Rightsizing

Rightsizing in this context is a conscious, practical and psychological evolution in the way one lives one’s life, a process that enables people to create new surroundings that will profoundly impact the way they feel and behave.  It leads to simplifying, de-cluttering, perhaps even redesigning one’s environment.  It may even prompt a move – either to smaller, more practical quarters or to a home (or homes) more suited to your needs.  The transition will, if executed properly, liberate you from many real-life burdens and free you in ways you cannot now imagine.

from Rightsizing Your Life by Ciji Ware

There is a lot more to this concept than what we normally think of as “downsizing”, but in the real estate world the application of rightsizing determines the house you live in – how large, how far from work/family it is, and how much land or what kind of view you need.

Building “Gem” homes

Enjoy the Sunsets in Longleaf

The median size of homes in the U.S. peaked in 2006 at 2,237 and has dropped slightly each years since then.

Builders are catching on that bigger isn’t always better.  Many people are happy to live in a smaller house when it is as functional as a larger alternative.  A good floor plan is golden, and I have seen many homes where there were hundreds of square feet of unusable space – like long halls leading behind a kitchen.

The bonus to this is that smaller homes are usually more efficient to heat and cool, and to update down the road. Everyone loves saving money on monthly costs.

Because smaller homes cost less to build, owners can afford to include the upgraded finishes they hoped for.  This can include luxury materials like stone or “Green” upgrades like wood floors and low VOC paint.

Sara Susanka, author of The Not So Big House
“It was a mass thump on the head (after 9/11) as we realized that things are not as certain as we assume. It has made everybody stop and question, ‘Is this what I really want?’

What they really want — in real estate terms — is more intimacy and more manageable energy costs, she said, after talking with consumers. They’ve shared similar sentiments with builders, some of whom are starting to build smaller.
from USA Today

In a recent NAHB survey, 89% of builders said they were constructing or planning smaller homes than they were before the recession.

What about you?

Stop for a moment and consider what you want in your life versus what you have accumulated.

/crickets/

Big difference, right?

Lakeview Condo 1 Mile to Shands for sale

There are several options to find your “right” house in Alachua County.

Consider Remodeling: Do you need to move or can you make changes to your current home that will keep you happier?  Maybe remodeling is an option that can work for you, and decorating can help re-purpose rooms to fit your lifestyle.

Buy an Existing Home: Are you looking for a home to move into soon, and maybe has most of the kinks worked out already?  There are several “Gems” for sale right now if you can find them.

With homes more affordable now than they have been in years many buyers are using the cash they save to upgrade systems right off the bat – like installing insulated windows or a high-efficiency air conditioner.

Find a New Home: Several local builders are responding to new shifts in how people want to live.  For example, in Longleaf there are several efficient and upscale homes being built by Robinshore and by Tommy Williams.  Town of Tioga has always been designed around the efficient use of space.

Make sure it’s safe for your carpet then try this:

photo by Miguel Ariel Contreras Drake-McLaughlin

(check your carpet manufacturer’s guidelines or consulting a professional carpet cleaner)

• Blot the stain with a white paper towel to remove as much of the coffee as possible.
• Mix a solution of 1/3 c white vinegar and 2/3 c water in a spray bottle and saturate the area.
• Continue to blot to remove the excess moisture.
• Mix ¼ tsp of a dish washing detergent that DOES NOT contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water and blot on the stain.
• When the stain is gone, use a spray bottle to rinse the area with water and continue to blot away excess moisture.

Pets!  We love them!  We play with them!  And sometimes….we have to clean up after them (yuck!).  It’s one of the joys of pet ownership!  Right?!

• Rinse the “accident zone” thoroughly with clean, cool water.  After rinsing remove as much of the water as possible by blotting or using a shop vac.  REGULAR HOUSEHOLD VACUUM CLEANERS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE USED WITH LIQUIDS!
• Your best bet is to buy a stain neutralizer from a pet store.  These contain enzymes that target your pet stain.
• Once the area is clean, use a high quality pet odor neutralizer, available at most pet stores.
• If the stain persists, try using a regular carpet spot cleaner, Spot Shot has worked well for me.
• AVOID using steam cleaners on pet stains.  The heat may permanently set the odor and the stain by bonding the protein into the man-made carpet fibers!
• AVOID using chemicals like ammonia or vinegar…these strong smelling chemicals may actually entice your pet to mark that spot again!

If you can’t find where the pet odor is coming from….try using a black light reveal any urine that you may not see in regular light!

Kari L. Cole

PuroClean

Vice President of Business Operations for PuroClean Disaster First Response

513-292-7574 Cell
352-225-3127 Office
kcole@puromail.com

Understanding what your carpet is made of can help keep it cleaner and stain-free!  Although some carpets are made from a blend of fibers, most are made solely from one of these four:

• Nylon.  The most widely used fiber.  It is strong and wears well.  It is fairly easy to clean but not very stain resistant.  If your carpet is nylon, you may want to have a professional carpet cleaner give it a stain-resistant treatment.
• Polypropylene.  Used in Berber-style carpets.  Polypropylene is extremely stain resistant and may even be cleaned using bleach if the manufacturer allows it. Use bleach sparingly and wisely.  Not only is it rough on fabrics and fibers, but it is not healthy for the environment.
• Polyester.  Often seen in plush-pile carpet.  Polyester is easily cleaned and resists water-soluble stains.
• Wool.  The most expensive carpet fiber.  Wool is easy to clean and has some natural resistance to water and staining.  However, wool fibers can break down easily, and care must be taken in cleaning or treating wool carpets.

Whatever kind of carpet you have, it is worth it to invest in a professional stain-guard treatment every time you have it professionally cleaned.  This will help your carpet repel many stains that would otherwise soak in and become part of the carpet fibers.

Stay tuned next week for some helpful tips on removing coffee, tea, pet and other stains!!

Kari L. Cole
Vice President of Business Operations
Puroclean Disaster First Response

513-292-7574 Cell
352-225-3127 Office
kcole@puromail.com

After Makeover

]]> http://www.we-promise.com/blog/2009/05/best-room-makeovers/feed/ 0 http://www.we-promise.com/blog/2009/02/interesting-decorating-ideas/ http://www.we-promise.com/blog/2009/02/interesting-decorating-ideas/#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:15:59 +0000 Kathleen Seide http://we-promise.com/blog/?p=205 Lamborghini

From staging a home so that it sells quickly to moving it and making a house your home, decorating is always a central issue in real estate.  Here is a really unique and inexpensive idea taken to extremes!  This is an amazing way to personalize your home – but I wouldn’t recommend it when you are getting ready to sell.

• Man decorates basement with $10 worth of Sharpie

Sharpie Basement

On a wilder side of things, some people are doing the same thing all kinds of stuff – from a Lamborghini or their bodies:

• Lamborghini
• Sharpie Tattoos

Sharpie Lamborghini