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.

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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.

Place Looking Tired? Simple Tricks to Update Your Home Now

Look around and ask yourself how your home looks and feels- Right now. Is your environment supporting a harmonious state of mind? Do your surroundings uplift or inspire? It's easy to breathe new life into a tired space. Here are 5 basic and inexpensive ways to refresh and revive your home today!

Restore Your Door. If your front door is old, worn out or has peeling paint, you have several options. Buy a replacement door from a building center for as little as $165. Paint your door a signature colour, or install a decorative window and let light in. A door with character will enhance curb appeal and bring a smile to your face every time you come home.

Rejuvenate with Color. Refreshing home areas that are used most (the foyer, living room or kitchen for example) will create impact and energy. Deliver design punch to rooms with interesting accent cushions, bright curtain panels or a bold accent wall.

Refresh the Trim. Think about replacing or painting any scuffed or non-existent baseboards and/or trim. Home Depot and Lowes as well as other home improvement centers have new trim starts at less than a dollar per linear foot for pre-painted “easy to install” plastic. Crown molding adds drama and architecture to a foyer, living room or dining room.

Update Switches, Plugs and Plates. An often overlooked but effective home update is replacing all old and painted over light switches with new plates, and to buy new dimmers, controls and plugs. It’s possible to refresh an entire house for less than $100. If you are handy, plug receptacles can be replaced with a newer, square style.

Make Over Dull Interior Doors. Take all ugly brown slab doors, add some inexpensive molding and paint them white. While this final project suggestion is a bit more intensive overall, the payoff is basic hollow-core doors transformed to appear expensive, clean and unified. Find an attractive new doorknob or handle in a complementary style or finish from about $10.

It’s easy to renew the spark in your home relationship. These refreshing and easy changes will increase the value of your home and can have you “loving it again”.

Are you Seeing Red? Feeling Blue? In a Black Mood?

Maybe green with envy or preferably, tickled pink? Finding words to describe the way we feel evokes a veritable rainbow. So perhaps it won't come as a surprise to learn that the colors we choose to decorate our homes with may affect our mood.

Red is a color that intensifies feelings. It makes a bold statement, can be very passionate and, incidentally, is the color most chosen by extroverts! It can also make people feel hungrier so consider using it in the dining room - or the master bedroom!

Tranquil blue has a cooling effect because it reminds us of water and sky; just the thing to settle a lively toddler in his room at bedtime.

Are you a morning person? If not, then maybe you should consider a cheerful buttery yellow for your bedroom or kitchen.

Royal purple is rarely found in nature but it can be calming and enhance creativity. Consider employing the regal hue in an elegant sitting room or a creative room, such as an art studio.

Green - nature's color of choice. Fresh, calming and relaxing particularly in living rooms and bathrooms, and worth a thought for someone who is inclined to feel a little depressed.

Orange is a bold and exciting color. It demands attention but it can be warm and welcoming when mixed with a little brown. Consider using coppery brown accessories in a living room.

Colors can be used to great effect to change the tone and setting of any room in the home - from mellow yellows for a relaxed country kitchen to tranquil blues for your child's bedroom.

Whatever color you select, don't be afraid to take chances. Most people don't really want to spend their time living in a plain white, grey, or beige home but the key to being more daring is to concentrate on the accents. Contact Interiors Refined by Paula for a color consultation.

Curb Appeal - The Do's and Don’ts That Will Get You the Most Return

You have considered the turmoil in the real estate market. You have seen the highs over the past years and the very lows of the recent years. Now with the ups and downs you have decided to put your property on the market.

Regardless of how good the inside might look, if you can't get potential buyers past the front door, it won't really matter. The small bit of peeling paint on the front porch and the bare spots on the lawn should not bother the interested buyer, right? Maybe yes, maybe no, but then again they could see these small flaws and drive right by – thinking "if there are flaws out here, then there has to be problems inside as well". Don't under estimate the value of a first impression. And furthermore don't underestimate the importance of a house's curb appeal.

Basically, "curb appeal" is the impression a property makes when first seen, either during a drive by in a car or walking past from the sidewalk. If the outside is clean and neat, buyers will walk into the house with the idea that the inside will be the same. If the outside is disheveled and unkempt, they (the buyers) may not be interested in walking in and possibly will never see the work that you have done.

So here are some "don'ts" to a property's curb appeal:

-Don't let vegetation grow into a jungle. Remove dead trees and branches and prune overgrown shrubs.
-Don't let peeling paint or deteriorating wood go unaddressed. If cleaning doesn't help, you can always revive it with a fresh coat of paint.
-Don't put off repairs; if you can’t fix it, hire a handy man and get it done.
-Don't leave random items in the lawn or have broken furniture scatted about; it will make the place seem cluttered and distract the buyer. And finally,
-Don't leave burned out lighting – light is a huge part of a first impression, so make sure all the outdoor lighting is working.

Here are some quick "dos" for the property:

-Do take a tour of the exterior and note any problems.
-Do relocate unwanted items (like trash cans) to an unseen area.
-Do make windows sparkle – a little cleaning goes a long way.
-Do focus on small things like your mail box, your house number, or some healthy potted plants. And finally,
-Do make sure your home is properly lit and add lights if necessary.

Don't hesitate to contact Interiors Refined by Paula when you decide to put your home on the market.

Discerning Flair Can Work For You (Eclectic Design)

Eclectic decorating requires using a variety of styles and pulling them together to create a cohesive look. The good thing about an eclectic style is that you can combine any pieces that you enjoy. You probably find the balance of conventional décor irresistible, but like cottage pieces and wish to add a few. Perhaps you adore cottage style but want to add French country accents. Eclectic decorating techniques allow you to use a variety of styles throughout the space to be decorated. It takes a good eye to pull together an eclectic style. Decorating with a theme is easier because it helps to have a common thread. When producing an eclectic style, you need to find acute similarities and contrasts. Here are some suggestions to help you create an eclectic room.

Creating New Principles The basic step is to discard all the rules. Ignore furniture purchased in sets, buying only the pieces that you like. These sets are predictable and can be ho-hum. In the eclectic style, don’t restrict your alternatives to one kind of wood. Rather than picking out all pine or cherry, select oak, mahogany or other wood species. The various pieces of furniture that you select should also be a mixture of unique colors, styles, and textures. Think out of the box for wall decorating ideas: An aged garden gate or an old window frame can be wall art or stand in for a headboard.

Accomplishing Counterbalance in an Eclectic Space Counterbalancing is important. As an example, place an ornate carpet below an oak hutch. A robust oak table is evocative of the rural style, but bringing in a carpet that is brilliantly colored with navy blue, burgundy, and forest green grants the area a totally original look. Additional accessories will change the entire style of the room. Add unpretentious elegance with an exotic flavor with accessories like a burgundy candle in an Asian style brass wall sconce holder - which also works to pick up color from the rug. For chair coverings, use navy blue material with cream trim. A great accent for an eclectic dining area is old china plates in a white and blue pattern.

This room can have a combination of rural, exotic and contemporary using these various components. The saturation of the colors are proportionate throughout the space in the plates on the walls and the carpeting. These pieces also have a pale backdrop in common, in addition to having a moderately exotic theme. Some elements, like rooster plates, for instance, are too provincial country and would have failed to achieve a balance in the area. the emphasis colors all have the same vividness and are dispersed throughout the space. The oak furniture in the area withers into the backdrop in the face of other brilliant pieces, which step down the country theme. The chairs have the ease of contemporary style, but they are subtle enough to go with the theme. The ease of the oak furniture and the linen chair coverings blend well with each other and work against the exoticness of the accents.

Employing Fewer Pieces When applying an eclectic style, it is easy to exaggerate it. Place several pieces together to experiment with unique looks. Arranging heavy pieces throughout the room as balance is essential; you do not want heavy items arranged together. The astuteness and lucidity of colors is also fundamental. Pastels combine well because they are all clear and light.

Combining Different Components in Eclectic Style Mixing components on different levels can help make an eclectic style work. For example, you can combine styles, such as modern and country, but it is also fundamental to combine various woods and textiles. Complete the look by positioning items from different styles, such as an old-fashioned vase and a contemporary table, next to each one. This mix-match strategy can help produce an eclectic room. Interiors Refined by Paula can help you combine the components needed.

Eclectic Spaces to Adore It is essential to love the pieces that you put in the room because you are the one who has to live there. That means putting your preferred color in the room in a contemporary sculpture, pieces of traditional pottery, and traditional paintings. You can merge all of these items in one room by applying the same color to unify the different pieces.

Contact Paula for a consultation on your redesign needs.

It’s a Bad Idea to Leave Rooms Empty When Showing Your House

1. People don't buy houses; they buy homes.

2. It is difficult to understand how large a room is when there's nothing in it to use as a reference point.

3. People can't visualize how furniture will fit in an empty space, and if they're unsure, they don't buy.

4. When a room is empty, prospective buyers focus on negative details instead of falling in love with the overall space. Rather than looking at the flow of one room to another, prospective buyers get bogged down in questions like: Is the drywall smooth? Will those bumps in the carpet come out? Why doesn't the closet have a hanging bar? Why doesn't that molding fit perfectly? Why is the light switch in the middle of the wall?

5. When a house or even a few rooms are empty, prospective buyers may become distracted from the house itself and shift their focus to the homeowners. Instead of focusing on whether this is the home for them, they may be busy wondering: Is this couple getting a divorce? Has the family left town? Are they selling because they have money problems? This train of thought can then prompt buyers to begin thinking, "Maybe I can put in a low-ball offer since the seller might be desperate." Definitely not the picture you are trying to paint!

Home staging is about packaging a home to show off its best features and downplay the flaws. You romance the buyer and entice them into making an emotional connection with your house. So, bring in some furnishings and accessories to add character and warmth to the home. Taking the time for these final details will ultimately translate into a higher return on your investment.

Written by home staging expert Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®, www.stagingdiva.com. © 2008, Six Elements Inc. Used with permission.

http://www.InteriorsRefinedNow.com

5 Effective Tips for Decorating Your Home on a Budget!

Are you sick of looking at the newest styles of brand name furnishing catalogues and stores for your home, just to realize that the price for small coffee tables are equal to half of your salary per month? Do not let this discourage you. With some ingenuity, any home can become as stylish and beautiful as a celebrity’s, for a much lower price. Here’s how!

1. Begin with your walls. It is quite easy to just forget that a fresh new color of paint on your walls could give any room a whole new feel and look. Wallpapering is another way to spice up a room. However, do not go over your budget by hiring contractors. Think about wallpapering only a single wall or just the borders.

2. Accessorize. Yet another cheap way to produce designer looks would be by purchasing several key accessories, such as throws, scented candles, and silk pillows. Pick elegant centerpieces for the dining room table, such as fruit bowls, fresh flowers or floating candles. Photographs, paintings and prints can also be hung up throughout the room to produce any look you want. Shop at thrift stores and flea markets for interesting prints and photographs, or visit discount stores for frames to hang several personal creations.

3. Buy “budget” furniture. Shop intelligently for couches, entertainment centers, lamps, and tables! Consignment stores, estate sales, flea markets, thrift and junk stores could become gold mines when it comes to stylish second-hand furniture. If second-hand isn’t your thing, shop online or at clearance sales. Furniture stores on the internet can sometimes be treasure chests for awesome deals.

4. Create your own atmosphere. Do not underestimate a lamp’s power. The perfect lighting can easily transform a room. Avoid halogen unless they actually match your decorative scheme. A great way of providing style to a room would be with wall sconces. Search for sconces that are easy to install yourself.

5. Sew. If you cannot afford a new couch and know how to sew, make use of discounted fabric to create new couch covers. Produce even more beautiful and cheap furniture simply by making chair covers or seat cushions for the dining room. You can also find slipcovers at Surefit.com

Finally, think about just rearranging the furniture you already have. Finding another wall to move your couch against can produce a brand new look. For help contact Interiors Refined by Paula.

These tips can help you achieve the style you desire for a very low cost. Surprise your family and friends with a stylish home and dazzle everyone with the very low budget you actually worked with.

Redesign ‘n Stay or Stage ‘n Go!!!!

Many people today are planning to redesign their home for a new look or stage their home for sale. First, why are many people doing a home redesign? The economy today has a lot to do with it. The housing market has lost approximately 50% of its value so selling a home and purchasing a new one is difficult or impossible if you have a mortgage. The option to a new home is to redesign the old one.

Doing a home redesign is very intimidating for many people. It involves a number of areas of expertise such as design theme, furniture selection, layout, color theory, accessories, fabrics, arrangements, cost control and budgeting, etc. In today’s economy many people are looking for ways to do it without spending a fortune. Fortunately, that’s where we come in. Contact us to stage your home for sale or redesign it to stay.

More difficult for many owners is having to sell their home. Again the economy is the culprit. Realtors are not stagers, so what are your options? What is staging a home in the first place and why do you need to do it. Why can’t you just sell your home as is and the prospects can take it as is. Well, here are the reasons given by most professional stagers.

First, over time most families accumulate an enormous amount of furniture and goods. Unless you are a minimalist, your place will probably look cluttered to the prospect who is trying to visualize their furniture in your home. The prospect buys on emotion and you must appeal to them. Therefore, less is more appealing. Staging professionals know what to keep and what to discard. They know how to layout to create a pleasing visual arrangement to the prospective buyer. Second, color and arrangements are vital to get a quick sale and an acceptable price. Professional stagers have a list of key buying factors that are paramount to success. The success of stagers are evident if you watch HGTV go into a home that is not selling and by using staging techniques, help the owners to a successful sale.

Should you decide to sell your home and you need a professional stager, contact Interiors Refined by Paula to help you accomplish these tasks.

Seniors!!! Clear Clutter and Downsize the Easy Way

Are you thinking about downsizing to move to a smaller home? You can downsize even if you don’t plan to move. Reducing the amount of possessions on a regular basis will help avoid the physical exertion and emotional trauma of doing it all at once. Are you living in a home that has become too large and it is harder to go up and down the stairs? Are you afraid of getting rid of things because you are afraid you’ll be getting rid of your memories?

Clearing the clutter from a house you’ve lived in for years can seem like an impossible or overwhelming task.

Sometimes it is the adult children that interfere with moving plans as they don’t want their parents to leave the home where they have fond memories of growing up. Or it could be that they want you to move but are afraid of suggesting it.

If any of this sounds familiar and you do want to clear clutter, here are six easy-to-follow tips to make downsizing easier.

• Evaluate each room one at a time and decide what you plan to keep and what you want to give away.

• Discuss with your family that you are clearing clutter to prepare for a move. Have them come to your home and give them colored stickers. Have them walk around and put a sticker on items they want. If there are duplicates on an item they can negotiate as to who gets it.

• Make a plan to get rid of what you don’t use, love or that you no longer want to keep.

• Take photos of things you want to get rid of but are having a hard time parting with and put them in a photo album.

• If you are storing your adult children’s possessions give them a date they need to have them removed. If they don’t come and get their things donate them.

•Remember what you put in storage is just delaying making a decision.

Consider the wonderful opportunities that will be opening up after moving from a house that you have outgrown….comfortable condominiums, gated communities, retirement centers, assisted care centers or perhaps a “mother-in-law apartment”. Clearing the clutter that has accumulated over the years gives you a sense of freedom and fewer things to dust.

Contact Interiors Refined by Paula to help you declutter, organize your move and then redesign the rooms in your new home using the precious items you decided to keep.

Find the Right Real Estate Agent

It can be a tough process in finding the right real estate agent. Selling your home is a very important matter, and it can be hard to find the right person to help you sell it. The best real estate agent that you find will be one that listens to your needs, and will help you to understand your choices. Here are some tips for finding the right real estate agent.

For starters, ask your family and friends if they could refer a good Realtor to you. Most successful real estate agents put their clients’ needs number one on their list of priorities. You can also look on the Internet for reviews and recommendations. There are numerous websites that can connect you with a good Realtor, depending on your specific needs. You can also view profiles of real estate agents online, many of which have reviews left by other clients for you to read.

While you’re at it, visit open houses to view how real estate agents do their work. If they seem to do a good job at showcasing other houses that are for sale, then you can consider asking them to help you with yours. You need to pay attention to how polite and professional they are. Are they friendly? Do they answer your questions? Do they seem like they know what they’re doing? If “yes” to all of these questions, then they may be able to help you as well.

Read the ads in your local newspaper. Look them up on the Internet to find some positive reviews on them. Call them as well and ask about their credentials and experience.

Don’t make your decision right away. Put some thought into it. Make sure you do all the appropriate research. Selecting the right real estate agent is very important, so take some time to make the best choice possible. Call Kim Davis at Exit Realty (703)304-5051 for your real estate needs. Then contact Interiors Refined by Paula to stage your place for sale or to redesign your new home.

Clear Clutter: Reclaim Your Spaces with Closet Organizers

You are probably hesitant to open your closet because you know what will happen and what you are going to see once you open it. Actually, there are others out there who feel the same way towards their closet. But that can be changed. The holidays are over and spring is around the corner. Use this time to do something for yourself – Get Organized!

Getting a closet organizer is the best step you could do for your closet and your piece of mind. Here are some tips to have that organized closet that you have been dreaming of:

1) First of all, decide on a date to do your organizing. Commit to your project and stick to it.

Remove everything from the closet. As you remove each item, decide what to do with it. Sort into three categories:

Keep: Have you worn this item in the past year?
Donate: Is this item still in good shape just not right for you?
Trash: Is this item stained, worn or outdated?

2) Another great tip is to put all your hanging clothes back in your closet backwards on the closet rod. As you wear each item, put it back on the rod “front ways.” After a year, the clothes still on the hangers inserted backwards can be discarded. You haven’t worn them in a year!

A great closet system will offer adjustability so you can move your shelves and rods as your needs change. You will find valet rods, tie and belt racks, shoe shelves, jewelry drawers, shelves, laundry baskets, hideaway mirrors and much more. Larger closets can often accommodate ironing systems, islands, drawers, countertops with mirrors and more. Some people even opt for drawer banks in their closets so there is no need for dressers in the bedroom.

You can find closet systems that are floor based – a great idea! Who wants a heavy closet system hanging on the wall?

3) Purchase a slide out mirror that you can put in your closet. The good thing with the slide out mirror is that you can easily hide it in your closet after using it.

4) Another advantage of having a closet organizer is that you can arrange your clothes easily according to season. The best closet organizer for seasonal clothes is the wire basket. This will help promote good flow of air in your closet and avoid causing odors in your clothes. Hanger marks will also be eliminated if your clothes are arranged properly on the wire baskets.

5) For your socks, underwear, hankies, jewelries, hair clips, pins, hair accessories, and other tiny objects, the drawer dividers are the best answer.

6) Closet organization also includes your shoes. Put in a shoe rack that will match your closet design.

7) Closet organizers are custom-built. You can find the right design and sizes that will fit into your closet space.

Visit Interiors Refined by Paula
and The Closet Factory