Get Your Kitchen Ready (to sell your house)

We have lived in this house for four years with blue countertops. NOTHING else in the entire house is blue. I have no idea why someone put blue countertops in this house...the other colors were browns with deep reds in some of the wallpaper. And blue countertops in the kitchen...

But now, they are not blue laminate any more! They are a very pretty soft-black solid surface. I love them! I wish we had changed them four years ago so we could have been enjoying them all this time. But...I would definitely suggest that you consider doing a little updating in your kitchen before putting it on the market...especially if you have blue countertops...

We also put new pulls that are an oil-rubbed bronze color. Our old pulls were shiny brass with plastic cream middles. I know.

Since I was essentially choosing these for the next homeowners, I was torn between a neutral cream and black. So I used the very scientific method shown below...I laid out a cream colored tablecloth and a black skirt...and I stood and stared at it. I'm very glad I went with the black. It makes much more of a statement than the cream would have.

Below are the old blue countertops the day we were about to tear them out. And you can see the old, lovely pulls...

We took the countertops off very carefully and were able to save the tile backsplash. Not that I love the backsplash...I most decidedly do NOT. But we were really trying to do our updates for as little money as possible.

By only doing the countertops and pulls, we did not spend that much, but the kitchen really does look a WHOLE lot better! An update I would highly recommend...

Shannon

Clear Out Closets and Clutter Before You Put Your House on the Market!

This is Part 3 of "Get Ready to Sell Your House."

Two weekends ago we had our garage sale. We started on Thursday - definitely the day to start a garage sale. About 3/4 of our stuff was gone by noon on Thursday! Friday morning I sold a little bit, and then I just started telling everyone to take whatever they wanted. And did the same thing on Saturday. It's all gone now! I was more interested in it going away than in making some money on it.

People told me they liked my signs because they were easy to see and to follow. I just bought those cheap $3 small garage sale signs at Home Depot, and I covered them in hot pink posterboard, and drew big arrows on them. Make your signs easy to see and easy to follow!

So now I am in the "cleaning out closets" stage. When people look at your house, you want them to see how big your closets are. Also, not a good idea if your closets need a sign hanging on the door knob warning of possible avalanche if opened. So if your closets are packed to the brim, pack some of your stuff and go rent a small self-storage unit.

And think about things like this - I had been storing some of my odd kitchen stuff in the linen closet down the hall from the kitchen. Things that I don't use much, so I didn't want them taking up prime space in my kitchen. But...if people open my linen closet and see that it is full of kitchen stuff, they are going to instantly assume my kitchen doesn't have enough storage. NOT what you want them to be thinking! So I am packing the kitchen stuff that is in the linen closet, and it is going to go to the storage unit, too. After I get all the kitchen stuff out of this closet, I will round up the towels and sheets that are stored here and there, and put them all in their proper home in the linen closet - they have not been in there in four years!

As you are clearing out the clutter, throwing away or giving away as much as possible, make sure you clean as you go. Dust shelves, clean the baseboards, etc.

And while you are decluttering your closets, clear the surfaces in the room. You need to just have one or two items on top of your dressers and coffee tables. You want buyers to be able to picture their own stuff in your house, not be overwhelmed with all of your stuff.

We have about a week to go before our house goes on the market. And still have so much to do! I need for there to be about three more of me...

Shannon

Get Ready to Sell Your House - Part 2

First up is purging, right? Get rid of everything you possibly can. Be ruthless! So right now my house has paths, no open floor space. Every room is covered in piles of stuff for the garage sale.

I did have to take some time this past weekend, though, to make some kitchen counter decisions. If you inherited blue kitchen counter tops, and nothing else in your whole house is blue, you might want to consider changing them!

Below is my very scientific way of deciding on color. I knew I wanted black, but I was wondering if I should go with a light neutral. So I laid a tablecloth and a skirt out to look at the colors.
I decided on the black. They come measure tomorrow, and install next week. It has just occurred to me that when they come in my house tomorrow, they might be scared. You will see why if you scroll down... By the way, while you are trying so hard to get rid of as much as possible, you should just watch and enjoy moments like these...

My daughters saw some boxes of kids books that I had pulled. They went through every book, talked about the ones they loved, the memories of bedtime stories, etc. Above they are reading one of the Carl books.

They both pulled out a stack of books to take to their rooms and keep. And I didn't mind at all. It was a sweet moment to watch.

Below is what some of my house looks like right now. This is why the counter top measuring man might be scared when he gets here tomorrow...

By the way, while you are pulling for the garage sale - TAKE THE TIME if at all possible to do some cleaning. Wipe down all closet shelves. Vacuum closet floors really well. Use the tools to vacuum/dust all the baseboards in the closet and room. Move the bed after you pull all the toys and socks and pencils and hershey kisses out from under it, and vacuum up the dust bunnies. We had some dust bunnies under beds that were scary big. Big enough to fight back. If you clean as you pull for the garage sale, you will be well on your way to being ready to stage it for showing!

My poor studio....somehow I have to get that blue chair out of that room tomorrow to put it in the garage sale...

While I was pulling for the garage sale in my studio, I did pull and condense enough to clear one side of the closet. Since my studio is in one of the bedrooms of this house, hopefully now lookers can visualize this as a bedroom closet.

Once the garage sale is over this weekend, it will be time to pack some things up and take them to a storage unit close by. Potential home buyers need to be able to open your closets and walk in and see how much room you have! The closet below is about 10 feet deep. But right now it only has room to open the door. Um, this is our Christmas storage room. Yes. It's all Christmas. My hubby might think I have a little too much Christmas stuff.

Tomorrow I am going to start taking all this stuff out to the garage. I think I have it all priced now. And I must remember to get our garage sale listed on Craigslist! Free advertising! Take advantage of it. List the items that you know garage sale shoppers will be interested in. And list the hours you will be selling.

Also - have to make my signs
and get some money to be able to make change

And, just to add interest to the week, one of my daughters is having several girls over on Saturday for a pool party. So I guess I need to make a list of things for her to do to get the house ready for company (is that a joke, or what??). And a list of food to buy.

What else am I forgetting?

Shannon

Get Ready to Sell Your House - Part 1

This is a list of the projects on my to-do list for the next month. Our house is going on the market in a month because my hubby is retiring from the Air Force. I want to see this list in print for a few reasons.

First, because it is always swirling around in my head and makes me dizzy. Maybe if it is in print my little head will have a few moments of peace here and there.

Second, because seeing it all listed in one place will hopefully scare me into activity.

Third, because I like to check things off of a list. So I can edit this post to mark everything as I complete it.

This might be the first of a few posts on "Get Ready to Sell Your House." If I follow through with that plan. Sometimes when I try to do a little mini-series...well...anyway. I might make this a mini-series.

So, if you are getting ready to sell your house, the first thing to do is make a list. So, now I have completed this first task. I am going to make this part be red and small - to check it off.

So if you want to laugh, or to feel sorry for me, read on...

Places/Rooms to pull stuff for Garage Sale
my studio - done
Peter's room - done
Lexi's room - done
Rachel's clothes
my closet - done
2 closets in upstairs hall - done
blue bookshelves - done
tall bookshelves in my room - done
bookshelves downstairs hall - done
file cabinet in utility room - done
electronics in utility room - done
any chairs we can - done
garage stuff - done
make sale signs - done
price and set up - done

Put in Storage Locker
(because I don't want potential homebuyers to be injured by falling debris when they open the closets to look in)
stuff from closets we don't need
--Rachel's
--linen closet (kitchen stuff)
Christmas stuff
books we keep from shelves we sell


House Projects before it goes on the market
take books to used book store to sell - done
choose kitchen counters - done
schedule kitchen counter replacement - scheduled
either paint or replace kitchen pulls/knobs
paint kitchen
black shelves off kitchen wall-patch holes
get new kitchen trash can
new kitchen light (taking mine w/ me)
touch up studio paint
change studio light (cuz I'm taking it w/ me)
touch up paint in Lexi's room
black shelves off Rachel's wall-patch holes
touch up paint in Rachel's room
paint girl's bathroom
touch up paint in Peter's bathroom
finish paint in our bathroom
paint laundry room
paint family room
touch up dining room wallpaper
get brown swivel rocker upstairs
list homeschool books on ebay
theeeeeen, clear surfaces, stage properly

outside: (well...not me. this section is for hubby & son)
finish fence - finally DONE
take out overgrown bushes
replace with something less bohemoth-ish
flowers for front yard
touch up paint on front bench
replace porch light (cuz it's ugly)

So, now that I see this list I should be scared into activity. But I think actually I just want to go blog-hopping. And maybe take some Advil. And drink a coke.

Shannon

Dear Blog,

I know it seems like I have abandoned you. But I really haven't. I don't know what happened. I come and see you every now and then. And wonder WHY your Christmas countdown has black flashing lines in the middle of it. And I read a past post here and there. And then I go read a few of your blog friends' recent posts. And I wonder why I am not blogging right now. But I never could come up with a reason why.

But lately I have really missed you. So I am back now. And I have some plans. First up will be about moving. Not you. You are not moving. I am moving. And I think I need a place to chronicle this activity. Not like it is all that unusual. We move every 4 years. But now that I have you, dear blog, I can chronicle this move with you.

Hopefully, you are kind of like "man's best friend." You know, unconditional love. We can pick back up right where we left off. Well, not right where. Because that was when I was starting my Over 40 Comeback. Yeah, I did more than I wrote about. And I am glad about it all. But I am not really in the mood for continuing that topic here. Because now I am up to my elbows in sorting, tossing, painting. Sweating. Yes. I know. Sweating is against my religion. But it is 105, or maybe 140, outside. Well, yes, I am working inside. But knowing it is that hot outside just makes me sweat. And sorting and tossing and rearranging all the closets in my house just makes me sweat more. Just look at the mess I have made today in my studio! Sad, isn't it?

Anyway, I'm glad to be having this talk. Now we can move forward...

Sincerely,
Shannon

Staging Your Comeback

Well, at this point I am out of my big cast, and in a velcro thing. And my doctor said that I might not need surgery after all. I go back in about a month for more x-rays. At some point I will start rehab. He told me that it was going to be many months before my hand will be back to its full use and full strength.

SO, I had to quit my job at Hobby Lobby. So now I have more time to pursue some other things in life. No money, but more time. I bought this book - "Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival for Women Over 45." I have been dressing in middle-age mom frump for many years now. This book just really struck me, and encouraged me to jump into a full makeover.

Step One - My Closet

The day after I finished the book, I emptied my closet. Most of it was stuff I had not worn in many years. And the rest of it was ugly frump.

This pile is PART of what did NOT go back into my closet. I filled up four trash bags that I threw away, and I filled up five trash bags that I took to Goodwill.

This is what my closet looks like now. And there is only one shirt that I actually really like. The rest I kept because if I only kept one shirt, I wouldn't be able to leave my house.

The bottom rod only has a few things that I kept from my kids childhood, and a lot of empty hangers. I only kept TWO pair of shoes - my tennis shoes, and that one pair of black shoes for church. The rest went in the trash.

A couple of days later I went shopping. I bought one pair of black slacks and a few new shirts - but NO MIDDLE-AGE MOM FRUMP! I put on the clothes that I bought to show my kids, and they told me I looked stylish. Now, you should know that the word stylish has never been used in the same sentence with my name. Unless, of course, there was a big, fat "NOT" thrown in there. So that made me really happy. Ugly mom frump is outta here.

Ok, so about this book. If you are in need of knowing what style/shape of clothes will look best on your body shape, and what type of accessories you should or should not wear for your body shape, what make-up and haircut you need to look your best, then you NEED this book, too. I'm telling you, it is the best book I have ever read.

Next up - my new haircut.

Shannon