Gainesville Restoration and Remodeling

Archives January 2020

Smart and Simple Ways Parents Can Reduce Clutter in the Home

Smart and Simple Ways Parents Can Reduce Clutter With a Home on the Market – Today’s guest blog is by Parenting with Chris. The opinions expressed by the author in this and all guest blogs are not necessarily those of Gainesville Restoration and Remodeling.

Clutter in the Home

Smart & Simple Ways Parents Can Reduce Clutter in the Home

Looking for ways to keep your home clutter-free while it’s on the market? If you’re trying to sell, you cannot afford to let clutter and messiness win. If you do, potential buyers will walk out the door before they even make it beyond the living room. If you’re in need of smart, simple solutions, look no further than these tips for parents who are prepping their homes for sale.

Décor that can store

The easiest way to declutter your home is to store everyday items in decorative items that have a dual function—benches that open to hold blankets, ottomans that can store board games, baskets with lids for soccer balls and cleats. Modular shelves with bins, for instance, can be a cost-effective way to add pops of color and smart organizational solutions.

Do your research

Look at similar homes in your area that are on the market to better gauge buyer needs, wants and expectations. For example, Redfin notes hot selling properties in Gainesville typically go pending in just 15 days, whereas average listings wait more than a month longer. By examining trends, you can see what the top properties look like and employ similar staging techniques. You could even consider going to a few open houses to see the different solutions people have for decluttering, storage, and display.

Use closet organizers

Parents on a time constraint may think tossing clutter into a closet is an okay solution before a showing, but closet space is actually one of the most sought-after commodities for house hunters. In other words, you want your closets to look as pristine as your kitchen counters. Aim for efficient storage and pare down where you must. It’s a good time to start packing off-season wear and make some donations or have a yard sale while you’re at it.

Establish a daily chore chart

If your kids are old enough to participate, Fatherly suggests creating a chore chart so everyone can pitch in on duties. Ensure everyone has an age-appropriate responsibility to keep the house decluttered for showings.

You can even incentivize the chart. Consider allowing the kid who gets the most done to have first-pick of bedrooms at the next abode, or let them choose the location for the next family vacation. With a little motivation, everyone will be on board.

And you don’t have to tell them, but be sure to reward everyone in some manner. Maybe they pick special decor for their rooms at the next house or a game for moving day. They will be that much more excited about the transition.

Limit the additional clutter

Daily clutter and chaos from kids are common, so it might be easier to manage the madness by examining clutter from other areas. For instance, you can take your dog to a daycare or dog camp to keep their clutter and debris to a minimum. Put aside any messy hobbies, like tying fly fishing flies or painting mosaic tiles, on hiatus until your home is sold.

Rent a storage unit

Minimalism is key when staging a home, which can be tricky for sellers with busy households. Consider freeing up space by moving all nonessential and off-season items into a storage unit. Also, consider keeping mess-inducing belongings (like BMX bikes or crafting supplies) in a unit unless you are settled into the new space and/or ready to use them.

Hire a cleaning company

If you have to choose between having dinner with your family or cleaning up the den, choose dinner. You can always hire a company to come in weekly to do a deep dive into sprucing up (but that means you have to maintain the house for the next six days) or daily to keep on top of things.

Selling your home can be stressful enough, but adding kids into the mix can take the hustle to a whole new level. While it might seem like an insurmountable challenge, keeping clutter to a minimum can be easy. With a little creativity and planning, you can stay one step ahead of the mess and your home will be sold in no time!

 

Transform Your Garage Into the Perfect Recreation Room

Transform Your Garage Into the Perfect Recreation Room. Today’s guest blog is by Julian Lane of The Fix It Champ. The opinions expressed by the author in this and all guest blogs are not necessarily those of Gainesville Restoration and Remodeling.

Transform Your Garage

Transform Your Garage Into the Perfect Recreation Room

If you’re one of the 80 percent of Americans who occupy a home with a garage, you may be considering the benefits of converting the space into another type of room — especially if you don’t regularly use the garage for storage or parking a vehicle. For instance, transforming your garage into a game or rec room may be beneficial to you if your home lacks space for a pool table or one or more classic arcade game cabinets.

 

Before converting your garage into the ultimate game room, there are several important things you’ll need to consider. If you live in a colder climate, for instance, you’ll need to think about the steps you must take to heat the garage in the winter, especially if you plan on using the room year-round. You may even choose to cover the cement flooring with area rugs or carpeting to make the space more comfortable. If you live in a warmer climate, you’ll need to explore methods of keeping the room cool and comfortable — even during the hot summer months.

 

For more tips on transforming your garage space into the ultimate rec room, read on!

Analyze Your Garage Space

Before making any permanent transformations, you’ll need to analyze the garage to determine whether the space can be converted into a rec or game room. To do so, think about the types of furniture and accessories you’d like to see in the converted garage. Are you hoping to fill the space with a pool table and one or two arcade games, or would you like to bring in a wide variety of game tables? Next, measure the room to determine whether you have enough space to work with. While the actual amount of space you need varies depending on the type of room you’d like to create, Houzz recommends designating at least 300 square feet for table tennis or a pool table. If you’d like your rec room to include table tennis, shuffleboard, foosball, a pool table, and several arcade games, your room should measure around 32 feet by 32 feet.

Move Everything Out

If you find that your garage would make the perfect space for a new rec room, it’s time to clear everything out before moving forward with the conversion. During this time, you may choose to hire professional movers to assist you in removing the heavier items from your garage — especially if you’ll be moving the furniture up or down flights of stairs or into storage. Plus, professionals movers can help you to clear out your garage more quickly than you would on your own. When hiring movers to assist you, use the internet to look for reputable professionals in your area. Thanks to the internet, it’s never been easier to find affordable moving companies no matter where you live. As another option, you may choose to get recommendations from trusted friends and relatives who have hired professional movers in the past.

Build Your Dream Rec Room

Once your garage is cleared out and you finally have space to work with, you can begin to build your dream rec room. However, your city may require you to obtain a building permit before you can convert your garage into another room, so it’s important to contact your local zoning department before making any changes. Next, you can finally begin to purchase your rec room games, furniture, and decor if you haven’t already done so. Depending on how much space you have to work with, you may choose to bring in a table and chairs for lounging, a small bar for entertaining, and a sound system for listening to your favorite music.

 

Building Your Ideal Man Cave

 

Compared to other home renovations, converting a garage into a rec room may sound like an easier remodeling project, but you still do not want to tackle it on your own. It’s important to also plan your project before getting started, as this will help you to get the most out of your brand new space.

Contact Gainesville Restoration for all your home remodeling projects.

 

Transform Your Garage Into the Perfect Recreation Room