Hey Gang!

Sometimes there are some simple tricks you can use to make your life a lot easier! Here are a few do-it-yourself ideas I found that could help you out:

Hiding wood scratches

Rubbing a walnut over scratches and dings in your wood furniture will help to hide the scratches.

Picking up hard to reach items

Picking up small items in hard to reach places can be a huge pain! If you secure a nylon stocking over the vacuum hose, you can get it very easily.

Linen Storage

Easily keep track of your bed linens by putting them inside of their own pillowcases! 

For more amazing tips and tricks that will make your life easier, check out TheFrugalFairy.

What's your favorite tip or trick for making life easier?

Ciao!

Lisa

Photo Credits: ApartmentTherapy, Instructables, MarthaStewart

Hey Gang!

Decorating your home can be fun but it can also be very pricey. To stay within your budget, try to use old items and make them new again. I came across a cool and inexpensive do-it-yourself project on My Design Folder that will leave you with an endless supply of flower vases! All you need are: empty bottles, glass paint and nail polish remover!

1. Put the glass paint and a small amount of nail polish remover inside of the empty bottle.
2. Mix them together until the paint covers the entire bottle.
3. Personalize the outside of the bottle! Write words or draw pictures on it.
4. Let the paint dry for a few days

What other cool d.i.y. ideas do you have? Leave them in the comments below!

Ciao!

Lisa

Hi friends!

This article from Real Simple is just in time for the New Year. A lot of us spend this time thinking about how we can simplify our lives, and one of the ways you can do that is by repurposing old things!

Check out the tips that Real Simple offers for making everything from cupcake carriers to holiday light organizers.

What are your New Year's resolutions?

Ciao!
Lisa

Hi friends!

We’ve gone through all the rooms in the house, plus your outdoor areas! There are a few more tips and tricks I’d like to share that can really update your home – so much, that you may not want to move out!

A shabby wood-panel wall is not a strong selling point. Instead of ripping it out, cover it up. Use wood filler to carefully fill in all the cracks between the panels. Then, use a sponge to wipe away the excess filler. Once it's dry, paint the room. You'll see an unattractive wall go from standing out to blending in.

Vinyl tile is an inexpensive way to update your home. Laying vinyl tile is an inexpensive way to update your home, but there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. You need to avoid laying patterns that look too perfect. Instead, make sure to switch up the direction and placement of the tiles to mix the tones. That way, you end up with a floor that has a natural feel.

Once you’ve covered or fixed the parts of your home you need to update, it’s time to let the sun shine in! Buyers love light and airy living rooms, but dark and dingy isn't on their list. Open up your window shades to let some light in. Cheat some sunshine with a light-colored paint and lots of artificial lighting. You can never have too many lamps. Last, arrange the space with lightly colored furniture, and you'll have a living room that brightens your chances of a sale.

How have you updated your home recently?

Bye for now!
Lisa

Hi Gang!

Now that your house is in great shape, it's time to tackle the great outdoors - that's right, your yard makes an impression on potential buyers too! Here are a couple of tips for making it stand out - and if you missed my previous staging tips, you can find them here. Enjoy!

A nice outdoor deck can be a big selling feature, but an old one is a major liability. To give your outdoor space new life, first sand the wood. Cover it with a light-colored stain instead of paint to give it a rustic, grainy look. Furnish it for entertaining, and watch your open house turn into a party.

Breathe new life into a worn patio. Do you have a red-brick patio surface that needs to be freshened up? Here is an easy way to give it new life with paint. First, roll a light coat of paint onto the bricks. Next, lightly spray them with water and then dab them before they dry to give them an outdoor look. When you are done, you will have a patio that looks fresh and reels in buyers.

These tips should give you a good start! What other easy DIY tricks have you used to update your outdoor areas?

Ciao!
Lisa

Hi gang!

Welcome back from vacation! I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. Last week, I gave you some easy staging-to-sell tips for your bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen. What’s left? The living room! Here are some quick tips to make the first room people see when they walk into your home something special:

Dress up a window without shelling out big bucks for window treatments
Here's a trick: Use place mats. First, apply a hook-and-loop fastener to the place mats and attach them in a row to a basic curtain rod. Now that the place mats are attached to the curtain rods, pin them together at the bottom, and you'll have a stylish valance that costs about $12. See my post about how to do this here!

Adding drama to old hardwood flooring is easier than you might think
First, isolate damaged boards, cut them out and replace them with new pieces. Rent a sander from a local hardware store, and give the floor a good sanding. The last step is to stain the boards with a rich color, and watch your floor go from drab to dramatic in no time.

Buyers love built-in bookshelves
There's a fine line between filling them with clutter and staging them to sell. The trick is to arrange neutral items in clusters. Make sure that no single accessory stands out too much. That way, you'll show off your attractive built-ins, and not your personal belongings.

These are just a few tips to spruce up your living room before you sell. These tips are also great for you DIYers who simply want to spruce up the house.  There’s lots more to come, so stay tuned!
 
Bye for now!
Lisa

Hi gang!

Now that your bedroom and bathroom are in tip-top shape, we’re moving on to the kitchen. As you know, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house to potential buyers. Even if your kitchen seems hopelessly out of date, there are a few DIY tricks you can use to make it attractive to the most discriminating house hunters!

Stain dated kitchen cabinets instead of replacing them.
Dated kitchen cabinets can be a big turnoff to potential buyers. Instead of paying big bucks to replace them, just stain them. First, apply the stain in even strokes, going with the grain of the wood. Add some stylish hardware, and your kitchen will have the up-to-date look that buyers love, for less than $200.

Stainless-steel appliances are definitely in with buyers.
Instead of buying a new dishwasher, here is a low-cost way to resurface an old one: First, remove the front panels, and clean them. Next, apply a stainless-steel stick-on covering, and cut it to size. For just $20 your dishwasher will go from outdated to ultra-modern.

Fill existing hardware holes instead of making new, unsightly ones.
Removing old kitchen hardware can leave your cabinets with stripped-out holes. Here is a trick to reusing the existing ones. First, dip a toothpick in glue and place it in the stripped hole. Cut off the excess piece. Once the glue dries, you'll be ready to put in the hardware that buyers love.

Save money on granite countertops.
Granite countertops are a huge selling feature, but they can be expensive. Here are a few ways to save on this investment: First, do the demo yourself. Also, ask the vendor for remnants from previous projects. Remember, any money you spend will definitely be returned in the value these beautiful counters add to your kitchen.

New kitchen appliances bring high returns from sellers.
Studies show that new kitchen appliances bring high returns from sellers, so get rid of old appliances that make the rest of the kitchen look dated. Once you install the new equipment, it will scream "new kitchen," and you will see that spending a little money will make you even more.
 
Since you’ll probably be spending a good portion of the next few days in it, now is a perfect opportunity to assess the state of your kitchen!
 
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Lisa

Hi friends!

Yesterday, we covered how to stage your bathroom to sell, and today we are moving on to the bedroom - specifically, the master bedroom, and the all-important fireplace that can make a master suite feel so cozy. You can apply these tips to the fireplace in your living room too!

A master bedroom should appeal to both sexes.
When you are selling, your master bedroom should appeal to buyers of both sexes. Get rid of features that seem too gender-specific. Paint the walls a neutral color, and choose bedding that matches. Then accessorize with items that complement the overall color scheme.

Do you have an overpowering brick fireplace that sticks out like a sore thumb?
Here's an easy way to tone it down with paint. Use a rag or brush to rub a light coat of paint on the bricks, one at a time. This will give them a new tone without covering them completely. And, if you use a paint color that matches the walls, your fireplace will go from sticking out to standing out.

Updating an old fireplace screen is a cheap (and quick) fix.
After removing the screen and wiping it down to get rid of the dust, mask off the windows so you won't get paint on them. Then, using a can of heat-resistant spray paint, give the screen a facelift. Hold the can about 18 inches away, and use long, even strokes. For less than $5, you will have a fireplace screen that'll keep your sale from going up in smoke.

Turn an unattractive fireplace into a selling feature.
Need to turn an unattractive fireplace into a selling feature? First, that dated brass screen has got to go. Next, give the fireplace a good cleaning, scrubbing it with soap and water. Then, using a stone color enhancer, polish the bricks to make them shine. In no time you will have a fireplace that will turn your house into the hottest property on the block.

It’s so nice to gather around the hearth during the holidays! Do you have a fireplace in your home that needs to be updated? Share your tips, tricks, or questions in the comments below!

Ciao!
Lisa