The Ritual of Spring Cleaning

Any cleaning that happens during a certain three months could be considered spring cleaning, but we have given such a simple term a much grander meaning. Springtime is when we go through the items in the closets and spend hours cleaning parts of the house we often don't even remember exist. It hits us like an instinctual compulsion, and the more we get done the more rejuvenated we feel.

Spring cleaning gives us an opportunity to get our blood pumping again as we breathe in the air from our opened windows. It is truly rejuvenating to feel that breeze and hear the birds as we're on our hands and knees cleaning the baseboard. Spring cleaning is a spiritual ceremony of lightening ourselves and freeing us from the clutter that builds when we sit still for too long.

Yet even with all the benefits the idea of beginning our spring clean can be quite daunting. Here are a few things to consider:

• Make a list of all things you would like to replace, fix or give to charity, and prepare a budget if necessary.
• Take one room at a time: It does not matter how many rooms you have in your house, you cannot do your house in a single day even if you have only two rooms.
• Open the doors and let the fresh air in: open all the doors, let the fresh air in, start some music and start working in the room.
• Start cleaning from the top. Chandeliers and ceiling fans are hardest to clean so tackle them first.
• Wash the draperies after you have cleaned the room. If you have Venetian blinds, clean those with a wet cloth after you have dusted the room and vacuumed the carpet.
• Sort the useful and useless: In each room, sort the items you wish to keep and get rid of everything you don’t want. Open all the drawers and cupboards, and take out everything that you have not used recently and you are not likely to use, and store it separately for a garage sale or charity.
• Collect all the papers that you have in each room and organize them in two groups/piles. One pile you wish to keep and the other you want to throw away.
• When in doubt, throw it out.
• Recycle it permanently: If you are a firm believer in keeping things for use “just in case” you’ll collect many items that you’ll never need.
• Try to make spring-cleaning fun. If you can involve your family members, it will be just like the outing you are planning during the summer. Well, maybe not, but you can try!

All this work is definitely deserving of some sort of reward. For some of us, just the new openness and feeling of lightness our space provides is a great enough reward. The rest of us want a little something more. It can be good to redecorate a room or two. This allows us to maximize the positive changes we are making to our living environment.

Decorating for Valentine's Day!

With Valentine’s day just around the corner, thoughts turn to romance. To set the right mood throughout the year, here are some simple decorating tips and a handful of extra special touches to dress your home. So whether you are planning a Valentine’s Day bash or some intimate time for two, check out these romantic ideas.

For lighting consider changing your white light bulbs to pink. These cast a softer, gentle glow and will be sure to bring plenty of complements.

A collection of whimsical or more traditionally elegant angels, cherubs, and cupids can be delightfully fun to create. Consider printed pillows, woven throws, porcelain figurines, classic framed prints and the like. These can be gathered and dedicated in one room or creatively displayed throughout your home. They have a way of lifting one’s heart during a potentially dreary time of year, and reminding us of those closest to us.

Treat yourself to flowers. And, yes, do go beyond the grocery store! There are not only florists, but great sources on-line (think 1-800-Flowers). While roses are the original symbol of romance, tulips in white, red, and pink or even a bouquet of carnations can brighten any room. Paperwhites and other bulbs will bring a welcome touch of Spring, as well.

For those with a sweet tooth consider well placed candy dishes, heart-shaped of course, in crystal, silver, or ceramic. Whether filled with chocolate kisses, or message hearts, it adds a sense of festivity and sweetness to the season.

Stairrails, mantels, mirrors and more can all be festooned with ribbon in white, pink, and red, reflecting the heart of the holiday! Papier mache cupids and angels are now available in a variety of sizes and finishes (gold, silver, or unfinished) and can be perched strategically on posts, mantel corners and the top of cabinets.

If red, pink, and white aren’t your favorite colors, go with gold or silver, but do promote the sense of romance with sparkle and elegance. What makes you feel romantic?? These days the opportunities are endless; take advantage of the day and make it special.

www.interiorsrefinednow.com

How a Wood-burning Stove Can Transform Your Home

Central heating is wonderful for keeping our homes snug during the cold months but nothing can replace the cozy glow of a wood fire. Fortunately, with a wood burning stove you can have the best of both worlds and save money in the bargain. You can heat your living room with a wood burning stove running economically on wood pellets and just turn on your central heating to warm up the rest of the house when needed.
Stoves were once at the heart of every home but were replaced as gas and electricity powered devices were developed for cooking and heating. In recent years, people have begun to rediscover the charm and efficiency of the wood stove and installed one or more in their homes as supplementary heating system. If you're interested in doing the same, here are some things you need to know.

A wood burning stove, also known as a woodstove is a stove that burns wood for heating and cooking. A woodstove comes in many types ranging from smaller stoves running on wood pellets to large wood burning cook stoves. Wood pellets are generally produced from sawdust or wood shavings.

A "wood burner" generally refers to a stove that burns logs while "multifuel" stoves take logs or coal. Wood stoves are commonly made from cast iron, welded steel, soapstone, or porcelain.

The ease of use of the stove depends on the type of fuel it uses. Pellet-burning stoves are fully automatic - you just need to load the wood pellets and clean up after each use. A wood-burning stove on the other hand needs manual supervision but cleaning is only necessary on a weekly basis.

As for installation, wood stoves are freestanding and can be added to any room. However, they are heavy items and most homes are not designed to take that kind of weight so you’ll need to install some kind of support. Another factor is that you need some provision for fire resistance to protect your floors. One option is to buy wood stove pads which will give your rooms the protection they need.

So what are the advantages of installing a wood burning stove in your home?

For one thing, they are very efficient, especially when compared to open fires. Wood stoves generally operate with and efficiency of 75% compared to 15-20% for open fires. What's more the timber used as fuel is around 30% cheaper that gas and oil. And as a carbon neutral fuel, wood stoves are eco friendly. Another great benefit of the wood burning stove is that it reduces your dependency on gas and electricity as energy sources to heat your home.

If you're thinking of installing a wood stove in your home, keep these things in mind.

- wood stoves don't offer quite the same push button ease of operation that gas and oil powered systems do. You may have to spend time on loading, lighting and tending your stove, not to mention cleaning.

In addition, wood fired stoves don't burn as cleanly as those using fossil fuels though this depends to some extent on the grade of wood pellets you choose. There are two basic types - standard and premium and the latter while costing more do tend to burner more cleanly. You need to check what grade of pellet your stove can handle. Multifuel inserts and stoves can handle both types of pellets along with those made from wheat, corn and other organic sources.

When looking for a wood burning stove or stoves to buy, consider the style. Stoves take up space so you'll want them to fit in with your existing decor and color scheme. There are a wide range of styles to choose from including reproductions of the classic cast iron stoves of yesteryear and sleek modern designs using other metals and coated with veneers in a broad range of colors.

The best way to find your ideal wood burning stove is to visit the web sites of online dealers and manufacturers where you can browse the illustrated details of stoves.

Decorate Your Table for the 2010 Fall Season with Maple Leaf Dinnerware

The fall season is here and with it comes the hope of autumn festivities. Kick your season off right by following one of the freshest dinnerware trends of the 2010 fall season with maple leaf themed dinnerware. This delightful new pattern will transform your autumn table into a masterpiece of design without the boring themed tableware that lacks color and personality.

This season, autumn decorating styles have shifted more to traditional designs with more concentration on textures and colors. When using colorful maple leaf dishes, you can forgo the normal fall table decorations such as containers of flowers, vivid table linens, and so forth. This trend makes setting up an autumn table fast and easy.

To make the most out of this trend, mix and match the sizes and colors. One example would be to use the earthy brown plates with mugs of a contrasting color and bowls of still another color. If you have a favorite harvest tablecloth, you can still use this style, but opt instead for matching the tableware pieces in a color that contrasts to your tablecloth. The plan is to make your fall table decorations brilliant and attractive.

These fall table decorations are showing up in other rooms as well, taking their place in the family room as fabulous containers for pinecones or autumn treats. The subtle design makes it simple to switch these pieces from room to room and function to function.
Let Interiors Refined by Paula redesign your dining room this Fall.

Property Can Still Be Your Best Investment, Despite The Market "Crash

Over the past few years there has been so much negativity and bad publicity regarding the housing market and how investing in property is no longer worthwhile, profitable or a good investment for your future. This, of course, is not true, because property ownership is still one of the best investments you will make, but it’s important to remember that any investment carries some risk. Property is definitely at the lower end of the risk scale when you compare it to the likes of shares and alternative investments, which can cause higher levels of issues but in fairness, carry a higher level of reward. The choice you make when choosing property as an investment is the choice of a probable lower return but a much safer risk factor.

An investment property is a solid investment for many reasons. Everybody needs somewhere to live and in the developed world there is often a shortage of housing, especially for the lower end of the earning scale. If you have a product that has a great demand, the chance of you making money from that product is even higher, hence why owning a property and either renting it out or sitting on the house and then selling it later, is still a great money making venture. Unlike some other investments, property is a necessity when it comes to what people need, whether it’s buying or renting, there is always going to be a demand for something that is so vital in our modern world. Historically, property has always risen in value and price if you look at the statistics on a long term basis.

It is true to say that there have been blips or mini falls in prices, but if you look at the strength of property over the past 50 or so years, you will see that in most, if not all areas, property prices have continued to rise, sometimes with a rapid increase but mostly as steady and stable increase, which helps to account for any so-called crashes that may occur over the years. Not many investments can boast a long term continuation of a rise in value, but property is proof that as investments go, it is possible to have both a short term and long term rewarding investment, all in one. When you look at stocks and shares, you have hardly any control over how they work as an investment. If you are willing to sit and monitor live share information all day, you do have a good chance of making money on your initial purchase price.

But with a property you have the choice of how it works as an investment, whether you decide to buy a home, renovate it and then sell it, or maybe you will buy a building, rent it out and then sell it when the value has risen and the market has improved. You really are in good control of your investment and how it works for you. So, if you are still worried about whether property is a good investment for you, you only need to look back over history to see that although prices can drop, in terms of a long term growth, they have continued to rise for many years and will no doubt continue to do so in the future.

www.InteriorsRefinedNow.com

Make a Statement with Home Staging Rental Furniture

In today's tough economic climate, few industries have taken a harder beating than the real estate market. That means that if you are trying to sell your home you have to be more of a stand out than ever before if you are going to woo those potential buyers into making the purchase. We all know how crucial landscaping and lawn work is to increase that all important curb appeal, but the simple fact is that all curb appeal can do is get potential buyers in the front door. What happens once they are inside?

You have cleaned and scrubbed and primed and painted, but is your place really ready for prime time? Before the open house, you have got to do your homework and understand a few basics of home preparation. Though it may seem like overkill and it may be a little emotional for you, it is strongly suggested that you remove family photos, collections and other personal items like trophies and awards before showing your home. Many opt to clear out the house entirely, making use of home staging rentals as props to show the property in its best possible light.

Home staging rentals have been a trade secret of home staging experts for years, but with the increase in the necessity of staging, more and more people are catching on, de-cluttering and cashing in. With housing sales at near record lows, we have to do everything we can to be memorable and by renting furniture and accessories to stage your home you accent the best points while drawing attention away from the down sides.

By using home staging rentals you can instantly transform that small, cramped bedroom into a cozy study or home office that's just perfect for an on-the-go lifestyle. Replacing a heavy antique table with a smaller, more neutral dining table and accessorizing simply with candles or basic plants can make the most of a dining room when finances are causing many of us to remember the importance of having dinner at home again.

By using home staging rentals and removing the majority of your own furniture and personal items from the home before your open house you are not only helping buyers to see themselves in the house, you are also getting a jump on your own packing and moving. With your things well packed you might even consider using a portable storage unit that can be delivered to your new home or apartment to make the moving process that much easier!

In the end the most important thing to remember is that while the house you are hoping to sell may have been your home, you have to depersonalize the process to make the most of this volatile real estate market and close that sale. Home staging rentals help to neutralize the space and make it more appealing to a wider audience, thus making it possible for buyers to envision themselves in the space.

Contact Interiors Refined by Paula for information on rental furniture for your home

Is Your Property for Sale? Make Sure You Adopt the Right Selling Tactics

The world economy has recovered from the recession. However the US is still facing slow recovery and unemployment problems. Moreover real estate sentiment is still cautious and anyone selling a property has to adopt the right marketing tactics. To get the maximum price from the property for sale and ensure its quick sale, it’s necessary to follow the below mentioned steps:

Get the Help of a Professional Home Stager. The recession had given rise to professional home staging because selling a property has become arduous in these difficult times. A professional stager visits a property for sale and highlights the defects that should be rectified by the owner. The aim is to make the property attractive to prospective buyers.

Give the Property Greater Visibility. Once staging is done, it is time to market the property. Marketing means providing greater visibility to the home so that larger numbers of prospective buyers are able to see it. This increases the probability of finding the right buyer.

The owner of the property should have it photographed by a professional certified home stager. Vivid, impactful photographs of the interior and exterior are then uploaded on the realtor site. Since 90% of buyers are online first before they visit the home, the property gets great exposure.

Professional Help and Right Pricing. There are many real estate agents out there who are well versed in the business. The owner can gain immensely from their knowledge and get the right price for the home. Price plays an important role in the sale of the property.

The owner of the property (with the help of the real estate agent) should study the prevailing market conditions and price the property according to the prevailing rates. Professionally staging the property will result in a quicker sale even now when the real estate market is struggling. Contact Interiors Refined by Paula for a consultation.