Discover the Restore Glow Capsule — a clean, cream-based makeup system that simplifies your routine. Learn why I love Restore Collective’s EU-standard formulas, Prime + Protect sunscreen, and take the Color Science Quiz to find your perfect shades.
As we gear up for Amazon Prime Day there are some great deals already out there. Some are limited so act fast. Here are some perfect items for the home office. 1. 25 Piece Organization Set – ($15) https://amzn.to/3zJqEb1 2. Tier Shelf – ($30) – https://amzn.to/4cRlsQQ 3. Office Chair – ($49) – https://amzn.to/465WY3T 4. Flat extension cord – ($12) – https://amzn.to/4bHfBfG 5. Desk Organizer – ($9) – https://amzn.to/4cX4lNm **As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases**
As the crisp autumn breeze fills the air and leaves begin to don their vibrant fall colors, it’s time to embrace the cozy and enchanting atmosphere of the season. Fall is synonymous with pumpkin-spiced lattes, apple picking, and of course, delightful decorations that give your home that warm, inviting feel. However, you don’t need to break the bank to achieve a Boujee look for your home this fall. Let’s explore three fabulous fall decorations and their Boo-jee broke alternatives. 1. Pottery Barn Terracotta Pumpkins Fall Decoration: These simple yet beautifully crafted fall pumpkins can instantly add charm to any space. The neutral color and subtle textures can be irresistible, but they come with a hefty price tag. Boo-jee Broke Alternative: I have two alternatives here. We are going to attempt creating our own terracotta pumpkins, stay tuned for that DIY craft. Or… if you don’t feel very crafty you can acheive that neutral color pallette with some cute decorative pumpkins from Amazon. Arrange them in a wooden crate or a vintage tray for an elegant and budget-friendly centerpiece. Neutral Amazon Pumpkin Decor: https://amzn.to/3PM6X6H 2. West Elm Seagrass Basket Fall Decoration: A rustic basket in the corner with some nice cozy blankets will add the fall feel to any room right away. You will want to curl up on the couch with your favorite book all the time and it will make you feel like your room is a page out of a home decor magazine. Boo-jee Broke Alternative: Go faux! Invest in some high-quality artificial pumpkins, gourds, and silk flowers. These can be reused year after year, making them a cost-effective alternative to real, perishable decorations. Amazon’s Seagrass basket is the perfect dupe at a much more budget-friendly price tag. Amazon’s Choice Basket: https://amzn.to/46FQI1T 3. Anthropologie Tufted Ottoman Fall Decoration: One piece of furniture that can add both style and functionality to your fall decor is the tufted ottoman. Anthropologie’s tufted ottoman is known for its elegance and charm, but it might not always fit everyone’s budget. Boo-jee Broke Alternative: You can’t go wrong with Amazon’s Tufted Ottoman. It is the perfect dupe and I love every single color choice. This tufted ottoman will go a long way in creating an inviting and comfortable atmosphere to any room! Amazon’s Tufted Ottoman: https://amzn.to/3PQ65hD In conclusion, you don’t have to spend a fortune to achieve a chic and cozy fall atmosphere in your home. With a little ingenuity and some DIY spirit, you can create fabulous fall decorations that rival their pricier counterparts. So, embrace the beauty of autumn and get crafty to make this season truly spooktacular without breaking the bank. Happy decorating! **As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases**
Spring cleaning can be a daunting task for many, but it doesn’t have to be. By breaking it down into smaller, manageable tasks, you can make your home look and feel refreshed without feeling overwhelmed. Here are 10 easy ways to spring clean: By following these 10 easy steps, you’ll have your home looking and feeling refreshed in no time. Happy spring cleaning!
Today, I’m diving into an important topic that could make a big difference in the amount of money you net from your home sale. The market is hot. There are more buyers who need houses than houses for sale. That means your home is in demand and it’s not even listed yet! That sounds like great news for you and it is! As a result of this, I know potential sellers are thinking… Hmm maybe we should just put a sign up in the front yard and see what happens. The truth is, the worst thing you can do as a seller in a hot market is to do it alone. So before you head to the local hardware store for that “For Sale By Owner” sign, keep reading. I know you’re doing the math and figuring out how much selling your home on your own could potentially save you… but I wanted to shed some light on a few important things to consider before you decide to go that route. If you’re looking to the internet to determine what price to list your home at, you could be losing a significant amount of money. Online home values aren’t always entirely accurate which means basing your list price on what the internet is saying could result in you leaving money on the table. Contracts and Negotiations can feel like a foreign language if you’re not a real estate professional. Not understanding how to navigate these or have someone work in your best interest could result in sticky situations and money lost. Demand – when you’re in a hot market, one of the greatest benefits to the seller is that they’re typically in the driver’s seat. When there are more buyers than listings for sale, your house can spark a bidding war when it hits the market. However, without an agent helping you prep your home for the market, price it strategically, market it with modern methods and really get it out there, you’re missing out on that demand. You might have a buyer or two but that isn’t going to drive the price up like it would if you had someone working for you. My best advice I can give to someone thinking about selling is this – Before you make the decision to do it alone, do some research and find an agent who has good reviews, comes highly recommended and who you can learn something about before reaching out. What does their experience look like? What are their clients saying? Then schedule a consultation with them to see how they can help you net the most money possible from your home sale. Successful home selling is rooted in doing your research and making smart decisions that are going to position you in the best place possible when your house hits the market!
How to Make House Hunting as Easy as Binge Watching Netflix. You know the feeling when you struggle to find something to watch on Netflix because it’s just so overwhelming with the number of shows and movies to choose from? Well the same thing can happen when it comes to house hunting! There are so many real estate websites and so many houses to look at. Digging through countless websites, having your phone glued to your hand, constantly hitting refresh to make sure you don’t miss anything can get a little tiring. Instead, there is a simple method you can implement to make it a whole lot easier. When you learn how to house hunt “Netflix style” it’ll save you a ton of time and prevent those feelings of overwhelm – I promise! So here’s how to do it! Step 1 – Find your Homestyle Genre: This is about going beyond the general criteria of 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a 1 acre lot. This is about diving deep and figuring out what you’re specifically looking for in a house. Ask yourself questions such as: -Which space in a house is most important to you? -Which room will you spend the most time in? Is the living room where you’ll spend quality time every night or is the outdoor space more important because you want to be surrounded by nature and have ensured privacy? -Next think about words that would describe your ideal home. Do words like cozy and full of character come to mind? Or does modern and luxury sound more like your taste? -What is a space or feature you don’t currently have but would love to have? More space to entertain? A private yard with mature trees? A designated home office space that will allow you to do more focused work? By thinking outside the box about the lifestyle you want your future home to provide, you’ll begin to paint a better picture of which home features to pay more attention to and which style of home will be the best fit. STEP 2 – Determine What’s Trending: Just like Netflix gives you a list of “Trending movies” you’re going to make your own list of what’s trending when it comes to what is important to you in your future home. After writing down answers to the previous questions, create a list of your top 3 home must haves and deal breakers. Next you’re going to review everything you wrote down. Do you see any themes or details that pinpoint the type of house you are going to fall in love with aside from the number of bedrooms? Your list could be painting a picture of an open concept style home with lots of storage and natural light. Or maybe your style is a home with more separated spaces with a major focus on the style and layout of the kitchen. STEP 3 – Create Your Home List Based on Your Preferences: Before starting this step, you’ll want to make sure you’re working with a Real Estate Agent so they can set up your custom home search for you. They will take all of the general criteria that you’re looking for and customize your home search so that you can will receive a list of all the homes on the market that match the main criteria you’re looking for. This is where it’ll narrow down your minimums for bedrooms, baths, lot size, square footage, year built, etc. This is also the time you may want to browse through any other sites that you’ve been searching on and write down any homes you’ve had your eye on so you can bring everything together with your real estate agent. STEP 4 – Preview Homes: Once you’ve compiled the entire list of homes that meet your search criteria you’re going to want to preview them online before scheduling a showing! Looking at homes online is considered a first showing because there is so much you can see and learn about a home before ever stepping foot in the house. When you’re previewing the homes, have the list of the questions you answered handy so you can see which ones fit what you’re truly looking for. If a common theme was entertaining space and open concept rooms – you’ll probably want to avoid homes that have a smaller kitchen and living area or lack open areas. STEP 5 – Narrow the List Down to Your Top 5: Here’s an example of how this looks: Let’s say your favorite space in a home is the living room, you want a house with lots of character and charm and your deal breaker is a cookie cutter subdivision. Along with that, you need at least 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. When your custom search comes up with the list of homes and one of the homes meets the 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths criteria but was built last year in a new subdivision of homes with the same builder, all on quarter acre lots and has a smaller living room, you’ll probably want to consider eliminating this one because it isn’t meeting your main needs. After previewing the homes and comparing each one to what you have on your list, it’s time to narrow the list of homes down to your “Top 5”. These are the 5 homes you’ll want to schedule showings for and begin your search with. From there, if none of those work for you, keep your search going this same way. Watch for new homes to hit the market (like the new releases on Netflix) and if they meet your detailed criteria, set up a showing! By house hunting with this method, you’ll eliminate the stress of feeling like you need to see every single 3 bedroom, 2 bath home when you truly know what you’re looking for and can eliminate many of them online. That way when you schedule a showing to see a home that
What’s better than date night? Date night in your own home! Remember, we “get to” stay home so let’s make the most of it! With all the stress that comes with the uncertainty of what we’re facing, there’s nothing better than a good date night with your spouse or significant other to calm anxieties and have some fun! On today’s blog, I’m sharing 10 “Shelter in Place” Date night ideas! Staying in for date night can be just as fun as going out! “Insert last name” Coffeehouse – Light a candle, turn on some Jack Johnson radio, pour your mugs of coffee and sit down at the table together (sans TV). Pretend you’re out at a coffee shop and chat about things like favorite vacations you’ve been on, the first place you’re going for dinner as soon as this is over, and home features you want in your next house (that you’ve realized since being quarantined)! The “At Home” Drive In Experience – This one is perfect for those of you with kiddos (or not)! Pop some popcorn and grab some movie snacks, get your laptop and head for the car. Pull it into the driveway and watch a good, suspenseful movie on your laptop (of if you’re really fancy, maybe you have a projector you can use to project it onto the house). PS: Get comfy – don’t forget the blankets and pillows. This one feels like you’re actually out on a date (and if you have kids, bring the monitor with you). Game Night – Mix up your favorite cocktails – spicy margaritas, old fashioneds, French 75’s, whatever sounds good – and get out the games. Whether you play an old school round of Battleship or race each other in Mario Kart, a little competition is always fun! His & Hers Double Feature Movie Night – Uncork a bottle of the good wine you’ve been saving for a special occasion (this IS a special occasion)! Each of you will pick a movie the other has never seen and watch them back to back! OR you can each pick your favorite movie of all time. Don’t forget to turn your couch into a SUPER couch! Get all the pillows and blankets and get SUPER comfy! Cooking Class – Put on your aprons, get out your fanciest wine glasses and get cooking! Pick a favorite recipe to create, do a wine tasting with a few smaller dishes or try a brand new recipe you find on Pinterest. Don’t forget to set the table with the nice dishes, light some candles and turn on Frank Sinatra in the background. Virtual Vacation – Plan your dream vacation. Where would you go? Look up hotels, restaurants, things to do and plan out the vacation as if you were going. Look at pictures, plan your itinerary, and then maybe you can bring it to life once things are back to normal! (Ladies, you can even search Instagram and Pinterest for “Hawaii outfit inspiration” (or wherever you want to go)! Get Outside and Pack a Picnic (for the backyard) – Go on a nice, long hike and when you get back, lay out a blanket and have a picnic in the backyard. Pre-make some yummy sandwiches, your favorite chips, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert! Or make it fancy with a variety of cheeses, meats, grapes and champagne. Netflix and Takeout – Okay, maybe this one isn’t that “creative” but it’s always fun! Order takeout from a local restaurant offering curbside pickup and binge watch a new Netflix show OR a classic like The Office or How I Met Your Mother. Painting and Pizza – Time to spruce up a room in the house or ready for a change? Relive the day you moved in! Have pizza delivered, drink wine out of plastic cups and get to painting that accent wall in the Master bedroom or freshening up the laundry room that’s looking a little dreary. Blast your favorite Spotify playlist and talk about when you bought your house and reminisce about how excited you were to tackle home projects. What projects have you tackled? How long have you lived there? What memories have you made since moving in? Go for a Drive – Pick a nice, sunny day to go for a drive. Grab coffees from a local spot offering curbside takeout. Drive out to a scenic spot, explore a new city, or drive through a place that brings back memories! Pack a lunch to go, play some music and have fun! Now is the time to enjoy the little things, the simple things. Focus on activities that will ease the anxiety and keep your spirits in check!
This fact might surprise you: The average home improvement project does not tend to have a 100% return on initial investment. You might be thinking – why would I remodel then? The reasons range from the added enjoyment you’ll get from having that brand new kitchen to staying in line with other homes in the area who are investing in these upgrades. However, if you’re looking for a project with 100% ROI, these are some of the top options you should consider. Upgraded Landscaping: Were you thinking I was going to say kitchen or bath? Surprisingly landscaping is a top runner for maximum return on investment. Your curb appeal is the first impression of your home so it makes sense that landscaping would have a good return. If your yard is one area your home is lacking, adding in some color and cleaning things up can make a big difference. Consider incorporating some flowering shrubs, large planters with bright flowers, fresh mulch and maybe even a new flagstone walkway to really spruce things up. New Roof: This one doesn’t sound like the most fun but it’s a big deal when it comes to selling your home. If you’re seeing water leaks in your roof, put this in the #1 spot before you do anything else. Plus, the ROI on a new roof is over 100%. How do you know if you need a new roof? Here are a few signs.. If you notice shingles missing or curling up, the sun shining through your attic or you see stains on ceilings and walls, then it’s probably time for a new roof. Hardwood Floors: The timeless look of hardwood floors are a top feature to love and they are probably the one feature that will always be a good investment. The trending style of hardwood floors may change over time but they’re always going to trump any other style of flooring when it comes to holding their value. You know the feeling when you find out there are hardwood floors underneath old, outdated carpeting? It feels like you hit the jackpot! Hardwood floors are timeless so refinishing them is a no brainer. If you don’t have them, they’re also going to be worth the initial investment down the road. Patio or Deck: Say hello to outdoor entertaining and Summer BBQ’s. We already know that landscaping is the #1 project for ROI so it makes sense that a patio or deck addition is really going ot up your backyard game! Now you’ll even have a place to sit with a cocktail and appreciate all that landscaping work you did. To give you some examples, the average cost of a patio is $6,000 and the average return is 102%. For a deck, the average cost is $9,450 with a 106% average return. Are you thinking tonight’s dinner conversation will go something like “Honey, we’re getting a new deck!” Which remodeling project have you been considering? Always consider the ROI on any home projects you decide to tackle. Spending $50,000 on a kitchen remodel will not necessarily add that amount to the value of your home so keep that in mind when deciding where to spend vs where to splurge.