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.
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.
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!
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
Sometimes making your home look more attractive can be as simple as a few steps, taken before you head out the door or quickly as you pass through a room.
Take the bathroom. Want to dramatically improve its overall look with little effort? Here’s what to do:
1. Move the Hamper.
It may be convenient to keep your dirty clothes container in the bathroom, but it’s not inviting to visitors. Move it out, and you free up space that makes the bathroom look bigger.
2. Declutter.
Move all your toiletries off the countertops, and get the counter space cleaned off and empty.
3. Empty the Trash.
Empty the trash cans on your quick run-through, and replace the liners with fresh ones.
BONUS IDEAS!
*Paint the walls with neutral colors.
*Replace the towels with fresh ones, also in neutral colors.
*Add a lamp, if possible, to the vanity, creating mood lighting.
*Scrub the floors!
*Scrub the shower/tub or shower!
I loved the following advice I read over at the ZenHabits.net blog. Small steps, done consistently, make all the difference in keeping up with your house work!
Here are the first few tips listed:
1. Never leave dishes in the sink. Or counter. Clean up any messes in the kitchen after I’m done. Wipe the counters, keep the sink clean.
2. Tidy the bathroom as I go. After I use the bathroom, clean the sink, the toilet, spray down the shower, real quick. It only takes a couple of minutes, and the joy of a clean bathroom is unmatched.
3. Pick up as I go. There are little things the kids leave around the house. I’ll just pick them up throughout the day, or keep a basket for their stuff and just dump them in there, for them to put away later.
4. Never leave clothes out. I have a tendency not to hang my once-used but still clean clothes in my bedroom, leaving them out to clutter the place up. No more. They either go in the dirty clothes, or they get hung in the closet.
To read the rest of the article, click here.
Quick tip: Buy patio furniture during the off-season; specifically, the off, off-season.
Are you looking to replace your patio furniture? Or perhaps you are looking to purchase some pieces for the first time? Either way, it’s good that you’ve waited until now to do so… and you may want to wait even longer. You ever notice how you see a bevy of bathing suits being sold in clothing stores when it’s 40 below zero? The same concept goes for patio furniture. Next month, while people are flocking to the store for Christmas trees, wreaths, lights and everything else Santa related, make your way to the back of the store. Tucked away, almost hidden from view, you are bound to find do-it-yourself patio sets. These boxes may be marked down as much as 70%!
1. Plan for the size of your pile. An ideal size is 3-by-3 (feet). You don’t want to run the risk of the fire burning out of control.
2. Keep the materials small. If you throw in huge chunks of scraps and grass into a big heap, your pile will take longer to decompose. Be sure to shred any kind of paper.
3. Contain and insulate the pile. Try building your pile within a plastic bin or a hay bale. You want to make sure that nothing falls out of place.
4. Stick to a pattern. Start with a layer of sticks, and then add a moist material (garden trimmings, grass clippings). Alternate brown scraps and green scraps in four-inch layers until you reach the desired four-foot height of the pile.
5. Don’t add food! Food scraps attract pesky rodents. Some people might say that coffee grounds, fruit bits and veggie scraps are good to burn. However, if you don’t plan on burning your compost pile right away, you could be in for big surprise and a messy yard if some fuzzy friends get into the pile.
6. Keep the pile a little damp. If it’s too dry, you won’t be able to decompose a thing. If the pile is sopping wet, the pile will take longer to decompose and will most likely emit a horrible smell.
7. Rotate the pile. By turning the pile, you’ll distribute the heat evenly and your waste will decompose faster.
9. Watch it! Keep an eye on the pile. You wouldn’t leave candles burning in the house when you gout out for the night. So don’t leave a compost pile burning in your backyard.
10. Use it. Compost is a great tool to help improve the structure of your soil. So, if your grass isn’t growing, add a protective layer of the compost to get it started.
If you don’t have the time (or the money) to make major renovations to your kitchen, don’t even worry about it! There are tons of ways you can spruce up the cooking/dining space in your home. Here are five quick tips:
1. Replace the hardware on the cabinets. Getting brand-new cabinets can be an expensive project. It could even take as long as a few months to demolish the existing cabinets and to install new ones. Instead, why not choose new knobs or handles? Before you shop around, though, make sure you know how the knobs/handles are screwed into the door. They’re usually held in place by one screw. Make sure to check, though, just in case.
2. Appeal to the senses. You don’t always have to be cooking something amazing in the kitchen to get sweet aromas to fill your house. Try lighting ginger-scented candles or placing decorative bowls of potpourri on one of the counters. And if you want to appeal to visitors or family members’ stomachs, you could also decorate with a bowl of fruit or a basket of vegetables. That way, the food is also right at your fingertips whenever you do decide to cook!
3. Add curtains to a window above the sink. If you have ever watched Leave It to Beaver or Lassie, you’ll notice that there’s always some kind of cute café curtains adorning the window in the kitchen. Add some country charm to the space. It also adds some femininity to the room, reminding people of their momma’s home cookin’.
4. Make your own wall decorations. How many times have you read a magazine, and a food photo made your mouth water? Cut out the picture, stick it in a frame and hang it up on a wall in your kitchen. Make the kitchen all about food. You don’t just have to cook and eat in there. You can enjoy looking at it, too!
5. Declutter! I’ve said this all along, for any room. It’s not very attractive when you have piles of paper or other loose ends piling up on/falling off counters. You’ll even want to raid the cabinets for expired food and items you don’t even use. Do you really need two can openers, seven bottle openers or 50 different Tupperware containers? Get rid of the mess and your kitchen will look much better (inside and out).
At first glance, finding a renter seems simple—post an ad at Craigslist, show the home to potential tenants, begin collecting money—but, in reality, it can be anything but. To begin, there’s the rental ad. What information should you include? How should you say it? Will the description make any impact on whether or not the right kind of renters respond?
So here are a few tips that I have tried to keep in mind, after years of finding renters, usually through online advertising:
1. Remember the goal: You’re putting out this ad in order to get a reliable renter to be interested enough to call you.
2. Highlight features: You’ll want to highlight the property’s features, honestly and clearly, in order to attract a tenant.
3. Post pictures: If you were looking to rent, you’d want to see what the home looked like, wouldn’t you? Good renters have options, so your home needs to stand out.
4. List the price: Save yourself the time and trouble of turning away renters who can’t afford your place. Tell them upfront what the cost will be.
5. Explain requirements: Will there be a security deposit required? If so, how much? Will you be conducting background checks? Say so. This goes a long way towards weeding out unsuitable renters.
6. Provide contact information: Interest means little if there’s no way for a person to act on it. Include your e-mail address, as well as your phone number if you’re willing to do that.
