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Monthly archives for August, 2011

Organize your “Little” Clutter

Aug11
2011
1 Comment Written by mary.w

Sometimes one of the most difficult de-cluttering challenges is what to do with all those ‘little’ items that just seem to accumulate and create a mess.  Try some of these ideas and use them as a stepping off point of thinking up some of your own creative solutions.

* Pick a drawer or cabinet/closet shelf and use one or more of these options to hold thumbtacks, paper clips, rubberbands, buttons, spare birthday candles, salt & pepper and sugar/sweetner packets, etc.

(1) a 6 or 12 count cupcake/muffin tin…if you want to be able to remove the items in total for use in other areas put cupcake wrappers or silicone inserts into the tincups first. Then you can lift out the entire paper cup, carry it to where you are working and then return it to the cupcake tin when finished.  This will also work for holding rings, chains and bracelets. You can spray paint the tin in whatever color matches your decor and it now becomes more than just a storage bin but adds to your overall look.

(2) Use an egg carton in the same manner as the muffin tin BUT cut out the inserts on one side of the open carton so that you have individual spaces on one side and an open flat surface on the other which can now accommodate scissors, letter openers, straws, nail files, etc.

(3) Apothecary jars, pickle jars, and other clear jars allow you to use various sizes and see what you have in them.

(4) Pick up pretty glasses at yard sales for .05 or .10 cents each and create a lovely visual display for your counter or cabinet when opened.  Another great buy at yard sales (or in your own overstuffed basement) are vases and candle jars in all sizes, shapes and colors that will match your decor….if the candle jars still have pieces of a scented candle in them, take a blunt knife and chop them up. This will reactivate the scent and become pretty and add a lovely aroma to your area.

(5) For less than $1 you can purchase small terra cotta clay pots for starting plants from seeds.  These can hold any number of small items in a very decorative manner and can be used in their natural state or painted with different colors or designs.  Simple, easy and very personalized to your own decor and styles.  You can also use the small size to hold qtips in the bathroom and a medium size to hold cotton balls. Again, they can be painted or decoupaged to match your personal decor giving you a completely finished and synergistic look.

(6) Need stylish office materials but don’t like the high costs in your office supply stores? Find a bathroom set at your favorite dollar store or discount retailer (like Target, Walmart or Kmart) that matches your office colors or adds a decorating splash of design. Use the toothbrush holder as a pen holder and the soap dish to hold staples, paper clips, thumbtacks or rubber bands.  Finish off your look with the matching waste basket. You now have a cohesive look and more money left to be just as creative in another space.

The key to creating a personal and very stylized look for a minimal cost is to think outside the box and use items meant for one thing as something completely different.  It is fun, can be turned into a family project and will be a source of pleasure every time you look at what you have created and realize that you’ve been financially responsible….so important in these economic times!

Posted in General Information, Home Improvement, Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas
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Display with Simple Elegance!

Aug09
2011
Leave a Comment Written by mary.w

Do you have a small alcove in your kitchen that is not deep enough for extra cabinets or large enough to accommodate even a small table? Always wanted a china cabinet to display your loveliest dishes?  Try a bakers rack (like this one from the Container Store).  Showcase your dishes, platters, pitchers, cookie jars….all the pieces of your set and then, if you choose, use the hooks to add the shimmer of your stainless or copper pans as a highlight.

You can sometimes find items like this that will fit perfectly within the area you’re trying to fill and create a beautiful display to be both admired and functional while keeping your cost to a minimum.

Posted in Decorating on a Budget, General Information, Home Improvement, Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas
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Simple Solution to Storage Problem

Aug07
2011
Leave a Comment Written by mary.w

Ever wish you had more room to put your cleaning supplies, extra bags, etc? Look no further than the back of your linen closet or laundry closet door.  Purchase an inexpensive over the door plastic shoe bag and start filling it up. Not only does everything stay neater, they are more easily accessible when you need them and can be completely hidden away by simply closing the door.  Storage doesn’t have to be expensive, free standing or shelving units.  Be creative and re-purpose items to fit your needs.

Posted in Decorating on a Budget, General Information, Tips and Ideas
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A Big Look at a Little Cost!

Aug05
2011
Leave a Comment Written by mary.w

Redoing your kitchen but can’t afford the expensive (and highly desirable) 42 inch custom cabinets?  Go to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s big box store and purchase their in stock cabinets (available in multiple shades of oak and maple or white).  Stack 12 inch cabinets ontop of 30 inch cabinets. Not only do you have to desired look of 42 inch cabinets, they actually can be much more functional as separate cabinets.

Add the matching crown molding or put above cabinet artifacts to create a more expensive appearance while paying a much reduced price for an amazing look!

Posted in Decorating on a Budget, General Information, Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas
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Maximize Your Photography

Aug02
2011
Leave a Comment Written by mary.w

When you’re deciding on the best way to showcase your property to prospective buyers, keep in mind that the internet is very visual and people have highly visual expectations. Before they read a word of your description, most buyers will peruse your photos to see, firstly, if they are even remotely interested in your property. If the photos entice them to learn more, then they have done their job and you are a step closer to someone becoming seriously interested in your home.

The purpose of your advertising, like any other advertising of a product in the marketplace, is to give potential buyers the reasons to choose your home over others also available. Therefore, the quality and content of your photography is very important. There are ways that you can maximize both.  First, show as many photos as possible. Internet shoppers want to see as much as they can ahead of time. They shop the internet for convenience and ease of process.  If you state that you have 4 bedrooms but only show one, you are leaving the reason why you didn’t show the others up to their determination, such as: “wow the other bedrooms must be really small” or ” the other bedrooms must not be very nice” otherwise why wouldn’t they show them.  Neither might be true but that doesn’t matter.  If your buyer lives across the country or on the other side of the world, (yes, your BuyOwner.com exposure offers buyers access to your home 24/7 from anywhere in the world!) they are less likely to ‘stop on by’ to see about the other rooms.  They will go on to another home that does show them what they want to see.

Regarding the quality of your photos, minimize eye distractions.  The fancy towels might look great on your oven door but in a photo they distract the eye from looking at the room and instead bring their  attention directly to the towel.  You might love all the photos on your fireplace mantel BUT what you want to showcase is the fireplace & mantel since that’s what they are buying with your home. Remove other eye distractions such as remote controllers, pens, paper, newspapers, mail, keys, phone cords (or any cords), dishes in the sink or on the counter, etc.

A simple way to prepare for your photography is to stand at the entrance to the room being photographed. Look out of the room and then look in.  If your attention is drawn to something instead of the room, that’s what needs to come out for the photograph.  That might mean pulling out some furniture so that you are able to show more floor space.

The eye judges the room by the amount of floor space they can see. Let them

see a lot of floor.  If you have hardwood floors, make sure the window treatments are open and the sunlight is pouring across the wood. Beautiful!

Remember, photos create your home’s first impression to your prospective buyers. And the never fail thing about first impressions is they only happen once! Maximize your photography and by doing so, you will maximize your home selling opportunities!

Posted in General Information, Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas
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Welcome to the BuyOwner.com Blog, your source for regularly updated market information!

Founded in 1984, BuyOwner.com® is the leading provider of real estate marketing services. We pioneered the "For Sale by Owner" (FSBO) market, which today represents over 20 percent of all residential real estate transactions.

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