From making an offer on your dream home to navigating your first year of DIY home repairs, the experts at Family Handyman will guide you through your landmark journey of new homeownership.
Buying a new home is a monumental step in your life and likely one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make. We have all your DIY tips, maintenance task checklists and key product recommendations to help you feel excited about your new home and empowered to truly make it your home.
Being organized is the name of the game right before you close on a home. It’s important to have your all of your financial documents in order and to create a plan that fits your needs and lifestyle. Getting ready to set up and schedule your utilities and do a change of address is just the beginning. Refer to our guide on What to Do Before You Close on a Home.
Congratulations! You’ve closed on your new home. Before you pack up your bags and hire a moving company, you should make a running list of what needs to be done before you move in, because there’s a lot. But don’t let it overwhelm you; we’re here to help. If you stay focused on the priorities, you’ll be settled in and enjoying your house in no time. Refer to our guide on What to Do After You Close on a House.
Once you’ve closed on your new home and moved in, get ready to make it your own. There are so many projects you can do in the early months of moving into your home as well as within the first year. Whether you’re looking at the interior and considering upgrading the walls with a fresh coat of paint, fixing a door knob or adding a fixture, or if you’re looking at the exterior and considering new landscaping ideas, being a new homeowner is a labor of love. Refer to our guide on What to Do and Expect in Your First Year of Homeownership.
Buying a house is rarely as simple as getting the keys and settling in. Even if you didn’t buy a fixer upper, you’ll most likely be spending some money giving your new place some level of customization, which is part of the fun of being a new homeowner. We have a list of the most essential things you’ll need, including basic tools, cleaning supplies and key appliances.
Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of time of publication.4U4ME/GETTY IMAGES
Not everything goes dormant in the wintertime. Winter weeds are thriving and will wreak havoc in your garden. Be sure you’re prepared.
Did you know that a single weed can produce 100,000 to 200,000 seeds that can survive in soil for 40 years, germinating every spring and fall without fail?
They’re more than a nuisance too. Weeds can cost the agricultural industry billions of dollars every year in lost crops, with billions more going toward the effort to get rid of them. For individual lawns and gardens, it might not be a billion dollar problem, but the weeds are the same.
Where Do Winter Weeds Typically Pop Up?
Winter weeds — undesired plants that germinate in the fall, grow and seed from winter into spring and then die off or go dormant as temperatures increase — can grow anywhere there’s soil. They especially like:
Lawns, even more so if they are sparse and unhealthy.
Areas where infestations have occurred in previous years,
Regions with excessive rainfall,
Gardens and lawns where equipment like lawn mowers and rototillers are regularly used. Both spread seeds.
How Do Winter Weeds Survive During Winter?
Plants earn the “weed” designation because of their extreme tenacity, thanks in part to a few built-in winter defense mechanisms.
Quiescence
This refers to a seed’s ability to wait in a vegetative state until their required growing conditions are met. Once that happens, it automatically triggers the growth cycle.
Dormancy
Dormancy takes quiescence and adds the biological instinct to successfully establish. In this case, achieving the required growing conditions doesn’t necessarily trigger continued development.
An extenuating condition within the seed itself can delay growth until its chances of surviving and establishing are at their best. It’s an astounding display of a complex biological process, and it makes dormancy by far the key to winter weeds’ survival.
Roots
Strong root systems help certain winter weeds survive harsh conditions. Dicot winter weeds have large taproots that make uprooting more difficult. These roots also sprout new growth if cut.
Perennials always have parts of their roots in the ground, storing up the energy they need to grow rapidly and aggressively. There are also some winter weeds that grow from rhizomes, notorious for their fast, lateral spread and their ease in sprouting new plants.
Types of Winter Weeds
Poa annua (annual bluegrass)
Winter weeds are categorized based on their structure (broadleaf or grass) and life cycle (annual perennial, or biennial). These are important classifications because different life cycles and structures require different methods of control, especially with herbicides.
Many of the more widespread broadleaf winter weeds are also annuals. Stellaria media (common chickweed), Lamium amplexicaule (henbit), Lamium purpureum (purple deadnettle), Cardamine hirsuta (lamb’s cress) and Veronica arvensis (creeping Veronica) are the most widely seen examples.
Linaria vulgaris (wild snapdragon) is also a broadleaf winter weed, but unlike the examples above, it is a perennial. It also goes by toadflax or butter-and-eggs. Another well-known winter broadleaf perennial is Taraxacum officinale (dandelion).
The most well-known annual grass weed is Poa annua (annual bluegrass). Its hard-to-kill nature makes it a pervasive problem throughout the U.S.
How To Control Winter Weeds
Apply safe, pre-emergent herbicide before winter weeds begin sprouting, to target the seeds and root systems of perennials.
Spot treat or remove any weeds already visible.
Fertilize.
Apply mulch to starve seeds of nutrients from the sun and provide a growth barrier.
Avoid non-targeted watering which benefits weeds too. Implement drip irrigation in garden beds so water is directly routed to plants.
Limit digging and tilling which tend to spread seeds.
After implementing these preventative measures, inspect your garden regularly to discover weeds as early as possible. Remove or treat weeds the instant you notice them. Killing them before they drop seeds prevents infestations in years to come.
When treating sprouted weeds, you have two options.
Manual Removal
Weeds without deep roots or runners that grow in relatively contained patterns can be dug out by hand. All traces of the weed must be dug out, taking care to shake or disturb it as little as possible. You can do this with your hands, but a hand tool makes it much easier.
This stand-up weed removal tool is a good option. It’s easy to use and allows you to extricate the weed slowly and carefully, which is essential. I’ve always liked simple hand trowels with a serrated edge. Corona, which makes excellent hand tools, makes several hand weeders. I use their transplanter as a hand weeder and love how it works.
Herbicide Application
The best weed killer depends on the type of winter weed, the cultivated grass or plants being affected, and the climate. As some weeds develop resistance to certain treatments, it’s often more effective to alternate between two herbicides.
The Three Types of Herbicides
Chemical Herbicides
For broadleaf weeds, look for products with triclopyr, dicamba, MCPP or 2, 4-D. These are the active ingredients found in selective herbicides that kill broadleaf weeds but not your grass. Some products, called two-way and three-way herbicides, have two or more active ingredients.
Grass weeds present a bigger challenge because they can’t be treated with a herbicide without harming your cultivated lawn. If the lawn is completely dormant or you plan to re-sod, go for strong and non-selective herbicides, like those containing diquat (contact). Ortho’s GroundClear contains diquat and is also affordable.
All-Natural Herbicides
If you prefer all-natural herbicides, the most tried-and-true ingredients are vinegar and acetic acids, sodium chloride (salt), soaps, citric acid and essential oils. You can purchase products already mixed or products that require adding water. You also can mix your own recipes at home.
Most all-natural or organic herbicides are non-selective and will damage or kill anything they come in contact with. All-natural selective herbicides are harder to find, but out there.
A vinegar-based non-selective that works well is Natural Element’s Weed Killer. OrganicMatters proprietary blend of vinegar, sodium chloride, clove oil, lemon juice, sodium lauryl sulfate and water is another tried-and-true all-natural non-selective.
I’ve always liked Tenacity and regularly recommend it. Tenacity was granted a reduced-risk status by the EPA because it uses mesotrione as the active ingredient. While it’s toxic to many kinds of weeds, there are no cancer-causing ingredients, and it’s been deemed safe to use on lawns where children and pets play.
Make your guests comfortable and save yourself some headaches.
The holiday season is here, and for many of us that means hosting guests. Whether that’s as simple as having the a single holiday guest for a night or a home filled with extended family members for days on end, you’ll need to make sure your house is ready for company.
Here are a few things for this season’s holiday hosts to right now
Know Your Guests
Different guests will have different sets of needs and expectations, so it’s important to understand ahead of time what those will be.
Consider everything from food allergies to sleeping accommodations. An air mattress might be fine for a twentysomething, but not for your mother-in-law.
Fortunately, it’s easy to figure out — just ask them. Get answers for what kind of food they like, preferred sleeping arrangements, etc. It’s important that your guests feel comfortable. The first step is taking the time to show them you want their stay to be a pleasant one.
Clean the House
It should be obvious, but with company settling in for a few nights, definitely give your house a good cleaning from top to bottom. Pay extra attention to the rooms where your guests will be sleeping, and the bathrooms.
This also is a good time to make some basic repairs, like touching up scratches in the paint or tightening up the grab bar in the shower. Think about safety, too. With more people in the house, it might be good to tie down Christmas lights or add a non-slip pad under your doormat.
Guest Bedroom
Do you know where your guests will sleep? You need a plan for that as soon as you know who’s coming to stay. It’s probably better to nail down that detail even before inviting them, if possible.
Are there enough beds for everyone? If not, think about getting an air mattress, hideaway bed or folding bed. You may need one if you’re asking the kids to bunk together to clear out an extra room for Grandma and Grandpa.
Your company will appreciate clean, fresh bedding, so throw those extra sheets, pillowcases and comforters in the washing machine ahead of time. Stock extra pillows and blankets for your guests, too.
Be sure to put a light next to the bed, too. That allows them to read or check their phone before settling in for the evening. It’s also a safety feature. Your guests are in an unfamiliar environment, so easy access to a light helps them move around safely at night.
These days phone chargers are essential, so be sure there’s an easy way for company to plug in their electronic devices. Even with phones, a clock is still a nice touch and convenient addition to a guest room.
Your guests will also appreciate a place to unpack their suitcase, especially if they’re staying for more than a couple nights. If there’s a dresser in the room, clear out a couple of drawers for them to use. Also, consider giving them some closet space or an extra valet rod to hang clothes.
Prepare the Bathroom
PORNTHEP SAWASVECH/GETTY IMAGES
Before company shows up, know which bathroom to assign them. Ideally, they’ll have their own to use. If that’s not possible and they have to share, you can still take steps to make them feel comfortable.
You can never have enough clean bath towels, hand towels and washcloths for company. Stock extra clean linens in the bathroom, and let your guests know where they can find them.
Though most people will bring their own toiletries, you should provide them as well. Set out shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, an extra toothbrush or two (in the package), soap, lotion, etc. It’s worth having extra things like cotton swabs, clean nail clippers, tampons, contact solution and anything else your guests might need to make their stay more comfortable.
Oh, and show them where the plunger and wastebasket are. That helps them avoid potentially embarrassing situations.
Stock the Kitchen
Buy extra snacks and goodies for your pantry and refrigerator. This is also where it’s essential to know the needs of the people staying with you. Do they have special dietary concerns? If you know that ahead of time, you can stock up on the right food and beverages. It may sound obvious, but show them where everything is and make them feel comfortable accessing it when they want something to eat or drink.
Coffee is always appreciated. So be sure to have extra on hand. Have everything out and ready to go so early risers in the group can help themselves.
Table space is something to consider, too. If you don’t have enough seating for everyone at your holiday dinner, you can always pick up a folding table and extra chairs so everyone has a seat.
Plan and Relax
Whoever comes to stay with you for the holidays, have a plan for things to do. Take them to the museum or go see a show. Find out what they like to do and make plans to do it. Conversely, don’t be afraid to give your guests their space. They might want to tour the city themselves or enjoy a dinner out on their own one night.
Do your best to prepare your home for company, but it’s also important to accept that things may not be perfect. And they don’t have to be! Do your best to make everyone feel welcome, and they’ll appreciate it. It’s the holiday season and your friends and family are coming to stay with you, so enjoy it!
Is raking up your leaves and taking them to the dump really the best course of action?
Every year as autumn rolls in and temperatures and leaves start to fall, homeowners are left with the same question: What do I do with all of the leaves that are now spread across my lawn?
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Traditionally, it’s been common practice for people to rake the leaves into piles, bag them up, then take them to the local dump. But are raking leaves and taking them to a landfill actually the best thing for your yard and the environment?
What is the Purpose of Raking Leaves?
Here’s the idea behind raking leaves: If left to sit the entire winter, they’ll turn into a mildewy mush that will smother your grass and keep it from growing back strong the next spring.
This much is true: Leaving a thick blanket of winter leaves on your lawn over the winter is bad for your grass. Raking your leaves and bagging them up is certainly an effective way to keep all of that from happening. Turns out, though, that it might not be the best thing you can do.
Can Raking Leaves Be a Bad Idea?
The act of raking leaves is not the problem. It’s what you do with the leaves after they’ve been raked that can be problematic. If you usually take garbage bags full of leaves to your local dump, you might want to reconsider.
“The worst thing you can do is put (leaves) in bags and send them to landfills,” David Mizejewski, a naturalist at the National Wildlife Federation, told the Providence Journal in 2020.
Leaves in landfills take up a ton of unnecessary space. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than ten percent of the trash thrown away in the U.S. in 2018 was yard trimmings. To make matters worse, as the leaves in landfills break down, they combine with other organic materials to create methane, a greenhouse gas harmful to the environment.
So if you can’t take your leaves to the dump, what can you do with them? Well, burning them is also no good for a couple of reasons. First, it’s banned in many areas due to concerns over forest fires. Second, burning leaves send particulates in the air that the EPA says can lodge in people’s lungs and cause respiratory issues, heartbeat irregularities, even heart attacks.
What’s the Best Way to Dispose of Leaves?
Mulching and/or composting your leaves is the best course of action, for the health of your lawn and the environment. If you rake leaves into piles, collect them and use them as a base in your compost bin. Composting will turn the leaves into something you can actually use in your garden, instead of just letting them rot in the landfill. Many municipalities have composting programs. you can either take them to a compost site, or leave them at the curb and the city will do it for you. Check with your municipality for details.
You don’t have to rake, though, especially if you’re only dealing with a thin layer of leaves. Just run over the leaves with your lawnmower and collect the trimmings. Dry, chopped-up leaves make a great mulch.
You can even run your lawnmower over the leaves and let them sit in the yard all winter. As long as it’s not too thick of a layer (you don’t want to smother the grass, remember), the chopped-up leaves will serve as a natural fertilizer. That will help your lawn look healthy and vibrant when it grows back the following spring.
Natural gas, electricity, propane, heating oil. Whatever fuel you use, heating bills are going up this winter. Here’s what the latest data means.
On chilly winter mornings, we reach for the thermostat before getting our first cup of coffee. But like grocery bills, home heating fuel prices are on the rise just as temperatures start to drop.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates U.S. consumers will pay an average of 17.5 percent more this winter more for natural gas, electricity, heating oil and propane. Predicted colder than average temperatures combined with higher fuel prices could have a significant impact on your budget.
The EIA’s 2022 Winter Fuels Outlook breaks down what to expect this winter when you review your heating bill. A lot depends on where you live and who provides your fuel. A milder or more severe winter than predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will also affect the estimates.
What Is Causing Heating Bills To Rise?
Higher prices in the wholesale fuel markets and higher demand by consumers will drive up heating bills this winter, according to the EIA.
Because we can’t easily change how we heat our homes, fuel markets can be more volatile than other commodities. Disruptions like the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine impact consumers directly by affecting wholesale fuel prices. Those higher prices are then passed on to consumers, although the speed of rate increases depends on the fuel type.
Weather plays a major role, too. People use more energy in the winter to heat their homes, and that rise in demand can cause supply disruptions. If fuel inventories are low, prices may rise.
Below are some cost factors for specific fuels.
Why Is the Cost of Natural Gas Rising?
Higher consumption and rising retail natural gas prices mean consumers will pay 28 percent higher heating bills this year, or about $931.
Wholesale natural gas prices are based on what’s called the Henry Hub spot price, and that’s expected to be 54 percent higher this winter than last, according to the EIA. (The Henry Hub is a major pipeline distribution hub in Louisiana.)
That increase, which factors in production, inventories and market demand, doesn’t immediately pass through to consumers because of the natural gas market’s regulatory structure. So you’re unlikely to see a 54 percent increase on your heating bill.
The U.S. is projected to end this year’s “injection season” (when producers store natural gas for withdrawal during winter) with the lowest levels of reserve inventories in three years. That’s partially due to exporters shipping liquified natural gas (LNG) to Europe after Russia cut off their supply. High demand in Europe means high prices for exporters and lower reserves in the U.S.
The EIA predicts higher consumption and higher prices will push consumer electricity costs up 10 percent this winter compared to last. That’s about $1,360 per household on average and reflects the total electricity cost of a home, including lights and appliances.
The cost of electricity is depends on the cost of other fuels, namely natural gas. From January to July of this year, U.S. electricity producers paid three times more for natural gas than the same period in 2020, according to the EIA. Other factors include upkeep of plants and transmission lines, weather and regulatory requirements.
Residential customers in deregulated energy markets see a pass-through of higher wholesale prices more quickly than regulated ones. So if you live in the Northeast, you’re expected to pay eight percent more this winter. In the more regulated market in the West, it’ll be closer to four percent.
Why Is the Cost of Propane Rising?
Household propane costs will be up about five percent this winter, due to higher consumption. That’s about $80 more than last year, or $1,680. This estimate does not include homes on the West Coast because the EIA doesn’t collect propane data there.
Similar to natural gas, propane has a spot price, measured at a hub near Houston. That price at the end of September 2022 was down 40 percent from last year. Last winter the propane markets were more volatile due to lower inventories and higher prices, but have since leveled off.
Propane prices are highly regional. While consumption is expected to go up in all measured sectors, prices will be up four percent in the Northeast, down three percent in the South and stay the same in the Midwest.
Why Is the Cost of Heating Oil Rising?
Low inventories, limited refining capacity and low imports in the U.S. distillate market will push retail heating oil prices up this winter, according to the EIA. Couple that with higher consumption due to the forecasted cold winter, and consumers will be paying $2,350 to heat their homes this winter, up 27 percent.
Heating oil prices depend on the costs of three things: crude oil, refining that crude into heating oil and delivering it to homes. As a result, heating oil prices tend to track with crude oil prices. When the price of crude is steady, prices tend to go up in the winter when demand is highest. Regional competition also plays a role.
Score one of our favorite artificial Christmas trees while it’s marked down—here are the best artificial Christmas tree sales happening now.
Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of time of publication.
VIA MERCHANT
You’ve probably already noticed that many stores are already starting to pivot from Halloween to holiday décor, which means early, pre-holiday deals—namely, Christmas tree deals—even before Black Friday sales begin.
Check out our favorite sale picks below and treat yourself to a new tree this Christmas before the trick-or-treating begins.1 / 6
VIA MERCHANT
Amazon
National Tree Company Dunhill Fir
The Dunhill Fir from the National Tree Company was named the most realistic tree in our recent best artificial Christmas tree roundup. Finding an artificial tree that doesn’t look fake can be expensive, but this tree looks incredibly lifelike and is one of the best Christmas tree sales on our list. Thanks to its wide, full-bodied branches, you’ll have plenty of space to display all your favorite decorations and Christmas tree lights. Each branch is individually crafted with needles made of realistic-looking PVC that’s both hypo-allergenic and fire-resistant, making this a kid- and pet-friendly tree.
The 7-1/2-foot version of this Dunhill Fir typically retails for $330. That’s not a bad price, but right now you can snag it while it’s marked almost 40% off.
If you’re looking for a slimmer, yet still realistic, artificial Christmas tree, then The National Tree Company Slim Kingswood Fir is for you. It’s only 30 inches in diameter, so it takes up minimal space in your home or apartment. Plus, its hinged branches are pre-attached to its center and drop down for quick and easy setup.
This tree is currently marked down 32% from its original retail price, so you can get the slim 7-1/2-foot Christmas tree on sale for just $101.
Sometimes the best ways to protect your home are the easiest. Learn how without investing a lot of time or money.
IAMZHEM/GETTY IMAGES
Never Open Your Door to Strangers
When someone comes to your door, do you promptly open it, assuming it’s a neighbor or delivery person? if so, stop right now. Those with bad intentions can easily knock you aside and gain entry to your home.
Your best bet to protect your home is adding a video doorbell camera. These easy-to-install devices let you see and talk to whoever’s at your door through an app on your phone. You don’t have to open the door.
A bonus: You can talk to visitors whether you’re home or not. And the camera can catch package thieves, too. Here’s our list of the top video doorbell cameras to help you choose the right one for you.
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Hire a Home Sitter When You’re Away
Most people know you should halt your mail service and put lights on a timer when you’re away from home for long periods. Well, most thieves know those tricks, too.
Here’s a better way to deter potential break-ins: Hire a home sitter to make your place look lived in by shoveling snow, cutting the grass and bringing in packages. Plus, the sitter can water your plants and feed the fish. Just make sure you hire someone from a trusted agency or a well-known friend or relative.ADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT
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Trim Your Bushes and Plant Smart
Your landscaping can make your home safer. Overgrown bushes give thieves an ideal place to hide. Keep them trimmed to give those with ill intentions less coverage. Even better, plant spiky bushes and plants like cacti, yucca and roses underneath windows to deter thieves.
PERRY MASTROVITO/GETTY IMAGES
Light Up the Night
How many times have you forgotten to turn on the porch light before you left the house? Darkness is a thief’s best friend because it gives them cover to shimmy through windows undetected.
Protect your home at night by installing motion-sensor lights on each side. Many use batteries or solar power so they don’t need to be hard-wired. Here’s our list of the best motion lights on the market.
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Keep Your Door Locked … The Smart Way
Okay, you know to lock your doors, but chances are someone in your family constantly forgets. No problem. Invest in smart locks.
Smart locks can automatically lock the door behind these forgetful loved ones. You can even lock the door when you’re not home using an app. Here’s our list of the best smart locks for your home.
Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of time of publication.EYEWOLF/GETTY IMAGES
Sell your house in a snap with interior paint color advice from real estate pros.
The time has come: You’re selling your home. And no matter what your situation, ideally you want it off your hands as quickly as possible. One way to help it move quickly is to repaint your interior walls.
“There are several reasons to paint a home prior to selling,” says Shaun Larson, a real estate broker and general contractor with Parks Real Estate near Nashville, Tenn. “One is to refresh the home’s condition from it being worn, resulting in dirty, scratched or chipped walls and trim. Another is to make it appear newer and more marketable, leading to a quicker sale at a higher price.”
But before you pick up the paintbrush, spend some time choosing your paint colors. Larson suggests considering these factors:
The region where the home is and what trends are popular there.
The style of the home — contemporary, traditional, etc.
Size of the home and individual rooms.
Landscaping conditions and whether they reduce light levels in the home.
Architectural elements of the home, like large overhangs that reduce interior light levels.
Color of light entering the room: strong sun (warm light) or shade (cooler light).
With that in mind, here are the colors our real estate pros encourage their clients to paint their interiors for a quick sell.
White
“Repeat this 10 times really fast: White, white or maybe white is the only interior paint color you need to sell your house well and quickly.” says Baron Christopher Hanson with Coldwell Banker Realty in Florida. “Why? White makes your home look bigger and brighter inside, especially if you are staging.”
White allows the buyer to envision their perfect color palette, Hanson says. “Unless you have a crystal ball, trying to guess which paint colors your highest offer buyer will like is akin to winning the lottery,” he says. Choosing white might save you money, too, because it’s a perfect primer for any color the new owner may want to paint — and may prevent a demand for a painting credit prior to closing.
“Don’t gamble,” Hanson says. “Don’t splurge. Don’t try to read the market’s minds. Just paint your interior white, and let the new buyer choose their own custom interiors colors or wallpapers.”
Eyal Pasternak, a Realtor for Liberty House Buying Group in Miami, says one house that sold quickly was all white with navy blue accents.
“This house was located in a neighborhood with very similar homes,” Pasternak says. “I believe I was able to sell very fast due to the interior paint, which made it easier for the buyer to place their furniture. Other homes in the neighborhood had walls with bold colors, which weren’t looked favorably upon.”
Larson says some of the most popular interior wall colors are Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, Shoji White, Snowbound and White Flour. But be careful. “Consider whether you’re painting walls or trim and ceiling as well,” he says. “If you accidentally mix cool and warm tones, what may have been an attempt to brighten a room may have all of a sudden made something else look yellowish relative to the new paint.”
On the other hand, some real estate pros told us white can sometimes feel cold. Light and airy should be your priority when choosing interior paint to help sell your home.
Bill Gassett, a Realtor for Maximum Real Estate Exposure in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, loves Benjamin Moore’s Stonington Gray, a light, soft hue he says pairs well with white trim. “When you want to sell your home, it is an excellent choice that is popular with many potential buyers,” he says. “Stonington Gray has looked good in so many homes that I decided to paint some of the rooms in my own home this color.”
Larson says Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray and Amazing Gray are also popular options for comfy gray.
Bill Samuel, a real estate developer and contractor for Blue Ladder Development, says he loves Behr’s Water Chestnut in a flat finish. “It’s a neutral beige shade that will appeal to a broad spectrum of buyers,” he says. “The flat sheen does a better job of covering up prior blemishes and gives you a cleaner finished look.”
He adds it presents equally well in natural and artificial lighting.
Light Pastels
Our real estate pros generally agree: Some light color is OK if used properly.
“If you want to splash a little more color, the safe bet is to go with light and airy hues like pale pink, light blue, mint green and lavender,” says Rinal Patel, Realtor and co-founder of We Buy Philly Home. “These tones can transform a room and make it feel warm and inviting.”
Light peach and pink can feel luminous, warm and welcoming if done right. Blues are a universal favorite among buyers. Sage green is making a strong comeback. Just be careful — you want potential buyers to feel like the home is theirs, not yours.
Final Tips
“I try to keep tabs on current trends on Instagram,” Hegwar says. “I see a lot of influencers using dark, moody colors, or even Jungalow-inspired bright colors, but those haven’t come to the suburbs of Austin where I’m working.” Which means once again: location, location, location. Make sure your interior paint is in line with the tastes of people where you live.
A final word of advice, from Patel:
“Uniformity is key. You want all of the rooms in your home to flow together, so choose a consistent color scheme. This doesn’t mean every room should be the same color, but pick a few hues that complement each other. Then use them throughout your home to create a cohesive look that potential buyers will love.”
Yes, a more homey home starts with a new toilet seat.
CONTRIBUTED BY
This article was contributed by Katie and Jeremy Bower, home and lifestyle bloggers for “Bower Power.” They spend every waking minute loving to create, improving homes, and teaching their four little boys (all ages six and under!) how to laugh, love, and learn!
Moving into your dream home can be a daunting task. Between unpacking, cleaning, and trying to find that stray roll of toilet paper, it may feel like you’ve lost your mind in a sea of Bubble Wrap.
That’s why I wanted to share with you five simple things that you should do during the first month in your new home. These may feel like back-burner tasks, but really, they’ll help you sleep better at night and make your new place feel less like a house and more like your home.
When we moved into our dream house, we were tired, overwhelmed, and couldn’t remember where we put the sippy cups for our 10-month-old son. Plus, we had no idea what to do first! Of course, we cleaned and unpacked, but what next?
This handful of to-do’s walks you through each of those tasks and why you should tackle them first and foremost.
Let’s get to it!
#1 Lock It Up
Security is the No. 1 concern for most people in a new environment. You can easily switch out your locks and deadbolts to your new home to protect your valuables and your family.
Image: Bower Power
Now’s the time to consider the lockset finish, and the options are endless. When it comes to exterior locks, make sure you choose something that looks timeless and can be cleaned easily.
A new security system is also a good idea. The options for this are many as well. Systems with online monitoring, smartphone compatibility, thermostat control, and even video monitors for the interior including the baby nursery are super helpful. Even if that room is empty now, it might not be in the future – so go ahead and secure it!
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#2 Remove Toilet Seats
Some folks may think it’s unnecessary to replace toilet seats, but my point here is to simply remove them. By removing your toilet seats, you can really deep clean under the bolts and hinges where the “yucks” like to hide. Your goal is to make sure your royal throne is YOU-worthy.
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You can reinstall your existing seat or opt to shop for a new one. New versions with night-lights, padding, or even child-sized attachments are available. Either way, you’ll know your favorite seat in the house is ready for your entire family.
#3 Improve Your Home’s Air
Changing an air filter is a three-minute task, and it should be done right after moving into a new home – even if the previous owners swear the chore was just done. Changing out a filter can help improve the performance of your air conditioning and furnace and help with any allergens in the home.
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This inexpensive fix can also save you money! The U.S. Department of Energy says that replacing your dirty air filter with a new one can lower your AC’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%.
It’s a good idea to write the replacement date directly on the filter when you put it in so you can be sure you know how long it’s been since the last change.
Also, take the time to test and change out batteries in all your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. These are often tested during inspections, but the batteries can die and tampered-with units aren’t uncommon, especially if a house was left vacant.
Painting your front door (or freshening it with a coat of oil if it’s wood) can show your new neighbors you’ve arrived on the block and you’re investing in your home. This simple task is so easy!
Image: Bower Power
After you do proper prep work, which includes sanding the surface, make sure you pick an exterior-grade paint and use a high-quality bristle brush to give it multiple thin coats for the best coverage. It’s a great time to show off your personal style, and these days any color goes!
Every day you walk in through your newly made-over door, you’ll feel welcomed into your new home and inspired to keep creating a space you love.
#5 Choose Your Signature Scent
Every house has a smell. You know what I’m talking about. It’s that “other people smell” that’s definitely not your own particular brand of aroma. Even if the smell isn’t bad, it just isn’t yours, and that makes you feel like an intruder in someone else’s space. Make your dream home even more dreamy by filling it with your signature scent.
Don’t have a signature scent? Check out a candle store or the air-freshener aisle to peruse the options, and then regularly use your favorite in your new home. My favorite is a lemon-vanilla-rosemary mix that I let simmer all day on the stove; it fills every room of the house.
In homes that have particularly distressing “stanks,” try getting the carpets cleaned before moving in the furniture. It can eliminate the smell as well as remove allergens, dirt, and stains.
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
Posted inReal Estate News|Taggedmoving, tips|Comments Off on The 5 Best Things to Do When You Move into Your New Home
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