TURNING A BEDROOM INTO A LUXURY BEDROOM

For most of us, our bedroom is little more than a place to sleep and relax. However, just because it’s always been that way doesn’t mean that we have to settle for drab and dreary.

One trend that’s gaining steam these days is converting your current bedroom into a luxury suite (or something comparable). If you want to live like you’re renting a room at the Ritz, then you want to follow these tips.

Compartmentalize Your Activities Making your bedroom more functional is going to make it more luxurious. Add a gorgeous desk for working and a TV area for entertainment, and you’ll be living it up in no time.

Make it Chic Choose a color palette that is both luxurious and classy. Silver and gold can seem tacky, so choose muted shades that compliment each other.

Also, a brilliant and commanding headboard can instantly upgrade the look of your room without any other changes.

Light it Properly Finally, make sure that you have the right light to show off your designs. If it’s too washed out or yellow, then it will look drab and run down. Switch to brilliant LEDs and see the difference.

Choose Your Accents Wisely We already mentioned a headboard, but some elegant drapes can also make your room feel more royal. Being strategic with your furniture accessories is going to both keep you under budget and avoid doing too much with the space.

Are you ready to lux your bedroom? You’ll be impressed by the results, and the feeling of decadence will make you more confident in your surroundings.

THE DIRTIEST ITEMS IN THE HOME AND HOW TO CLEAN THEM

 

Of course, one of the dirtiest objects in anyone’s home is the toilet. But, that’s not the only place where dirt and germs accumulate. Here are five other dirty places and suggestions for cleaning them.

1. Bath Towels - When you and your family dry off from your shower, your bath towel absorbs the water from your body. Then it sits all day breeding bacteria that thrive in warm, moist areas. Combat this issue by changing your bath towels out every two days and washing your dirty towels in hot water to kill anything living on them.
2. Shower Curtain - Shower curtains easily pick up bacteria the same way bath towels do. They also attract germs from the toilet if they are near each other. Clean your shower curtain by spraying it down with a bleach-based product. Spray the rings and rod, too. Also, when the shower curtain is beyond cleaning, replace it.
3. Doorknobs - Entryway and bathroom doorknobs are exposed to myriad germs daily. Thankfully, doorknobs are easy to clean. Wipe them down with antibacterial wipes regularly. Especially now, in the days of Covid. 
4. Window/Door Tracks - Window and door tracks are harbingers of dust and dirt. The grime that builds up can make you and your family ill. You can easily clean these areas by vacuuming out large pieces of debris and then spraying the stuck-on dirt with water, letting it loosen up and wiping it with a damp cloth.
5. Toothbrush Holders - Your toothbrush holder is likely teeming with germs and bacteria. Wash it with hot soapy water twice a week. If you can, run it through the dishwasher to ensure it gets clean and sterilized. You change your toothbrush monthly - shouldn't you also worry about your toothbrush holder? 

DISPELLING REFINANCING MYTHS

“Refinancing” is a scary word for many people, but that shouldn’t be the case for you. For many homeowners, refinancing can not only lower your monthly payments and help with your monthly budget, but it can save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

YOU’RE NOT TOO LATE.

For years now, we’ve been hearing that interest rates will be on the rise, and although there have been some small increases, you’re still in a great position to drastically lower your interest rate. The general rule is if your mortgage interest rate is more than one percent above the current market rate, you should consider refinancing.

IT’S NOT TOO TIME CONSUMING.

Don’t brush off refinancing just because it seems like a long and daunting process. An informational call with a lender to see how rates compare will only take a few minutes. There are also some programs for streamlining the application process. And besides, isn’t the amount of money you could save worth the time and effort?

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ARMS CAN BE REFINANCED, TOO.

Seeing your Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) increase after the introductory period can be incredibly stressful and place a squeeze on your budget. Many people assume they’re stuck, but ARMs can be refinanced, just like fixed-rate mortgages. You can even switch to a shorter term fixed-rate mortgage, such as 15 or 23 years. The longer you’re planning to stay in the home, the more sense it makes to look into refinancing.

SHORT SALE AND FORECLOSURE: HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT?

As unfortunate as it can be when homeowners fall behind on mortgage payments and must face the possibility of losing their homes, short sales and foreclosures provide them options for moving on financially. The terms are often used interchangeably, but they’re actually quite different, with varying timelines and financial impact on the homeowner. 

Here’s a brief overview.

A short sale comes into play when a homeowner needs to sell their home but the home is worth less than the remaining balance that they owe. The lender can allow the homeowner to sell the home for less than the amount owed, freeing the homeowner from the financial predicament.

On the buyer side, short sales typically take three to four months to complete and many of the closing and repair costs are shifted from the seller to the lender.

On the other hand, a foreclosure occurs when a homeowner can no longer make payments on their home so the bank begins the process of repossessing it. A foreclosure usually moves much faster than a short sale and is more financially damaging to the homeowner.

After foreclosure the bank can sell the home in a foreclosure auction. For buyers, foreclosures are riskier than short sales, because homes are often bought sight unseen, with no inspection or warranty.

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MUST-HAVE TOOLS FOR HOMEOWNERS

When you own your home, things are going to break and, unless you want to spend your money on visits from a neighborhood handyman, you’re going to need to fix them yourself. Luckily, you don’t need an arsenal of tools to handle most home maintenance fixes. These tools will cover most of your basic projects and help you keep your lights on. 

1. Cordless drill. A cordless drill is a must-have for installing cabinets, drawer pulls, hinges, picture frames, shelves and hooks, and more. Whether it’s for do-it-yourself projects or repairs, you’ll use your cordless drill just about every month.
2. Drain cleaners. Shower and bathroom sink drains are susceptible to clogs because of the daily buildup of hair, whisker clippings, etc. You can use chemical clog removers like Drano, but they’re expensive and the lingering chemical scent is unpleasant. Instead, buy some plastic drain cleaners that can reach into the drain to pull out the clog of hair and gunk. You can purchase them on Amazon or at a local hardware store for a low price.
3. Shop-vac. No matter how careful you are, spills and accidents will happen and there are some tasks that just can’t be handled with paper towels or a standard vacuum, like pet messes or broken glass. Our Wet/Dry Vac is used frequently. 
4. Flashlight. You’re going to want something a little more powerful than your cellphone flashlight when you’re in the crawlspace! We have a dozen of them, I'm sure! 
5. Plunger. You should have a plunger in each bathroom, just in case. Make them available for people to use, but hidden away enough to not be a centerpiece. 
6. Hammer. How else are you going to get those pictures finally hung on those walls! 
7. Selection of screwdrivers and wrenches. Flat head, Phillips, Monkey, Adjustable, Hex Key and Allen Wrench sets are all important. Look for a good selection or a kit with multiple sizes. 
8. Tape Measure. Again, we have a bunch of them and use them all the time. How to make sure the TV is in the middle of the wall, will the sofa fit in this corner, can we get a larger dining room table? 
9. Ladders. A selection of ladders is a great idea. A small footstool to get things off the top shelf in the kitchen/pantry. How about a outdoor ladder helps you hang those holiday lights. And don't forget that smoke detector in the top corner of the hallway? You'll need a ladder to get up there to change those batteries, usually in the middle of the night when you wake up to the beeping. 
10. Extension Cords. We have outdoor cords and indoor cords. In fact, when we moved in, I already had a map for where all the furniture would go and then looked for electrical outlets where I would need them. I placed cords strategically and taped them with blue painters' tape to the wall beyond where the furniture would be. When the furniture was place, I was able to plug in that lamp without moving the bed. Planning! 
11. Level. If you really want those pictures to be level on your walls, you'll need a level! 
12. Batteries. We always have a collection of batteries in our house. We use so many AAs and AAAs I buy them in bulk and keep them with my toolbox. We will always have one for our remote controls, outdoor lanterns, and all other devices. 
13. Lightbulbs. Not really a tool, but an essential part of your toolkit. A selection of lightbulbs which will fit all of your recessed lighting, vanity lights, flood lights, outdoor lights, indoor lamps - put together a box of lightbulbs and you'll never be in the dark. 
14. Toolbox. Keep everything together in your toolbox.

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CREATE AN EVACUATION PLAN FOR YOUR PETS

An evacuation plan is a necessity for every home, especially if you live in an area where fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, and other disasters are a possibility. Many homeowners create evacuation plans for their homes and practice them with their kids, but far fewer have considered one for their pets. Take these steps to add your pets to your evacuation plan.

Assign pet evacuation to an adult. Everyone should know how to act during an evacuation, and that includes assigning one parent or adult to the pets. This allows the other parent and the children to focus on their part of the evacuation plan, so there’s no confusion during a high-stress moment when time is of the essence.

Keep evacuation maps and pet carriers readily accessible. If you need to evacuate, you should know exactly where every important item is. If you pets require carriers, keep them in a place that you can access easily.

Practice your plan. Include your pets in your home evacuation drills. It’ll help you see how they will respond and make changes to your plan if necessary. Getting your dog out of a window may not be as simple as you think!

Be prepared in case you get separated from your pets. No matter how much you drill your evacuation plan, it’s possible that a dog or cat will run off while you’re focusing on keeping your family safe. A microchip or a GPS-compatible tag can help you find your pets once it’s safe to return to the area.

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Someone mentioned (Thanks, Shelly) that putting a sign in your window saying that you have PETS INSIDE to make sure rescuers know!

Joining eXp Realty

Just to let you know, I have recently joined eXp Realty and am super happy about my decision.

Let me know if there is something I can do to help you out - buying? selling? Just need to talk about Real Estate? Call me!