Get your home ready for the holidays
During the chilly season all we want is to feel warm and cheerful. Preparing for the holidays is more than cooking a turkey and putting up a tree. The structure and the interior of your home should both be maintained and decorated.
Top 5 Decorating Tips
Lighting
Play with the lights around your home, you will realize you prefer certain hues over the others. To achieve a warm and cozy feeling reach for a warm light. Warm lights have yellow and orange tones, rather than blue or even white. You can simply replace the bulbs in your lighting fixtures, or you can add lighting as a decoration with candles, nightlights, hue lights and even fireplaces.
Textiles
The fun stuff! The cozy decoration that warms you up, textiles! Textiles are your throw blankets, rugs, pillows, and curtains. The more the merrier, layer up your rugs + have never ended decorative pillows. Textiles don’t need a “place” leave it where you last used it.
Nature
Nature is life and by bringing life into a house it makes it a home. Plants are a subtle and effective way of doing this. Wood and leather can be used for the same effect without the responsibility of a plant.
Fragrance
Have you ever smelled something and instantly a memory pops up? Fragrance is a great way to influence emotions Sandalwood, lavender, vanilla, and jasmine are popular fragrances known to soothe and alleviate stress. Warm or fall scents are going to be your spices, pine, pumpkin, apple and more. Explore which fragrances you like to incorporate in your home. Sometimes a home cooked meal is the best feel-good scent there is.
Love and Memories
A house is made of brick and stone; a home is made of love alone. Display sentimental pieces such as photos, and generational treasures that make you feel at home. Allow your home to tell a story.
Top 5 Winterization Tips
Proper Insulation
Insulation is used to keep your home and your water at the desired temperature, whether its hot or cold, just like a thermal cup. Insulation should already be in your walls, just make sure to insulate your pipes and attic to be sure the warmth doesn’t escape your living area.
Caulking
Small open throughout your home allows the heat to escape your home and allows the cold air to enter, to prevent that you just need to caulk those spaces. This takes place on the exterior of your home and in the attic. Common problem areas are around pipes, ducts, windows, and doors.
Water Heater Maintenance
An annual flush is good practice to ensure the efficiency of the heater and the quality of the water. If you don’t you can expect to find particles and buildup in your heater, which can cause issues with the system or even your health.
Weather stripping
Similar to Caulking, but for doors and even windows. Replace if they are worn and no longer effective. Draft guards are another cheaper option.
Ceiling Fans
Don’t turn the fans off, just switch the setting to make them rotate clockwise. In the winter the fans can help push the hot air back down.
The holidays are a good reminder for your annual maintenance. Keeping your home maintained is good for your health, the longevity of your home, and helps keep the bills manageable. If you know anyone who is in the market to sell, buy, or lease call us today!