“Sometimes keeping it simple is best. Especially during the hectic times that so many of us live in today.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Tag Archives: Decorating
How to Care for Poinsettias
“They look great when you bring them home, but did you know you can keep them looking great year after year? Here’s how!
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
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How to Care for Poinsettias
Here’s how to care for poinsettias and keep them alive and happy for 6 to 8 weeks. Read
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Copyright 2016 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Thanksgiving Day Clean Up Tips and how to Deal with Leftovers
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How to Organize Your Refrigerator
Leftovers gobbling up space in your refrigerator? Here are some tips for keeping things organized, efficient, and tasty. Read
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How to Clean Up After Thanksgiving in Half the Time
The Pilgrims were on to something when they planned a Thanksgiving potluck; here are other good ideas that’ll simplify your T-Day kitchen cleanup. Read
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Copyright 2016 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
8 Quick and Simple Strategies for Holiday Entertaining Prep
“Looking for some ideas on how to do a better job getting ready for the holidays? Here are some really simple ways to reduce the stress of the holidays. Just click on the Christmas Picture below to learn more!”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
American Home Shield Ideas
Tips on How to Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests
“Want to be ready for when your guests arrive for the holidays? It only takes a little extra effort to show you care.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
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Tips on How to Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests
Is your home ready for holiday visits from friends and family? Here’s how to prepare for the invasion. Read
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Copyright 2016 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
15 Design-Friendly Places to Hide the Cat Litter Box
“Where to put the litter box? It’s tough decision to make since you don’t want it too open, but the cat has to actually get to it. Here are some interesting ideas that approach things a little differently.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Photo Flip:101 Ways With a Mirrors
“Mirrors are a great way to give a small space larger feel. They can also serve as a great expression of how you feel about a room, or set the tone as you enter room.” Take a look at these and get inspired!”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Prepare Your Home for Trick-or-Treaters
“Is your house ready for Trick or Treaters? You can make your home spooky, but don’t forget they still need to be able to make it to the door without a lot a trouble.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Your home might not need a costume on Halloween, but it does need to be ready for any neighborhood ghosts, goblins or witches who drop by for a treat. If you plan to participate in the festivities, here are a few helpful tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Fire Protection Association to help ensure that trick-or-treaters have a safe, yet haunted, night.
Turn on the light. A front porch light signals to trick-or-treaters that you’re ready for them to knock on the door. If you run out of candy or don’t wish to participate in Halloween, you can let people know by turning off the porch light.
Display holiday decor. A pumpkin here or a floating ghost there lets people know that you’re excited about the holiday.
Clear a path. If you put out Halloween decor, leave a clear path for anyone coming to knock on the front door. Extra personal objects like bikes, potted plants or children’s toys should also be removed from the sidewalk and porch so that no one trips on them.
Sweep the sidewalk. Fall means leaves littering the ground, which fits the season but could be a slipping hazard. Before trick-or-treaters arrive, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sweeping away any debris or moisture from the sidewalk or driveway.
Check lightbulbs. Once you flip on the front porch light switch, check to see if you have any burned-out bulbs. Replace them so that your front door and steps are well-lit.
Turn on extra lights. You may not normally turn on every light in the front of your home, but doing so will assist infrequent visitors who are coming to see you. To make their journey a little easier, switch on any additional lights, such as garage or stair lights. This gesture will help make sure that everyone can safely get to the front door.
Add safe and festive lighting. A few lanterns along the path put light right at trick-or-treaters’ feet. Battery-operated lights offer illumination without the hazards that come with an open flame, says Judy Comoletti, division manager for public education at the National Fire Protection Association. If you use a real candle, she says, a trick-or-treater’s costume could drape onto it and catch on fire. “If you absolutely need to use a real candle, you have to be more vigilant,” she says.
Homeowners who choose to have open flames need to watch them at all times, keep them 1 foot away from anything that can burn, and sit them on a sturdy, level surface.
Put away pets. Your family pet may be the nicest on the block, but not everyone knows that or likes animals. You also don’t want your pet to inadvertently hurt any candy-seeking visitors. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that homeowners keep pets inside and away from the door for everyone’s benefit, including the pets’.
Greet guests. If you plan to spend the whole night passing out treats, sit on your front porch swing or create a seating area for yourself. This lets visitors know that you’re ready for them to stop. Plus you can watch the parade of costumes.
Prepare for a spooktacular evening. Once you have the lights on, decor out and hazards put away, you can enjoy a safe, spooky night in the neighborhood.
By Brenna Malmberg, originally appearing on HOUZZ
To-Dos: Your October Home Checklist
“As we turn to Fall it’s time to get ready for the colder months by taking care of a few maintenance items and preparing for other Winter activities.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
The leaves are falling, the farmer’s markets are bustling and the cozy comforts of home beckon — it must be October. Make the most of this month’s bountiful harvest, get some exercise raking leaves in the brisk air and button down your house in preparation for winter. Then sit back, relax and warm your hands around a mug of hot apple cider. Fall is here.
1. Rake leaves. To make quicker work of collecting leaves from a large lawn, rake the fallen foliage onto a large plastic tarp. Then bag it or add it to your compost pile.
2. Trim dead tree limbs. Dead limbs are more likely to fall during winter storms, making them a potential safety hazard. Have an arborist inspect and trim large trees.
3. If you haven’t already, clean gutters and downspouts. Wait until most of the leaves have fallen to schedule a rain gutter cleaning. Inspect gutters and downspouts for cracks and loose parts and make repairs as needed.
4. Neaten up the mudroom. The back-to-school (and work) flurry can leave the mudroom looking as if a hurricane hit it. Take some time to regain sanity — sort through papers and put away stray summer items and extra coats. Clean the floors and invest in a new doormat if needed. Keep a recycling basket near the entrance to make sorting mail and school papers easier, and dedicate a tote or bin for items that need to be returned (like library books).
5. Keep seasonal decorating low-key with natural finds. Pumpkins and gourds, fresh heirloom apples, quinces, pomegranates, figs and fall foliage all make wonderfully simple decor.
Bring in cut branches from your yard, stop by a pick-your-own farm or scoop up fall’s bounty at a farm stand.
6. Maintain your wood stove or fireplace. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, it’s essential for safety that you have it serviced before lighting the first fire of the season. If you haven’t done so already, schedule an appointment to have your chimney inspected and, if necessary, cleaned.
7. Check safety devices. Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the house and replace batteries as needed. Check the expiration date on the kitchen fire extinguisher and replace it if needed.
8. Start a gift list. It may seem like the holidays are a long way off — but that’s why it pays to start getting organized now. Start a list of everyone you plan to give gifts to this year. Then, as ideas strike, jot them down on your list. You can also use your list to keep track of a holiday gifting budget. And if you want to make any gifts by hand, October is a great time to get started — handmade gifts always seem to take longer to make than expected.
9. Cover or store outdoor furniture and grills. If you plan to leave your patio furniture or grill outside through the fall and winter, cover them well and stow them beneath an overhang that will protect them from rain and snow. Even if you live in a mild climate, covering your grill between uses is a good idea to protect the finish.
10. Shut off exterior faucets and store hoses for winter.Disconnect, drain and roll hoses before storing them for the winter. Shut off the water supply to exterior faucets to prevent frozen pipes.
Originally Published on HOUZZ by Laura Gaskill
To-Dos: Your September Home Checklist
“As Summer comes to and end, and the weather becomes cooler, it’s time to take a look around and take care of early Fall Maintenance.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
From the first days, which probably still feel like summer, to the last, when you may notice that first chill in the air, September is a time of transition. Get your home ready for the season ahead by ticking off these to-dos, from adding cozy layers to scheduling necessary maintenance — and then curl up in your favorite chair and savor the comforts of home.
Schedule chimney and furnace maintenance. Make sure your fireplace and heating system are clean, safe and ready to go by having a pro look at them now. Having your chimney cleaned will also ensure that you don’t try to start a fire when an animal family (or an old nest) is inside. And if you don’t have a chimney cap yet, speak with your chimney sweep about adding a one. The metal cap with screened sides can prevent critters from getting in and helps protect your roof from burning embers.
Order firewood. Whether you use a wood stove for actual warmth or just for coziness, now is a good time to order a delivery of firewood. If you can help it, don’t store large quantities of wood directly against the house, which can encourage pests, but do keep it protected from rain and snow beneath a shelter.
Cozy up with warm layers. Have you felt that first nip in the air yet? When you do, think about swapping out lighter-weight bedding for flannel sheets and fluffy duvets. Bring added warmth to the other rooms in your house with throws and pillows in rich fabrics like wool, velvet or faux fur. Thicker area rugs and curtains not only feel cozier, but they also can actually help your home feel warmer — and cut down on your energy bills.
Add weatherstripping. Newer double-pane windows may not need weatherstripping, but it will help most older windows retain heat and stop drafts. Check areas with previously applied weatherstripping and remove or replace as needed.
Declutter and organize clothes. If you’ve bought new clothes recently, take this opportunity to sort through the rest of your wardrobe and remove pieces you no longer wear. Collect clothes that need repair and move summer clothes to an out-of-the-way spot so that your fall wardrobe can be front and center.
Set up a homework or project area. Encourage kids to get their work done with an area that is comfortable, attractive and well-organized. Ideally, make available a large surface for spreading out big or messy projects. The dining table can work, but if you have the room, consider adding a dedicated project table and keep all the necessary supplies at hand.
Maintain the washer and dryer.Cleaning out the dryer vents can be a DIY job, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing so (or if you’ve been putting it off), you may want to hire a pro to do washer and dryer maintenance for you. Washing machine hoses need to be replaced from time to time, and a cracked hose can cause a leak — which can mean costly damage to your home. Clean dryer vents and hoses will help your machine work more efficiently and reduce the risk of fire.
Inspect the roof and gutters. It’s generally fine to wait until most of the leaves have fallen in autumn to actually clean out the gutters and downspouts, but giving these areas a quick visual inspection now is a good idea. Pull out any sticks or other debris blocking the gutters, and make note of any worn-out seals around vent pipes and chimneys. If you do not feel comfortable on a ladder, or have a home of two or more stories, hire someone to do a quick inspection for you. Schedule any needed repairs now so that your home will be all buttoned up for winter.
Remove window AC units. If you use window air-conditioning units, now is the time to either remove them or cover them outside with protective insulation. Removing the units is the better option because this will allow you to close the windows, minimizing winter heat loss. If you choose to leave them in over the winter, be sure to pick up insulating covers made for this purpose and securely attach them outside.
Consider beefing up insulation. Looking for a way to save on your energy bills this winter? You may want to think about adding insulation to your attic space or inside walls. This can make a big difference in how well your home retains heat in winter and stays cool in summer.
Originally published on HOUZZ by Laura Gaskill