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23 Tips For Moving With Pets

4/26/2018

1 Comment

 
As if moving wasn't stressful enough, moving with pets can add a whole new layer of stress and concern to the process. There's a lot to think about in terms of safety, comfort, and fear with animals while moving. Here are 23 tips to help you help your cat or dog before, during, and after a move.
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Before Moving

  • Consider what the neighborhood is like where you're moving. You'll want to be in a pet-positive community that isn't too traffic-filled. If you're moving into an apartment, condo, or townhouse, be sure dogs and cats are allowed. 
  • Scope out local veterinarians, dog parks, pet stores, and grooming salons in the area you're moving to so you have an idea of where these facilities are located.
  • Learn about any local ordinances in your new town by checking with the city or county clerk's office. This will help you learn about limits on the number of pets per household, zoning laws, leash laws, and licensing rules.
  • Make sure both your cats and dogs are comfortable with a crate. Try leaving the door of their crate open and putting food, treats, or toys inside in the weeks and days leading up to the move so they have a positive association with the crate.
  • If your pets aren't used to riding in the car, try taking them for a few short trips that gradually lengthen over time to get them accustomed to being in a moving vehicle.
  • Visit your current veterinarian for a final checkup, any needed vaccinations, and obtain all health records and prescription medications.
  • During the packing process, try to keep your pets routine as normal as possible. Introduce boxes and moving supplies slowly and with regard to how your pets will react.
  • Prepare a first aid kit equipped with gauze, adhesive tape, bandages, and peroxide. Keep an emergency veterinarian line phone number programmed into your phone, too.
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During The Move

  • Keep your pets in another room, at a friends house, or at a local kennel during the moving process so they don't escape while things are being carried in and out of your home.
  • If you keep your pets home with you, make sure to tell all movers to be aware of your pets and which room they are in so they don't escape.
  • Try to keep your pets' routine as normal as possible to avoid too much stress. 
  • Keep your pets' food, water, and medication on hand during the drive or flight.
  • While moving into your new home, look for any cords, wires, food, poisonous plants, or garbage your pet could be harmed by and move or remove it before allowing your pet in the home.
  • Keep your dog or cat secure at all times, either on a leash or in a crate. 
  • Be sure to give your pets attention and love during this time! They will be able to sense if you're distracted or stressed out and may take on that stress.
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After Moving

  • Slowly introduce your pets to their new surroundings, one room at a time. Make sure your cat knows where its litter box is located, your dog knows where the door is to go outside, and that both cats and dogs know where their food and water dishes are located.
  • Pay a visit to your new veterinarian for a checkup and bring a copy of your pet's health records.
  • If your cat or dog has a microchip, make sure to update their location information. 
  • If your cat or dog has an ID tag, make sure to have a new one made with any updated information.
  • Introduce your dog to neighbors to gauge whether or not they are uncomfortable around dogs. 
  • Introduce your dog to the neighborhood by going on a walk so he or she can become accustomed to their new surroundings. 
  • Visit local pet stores, grooming facilities, and dog parks to meet other pet owners.
  • Treat your dog or cat with lots of love, walks, playtime, and treats for a job well done during the move!
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How to Pick The Best Paint Color For Every Room in Your House

4/17/2018

9 Comments

 
Picking a paint color is one of the toughest design decisions because walls are like a blank canvas that set the tone of your living space. Color has the ability to transform the look of a room, making it seem larger or smaller, and can be the perfect backdrop for your furniture and decor. 

Choosing the right paint color for any room in your home doesn't have to be a difficult decision. Here are some tips and points to consider when painting the walls in your home.
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Basic Color Tips

  • Before you consider any specific color, think about the mood that you want to set in the room you're painting. Are you looking for a space that is energizing and uplifting or calming and peaceful? This will greatly impact your color choice.
  • Choose colors that reflect your personality. You want your home to be a space that reflects your unique lifestyle and preferences.
  • In general, light colors make rooms seem larger and more airy, while dark colors give a room a more intimate appearance due to their warm hues.
  • Try to limit the number of colors in a room. By choosing no more than three or four colors per room, you'll keep the space from feeling busy and cluttered. 
  • Take the color of the flooring, furnishings, and decor into consideration before choosing a color. Do they all go together well?
  • Not all paint colors look good on a large scale, and paint swatches are usually small. Try painting a potential paint choice on a large poster board so you can get an idea of how it looks on a larger plain without having to paint over it if you decide you don't like it.
  • The temperature of a color impacts how you experience it. Cooler hues promote feelings of calm, while warmer hues are great for gathering spaces because they tend to give off an energetic vibe.
  • Accent colors on the ceiling, trim, and woodwork can make architectural details stand out or blend in depending on their color.
  • As a general rule, ceilings that are lighter in color than walls feel more expansive, while ceilings that are darker feel lower. 
  • Don't be afraid to experiment. Paint is fairly inexpensive and can be changed or covered, so have fun with your ideas!

Blue

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Blue is typically considered a calming color that promotes relaxation, and is well suited for bedrooms and bathrooms. Some blues can come across as too stark and cool, so if you choose a light blue as the main color in a room, make sure to balance it with other warm hues throughout the space. 

Warmer blues can be great for areas where a lot of socializing occurs, like living rooms or family rooms. Try choosing a soft shade of turquoise or periwinkle for these spaces.

Neutrals

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Neutrals such as black, gray, white, and brown are very flexible and make a great backdrop for colorful furniture and decor. Adding color to neutrals via decorative accents makes a room feel lively, while keeping only neutral colors in a room tends to make it feel calm. 

Red

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As the most intense color, red can really pump up the energy level of a room. It's a wonderful color choice for a living room or dining room because people generally gather together in these areas.

It's also a good pick for an entryway if you want to make a bold first impression. Red is often considered too stimulating for a bedroom, but if you're only planning to be in the room while it is dark outside, the color can seem elegant and intimate. 

Orange

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Orange is the perfect color for an exercise room because it brings forth feelings of excitement and can increase energy levels. It may be a bit bright for a bedroom or living room, but is perfect in any space that needs an infusion of energy.

Purple

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When seen in dark shades, purple evokes a sense of drama and sophistication, while lighter shades bring a restful quality to a room. Bedrooms and bathrooms that are painted purple can bring forth feelings of luxury or peace depending on the shade and tone.

Yellow

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Yellow is known as a happy, joyful color. Because of its cheeriness, it's great in kitchens, offices, and dining rooms and can even make hallways, entries, and other small spaces feel inviting and expansive. 

Green

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Green is a great color for almost any room in a home because it combines the joy of yellow and the serenity of blue. Green can cool down a room and promote rest and relaxation while also providing enough warmth to stimulate gathering spaces like living rooms.
9 Comments

Four Kitchen Staging Tips That Will Make Buyers Fall in Love With Your Kitchen

4/9/2018

3 Comments

 
If you talk to most people looking to buy a home, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms. It's where people congregate, cook, and share their lives. Kitchens are often what makes or breaks a potential buyer's opinion of a home and are a major selling point. Kitchens can be expensive to remodel, but these four tips will help you beautifully stage and update your kitchen in a snap.
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1. Do A Deep Clean

Clean the kitchen from top to bottom, until it sparkles. Start up high, by dusting light fixtures and ceiling fans, wiping down walls and windows, scrubbing countertops, wiping out drawers, cleaning the sink, and polishing hardware and appliances. Work your way down to the cabinets and give them a good scrub, inside and out, wipe down the baseboards, and clean the floors. 
Mop on hardwood floor cleaning

2. Organize and Declutter

First and foremost, clear off your countertops. Remove unnecessary appliances such as blenders and toasters and store them in a cabinet. Because buyers tend to love kitchens with ample counter space, consider only having a few decor pieces on your countertops. Next, clear out and organize all drawers, cabinets, and pantries. The more you remove and declutter, the more storage space you're showing to buyers. Make sure to remove magnets from the refrigerator and toss old or expired food items in your pantry or cupboards. If you kitchen is decluttered and organized, it will seem bigger.
Clean and organized kitchen with white cabinets and light hardwood floors

3. Make Small Updates

Consider making some inexpensive but impactful updates such as replacing cabinet hardware, buying new chairs for the kitchen table, purchasing a new faucet, painting the walls, ceiling, and cabinets, and replacing outdated light figures.
Black faucet and sink with running water in kitchen

4. Style and Accessorize

After cleaning, organizing, and updating, it's time for some fun! Adding in a bit of flair in the form of decor and accessories can take a kitchen from stark and bare to open house ready. Use your nicest dishes and placemats to set the table, as this helps buyers imagine themselves eating there. Next, accessorize with decor items that make sense in a kitchen, such as a few jars of dried beans and pasta grouped together, a candle or two, a cookbook opened on a stand or in a basket, a bowl filled with fruit, or a vase with fresh flowers. The key is to add in a few pops of color and personality without overdoing it. 
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There you have it, those are our top four kitchen staging tips to help potantial buyers fall in love with your kitchen! If you want to learn more about home staging, check out our post titled 52 Home Staging Tips to Help Sell Your Home Fast.
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