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Hi my lovely Friends! "Out with the Old, In with the New," right? Most of us are finishing putting away our Christmas and Holiday Decorations, but as we walk down that path,, we realize that we really....need...to...purge. Right? Sometimes it's easier said than done! To be honest, we've been looking at the same old pile, or bookshelves, or cluttered area for so long, it's like wasting existing real estate we really don't know what to do with. Right? So, as you are putting away your new clothes you got for Christmas, or putting away your decor and "stuff," here are 5 easy steps for you to "unfreeze" your brain as to how and where to get 'er done! Don't Let Your Clutter Stress You Out! 1.Pick one or two areas to focus on. Is there one area that's making you crazy. Make a commitment and, well, GET STARTED. For me, my one area that I started on was my office bookshelf. It had become a pille of paint chips in a basket, catalogs from High Point Market, and misc disorganized printer paper. 2. Pull everything out. Yep. Pull it all off the shelves, or out of the closet, or whatever. Make one big ugly pile. 3.Then make three piles. You can do more, but for main focus, create a trash/recycle pile, a "put it back" pile, and the donate or sell pile. Then organize the areas you need. How old is this stuff? Is there an expiration date or catalog date on stuff? I found a lot of my stuff was outdated. Yay! Pitch time. 4.Organize. Sort out what goes where. Only put back what you know you will need, be using, etc. Sort and put in baskets, containers, etc. LABEL what you can. For example, if it's magazines, then, if you still want to refer back to them, purchase the vertical magazine holders, or get some nice looking colors to jazz up your space. 5.Put everything in it's rightful place. Remember, containers and baskets can be your friend. Ta-Da! Organized Spaces can Decrease Stress! Unless you are slightly obsessed and everything in your life is always perfect, don't stress. It becomes easier if, when you purchase something new, such as a clothing item, remove 1-2 items from your closet that you haven't used or aren't just madly in love with. That's just an example. Or, just schedule an hour to tidy and purge here and there. I just ripped apart one very frustrating kitchen utensil drawer! Another tip/Example: If you have 50 antiques from Grandma's, and you feel guilty getting rid of them, but you aren't madly in love, gift them to someone who would love them, and keep one meaningful item. Did you know? Clearing clutter can often decrease stress in your life? Did you also know? Well-maintained and organized homes often bring more real and perceived value when you are trying to sell? By the way, that one area I tackled in my own office area, plus clearing out some craft items to donate made my office area already look so much snazzier and roomier. How cool is that? I've also decided to get rid of as many paper bills as I can to save more trees and shrink that home paper pile! Well, I hope that this January's post will help you get through the winter blues by realizing that we can all have at least one area that we can look at that makes up happy. Let me know if I can help! Warmly, Patricia :)
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I recently received a call from a super sweet lady who was frustrated because her house had been on the market for thirty days. She and her family were starting to panic. This was her late mother-in-law’s home, and the family had worked long and hard preparing it to look nice for sale. The house was in a wonderful location, but potential buyers seemed to be walking away due to the confusing flow of the home. And, of course, no one wants to drop the price of their home, and 30 days is usually right around the mark for that. As always, I listened attentively and asked a few questions. I asked about feedback from prospective buyers who were shown the home. Of course accurate pricing to be competitive is important, too, and they were good on that. The house was lovely, in a well-sought after neighborhood, with a lot of great potential. It had a spacious great room with built-ins around the fireplace. The kitchen was updated, and there was fresh paint and carpet throughout the home. The bathrooms were average sized for the 1970s-era date of the home, yet were recently updated as well. Hmmm, what exactly could it be that was turning away potential buyers? I began to study photographs of the home and continued talking talked further with the sellers. This is what I love. I love solving problems like this! At my first walk-through of the home, I approached the home as though I were a potential buyer. Immediately I picked up on that the potential buyers were being brought into the home through the wrong door, a side door off the driveway that led to the laundry room. The big first few seconds of "wow" were lost by coming through the wrong door!
The laundry room door was just to the left of the driveway, making it a convenient entrance. The front door was far less accessible, and there was no true walkway leading from the driveway to the front door. Client said, "but we never used that door!" The front door was also located slightly off-center from the home, and a bush was blocking part of the entrance.
I knew that this could really be a game-changer in potential buyers' first impressions of the home. My immediate first thought was...."Let's get them in the FRONT door!" This client was at the end of her budget. Clients like this are often a favorite of mine, because I LOVE thinking outside the box! I encouraged the client and her hubby to use paver stones (more cost effective) to create a walkway from the driveway to the front door, remove the bush, and add some small plants or chairs on either side of the door (see after below). Of course, perfectly placed and same-height bushes were my ideal, but we worked with what we could as best we could.  As I continued my walk-through, I realized that there was no formal dining room or eating area set up in the home. There was, however, another room or space on the same side of the home as the wonderful living room. The purpose of this second room was not clear to potential buyers. I recommended to leave that blank, but put a chair and a few books/games near a built in desk area.
Potential homeowners need to be able to picture themselves in a space. They need to see where their family will eat, where their family members will sit, and how they will play games or watch TV, and how those rooms flow. Most buyers buy based on emotional connection. I used to think people had this ability - to imagine what would go in a home, or where to put their furniture - but about 90% of people actually don't. You have to create this vision for them!
My sweet clients and I combined our resources and ideas to improve the first impressions and overall vision of the home. I worked as liaison to set them up in getting a few pieces of rental furniture, such as a round table for the small dining area (which made it look bigger), and some additional pieces of living room furniture. We didn’t even stage the master bedroom this time. Thus, I mostly charged for my time in this instance, saving this family a good amount of money. The family had an offer on their home in just over a week after redoing these areas and staging some areas with my recommendations. Instead of taking a large price reduction hit, their investment paid off in order to get the top return with a top offer and fast sale. Ta-Da! The House Doctor has remedied another ailing situation! Gotta Love It! "Patricia Justice helped us to sell our house by providing excellent guidance and reasonable pricing in staging the house. She was friendly and helpful in all aspects of the staging. I genuinely felt like she wanted us to successfully sell, and was prepared to help us in anyway she could. She went with us to the rental furniture store to hep us get great furniture to fill the space, gave us a new perspective in what areas to fix and helped us prepare the interior and exterior. Many people had stated they did not like the floorplan of the house, but with her help, we had a buyer within 4 days of staging. I would recommend her 100%." -Satisfied Customer Review   Happy Thanks-Living! Did you suddenly wake up this week and realize that, “Wow! Thanksgiving’s next week!” I kind of did. Are you ready? I’m ready because….well,, for a nice change, I’m not hosting it! And I only have to bring a few side dishes! Yaaay! How about you? Anyway, with the busyness of life and sometimes wondering how to keep it all “under control,” I know I really have to make sure to think more about intentional living. And contentment. And, of course, being thankful.  As much as I love bringing fresh beauty to homes, in the middle of all the "to do" lists, I love even more when I remember to stop – and take a moment – and close out all the distractions and just be in the moment. And I love it when I see other people doing it as well. So many times we are distracted by cell phones, social media, and our never ending to-do lists that time just slips by. We miss out on making memories. Recently, when staying at a friend’s house, the most lovely things I noted in her home were: The sweet basket full of children’s books in a corner of the house, her hand-painted chalkboard wall in the kids' play area, and seeing this young mom turn off the t.v. each night, ignore everything else, and just read to her children. I also saw on "Fixer Upper" that Chip and Joanna Gaines' new restaurant has a basket at each table for people to put their cell phones in while they eat in order to for more connectivity between family and friends. I love it. With the ever increasing trend in our society toward more and more consumerism, I have found for myself anyway, that, well, less is more. And in order to live more intentionally, I shop less, focusing on what I really need, and the things and furnishings I strive to invest in now bring more timeless quality when making purchases for my own home. It’s in the simple things we find true beauty, and even in simple décor we can get out of the “frenzy” and focus less on the crazy! I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving, and if want to be a little more "intentional," be sure to reach out to those who may not have what you do this time of year. Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving! Love You All! PatriciaFive Fabulous Fall Tips! Can you feel it? The twinge of fall is HERE! I'm just loving those Indian Summer days....Everyone’s getting excited about it,, too! Football, apples, more indoor activities…harvest parties and outdoor activities... As we scurry like squirrels getting our nests ready for cooler weather....I just wanted to pass along a few great tips to help your home look great, and increase its value and perceived value as well. Get ready for fall……ya’ll… And if you are a realtor and want to forward this info to your clients, feel free!  1 Paint. Your. Shutters. Paint is like a facelift in a can, right? You won’t believe, how many times I walk my neighborhood each week and take look at the neighbors’ homes and yards. Not saying mine is perfect……but, you won’t believe it. So many homes look really tired . Why? Because their shutters either are faded , or never had the right pop of color to begin with. But, mostly because of the fading from our hot southern sun. So, even boosting that curb appeal is important. A great coat of Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black in outdoor paint is a great black to go with. You may need to paint your front door, too. That sun can be brutal on your exteriors!  2. Bring the outdoors in. Ha Ha - I don’t mean, bring in your bushes and trees…..but… with some touches of green, and maybe a hint of fall, just some classy touches. Even a boxwood wreath hung on a mirror, or a grouping of 3 birch wood style candles can cozy up your space. 3. New Light fixtures. Really? Yes, Really. No matter how long you are staying in your home, updating light fixtures can bring instant increased value to your home. It’s those details that can really update your space and give a fantastic “wow” factor. I’ve been in a lot of homes, and believe me, the longer folks have lived in them, the less they are able to see the need for those upgrades. I love helping people with details such as this. 4. Insulate. Yep. Have you checked your insulation lately? Sounds like going to the dentist, and checking for plaque, right? So exciting. I know. I know it's not HGTV exciting, but, making sure your home is well insulated can add more value to your home, PLUS save you hundreds each year. in your heating and cooling expenses. Not glamorous, but when it translates to MONEY, then it becomes SUPER GLAM. Right? Our very own home, which we purchased as our “downsized” jewel, never had proper insulation, and so, taking care of this will bring more value, both in $$ signs and in staying warmer and cooler.  5.Weatherproof and stain your deck. As the weather is getting a bit cooler, if you have a wooden deck, now is the timeto get the protective coat of stain/weatherproofing for your deck. Be sure to read the back of the can for time between coats and temp recommendation. After we did the deck, it added 10 years to the life of our home - I'm not kidding. We bought a great product - Behr Semitransparent Waterproofing Stain and Sealer and it really renewed the wood and protects it. We LOVE Home Depot!  Here's the after (left). By the way, I would love feedback on what topics you lovely email folks want to hear more about. Send me a one liner through email, and let me hear from you! I would love to help you get your home "figured out" before the COLD hits!
Hugs, Patricia
Sometimes we have lived in a space so long -- we don’t know how to have a space that can have impact. Think about…when you first purchased your home, or moved into your new place. What architectural features spoke to you in your home? ......Was it an archway, fireplace, or perhaps some built-in shelving? Or maybe you are thinking "My room doesn't have a place for impact"…..but, ah yes…it does. You just have to put on your detective eyes and see…. For example, my own kitchen window has an area that is just waiting to make a splash! When we first moved in, I just put up a vintage 1950's white tablecloth on that window (with tulip borders) for the time being, seaming it up for the rod. But those two kitchen windows are kind of the soul for the kitchen. I don’t dislike what’s there, but I know I am going to soon have some colorful window treatments made for that area. I can’t wait! It’s going to be like Christmas for me when I have those windows just singing to me! (I've also had my grown kids return to the nest for a short while,so many projects have been put on hold.) This one's GOING to happen soon! Maybe a favorite rug or styling a special area like built-ins...that anchors your space or an heirloom piece will help create impact and a bit of "sizzle!" in your home. Often, I will go into someone’s home who has lived there awhile and walk through it with them and help them edit furniture and beloved belongings, and create those impact areas that will either help my client love their space, or help that home have a new and fresh appeal for potential buyers, if the home is being listed. It’s so much fun! It’s even more fun when I see my clients’ faces of delight! So, with the Independence Day holiday approaching and some sizzling fireworks on the way, maybe you can think of something, either big or little that create a bit of impact in your own home. Here’s a great article with some extra impact tips (be sure to hit the arrow to the right to scroll) And feel free to take a peek at the Kelly Ripa fabrics JoAnn fabrics has! What a fun surprise (below is a sneak peek)!
So, with the Independence Day holiday approaching and some sizzling fireworks on the way, maybe you can think of something, either big or little that create a bit of impact in your own home. Call me this summer and let’s work together on creating a great space, tackling one area at a time! The best starting point is to....get started! Reach out! Ask me about my July 4th coupon! Don't forget to to follow me on Instagram! Happy Independence Day! Warmly, Patricia :) Happy Valentine’s Day! - Hearts to You! Today, as we all think of chocolate, candy, and flowers…well, really, for me, mostly, I think of chocolate, there are also some great loves we can have in our own homes. Although most of us drool over the homes we see on HGTV and in magazines, there are some things we need to remember in our own homes that are critical to make them uniquely our own. As we are all incredibly different, there are places in our own homes that our areas of “love” can show -- whether it is a love of art by local artists, your love for cooking, or a love of music, let it show in your home. When we put things in our homes that appeal to our senses, we have a smile on our face when we come home to them. Select Some of Your Favorite Elements  I love elements of the outdoors (such as pictures of animals and flowers) in my own home, and classic blended with some French country/cottage. But my love for family, reading, music, and soft touches make me a little more relaxed, so when I am home, I feel secure when I can have easy storage. Simple white crockery and white antique pitchers give my family a peaceful feeling in the kitchen. I also have art from my grandmother I inherited that just seems to “belong” in my dining room. Create areas that give you a smile....love your home.  That being said, if I can’t have a tad bit of mess mixed a little bit of organized, then I am a bit of a mess. So, I’m just saying – pick your areas that give you a smile, find an area or two you can create to feel more “organized,” and then, it’s ok. Love your home. Take the time to slow down and “be” in the moment sometimes. I have a great respect for my clients when I consult with them for a design project; incorporating some of their “loves” into the design is what makes it so special. After all, most of those HGTV’s homes when you do the walk through – no one’s living in them …yet! Create areas that give you a smile....love your home. I hope you have a great rest of the week, enjoy something decadent today, and shoot me a message on what projects you are working on! I love hearing from you all! Hugs,
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AuthorBeing the creative and energetic person that she is, Patricia loves her family, her clients, and finding new and creative ways to "think outside the box." You may find her spending time with family, scouring antique stores, figure skating, talking to Alhzheimer's residents, camping, and being active in her church and community. In the MediaArchives
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