If you’ve got a dog or cat, you’re not alone. Sixty-three percent of US households have a pet – 39% own at least one dog and 33% have at least one cat and yes, lots of families own multiple pets. My husband and I grew up with dogs so we’ve had one ever since we bought our first house and once our boys got older, we added at various times — fish, birds, a guinea pig and a rabbit.

Pets are Considered Family Members

Do you consider your pets to be an integral part of your family? If you said yes, you’re like most families with more than 50% of families considering their dogs or cats like a child or other family member. So lets dig deeper (no, we’re not going to bury any bones) and look at the benefits pets provide, and then a quick look at how we need to support them (as this website is all about our homes and getting the most out of life).

What Pets Do For Us

Companionship - More than anything, pets provide company when no one else is home or sometimes you just want to be alone, and snuggling up with your cat or dog is comforting. Coming home to an empty house isn’t fun so knowing you’ve got company can change your entire experience at home. Most pets will love you unconditionally, so knowing there’s someone there to spend time with is comforting and needing to walk the dog means you’re getting exercise too.

Compassion – Pets are great when it comes to teaching our children compassion. They’re able to see the dog or cat slink away when mistreated and also, sense that their pet knows when they’re having a tough time. When I got sick at school and had to take the bus home alone, I always looked forward to getting into bed with my beagle curled up around my legs.

Responsibility – What better way to teach responsibility to children than to have them fulfill the role of feeding the cat or walking the dog, and planning time away from home if you can’t take your pets with you. Having a pet in your household teaches responsibility better than almost anything else, because it’s real versus television, and right in front of your children where they can visualize what might happen if they don’t do something.

Laughter – Our lives are busy and we don’t take enough time to slow down and … smell the roses. When we get home from a busy day at work or school, our pets give us a reason to slow down and give them a nice rub. Our pets are living on our roller coaster so they’re able to connect with us in fun ways that can make us smile or even better, laugh. Laughter is something we’re missing in our chaotic lifestyles today, so family pets are a wonderful way to bring more of that back into our lives.

What Our Pets Need From Us

You’ve got to start with your pet’s basic needs — food, water and health checkups. They also crave lots of attention and remember the more love you give them, the more they’re going to give back to you. In my condo, we’ve got a dog bed on each of 3 floors (2 home offices) so our chocolate lab can keep us company wherever we are.

With respect to your house, you’ve got to consider how you’ll provide exercise for your pet, plus the bathroom? Cats are easier to handle with cat litter — space to store fresh litter, litter tray and disposal. With dogs it’s more complicated as family members will have to walk your dog several times a day or you’ll need a fenced in yard with a dog door (learn more about dog doors).

What’s your favorite pet story?

We forget what we’ve put away and one day, we go looking for something in the attic and give up after an hour because there’s too much stuff. We’ve packed away so many boxes without labeling them and we don’t have the time or patience to find what we’re looking for.

This article provides ideas for deciding what’s worth storing in your attic (basement or garage), how to keep track of what’s stored so you can find it when you need it, and most important, fun ways to clear out the clutter when you’ve got the time to enjoy the memories they hold.

Attic Decorating in Your 20s

It’s exciting when you get your first apartment, your very own space! You might have a roommate to negotiate with but there aren’t any parents to worry about when you finally get to discover your unique style of decorating. In our consumer driven economy, you might think it’s time to head to the stores to find the perfect pieces for your new home. Don’t!

Your first stop when shopping for furniture and other home furnishings should be your parents attic, or maybe a close relative, good friend, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask people if they’ve got items looking for a new home as older folks (myself included) get to a point where we recognize it’s time to simplify our lives and that includes getting rid of stuff.

My best friend’s daughter Sarah, loved my old oak dining room table and chairs. We recently gave furniture (living and dining room) furniture from a Florida condo to my niece as a wedding gift (we paid to move it to New York City). Don’t be afraid as we all remember furnishing our first home in “early attic” and you’re actually helping us let go of stuff we don’t need.

New Homeowners in Your 30s

Like furnishing your first apartment, you do need more stuff when you buy that first house. You’ll buy new/more shower curtains and new towels for your master bathroom. You’ll want to run out and buy furniture for the living/family room, dining room and more before you host your first party but … it’s not the best strategy for creating your dream home – you need time to feel the house, learn where you’re spending the most time and what you’re doing in each room.

Borrowing furniture from family and friends for a year or more, gives you time to discover what you need, and of course what you want if the budget permits. Alternatives to borrowing include neighborhood garage sales, used furniture stores or inexpensive items that are easy to break down and store for future use. When we moved to Tokyo, we bought a simple table top from IKEA that sits on top of black, saw horse legs. This “temporary table” is still working hard for us (or folds for storage) and today it’s being used to organize the garage.

Kids Need Lots of Stuff

You feel overwhelmed with all the baby clothes and that’s nothing compared to what you’ll accumulate over the next 20 years. Now is when you need to learn to sort before you store things. It’s easier to save all the baby clothes but you probably only used half of them, so give the others away now to save time and space. Tips for sorting:

• Only save the clothes you used, the colors you like (hated the dull colors for little boys) and no more than 2 weeks or what fits your laundry cycle as we tend to wear our favorites and ignore the rest or …
• Give yourself a storage budget like those great boxes that hold 10 reams of paper and the tops are easy to take off and put back on.
• Label every box before putting in the attic, i.e. girls clothing, 12 to 24 months (you don’t know the sex of your next child). Store all the children’s clothes together, keeping labels visible to make your search quick.
• Only save a few toys, i.e. ones you’ll want to take out when the grand children come to visit. Before Christmas, I had each of my boys pack up a box of toys for their cousins … so there would be room for new toys!
• My budget for school papers and artwork was one box and my closet gave me easy access. At the end of each school year, I’d sort papers and only keep my favorites for that year (and now I wish I’d involved the boys).
• If my boys were young today, I’d create digital memory books with photos for each school year … as digital albums are so much easier to store and share with others.

Empty Nesters, Memories & Clearing the Attic

Are you smiling? Have you started day dreaming about things you’ve lost in your attic for years? Do you now have free time and wondering how to spend that time? Your project is to clear out your attic so your kids don’t have to do it for you.

Take your time and enjoy the memories, and consider creating new memories for your loved ones. Remember they are each unique with different interest so they’ll love one box of momentos but very few will want more than that. Here are some ways to share that I’ve used or had friends share over the years and please, leave your ideas below:

• When my best friend’s parents died, each piece of furniture got a number and all the children got to list their choices (1, 2 and 3) which made splitting things up fair. Nancy just told me she loves visiting her siblings and seeing the furniture, which always brings back fond memories of growing up.
• My friend and decorator Jennifer just staged (de-cluttered) my library/living room to use for videos (here’s the first one) and I was amazed at how many knick knacks have amassed over the year. All the “not needed” items are getting boxed and next Christmas, my boys and their cousins can pick the ones they like.

Turn your clutter into someone else’s treasures …
Share your ideas below so we can all have fun simplifying our lives!

The real point here isn’t how you access your attic. The important story here is what your attic can tell you about the condition of your home. This article is shared by an experienced home inspector, someone who visits several attics every week. He’s going to reveal the secrets you might uncover in your attic, secrets that can save you time and money.

Getting To Know Your Attic

… by Clint  McKie, Desert Sun Home Inspections

Too often when finding an attic hatch sealed with paint, a home inspector will immediately sense he’s about to enter virgin territory. When later asked about the attic, homeowners may respond with, “Never had any reason to go up there …” or “Didn’t think it was safe.”

While the second response may be true for the inexperienced homeowner, we do recommend homeowners become aware and comfortable with what goes on in their attics. Just like so many components of one’s house, the attic plays a strategic role in the home’s overall condition in terms of structural stability, energy efficiency and fire safety.

The attic will always reveal a great deal about the house. It’s usually one of the last places to be repaired or renovated during the life of the home. But quite interestingly, the history of the house, while not obvious at other locations, can frequently be understood when viewing the attic.

Homeowner’s Attic Checklist

 1. Is my attic adequately insulated?

You can probably tell if your attic is warm when it’s cold outside. That’s a clue that heat is escaping from the rooms below the attic and you’re wasting money heating unused attic space. Warm air in the attic might also cause problems when there’s snow on your roof (see Solutions to Prevent Ice Dams).

Your homes geographic location determines how much insulation you need. You can work through what you need starting with Energy Star’s Recommended Levels of Insulation or you can get an energy audit which will tell you where your air leaks are and how to fix them. For example, we often find heating/cooling duct work that’s come loose and that’s not a difficult problem to fix.

2. Is my attic properly ventilated?

Moisture is common in attics and needs to be exhausted to the outside. Too often we find soffit vents blocked preventing fresh air from coming in or walls of boxes blocking the flow of air between gable vents on either side of the attic.

When you don’t have adequate ventilation, you’re at risk for a whole host of problems ranging from delaminating roof sheathing, water streaks on interior walls and rotting of wood framing. Moisture and attic temperature are related. Generally speaking, your attic temperature should be no more than 10 to 15F degrees higher than the outside air temperature. Your home’s location, square footage of the attic and the slope of the roof all dictate the amount of ventilation required.

3. Are there kitchen or bathroom exhaust fans terminating in the attic?

Too often when homes are built, the easy solution to venting bathroom fans is to run the duct work up to the attic. This violates building codes but most homeowners don’t know the codes and don’t realize why this is a problem. These are unwanted sources of moisture and need to be redirected to leave your house. This problem should be fixed right away.

4. Are there any issues with structural members?

Inspecting your rafters and trusses for cracked, broken and sagging sections should be part of every attic visit. If you see something you think is out of place, take a picture and discuss your concerns with a professional. Once you start inspecting your attic every year, you’ll begin to learn what looks right, making it easier to spot changes which might signal a problem.

5. Is the roof decking plywood or OSB? What is its condition?

Is the bottom of your roof warped, water stained, or deteriorated?  Does it appear to have been painted over or is it discolored? Many insurance companies will not replace roofs for interior fires, instead authorizing payment only for repainting smoke damaged framing and decking.

These are just a few reminders of what to look for in an attic. We see other problems too – wires chewed by rodents or worse, dead animals that finally explain why there’s a strange smell in the house. It pays to inspect your attic annually and more frequently, if you’re experiencing severe storms. The best way to learn how to do the job yourself, is to schedule a home inspector and accompany them to learn from a pro.

Clint  McKie is the owner of Desert Sun Home Inspections in Carlsbad, New Mexico. His company provides home inspection services throughout south east New Mexico. You can learn more home inspections and how they help homeowners at Clint’s website, www.Carlsbad-Home-Inspector.com.

According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the average American family does 8 to 10 loads of laundry each week. A single load takes 1 hr, 27 minutes from wash to dry so the average family spends 12 to 15 hours per week doing laundry. This article explores ways to organize laundry so it takes you less time …

Okay, we all try to use our time wisely so there’s overlap when the washing machine and dryer are running at the same time … but aren’t there lots of times when we get busy or forget? What we want to talk about here are shortcuts you can take when doing laundry to save time, and everyone could use more time these days. These tips will help you share laundry tasks with every member of the family, to either eliminate steps or do them more efficiently. Let’s get to work gathering the laundry, from the floor through the laundry room and back to the drawers/closets

Get Everyone to Sort Their Own Dirty Laundry

It’s not really fair for everyone to leave their dirty laundry for one person because that can grow into a huge pile of clothes. It’s much easier to sort a few clothes at a time, so why not ask everyone to sort their clothes as they put them into the hamper, separating by color and type of clothes?

• Put a divided hamper in each child’s room and let them decorate it any way they want.  Younger children really can separate colors from white.
• Teens and adults can use the same divided hamper. Let them know if the laundry isn’t in the hamper, it won’t get done.  Better yet, teach your teens how to do their own laundry which they’ll have to do when they go away to camp or college.
• Keep several baskets in your laundry area and ask family members to bring their laundry to the laundry room. They can easily empty their hampers into the appropriately marked baskets.

Keep Laundry Supplies at Your Fingertips

Once the laundry is sorted, it’s time to get the washing started. Here are tips for organizing your laundry area to save time while washing and putting clothes away as who likes hunting for that missing sock. In my house, I often think there’s a hidden sock house where they take vacation as I’ll go out and buy new socks and a few weeks later, I’ve got more socks than the drawer will hold?

• Pin loose socks together so you don’t end up with single, lost and forlorn socks. Maybe you have a missing sock basket to stop wasting time hunting for missing socks? This tip saves time -  no more sorting sock, then pairing them up and searching for the missing ones.
• Keep a basket near the washer with supplies you use for laundry. You’ll save time when you don’t have to look for the stain remover, clothespins or hooks for hanging items that don’t go in the dryer, mesh laundry bags for small or fine lingerie, etc.
• Keep a small bag or hamper nearby for dry cleaning items that get mixed in with laundry.  When you have several items collected, you can take them to the cleaners in one trip.

Avoid Doing Things Twice

When you buy your next washer or dryer, get one with an alarm that tells you when the laundry is ready to be removed. Once you hear the dryer buzzer, you’ll save time by removing and finishing up the job right away. How many times have you turned the dryer on again, to get rid of wrinkles?

• Avoid doing things twice by hanging things up right away versus putting them in a basket, to be hung or folded later.  Keep hangers in your laundry area and if you have room, a rack near the dryer so you can put those things on hangers immediately. If you’re short on room, use one of these door hanger bars.
• Invest in a few small baskets, one for each family member.  Fold and put clothes in the basket by person, in effect sorting as you fold.  Then ask family members take their baskets and hanging clothes to their rooms, and put them away … in their drawers!

These tips are meant to help you work smarter, not harder, when it comes to household laundry. We hope you found something helpful and please, share your own time saving ideas by leaving a comment below.

Why is this important? Maybe you have a family member with allergies or worse, asthma which is increasing in the US even though smoking and air pollution are dropping. This article outlines what homeowners can do to reduce air pollution inside their houses, and introduces the top 10 pollutants commonly found in our homes.

Reducing Indoor Pollution in Your Home

There isn’t one easy solution to improve your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ) as there are many different problems. The term “indoor air pollution” covers a wide array of things in the air that affect the human body, many which can’t be seen. The EPA released Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades to focus on air quality as homes are made more airtight and energy efficient. Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation says “… These protocols will help the home energy retrofit industry deliver high quality work while protecting the health of families.”

There are 3 ways to reduce air pollution in your home and depending on the severity of the problem, you’ll want to use a combination of these.

• Reduce the number of pollutants you introduce into your home by learning what to avoid like VOCs in paint and formaldehyde in home furnishings.
• Install a mechanical ventilation system that proactively exchanges fresh air from outside with stale indoor air that harbors pollutants.
• Be more diligent in changing filters already in your home, and consider adding some type of air purifiers to filter out pollutants remaining in your home.

Top Air Pollutants in Our Homes

Radon – is a radioactive gas found in the ground. It enters your home through cracks in floors and walls touching the ground. It’s colorless, tasteless and odorless, so you have to test to find the problem. Once identified, ventilation (most often in the basement) is used to remove the radon.

Secondhand smoke – comes from burning tobacco products. Secondhand smoke affects anyone exposed, and it causes cancer and serious respiratory illnesses. Unfortunately children are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke so you’ll want to ask smokers to do so outside.

Combustion pollutants – are gases or particles that come from fuel burning appliances that aren’t vented properly — wood stoves, gas stoves, water heaters, dryers, fireplaces and space heaters. The pollutants vary depending on the type of appliance and how well it’s installed, maintained and vented. Carbon monoxide detectors are critical as it’s colorless, tasteless and odorless and … poisonous. Other gases while not deadly, cause health problems.

Biological pollutants - include mold, mildew, dust mites, dander and more. While you can’t avoid them entirely, you can reduce the risk of mold by inspecting and repairing water and moisture problems quickly (within 24 to 48 hours). Wash bedding in hot water to kill mites and dust, vacuum and wash regularly to control pests.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – are gases emitted by many different things including paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, varnishes and waxes, pesticides, building materials, furnishings, air fresheners, and dry-cleaned clothing. VOCs evaporate into the air when used and sometimes when stored.

Formaldehyde – is found in the home in glues, textiles and building materials. Look for formaldehyde free products when buying drapes and carpeting and use exterior-grade pressed wood products (particle board, medium-density fiberboard, plywood)  which use less formaldehyde in their resins. Formaldehyde is also found in urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI), in homes built in the 1970s.

Pesticides – are used outdoors to maintain landscaping but they’re dangerous. Only purchase what you need to avoid remaining chemicals giving off fumes in your house and it’s better to store pesticides outside rather than in your home or garage.

Asbestos – was once commonly used in home construction because of its ability to insulate houses and resist fire. The fibers are so small they can be easily inhaled and most forms are banned by the federal government so the risk lies mainly with older homes built after the EPA issued its ruling on asbestos containing products.

Doors are fascinating as they’re used for 2 opposing functions

Barn doors are rather unique as they don’t swing when you open and close them. This probably has a lot to do with their weight as they’re typically very wide and really heavy so finding hinges to support the weight is a challenge. So let’s explore the benefits of doors that slide versus swing, and the many ways in which we can use these to save space in our homes.

Sliding Doors at Home

Barn doors aren’t the only type of sliding doors found in homes. Barn doors are known more for outdoor applications, for barns and garages but that doesn’t mean they can’t be used indoors as this story is meant to illustrate.  Here are the sliding doors found in homes and if I’ve missed one, let me know so I can add to the list.

• One of the most common sliding doors is the closet door, with either 2 or 3 panels, where one panel slides in front of another.
• Sliding glass patio doors are also very common and incredibly functional — great views of your backyard, easy access from the house to a deck or patio without losing any space for a swinging door.
• Rolling shower doors for combination shower/bathtubs provide easy access in the smallest rooms we have, and play an important role in keeping the water inside the tub.
• Garage doors sometimes adopt the barn door style where there isn’t enough room for swinging doors and the homeowners don’t want to use today’s
• Pocket doors are similar to barn doors and use similar sliding hardware. They slide inside a wall cavity left open to hold the door when open. Pocket doors are tricky to repair when they get off their tracks inside the wall or when small children hide things in the opening … and beware, you cannot hang kitchen cabinets or other heavy wall hangings on these walls (we had to move our microwave).
• Japanese shoji screens are beautiful and practical. They provide privacy while letting natural sunlight shine through the rice paper and they’re used as doors for rooms, closets and more decorative uses.

Barn Doors Slide Over a Wall

Barn doors are really practical as they don’t require the traditional space you see on floor plans, dedicated to the door swing. These doors slide open and closed so you simply need enough wall space on one side of the door and rather than try to explain how it works, you can watch this video where I’m talking to Chris Corson, EcoCor Design/Build … as he designed and built this super-insulated house along with these wonderful barn doors.

Insulation is like the lining of your coat, it stops the heat your body generates from escaping

Insulation isn’t a new concept although the focus on insulating our homes really started after the oil crisis in the 1970s.  Houses built hundreds of years ago had thick, solid walls made of timber (think of log homes), adobe, plaster, etc and these materials offered insulation in addition to their structural value.

How Insulation Works

Heat flows naturally from warmer to cooler spaces. That means the heat you generate in the winter moves from heated living spaces to the outdoors and unheated space in your home like the attic, basement and garage. In summer, air from outdoors moves into your home because it’s warmer than the air conditioned air inside your home. The problem is you run your heating and air conditioning systems longer to keep your home comfortable, because you have to replace the lost air and this wastes energy.

By insulating the floors, walls and ceilings that surround your conditioned space, you provide resistance to the flow of heat in either direction. When less heated air flows into or out of your home, you don’t have to run your heating and air conditioning systems as long and that results in lower energy costs.

How Much Insulation Do You Need

You can’t see most insulation in your home. Insulation fills the cavities between the lumber framing your floors, walls and ceilings. Only where these surfaces are unfinished like your basement ceiling or attic floor, can you see the insulation. That’s why adding insulation to the attic floor is the most common project done to existing homes. Wall insulation is difficult to add, except when you’re replacing siding and then you do get easier access to the walls.

How well an insulation product resists heat flow is designated by it’s R-value. R-values are based on the type of insulation (Department of Energy, Types of Insulation), it’s thickness and density. If you use multiple layers of insulation, you add the R-values of each layer together for your total R-value. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness.

How much insulation you need varies based on where you live. Energy Star provides the following recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood framed houses (similar tables exist for new construction). You can also get detailed recommendations for your home based on the first 3 digits of your zip code and the type of fuel your house uses for heating.

Laboratory measurements won’t always accurately reflect conditions in the real world. Most insulation materials lose their effectiveness when installed incorrectly, i.e. crammed into a tight space. Temperature can also make a big difference where some insulation works better in colder temperatures, while others work best in warmer environments.

Note: Double pane windows provide resistance to heat loss, similar to insulation. The air or gas (higher density) acts as a barrier and slows the loss of heat through the window glass. This is important to understand as a window will allow up to eight times more heat to escape compared to the same area of insulated wall.

Besides enjoying my open door, there are lots of practical reasons to install one or more storm doors at your house. Storm doors protect exterior doors from the elements which is great if you’ve got a beautiful wood door. Storm doors act like double pane windows, with the air between the 2 doors adding an insulating layer to reduce the loss of heated or cooled air.

Most of the storm doors you buy today come with screens so when the weather is nice, you can use the screen door to circulate fresh air through your home without risking flying insects coming inside.

Types of Storm Doors

When buying a storm door, the key decisions are which door style you like best, the material the door is made of and quality which should be relative to the frequency of use. A door used many times each day by a busy family, needs higher quality materials and construction to insure it continues working smoothly for many years.

• Full-view storm doors – include a full, glass panel along with a screen panel that you exchange with the changing seasons. When available, a full-view door with a taller kick panel at the bottom is better because it lowers the chances of the screen being kicked out (we replace lots of screening at my handyman business).
• Ventilating storm doors – include a fixed full or half-screen panel so you don’t have to swap the storm glass and screen panels as the weather changes. The glass panels move when you want cross-ventilation in your home.
• Retractable screen storm doors – have the screen connected to the top of the door. When not in use, it rolls up on a tensioned dowel at the top of the door. It’s practical because it’s the screen that most often gets damaged when it’s stored.

Tips on Buying a Storm Door

Storm doors are made from several types of materials which offer different pros and cons. In all cases, the thicker the storm door, the more rigid and durable the door will be. When picking your storm door, you should try to

• Wood storm doors – were the original material and remain the most appealing but require painting or another form of sealing to protect the wood from the elements (sunlight, water and wind). Wooden screen doors are less than one inch thick, making them lighter but unable to support the weight of a full glass panel.
• Aluminum storm doors – resist corrosion so they don’t need to be painted repeatedly. Aluminum doors come in a range of thicknesses which call all support glass panels. The risk with aluminum doors is the corners can crack if the door gets blown open during a storm, and this affects the strength of the door so look for a brand that offers replacement parts.
• PVC storm doors – like aluminum doors, are corrosion resistant and don’t need to be painted or sealed. They can be molded to look like wood and with welded corners (meaning no screws), they’re more durable than aluminum. PVC however is a controversial material, because it can release toxins into the air while fiberglass is more expensive.
• Fiberglass storm doors – are similar to PVC doors. They’re more expensive but don’t give off toxins. Both PVC and fiberglass doors have chemicals added to the material to slow the effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which makes plastics more brittle … so thicker doors have an advantage.

Other items to consider when buying a storm door include screen color and the door locking hardware which often includes a pneumatic door closer to prevent the door from opening/closing too fast. If you have lots of insects where you live, look into a door sweep which fills in any gap at the bottom of your door. A door stop (see details at VintageDoors.com) surrounds the sides and top of a door if you’re not getting a really tight seal.

For those homeowners with security concerns, there are many options like these wrought iron storm doors from MetalexDoors.com and many doors can be ordered with laminated glass. Theses doors can provide security and do it with style so the doors add to your home’s curb appeal.

Photo credit goes to Harvey Building Products and I have their storm doors at my house.

Eric wanted to hold band practice at and Marguerite wanted to explore what their options were and how much the project might cost. They were existing clients of my handyman business so they gave us a call to see what advice we could offer.

Homeowners & Home Pros Working Together

The homeowners appreciated our attention to detail during the project planning phase. “When we started researching the soundproofing project, you who really helped us get our bearings and guide our research. We were able to identify exactly what would provide the best results and what we could accomplish within our budget,” reflected Eric after the project was completed.

Marguerite added “… having heard others say they spent more than they planned on soundproofing, we appreciated your caution. You told us the project could quickly turn into a bottomless money pit if it wasn’t properly planned and managed. We knew we were in good hands when someone told us soundproofing isn’t a destination, you stop when you run out of money.”

A Soundproofing Solution

We learned that sound and vibration travel through points where materials come in contact with each other –  the ceiling, walls, and floors. The best resource we found for soundproofing is SoundIsolationCompany.com. There are a variety of ways that rooms are soundproofed depending on the level of quiet you want to achieve (and budget). Some of the more common methods include:

• Installing specially designed channels between the studs and drywall to deaden vibration.
• Installing multiple layers of drywall joined with a soundproofing glue called Green Glue.
• Filling air pockets in walls and ceilings with foam insulation.
• Using Homasote boards instead of traditional drywall for their sound barrier properties.
• Using acoustical doors and windows with sound deadening properties.

Over the course of three weeks, my handyman company helped Eric and Marguerite refine their project goals, budget and project plan. The couple agreed that they weren’t attempting to make the room completely soundproof, but rather they wanted to minimize, not eliminate, the transfer of noise to the living spaces on the other side of the walls from the music room.

To help manage costs, they decided to focus their soundproofing efforts on the two interior walls and the ceiling and leave the exterior walls untouched.

Creating a Soundproof Room for Band Practice

To stay within budget, Eric (our homeowner) volunteered to do the demolition work, which included removing the dropped ceiling and wood paneling on the two interior walls. We also also suggested Eric act as the “helper”. He could learn how to hang drywall from an expert and because we prefer using 2 people to put drywall up on a ceiling, they would save money (you can do it with 1 person using a temporary sling or special tools only a drywall company has).

Working with our technician John, was a great experience for Eric. “He was great to work with and learn from, and he always helped with minor decisions for the space we were working with.”

The construction phase of the project achieved its desired results, finishing on time and on budget. Future phases will include installing new flooring and a soundproof door, things in our plans but not the immediate budget. “We know it isn’t easy to find a contractor who can do everything that your company did at such a high level of quality,” reflected Marguerite. “We hope to work with you in the future for any project too daunting for us to tackle on our own.”

Preparing your home for sale is challenging. If you need to sell your home quickly and want to get top dollar, you should hire a home stager to help you remove clutter and personal things. They can also identify each room’s key selling features and help you rearrange furniture to create a feeling of spaciousness.

Kitchens Features That Sell

It is unlikely you can change the basic layout of your kitchen. You can however, show off its best features by dressing them up to enhance the overall feeling of the room. You might be surprised by a few of them but the list is based on running my handyman business for 8 years.

• Replace counter tops to update the kitchen. One home owner who did this said “… now I love my kitchen so maybe I don’t need to move.” A less expensive alternative is adding a pleasing back splash that wows buyers.
• Change hardware to update cabinets that are in good condition. You can also replace cabinet and drawer fronts if the current style is dated but in good shape.
• Replace light fixtures and/or windows to add light or maybe you can change the window coverings to let more light in.
• Frequently realtors recommend new appliances, i.e. stainless changes the look and feel quickly. There are reasonably priced packages which include a refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and microwave.
• Flooring is another feature that creates the mood of the kitchen. Consider replacing if your current flooring is worn and dated and the rest of the kitchen is in much better shape.
• A fresh coat of paint (don’t forget the ceiling) is popular. Home stagers offer color consultations to help you identify the best colors for your kitchen based on current trends.
• Routine maintenance items should be taken care of. Repair leaky faucets and drawers/doors that are difficult to open and close. Replace grout that is crumbling and re-caulk the back-splash if it does not sparkle.
• Create a feeling of  spaciousness by removing clutter from surfaces, drawers, cabinets and the pantry so when buyers inspect them they feel like you have boundless storage.
• Make sure the room looks and smells clean. Wash appliances and cabinets, counter-tops, sinks and faucets. Don’t forget the garbage areas and remove all evidence of pets.

Make Your Bathrooms Sell

After kitchens, bathrooms are the next most important rooms to sell a house. They need many of the same touches as your kitchen, only on a smaller scale.

• Assess your fixtures and update those most dated. Faucets should be clean and shiny, along with all other metals from light fixtures to the sink and bathtub/shower.
• Add lighting with a new fixture, or possibly a new medicine cabinet with built in lighting.
• A fresh coat of paint and coordinated towels, hung on updated towel rods/hooks are inexpensive ways to give the room a new look.
• Routine maintenance items should be taken care of. Repair/replace caulking around the sinks and tub/shower,  repair/replace grout as needed and repair/replace leaky fixtures.
• Clean everything so it sparkles, It’s a small room with lots of features that you don’t ordinarily clean – toilets, sinks, faucet hardware, mirrors, soap dishes, etc and keep towels, shower curtains and bath mats clean.

Setting the Mood for Buying

Once you’ve dealt with the bigger projects and you are ready to list your home, you’ll want to create the right mood for buying. Here are some ideas to help you complete the task:

• Light rooms up by opening drapes and blinds during the day and turn on all lights for evening showings.
• Clear the hallways, stairs and closets of all clutter. Every buyer wants lots of storage.
• Arrange furniture to create a spacious look and clean/organize closets, storage, etc to create visual space.
• Make sure your home is warm or cool according to the season.
• Ensure carpets and floors are always clean.
• Make sure the house smells nice with potpourri or fresh flowers around the house.

Good luck selling your home!