Fight the Good Fight Against Mosquitoes

As long as there have been people in North America, there have been mosquitoes. So the annoying and potentially dangerous pests probably aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. But we can protect ourselves from them by following “3 D’s of Protection” recommended by the American Mosquito Control Association.

Dress: Try to wear long pants and long sleeves outdoors when practical, especially at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most prevalent. Also wear light colors and avoid tight clothes with a loose weave, which mosquitoes can bite through.

Drain: Mosquito larvae float atop still water to grow and hatch, so the key to prevention is eliminating standing water around your house and in your yard. Items that encourage water collection include roof gutters, pet water dishes, children’s toys, bird baths, pool covers, and tarps.

Defend: Three mosquito repellents approved by the Environmental Protection Agency are generally safe and effective – DEET, Picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. Keep the following tips in mind when using repellents:

• Spray on exposed skin, not clothing.
• Apply sparingly and reapply as needed. (Saturation doesn’t increase effectiveness.)
• Keep away from eyes, nostrils and lips.
• Minimize use if pregnant or nursing.

7 Crazy Tricks for Food Storage

Use these storage tricks to get the most out of your food and make your life easier:

1. Check the edibility of your eggs by placing them in a bowl of cold water. Eggs that sink are fresh. Floating signifies that they are older, as moisture is lost through the porous shell over time.

2. Ripen fruit by placing it in a paper bag to trap the ethylene gas that helps it ripen.

3. Extend the life of tomatoes by storing them at room temperature instead of in the fridge, and place them stem-end down, to block air from entering and water from evaporating from the cut stem.

4. Include an orange peel or apple slice with your brown sugar to keep it from hardening. If it is already hardened, microwave it next to a small glass of water.

5. To make bananas last longer, separate them and wrap the stem in plastic wrap, which will block the release of ethylene and keep them from ripening too quickly.

6. Store plastic wrap in the refrigerator – chilled wrap is easier to handle.

7. Plastic wrap driving you nuts anyway? Instead, use a disposable shower cap to cover bowls of food.

Garage Security Tips

You may lock up your house like Fort Knox to keep you and your valuables safe. But the garage door is often overlooked in the process, and burglars use this knowledge to their advantage to gain access to your house. So consider these garage do’s and don’ts in your home security plan.

Don’t leave your garage door remote in your vehicle. Do purchase a keychain remote opener and carry it with you.

Don’t leave your garage door open. Do consider installing a device that automatically closes the doors after a predetermined amount of time.

Don’t leave the door leading from the garage into the house unlocked. Do make sure it is as secure as your front door, if not more so.

Don’t give burglars places to hide. Do install low-cost outdoor motion-sensor lighting around the garage.

Do frost or cover any garage windows so thieves can’t see what is inside or that your vehicle is gone.

Do put a padlock on the inside of your garage door when going out of town to ensure that the door cannot be opened.

Also keep in mind that most home invasions occur during the day in the middle of the week when no one is home. So always be sure to secure your house before leaving for the day,

Selling a Home “With Children in It”

Selling a home “with children in it” is a trying situation.  Children come with so many accessories! Here are some ideas to help lessen the stress.

1. Put laundry baskets in all the rooms where toys accumulate.  When you get notice of a showing, go into each of these rooms, fill up the basket, and put the basket in the car.  After all the baskets are in the car and the house is ready, either drive off or go for a walk.  Buyers are looking at your house, not your car.
2. Place high chairs, bouncy seats, and other baby furnishings in a neat line-up in the garage for showings.
3. If there is a bedskirt on the child’s bed or crib, scooting toys, clothes, school papers, and all the other kid’s stuff under the bed works.  Nobody checks under the bed.  They DO check closets, so don’t shove anything in there.
4. Keep a couple rags and spray cleaner handy for daily mishaps.  Treat them right away, before they dry up and are harder to remove.  WD40 takes care of crayon “art” on the walls and cupboards.
5. Don’t forget all the playthings outside.  Corral them into a box in the garage for showings also.
6. Straighten up/clean the house every night after the kids are in bed.  Then, when you get them up, make the beds first thing, get them dressed, then feed them.  That way, if you get a call for an immediate showing, you won’t have to refuse it.

If you arrange your life to go into “showing mode”, it will be much easier and less stressful while your home is on the market.

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Getting Your Home in Top Selling Condition

Curb Appeal

• Drive up to your home and look at it from afar.  Look at it through the eyes of buyers.
• Check the shingles-repair or replace damaged shingles.
• Clean and repair the gutters.
• Clean and repair the HVAC units
• Repair broken windows and shutters.  Replace torn screens.  Make sure frames and seams have solid caulking.
• Repair or replace door knobs, doorbell and light fixtures if necessary.
• Remove all toys, equipment and litter.
• Remove cobwebs and nests.
• Remove mildew, moss and stains from the side of your home-use bleach.  Remove stains from the walkways and driveway-use concrete cleanser and/or kitty litter.
• Repair and clean patio furniture and deck area.  Remove anything that can’t be repaired.
• Make sure the spa and pool sparkle.
• Go around and touch up the exterior of your home and putty and paint.
• Clean or paint the front door and mailbox.
• Hose off the exterior of your home, especially around entrances.  Use siding cleanser.
• Wash the windows.
• Wash your garbage can and put it in a place where it’s not the first thing potential buyers see when they drive up.
• Stack the woodpile neatly.
• Mow the lawn
• Trim the trees and shrubs.
• Weed the gardens.
• Add colorful plants or foliage to fill in bare spots.
• Edge the gardens and walkways.
• Sweep the walkways and driveway.
• Replace doormats that are worn and torn.
• Shine brass hardware on the doors and light fixtures.  Polish stained wood doors and trim.
• Drive up to your home again and look at it from the eyes of a potential buyer.  Walk into your home as a potential buyer.  Determine what kind of impression the walkways and entrances now make.

Overall Interior:

• Walk through your home.  Store, give away, throw, or donate anything that you won’t need until after the move; e.g/ furniture, knick-knacks, clothing, toys, equipment, appliances, worn rugs, papers, books, cosmetics, jewelry, games, CDs, etc.
• Walk through your home again, this time with some tools.  Fix loose door knobs, cracked molding, leaky faucets. Remove cob webs.
• Replace worn or broken door knobs, cabinet fixtures, light fixtures, light switches, outlet plates, faucets and vent covers.
• Clean the fireplace.
• Clean the vents.
• Clean and organize your closets.  Add extra space by storing or giving away items.
• Add a fresh coat of paint in light neutral colors.
• Shampoo the carpet.  Replace if necessary.  Clean and wax the floors.
• Vacuum the window blinds, shades and drapes.  Wash or dry clean curtains.  Wash all the windows, frames and sills.
• Add dishes of potpourri.
• Remove all valuables, such as jewelry, artwork, knick-knacks, medications, cash, coin collections and so on.
• Open all the window shades to create a spacious and bright look.
• Put pet supplies and dishes in a place where they’re not the first thing potential buyers see or smell when they walk in a room.

Living Room and Family Room

• Make these rooms spacious and inviting.
• Discard or repair chipped furniture.  Replace worn rugs and pillows.
• Remove magazines, games, toys and so on.
• Make sure the entertainment center sparkles.
• Vacuum upholstery, drapes, pillows, etc.

Dining Room

• Clean out your china cabinet.  Polish and visible silver.
• Put a lovely centerpiece on the table - treat yourself to fresh flowers.  Set the table for a formal dinner to help potential buyers imagine entertaining there.

Bedrooms

• Arrange furniture to create a spacious look.
• Remove games, toys, magazines, cosmetics, jewelry – especially on the nightstands.
• Replace bedspreads, quilts and pillow shams if they are worn or faded.

Bathrooms

• Remove rust and mildew stains.
• Wash or replace shower curtains.
• Make sure everything sparkles-including grout.
• Replace worn rugs and towels.

Kitchen

• Make sure all appliances work.
• Throw or eat the foods that you’ve been storing for so long.
• Clean the inside of the refrigerator, stove and cabinets.  Make sure everything is organized to create a spacious look.
• If your stove has electric burners, purchase new drip pans for each burner.  Wash removable knobs in your dishwasher.
• Polish the cabinets with furniture oil.
• Make sure appliances, countertops and sink sparkle.  Install new faucets if necessary.

Attic, Basement and Garage

• Get rid of unnecessary items.  Store or pack items you won’t need until after the move.
• Organize everything to create more floor space and make inspections easy.  Put things on shelves or in matching boxes.
• Provide bright lighting.
• Clean all equipment and vents.  Replace filters.  Fix any insulation that might be showing.
• Take care of stale or musty odors.  Open the windows, dust and wash the walls and floors, purchase room deodorizers.

When It’s Time to Show

• Make sure your property folder is out in the open. It should contain utility bills, an MLS profile, your Seller’s Disclosure, extra property flyers and extra business cards.
• Do a quick clean and vacuum.  Air out your house. Dispose all trash.
• Put pets outside if it’s safe to do so.
• Turn on a radio with peaceful music.

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