, using energy-efficient holiday lights like these can even help reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Remember, you don’t have to limit your energy savings to just around the holidays. Using LED bulbs is a smart, energy efficient choice any time of the year for lighting inside and outside your home.

Timing is everything

You can further reduce your holiday electric bill by limiting your light display to “primetime” hours. Extension cords with built-in timers can easily be found in most hardware stores. Make sure they’re suitable for outdoor use. Then, simply plug in your lights and set timers to turn on when it gets dark and switch off at bedtime. No sense lighting your home when few people are around to enjoy it. The same holds true at other times of the year with your standard outdoor lights. Instead of a timer, you can even use a motion sensor. That way, your outdoor lights will only go on when triggered.

Consider solar

Depending on how much sun exposure you get, solar-powered lights can be a great energy-saving solution. Even in winter, these lights can soak up enough sun to light up an outdoor tree without relying on electricity.

Get more bang for your buck

Here’s a smart tip to pump up the light without bursting your electric bill: Strategically place reflective ornaments or tinsel to bounce light in multiple directions. This will create a dazzling shimmery effect that tricks the eye into seeing more lights than are actually there.

A little can go a long way

Here’s another efficient way to create lots of visual drama without having to add tons of additional lighting. Simply, use colored flood light bulbs in place of standard outdoor floods. You can find a variety of festive colors such as red, green and blue. Then, position the lights so they bathe your home’s exterior in a warm, cheery glow.

You can achieve a lot with dramatic up-lighting. Focus them on your home or seasonal planters positioned along a walkway. Try flanking your front door for an added effect.

If that’s a little too much for your taste, just substitute colored light bulbs in a few of your exterior fixtures, such as on your porch, above your front door or outside your garage. You’ll get pops of festive color with a more subtle effect.

Light the night with luminarias

During the holidays, you’ll often see these glowing lanterns in rows along a sidewalk or leading up a walkway to a front door. Luminarias are often made from brown paper bags that are weighted down with sand and lit from within by candles. A safer energy-efficient solution would be battery-powered LED luminarias. They’ll still create a classic, warm and welcoming feel, just in a modern and eco-friendly way.

Create a warm glow

Speaking of battery-powered candles or candlesticks, using them in your front windows can also add light with limited energy use and cost. Look for scented varieties to add another layer of cheer. Create a warm glow throughout your home with holiday-themed votive holders illuminated with actual votive or battery-operated tea-lights. Many of these flameless options are made to mimic the flickering of a real candle, so you can enjoy all the atmosphere without any of the worry that comes with a real flame.

With so many wonderful options available today, you can be energy-conscious AND festive without having to compromise. Follow these energy conservation tips this holiday and, perhaps, you’ll be able to splurge on an extra gift just for yourself.

Originally published by American Homeshield

Budget Decorator: 15 Shortcuts to Holiday Style

“You don’t have to go ‘All Out’ in order to make your home look festive. Just some simple touches can do the trick.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

With Christmas around the corner, I’ve been on the lookout for inspired projects that will create a festive vibe with very little effort. The ideas gathered here (including a simpler way to adorn your home’s exterior and a semihomemade gingerbread house) all use holiday staples and materials readily found around the house, so you can whip up decorations that are as budget friendly as they are simple. You can have just as much fun decking your halls this way as by going a more traditional route — but with less stress and with more money left when you are done.

Here are 15 quick, creative and crafty projects and ideas that you can pull off in no time flat.

Tobi Fairley Interior Design

1. Have a sense of humor. Have a serious sculpture, bust or work of art? Dress it up for the holidays with a wreath, Santa hat or hand-knit scarf. It will surely become the center of attention at your next party!

Colleen Brett

2. Make quick work of exterior decorating with oversize ornaments. Giant ornaments are cheap and readily available at this time of year from corner drugstores, crafts stores and big chains like Target. I would pair a handful of oversize ornaments with a strand or two of old-fashioned big colored bulb lights for a cheerful holiday look that can be put up in minutes, rather than hours.

Tobi Fairley Interior Design

3. Let wrapped gifts double as decor. Here’s an incentive to get your holiday shopping done early: You can turn all of those presents into beautiful piles of decor! You don’t even have to splurge on fancy patterned paper; just use solid paper and get creative with embellishments — chocolate-colored wrap with plum-colored ribbon would be sophisticated and chic.

Rikki Snyder

4. Make a pretty dessert display out of old dishes. Company on the way and you are short a serving platter? Make a charming dessert stand using spare dishes already in your cupboard with this supersimple DIY.

Choose at least two plates of different sizes and at least one cup that all coordinate in a pleasing way (matching is not necessary) to create your stand. If you want the results to be temporary, use blue tacky putty (find it in arts and crafts stores) to adhere the layers; for a more permanent fix, use superglue or a hot-glue gun — just stick and stack, and you’re done.

Heydt Designs

5. Add holiday magic to kids’ rooms. If you have little ones in the house, there is no one who will appreciate a bit of holiday cheer more. Put a few mini wreaths on the wall, hang an extra stocking or mitten filled with stuffed animals on the bedpost or even bring in a miniature Christmas tree.

Holly Marder

6. Craft quick paper ornaments.If your tree is a bit short on adornments, or if you need more unbreakable goodies to fill in where small hands can reach, try whipping up a few ornaments and paper chains made from old sheet music. Get the full instructions for making all of the ornaments in this photo right here.

Tobi Fairley Interior Design

7. Make a quickie version of your favorite gingerbread house … with graham crackers.Not a fan of elaborate baking projects, but still want the experience of putting together a gingerbread house? Skip right to the fun part by making a semihomemade graham cracker house. Just follow a favorite gingerbread house pattern, but use graham crackers in place of the gingerbread, cutting shapes carefully with a crafts knife. Everyone knows kids mostly love the frosting and candy part anyway, so let little ones go to town once the house is assembled.

Julie Ranee Photography

8. Give every room a small, special touch. Instead of going for the big impact, spread a little holiday cheer in every room in the house. Small touches, like an ornament hung on a mirror or a sprig snipped from your Christmas tree in a glass on the bathroom sink, will foster a warm, cozy holiday mood without much effort on your part.

sarah & bendrix

9. Pile up extra ornaments under glass. If you have a bounty of ornaments, don’t let those extras go to waste! Add sparkle to your mantel, buffet or coffee table by displaying them under a glass cloche, an apothecary jar or a large bowl.

More clever uses for old-school ornaments

Julie Ranee Photography

10. Forage from nature for decor that is easy and green. Pile up acorns in apothecary jars and heap pinecones in baskets for a fuss-free, welcoming look. Greenery or bittersweet berries clipped from outside can also adorn a basic wreath form from the crafts store for an easy front door display.

LKM Design

11. Dress up the kitchen with fancy table lamps. If you are hosting a holiday open house, everyone is bound to end up in the kitchen. Make yours instantly more festive by turning off the overhead lights and setting table lamps on the counters instead. The warm glow will make everything look better … even those dirty dishes in the sink.

12. Make easy paper bag luminarias. Fill brown or white paper bags with kitty litter or sand, and nestle votive lights inside for an incredible display that will last through an entire party. Line the walkway up to your house, place a bag on each step or just flank your front door; any way you choose, the effect will be magical.

Julie Ranee Photography

13. Make a subtle statement with snowy window letters. Spell out a word that evokes the season with one letter hung in each of several adjacent windows or glass doors. Make your letters using whatever materials you have on hand — white cardstock, cardboard wrapped in white fabric or yarn, white felt or even regular printer paper.

Rikki Snyder

14. Shop for decor at the grocery store. Keep an eye out for fruit, nuts and even veggies with gorgeous colors and shapes that can double as decor. Mound pomegranates and cranberries in a wooden bowl, arrange pears and figs on a tray, or fill a glass jar with walnuts and almonds in the shell for an easy, edible arrangement.

See more of this tabletop

My Sweet Savannah

15. Display favorite holiday ingredients. One of the simplest ways to add a bit of holiday fun to your kitchen is to round up ingredients for holiday treats and make them into a mini display. Decant cocoa powder and marshmallows into glass containers, fill a jar with candy canes or cinnamon sticks, and group your favorite mugs onto a nice tray.

By Laura Gaskill, originally published on HOUZZ

How to Choose a Backsplash for Your Granite Counters

“You’ve selected a gorgeous piece of granite for your kitchen. Now finish off your kitchen and tie everything together with an interesting backsplash.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

So you’ve chosen granite countertops for their beauty and durability, but now you’re stumped about what to use for your backsplash. Granite is a tricky one. There are so many different color and pattern choices. Some are very busy, while others are subtle. Some are dark; others are light. Some have large swooping vein patterns, while others are dotty or splattered.

Each slab is unique, so it’s not possible to make sweeping generalities about what works with every piece of granite. But if you look at why and how these pairings are pleasing, you’ll get some good ideas for a material to pair with the particular stone you’ve fallen for.

Alex Maguire Photography

The same granite, all the way up. In this kitchen, the beautiful slab of Cashmere White granite extends to the bottom of the upper cabinets and vent hood. This shows off its pattern beautifully — much like art. Note how the designer plucked a color from the granite for the cabinet paint.

Likewise, Ivory Fantasy granite adds a rich, natural texture below these light wood cabinets. The range wall is where you’ll get the most bang for your buck, giving the wall an easy-to-clean surface and the room a seamless look.

When considering this, look at the whole slab and choose the part you want to highlight. There may be a distinct part of the pattern you’ll enjoy seeing on the wall.

J M Interiors

The standard 4-inch backsplash in the same granite. White walls keep this kitchen looking cheerful and light. Splashes of red are more attention-grabbing than the countertops, which gracefully take a backseat. Extending the granite any higher or using a different backsplash material would have overwhelmed the room.

Chloe Warner

Large rectangular tile. In this case, the designer chose travertine to coordinate with the Stargazer granite’s creamy veins. The result is a kitchen that’s minimalist and warm.

Bar stools: vintage, Charlotte Perriand; pendants: Alison Berger

Judy Cook Interiors, LLC

A ceramic tile in a color you pluck from the granite. While this granite is mostly white and gray, the backsplash brings out a blue-gray color in the pattern. Using large subway tiles keeps the grout lines from looking busy.

Tile: Ashbury Collection in Breakwater, Sonoma Tile

DeForest Architects

Glass tile. The gloss of glass tile complements many granites. Consider a neutral tone that’s a close match for the main color field in the granite. The understated soft green of this tile highlights why Colonial Gold granite was a good choice.

Colonial Gold granite: Meta Marble & Granite; 4-inch-by-12- inch Glacier glass tile in 45/Raw Silk color: Stone Source

David Heide Design Studio

A subtly variegated ceramic tile. The changes in tone in each of these handmade ceramic tiles are quiet and lovely, enhancing the look of the Typhoon Green granite.

HARDROCK CONSTRUCTION

Crema Marfil mini mosaic tile. This one may seem counterintuitive (no pun intended), but the small tile in this elegant material plays nicely with the Santa Cecilia granite here. It might seem like they would be two busy patterns, but the material and coloring of the backsplash is a calming counterpoint (pun intended).

Crema Marfil tile, honed: Oregon Tile and Marble; granite: Santa Cecilia

Archipelago Hawaii Luxury Home Designs

Here is the same idea with a larger-scale tile. Note that the pattern and color variation of this granite is less distinct than the one in the previous photo, so it can take on the more powerful backsplash. These pairings are all about finding the right balance.

Tile: Mizu Umi collection in Tea, Honey, Tatami and Rice Paper,Walker Zanger; granite: Kashmir White

Jason Ball Interiors, LLC

A simple tile with eclectic accents. Plain subway tile might have been too plain here, but the dotting in the eclectic tile pattern plucked from the range mosaic adds a playful touch.

If you’re looking at a palette that has a lively granite pattern but feel like the color blocks of simple white or cream tile and miles of cabinets needs breaking up, consider livening things up over the range. Here the designer helped his clients find a geometric mosaic. He even took it a step further by adding a few circles plucked from the range mosaic’s pattern all around the room.

Circular tile and White Crackle 3-inch-by-6-inch subway tile: Mercury Mosaics; granite: White Spring

Nicola Interiors

Tumbled marble tile. This backsplash works in a similar way; it mostly has just slight variations in color that coordinate with the creamy tones of the Giallo Ornamental granite counters, punctuated by darker tiles here and there.

When choosing your accent tiles, you’ll have a few places to pick up the right hues. Look to the range of colors in your granite pattern to find the right darker tones. Look to your cabinet color as well. Tie the cabinets to the countertops with these accent tiles.

Vercon Inc.

Glass mosaic tile. This one is tricky; you’ve really got to find the right combination of granite and tile here, or it can come off as too busy. Glass mosaic tile works best with a granite with a large-scale pattern (one that has big veins and less contrast between the colors in it). The granite in this kitchen, Monserrat, has large swoops and a lovely gray and gray-green color palette that’s more subdued than many of the ones we’ve seen thus far.

The key in this kitchen is that the granite counters and wood cabinets are calm — it’s like they are asking for a dynamic backsplash to liven things up. Another important factor is that the backsplash real estate is relatively small — wedged just between the upper and lower cabinets, the backsplash has just the right amount of space to make a statement.

The tiny tiles accentuate the green tones of the granite, while the iridescent finish of the glass tiles adds a dynamic touch that draws attention to it. The tiles even pick up on the colors of the Mason jar pendants that hang over the island countertop, tying the room together.

Jade iridescent 1¼-inch-by-½-inch tiles: Vinara Glass

David Heide Design Studio

Traditional subway tile. While in some kitchens, I pointed out eclectic touches added to the subway tile, this kitchen is different. It is in a historic shingle-style house built in the 1890s, and the intention of this renovation was to respect the home’s historic style.

Cream-colored subway tiles let the beautiful Bianco Romano granite counters stand out. They also lend an authentic period look to the 1890 shingle-style home’s kitchen.

Tile: American Olean; paint: Natural Cream OC-14, Benjamin Moore

Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab

Now that you have seen some designers’ ideas, you can start to play with the color, size, shape, scale, material, finish and pattern of your backsplash-counter combination until you get it right. Remember to pay attention to the colors and materials of the cabinets and walls too.

Originally Published on HOUZZ, by Becky Harris

Choose Your Paint with These Fancy Apps

“Picking a paint color can be a chore, especially when you are trying to coordinate or match colors. Now there’s an App for that!”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Picking paint at the store can be overwhelming, and sometimes you’re less inspired by a paint chip and more inspired by photos, jewelry or Mother Nature. Now your phone can give you the tools you need to preview colors where and when the mood strikes.

Photo by: iStock

Here are five apps that can help you get the right color on the walls before you buy.

The ColorSmart by BEHR^® Mobile app lets you preview, match and coordinate colors on-the-go. This fun-to-use app puts you in control with handy features like:
• Browsing through the BEHR Premium Plus Ultra® and Premium Plus^® colors collections
• Photo-match to a BEHR color with their proprietary tool
• Preview function to see a color in different rooms and styles
• “Touch-and-tap” technology to paint a room image
• Sharing on Facebook and Twitter
(FREE for iPhone^®, iPad^® or Android^™)

The Benjamin Moore Color Capture^® app makes it simple to snap a picture of anything that inspires you and instantly find its match among the more than 3,500 Benjamin Moore paint colors. Then you can save your pics and their coordinating color matches to your Favorites. Plus, you can:
• Group colors in Favorites to create personalized combos
• Share your favorite colors on social media and email
• Browse Benjamin Moore’s inspirational color cards and access the full color wheel to search colors
(FREE for iPhone^®, iPad^® or Android^™ phones 6.1 or higher)

Besides letting you search by name or browse their library of 1,500 colors,ColorSnap^® for mobile from Sherwin-Williams allows you to create personalized palettes with colors that inspire you. Simply upload an image and this app will instantly match colors in your photo. Then you can edit, delete or add colors to suit your artistic vision— you can even ask Sherwin-Williams for colors that complement your selections. The possibilities are endless with features that help you:
• Fine-tune colors for lightness, saturation and hue
• Get detailed color information such as names, RGB values and LRV numbers
• Save and access your Favorites across devices
(FREE for iPhone^®, iPad^® or Android^™)

With its intuitive navigation, ProjectPaint by Valspar puts over 3,000 Valspar paints right at your fingertips. Swipe, swish and tap through their catalog to choose colors for inside or outside your home, plus get recommendations for coordinating colors. This app even helps you calculate how much paint you’ll need for your project and creates a customized shopping list so you can make just one trip to the store.

Don’t want to limit your color choices to one particular brand? AnyPaintColor by MyPerfectColor lets you search over 130,000 colors from over 100 brands including Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren. It’s essentially a virtual fan deck that gives you the power to browse colors to your heart’s content without having to set one foot in a store.

Originally published on AHS.com

Your Checklist for Quick Houseguest Prep

“It really doesn’t have to be a HUGE production to get ready for company. Just take a little time to hit the highlights and do a couple of nice things for your guests so they know you put some thought into their visit.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Have only a little time before your guests are due to arrive? Check these seven must-dos off your list and you can be sure you haven’t forgotten something in the mad rush to get ready. And if you do find yourself with a bit of extra time, pick from a bonus checklist of nice extras to add to the guest bedroom and bath, to make your guests’ stay even sweeter.

Heidi Caillier Design

The Must-Dos

1. Tidy up. Things don’t need to be perfect; just spend a few minutes gathering stray items and putting them back where they belong. Clear out your mail tray, take out the trash and recycling, and wipe down surfaces.

Lynn K. Leonidas

2. Make the guest bed with fresh sheets. Put crisp, clean sheets on the bed and set out a stack of extra blankets and pillows. While you’re in the guest room, take a moment to tidy up, removing any items that belong elsewhere.

3. Check lighting and privacy. Change lightbulbs if needed in bedside lamps, and be sure windows have coverings.

JODI FLEMING DESIGN

4. Clean and restock the bathroom. While most guests couldn’t care less about a few dust bunnies under the furniture, the bathroom is one place where it’s essential to spend a little extra time cleaning. Clean the sink, mirrors, toilet, shower and tub, and mop the floor. Take out the trash, refill the hand soap and set out fresh rolls of toilet paper and stacks of towels.

Kelly Deck Design

5. Get your house info together.If you plan to lend your guest a key, be sure to put it on its own keychain that is easy to distinguish from your guest’s own keys. Write down your Wi-Fi password, emergency numbers and any household instructions on a card — and keep a copy on your computer so you can find it easily the next time a guest comes to stay.

Jennifer Wetzel Photography

6. Stock up on morning essentials. Most people are creatures of habit in the mornings and like to have their “usual.” Ask ahead what sort of hot drink or breakfast item your guests prefer in the morning, and put tea- or coffee-making supplies and food items (fresh fruit, granola) together in one easy-to-access spot on the kitchen counter. Point this out to your guests when you’re giving them the tour, and they can help themselves in the morning without having to wait for you.

Plyroom

7. Kidproof your space if needed. Have a friend with young children coming? Of course as the parent, your friend will need to be responsible for keeping an eye on the kids, but there are a few things you can do to smooth the way and make things easier on everyone. To prepare for toddlers and young children, move fragile items onto higher shelves, store medications in a secure cabinet and lock cabinets or rooms that you do not want kids getting into. If you don’t mind spending a few bucks on supplies, pick up a pack of outlet covers and use them to fill any unused outlets.

Caitlin Moran Interiors

Have Time to Do More?

Nice extras for the bathroom:

Small basket of sample-size toiletries
Hair dryer
Fresh flowers
Bathrobe
Spare toothbrush (new in the package)
Hook for hanging a toiletries kit

Vivian Johnson Photography

Save Photo

Nice extras for the guest room:

Carafe of water
Fresh flowers
Scented candle and matches
Stack of interesting books
Power strip to plug in laptop
Grab-and-go snack items: chocolate, granola bars, nuts

Originally published on HOUZZ, by Laura Gaskilll

Regain Calm With a New Weekly Routine

“Need to put some order into the chaos of everyday life? Take some time and plan when you are going to take care of the things you know you need to do.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

When life gets hectic, sometimes it seems easier to let housekeeping chores slide. Unfortunately, little birds do not come in to take care of the piled-up laundry or vacuum the floors, and the buildup of postponed housework only ends up stressing us out more. This is where a simple, efficient weekly routine that fits your lifestyle and schedule can help. Consider this day-by-day plan to get the essentials done, so you can get on with your life.

Stony Lake Furniture Co.

Tips for Planning Your Weekly Routine

Think about your lifestyle, commitments and schedule when planning your weekly routine. Make sure it fits your life— not the other way around! This plan runs from Sunday through Friday, with no chores at all on Saturday (although if you garden, that might be when you work in yard chores). If you prefer to keep your weekends entirely free, you could add a chore to one of the weekdays. Likewise, if you would rather do more on the weekends because you’re exhausted during the week, move more chores to the weekend days.

It doesn’t matter if the chores get done perfectly, or if you sometimes skip a day here and there. The important thing is to have a routine that becomes so second nature that you don’t have to think about it much anymore, you just do it.

LeAnne Bunnell Interiors {elle design}

Sunday

Do laundry, change bedding. There’s something comforting about starting the week with fresh laundry and clean sheets on the bed. There will be another laundry day worked into the weekly plan (on Tuesday) so you don’t have to do it all today. It’s better to do two loads (one of sheets and one of clothes) and get everything folded and put away than to do four loads and leave it all in a heap. And when you change the bedding on the same day as laundry day, you can skip folding the sheets, which go right back onto the bed.

Caroline McCredie

Mood boost: To shift chore time into something positive, try listening to music, an audiobook or a favorite podcast while folding laundry, making the beds or working on any of your weekly chores.

Chris Snook

Save Photo

Monday

Shop, prep weeknight meals, clean the kitchen. We all know that Mondays can be a drag. I find it helps to just roll with it: If you can get a few bigger tasks done today, you’ll go to bed feeling productive and energized for the week ahead. If you can find time to go to the grocery store on Monday, it tends to be less crowded than Sunday evening — and if your schedule has some flexibility, shopping in the morning before work or midafternoon is easier than during the dinner rush.

Callwey

When you bring the groceries home, take a moment to clean out the fridge before putting away the food. Then prep some food for weekday meals — this could be as simple as washing and chopping fresh veggies ormaking a pot of grains, or as involved as making a big-batch dinner and freezing some for later in the week.

After the shopping and cooking (i.e., mess-making) is done is a good time to clean the kitchen: Clean small appliances, wipe counters and mop the floor.

Red Lily Renovations

Tuesday

Clean bathrooms, finish the laundry, change towels. Cleaning the bathroom is no one’s favorite chore, so I say get it done as quickly as possible. Set a timer if that helps (can you do it in 15 minutes? 10?) and have all of your cleaning tools and products stored under the sink so you don’t have to hunt them down. Clean the tub, sink, mirrors and toilet, and give the floor a quick mop. Remove old towels and put out fresh, fluffy ones.

Red Lily Renovations

If you have a lot of laundry to do in your house every week, you’ll probably have a few loads to do by now even if you did a few on Sunday. Try tossing a load of delicate items into the washer before work, and lay them flat on a drying rack before you leave. Toss another load in as soon as you get home in the evening, and another after dinner.

Mood boost: This evening, savor the fruits of your labor by indulging in a soak in the freshly cleaned tub with your favorite bath products.

Project 12 Architecture

Wednesday

Handle paperwork, pay bills, declutter. The only thing more annoying than paperwork is agiant pile of paperwork. By having a set day and time to regularly go through your mail, bills and other papers, you can keep things from getting out of hand. Walk around the house and collect all the paper — mail, catalogs, bills, school handouts — and sit down with the pile within reach of your filing cabinet with a recycling bin and your calendar (or phone) at your side. I find a strong cup of tea and classical music helps with the sorting.

Recycle junk mail and envelopes.
Enter events and appointments into your calendar, then toss the paper.
Pay bills; put bills to be paid later in a folder.
File important documents.

Apartment Apothecary

While you’re in a sorting and editing mindset, turn your attention to the rest of your home: Can you find a few items to put in a bag to take to Goodwill? Decluttering a little bit every week is an excellent habit to cultivate for long-term clutter-free living.

Check your closet for worn-out items and pieces you’re not loving.
Scan bookshelves for books you didn’t enjoy.
Check kids’ rooms and surfaces for random junk (freebies, impulse purchases) you don’t really need or want.
Toss out pens that have run out of ink.
Pack up the still-good items in a bag or box and put it in your car to take to a donation center.

Le Michelle Nguyen

Thursday

Straighten the living room, freshen cut flowers, water plants. By Thursday, the weekend is around the corner, so whether you’re hosting a gathering at your home or just planning to hang out and watch a movie, this is a great day to get the living room presentable. Put away items that belong in other spaces, recycle old newspapers and magazines and clean the coffee table.

Having a regular day of the week to water and check on houseplants can help keep them healthy and happy. Be sure to look up the care instructions for your plants, as they might need to be watered more or less often. You can also snip off dead leaves and dust the leaves of large-leaf specimens like rubber plants and philodendron.

Studio Tupelo Modern Interiors

If you bought a bouquet at the market on Monday, giving the stems a trim and replacing the water can help them last an extra day or two.

Mood boost: After you’re done tidying the living room, get yourself something good to drink and sit down with a book or magazine you’ve been wanting to read.

Pamela Hanné

Friday

Clean the floors, unplug and relax. There’s something about clean floors that makes your entire house feel fresher. Vacuum or sweep and mop floors (if you mopped the kitchen and bathroom earlier in the week, skip them) to start the weekend on a bright note.

Mood boost: No matter what your plans are for the weekend, consider kicking things off with a bit of unplugged downtime to rest and recharge. Put down the laptop and phone and open a book, practice a craft or just sit on the porch for a few minutes. And if you practice yoga or meditation, savor your freshly cleaned floors by doing a little home yoga practice or sitting meditation!

By Laura Gaskill, Originally published on HOUZZ

A Punch List for Party Decorating

“It’s always nice to add a few extra touches to your home, before the quests arrive. Make them feel like it’s a special event…because it is!”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

When planning a party at home, decorating can easily slide down the to-do list as more essential tasks (like menu planning, shopping and cleaning) take priority. But isn’t much of the fun of a party the feeling that things are a bit fancier than the everyday? A few well-placed, non-holiday-specific decorations can dress up parties from now through the New Year. Hit these seven decorating hot spots, and you’ll know your home is party ready.

Living Green Design

Boscolo Interior Design

1. Draw attention to the front door. As guests arrive at the front door, they should feel a sense of occasion; even one special touch can do the trick.

You can’t go wrong with a seasonal wreath — it’s simple and elegant, and should last for several months. If you live in a warm climate, why not embrace the weather and choose a wreath featuring dried citrus fruit instead of fall leaves or winter berries and greens?

For an even longer-lasting display, a pair of stately topiaries flanking the door makes an elegant first impression.

DIY wreaths to take you through fall and winter

Or place a few sturdy lanterns on the ground beside your doormat for a welcoming touch. Avoid a potential hazard by placing battery-operated candles inside instead of the real thing, and turn them on before guests arrive.

Browse lanterns in the Houzz Shop

GR Home/Graciela Rutkowski Interiors

2. Polish up the foyer. The place where you greet your guests deserves to be gussied up a bit at party time. Pick and choose between these festive accents that can work for any party, holiday or not:

A pair of mini topiaries on the entry table
Lit candles with a beautiful fragrance
A pretty bowl filled with candy
A silver mint julep cup filled with freshly cut roses

Houzz guides to decorating the entryway

Amanda Carol Interiors

3. Set the dining table. When you are having a dinner party, having the table fully set before guests arrive not only makes things less stressful, but the set table becomes part of the decor. A table setting like the one shown here looks extremely polished but takes less effort than you might think.

Follow these steps to give it your own twist:

Cover your table with a tablecloth or runner in a natural material like linen, burlap or wool tweed. Or, if you have a pretty wood table, leave it bare!
Form your centerpiece by arranging dried moss down the center third of the table, and top it with antlers or driftwood. Nestle in a few fresh “ingredients,” like mini white pumpkins, succulents, persimmons, pomegranates or pears.
Set the table. If you want to use chargers, try a metallic hue that matches your flatware or use natural wood slices. Top each plate with a piece of the same fruit or veg used in the centerpiece.

8 Creative Accents to Set Your Holiday Table Apart

Marcson Homes Ltd.

If you want to use place cards, try tying tags to the stems of fruit or mini pumpkins. Or collect fallen leaves, and write the name of each guest on them using a metallic gold paint pen.

Edmunds Studios Photography, Inc.

Even if you won’t be using the dining table during a party, it’s still a good idea to dress it up. A cluster of large decorative gourds like the ones shown here would look stunning through the fall. In winter try a cluster of mini trees or potted rosemary.

DIY driftwood and succulents centerpiece

Andrea Braund Home Staging & Design

Of course, there can never be too many candles at a party — fill a long tray with lit candles (real or battery-op) and place it in the center of your table.

Turn Up the Party Heat: The Sultry Decorating Secret

Robert Brown Interior Design

4. Create a drinks table. Another great use of the dining table during nondinner parties is as a bountiful, self-serve bar. Make it festive by setting a few large-scale objects — like the urn and vase of flowers shown here — near the center.

Ashley Campbell Interior Design

If you are using a credenza or bar cart in the living room as the drinks table, call attention to it by placing something with a bit of sparkle or light on top, like the branches shown here. Another easy but high-impact way to light up the bar is by coiling a strand or two of battery-operated string lights inside a large glass jar, and placing it on the bar.

Simple Pleasures: Host a Casual Happy Hour

McReynolds Designs

For hot drinks, like apple cider or hot cocoa, setting up in the kitchen makes more sense. Inviting guests to serve themselves hot drinks in the kitchen is a great way to get conversations started! Create a convivial mood by hanging bunting or a wreath, or setting out a vase filled with branches.

Hot-Drink Stations Hit the Spot

Carter Kay Interiors

5. Gussy up the mantel. If you have a beautiful mirror hanging above your mantel, simple candles may be all you need to make the room feel dressed up for a party.

25 Gorgeous Holiday Mantels by Houzzers

BELLA INTERIORS – Jill Kalman

Moss-covered balls set atop candleholders look elegant, and you can leave them up all season.

Living Green Design

To take it a step further, hang a seasonal wreath above the mantel (you can also hang it over a mirror) and place seasonal fruit or gourds in front.

Amanda Carol Interiors

6. Style the coffee table. You will likely be ushering your guests into the living room, so give them something pretty to look at on the coffee table. A good formula is a simple vase with flowers plus a stack of books with an object on top. For a long coffee table, try placing the flowers in the center, with a stack of books on either side.

Andrea Schumacher Interiors

7. Primp the powder room. Fresh hand towels and soap are a must. If you have pretty embroidered hand towels, use them! A tiny posy of flowers in a bud vase on the sink is a welcome touch.

Urrutia Design

For a bit more formality, set out a stack of neatly rolled white hand towels, and provide a basket to place used towels in. For any party, offering hand cream, a stain remover stick and a candle (with matches) on a pretty tray is a nice touch.

By Laura Gaskill, originally published on HOUZZ

The Quick and Easy Way to Clean a Microwave

“It’s always a chore to clean the inside of a Microwave, if you haven’t taken some preventive measures. Good ideas on removing stubborn messes.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Whether popping popcorn, reheating pizza slices, softening butter or melting chocolate, your microwave does heavy-duty work day in and day out. And that also means heavy-duty grime and food odors. Over time, all that exploded food mess can make your microwave less efficient. The good news is that we have a fast and easy way to get your microwave back to just-out-of-the-box clean, or almost there.

Gentry Construction, Inc.

Start with a little prevention. Your first line of defense is to prevent the problem in the first place, according to Evelyn Carpenter at the Whirlpool Institute of Home Science. Covering what you’re microwaving goes a long way toward preventing most spots and splatters.

Janet Paik

Wipe it clean on a daily basis. Carpenter also suggests cleaning the inside of your microwave as part of your daily kitchen routine. Using a soft cloth, sponge or paper towel, wipe down the inside ceiling, floor, sides and tray. This removes any spatters that might have escaped containment before they have a chance to harden.

Janet Paik

Steam-clean the stubborn stains. If the splatters are caked on, try steam before you apply elbow grease. Using a microwave-safe container, heat about 1 cup of water on high for two to three minutes. Let it sit for up to five minutes, then carefully remove the water (it will be hot) and the turntable. Wipe down all the surfaces with a soft cloth, sponge or paper towel.

Janet Paik

You can remove odors and disinfect during this process as well, according to Meg Roberts, president of the housekeeping service Molly Maid. Start by adding half a fresh lemon to your cup of water while it’s heating up. The lemon half will be hot when removed, but once it cools down a bit, run it through the garbage disposal to freshen that as well.

Follow up by using white vinegar as a natural disinfectant. Dip a microfiber cloth in a 50-50 water-vinegar solution, wring it out until it is slightly damp and use it to wipe down the surfaces.

In most cases, this will be enough to leave your microwave’s interior sparkling. If there are still some splatters, just repeat the process.

Shabby-chic Style Kitchen Shabby Chic-inspirerad Kök

Finishing up. Clean the turntable you removed earlier. Almost all turntables are dishwasher-safe, but if you’re not sure about yours or you doubt your microwave could be out of commission for the length of a dishwasher run, you can clean it with warm water and dish soap.

Wipe the rubber gaskets with a damp cloth too. A damp cloth is also a good choice for wiping down the glass door, but if the door is very greasy, use a 50-50 water-and-white-vinegar solution or glass cleaner. For a polished look, wipe everything dry with a soft, dry cloth.

Michelle Drenckhahn

Finally, wipe down the outer surfaces, including the instrument panel, with a soft, damp cloth. If things are particularly greasy or covered in fingerprints, go over them again with the water-vinegar solution.You can dry the surface with a soft cloth for an even more polished look.

Carpenter recommends steam-cleaning the microwave’s interior once every week or so, but this method works even if you go longer between cleanings. And if you’re vacuuming your refrigerator vents, do your microwave vents at the same time. Your microwave will appreciate it.

Selling Your House Next Spring? 5 Fall Projects to Do Now

“Getting your house ready to sell takes planning and time, if you want to sell it quickly and get top dollar for it.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Originally appearing on HouseLogic, by Jennifer Nelson

Planning on selling your home in the spring? Good news — that leaves plenty of time to tackle all sorts of projects this fall that will help you snag top dollar when the tulips start blooming. Take an objective look around your home from a buyer’s perspective. What would stop you from making an offer? What do you need to do to put your home’s best face forward?

Here are some fall projects to jump on now in order for your home to be in tip-top shape for a spring sale:

1. Update Your Curb Appeal

Landscapers planting in a front yard Image: Laurin Lindsey, Landscape Designer

“Curb appeal is important,” says Steve Modica, sales associate and property manager at HomeXpress Realty Inc. in Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla. “Make sure the bushes are all trimmed. Re-mulch or replace stone walkways and paths. Remove any dead plants and trees, and aerate your lawn so it will be lush come spring. Pressure wash the driveway, the front walk, and the exterior of your home. If need be, have the exterior of the house painted and, at the very least, apply a fresh coat of paint on the front door.

2. Get a Home Inspection

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® says 77% of homebuyers have an inspection done before completing a home purchase. To avoid nasty surprises once you’re in the process of selling your home, have your own inspection done and make any repairs over the winter months before you list the home. Homebuyers often use flaws and needed repairs to negotiate a lower price.

3. Replace Flooring and Paint Walls

Determine if your carpets need replacing or just a deep, professional cleaning. If they need to go, consider if hardwood or another flooring material might be more appealing to buyers.

You’ll also want to inspect interior rooms for dirty or scuffed walls that need a fresh coat of paint. “Paint the whole wall, don’t just do touch-up repair work, because it never looks as good,” says Modica. Also, if you have eccentric or loud wall colors, now is the perfect time to update to a more neutral palette. Stagers recommend beiges, light grays, and off-whites.

4. Tackle the Basement, Attic, and Garage

Between the studs garage shelving Image: Liz Foreman for HouseLogic

Often overlooked, these storage meccas can become a catch-all for junk. Use cool, fall weather as an excuse to get down and dirty in these hot spots and organize them from top to bottom. Install shelving, pegboards for tools, and hanging brackets for bicycles and other large sporting equipment. Your goal is to pitch the junk, sell what you no longer need, and categorize the rest.

“Donate or recycle clothes and bedding you don’t use anymore in order to free up storage space in your closets, basement, and garage,” says Amy Bly, a home stager at Great Impressions Home Staging in Montville, N.J. These areas should look roomy, well-organized, and clean.

Related: Garage Storage Ideas Under $50

5. Consult a Stager

Buyers need to picture themselves living in the house, and they may have trouble doing that if all your personal effects are on display. In order to accomplish that, a professional stager can create a plan for you that you can spend the winter months implementing. Bly spends about two hours walking through a property assessing curb appeal, interior flow, closets, bookcases, media cabinets, flooring, and more.

“I give homeowners a multi-page, room-by-room form they can use to take notes on my recommendations,” says Bly. She typically recommends things like neutralizing out-of-date decor, removing old furnishings and carpeting, and updating light fixtures. She also suggests the type of shower curtains, towels, bedding, and pillows to display for an upscale look.

Getting a jump on these fall projects will give you a leg up on selling in the spring. Today’s buyers are savvier than ever before, especially millennial first-time homebuyers who may have searched homes online for months prior to getting in the field. More than just listing your home in the spring, you want to make it’s as perfect as possible. That means everything works and looks immaculate, and there are no glaring issues that will turn off buyers. When you’re ready, have a friend or relative drop by for a tour and point out anything you may have overlooked.

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Look on the bright side

Timing is everything

Consider solar

Get more bang for your buck

A little can go a long way

Light the night with luminarias

Create a warm glow

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