How to Keep Leftovers from Becoming a Scary Surprise in Your Fridge

Some foods age gracefully, such as wine and cheese. Others, like last night’s casserole, not so much. How do you keep leftovers from getting jammed into the back of your refrigerator and turning into a nasty surprise?

Here’s a simple solution. Designate one shelf or space in your fridge for leftover items. It becomes a visual cue: if there’s food there, you have leftovers that need to be eaten. I swear by this method and it has eliminated this challenge in my own refrigerator.

Use clear storage containers because you can see in without opening the lid. If you have a little more time and energy, consider identifying them with removable labels such as these label pads from Post-It, available at many office supply stores.

Adopting any of these simple steps will save you time and money. You can eat those leftovers instead of wasting them. And, hopefully, you’ll never again have the yucky chore of lifting the lid to a storage container that was jammed in the back of the fridge!

Cathy Brosius is the owner of Arranged Smartly, a home staging and organizing company.  Cathy and her team are working smartly for homeowners and real estate agents throughout the St. Louis region.  She has also been interviewed on KMOV’s Great Day St. Louis, providing tips on staging a home for sale.

Recycle Electronics at Best Buy’s e-cycle Program

My husband and I were clearing a few things out of our basement over the weekend and came across the graveyard of electronics. You know what I mean. The pile of electronics that quit working and weren’t worth repairing or items that were replaced with newer, better functioning models. It seems a lot of people have their own version of this somewhere in their homes.

A Best Buy location was on the way to the thrift store where we planned to drop off some other items, so it was the perfect time to try this service.

According to Best Buy’s website:

Regardless of where you bought it, what brand it is, or how old it is: bring it to us. We’ll make sure it’s properly and safely recycled. It’s all part of our consumer electronics recycling programs. And we’ll take just about anything electronic, including TVs, DVD players, computer monitors, audio and video cables, cell phones, and more. Most things are recycled absolutely free, with a few restrictions.

I’m glad to report the process was easy and the associates were friendly. Just inside the door there was a bin for cables, jewel cases, CDs, ink and other items. The greeter put a recycle sticker on all of our products (satellite dish receivers, blender with no glass parts, inkjet printer with ink cartridges removed) and sent us to the customer service desk. We dropped the items off there and were on our way. There is a fee for TVs and monitors, but Best Buy gives a gift card in return.

So I’m making a pledge not to let the pile accumulate again. And I’m hoping you’ll be able to deal with your electronics graveyard as well!

Cathy Brosius is the owner of Arranged Smartly, a home staging and organizing company.  Cathy and her team are working smartly for homeowners and real estate agents throughout the St. Louis region.  She has also been interviewed on KMOV’s Great Day St. Louis, providing tips on staging a home for sale.

Buying a Large Item for Your Home? Take a Tape Measure!

I recently bought a new refrigerator for my home. As I started the tedious shopping process, I realized that there was a shallower than normal opening for a refrigerator in my kitchen. Because I had the exact measurements, it was not a problem and the new model fit perfectly.

As a home stager and professional organizer, I often see spaces where homeowners haven’t taken the time to measure. Sofas, bedroom sets, refrigerators, light fixtures and more are too large for areas. With furniture, it can make a room feel small and crowded. With appliances such as a refrigerator, cabinets or doors may not function properly or may jut out into a walkway. I’ve seen homes that required a carpenter to rework trim because of an ill-fitting refrigerator.

Merchandise will always look smaller in a giant showroom–be sure and take a few minutes to measure so you’ll know how much space you actually have for a large item!

Cathy Brosius is the owner of Arranged Smartly, a home staging and organizing company.  Cathy and her team are working smartly for homeowners and real estate agents throughout the St. Louis region.  She has also been interviewed on KMOV’s Great Day St. Louis, providing tips on staging a home for sale.

My Favorite Laundry Time Saver Eliminates the Need to Sort Socks!

Laundry is not my favorite chore, especially sorting and folding. That’s probably why my favorite laundry time saver is using Sock Cop Clips from The Container Store. Just imagine–they eliminate the need to sort socks!

Socks are clipped together before dropping them in the laundry. Ours goes down the laundry chute into the hamper, then through the washer and dryer. These clips really do keep pairs together and they dry fully (other kinds left socks damp where they were clamped together). Choose a different color clip for each family member to expedite the sorting process further.

The best endorsement: my husband loves them too and actually uses them!

Six Staging Steps That Offer A Big Bang For Your Buck!

Getting ready to put your home on the market? Looking for ways to get the biggest bang for your buck? This slideshow will offer some insight and help you make choices now to make sure your home shows at its best!

Cathy Brosius is the owner of Arranged Smartly, a home staging and organizing company.  Cathy and her team are working smartly for homeowners and real estate agents throughout the St. Louis region.  She has also been interviewed on KMOV’s Great Day St. Louis, providing tips on staging a home for sale.

Make It Work: What Home Staging and Project Runway Share

I love Project Runway. I love watching the fashion. I love mentor Tim Gunn. And I love his mantra: “Make it work.” That got me thinking about the many ways Project Runway and home staging are similar.

If you’re not familiar with the show, they start with 16 fashion designers. Each week they get a crazy project and one or two days to complete a garment, usually within a limited budget. The designer with the worst style as determined by a panel of judges goes home. At the end, the final three go to Fashion Week in New York and the lucky winner gets $100,000 to start a line.

Hmm, what does this have to do with home staging? It seems most of my staging projects need to be completed within a tight time frame, usually within a limited budget. That requires a lot of creativity, inspiration, stamina and “make it work” attitude. I love a challenge and I find the results personally rewarding. While it’s not $100,000, people pay me to do this for them. And the best part is, my clients are really happy with the results.

Now, time to watch my favorite program… auf Wiedersehen!

Cathy Brosius is the owner of Arranged Smartly, a home staging and organizing company.  Cathy and her team are working smartly for homeowners and real estate agents throughout the St. Louis region.  She has also been interviewed on KMOV’s Great Day St. Louis, providing tips on staging a home for sale.

If Your Home is For Sale, Which Vibe is it Giving Off?

Kristi DeFazio of RE/MAX Advantage in Colorado Springs, Colorado, wrote this insightful post about how buyers perceive homes for sale. I think she was right on. If you are a home seller, make sure your house is #5!

Via Kristi DeFazio Colorado Springs Real Estate 719-459-5468 (RE/MAX Advantage):

I have been a buyer’s agent in Colorado Springs for awhile now and each time I take a buyer into a home, they usually make a comment within the first 5 seconds of entering the home.

I have a theory that each home has a “Vibe” to it and that vibe is noticed immediately.

The questions is- If your home is for sale, which Vibe do you want to portray?

Here they are from the point of view of the buyer looking at your home.

Vibe #1- Home has been neglected and may be bank owned. This vibe shows through the curb appeal (or lack thereof) with the weeds and trashy yard. When you walk inside this home, you usually see immediate repairs that need to be tended to. Often times the heat and lights are off in this home and it gives off a really bad vibe. This home could also be a divorce situation where they just want OUT. This type of home has one hope for getting sold- PRICE. It must be lower than the comps in the area.

Vibe #2- I like to call this home vibe The Outdated Vibe. When you walk in this home, the first thing the buyer will comment about is the ugly color carpet or the old style fixtures. When you walk around this home, it may be clean, but it could have been built in 1970, 1980 or any other time that you FEEL when walking through the home. It may have window treatments that are nice, but in mauve and baby blue. Also, this home could have some really tacky wallpaper in the kitchen and bathrooms. There is really nothing WRONG with this home except the fact that it is living in a time warp. Some buyers can see past this and picture updates, but only if the PRICE is right. By RIGHT, I mean lower than the comps in the area.

Vibe #3- This home is what I call the “Weird Layout” Vibe. When you walk in this house you feel it immediately. It may even start from outside the home where you have to take a path to the door that is on the side of the house in a weird location. You may see a coat closet in the dining room or a weird shaped kitchen that doesn’t allow any space for standing- much less eating. This home could have a huge formal living room and teeny tiny bedrooms. You wonder what the person was thinking who designed this home. The layout  is not practical for most of the population. Unfortunately, the ONLY hope for selling this one is PRICE. Again, it must be lower than the comps in the area.

Vibe #4- “Old People” Vibe. Now, I am not being mean here, I promise!  I have older parents, and many elderly clients that I dearly love, but buyers have commented to me on this vibe more than some of the others. They say “You can tell that elderly people live here.”  When you walk around this home it is usually similar to the outdated vibe. Usually you see TONS of pictures on every inch of the walls and on every table imaginable. The grandkids are cute. However, the house smells a bit like Ponds Cream and usually is decorated with lace and doilies. There is some serious oldantique furniture throughout the home. I think this home is usually a very easy fix if you get a stager involved. It is sometimes hard to convince these sellers that you sell a house differently than you live in it. A stager will help these sellers appeal to all types and ages of buyers and possibly get them as much money as Vibe #5.

Vibe #5- “Smiley Face Vibe” When my buyers walk into this type of home I have seen a visceral reaction from them. They fall in love. They make comments like “OOOHHH, AHHHHH, This is SOOOO Nice.” Now, this vibe often comes from brand new homes, completely remodeled homes or a home that has been staged to perfection. It is spotless and clutter-free.  When I walk in a home and feel this vibe, usually my buyer does, too. This home is the one you see when it is sold that brought the higher price. If I take my buyer to look at 5 homes, guess which one they want to put an offer on usually?

If you are asking yourself, “How do I make sure I give off that special VIBE to buyers?” I have your answer. Hire a Realtor that can help you by either suggesting improvements or pointing you in the right direction with a great stager. If the home needs TLC, it is easier to do it as it needs it, but an experienced Realtor can help before you put it on the market.

It is all about making a great first impression and presenting a winning VIBE!

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If you are looking for Real Estate in Colorado Springs call Kristi DeFazio at 719-459-5468

Kristi helps buyers find their dream home in Colorado Springs with that winning VIBE!

Kristi DeFazio

Realtor

RE/MAX Advantage

More about Kristi

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Remove That Wallpaper Border if You Are Staging Your Home!

It seems like I’ve been seeing a lot of wallpaper borders lately. Sometimes they are part of a wallpaper decorating scheme and other times they are flying solo near the ceiling or at chair rail height. I have yet to see one that I think enhances a space. It’s a trend from a past decade and it dates the home like brass fixtures or avocado appliances. For this reason, I recommend you remove that wallpaper border if you are readying your home for sale!

Like any design choices you make when you live in a home, if you love them, you should keep them and enjoy. But if you are putting your house on the market, a space that is perceived as dated will never be the first choice among buyers unless they’re looking for a fixer upper.

Removal can be very simple, especially if you’re not contending with wallpaper. Ultimately, if it remains, it can be very distracting and a reminder of the seller’s personal style. In the photo above, the nautical border is reinforced with themed accessories and color choices, reflecting the taste of the homeowner. It doesn’t really enhance the vaulted ceiling and is making a newer property look dated.

If you’re not handy, check with a handyman or painter. Removing wallpaper border usually costs less than you think, and it will be a whole lot less than a price reduction if buyers are perceiving your property as dated. Honestly, if you don’t want to remove it, you know the buyer is thinking the same thing!

Cathy Brosius is the owner of Arranged Smartly, a home staging and organizing company.  Cathy and her team are working smartly for homeowners and real estate agents throughout the St. Louis region.  She has also been interviewed on KMOV’s Great Day St. Louis, providing tips on staging a home for sale.

Putting Your House on the Market Soon? Here Are 6 Ways to Begin Home Staging Now!

You’ve decided to put your house on the market and you’re planning to do so in a month or two. Now you must decide how to prepare your home for sale. To make that task easier, here are six ways to begin the home staging process now.

1. Decide what needs to go

• Check each room and remove furniture and accessories that are not necessary, are visually distracting or block the views of architectural details. This includes family photos, collectibles, accent furniture or maybe even large pieces such as a buffet or TV.
• Look for too much pattern in a space. When your home photos get posted online, pattern can be very distracting. You can slipcover upholstered furniture, remove a busy area rug or remove pillows or other accessories that add too much visual noise.
• How to decide? Rooms should appear as large as possible and traffic pathways should be free and clear. Take a photo if you’re not sure and compare it to houses currently on the market that look appealing to you.
• Also remove anything that has a limited personal appeal such as dated window treatments, wallpaper, decade-specific colors like mauve or teal, your collections or very taste-specific styles.
• When in doubt, take it out! Less is more here.

2. Decide where it will go

• Once you have identified the things you want to remove, figure out where they will go. An end table may get moved from the family room to the living room to flesh out a sparse space.
• If you have storage space in the basement, excess items can go there if neatly stacked, preferably in a closet or along a wall.
• What if you don’t have any storage space available in your house? Consider asking a family member or friend if you can store items at their home. Rent a storage space or pod. But make the phone calls now and sort this out so your home is ready to show on listing day.

3. Cull excess items from closets and storage areas

• If you can reduce what’s in your closet by one-fifth to one-third, it will make the space look larger and indicate to buyers that there is plenty of storage space. Donate apparel you haven’t worn in the last year or the kids have outgrown. You’ll have less to pack and unpack for the move. Box up out of season clothing that you won’t need for a while.
• This strategy applies to gadgets and dishes in the kitchen and items in other areas of the house, too. Is there something you aren’t using? Pack it up or take it to a thrift shop.
• Do you have a graveyard of miscellaneous items you don’t know what to do with? Things like electronics can be donated if working, or recycled at electronic recycling depots if not. In St. Louis, check http://www.ecyclestlouis.org/. You’ll find locations where you can take electronics to be recycled and you’ll help the environment.

4. Repair deferred maintenance

• Always repair those obvious things that really need fixing. Even addressing simple issues like jiggly doorknobs makes a house feel well-maintained.

5. Paint

• When walls or trim are dirty, marked or can’t be cleaned, it’s time to paint.
• Personal color choices with limited appeal will need attention. This can mean dated hues, like mauve and teal, or colors that may not appeal to the masses, like purple or neon green.
• Dark colors can be difficult to paint over and may make a room feel smaller. Along the same vein, dark paneling may make a room feel cave-like and dated. Consider painting these spaces in a light, neutral color that will feel brighter and larger.
• Choosing neutral colors like light beige or neutral green will make the house feel fresh and appeal to the widest number of buyers possible. This can offer a big impact for a small investment.

6. Make simple updates

• Switch out light fixtures, faucets and even bathroom hardware such as towel racks, for an updated feel with a minimal investment.
• Pay attention to metal finishes that are currently in style. In most cases this means anything but brass.
• Not handy? Call a handyman service. They are usually qualified for tasks such as replacing faucets and lighting and can be reasonably priced.

Make sure you apply these steps to the interior and the exterior of your house. Whatever you do to get your property ready for the market, give yourself plenty of time. This allows you to complete the tasks yourself or call in help if needed. Preparing your home for sale is like studying for a test or readying for a job interview–the investment of time now can really pay off in the future.

Cathy Brosius is the owner of Arranged Smartly, a home staging and organizing company.  Cathy and her team are working smartly for homeowners and real estate agents throughout the St. Louis region.  She has also been interviewed on KMOV’s Great Day St. Louis, providing tips on staging a home for sale.

One Simple Thing You Can Do To Reduce Clutter

It’s January. Perhaps you’re trying to turn over a new leaf and reduce clutter. It’s also Get Organized month, according to the National Association of Professional Organizers. So, here’s one simple thing you can do to reduce clutter. It’s actually pretty painless, too.

Just say “no.”

Before you cut out a new recipe, pick up a free sample or accept an item someone else wants to get rid of, ask yourself if it’s necessary in your life. Do you have something like it at home? Will you really whip up that new recipe? Is the information easy to locate online where you can electronically save a bookmark? Even consider asking the checker at your favorite store to skip the bag if you’re just purchasing one or two items.

Make the conscious decision to bring only the things into your home that are necessary or useful. Just because it’s free doesn’t mean there is no cost to you. If things pile up, those items can cost you time when you want to locate something and disorganization can ultimately cause stress and frustration.

By doing this one simple thing, you’ll help rein in clutter and save time. If you don’t have it, it’s one less thing you’ll have to sort through it at a later date!