FSBO Jane

There are plenty of ways for you to cool your house and reduce your air-conditioning usage at the same time. Close your drapes when the sun is blaring through a particular window. Turn your ceiling fans on, which use very little energy. Plant trees near your windows to provide your house with shade. Cover your air-conditioning unit and keep it as cool as possible. But when it comes down to reducing air-conditioning usage, an article from HomeTips.com states that insulating the attic is the number one energy-saving, cooling upgrade you could make, and it comes at a low cost.

Choose the insulation that is right for your particular attic setup, such as batt or loose-fill. Also include caulking and weather-stripping to prevent air leaks. The quickest step you could take is to staple a foil radiant barrier to the attic roof between the rafters. When choosing insulation, make sure you choose a type that includes a rating suitable for your weather conditions. For mild conditions, choose R-19, for moderate climates, R-30, and for intense weather, from R-38 up to R-49.

For more information on attic insulation, visit the Department of Energy’s website here.

Whether you’re staging your home to sell, hosting a dinner party or finding ways to spruce up your interior, one change you could make is to permanently set the table. Why store your clean dishes in a cabinet if you’ll be using them again in a few hours or the next morning? You’ll be far more apt to purchase stylish dinnerware if you get to show it off on a regular basis.

With that said, here is what’s cooking in the dinnerware industry. Though people still opt for style and elegance, they also steer toward convenience and affordability. People are eating at home more often because they have less disposable income. Therefore, the dishware market is shifting. Since 2008, quality casual dinnerware sales soared above fine china sales during bridal season, according to Home & Design magazine. This means that people no longer want two sets of dinnerware. They want one quality set that can be cleaned in the dishwasher!

If you’re looking to spruce up your table setting, instead of purchasing a whole new set of dishes, purchase a few new accessories, like a water pitcher or a patterned tray. Or, decorate the table with a patterned tablecloth, vibrant napkins in turquoise or gold, or placemats in bamboo or wicker. These inexpensive features add contemporary color and style without breaking the bank.

For culinary enthusiasts, food creations should be displayed on basic white dishes, which can look formal or casual, but show off food in the best light. Sur La Table’s Nangle, a dinnerware company, stated that white dinnerware has always been a best seller and now it’s even on the rise. Colored dishes and glasses are also in style, and plates now come in a multitude of shapes, such as squares or triangles. People like optimistic, bright colors and patterns right now, making trendy dishware full of possibilities.

To finish off the table setting, opt for a few small centerpieces instead of one large centerpiece. Large, focal centerpieces block views and have become outdated. A row of candles or small bouquets look much sleeker.

So next time you host a dinner party or stage your house for an open house, now you know that quality causal dinnerware with some vibrant colors thrown in will make your table look stylish and you look smart! Why wouldn’t you want to show off that kind of intelligence on a regular basis?

There’s nothing especially impressive about this quick tip, but it works. In terms of decluttering, remember this: Trash.

• Simply put, if you don’t use an item, trash it.
• If you don’t need an item, give it away.
• If there is no place for an item, find one or get rid of it.

Decluttering can seem overwhelming when you’re looking at a room filled with knick-knacks, so pick a place to start, and take it one item and a time.

Not sure what to cover your bare walls with? Not happy with your wallpaper or paint? Looking for something unique that’ll really wow your guests? This is for you. It is 3D wallpaper, and though it sounds bizarre, it’s actually a cinch to hang, it hides wall cracks, water spots, blemishes, etc., and it looks unique and classy all at the same time!

Design.SpotCoolStuff.com posts all sorts of original trends on their design blog, and this is one of them that sparked my attention. These walls flats are made by Inhabit, and they contain adhesive on one side so that all you do is peel off the protective paper on the back and stick it on your wall! They cut easily so that you can cut around light switches, windows and doors, they are made from bamboo pulp and 100 percent biodegradable and eco-friendly, and you can purchase a cheap sample pack to help you decide if this is right for you. The different available designs can be viewed on the website here. I may just be trying this out in one of my own rooms.

Anyone who’s been part of a building construction or remodel will understand that it’s sometimes hard to envision exactly what you want.

Enter the IKEA Office Planner Tool.

Available as a free download online, this resource allows you to see your new office virtually on the screen before you see it in reality.

You can move around pieces of the layout by dragging and dropping them. You can view the space in 3-D. You can test different colors. Then you can even print out your finished design and see what the estimated cost would be if you purchased the items from IKEA.

To check it out, click here!

This nifty article from TheDailyGreen.com offers you recipes for homemade cleaning supplies that are all-natural, leaving no toxic chemicals or pesticides in your air or on your surfaces. Plus, they are made with products already found in your home! So even if you’re not into the whole green-living movement, these eco-friendly options will also save you oodles of dollars and cabinet space. It doesn’t get much better than that! Here are some examples that I pulled from the article:

For kitchens and bathroom surfaces:

• Brush baking soda onto a surface and wipe with a wet sponge or rag. For extra-tough stains, sprinkle kosher salt on first.
• Mix lemon juice or vinegar with water inside a spray bottle.
• Mix two cups water, three tablespoons liquid soap and 20 to 30 drops of tea tree oil to make a disinfectant. Beats the smell and accidental stains of bleach!

For mirrors:

• Use your white vinegar and water mixture inside a spray bottle to spray onto a mirror, and then use newspaper to wipe instead of paper towels. This prevents streaking. (I tried this to make sure that the ink wouldn’t spill onto your mirror. It didn’t.) Lemon juice or baking soda works too instead of vinegar.

Carpets and rugs:

• Pour club soda onto a spill to prevent staining. The carbonation resurfaces the spill and the salts prevent staining.
• Dump cornmeal onto big stains and wait five to 15 minutes before vacuuming. Club soda and cornmeal also work for deodorizing rugs.

Silverware:

• Line your sink with aluminum foil, drop in tarnished silverware, pour boiling water and a cup of baking soda into the sink and let sit for a few minutes.
• Rub silverware with toothpaste and a soft cloth, and then rinse in warm water. If you’re not comfortable using toothpaste, you can also use three parts baking soda and one park water.
• Rub ketchup on copper pots and pans for a polished look.

Strange, isn’t it? To think that we spend so much money on cleaning supplies when items we already own will do the trick just as well, if not better. And, for green enthusiasts, they are safe and friendly for the environment. Try one out and let me know how it works!

A few days ago, I provided you with the definition of a short sale.

“A short sale is when you ask your mortgage lender to accept less money than you owe. Essentially, it’s a forgiveness of debt.”

Now that you know what a short sale is and how the process works, I thought I’d offer you a few quick tips on how to secure a short sale. These tips won’t necessarily guarantee you’ll come away with a short sale. They are just a few handy suggestions to keep in mind as you’re going through the process of trying to acquire a short sale.

1. Be completely honest about your debt. Don’t be embarrassed. If you’re using an agent, he/she will most likely take a smaller commission on the sale if he/she understands your financial burdens.
2. Be up front with your mortgage lender. Whether you are getting divorced, you lost a loved one/significant other or you have been laid off from your job, the lender needs proof that you are suffering from some kind of financial hardship.
3. Provide documentation. Save paystubs, bank statements, etc. Have hard evidence that your salary has been cut significantly or that you were laid off a few months ago. Provide documentation that shows your money has been going to other bills (heat, water, electricity and the like).
4. Avoid splurging on luxury items. Although your salary has been cut, perhaps your employer offers bonus incentives for exceeded goals. Don’t take that bonus check and buy a new plasma TV. Your 1990 sedan breaks down? Don’t run out and get a 2010 Lexus. You’re supposed to be in debt, not buying frivolous items.
5. Ask questions. When you’ve enlisted the help of an agent or a lawyer, either party is there to assist you. If you don’t understand something, ask questions. This is your home, your debt and your life.
6. Be patient. In spite of these quick tips, do not assume that getting a short sale is a fast process. Whether you are using a real estate agent or you’re selling your home FSBO, it will take time to get a short sale approved by your lender and insurer (or even to find a buyer).

A common tip I often hear shared with those attempting to sell their home during the drab months of winter, such as February, is to allow your potential homebuyers to see what your home looks like during other times of the year. Show them the flower buds that blossom in the spring, the green grass and lush gardens in the summer, the vibrant leaf colors in the fall, and the way the snow blankets the bushes in the winter. Though the house might not look its best right now, that doesn’t mean it’s not absolutely gorgeous at other times of the year!

Instead of framing pictures and scattering them all over your house for buyers to view during an open house, create a calendar of personal photos. Almost every photo department now allows you the option of creating a calendar with your photos. If your local store doesn’t include this option, websites make it a cinch to print calendars and have them sent to you. In the calendar, match up a photo of your house with the month of year that it was taken in! Then, you can allow potential homebuyers to browse through the calendar and see for themselves how beautiful your flower gardens really are.

Don’t have enough photos to create a calendar? Don’t have photos in a particular season? Start snapping now so that you’re ready to create a calendar masterpiece by the beginning of 2011!

This doesn’t necessarily have to do with buying or selling a home, but it’s an interesting, informative, tip-packed article I liked: “101 Uses for Everyday Things”, from Real Simple.

I think most homeowners would appreciate the practical nature of the article. Here are the first few tips:

1. Sanitize a chopping block. Run a slice of lemon over the surface to disinfect.
2. Eliminate the browning that occurs when food sits out too long. Sprinkle apple or pear slices with lemon juice before serving, or squeeze a bit into guacamole and give it a stir.
3. Remove tough food stains from plastic and light-colored wooden cutting boards. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with water.
4. Fade tea stains on cloth. Dilute lemon juice with an equal amount of water. Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to make sure the juice targets the stain. Thoroughly flush with cool water.

I love how all these ideas utilize a lemon, something that you probably already have on hand. The other items are just as basic: newspaper, olive oil, dryer sheets, coffee filters, Velcro, vinegar, baking soda, Ziploc bags and salt!

Check out the full article from Real Simple here.

Do you enjoy hosting dinner parties? Are you the go-to friend when it comes to entertaining? How about this one: do you enjoy receiving free gifts? I don’t imagine anyone answered no to that one.

Here’s a great blog to check out: Hostess {with the Mostess}. It offers daily tips on how to host the perfect party in the perfect setting. It includes everything from how to decorate your home to what you should serve. Browsing through, I found tips on how to create chic pillows at a cheap price (no one will know how cheap), how to make decadent chocolate truffles in about 15 minutes, and tips where to shop for affordable yet classy dishware, kitchen tools, gift ideas and more. These tips could also really come in handy for people hosting open houses!

And let’s not forget the best aspect. The blog gives away free stuff weekly! If that’s not a reason to regularly visit this blog, then I’ve got no more advice for you!