The Importance of Staging Your Home To Sell

As a recent home seller and real estate agent I can tell you that staging is so important when selling your home. The number one rule I have found is that you have to separate your emotional attachment to the home and refer to is as a house that you are selling. Remember you are selling the house not the items that are in the home.

I found the best way to separate yourself from the house is to ask for a separate opinion. When looking to stage your home it is wise to find someone that is well educated on the subject. A company that has been in the business for awhile will know what is trending, and what needs to be accomplished to get the job done properly.

Before we put our home on the market it wasn't staged and it was not well received. After it was staged it was sold in a week. A lot of factors come into play when selling a home, pricing it right being the most important, but I firmly believe that staging helped in the process.

An exceptional home stagger will create an environment that will allow the buyers to envision themselves living in the home. They will arrange furniture in such a way as to allow the space to maximized, and declutter and decorate the home that it will appeal to the masses.

Prep This House is an amazing company located in the Okanagan that can help you on your way to your new home. Check them out at http://www.prepthishouse.com.

Back to School Whoop Whoop!

With summer ending around the corner out comes the school supply checklist and checking the calendar to see when the kids actually go back to school. Unless you are super parent and already know!

Organize a space for homework, a desk is a great way for children to take ownership of their homework and pride in their own space.
Declutter the bedrooms!!! I have said it before I will say it again, clean rooms make for better sleeps!
Before your children go to bed and before you go to work have the lunches and the clothes ready to go and the homework packed up ready to go. Trust me, the mornings become less stressful when they don't have to look for eveything. They will also sleep better knowing they have everything ready for the morning.
Lists are a great way to acknowledge all the work they have accomplished. Set goals of a break once a certain amount of homework is done on the list.

Assign hangers for your children's coats and if you have the room a small tupperware bin for them to put their phones, keys and other small items for the night.
Encourage healthy snacks, they may not put it in their lunch but i guarantee if you sneak an apple in they will eat it!

Lastly, Get the house clean a couple days before that way you can concentrate on getting their school supplies, clothes, and haircuts.

Camping Organization

You have decided to go camping and then your mind starts racing of all the items you need to bring. Start with a list!

1. Food

Breakfast, Snacks, Lunch, Supper I like to even pre-plan each meal, and don't forget your pet food and dishes!

2. Clothing

Lay out the suitcases or bags in the living room, make a list for your kids and have them gather their clothes, do not forget hats!

3. Toiletries (baby wipes rock on camping trips)

4. Games

5. First Aid Kit

6. Kitchen supplies

7. Electronics  - extra batteries never hurt, flashlights

8. Maps

9. Pillows/Blankets/Chairs

10. Cleaning supplies

You can search "camping lists" and print off many more detailed versions to suit your needs.

Whether you are tenting or in a RV. Tupperware bins, tupperware bins, tupperware bins.... are your best friend! Group like items and label! Impromptu camping trips sometimes happen but if everything is already stored in tupperware bins, a grab and go trip can be exciting. Additionally,  extra water containers are a fabulous idea.

When you get to your destination. Take a walk with your children, become familar with the area. Make stations as you unpack and reinforce that items be put away right after using the item.

Every morning and evening do a ten second tidy! Assign everyone a space to clean and switch it up daily so it is "fair" to the kids. You can make a game out it and award a prize for the fastest cleaning job. 

I also like to purchase notebooks from the dollar store and the kids can journal their experiences that summer. It provides great quiet time and helps them settle down for the evening.

A little bit of organizing and pre-planning goes a long way to make the camping trip a lot less stressful. Have fun and stay safe!