Special Holiday Blogpost!

Things that I'm thankful for:

1. Our Lord and all His Blessings

2. My Family and all my Friends

3. All my faithful Clients

4. For Health

5. For my beautiful new car (RED)

6. For my warm Home

7. For my Business and my co-workers

From our home to yours, Happy Holidays!

What Makes a House a Home?

Dear Homeowner,

Before building, buying or remodeling, ask yourself what it takes to get that "at home" feeling. It's not just how a house looks that's important, but how you feel living in it day to day. Here are some ideas on how to make your house more homey.

Bigger is not always better

Lofty ceilings can be dazzling, but daunting. It may be wiser to design flat ceilings at 9 or 10 feet high or tame a too-high cathedral ceiling by installing exposed, rafter-height beams of rough-hewn timber. Smaller rooms create feelings of intimacy, warmth, and safety.

Furniture that fits people

One measurement of a homey room is comfortable furniture — especially sofas and chairs. Keep in mind that people do not just sit on them. They also sit in them, curl up in them and stretch out in them.

Material matters

Different interior materials evoke different emotional responses. It's not just the type of materials you use, but how much you use and in what combinations.

Telltale heart

What really makes a home special are heirlooms, collections, and framed family photographs exhibited where they can be appreciated every day.

For more home decorating tips, call Real Living Sugar Pine Realty at (209) 586-3242.

Seeing Spots

Dear Homeowner,

If you're seeing spots on your carpet, you can probably make use of these simple tips for removing common carpet stains.

Tar, grease, chewing gum, and wax
Remove as much as possible by gently scraping with a dull knife, then treat the stain with dry-cleaning fluid. For chewing gum, try applying ice cubes in a plastic bag to harden the gum before scraping.

Cigarette burns
Patching is necessary for complete repair, but you can mask the damage. Snip off the darkened fiber ends, then blot the area with a solution of 1 teaspoon detergent and 1 teaspoon vinegar in a quart of warm water.

Lipstick
Gently blot with a dry-cleaning solution, then rinse with a solution of 1 tablespoon ammonia in a cup of water.

Animal stains, fruit juices
If the stain is still wet, try repeatedly sponging with lukewarm water. Then, blot dry and treat with a solution of 1 teaspoon detergent and 1 teaspoon vinegar in a quart of warm water. After waiting 15 minutes, blot again and sponge with clean water.

Paint
Oil-base paints can usually be removed with turpentine. Water-base paints clean up with water.

Ink
Blot ball-point-ink with denatured alcohol as soon as possible. Permanent ink can't be removed, but you can minimize the damage by blotting with water.

For more home-and-family tips, contact Real Living Sugar Pine Realty at (209) 586-3242.

Conquer Closet Clutter

Dear Homeowner,

When you're trying to sell a home it's not the skeletons in the closet that will hurt you — it's all the other stuff you have jammed into them.

Adequate storage space is one of the first things prospective buyers look for when they inspect a home. You can be sure they'll open all of your doors and drawers — checking to see if your home has room for their belongings.

There are many tricks to making your storage space seem more adequate. The easiest one is to simply move some of your possessions out.
• Remove out-of-season clothing, sports equipment and other miscellaneous items from your front entry closet. Try to take out half the items in your bedroom closets to make them appear more roomy. Prospective buyers want to see how much space is in your closets, not how much you've been able to cram into them.

• Keep in mind that the more things you give away, throw out, sell or store now, the easier your move will be later.

• To increase the storage capacity of your closets, add an extra pole, shoe racks, wire baskets or shelves.

• You can also make closets appear bigger by applying a fresh coat of white paint and putting in the highest-wattage bulbs allowed.

• Other important storage areas to reorganize include kitchen cabinets, garage and attic. The use of dividers and hanging racks in these areas will make things easier for you to find, and make your home more appealing to buyers.

For more tips on merchandising your home, call Real Living Sugar Pine Realty at (209) 586-3242.