Skip to main content

Tips for Getting Your Home Ready for the Holidays (or to Sell)

Whether you're getting your home ready for the holidays or ready for sale, I'm hoping the 10 tips and tricks below will help make preparation quicker and easier. In addition, all of these tips are green, so they are much healthier for your family than using the alternative, chemical-based products.

1. Clean your glass windows, doors and mirrors with a mixture of white vinegar and water and wipe with newspaper for a beautiful, streak-free shine.

2. Freshen your garbage disposal by putting a lemon wedge in and running the disposal. This will neutralize odors and create a fresh, lemony scent. Fresh lemon can also be used to scrub kitchen counters and salt can be added as an abrasive for stubborn stains.

3. Remove crayon from walls with toothpaste (not the gel type). Simply put a small amount of toothpaste on a damp sponge and wipe gently, then wipe away any remaining residue with a clean sponge.

4. Refresh watermarks on wood surfaces by rubbing in a little mayonnaise and then buffing out the mark.

5. Remove candle wax from fabric by hardening it first with an ice cube and then by chipping away the hardened wax.

6. Repair small, noticeable scratches on hardwood floors with wood stain magic markers, available at most hardware stores. Be sure to choose the stain color that most closely matches your current floor stain color, fill in the scratch with color and buff with a soft cloth to blend. Wax pencils in many wood stain colors are also available for repairing similar scratches on wood furniture.

7. Shine stainless steel appliances with a small amount of olive oil. Simply rub a little on a soft cotton cloth and polish to a shine.

8. Remove soap residue in your dishwasher by running a wash cycle with a cup of white vinegar added.

9. Clean stains on your sofa fabric with a small amount of club soda on a dry cloth. Some stains can be more difficult to remove. If the club soda does not work, make a paste of 3 Tablespoons Baking Soda and 1Tablespoon of club soda and rub a small amount on the stain with a soft cloth. Gently rub the cleaner off with another clean soft cloth dipped in a small amount of warm water. Once dry, vacuum off any remaining residue.

10. Remove oil and grease stains from concrete driveways or garage floors by sprinkling the stains with baking soda or another absorbent substance such as cornmeal or sawdust. If the stain is dry, be sure to wet it first to create a paste and then scrub with a stiff brush. If this is unsuccessful, try using automatic dishwasher detergent, leave it on for a few minutes and then pour boiling water on it and, again, scrub with a stiff brush.

Good luck...I'll be sharing some more tips in the future!

Comments

  1. Its so beautiful.Staging the living rooms and kitchens will also help to sell the home. Buyers love living rooms, which is why you should always make sure that the living room is the center piece of your home, and decorate it accordingly.So for this you should hire a professionalHome Stager.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Make Your Rooms Feel More Spacious

If you're like me, I don't like to walk into a room and feel that it is closing in on me - this probably means that it is crowded with too much furniture and accessories - or just "stuff". I love an open, spacious feeling in a room - even if the room is small. Whether it is in a house, an apartment, condo or dorm, decorating small areas can be challenging. One of my "fans" has asked me to address some solutions to the crowded feeling. In response to her request, I've enumerated some decorating tips below that may help with those rooms and areas that are smaller than we'd like. Some of my suggestions are merely optical illusions which attract the eye and center it on the focal point. The end result is a room that feels larger than it is and much more spacious. One thing to remember: dark colors usually make a space feel more intimate and cozy while light shades make a room feel more open and spacious. If you want that spacious feeling, choo

2021 Color Forecast

Color Forecast This just in- Pantone’s Colors of the Year for 2021 are Ultimate Gray (17-5104) and Illuminating (13-0647). These two independent colors highlight how different elements come together to support one another.  “The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude. Practical and rock solid, but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit,” Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. Another trending Pantone color for Spring/Summer is A.I. Aqua. It boasts an intense color saturation that works well in digital formats as well as fashion and design. The inspiration for this color is nature, the sparkling crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean; it is sure to make a splash in your home. But Pantone’s choice is not indicative of the other m

Tips for Selling Your Home: Stage Your Basement and Laundry Room!

If you're trying to sell your home right now, you already know that it's still a tough real estate market out there. As a home stager, I have one piece of advice for you -- make sure that EVERY room in your home looks great -- even the basement and laundry room! So, here are a few ideas to get your basement and/or laundry room in shape for prospective home buyers: 1. Clean up your basement or laundry room by beginning with the piles on the floor. Put away items neatly in closets and cabinets and add new shelves if you need to. Give away, donate or throw away items (or even consider selling items) that you do not want to take with you when you move. Store large items in storage units or PODS off of your property if possible - they are a distraction to a possible buyer and can be a eyesore to potential buyers when they do a "drive by." 2. Paint the walls - even the cinderblock -- if the room seems a little dingy. Consider freshening it up with a coat of pai