If you’re going to be putting your house on the market, you want it to be in the best condition possible for when prospective buyers come and look at it. A little sprucing up can add a lot of curb appeal and increase the chances of selling your home as soon as possible. Make Over Kitchen Cabinets An older, out of date kitchen can be given a face lift with the addition of some paint and new cabinet doors. The doors on the kitchen cabinets can make or break the way a kitchen looks. If you don’t have the funds to buy new cabinet doors, consider painting the cabinets. Avoid any type of wild paint, sticking instead to solid colors or the tried and true basic white. Add interesting touches like removing one cabinet door and paint the inside of the cabinet and shelves a different color. You can keep it open, or add a glass door. Adding some new knobs and handles will improve the look even more. You can go basic, or get really fancy with some high-end hardware, depending on the style of your home. Give the Entrance a Makeover Brighten the entrance to your home by painting the door. Choose an accent color from the rest of the front of the house. Add brand new hardware for a totally new, finished look. Place potted plants on either side of the door, or if you have wide steps, place them on the steps. Paint railings with fresh paint, being sure to scrape off the old paint first. Place solar lights along your walkway to add even more brightness. Replacing your mail box will also add character and instant curb appeal to your home. Be sure your house number can be seen from the road by placing large numbers on both your mail box and the house. Organize Closets People, especially women, always take closet space into consideration when looking for a house to buy. Purchase closet organizers and have them installed, or install them yourself. Then organize those closets and get rid of everything you don’t actually use. This will make your closets seem much larger and add so much more storage space by utilizing empty spaces in the closets. Alternately, if you have two closets in one bedroom, take the doors off one closet and turn that one into an office. There are “office in a closet” kits that come with shelves, and a deeper shelf to use as a desk. Add a desk chair, a computer and place a few books on the shelves and it looks like you have a home office, virtually creating a whole new room within a room. ]]>
Jazzing up Your Bedroom
Is your bedroom in need of a slight makeover? Surprisingly enough, many people don’t spend too much time thinking about how their bedroom looks. How many times have you been on a tour of a friend’s new home, and the tour stops short of their sleeping area? If you don’t want to fall into the trap of feeling like your bedroom isn’t a “show off” room, then take a few steps to jazz it up a bit. By paying a little attention to a few areas in your bedroom, you can leave that door open with no shame. New Bedding – Depending on your sleeping preferences, your bed may well be the biggest piece of furniture in your home. Coincidentally, your bedding may also be one of the largest decorations in your home. Do you like your bedding? Does it match your home and personality well? If it leaves you wanting, then consider outfitting your bed with a new bedding set. With this one improvement, the entire mood of your bedroom can change. If you can manage to find curtains or drapes that complement your bedding, it will tie your bedroom together in a big way. Floors – Bedrooms may have the least amount of floorspace visible, but that doesn’t mean that they should be neglected. Consider buying a decorative rug for your room. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, consider installing a new carpet or flooring. The sky is the limit here, and any change made is likely to be an improvement. Laundry – Piles of unfolded or dirty laundry can be an eyesore. Even a visible laundry hamper is enough to be a distraction. Consider outfitting your closet door with a hanging laundry basket, or instituting a “no dirty laundry in the bedroom” rule for yourself. Lighting – If you rely solely on overhead lighting in your bedroom, then consider buying a lamp or two. Lamps will serve to highlight your furniture, as well as create a more relaxing environment.]]>