Decorating your home for the holidays when you’re trying to sell can cause an unnecessary amount of stress for homeowners. These simple, but stunning, options could be exactly what you’re looking for. 1. For an easy centerpiece, decorate a serving tray with ornaments. Add some greenery and you’ve got a festive but simple piece. 2. Use clear glass vases with evergreens or other seasonal greenery in them in various places in your home. 3. For this next DIY, grab a serving tray, a small sting of lights, egg cups and some clipped greens placed in floral foam. 4. Pick up some simple bottle brushes and color them with fabric dye. They make adorable mini Christmas trees to decorate your home. 5. Search through your cupboards for champagne flutes and other glassware. Add Christmas ornaments, pinecones and curled ribbon to the display to add some colour to your décor. 6. Cut and fold holiday theme scrapbooking paper to create trees of different sizes. These little additions can be added to any tabletop or mantel. 7. Grab your handy serving tray and a square glass vase. Add Christmas ornaments to the vase and wrap with a bow. Finish off with a sprinkle of faux snow. 8. If you have a large window in your home, choose a single colour and hang ornaments of different shapes using ribbon in front of it. 9. Carry your décor through every room in your home by wrapping wide ribbons around solid-colour pillows. Place them on chairs, couches or beds to add some holiday colour throughout. 10. In the kitchen, add a wreath above your stove or on a door leading to your outdoor patio. Copper coffee cups with candy canes in them on open shelves or on an island are a fun addition as well. 11. Secure a bunch of brown twigs with a rubber band, add a splash of greenery and tie with a bright coloured ribbon. This simple piece makes a great addition to add to a door or above a mantel. 12. Repurpose an old frame by forming a large triangle out of 16-gauge wire. Add horizontal pieces curled on the ends for branches. Hang small ornaments and add a bow or star to the top to finish of the homemade tree. 13. Fill clear glass mugs or cups with peppermint candies and candy canes to add to your decorative table. 14. Sprigs of pine and berries dress up framed photos that are already hanging on your walls. 15. Add fresh greenery, a large red ball, red-painted pinecones and a bright bow to add some colour to your snowy back or front yard. These 15 tips are all simple, effective and budget friendly ways to bring the holidays to your home. Giving your potential buyers a peek into what Christmas can look like in your home is a great way to make them feel right at home!
10 Reasons Why You Should Declutter Your Home This Fall!
Decluttering is something we all dread, however, it is a necessary part of the moving process. If you stay on top of the decluttering process it will be easier to prep and stage your home for showings! These creative tips will help you to declutter your home, simply. 1. Work in 15 minute increments. If you find yourself weighed down by the idea of decluttering your home for an entire day or weekend, try a 15 minute schedule. The short time frame makes it simple to stick with long term, even for the busiest people. 2. Say goodbye to guilt. It is common for people to feel guilty for getting rid of items they no longer need or want. Avoid feeling guilty about “wasting” your stuff by donating items to a local thrift store, women’s shelter or homeless shelter. Giving back is a great way to see the positive in your decluttering efforts. 3. Add decluttering to your to do list. To hold yourself accountable to completing the decluttering process, add it to your ongoing to do list. This will help you to stay on track with what needs to get done. 4. Declutter rooms in sections. Start at the door and work your way toward the centre of the room. Continue with your efforts until you reach the opposite side of the room. This will make decluttering feel like a process broken down into steps and decrease any feeling of overwhelm. 5. Start and finish your decluttering efforts in one room before beginning another. This includes closets, dressers, desks, etc. 6. Minimize your storage space. Keeping storage space to a minimum will give you less space to fill with more stuff once you have removed excess items from your home. 7. Follow the 6-month rule when purging your closet and dresser. If you haven’t worn clothing for more than 6 months add it to your box of donations. 8. Ask for help. Outside sources have no emotional attachment to any of your items and can help your make decisions when items fall into a grey area. 9. Create a designated space for mail and other papers. A junk drawer or a filing system needs to be in place in every home to cut down on the clutter caused by incoming mail. 10. Make it a family affair. Working together on organizing your home is a great way to bond with your spouse or children and a joint effort will ensure the habit sticks. After purging the clutter, you may be shocked to see how much room you have and how many fewer things you need to pack. Looking for support with an upcoming move? Let us do the heavy lifting!
Tips For a Stress-Free Move With Your Pets
Moving can be incredibly stressful for us as humans, so I can’t even begin to imagine how scary it can be for our pets. Especially since they have no sense of control over what is happening. It is essential not to forget about your pets and the stress that they may be feeling. Hopefully, these tips will provide your pet with an easier transition to their new home and help you both settle in quicker! The following tips will prove that a stress-free move with your pets is possible! Make Sure Your Soon-to-be Home Meets Your Pets’ Needs Before purchasing a new home, make sure you have considered the needs of your pets. If you have feline friends or smaller-sized dogs, you may be able to get away with a smaller square footage home and smaller backyard. Although, you may want to make sure there is vertical room for cats that love climbing. If you have a large dog, you will want to consider a home with enough space and a large backyard for them to run and play. When a large backyard is not possible, make sure you buy a home that is easily accessible to take your dog for consistent walks or that your new home is near a dog park. If you bring a canine friend to your new home, it may be a good idea to take them on a walk around the neighborhood and get them familiar with the outdoor space and smells. Talk to Your Pet’s Veterinarian If your move is taking you away from your current Veterinarian, and you will need to find a new one, you should reach out and let them know. They will advise you of what you will need to do to transfer your pet’s medical records. It would be valuable to ask for your pet’s vaccination record if you don’t currently have it to ensure they don’t miss their vaccinations. You will also need to do some research to find a new Veterinarian for your pet once you have moved. You can ask your current Vet if they have any recommendations of a great Veterinarian in the area around your new home. The Packing Process Much like humans, many pets don’t like change. You will want to help ease the adjustment right away by trying to keep their stress levels low. Try to keep their daily routine as normal as possible during the moving process. If possible, pack the room that your animal frequents the most last. If you are looking for storage solutions in the process of moving, make sure to head over to our friends at Crate It Storage and check out all their fantastic storage options. On moving day, you will want to keep your pets in a quiet room with the door shut. Consider packing an easily accessible bag for your pet. A backpack with enough essentials for a few days includes food, toys, treats, kitty litter, blanket, etc. This bag will come in especially handy if your pet does need to hang out somewhere else during the moving process. On The Road Do be careful when transporting your pet to your new home because if they do happen to get scared and escape their kennel or leash, they could get lost quite quickly with all the new-to-them scenery and smells. Even the most docile or well-trained dogs can respond differently under stress or to new environments, so it is best not to assume their reactions for their safety. If your animal has not spent much time in a kennel or on a leash, it may be good to get your animal used to it before the move. You can do this in a few different ways: Place the kennel in their most-frequented space as soon as possible with the door open so that they have full access to observe it. Try placing their food inside the open crate. Once your animal is comfortable eating with the door open, then try closing the door and letting them eat with the door closed. You can try carrying them around the house in the kennel for a few minutes at a time. Always end any time in their kennel positively by rewarding them with treats or playtime. Pet-Proof Your New Home Before bringing your pet into your new home, it is a good idea to make sure you pet-proof your home. Make sure there have been no poisonous pest-control traps that have been left anywhere in the home. Especially if the home was vacant before you move in. Remove any toxic houseplants that could be harmful or potentially fatal to your animals. Check that all windows have secure screens, You may want to ensure that you place screen protectors on any screens that extend to ground level if you have an animal that may jump up and ruin it. Tuck away electrical cords if you have animals that like to chew or may get tangled in them. Block off any small spaces or nooks that your pet could get trapped. Home Sweet Home Upon arrival at your new home, it may seem easiest to let your cat or dog loose to explore the house. However, remember this is a new space, and it may be scary or intimidating for them. To try and alleviate that stress, you should let them adjust to one room at a time. The first room you let them explore should have their food and water dish, bed, toys, and treats. This space will be their main comfort space, and as their comfort level grows, you can gradually introduce them to other rooms as you see fit. Moving can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! Most importantly, be patient and provide reassurance by showing them lots of love and giving them extra attention through this time of change. With these tips your move with your pets can be as stress-free as your moving experience with Relocate Stress-Free Inc.!