Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts

10 Tips How to Make Cheerful Bathroom for Child

For those of you who have small children, of course you have an obligation to always pay attention to child health. Talk about health, hygiene would not be separated with children, and of course also to do with how to educate children in how to bathe with correctly . The process of bathing is also presented in the bathroom, a good way of brushing teeth, body soap, body scrub, shampoo, etc.. Well in the process of learning it, of course we also have to present the learning process fun and exciting children to settle in the bathroom, forcing us to pay attention to decorating the bathroom is used. It could be kids bathroom decor can borrow design cues from their bedrooms, by adopting the color shades, knick knacks and creative and imaginative, tailored to the age of the child. Below, we will try to present 10 tips that can be your reference. 

1.)   Create a colorful backdrop: While most plumbing fixtures stay in neutral tones of white, bone, or brown, the backdrop around them should be colorful and fun. Consider painting vanity cabinetry, walls, wallpaper, and stencil playful sayings on the walls. Be careful when using wall stickers, as the humidity in the bathroom may cause them to not adhere well.

2.)   Keep walls clean with durable surfaces: When decorating a kid’s bathroom, especially around wet areas such as the toilet, sink, and bathtub, ensure the surfaces are easily cleanable and durable. Ceramic wall tile, scrubbable wall paint, and beadboard paneling is ideal.


3.)   Supply ample lighting: This tip is for any bathroom! You don’t want to have dark areas in the bathroom. For cleanliness issues and for little one’s to see what they’re doing. Kid’s bathrooms are a prime area to get hurt in, so ensure that lighting sconces, overhead ambient lighting, and even pendant lights over the vanity are bright and don’t cast shadows.

4.)   Organization is key for kid’s learning: When decorating a kid’s bathroom remember to put organization in easy to find areas, and easy to reach heights. Vanity sinks with open shelving below, bath toy storage with suction cup holders, and baskets for toiletries will help kids keep their bathroom clean and tidy.

5.)   Small fixtures for little one’s: Believe it or not there are small plumbing fixtures ideal for toddlers and smaller children. There are mixed reviews as to whether smaller fixtures are good for teaching kid’s how to use the bathroom. Regardless of the reviews, when planning your kid’s bathroom, know these options exist for your growing child.


6.)   Accessorize on a budget: While you can spend a fortune on decorating your kid’s bathroom, also realize that simple color palette matching accessories that are affordable can give you a great look too! From color coordinated bath linen, area rugs, shower curtains and toiletry holders can mix and match colors, and patterns for a designer look.
7.)   Choosing a theme: If you are at a loss for how to decorate your kid’s bathroom, consider choosing a theme that they enjoy. From animals, sports, and fun pass time activities; to their favorite cartoon characters and favorite colors, the options are endless. If your child is old enough, ask them for their opinion as to how they’d like to decorate their bathroom.
 





8.) Bathroom safety: Ensure their bathroom has proper safety methods instilled in the decor. While beautiful vanity cabinetry crystal knobs maybe beautiful to look at, if not secured correctly they can be a hazard for little ones. Ensure all cabinetry, harmful chemicals and decorative items are not easily accessible by kids.

9.) Updating a teenager’s bathroom: For older children and teenagers the urge to want to over accessorize and color coordinate the decor may not be as strong. Instead opt for temporary accessories that can change as your teenager’s mood! Colorful towels, area rugs, coordinated to a piece of artwork hung on the wall may be all their bathroom needs to make your teen feel comfortable in their space.




10.) Keep it simple: It is easy to get wrapped up in decorating any one room of your home. Remember to have fun when decorating your kid’s bathroom and seek inspiration from blogs, interior magazines and visiting your local houseware stores. Many stores offer “instant bathroom decor” for you. From coordinated color schemes to accessories that you can mix and match. No thinking required!

Bringing the elements together for your kid’s bathroom decor can be simple and enjoyable with the use of these 10 tips. Consider the age of your child when decorating and also your lifestyle. If you’re a busy parent who doesn’t have time to clean up lots of toys in the bathroom, keep open baskets and areas for quick clean up. Remember, you are teaching and inspiring your kids to enjoy bathing and creative learning.

How to Make Your Interior Have the Depth Touch with Accents Color

Here we will try to give tips to make your rooms into lively. For that the coloring of paint must be considered, and the need for additional finishing touches no part of the lost aesthetic. The addition of color accents allow the room to be intact with separate pieces will add color depth to your interior composition.  The challenge is: how to bring the right balance of color as to not overbear the rest of the room or underwhelm the rest of your home. Here are tips for adding depth to your interiors with accent colors to reflect your individual decorative style.


Where to start with choosing your accent color: If you are trying to get started in choosing your accent colors, consider starting with an inspirational piece of furniture, artwork, accent rug, or even a throw pillow that you love! Whether you enjoy the crisp and clean lines of a chair, or you adore the pop of jade green in your new couch, these are details to build upon in the rest of your space. If you have the luxury of designing your space from the beginning, find colors that inspire you to want to stay in the space and linger longer. This will help you decide which colors fit your style.


Subtle color can have a huge impact: For many homes, the introduction of an accent color can define your space, and especially in open floor plan homes, can lead you to the function and definition of your room. Consider using subtle colors in spaces that you want to feel unified, and use stronger colors in spaces you want well defined. A white living room space connected to a dining room can use a bold accent wall in the dining area to bring the eye through your space subtly, and arrive dramatically in the dining room – just by using color.


Neutral colors thrive on accent color: Remember accent colors don’t always have to be bright and eye-catching.  In fact, neutral colors are a treat because they pair well with bright and dark colors. Bright colors can bring a whimsical vibe, while dark colors are more traditional and elegant. When using dark colors as accents, consider using natural materials such as wood, metals, and stone to bring out the accents. You will be pleasantly surprised how a neutral color palette can add depth without being over the top.


If you can’t decide: For the indecisive homeowner there is still hope for your home designing with accent colors – keep it simple. While the decision to know what colors you want on your walls, floor and furniture may come easy to some, for others it can be a challenge. Instead of stressing, start off with neutral walls, and introduce color slowly through a favorite vase filled with flowers, or opt for a removable wall sticker that adds color. Many people change their accent colors based on the time of year, holiday season, or guests that are staying at their home. Don’t be afraid, indecision can also be fun!


Bringing accent colors into your interiors can help define your mood, or it can catapult you into a different space and time. The beauty of accents is they can appear in different forms. From your decorative Robin’s Egg blue display dishes on your open shelving to the hot pink fluffy rug that adorns your playful media room, have fun with accents. Accent color can help you be indecisive or firm on color without even trying! Enjoy it.



How to Choose the Perfect Coffee Table for your Home

Once you have chosen the couches and chairs for your living room, there is one piece of furniture that can pull the entire room together instantly, the coffee table. Coffee tables used to be a place to set your drink or to place a book, but in today’s interiors they are multifunctional, decorative, and often the focal point of your living room. From re-purposed barn doors, to sleek and modern, geometrical shapes, here are tips to choose the perfect coffee table for your home.


Make your other furniture envious: When choosing a coffee table, take into consideration what pieces of furniture you want to take main stage, and which pieces will play a supporting role. Coffee tables that have intricate lines, eye-popping colors, or look more like art than a table are sure to grab everyone’s attention. State of the art coffee tables can have lights, remote control capabilities, and even double as an aquarium! You name it; your coffee table can be the head turner for your interior space.


 Natural materials can make for a beautiful table: Coffee tables can be versatile and can be made from virtually any material. Natural materials such as rock, wood, cork and other organic materials make perfect finishes for coffee tables. When choosing the right finish for your home, consider the wear and tear from your family and children. Hardwoods perform well with little maintenance, but softer wood coffee tables can show scratches and also indentations from pens and other hard objects. Keep this in mind before choosing a coffee table.


Multifunctional tables are ideal in smaller homes: If saving space is a concern in your home, consider tables that serve more than one function. Many coffee tables have storage inside or underneath of them. Display area for collectibles and treasured books can be beautiful and functional. Ottoman coffee tables that can double as footstools, or nesting coffee tables that stack inside or below each other are ideal for entertaining large groups in a small area. If you’re trying to save money on furniture, consider using trunks, sturdy baskets, or venturing to a garage sale or thrift store to find creative coffee table alternatives to the pricey furniture stores.


 Your coffee table can be the source of your color: For many neutral color palette rooms, the coffee table is an ideal way to bring color and texture into your interiors. While your coffee table can be the accent of throw pillows, accent rugs, and furniture textiles, consider what other colors exist in your space. Take color cues from artwork, decorative sculptures, and wall color already in the space. When choosing a coffee table, these factors will help you decide how much color you want to introduce.


 Coffee tables can be the main attraction in your home, as well as the blending element that makes your interiors coordinate. Before rushing out to get your coffee table, measure your space, and how much room you need to maneuver between your existing furniture. Remember, your coffee table should compliment your space, not overbear it.  Once you decide on a coffee table, end tables are next!

How to make your kitchen Greener & Healthier

In recent years, the push to make home living greener and healthier is on everyone’s minds. From what your family eats in the kitchen, to the cost of running your kitchen appliances, sustainability in your kitchen can make for better savings in your pocket not to mention improved benefits for the Earth’s valuable resources. If you are trying to go green in your kitchen, here are helpful ways to help you and your family turn your everyday kitchen rituals into lifestyle changes for a lifetime.


Install energy efficient appliances: Energy efficient appliances can mean they use less energy to run, consume less water, or emit less harmful chemicals when operating. When considering energy efficient appliances, look to your local governments energy programs. Many country’s like the United States use programs such as the “Energy Star” program, to set guidelines for consumers and manufacturers to measure energy efficiency and consumption of the appliances.


Use cookware that has longevity: If you are still using cookware that has a non-stick coating, or only lasts for a few months, you could be throwing your money away. Consider using materials that will not breakdown over time. Wooden utensils tend to rot over time from moisture; plastic can melt in the dishwasher or on the stove. Opt for materials such as cast iron or stainless steel that will last for a lifetime. Haven’t you seen your grandmother’s cast iron skillet? Yep – still doing its job!


Adopt energy efficient cooking practices: With the onset of more energy efficient stove and ovens, there is more room for adopting better cooking practices for you and your family. When using your oven, try and cook more than one item at a time, and skip preheating if your oven or stovetop heats up quickly. While preheating may be necessary for certain specialty dishes, you may save energy by skipping this energy sucking step. When cooking food on your stovetop, use cookware that has tight fitting lids to avoid excessive heat escaping from the pots and pans. This could speed up your cooking and in turn help you save energy.


Consider where you buy your food: Healthier living also means considering how and where your food is coming from that you bring into your kitchen. Remember, green practices also involve the manufacturing and production of food, and how far the food must travel to reach your home. Consider shopping at local farmers markets, buying organic foods from local growers, and buying geographically grown native foods more often. When you buy foods that are from other areas of the world, the transportation, fuel, pollution and other negative biproducts make these foods less “green” and inturn more expensive for your pocket. Buy local whenever possible, the food will be fresher, healthier, and make you feel good in preparing meals in your kitchen.


 Instilling green practices in your kitchen isn’t as difficult as many believe. If you are trying to save money, you don’t have to purchase the most expensive energy efficient appliances. Consider shopping at discount appliance stores, purchasing discontinued models, or visiting appliance warehouses that may have ‘scratch and dent’ appliances that have small imperfections that may mean large savings to you. Use these helpful tips to help your kitchen become a greener and healthier place to prepare and enjoy meals with your family, The better you feel about saving money, cooking healthier meals, and saving the Earth, the more benefit for everyone worldwide.

How to Creatively Add More Shoe Storage to your Closet

In every home there is a certain item(s) that is the culprit of most storage problems. In the kid’s rooms it may be too many toys and in the garage it is too many boxes. If you are someone who enjoys shoes, and actually have more shoes than clothes, your closet storage may be paying the price! Shoe storage is a challenge because of the space needed, and that pairs of shoes must stay together for organization and ease of finding. If you are struggling with finding more shoe storage, try these simple tips:


Assess you current shoes and storage area: There are several different shoe scenarios that need to be determined first. In order to create storage, you will need to purge, donate, or throw away. Determine if your current shoe stock are shoes that you actually wear or if they are old and need to be removed. If you actually wear the shoes then a plan for storage is in order.


  • Separate your closet into areas: Shoe storage can be as simple as a shelf, or it can be as elaborate as a formal shoe organization ‘system’, complete with clear bins, and photographs of the shoe on the outside of the bin. Determine what areas of your closet can be used for only shoes. Shoes shouldn’t be intermingled with hanging clothes. The better line of site you have to your shoes the better. Separate clothes, accessories, large items in an adjacent area away from shoes.
  • Treat your shoes like display: If you have shoes that are as beautiful off your feet as on, you may consider storing your shoes like display items! Consider using creative shelves, and decorative molding to hang heeled shoes from. This display will make it easy to pick shoes out in a hurry and make your bedroom look ultra chic! Closet organization systems can be made to look as beautiful as cabinetry and custom millwork. Depending on your budget and your decorative style, there is a shoe display to meet your needs.
 

Give current storage a multifunctional purpose: Look through your current storage closet and see where you can steal space. Use hanging shoe dividers on the back or inside of closet doors. Use upper shelves of closets, and maximize vertical height by adding on shoe shelving. If you have space, dedicate an entire coat or broom closet to shoe organization. You may be able to relocate household items to a laundry room or utility room hanging wall storage area. Use under bed rolling clear bins for seasonal and occasional footwear to maximize space in your closet for everyday shoes.


Shoe storage in your home shouldn’t be difficult and depending on how many shoes you have, it can be made easier by following these tips. Consider how much space you have to work with and consider accruing less shoes than you have space for. In order for your shoe storage to work for an extended amount of time you will have to keep track of your growth. If you are an avid shoe shopper, your creative storage area will need to be able to accommodate growth, or you will be stuck right back in the same place, again!

How to Add Drama to your Bathroom with a Freestanding Bathtub

Once upon a time vintage claw foot, freestanding bathtubs were the only tub around and today they are more popular than ever! Freestanding bathtubs add drama to your bathroom, plus they are deeper than traditional built-in tubs, which allows for a more relaxing bath. While built-in tubs are still popular, freestanding tubs can bring beautiful drama to your bathroom and create a focal point to the space that many bathrooms lack. If you are looking for ways to add a ‘wow’ factor to your bathroom, look at these ideas for adding drama with a freestanding bathtub.

  • Go for color: While a classic white freestanding tub can be dramatic in itself, adding color to your focal point is always dramatic and daring. If your decorative style is eclectic, slightly more daring than the norm, consider finding a bathtub that has color and style. From candy apple red or hot pink, to perfectly coordinating colored stripes, freestanding bathtubs are not just your traditional white anymore!
  • Amenities galore: Do you prefer modern technology in your soaking tub atmosphere?  Freestanding tubs that also have directional jets, music, colored lights, and aromatherapy options can give you the ultimate spa experience at home. If you are not into all of the whistles and bells of a technological bathtub, consider bathtubs that offer bath pillows for your head, sprayer nozzles, and customized settings to remember each user. You name it, there is a freestanding bathtub waiting for you and your relaxing lifestyle.


Simple lines may be dramatic enough: When most people think of dramatic, they think of eye catching, bold colors, and vibrant patterns. Often times drama can be felt with minimum amount of ornamentation and drop dead simple lines. Freestanding bathtubs that are more minimalistic in form and are left without clutter around them, give a focal point to your dramatic bathroom that you will love.  Offset simple lines with one or two features, like a gorgeous chair or a one of a kind pendant, and watch the drama begin!


Unique bathtub materials: Freestanding bathtubs come in a variety of materials from copper, wood, marble and concrete. Reclaimed materials from older homes, factories and barns can make gorgeous freestanding bathtubs. Because concrete is so versatile, bathtubs that look like bowls, nutshells, and even seashells are very popular in many modern homes. Add a dramatic touch to your bathroom by using a bathtub that has exquisite materials and will look one-of-a-kind in your bathroom setting. Even if you choose a typical acrylic finish bathtub, just the fact that it is freestanding can often create enough of a dramatic affect in itself!





Now that you’ve seen how to add drama to your bathroom, it’s up to you to choose from the vast colors and styles of freestanding bathtubs out there!  If you need help visualizing what size and style would fit your bathroom, consider asking an interior designer or a bathroom planning specialist for advice for your specific bathroom. While you may fall in love with quite a few, every bathroom is different, and choosing the right freestanding tub for your bathroom can save time, money, and keep you happy for years to come!

10 Amenities to Look for when Buying a Home

Now that spring is here, buying and selling homes is an objective for many of you, who have waited patiently all winter to start your home search. Whether this is your first home or you are a veteran, there are amenities that you should keep an eye out for when looking to buy a home. While many people can stage and make a house look good, remember once their belongings are taken with them, the house will remain. Therefore, look at these 10 amenities when considering buying a home, to help assure you of getting a worthwhile investment.



1. Look at the kitchen appliances: One of the most expensive parts of homes are the appliances. The age, care, and condition of the kitchen appliances in the home will have a direct impact as to whether you will need to buy new ones, or if they will need to be serviced anytime soon. Go ahead… open the refrigerator!

2. Finishes and materials: Once you know your price range, know what finishes are expected in your price point.  Less expensive home will use vinyl flooring, lower end carpet and possible plastic laminate counters in kitchen and baths. While higher end homes may use more resilient flooring such as tile and wood, and solid surfacing in kitchens, such as granite or slate. Knowing what is expected in your price category will help you determine if the home you’re looking at is a deal or not.


 3. Pay attention to the ceiling: The ceiling is a telltale place for water spots to show from possible leaks and cracks from structural damage. Pay attention to cracks in drywall, wall surfaces, and where the ceiling meets the wall for warning signs.

4. Outdoor areas of the home: Don’t forget to look at the roof, gutters, downspouts, and inspect the outdoor condition of the home. Especially older homes, try to find out from your Realtor or the previous homeowner when maintenance or replacements have been conducted in the past.



5. Look at the neighborhood: Yes, your house is important, but the safety, location, and proximity to several amenities should be considered as well. Research nearby schools if you have children, as well as travel time to work, stores, and how your neighborhood is laid out. Feel just as comfortable with your neighborhood as your house.
6. Upgrades versus standard amenities: If you are purchasing a brand new home from a builder, know what are upgrades versus standard amenities when looking at homes. Most model homes will have quite a few upgrades to show the homes in their “highest quality” state.  While upgrades don’t mean the home is built any better or worse than homes with less upgrades. Once again, this information will help you be an informed homebuyer. Don’t allow yourself to buy a more expensive home than you budgeted for because of upgrades. Knowing your price point will keep you disciplined.
7. Bathroom amenities: Similarly to the kitchen, look at the bathroom plumbing fixtures, shower/tub to see what condition these amenities are in. For older homes, if you know you will need to do a remodel or renovation in the future, you should be prepared to know this reality when looking at the home, not after you move in.



8. Major systems: Take a look at the heating/air conditioner unit, hot water heater, and other major systems in the house when looking at homes. These systems can be costly if they are left in disrepair for too long. While you may not need to look at these until you are settling on one specific house, its good to keep on your checklist.
9. Homeowner added amenities: For resale homes, many homeowners have already upgraded the home on their own. From adding a swimming pool and deck in the backyard to crown molding and built in cabinets in the living room. Most homeowners will state what upgrades they have put into the house, and what the approximate cost it was to upgrade. Use this information when comparing like properties in a similar neighborhood, city, etc…
10. Look for a paper trail: Especially when buying a resale home, seek a paper trail, or a list of receipts and/or documents of repairs, upgrades, and services added to the home over the years. Similarly to buying a used car, the more informed you are, the more ideal buying a home from that individual will feel. Amenities in a home can be attractive, but if the homeowner can’t tell you who upgraded it and when, you may want to move on to the next house.

Looking for a new home can be exciting, and at times nerve racking! Even though it can be both of these, looking for a home is an essential part of life, and believe it or not, it is the best investment you can ever make. Decide what amenities you have to have, and which ones you’d prefer, but don’t have to have. Use this 10 amenities list to help you know what to look for when looking for the perfect home.

How to Modernize your Bathroom with Vessel Sinks

Bathrooms have come a long way in the past years, and finding ways to modernize a current bathroom is always a challenge of many homeowners. The most common way to bring an outdated bathroom up to modern day design trends is to update the major components: bathtub/shower, and sink. Since your guests use the sink every time they enter the bathroom, vessel sinks are a modern amenity that gives a lot of “bang for your buck”, and it gives an instant wow factor that homeowners and guests appreciate. Here are tips for modernizing your bathroom with vessel sinks.


Choose a sink that reflects in your bathroom:  Vessel sinks come in a variety of styles to match any decorative style you may have in your bathroom. If your bathroom is a natural blend of Zen inspired influences, a natural stone vessel sink may be more in tune with your decorative style. While a modern and minimalistic bathroom with sleek cabinetry and fixtures may opt for a glass or lacquered look finish sink with complimentary plumbing controls.


 Make your vessel the showstopper of the bathroom: The joy of vessel sinks is their ability to show off their functionality and beauty at the same time. Create a focal point of your bathroom with vessel sinks that look as beautiful as their duty. From vessel sinks that infuse a lighting fixture from below, to vessel sinks that look like a piece of artwork. Discover why homeowners love their unique vessel sinks.


Coordinate the plumbing controls with the sink: Plumbing fixture controls have had to step their “game” up too, with the onset of popularity of vessel sinks. Since vessel sinks can have a small or large profile (the distance the bowl sits above the counter) this dictates what type of plumbing fixture controls you will need. Deck mounted, or faucets and controls that come out of the counter are an option, but will need a long neck. Wall mounted fixtures that extend from the wall is a gorgeous option that resembles a water fountain coming from the wall, and will require enough extension of the faucet to reach the sink bowl.

  • Versatile vessel sinks: While many homeowners enjoy having vessel sinks in the guest bathroom as a show-off piece, vessel sinks are also popular in children’s bathrooms and the master bathroom. Scaled down versions of giant bowls can be used for the kids, while vessel trough sinks that feel like you’re bathing out of an artisan crafted basin are popular too. For inspiration, visit sink manufacturer’s catalogs and online display of ideas for any bathroom in your home.
Adding a vessel sink in your bathroom can modernize and enhance your the aesthetics of your space. From the guest bathroom to the master, vessel sinks add a touch of modern sophistication to any bathroom. For a more dramatic presentation, consider visiting home builders trade shows, and home & patio shows in your local area. You will be pleasantly surprised of all the new vessel sinks on the market! From innovative materials, like metals, and temperature sensitive glass sinks to sinks that have changing lights and colors! Modernize your bathroom today with a beautiful vessel sink.

How to Make your Home Look Larger when Selling your Home

 What is the number one amenity that homebuyers look for when buying a home? Space… and of course value. They both go hand in hand when you think about it. The more space your home has, the more expensive it is correct? Usually, although giving the illusion of space can make homebuyers feel better and you feel better to ask more for the price of your home than you once thought. Bringing in light, using neutral colors, and getting rid of large, bulky furniture is a start. Here are more tips to help your home look larger.

  • Purge and de-clutter: While this step seems like a no-brainer, every home usually has excess ‘stuff’ that is not needed. Whether it is in your home office, kitchen counters, or kids toys lying around, you can purge and de-clutter to make your home look larger.  A home staging trick? In every room you should be able to see portions of the baseboards (where the wall meets the floor). Look around the room; if you can’t see the baseboard on most walls, you may need to get rid of some items.
  • Use neutral colors that are pleasing: Bringing in neutral colors into your home palette will keep homebuyers eyes moving throughout your home as the rooms flow into one another. While these colors may not be your ideal if you were living there for the next 20 years, your home is now on the market. Just like selling a car, you need to shine up the exterior, interior and give it a tune-up. Consider using a neutral palette of browns, grays, or muted greens and blues to appeal to a wider range of homebuyers. You will be surprised how large your home will look once you bring in neutrals to open the rooms.

Bring in light and ditch the dark window treatments: Look at your windows and determine if your rooms are letting in as much natural light as possible. Dark window treatments can be hindering your source for natural light, as well as large furniture may be blocking natural light. Ensure that large armoires, entertainment centers and headboards do not block natural light. The other issue is being able to see views. Homebuyers want to feel like they are looking out at a beautiful view. If you have furniture, or heavy drapery blocking their view, they will assume you are hiding something!


Only use essential furniture: Have you ever walked into a model home, and wondered why the bedroom only had a bed and a dresser? While this may seem a little drastic, depending on the size of the bedroom, this may be sufficient to give the illusion of more space. While you don’t want the room to look stark, the room should look livable, and inviting. If you have too much large pieces, consider putting them in storage, moving to another room in your home, or selling pieces you may not need for the next home you move into. Your rooms will grow considerably in visual space, just by following this tip.


Open up your home with the addition of these helpful staging tips. While you aren’t trying to fool the homebuyer, you are trying to showcase the best amenities about your home. Size is crucial, and an over cluttered, over furnished and dark home will sit on the market much longer than one that has been carefully staged with the above tips. If you are having troubles visualizing how your home should look, seek the advice of a professional home stager, or ask a friend who may have a better eye than you. Before you know it, your “Sold” sign will be going up in the front yard!