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Getting Ready to Downsize? Here’s What You Need to Know

Downsizing happens for a variety of reasons: maybe you’re an empty nester and planning to move to a smaller home, or maybe you just want a simpler lifestyle with less stuff lying around!

Photos By: Unsplash

Deciding to work remotely for a while is another valid and common reason for downsizing. Whatever the reason, the process of downsizing can be overwhelming – it involves a lot of digging through your possessions, sorting stuff out, deciding what stays and what goes, then dealing with the items you’re no longer keeping. In other words, downsizing is a lot of work. But, with a little bit of planning, you can streamline it and make it easier. Here’s what you need to know about downsizing and how to come up with the right strategy:

Start the process early on

One common trap is underestimating how much time you actually need to downsize. It’s not something that can be done properly in one weekend, particularly if we’re talking about large family homes. Ideally, you should start sorting your belongings and downsizing before you move, a few weeks prior to moving to the smaller home or apartment.

Have your measurements ready

Most people who downsize are planning to move some of their old furniture into the smaller home. In such situations, it’s very important to take detailed measurements of the furniture, the space where you want to place it, and of the door frames as well. Door frames can be smaller, especially if you’re moving from a single-family home into an apartment, and you don’t want to find that out when your sofa was already delivered at the new address – and you can’t get it inside. Also, if the rooms in your new home are smaller, it’s important to visualize how your old furniture fills the space – a simple way to do that is by using tape on the floor to draw the contours of the furniture you’re planning to bring.

Consider turning to self storage

According to recent research from self storage website Storagecafe.com, more than a third of Americans are using self storage, and the most common reason for renting a unit is downsizing. In fact, renting self storage is a huge help if you’re downsizing. It can benefit you throughout the actual process of packing up the belongings and preparing them to be moved as well as after the move. Rent a self storage unit located close to your new home and use it to safely store items you decide to keep, as you pack them, until moving day comes along – this takes a lot of the pressure off and allows you to use your time and effort more efficiently.

Self storage also helps because you are temporarily relocating to a new city or new country, combining remote work with traveling. It’s a safe – and affordable – way to store the stuff you’ll be needing when you get back home. The cost of renting self storage varies depending on where you live. For example, renting a 10’x10’ self storage unit in Austin costs around $170 per month. A unit in Oklahoma City, on the other hand, hovers around $100 per month.

In both instances, however (or in any other location in the country), using self storage is more convenient than paying months of rent on an apartment, just to house your stuff, or dumping your possessions on reluctant family or friends.

If you’re a homeowner and plan to relocate for several months or longer, it’s still a good idea to downsize your belongings and place the expensive and important ones in storage. Then, you can put your home up for rent without worrying about potential damage to your furniture and other items. This way, you’ll be cashing in a monthly income instead of paying mortgage and maintenance on an empty home.

How to decide what stays and what goes

This might just be the hardest thing about downsizing. We all get attached to our stuff, and it’s hard to let go. Try to apply some of the following principles in order to move things along and speed up the process:

  • Sentimental items (old photos, journals, postcards, your kids’ artwork since they were in kindergarten) are probably the most difficult to deal with. But you have a simple solution to that: scan and take digital pictures of everything. You’ll hold on to the memories, which will be at your fingertips all the time, on your phone or on your tablet, without cluttering your space with a lot of boxes filled with old papers. Other ideas to keep your sentimental items without causing clutter include creating scrapbooks or framing and displaying the most significant ones.
  • Limit yourself to just one of everything – if, for example, you own two vacuum cleaners, keep only one, the one you prefer. The same goes for everything, from tools to kitchen utensils and so on.
  • Use the stuff you were saving for the future – the future is now. Maybe you have a set of fancy China, or luxurious bedding, that you saved up until now. Well, downsizing is the perfect opportunity to get rid of your old stuff and put the new and nice items hiding in your closets and cabinets at good use.
  • When it comes to clothing and shoes, a good rule of thumb is to get rid of everything you haven’t used in the past 12 months.

What to do with your stuff?

Once you decide what items you want to keep, you’re left to deal with the rest. Some of them will probably go to recycling or straight to the trash bin. As for the stuff that’s in good shape, you can find various uses. Ask your family and friends if they need anything and gift it to them. Or you could sell them online, or even organize a garage sale. Find local organizations that accept charitable donations and contact them to pick up your belongings.

However, all these actions take a little bit of time – which is another reason why it’s important to start the downsizing process early on.



Infographic provided by Oncourse Home Solutions, a top company for a heating system maintenance plan

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Ultimate Guide to Home Electrical Safety

Make sure you stay safe at home with these simple electrical safety tips!

Photos By: Pexels

For well over a century, we have enjoyed the modern convenience of electricity to live comfortably. It lights our homes, provides warmth, and powers our ever-growing assortment of electronics. It’s so common that it’s easy to forget its inherent dangers. Over time we’ve added safety features to appliances and outlets and adopted electrical wiring standards that keep us safe.

These measures make our home’s safer. For example, when ground fault circuit interrupters (GCFI outlets) became the standard for outlets placed near water sources like in the bathroom or kitchen, the number of accidental electrocutions dropped by 83%. That’s a shocking change considering that our dependence on electricity has grown during that same time.

Enhanced safety measures and familiarity provide a false sense of security, and many DIY-savvy homeowners take on more than they can handle with home electrical projects.

The Real Deal on Electrical Safety in Your Home

There was a time before the 1970s when electrocutions and house fires were a lot more common. And while we’ve made a lot of progress at improving the safety of electrical use in our homes, there is still a risk. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that faulty electrical wiring is still responsible for approximately 10% of all house fires. And we still see more than 400 deaths every year attributed to electrocution injuries.

The electricity in your home is a live current, and it is capable of producing significant injury and starting fires in the same way that a bolt of lightning can. Even simple tasks like replacing a bad switch or installing a ceiling fan come with some risk.

Here’s why you’re better off hiring an electrician:

●   Wiring trouble can increase your risk of a house fire, putting the safety of your family at risk.

●   Electrical work can be dangerous.

●   Your DIY electrical project can cause your home to fail an inspection when it comes time to sell.

●   Electricians have training and experience to navigate safety and compliance to get the job done right.

●   You don’t have to worry about building code violations.

●   Electrical work is time-intensive and takes you away from enjoying your personal time.

When it comes to home remodeling projects or fixing a pesky problem, hiring an electrician might feel like an expensive burden. But it’s one of those things that is often a controllable upfront cost to save a lot more money down the road.

Electrical Safety Tips

Electrical safety in the home goes beyond building codes and qualified workmanship. It starts with practical, everyday actions that can protect your home and your family. Here are a few tips to take note of.

Use the Right Light Bulbs

A quick trip down the lighting aisle at your local hardware store can be overwhelming. There’s an assortment of bulbs in different sizes, shapes, and wattages. While some fixtures require special bulbs, most US fixtures take a standard medium bulb or E26. That code identifies the screw type and size, with “E” indicating an Edison bulb and “26” indicating a 26mm width socket.

The problem is that the E26 bulb comes in different wattages, which indicate how bright the bulb is. A 40-watt or 60-watt bulb is common, but they go all the way up to 100 watts. Light fixtures, on the other hand, are designed for a specific wattage. Overlamping, or using a 75-watt bulb in a 40-watt-rated fixture causes excess heat build-up and quickly becomes a fire hazard.

Pay Attention to Cords

Frayed cords and tangled messes shoved behind a piece of furniture are both common electrical hazards in the home. Worn or damaged cords on appliances can lead to exposed wiring that is not properly insulated, increasing the risk of shock when someone uses that appliance. Homeowners should keep their cords tidy so that wear and tear is easy to recognize and promptly replace cords that become dangerous.

Use What You Need, Unplug What You Don’t

You probably don’t realize this, but appliances constantly draw energy when they are plugged into an outlet. Even when a device is powered off, it’s using energy as long as it’s connected to the wall. The US Department of Energy says that gaming systems, phone chargers, and other common electronics are energy vampires that cause millions of Americans to pay higher electric bills.

So, unplugging what you don’t need makes sense from a cost-savings perspective. But it’s also a safety measure. If you’re not regularly using the appliance, you won’t notice when something goes wrong. Leaving them plugged in increases the risk of overheating or damage from a power surge that can pose a bigger threat to your safety.

Remember, Water and Electricity Don’t Mix

The use of GCFI outlets has improved the safety of electrical wiring in areas that also are prone to water exposure, but safety features don’t replace common sense. Allowing moisture to build up anywhere there is an outlet, fixture, or appliance that is connected to your electrical system can spell big trouble. Avoid electrocution injuries by being vigilant about electrical safety in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, garage, and outdoor areas.

Get an Electrical Inspection

It’s always a good idea to be proactive. Most electricians offer routine electrical inspections as a common-sense approach to keeping up on your home maintenance. These inspections can identify problems so that you can address them before they become a serious, life-threatening situation.

In newer homes built after the 1970s, a routine inspection every 10 years or when electrical problems appear will keep things in good shape. If you live in an older home, especially if the wiring hasn’t been updated, you’ll want to keep a closer eye on things. For these homes, aim for a routine inspection of three to five years or when electrical problems appear.

Get a professional electrician on-site immediately if you notice signs of a problem like:

●   Flickering Lights

●   Strange Smells

●   Warm Switchplate Covers or Fixtures

●   Frequent Tripped Beakers

●   Buzzing, Humming, Cracking, or Popping Sounds

●   Any Amount of Spark

What to Remember About Home Electrical Safety

Electricity can always be dangerous. Even though it has become a common part of our lives and both homes and appliances are outfitted with dozens of safety features, the risk of injury or death is still very real. Take the time to address common electrical hazards in your home and talk with your family about the hidden dangers of unmonitored appliances and carelessness when using electricity in the kitchen or bathroom. Invest in the best safety equipment and consider using gloves while working like those from https://unigloves.co.uk/ to avoid injury. The best thing you can do to promote electrical safety is to pay attention. If you notice a sign of trouble, remember that it’s always a good idea to leave electrical work to licensed professionals.

Author Bio

Bobby Lynn, the owner of Livewire Electrical, is a fully licensed electrician in Charlotte, NC. Bobby is insured for both residential and commercial electrical projects and has over 20 years of experience in the industry.

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4 DIY Tips For Home Sellers in 2022

Thinking of selling your home next year? Here are some tips to sell your home fast!

Photos By: Pexels

With the new year, comes new resolutions for homeowners. If you’re thinking of taking advantage of the advantageous seller’s market by putting your home up for sale, you’ll be glad to know the current housing conditions almost guarantee a favorable closing price — so long as you have a top-notch real estate agent on your side.

Though home prices are extremely high right now, there’s still plenty of tasks you can tackle yourself in order to truly impress your buyers. As any real estate agent will attest, staging a home is key in order to sell quickly and profitably. Here are some helpful tips to get started.

Declutter, deep clean and depersonalize 

When a buyer views your home, they’ll want to picture themselves living in the property. That’s why top real estate agents always recommend decluttering, deep cleaning, and depersonalizing your home prior to the sale.  Limit the number of family photos and mementos, remove the layers of dust and grime from the shelves and windows, and organize the storage spaces in your home.  If it is a big cleanout, you could hire a residential dumpster to make the job easier.

If you’re looking for some housekeeping tips, remember to stay organized and motivated. Come up with a cleaning and decluttering method that works for you. Some people like setting timers for 15 minutes every day to work, while some create a goal to donate or throw away a certain number of items everyday. No matter your method, this is an easy way to impress buyers that won’t cost you a dime!

Stage your home

Staging your home is perhaps the most important step before allowing potential buyers to view your home. In order to pull this off, maximize your space, plant flowers outside, and paint the walls neutral colors.

Decorating your home is another important step. As noted, personal mementoes, family photos, and sentimental keepsakes, while extremely important to you, will actually hurt your selling prospects. Buyers want to picture themselves in your property, so try limiting the personal tokens within your decorating in favor of neutral items like plants and landscape photos. You don’t have to remove all the family photos and having no decor at all will decrease the hominess of the property — just make sure anyone entering your home for a tour will be able to picture themselves living there.

Take your home virtual

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s now more important to ever to make sure your home stands out both physically and virtually. Videos and photos are going to be more important than ever, so you’ll want to make sure you create a top-notch online marketing presence for your property.

While your real estate agent can help with this process, it’s easy to create great home videos and photos with just your Smartphone. Lighting is important, so choose a time of day with plenty of natural light and turn on all overhead lighting. Remember, you’ll want your angles to showcase your home’s spaciousness, so avoid taking close-up photos. If you don’t know where to start, always remember to ask your real estate agent for guidance.

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Modern Bioethanol Fireplace for your Home

Bioethanol-fireplace is a great alternative to the traditional fireplace and wood burning stoves while being low-maintenance and easy to clean at the same time!

Photos By: Pexels

Bio ethanol fires require no complicated installation, electricity, power, or the like, and can easily be placed wherever you want it. Are you looking for design trends to modernize your house? What’s better than to let the light into your home through large windows, while having a modern bioethanol fireplace as a centerpiece in your living room? 

An eco-friendly fireplace

A bioethanol fire is an easy and great way to modernize your home, but it’s also an eco-friendly solution. So, while you’re optimizing your home, you’re thinking about the environment as well. Ethanol fireplaces are very smart and easy to handle. A bio ethanol fireplace burns on bioethanol fuel, which is produced mainly from organic materials such as potatoes, corn, and sugar cane. This means that during burning only CO2, heat, and evaporated water are emitted. As opposed to the classic wood burning stoves, a bioethanol fire does not require a chimney or a flue. The cleaning of a bioethanol fire is therefore minimal, and the maintenance is very easy to handle. A biofuel fireplace can be installed and placed almost anywhere you want, and you can enjoy the flames from the bio fuel fire almost right away! Also, if you have an old wood burning stove, but you want an eco-friendlier alternative, it’s also possible to easily convert your old wood burning stove into a bio ethanol fireplace. There are specific so-called bioethanol burner grates for this purpose – just place the bio ethanol burner into the existing stove, and you can enjoy the cosiness of your eco-friendly ethanol fireplace.

Install a bio ethanol fireplace to make your home feel more cosy

If you’re thinking about making renovating your home, or you want to make a few changes in your home to make it feel cosier and homier and are looking for modern homes inspiration, it might be a good idea to install a bioethanol fire in your home. Perhaps you have a small DIY project in mind and only need a small bioethanol fire, or perhaps you’re thinking about a bigger renovation project for your home? It doesn’t have to take much to install a bioethanol fire in your home. Bio ethanol fires come in many different sizes, shapes, designs, and colours – and also models. Maybe a wall mounted fireplace or ceiling mounted bioethanol fireplace would be fitting for your project? Or perhaps a freestanding bio ethanol fireplace is the better solution? A freestanding bio ethanol fireplace doesn’t require any installation – it just needs to be placed wherever you want it, and you’re good to go. As bio ethanol fires don’t need electricity or power, you can place a freestanding bio ethanol fireplace anywhere, and the decorative fire will create a cosy atmosphere in any space! Whatever bioethanol fireplace model you opt for, you’re guaranteed a cosy atmosphere, warmth, and a beautiful-looking fireplace in your home.

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3 Design Trends to Modernize Your House

Make your house look trendy this season with some of our favorite interior design trends!

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Upgrading your home to meet the latest trends can be equated to going shopping for clothing to keep up with the ever-changing fashion trends of the season. Luckily, interior décor trends do not change as often as fashion does, and neither do structural ones, else it would be too costly to keep up. As technology advances, upgrading your home to the current standards of modernization is a welcome idea.

That said, I’m sure you’d like to achieve this with minimal physical damage to the existing structure and without having to rob a bank. Here are our top 3 design trends from which you can borrow inspiration.

1. Let the Light In

Modernize your home by bringing in additional light and giving your space a new lease of life. You’d be surprised how much airy your house will feel with more illumination. Poorly lit spaces tend to feel cramped up and can negatively affect your emotional state. On the contrary, well-lit areas are inviting and keep your creative juices flowing. With more opportunities to work remotely, you want to recreate your home to enhance your productivity and not drain the energy out of you.

There are several ways you can brighten up your home, depending on your budget and how extra you want to get. For starters, you can recreate a wall on one side of the house that would offer a lovely view and interchange brick with glass. The effect of the ceiling to floor windows is not only contemporary, but it brings life into your space without an additional monthly utility bill. Check out some modern house plans to get inspired.

Another alternative is to add lighting or upgrade your entire lighting system. This could be anything from hanging downlighters to strategically placed lamps, either table or floor, to replacing the traditional, outdated ceiling lights with contemporary masterpieces.

2. Landscape Your Lawn

Landscaping your lawn may not give you an instant wholesome result, especially when it comes to planting trees, flowers, and other beneficial shrubs as they take time to grow. However, it will greatly enhance your curb appeal. Often, we do not pay too much attention to the yard until you drive past a beautifully manicured, well-thought-out landscaped yard in the neighborhood and realize what a significant difference it makes.

There are many benefits to landscaping, more so if you carry out most of the work yourself since you’ll be building your hand strength, reducing stress, and exercising your entire body, thus, improving your overall health. Additionally, with an aesthetically appealing outdoor area, your quality of life will improve. Plants are beneficial to the water and air around and provide a cooler environment while preventing soil erosion. These are just some of the benefits.

You can engage a variety of landscaping techniques like layering the heights of trees and plants, blending in flowers that complement each other, and using cobblestones, gravel or bricks to demarcate the driveway. Visit a garden center near you, and they will advise which plants go well together.

3. Create an Alfresco Area

There’s nothing as beautifully relaxing in the presence of nature with a chilled glass of your favorite beverage on a warm, lazy Sunday afternoon with a couple of friends. It’ll be beneficial to have a space created that brings you peace and calm, a great hideaway when you want time away from the kids or your home office or when you want to read a book and relax.

You can create an outdoor room that’s either permanent or temporary, depending on how much you are willing to spend and what resources you have readily available. If there aren’t any financial limitations, you can install a pergola and furnish it tastefully.

Final Thoughts

Modernizing your home is not as complicated and financially engaging as you may imagine. Once you embark on the finer details, decide what changes you would like to make, and get the necessary quotations, you’ll probably wonder why you had to wait so long. People are spending more time at home, and keeping your sanity is critical. Having a home you are comfortable with and look at with pride will put you in the right mind space to achieve all.