Fighting the Winter Decor Blahs

It can be easy to catch the winter blahs when most of the day turns dark before you have a chance to go out and enjoy it. Whether you are living in the home or trying to show one for a client, walking directly into a cheery room on a cold gray winter day can set the right tone for the rest of your time in the house. So here are a few simple ways to lighten up your home and get it sold or rented!

1. Add eye catching accents
Exciting furnishings and décor to perk up the life in a dull or bland space. Bright pillows, vases, lamp shades and other accessories offer cheap and easy way to bring life to an area. Just remember more is not always better, sometimes 1 or 2 quality changes is better than 5 or 6 random ones.

2. Deck the Walls

Artwork is one of the easiest, cheapest, and most fun ways to change the look of your space.  Warm colors (red, orange, yellow) make a room feel cozier. Choose a big piece of art if you need a center piece or want to make a statement, or hang a collection of prints on your wall for a more active look.  

  

3. Light the Night
Make the most of the remaining natural light by pulling back or changing out heavy window treatments. You can also update your lighting to brighten your gloomy days. Try mixing different light sources to add accent areas to the room.

4. Blankets and Floor Coverings
Wood floors have a classic clean look in the spring and summer, but in the winter they can look sterile and cold. Adding runners, area rugs and other floor coverings can breathe a little life onto the floor and keep your feet warm at the same time. Same thing with blankets, strategically placing some colorful blankets can add warmth to a room and supply a ready source of extra warmth.

   

5. Remove the Excess
So far we suggested adding things to a room, but you can also lighten up a room simply by sprucing up a bit. A couple key accent pieces will have a greater impact than a messy collection. Remove excess items and store them away for a later date.

Whether you are living in the house, trying to sell it or rent it, out first impressions are always important be sure to make that first moment in the home is an impressive one.

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Thanksgiving is a fire hazard – You Turkey.

 

Mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries and pumpkin pie – staples of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Probably the most iconic of all the items that make it onto your table is the turkey. And while that Thanksgiving turkey is a delicious way to spend time with friends and families, it is also a major fire hazard. 

In fact, did you know that the National Fire Protection Association reports that some 4,000 fires occur on Thanksgiving annually?  So, in order to help you avoid becoming a statistic this year, here are the top perpetrators to watch. 

    1. Stove – With so many friends and family running around, it is easy to get distracted while cooking. Make sure you turn handles on pots and pans inward and turn off the stove when you leave the room; even if it is just for a minute

    2. Candles – When the smell of real pumpkin pie begins to merge with the candle smell you lit earlier in the day, it can be easy to forget that you lit the candle in the first place. Many fires have started because of a small, forgotten flame burning on the shelf. Don’t make the same mistake, before leaving or going to bed make a final check to be sure you blew those candles out. 

   3. Deep Fryer – The best way to make sure your turkey makes it to the table warm and juicy is to deep fry your bird. However, it is also very dangerous (as shown in this video). To avoid the danger, always fry outside, make sure the turkey is 100% defrosted and turn the flames off as you slowly lower the turkey into the oil.

4. Alcohol – If you are planning on enjoying any liquid courage this year, just remember that alcohol will make all of the above items even more of a hazard. Don’t ever cook - or for goodness sake deep fry a turkey - while drinking.

With these tips you will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving without any incidents. If in the event you do have a fire, just get out and call 911. If a grease fire occurs, don’t throw water on it (as this safety video demonstrates). Above all, enjoy yourself; It’s Thanksgiving you turkey!

4 Ways to Use Your Pumpkin after Halloween

You spent hours planning, carving and admiring your jack-o-lantern, and we believe you when you say that it is a true work of art. However, now your work of art is rotting and looks a little more interpretive then you intended. Here are four great ideas to use your pumpkin before it stains your porch.

1.    Compost – Take a sledgehammer to that pumpkin or drop it off the roof, then bury those pumpkin pieces in the garden. Leftover jack-o-lanterns make great fertilizer for next-years garden, and burying them will keep your yard smell-free.



2.    Feed Animals – If you live in an area where wildlife frequent, you can attract some furry friends by throwing chunks of pumpkin out in your yard. The only problem is that you’ll have to get up early to see Bambi and his friends eating your treat.

You can also use any leftover pumpkin seeds in your bird feeder. – Don’t have a bird feeder? Cut one of those pumpkin in half and WHAMO! You have a bird feeder.

       
3.    Make a Planter – Run out to your local nursery and buy some seasonal flowers, fill your jack-o-lantern with soil and you’ve got a seasonal planter. It will be a festive decoration for a few days, and then you can plant the whole thing right in the backyard. The pumpkin will naturally compost and provide fertilizer for your plant.

4.    *Eat it – Pumpkin purée is the No. 1 use for the fleshy insides of your pumpkin, and it’s easy to do. Start by cutting your pumpkin in half. Place your pumpkin cut-side down in a baking dish with about a cup of water, and bake until the flesh is tender. Then, scoop out the flesh and puree in a food processor. Once you’ve made your pumpkin purée, it’s ready for use in all your favorite pumpkin recipes, from pies to cookies. Any extra can be stored in the freezer for several months. 

You don’t like any of these suggestions? The simple solution to your pumpkin problem is to toss it. Just remember to get rid of it before it begins to smell and stain your porch. If you are like me, you’ve probably waited too long and now don’t want to touch your once-proud work or art. So, here’s my pro tip: use a shovel. There you go four ways to re-use or dispose of your pumpkin.

*Be sure that any pumpkins chosen for eating are in good condition and suitable for human consumption. 

5 Steps to Get your Home Halloween Ready

Halloween is coming, and pretty soon your neighborhood will be crawling with little tykes, teenagers and adults all clamoring for candy. Everyone should prepare for Halloween since the traditions take place primarily at night. Take these five easy steps to get your home Halloween ready.

1.     Lights: Take some time and take a look at your porch and garage lights. Having your light on will not only signal that you indeed have candy, but ensure that there are no missteps on the way up to your door.

2.     Walkways: Identify where you want the foot traffic to go. The ideal path for pedestrians is the sidewalk because it is safe and easy. However, as darkness falls not all house lights are bright enough for everyone to see your sidewalk. Get some lights to line the path, ensuring that everyone is safe and that your flowers don’t get trampled. For a festive, do-it-yourself project, try these milk-jug ghosts. 

3.     Driveways: Cars and pedestrians don’t always mix well. Keep your driveway a pedestrian-only zone by marking it off with lights, haystacks or pumpkins. That way there are no accidents because of a small child or careless backer.

4.     Leaves: With fall come leaves on the ground. Leaves on the sidewalk can create a tripping hazard for walkers – not to mention a haven for bugs. Rake the leaves off walkways before Halloween night to ensure that no one trips.

5.     Candy: How many times have you forgotten the candy on your way to the door only to have to run back before the little tykes scamper away? Keep the candy near the door – this makes it easier for you and reduces your chances of tripping because you’re rushed. 

Overall, Halloween is about having fun! Go get some decorations and colored lights to make your home, walkway or garden glow. Happy Halloween!

Merry Christmas!

We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! We hope you all have wonderful holidays, filled with family and friends.