 As many of us know, selling a house is a lot of work. It means cleaning, de-cluttering, packing, and it also sometimes means funding some repairs and updates before putting it on the market. Although no one wants to spend money on a house that they're not going to live in, it behooves us to make those changes and prepare for the sale properly.
Remember, when you list your home, it becomes a product for sale. And if you think of it that way, you will understand that any product in good working condition can and will, be sold for more money than one that is not. Leaving repairs or updates for new owners will also leave you with less money in your pocket. The price must accurately reflect the need for these repairs because no one will pay top dollar for a house that needs work.
Even cosmetic changes tend to bring in more money to a seller. New bathroom, kitchen or lighting fixtures are relatively inexpensive, but those changes go a long way in updating the look of a space. Paint continues to be one of the least expensive but highest impact changes you can make. Window treatments and other cosmetic changes can transform an outdated space to an up-to-date dream home.
Before you list your house, get a home inspection so that you can address any major issues ahead of time. Talk with a professional, like your Realtor or home stager, about changes you can make that are within your budget and will give you the biggest impact. Don't spend money needlessly, but make the changes and repairs that make sense and reap the benefits in a higher sale price.
 Customer service and problem resolution can make or break a company. The products or services can be great, but if something goes wrong and it isn't cared for properly, it could mean no more business from you, and possibly lots of negative word of mouth.
I recently had an experience where I was in need of a repair on my garage door that wouldn't open. My car was trapped inside my garage and I needed someone quickly. Without having a contact, I searched online for a local company. With no prior knowledge of the company, I made a phone call and was told that they had a job in the area and could be at my house in less than an hour. Great! I was happy so far.
Two men came to my house within the timeframe I was given and not only repaired the broken door, but also did a few things that needed to/should have been done throughout the years. They even serviced my other door "...since we're already here for a service call." These guys were not only nice, but since they had to charge me for a service call anyway, they checked out the doors from top to bottom for me. They even explained to me the regular maintenance that I should do to ensure proper operation in the future.
I paid the guys and they were on their way within 45 minutes of arriving at my house. My garage door was working like a charm and I was thrilled not to be trapped at home all day.
That night something happened. When I turned on my outside lights (attached to my garage), the circuit breaker tripped. Uh oh! It HAD to have something to do with the garage door work today. And it did. Upon further inspection, we found that they had unknowingly put a nail through the wire for the lights when reinforcing a bracket for the door spring. UGH! I immediately dreaded making the phone call the next day to explain the issue, anticipating either never receiving a call back, some story about how it wasn't their fault, or any myriad scenarios for shoddy work being dismissed by a service giver. Sadly, that must be what I'm used to because that's what I expected.
I made the call and was pleasantly surprised. When I explained the situation, they made plans to come out and remedy the problem. What? No argument? No defensive conversation or accusation that I may have done something wrong or that it wasn't a result of their work? No making me explain over and over what happened? The owner hired an electrician to come to the house that week and repair the damage. Situation resolved.
I tend to believe that it's problem resolution that makes a good company. Good service or products are expected. But when something goes wrong, how a company cares for you in order to make things right will probably determine whether you will call upon them again. I would call these guys back... and refer them to my friends.
 'Tis the season for candy corn. I love these waxy little colored sugar triangles! I eat so much that I make myself sick to my stomach. But here's a fun way to use them during this season. Instead of using chocolate chips (in cookies or muffins or trail mix), use candy corn to give your goodies a festive look.
Make your vacation last and last. Decorate your home with some wonderful mementos of your vacation and you will be able to revisit that amazing trip every day! Gather rocks, sand, sea glass, shells or other material and display them in re-purposed containers. You can use glass bottles, china, silver, vases, pottery, or anything that would be a beautiful vessel for your treasures.
Another creative idea is to gather items from your vacation and display them in a serving tray as a centerpiece or table adornment. Next time you travel, keep a map you used to find your way around, your airplane tickets, coins, pictures or any item that brings back a great memory of your trip.
 I love fruit salad, but I sometimes don't have the time to clean and cut up all that fruit. It can be pretty time-consuming. Here's an easy and quick way to slice strawberries. One slice to get rid of the greens, and stick it in an egg slicer to do the rest.
Now I need to find an easy way to cut a pineapple!
 Now isn't this a good idea?! Use a colander as an ice bucket. Place it inside a big bowl or vase so that the water drips through.
 Summer is officially here! I thought I'd start my favorite season off with a great tip on how to keep those little fingers and hands (semi-) clean when eating a nice, cold summertime treat. With all of the popsicles, fudgsicles and ice creams on a stick that our children consume during the summer months, we probably go through twice as many wet wipes. This is a great way to avoid some of the mess–I'm sure not all of it, since kids will find a way to make a mess anyway. We probably all have a supply of cupcake tins in our cupboards, so why not keep them handy to catch some of the sticky, drippy messes this summer.
 As you store away your winter clothes, there are probably some pieces that you keep on hangers in a closet. To prevent them from getting dusty through the summer and fall, use some old or inexpensive pillow cases to cover them. With a simple slit in the top, you can slip the hanger through. If you have some sewing skills (which I lack), you can make your own custom cases with remnants from a fabric store.
 Do you have an old wooden chair that has a broken leg? Lost its mate? Not sturdy enough to be trusted to hold someone? Or just not using it any more? It's not ready for the junkyard yet. Remove its legs and seat, paint it to match your decor, and create a very functional storage unit for a bathroom, home office, craft room or even a kitchen.
This example to the left happens to be in a bathroom. Enough of the seat was left to act as a shelf while the rungs hold towels. Use several matching chairs side-by-side on a wall in a sewing room and hang your fabric. With some beautiful fabrics draped over them, they can be functional as well as artistic. If nothing else, you are sure to create an interesting conversation piece.
Sun rooms are my favorite part of just about any house I've ever stepped foot in. They are usually very cheery spaces with light colors and sunlight beaming through the windows, warming up the entire room. These rooms typically overlook the back yard or other beautiful view and are spaces used for relaxing, visiting, or quiet conversations.
I believe the best way to enjoy these spaces is to open up all of the blinds, shades or curtains. Let the sun shine in and bring the outdoors in! Bring in some of the outdoors all year 'round. When trees and flowers are in bloom, snip some from your yard or garden to use for decorating. During the fall, use accents in the gorgeous, rich colors of the outdoors that will tie in with the changing season. And in winter, bring in some pine cones, holly or even some bare branches to accessorize with.
Decorating with natural materials will also help to give your space an outdoor feel. Seagrass, sisal, rattan, bamboo, stone and organic cotton are some of the popular choices today for window and floor coverings and furniture.
I like to think of my sun room as my vacation room at home. While my husband enjoys any room where there is a TV, the sun room is my little retreat where I can hang out with a cup of coffee and a book and escape for a little while. And I will never put a TV in it! :-)
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