Tips To Save Big and Stress Less This Winter

I'm an obsessive organizer and planner. I can't help it, I need the order to stay sane. Even if it makes my husband and child insane in the process. Whatever. In the end, they both see the method to my madness and the benefit!

Below are my 5 MUSTS to prepare for the upcoming cold weather and holiday season.

1. Create a holiday/winter budget. It certainly doesn't help that the holidays begin when the kids need new seasonal clothes, the electric bill starts to skyrocket, and the grocery bill nearly doubles. I've learned the hard way to prepare the holiday/winter budget now, so I don't break the bank later.

TIP: Factor in how much you will need for seasonal clothes, holiday gifts and groceries (People always forget about holiday groceries!) higher utility bills and every other inevitable incidental that breaks the bank year after year.


2.  Start stocking up. Over the next few months, depending on where you live and the holidays you celebrate, a few things are about to become hot commodities, things you can grab in the stores and online now, that may not be easy to find or marked up later. Things like holiday wrapping, ice melt/salt, snow shovels, ice scrapers, gloves, hats, mittens, batteries, blankets... You see where I'm going.

Rather than wait until the first snowstorm to race out and get ice melt, I get it now. I also check our car windshield wipers, scrapers and snow shovels now to make sure they will withstand another season. Basically, I make a list of things I need and keep it in my wallet so when I'm out I will keep an eye out for sales and specials for each item.

3. Prepare the yard. Beginning in fall, plants, especially the delicate ones, need to be prepared for bitter winters and droughts. If you don't know what your Azaleas, rhododendrons, shrubs and trees need this time of year to safely make it through winter, look it up now! While some plants will need mulch, others will be fine. Some plants need to be cut back now, others after winter.  Some will need fertilizer now, others not until after winter. Knowing what your plants and trees need, can make a HUGE difference in the spring, especially with the bloomers, so take the time now to make them happy and thriving later! Check out this great post on ways to prepare the garden for Fall's first frost. 

4. Weatherproof the house.  As much as I pride myself on being organized and a great planner, it took me a few years to grasp the fact that most home weatherproofing needs to be done well before the first frost! I can't tell you how many times I have started to put plastic on the windows only to realize it's WAY too cold outside for the adhesive to stick. Most weatherproofing materials need it to be at least 55-65 degrees outside to work, so don't wait for the first frost to weatherproof under your roof. Here's a great post for easy, money-saving weatherproofing tips. 

5. Prepare the car for emergencies. There's no doubt about it, the winter weather is notorious for creating stranded motorist and long delays. The last thing I want to do is be caught on the side of the road in a snowstorm without a few essentials.

In my trunk, in addition to a small bag of ice melt/salt, I keep a duffel bag with a blanket, flashlight, a few bottles of water and packs of peanut butter crackers. I also have a mom-kit in the car loaded with winter essentials and daily must-haves; tissues, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, lotion, lip gloss, a few snacks and a bottle of water.

These small steps now save big headaches and budget-busting winter dread. At least, it does for me!

Is there anything you do now prepare for the holidays and colder dryer months that saves you time and money later?

Upgrading Your Home the Affordable Way

Throughout the annals of time, the most beneficial rooms to upgrade have been kitchens and bathrooms. Naturally, the next most popular rooms to upgrade are laundry rooms and bedrooms, especially bedroom closets. Upgrading a room must be done with the most recent neutral accents and colors in mind so that the improvement is most likely to be appreciated by many. If forced to choose only a few rooms to upgrade, then select your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room or bedroom to get the greatest benefit from the resale or tax deduction on your home.

It wasn't easy. It was definitely worth it. 

Tax Deductions from Home Improvements

Unless your home is a rental property, most of your upgrades are not tax-deductible. However, the greatest benefit from home improvements lies in the resale value of your home. Capital improvements such as remodeling a kitchen, installing a septic tank, fitting a new water heater, pouring a new driveway, or making your home more accessible for the disabled or infirm are all considered permanent improvement which increases the value of your home. If these types of improvements are completed before a sale, they are tax-deductible.

Upgrading a Bedroom

Consider paint, crown molding, and sliding interior doors to improve the look of your bedroom. Today's sliding doors can take on a wide variety of styles: barn doors, French glass doors, split whiteboards, chalet barn doors, and many more looks. The walls can be changed to look very different also. They can be painted in stripes or other patterns. You could add mirrors to give the illusion of space, add a painted mural, or add wainscoting to create texture or interest to the whole room or portions of it.

The Most Value Added to a Home from an Improvement

Kitchen remodels generally generate the greatest return for your investment. Add as much as 15% to the value of your home with an upgraded kitchen. Kitchen appliances that are more than five years old should be updated to the most current models that you can afford. Today, the popular look of appliances is stainless steel, but you should consider what fits with your décor and the function of your kitchen as well. 

Just painting my cabinets made a HUMONGOUS difference.

Another focal point in the kitchen is the cabinetry. Still, another is the kitchen countertops. Updating the cabinets increases your home's value significantly. Consider updating the finish, the hardware, and adding special features like wine racks and corner cabinets to make better use of space. Instead of laminate countertops, opt for something more permanent and durable like concrete or granite. By making these improvements, the value of your home will multiply in value by a significant number. If money is a problem, use creativity. Consider ideas from affordable sources.

Bathrooms Can also Add Tremendous Value to a Home

No guest bath in your home? Adding one could greatly increase your home's value. A guest bath is traditionally a half bath with a sink and toilet only. If you have the room, you may decide to install a full bath with a sink, toilet, and bath/shower. A full bath contributes even greater value. Just like the upgraded kitchen, a new bathroom can increase a home's value by 10.5 percent with a half bath and a full 20 percent with a full bathroom. Repair tile on the floor and walls, replace traditional toilets with the new low flow water-conserving toilets. Add shower heads and controls that add a variety of functions like rainfall, high pressure, and handheld.

The Last Room that Adds Value to a Home

Oddly enough, walk-in closets can add tremendous value to your home. These are especially valuable in master bedrooms. If you can build one for both spouses, that's even better. A home with a double sink and double walk-in closets wins every time.

Saving Money on Upgrades

To save money, begin by starting with the most important aspect of the upgrade. If you are working with a kitchen that has old appliances, bad floors, and horrible countertops, you'll need to price your replacement features at an outlet store because all those elements should be replaced. If you are attempting to upgrade another room, choose the least costly manner of refinishing walls or floors, but always use the best materials. Never compromise on quality, but always seek out discounted versions of the best elements. Take advantage of store specials for labor and materials, whether seasonal or sold in bulk.

Selling Your Home? Do This To Kick-Up Your Curb Appeal

Curb Appeal is key to getting prospective buyers in the door. You know what they say about first impressions... Below are a few great tips to help you Kick-Up Your Curb Appeal.

The front door

Accessories

Lighting

Keep it clean

Add some greenery

No matter how much space you have to work with, adding some color or some greenery will really boost the look of your home. Large planters filled with colorful flowers or even some neatly trimmed foliage will look fantastic.

Desperate to overhaul your kitchen? Try this... (Before and after photos!)

I have spent countless hours working on home renovation projects. The hallway stair job took three or four weeks, the small little hallway took two weeks. Everything has been labor intensive and taken days to complete.

Then I painted my kitchen.

In three days.

It was hands-down the easiest renovation project I have done to date. And my mind is absolutely melting over the fact that it is the biggest, best, most amazing, feel-good Home Renovation transformation yet.

I just can't get over it. It has been the most amazing process redoing my kitchen.

All I did was paint the cabinets and change the hardware. That's it. But it, somehow, changed everything! The way I feel about my kitchen. The way it looks. The size of it. Everything. 

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know, I painted the corner of my kitchen first. Not only did I fall in love instantly, the Aussie did too! He looked at me and said, It looks good! Go ahead, paint the bloody kitchen. 

Then I said, well... I kind of wanted to try something...

I saw a kitchen on Pinterest that was half gray and half white. I loved it. And, had to try it.

Only, I had a gallon of blue-silver-grey paint on hand.

Over the next three days, I took every door and drawer off and painted and painted. Then, painted some more. When it got dark, I moved the party inside. I was determined to finish over the weekend. I also left everything in the cupboards. I just the contents of each shelf as far back as I could.

Thanks to free one-day Amazon Prime delivery, I was able to order 50 cabinet knobs (2 packs of 25) for $47, and have them at my door Saturday afternoon.

                                                           
I couldn't believe how well everything came together.

Then, while at Target in between coats of paint, I nearly died when the most perfect rugs were on clearance for under $10.  I bought 2! They are puuuuuuurrrrrrrrrfect!

NOTE: You may notice a different floor from the before photo. That photo was taken the day we first saw the house. The floor was thought to be asbestos, so we did the most environmentally friendly thing possible, cover it.
My mom walked in and gasped. Then said, This isn't even the same kitchen. It's like it's brand new! 

That's exactly how I felt. It's this new fun space with endless possibilities. It took me two years, but now I love and embrace my little kitchen. Most of all, I love that I took a chance on the two colors. While, I am not too sure about it, every time I look at my kitchen, my heart smiles.



I'm not bothered by the horrible countertops or being closed in. For the first time in two years, I love my kitchen! And all it took was a weekend, three coats of paint and the balls to try something different.

I cannot recommend enough doing this if you hate your kitchen. Take the leap, it is SO worth it!

2018 Budget Planning: The Best Time To Buy Cars, Dishwashers, Baby Crap + More

As a homeowner, it never fails that every few months something leaks, squeaks, breaks or dies. For the things that can't be fixed, kicked, patched or rigged, knowing when to buy a replacement could save you hundreds of dollars, even waiting a week could make all the difference. There really is a, best time to buy a car.

According to Consumer Reports:

"In these high-tech times, you might think the days when the calendar dictated when consumer goods would go on sale are behind us. Not so. Consumer Reports' market analysts have found that deep discounts for many products are still tied to a particular month of the year: Some sales are timed to the introduction of new models, while others are long-standing traditions, such as January white sales.  Consumer Reports' market analysts have found that deep discounts for many products are still tied to a particular month of the year: Some sales are timed to the introduction of new models, while others are long-standing traditions, such as January white sales." 

Below is a list of the best time to buy various big-ticket items according to consumer reports. 

For the best time to buy a car and the free Consumer Reports Car Buyer's Guide click, here.

For the complete Consumer Reports Buyer's Guide click, here.

Happy Budgeting in 2018! 

These 12 Easy Home Weatherproofing Tips Will Save You A Bundle

Between the drafty doors and windows and old pipes in my 100-year-old home, it's essential I  winter-weatherproof before the first arctic blast. Here are twelve easy, tried, tested and totally worth it tips to weatherproof your home and save big bucks on your bills this winter.

How to nest, prepare for guest, and love your home all over again

I have the worst case of winter-nesting!  I have been cleaning and rearranging like a maniac. The winter can be so long, and worst of all, stuffy. Every year I make it a point to de-clutter, clean, add a few new pops of color and bring in my houseplants. Below are a few tips I came across worth sharing on how to nest, prepare for guest, and love your home all over again!

Rearrange Your Furniture

Is it easy to walk through your rooms and reach all your furniture? If not, create easy walking paths through your rooms.Make sure everyone can get to the couch and the main seating areas in the living room, dining room, and anywhere else you might have chairs and tables. Your guests don't want to feel like they're about to knock into your end tables as they try to squeeze through to grab a seat.

Invest In Pillows and Blankets

One way to make your rooms cozy is to fill them with pillows and blankets. Soft, comfortable throw pillows make the couch inviting. Blankets are a great way to introduce soft textures into your interior design. Plus, they're great for guests who want to get comfortable on a couch or armchair. A couch full of pillows with a blanket thrown over one armrest looks much more inviting than a bare couch.

Get Houseplants

Houseplants add life and energy to your rooms, and green foliage is a natural pop of color that brings the outdoors inside your home.

Try to put at least one green plant in each room. Place larger plants in the living room, vases of flowers in the kitchen, and something small in the bathrooms and bedrooms. These plants will add a bit of ambiance to your interior while purifying its air.

Spruce Up Outdoor Spaces

Think about your home's curb appeal. Straighten up the yard, put a few potted plants on the porch, and make sure your walkway is in good shape. Next, turn to the backyard. Clean the dead leaves from your deck and take care of any outdoor furniture that has seen better days. Install an outdoor fireplace and some outdoor lights to create a welcoming environment in any season.

Make the House Smell Good

A house that smells good is necessary. Generally, when a house smells good, the house either doesn't smell like anything or it smells faintly of a common "clean" scent, such as lemon. Eliminate sources of bad odors so that your home smells neutral.

How do you prepare for the holidays, winter months and family visits?

4 Tips For ECO-Friendly Child's Room

Image via Flickr by jhiner

Children bring some of the greatest joys to our lives. Keeping them protected is a must — an urge hardwired into our biology. Their room is like a sacred place, their first sanctuary; it's important that it is utterly safe and free of hazards. With so many small and large threats seeming to hover in and around our modern lives, simple steps can seem overwhelming if you're just not sure what to do. The following four tips can give some solid guidance for creating a healthy space for your child. 

Design and Decorate with Non-toxic Materials

Research has suggested that children are more vulnerable to environmental and air pollutants than adults are. That makes sense. They're smaller than we are and their immune systems and bodies are still developing. This means that the chemical products we often use, like paint or wood varnish, are harmful to children because of their toxic content. Buy furniture made of solid, untreated, sustainable wood, and use natural fibre bedding when possible.

Choose materials that are free of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), PVC (vinyl), SVOCs (semi-volatile organic compounds), flame retardants, BPA and phthalates, and all other substances that can leak dangerous contaminants into the air or on the skin.

Don’t Install Carpets

Carpets can make a room feel cozier and somehow softer. But they are a breeding ground for dust mites. Consider area rugs because you can wash them. If you need to have a carpet, vacuum it thoroughly and often, and choose carpets made without flame retardants, PVC, or chemical treatments.

Establish a Thorough Cleaning Routine

Get into a habit very early on of performing a cleaning ritual. Don’t allow clutter to gather in the room. Put toys and books neatly away. Keep all surfaces free of dust; if you have a pet allowed in the room, clean regularly to get rid of pet dander. Fold any bedding, blankets, and clothes that aren't being used. If there are concerns about dust mites, especially if you have carpets that are hard to clean, then wash laundry loads in hot water.

Establishing a safe cleaning routine will help keep potential allergens at bay, and help support air quality in the room. Use child-safe, natural cleaning solutions; mainstream household cleaners contain toxic chemicals that circulate in the air.

Ventilate Your Home

Ventilation is extremely important. Poor ventilation can trap air pollutants, restrict the flow of fresh air, and encourage moldy conditions. Establish a total home ventilation strategy using mechanical ventilation with your HVAC system, or by opening doors and windows regularly to encourage fresh air to flow through your child’s room and the rest of your home.

Practice these tips beyond your child's room, and they should help you keep pollutants out of your home space and out of the air passages of your little one. But also remember that exposure to some natural germs is actually part of a child’s normal growth and immune system development, so don’t go completely overboard. Your child will be OK. In all cases, use your intuition to help you make the best choices. 

5 Ways To Give Your kitchen A Quick Facelift!

Image via Flickr by nolaclutterbusters

If your home has a heart, you just may find it in the kitchen. The heartbeat is in the care that goes into preparing a meal, the warmth of laughter over dinner, and the comfort of knowing that every plate, pot, and pan has its place. When it's time to give that centerpiece an upgrade, there are plenty of options to update space, efficiency, style, and decor. Best of all, ideas to make the changes happen don't have to overload your budget.

Here are some ideas that can take your kitchen from simple to sophisticated, and provide a modern touch.

It May Be Time for New Hardware

No matter how pretty your kitchen is, clunky, outdated appliances will take away from the appeal. If you have room in your budget, consider some new equipment. Newer appliances are more energy-efficient and can be customized to reflect the feel of your kitchen. Whether you're looking for sleekly modern stainless steel, chrome black finish, or spotless white perfection, the LG Studio Collection has options to get you started. Start with a plan of how you want your dishwasher, microwave, stove, or refrigerator to look and how the pieces will all fit together.

Update Your Cabinets

If your kitchen needs a refresh, a great place to start is the cabinets. The color and style of cabinets help give shape to your entire kitchen but you don't have to replace the entire unit. If entirely new cabinets aren't on your agenda right now, you have options. Just change out your knobs and pulls or add a little jazz to your doors with new hinges. You can also give the cabinets a bold new color with spray paint or reface them. 

Install New Shelves

Ready to display that pretty pottery? A burst of color can come from dishes that have been hiding in the cabinet but not have the opportunity to be front and center with open shelving units. It's a welcome twist on traditional storage space, and it can give your kitchen an entirely new feel without much effort. You don't have to get rid of all of your cabinets, and a mix and match option gives an exciting new look.

Don't Forget About the Countertops

Add a touch, or a few touches, of class with new countertops. Some cost-friendly ideas include repurposing an old piece of furniture for an island, or using old wood to make a beautiful new counter. You can also paint or resurface laminate countertops. Also consider the fun details: knickknacks or themed decorations that add a little more character.

Let a Little Light In

Finally, don't underestimate the power of good lighting. Whether you are installing your own energy-efficient lighting or cozying up the place with a window seat, always think about maximizing your lighting. A bright, open kitchen is a wonderfully refreshing addition. 

Sprucing up the kitchen is a fun way to take care of the space that holds so many of a family's memories.