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Does diving into 2022 have you wondering what the new trends in home decor and design will be? Today I’ll touch on ten trends for 2022. I always love hearing what the new trending styles are but also encourage you to not take it too seriously. I believe you should decorate and design your home how best fits your family and based on the colors and styles that you enjoy. However, learning about the on trend styles can give you great ideas that you do love too, just never thought of, which can be really fun. Typically the on trend styles are easy to shop for and find, even at the more affordable big name stores. Geometric Shapes & PatternsSquares, triangles, hexagons and more fun geometric shapes are booming in popularity. Some examples of places this is popping up is in tables, chairs, vases, and other tabletop decor.  Natural MaterialsIncorporating natural materials adds warmth and coziness to a space. Think rattan, cotton and jute. This can be in the form of baskets, lanterns, clocks and larger furniture pieces like tables and chairs. My egg chair pictured here is one of my favorite items in our home, it is cozy and unique, plus it adds personality to our space.   Lighter FloorsDark wood floors are on their way out and lighter woods such as white oak and French oak are trending for 2022. Wide-planks are the most common and desired this year.  MinimalismSociety as a whole is starting to part with unnecessary possessions and take greater thought into deciding what we put in our homes. The desire to have a well thought out, relaxing home free of clutter is the goal going into 2022. Incorporating GreenGreen is calming and soothing, associated with nature and growth. Olive and emerald tones are especially popular right now. Green can be incorporated as large furniture pieces such as a sofa, live or faux plants, candles, and even green cabinetry is skyrocketing in popularity. Black AccentsWhen it comes to trim, cabinet hardware, faucets, doors and light fixtures, black is the trending choice. It is also becoming a popular cabinet color, especially for a bathroom or a kitchen island.  Painted Interior DoorsI mentioned above how black is a trending color when it comes to hardware, fixtures and accents including doors, but painted interior doors in general have shot up in popularity. Now many homes feature light walls with dark interior doors that make a statement, adding depth and character. Comfortable Furniture PiecesAs we continue to spend more time at home, possibly more than ever before, quality, durable, comfortable pieces have become more desired. Say Bye to Stainless!The desire for stainless steel appliances is fading. White, black, and integrated appliances are coming back. Stainless will always be around as it is a commercial staple but higher value homes are looking to really wow guests and homeowners with the seamless look of integrated appliances or the high end features of more unique appliances.   Outdoor Relaxation SpacesWith more people staying home more and many even working from home, outdoor relaxation spaces are on the rise. Even with a small backyard, patio or balcony you can create a beautiful, relaxing outdoor oasis. Having that special place to retreat to and refresh is strongly desired, especially with many having to cancel or postpone vacation plans this year. How to you feel about these 2022 trends? Have or will you incorporated any of them into your home? This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sales and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
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Now that we are quickly approaching the end of 2021, I thought it would be a good time to go over ways to prep your home for the new year. With all the extra love and fun that the holidays bring, they also tend to bring additional clutter. More clothes, more toys, more snack foods and platters taking over the countertops, more decor (and afterwards trying to decide where and how to store it all)! I personally find myself more anxious and unable to focus when my home is disorganized. By taking a few steps to declutter and revamp your space now, you will save yourself a lot of time and headache come January. 1. Declutter Your WorkspaceThis is a great time of year to declutter your workspace (at home and/or your work office). Even if your work takes place outside of the home it’s the perfect time to take a few moments to file important mail, tax documents, and other papers away into their appropriate places and get rid of any excess, unnecessary items.  2. Reassess How Spaces are Being UsedTake a few moments to reassess your home. Are you using your spaces in the best, most appropriate way? Maybe a spare room that never sees guests should become an office and your “office” should stop taking over the kitchen table. Or maybe your kids have gotten older and the “toy room” can be put to more age appropriate use. By reallocating spaces to better suit yourself and your family’s needs you can eliminate a lot of clutter and stress, ensuring you walk into the new year feeling refreshed. 3. Clean Out Closets & DressersA big end of the year project for me that always makes a huge difference in our lives is cleaning out our closets and dressers. If you’ve gone a whole calendar year without wearing something, 99% of the time it is time to let it go. I do keep a few sentimental or special occasion items that don’t get worn often but that is minimal. Some items I have chosen to hold onto include my wedding dress, my daughter’s dance recital costumes and a few sentimental baby items. Oftentimes many of my children’s spring/summer pieces don’t fit them anymore by the time year end arrives and with it being out of season anyway there is no need to hang on to them to assess the following year. The sooner they can be consigned or donated, the better.   4. Get Rid of Extra/Unused KitchenwareThis is one that I’m guilty of. Even with our big purge before our cross country move, I am finding that I hung on to too much. I have too many pots and pans, too many Tupperware containers, too many serving platters, etc. I am currently working through and determining my favorite pieces as well as the ones that are used the most often and will be donating the rest. The same will be happening with our extra cups, spatulas, silverware, etc as well as small kitchen appliances that don’t get used enough. If you have children you may also want to consider going through your stash of bottles, sippy cups, divider plates and more to eliminate those from your cupboards if they are no longer needed.  5. Toss Anything ExpiredGo through your pantry, refrigerator, makeup drawer, personal hygiene products, etc. and toss anything that is expired. There is no need to allow these items to be taking up extra space, causing more clutter, when chances are you will not use them (and should not). Expired personal products and makeup can be just as unsafe as consumables.   Is there anything you do on a regular (monthly, quarterly, annual, etc.) basis to keep your home in order? This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sales and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
As Christmastime and the holidays approach many of us have started shopping for gifts for friends and family and even watching the hot sales for ourselves. Whether you are searching for others or yourself, here are ten of the hottest gift items, in a range of prices, for new homeowners. 10. Salt & Pepper Mills We have had this exact salt and pepper mill set for over a year and love it! It is beautiful, functional and unique; we receive many compliments on it from guests. It has an adjustable rotor allowing you to decide the coarseness of your salt, pepper or other spice. The set is under $15 making it an affordable, thoughtful gift. 9. 5’ Faux Fiddle Leaf Tree I just ordered this 5’ faux fiddle leaf tree for my master bathroom and can’t wait for it to arrive; the reviews and price are wonderful. There are so many places I could use this in my home and I’m sure many feel the same way making it a great gifting option. 8. Touchscreen Air Fryer Air fryers have become increasingly popular these last few years and the new Beautiful by Drew Barrymore line at Walmart is stunning. It comes in multiple gorgeous colors and is priced affordably. In addition to the air fryers, this line includes toasters, coffee pots, electric kettles, toaster ovens, knife block sets, cookware sets, touchscreen blenders, Dutch ovens and more. 7. Leopard Throw Blanket My favorite blanket! I have it in two colors. It’s super soft, beautiful, and just the right weight. A great addition to any living room or bedroom; a gift that any new homeowner is sure to love. 6. Capri Blue Jar Candle Candles are always a great choice. I love candles but don’t necessarily buy them much for myself making them such a treat when others gift them to me! This line from Nordstrom has been popular for years and is widely known for how beautiful their jars are. 5. Decorative Tray Decorative trays can be used in so many ways throughout the home; both as decor and functionally. This one comes in multiple color options. 4. Dried Floral Bouquet Flowers have been a popular gifting choice for years, However, most of the time they don’t last very long. Pampas grass arrangements have been trending this year; a new twist on a classic favorite bouquet and they are a permanent decor item that does not die or require any care. 3. Silicone Kitchen Utensils Set I actually received this silicone kitchen utensil set as a gift myself from my brother last year and it has held up well. It comes in quite a few color options and is a set that I love displaying on my countertops due to its aesthetically appealing design. 2. Stemless Wine Glasses Wine glasses are always a great gift idea but stemless wine glasses are a bit less common making it a safer choice to give to a friend or family member when not knowing what they currently already own. 1. Personalized Wooden Family Name Sign When moving into a new home it’s always fun to personalize it and make it fit your family best. I found this custom name sign on Amazon and it’s the perfect gift to warm the heart of a new homeowner! Which item is your favorite? Do you own any of them? Which will you gift to friends and family? We would love to hear your thoughts!  This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sales and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
We moved into our new home this past August and after having custom built our last few homes we strongly desired to change a few things in this home to make it better fitted to our needs and style. We adore our new home’s layout and location plus we have a fantastic neighborhood and knew we could make the other aesthetic changes through time. We have been so happy with the outcome of our projects thus far. We have completed almost all of them ourselves with the exception of some yard landscaping and tree removal. Our last two homes we chose white cabinets for the kitchen and I had always been so happy with them. I love the fresh, bright ambiance of it. I considered white for this home as well but the previous owners had already painted the kitchen walls white plus we changed the countertops to white so I felt white cabinets may be a bit much for this space. I knew I wanted to paint them a light color though and decided on Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray; we love it!  The trim throughout most of the home was already Agreeable Gray so I had been able to see how the color worked in our home and knew I would be happy with it on a larger scale.  We are new to DIY projects but my husband has years of construction experience and knowledge. Though his experience is in exterior paneling and waterproofing, etc. his familiarity with the tools and processes was extremely helpful. After much research online we decided we would spray the majority of the cabinets versus hand paint it all. My husband removed all of the cabinet doors and drawers and brought them to a paint station he had set up in our garage. I stayed inside and, after taping off around the edges, hand painted the cabinet frames that remained. We numbered each cabinet door and drawer so that we wouldn’t have any issues remembering which was which upon completion and removed all hardware prior to painting.  Here are the supplies we purchased to paint our kitchen cabinets (above). I’ve linked them all here. The entire process took us about 4-5 days as we still had regular life to attend to but it seemed to go by quickly! We did lightly sand the cabinets prior to painting though this particular paint states it isn’t necessary. I’ll go over our tips and what we wish we had known prior to this project.   Our Biggest Tips for Painting Your Cabinets•Make sure your paint station for spraying (we set ours up in the garage) is clean and free of debris in the surrounding area. The sprayer gun releases air while in use and you want to ensure nothing blows onto your freshly painted cabinets as they dry. •Take apart and rinse the spray gun with water between coats. •Number the cabinet doors and drawers. You may think it’s easy to remember what goes where but it will save you so much time and frustration knowing for sure. •We did two coats of paint and recommend waiting at least an hour between coats to let the first coat dry. •A lazy Susan rotating swivel such a this will come in handy when spraying the cabinet drawers. Set the bottom (back) of the drawer on the swivel and push it to easily spin while spraying.    After allowing adequate time to dry, we put the cabinet doors and drawers back in place. We kept them open for the first week after to allow the paint to fully cure and dry then added cabinet bumpers to the interior corners. Have you painted cabinets before? We would love to hear your tips in the comments! This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sales and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
We recently purchased a new to us home, and although there are many things we love about the home, the kitchen wasn’t quite our style. In addition to that, the kitchen color scheme didn’t flow well with the rest of the home. The previous owners had painted most of the interior white and light gray, very light and airy colors, while the kitchen remained very dark and mostly brown. When we put in our offer, my husband and I had right away talked about changing the kitchen and upon moving in had a company over to discuss replacing the countertops. Having built a few custom homes we had an idea on what the price would be for our space and after being given a quote and determining other changes we wanted to make throughout our home, we decided it wasn’t an area we wanted to allocate that much money to at the moment. I came across multiple video reviews on TikTok and Instagram of others in a similar position that were using a countertop marble kit to change their countertops for a small fraction of the cost of replacing. At this point I knew we would be replacing within the next few years anyway so figured we had nothing to lose, and potentially a whole lot to gain, by trying it.  After plenty of research and reading every review I could find, we decided to go for it! This is the kit I used. It was about $170 and I ordered it on Amazon. Due to the amount of space we were covering and that our previous counters were very dark, I ended up ordering another can of the first step “#1” (about $30) to ensure full coverage.   We watched the manufacturer’s video tutorial and followed the instructions provided to a T. We had zero DIY experience and found this to be simple with a low level of difficulty. The kit even comes with all of the brushes and tools needed to complete the project.  After one coat⬇️  I will admit after one coat it looked quite scary! We ended up needing four coats to fully cover the dark granite. I think the hardest part was hand drawing on the gray marbling. I first sketched my desired design out on paper to get an idea of how it would flow from one counter spot to the next. The directions provided in the Giani video were very helpful for this as well. If you mess up you can quickly wipe away the marbling lines and start over which made the process much less stressful (though you have to be sure to wipe up your mistakes FAST)!   We waited the full suggested time before setting anything on top of the counters afterwards to allow it to fully cure, and have had zero issues with it so far. We do plan to do a full replacement and switch them out for quartz down the road but for now we are so happy with the change, and it only cost us about $200! Stay tuned because our next project will be painting the cabinets! This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sales and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
We recently bought a new home and after personally designing our previous two closets and seeing how life changing efficient shelving can be, I decided my first home project here would be to reconfigure the closet. We didn’t take out or add any walls, new flooring or anything crazy, just simply painted the walls and installed new shelving. When I say it’s made a world of a difference for us, it really has!  If you have ever looked into a closet system you know how incredibly expensive they can get. Having a closet company come to your home and professionally design the space for you can be in the thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. We were not looking to spend much but wanted to better utilize our space and make it aesthetically more appealing too. Our closet has a wall in the middle spanning across about 80% of the width, separating the “his” and the “hers” side; you’ll see the “hers” side in these transformation photos.  When we first moved in the closet had wire shelving in place and the closet paint color was inconsistent as shown above. I decided to paint all of the walls white to have a consistent slate to start with before installing new shelving. I also took a moment to change out the closet light switch plate. The rest of the covers throughout our home had already been changed to white but this one must have been forgotten and I wanted a consistent look throughout the house. Plus a white light switch cover looked much better with the white painted walls! I purchased two of these shoe organizers as well as this closet tower kit. I like how the tower kit includes adjustable shelving; I use these shelves to keep my jewelry, purses and sunglasses organized. We have been very happy with the transformation and the install was simple. A drill and tape measure (plus a step stool!) was all I needed. All of the hardware needed to secure the tower to the wall is included in the kit. I think the closet looks much nicer after the changes and it definitely keep clothing, shoes and accessories much more organized. The cost for the shelving and shoe organizers came to about $200 and the paint was another $20. I would love to eventually add a large white shelf above the top of the rods, spanning the entire width of the closet, for additional storage space.   What do you think? Could your closet use an update? Have you tried something similar that has worked well for you? I’d love to hear about it! This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sales and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
Whether you’re team summer sunshine or team pumpkin spice, one thing is for certain: fall has arrived. The cooler air, earlier sunsets and the busyness of back to school oftentimes have us spending more time indoors at home making it even more important to be comfortable and prepared in your space. There are so many things to think of I thought it would be handy to compile a list of items to check at your home to ensure you are ready for the changing of the seasons! Check Home for Outdoor Maintenance and RepairsBefore winter weather arrives, it’s time to check on any areas that may need maintenance or repairs done. Remove dead limbs off of trees and leaves from gutters, fix broken fences and damaged walkways. If you have a trampoline, consider tying it down if heavy winds could be an issue this season. Prepare for Weather HazardsCheck that you have everything you need for the colder weather such as a snow shovel and driveway salt. Make sure you know where your flashlights are (check/change the batteries) and if you have a generator be sure to test it, have gas/propane on hand for it, etc.  Replace Your Air Filter(s)It is recommended to change the air filter in your home every 60-90 days and I know how easy it is to forget and let it go longer, especially during the craziness of summer fun. A good rule of thumb is to at least change it seasonally. This is even more important to do frequently if you have pets and/or suffer from allergies. Set reminders in your phone or get yourself on a schedule to change seasonally at the least. Consider switching out your bedding.Typically fall is the beginning of the cooler season. You may want to consider switching to a thicker sheet, possibly flannel, adding an additional blanket to your bed, or swapping for a thicker comforter set during the cooler months. I personally tend to use the same sheets and comforter but add/switch the blankets I layer over the comforter to a thicker, warmer one in fall colors. In addition to adding in the rich fall colors like burgundy, mustard and orange, adding texture like a chunky knit blanket or faux fur are popular for fall and winter months.  Swap throw pillows.This goes for bedroom pillows, living room, outdoor and more! Regardless of the weather where you are located, it’s time to tuck away the items that scream summer and embrace the beauty of fall!  Add fall decor to your tables.This can be anything from faux (or real!) pumpkins to displays of candy corn. A little can go a long way. I love placing neutral colored seasonal decor throughout my home tying into each season. Traditionally autumn colors in general are warm and deep; as are Thanksgiving colors but lately neutrals have been increasingly popular as well. If you enjoy decorating for Halloween the most common colors for that are of course orange and black as well as white, purple and bright green.   Decorate your front door for fall.Now is the time to take down your summer wreath and replace it with something for fall. Wreaths full of leaves in various fall colors or faux pumpkin wreaths are a lovely choice as are eucalyptus wreaths if you prefer something green. Trending fall front porch decorations include corn stalks, pumpkins and gourds, a fall inspired sign and even fall themed door mats have been a common decor option the last few years.  Switch out scented candles.I personally love a good fall scented candle. Spiced pumpkin, warm apple pie, apple cinnamon, farm fresh peach, salted caramel...all fabulous scent choices!  Go Through ClothesDepending on where you live, it may be time to pack away the shorts and sundresses (or at least move them away from the front of your closet) and replace them with warmer, thicker clothes. Taking the time to reorganize the closets in your home can go a long way. I’ve noticed in my household at least that it makes our mornings in particular much more relaxed and easier when we can quickly find the pieces we wear frequently this season. While going through closets, it’s a great time to make sure everyone has what they need for the season. This is especially important if you have kids; we all know they grow so fast and there is a good chance that last year’s fall pieces may not fit this year! Try on rain boots, warm boots, snow boots, rain jackets and coats and make sure you know where items like beanies, gloves and scarves are located. What do you do to prepare for a new season and the changing weather that goes with it? Let us know in the comments if there’s anything we should add! This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sales and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
So you made the decision to put your home for sale. You’ve worked with an agent, had photos taken and a listing published, had showings and finally accepted an offer. Now what?   To be quite honest, this is just the beginning! After coming to a mutually accepted offer with buyers there is still much more to be done before the sale is complete. No need to worry though, you will have some time to get it all straightened out. A typical home sale takes 30-45 days to close and you will have until then to complete the tasks and move out of your home. We have sold three homes in the last six years so you could say we have a good amount of experience with it! I’ve laid out the basics for you to reference here. PurgeNow is the time to get rid of or sell items that you did not remove prior to listing. This can be done through a garage sale, listing for sale on Facebook, donating to charity, etc or a mix of the methods. Deep CleanOnce you have packed up everything you will be taking with you upon moving and sold or donated everything else, it’s important to deep clean for the new owners. I have personally done all of it myself one time and hired a professional cleaner to help the last two times. Depending on your abilities, availability and stage of life, determine what is best for you. I find it to be much less stressful to hire help if you can. You will be so busy packing and organizing that it is a huge relief having someone help you. I usually do the basic cleaning such as vacuum bedrooms myself to minimize the cost a bit but bring in the professionals to deep clean bathrooms and kitchen especially. The refrigerator and range can be incredibly time consuming and the professionals know how to get them looking their best.  Switch UtilitiesRemoving your name from the utilities is one of the last tasks to complete but it is an important step. Be sure to call the companies that provide you water, sewer, electric, gas, cable, internet, and garbage, etc so that they stop charging you for the services one you have signed the home over to the new owners. Request that you make the home sale closing date your final day for charges and provide them with your forwarding address if requested. Oftentimes the billing system runs behind usage so don’t be surprised if you see one last bill a few weeks or a month later. Set Up Mail ForwardingSetting up mail forwarding is quick and easy. If you are living in the US, simply go to your local Post Office to request the form or go online to the USPS website here and provide them with your information. It will cost $1.05 to verify your identity with the online submission (as of August 2021).  Closing Day: Sign at the Title CompanyTypically sellers will sign closing documents at the title company on the same day that they will be required to be completely out of the house but this can change on a case by case basis. The closing documents finalize the sale with a notary present. You will need your Drivers License or other government issued ID with you to verify your identity. This generally takes 30 minutes to a hour and a half but is typically quicker for sellers and longer for the buyers.  Cancel Homeowners InsuranceOnce your home is officially sold and out of your name you will want to be sure to contact your agent to stop your homeowners insurance. This way you will stop getting charged for the insurance costs going forward. Usually a quick email or phone call will do the trick. Keep Settlement Documents These documents will be needed at tax time so be sure to hang on to them! So I just BOUGHT a home...now what?!Very similar steps apply for those buying a home. You will still want to keep settlement documents from the title company, switch over your mail, utilities and homeowners insurance. Depending on how the seller left the home you may not have to do a deep clean as most will have already had that done for you though another round of cleaning never hurts, especially if weeks have passed since the seller moved out. You’d be surprised how quickly dust and bugs can show up. Hopefully you thought ahead when packing because now it is time to unpack. I like to start with the clothes, shoes and toiletries that are used often, if not daily. Be sure to know where medications and first aid equipment, flashlights, phone chargers, etc are the first day. Basic kitchen items such as plates, silverware, and drinking glasses should be a priority as well. It can be easy with all of the excitement of finally being in your new home to get carried away and focus on decorating but it will be far less stressful for you getting the basics out of the way first.  Be prepared to get rid of more items too. No matter how much you got rid of prior to moving there is a good chance you will feel differently about a number of items after unpacking them, especially if they have been stored for a while. Once you are done unpacking, take the boxes to your local recycling center or post on Facebook or Craigslist to see if someone else can use them. The last thing you need is a pile of cardboard boxes in your way for weeks. Have you moved recently or have any tips to add? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below! This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sale and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
We just sold our third home and are now pending on home #4 (surprise)! I can’t wait to share the details and what I’m most looking forward to about this home, but I’ll save that for another day! Having had three homes, two of which were custom builds and required us to move in (and out) with family between each build, it’s needless to say we have a lot of experience with moving in the past 10 years. It can be incredibly exhausting and frustrating but along the way we have found ways to make the packing, loading and transitioning stages easier.   Before You Begin PackingBefore you can even begin to start thinking about packing I highly recommend you look around and see what you can get rid of. This is great to do before even listing your home for sale. The less clutter you can have on your countertops and in cabinets and closets, the better it will show and the easier it is for potential buyers to envision your home as theirs. Plus the less you have to pack, the less headache and expense it will be. Go through your clothes, shoes, kid’s toys, home decor, holiday decorations, tools and more to see what you can do without going forward (or easily replace after moving into your new home). When it comes to getting rid of items I prefer to take my family’s clothes and shoes to a local second hand store or I send them to ThredUP. Though you don’t get the highest payout with ThredUP, it is incredibly easy and saves me so much time. You request a bag, they deliver it to your door, you fill it and then schedule a time for USPS to pick it back up off of your doorstep; shipping is free for you! You can claim a $10 off coupon to shop at ThredUP with the link HERE. I have had great success selling our household items on Facebook Marketplace and if you have a lot of various items, garage sales are still a great option. Advertise them on your personal Facebook pages, group selling pages, Craigslist, in your local newspaper and/or with signs. We just did a last minute garage sale with only Facebook advertising about a month ago and just about everything sold! Packing TipsWhen packing, I like to start as soon as possible to limit my last minute chaos and stress. I prefer to do a little bit here and there as time allows until it is crunch time at the end. I always pack less frequently used items, things we can do without for a month or two, first so that they can easily be out of my way and will not be missed by us in the last weeks/months. This includes items such as: formal dinnerware, holiday decor, family photo albums, the kid’s baby books, paintings and home decor, extra bedding and linens, clothes and shoes that are out of season and won’t be needed until in the new home, etc. Another benefit of packing over time and eliminating the less frequently used items first is that it leaves the items you use daily or a couple of times a week for last so that they can all be packed close, if not together, and easy to access first once you are unpacking at your new location. I usually leave our coffee pot, silverware, toaster and personal items like body wash, shampoo, etc to pack at the last minute.   I like to get creative and pack our items in nontraditional ways to save money and space in the moving truck or storage box. For example, if you are bringing suitcases with you to your new home, pack items into the suitcases to make the best use of your space. Pack spices inside of your crockpot, etc. and don’t forget to use your towels/blankets as packing materials to prevent items from rubbing against each other and getting scratched or broken. I used our beach towels to wrap around our fragile home decor when packing into boxes this time. I needed to pack the towels anyway and saved space and money by using them instead of purchasing bubble wrap. When loading a moving truck or storage container we find it best to pack all boxes and other more linear shaped items such as dressers first. We have found that we make the best use of our space by doing so and saving odd shaped items such as exercise equipment and bikes for last. Be sure to stack the boxes all the way to the top and start with heavy boxes on the bottom and lighter as it gets to the top to avoid heavy items falling off of the top and breaking.  Label, Label, Label!You may think it will be easy to remember what you packed where but after all of the stress and chaos involved in moving and selling/purchasing/renting homes these details can escape your mind. Trust me! I like to boldly label a box with what room it is for (ex. KITCHEN, KIDS BATHROOM, etc) then in smaller font underneath include a few of the key items inside of that box (ex. silverware, crockpot, wine glasses, etc) to make it easier to get to the items that I need and want first upon arrival in the new home.  Additional Tips & Reminders•Keep clothes on hangers; pack sections into garbage bags •Label breakables in large bold writing: FRAGILE! •Use paper/styrofoam plates, that you may already have on hand, between your plates/dishes vs. purchasing packing material •Check grocery and liquor stores for free boxes (I do prefer purchasing boxes that are all the same size, making packing a truck or storage container much easier, but I know many that do this, especially for close moves!) •Set up/make appts for utilities, cable, internet, etc •Make sure bedding is easily accessible One last thing: be sure to keep track of your moving expenses! Save receipts; some of your expenses may be tax-deductible which can be a huge benefit and save you money when completing your annual taxes! Have you moved recently? Any tips that you would add to the list? This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sale and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
Transforming your house into a home can be so fun and rewarding, but it can also become incredibly expensive! Adding character and charm, color or unique pieces can quickly blow your budget. If you are looking to customize or update your space but have limited funds to do so, here are a few ideas of changes you can make that will beautifully change your space on a budget. More details and tutorials can be found for each of these by searching Pinterest or YouTube!  1. Frame Your TVThis is easy to do and is a quick way to change the look of any room. Purchase a frame large enough to go around your TV or build your own to instantly dress up the space. 2. Widen Your BaseboardsWide baseboards make a statement but tearing out all of your old baseboards and purchasing new to replace it can be very costly and time consuming. Instead add a thin piece of molding an inch above your baseboards, fill in with caulk, and paint it all one color to give a cohesive look. 3. Paint Your Front DoorIf you are looking to add a pop of color to your home this is the perfect space to do so without feeling like it’s too much. Black is also a popular front door color at the moment and don’t forget about your options to stain too (if the door is wood)! 4. Add/Update Kitchen BacksplashKitchen backsplash is something you can do yourself and save thousands of dollars on. If you currently have backsplash and have to tear it out prior to installing new then there will of course be more labor and costs involved but either way there are many affordable options to replace/add to your space. We have purchased affordable backsplash for multiple homes and have always been happy with it. An even more affordable option is the trending peel and stick backsplash that is easier to install.     5. Replace Light FixturesMany homes come with outdated light fixtures or something generic. Through time spent walking through local stores and/or searching online you are bound to find something you love that can change the entire look and feel of your space. I highly recommend doing this in your entry way, kitchen, living space or other areas that guests and yourself frequent the most. Lighting can get expensive but try waiting for a sale or finding something similar to a more expensive piece that gives off the same overall look you love. 6. Add Floating ShelvesThere are many DIY styles for floating shelves that are easy and inexpensive. I found this particular triangular style on Amazon for a very affordable price and the black metal mixed with the brown/gray wood matches the black fixtures while adding in a cozy comfort to our white powder bathroom.  7. Replace Cabinet HardwareThere are so many colors and styles of cabinet hardware that this small change can go a long way! If you want to take the easiest route be sure to choose the same size pull/knob style so that you don’t have to drill any new holes or patch existing holes.  8. Replace Door HandlesAnother easy change just like the cabinet pulls is changing out door handles. As long as you stick with the same size it’s a project that will take little time and equipment while delivering nice results. 9. Upgrade Bathroom MirrorsJust like framing your TV, you can frame your bathroom mirror by finding a pre-made frame that fits the dimensions or by building one yourself. You can also remove and fully replace your mirrors with a framed option, easily found online or in local home decor stores. 10. Install an Electric FireplaceThis entails a bit more cost than some of our other options but still a great way to upgrade your space without the large cost of adding in a traditional fireplace. Electric inserts can be found on Amazon, come in various sizes and colors, and give a similar look as a traditional gas fireplace while still giving off heat too. Have you done any budget friendly home upgrades? Comment your experiences; I’d love to hear! This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sale and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
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