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Greetings!
Yeah! The rain is gone and here we go with
the 90 degrees one minute and 50 degrees in the
next!
Lets mimic the changes in the New England
weather and use decorating to change up your
interior this spring. Admit it, we would all be
bored to tears if the weather stayed the same
month after month. And keeping your decorating
the same month after month is boring!!!
Now Im not talking about a whole new kitchen
or going out to purchase a house full of
furniture. Just a few simple changes can make a
world of difference, even without spending a
dime to do it. This month we have some quick
tips to give your home a mini face lift that
will also lift your spirits.
Happy Decorating! Lori
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Re-Organize Your Bathroom |
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Whether your bathroom has a large
storage closet or just a few small
shelves, organizing what you have will
make your life easier and save you time
and energy.
Start by taking inventory of what you
have to store so you will know exactly
what types of storage containers, how
many shelves, hooks or hangers you will
need.
Determine if you can maximize the
space you have by changing the layout of
the space. If your space is limited then
go up or over what you already have.
Use every inch of space by installing
shelves on empty walls for added
storage. Use decorative hooks to hang
robes or towels. You can use baskets on
the floor for bath toys or extra tissues
or towels. Home improvement stores have
lots of gadgets for hanging brooms,
mops, containers for cleaning supplies,
etc.
Use flat bottom baskets and bins with
straight sides to hold groups of items
such as shampoos, medicines, cleaning
supplies, etc. You can even label the
outside of the containers so you can
know quickly what's inside. Use wire
dividers for separating stacks of
towels, extra toilet paper or other
supplies.
Take the time to assess the problems,
design the best possible storage area
for your space, and buy items that make
storage easier, and you will have an
organized bathroom that looks good and
functions even better
Lori Brasseur
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The Entrance - The Next Impression |
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The next impression is stepping
through the front door, at this moment,
you want the potential buyer to feel at
home.
An entrance should be uncluttered,
open, inviting, and clean. Find a
designated place out of sight for
personal items once the house is on the
market. Check the coat closet to make
sure there are hangers for coats and
that it is also neatly organized.
A hall table at the front entrance,
with a lamp, a pretty fresh floral
arrangement, and a lightly scented
candle gives a nice welcome reception.
Keep the light turned on to always
appear warm and welcoming for those
drive by's at night.
If you unsure about your abilites,
call a professional Home Stager or
Interior Redesigner they know exactly
how to prepare your home for resale and
will save you lots of time, and take out
all the guess work of what a potential
buyer will see. ~Marleen Prater
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Kitchen Redesign - Before & After |
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The homeowner of this kitchen planned
to put their house on the market and
wanted to freshen up the look for an
open house.
The first step was to clear off the
countertops and put away all food items,
cleaning supplies, and unnecessary
objects laying around. This immediately
made the kitchen appear bigger and
brighter.
Next, a runner was added to the
island to break up the all white
kitchen. Some fruit was added to a
pretty bowl, and Yellow flowers gave it
a fresh look. The homeowner was very
pleased and pleasantly surprised. ~Marleen
Prater
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Book Review: Ideas for Great Window
Treatments |
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Ideas for Great Window Treatments by
Christine Barnes and Susan Lang
If new window treatments are on your
list of things to do, this slim book is
surprisingly packed with ideas and
information. Although published five
years ago, this reference showcases
current and classic styles that will
inspire you and includes information
that will enable you to make the most of
your decorating budget. No patterns or
instructions are provided for the
creations shown in over 170 photos, but
the ideas can be easily adapted by a
knowledgeable home sewer or professional
window treatment specialist.
The reference sections include guides
that can help in the shopping,
comparing, and choosing from the many
different types of window coverings and
materials used to construct them.
Sunset Books 112p. under $15.00
Available through Amazon.com, local
bookstores and your public library.
~ Pam Faulkner
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Garden Style Entertaining |
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- use mason jars filled with
daisies
- purchase seasonal produce
- float candles or flowers in a
bowl or glass
- hang twinkle lights or lanterns
from trees, among plants
- sprinkle flower petals on the
tablecloth
- slipcover plastic outdoor
furniture
- use paper or plastic to set the
table for a fun, yet easy hassle
free clean up
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Words To Live By |
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"I believe the best gift you can give
yourself is a comfortable surrounding."
--Oprah Winfrey
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Fresh and Easy Updates for Your Home |
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Are you tired of the fairly neutral
spaces in your home? Try some
accessories in the new colors you see
everywhere. Buy a bowl or a vase in one
of those colors and set in on your
coffee table or mantle. Maybe a throw
pillow or three in one of those hot new
tones. They will freshen things up in no
time. ~~~ Nancy Faust
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Spring Cleaning with the Whole
Family
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You know what they say, "Misery loves
company!" So why not take the work out
of spring cleaning and involve the whole
family. Okay, I know what your saying, "Ya
right, like my kids are gonna want to
help me clean!" Well, if you make it fun
and rewarding you just might be able to
pull it off. Start by agreeing on a
family reward for all of the hard work
you will be doing as a motivator to get
everything done.
Now, divide the chores into
categories: Dusting, vacuuming, washing
floors and walls, cleaning the kitchen
and bathroom, windows, general clutter
removal, and anything else that needs to
be done. Now, divide the chores amongst
the family members by having each member
choose a chore, one at a time, until
everyone has equal work to do. Of
course, if you have younger children
you'll have to give age appropriate
tasks.
Make sure that you have all of the
supplies you need before you start so
you don't have to run back and forth to
pick up forgotten items. Now, open the
windows and let in some fresh air which
will give everyone a burst of energy.
Turn on some music (everyone gets a turn
at the dial). Order some lunch to be
delivered so you don't have to stop the
momentum to cook. And don't let anything
interrupt you like the phone, tv or
unexpected guests (unless of course,
they've come to help). ;)
If everyone does their own job you
will be able to fly right through your
spring cleaning and start enjoying your
newly cleaned home and your reward.
This works for "The Maids" home
cleaning service. They clean in teams of
four people, with everyone having their
own chore, so they are in and out of
your home in under 1 hour. So if all
else fails and you still can't convince
the family to pitch in, then at least
treat yourself and give "The Maids" a
call. (603) 964-1633 or visit them on
the web at the link below.
The Maids Home Services....
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