Archive for May, 2012

Kitchen Functionality Solved!

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
When did you last use that melon baller, meatball scoop, or cookie press? Do you really need two? Toss anything you don’t use. Donate it, sell it or throw it out!!! No use in it taking up space in your kitchen anymore.
 
Same goes for things that don’t work. If the handle on a pot rattles, the spout always gets clogged up, or the pan always scorches the food, fix or replace it!  
 
Make sure every item in your kitchen has earned its right to take up your valuable space! Just because it is large or expensive, it doesn’t mean you should keep it. If you made pasta twice, ten years ago, please pitch the pasta machine. Same as the fancy espresso and cappuccino makers when you drink only water and tea………….donate, sell or toss it!
 
Now that you have established what goes and what stays, start to create centers of activity around the kitchen and place objects and utensils according to where they will be best accessible and used. For example,  if you love to bake, you might find it handy to store your flour, sugar, baking powder, a set of measuring cups and spoons, your favorite mixing bowl, etc. together in one convenient spot.

 

When it comes to dinner time you will need a table, plus tableware, serving dishes,  and anything else you need to sit down and eat. Salt and pepper shakers? Ask yourself whether it would be more convenient to store your dishes and silverware near the table or the dishwasher. I personally store mine above and next to my dishwasher. This way when I am emptying it I don’t have to move all over the kitchen. It all goes back to one convenient area.

 

How about when you need to clean? The sink, dishwasher and surroundings. Soap, gloves, dish pan, drying rack, cleansers, towels, etc. All cleaners and accessories are best stored conveniently organized under the sink. There is not much else one can do with that space anyways, so may as well make use of it.
 
Another great tip is to keep the trash can handy, plus recycling and compost bins, too if you are into all that. Locate them as centrally as possible without being in the way. They should go near the cleaning and food preparation areas. This way you can chop and etc and dump easily into compost or garbage. I have a combined unit in my home that pulls out f the cabinetry to provide me with both garbage and recycle. It is great and handy next to my sink and prep areas.
 
No Clutter Counters!!!!Pay particular attention to reducing the number of objects stored permanently on the counter. The counter needs frequent cleaning and it is your primary workspace. 
 
With these helpful hints, Kitchen Organization and functionality is at your fingertips.
 

Robyn Fisher

Associate | REALTOR®

Your Ellerslie/Summerside Area Specialist

Search Homes for Sale in Summerside

 

KENNEDY Real Estate

Your Edmonton REALTOR®Edmonton HomeStager

Call us today…780-485-3010 and GET SOLD!
Area Specialists | Lifestyle Marketing

 

REALTORS® : Looking for a great Team environment to grow your business…see our Brokerage Model for info on how to make that happen!

 

 
 
 

Posted in Robyn Fisher | No Comments »

Garages: Disorganized to fully Functional

Sunday, May 6th, 2012

 

Take your garage from a disorganized mess to a clean multifunctional space you’ll enjoy using with these organizing tips.

 

1 When in doubt…..Throw it out! 

  Go through your garage, identify items to either be “Donated or Dumped” 

 2 Categorize before you Organize. 

 Before you run out to Home Depot and Lowes and start buying cabinets, hooks, & racks be sure to start by organizing your items into groups like; automotive, tools, gardening tools, sports equipment, camping equipment and cleaning supplies.

 3 Organize to Visualize. 

 Built-ins, such as cabinets and shelves, are especially helpful. rubbermaid containers with labels or even see through containers are very helpful. You can purchase these types of storage savers in all sizes to meet you every need, from tiny drawers for screws and nails to large-scale tubs for tents and sleeping bags. Be sure to get some large shelves for containers and racks that allow you to display frequently used items.

4 If it’s on the Floor, it’s time to Store.

Elevating everything makes cleaning the floor easier and reduces hiding spots where critters might make nests. Also, the garage floor is poured to naturally slope towards the garage door for drainage, so cabinets and etc. on the floor may get damaged or wet depending on the season and location in the garage.

My grandpa used to have a large store organizer made of a type of particle board that has all the small screw holes in it. He put a bunch of nails through it and used it to hang all his small hand tools and screw drivers and etc. It was really quite a brilliant idea that is apparently more and more common these days.

The point here is that cleaning out the clutter first and the organizing what you have so you can now see what you have makes grouping and storing things away a lot easier and less hassle!

Robyn Fisher
Associate | REALTOR®
Your Ellerslie/Summerside Area Specialist
Search Homes for Sale in Summerside
 KENNEDY Real Estate
Your Edmonton REALTOR®Edmonton HomeStager
Call us today…780-485-3010 and GET SOLD!
Area Specialists | Lifestyle Marketing
 
REALTORS® : Looking for a great Team environment to grow your business…see our Brokerage Model for info on how to make that happen!

 

Posted in Robyn Fisher | No Comments »

Closet space…or lack there of?

Saturday, May 5th, 2012

 

 

Storage, storage,

storage!!!Do we ever have

enough?

 
 
 
Extra storage space helps attract home buyers–and lets you stay organized while the home is still yours.
Howvever, adding storage can be expensive. But it can be done, and for less money than you might think. First things first…..my favorite part……..

 

Declutter

Do you really NEED all that stuff? Before you decide how much storage you need, decide what you can throw away, sell, or donate. And look on the bright side–if you pitch it now you won’t have to pack and move it later.

Bedroom Closets

The standard, builder single rods running from end to end in each closet, with a single shelf above each rod? USELESS! Is the top shelf filled with things you haven’t seen for years? Do you sometimes find items in your coset you forgot you had? Still have the tags on as they were buried behind other things?
Start by emptying the closets, one at a time, putting items in four piles:

  1.  Keep… that will stay in the closet

  2.  Trash

  3. Donate

  4. Sell

 

Look at the items in the Keep pile. Is it mostly clothes? Shoes? Sweaters? Belts? Ties? Lots more short items than full-length clothing? There are organizational helpers available for every storage need and every budget:
  • Increase space for short hang items by installing double rods. 

  • Install sectional untis–with slots and shelves for shoes, cubbies or drawers for clothes that should be folded, and built-ins for other special items.

  • Cheap storage bins or baskets to place above on the lond shelf can hold items you dont need everyday or even season, like bathing suits, scarfs, etc.

  • Inspect every closet in your home as if you are seeing it for the first time. What will a buyer think when she opens the doors? How can you improve your storage potential?



Other Small and odd shaped closets can also be well organized and used to thier max capacity.
 
  • Use little totes and bins to help you keep small items under control in a bathroom or linen closet.
  • Stackable baskets are a nice addition to a kitchen pantry, and can be used to store all types of items, including food staples.
  • I store tupperware bottoms in one bin and the lids in another. I also store all my travel mugs and their lids in a seperate bin all in my pantry for easy access.
  • How about the basement? I had the builder install 4 rows of rubbermade wire shelving. This is a great idea as it is cost effective and allows me to put all my boxes up off the floor and label them for my knowledge.
So get started and look at everything with a critical eye. If you haven’t used it for two years, do you really need to keep it? And if you do….where and how is the best way to store it.
 
Robyn Fisher
Associate | REALTOR®
Your Ellerslie/Summerside Area Specialist
Search Homes for Sale in Summerside
 KENNEDY Real Estate
Your Edmonton REALTOR®Edmonton HomeStager
Call us today…780-485-3010 and GET SOLD!
Area Specialists | Lifestyle Marketing
 
REALTORS® : Looking for a great Team environment to grow your business…see our Brokerage Model for info on how to make that happen!

Posted in Robyn Fisher | No Comments »

How to Organize a Bathroom

Saturday, May 5th, 2012

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Don’t start with the countertops!

Start in the drawers first. You are going to pile most of the items onto the counters to sort through anyways,so once the drawers are organized, move to the counter.
The first thing to do is take a garbage bag into the bathroom with you and start going through all the cabinets and drawers and toss anything that’s unused, expired or damaged like old make-up, old prescriptions, broken items and etc.
 
Separate the items you want to “keep and toss”. You will be amazed just how time flies and things expire on you! Empty the drawers, one by one.
 
 
If you have bathroom cabinets and drawers, great! Use them wisely. Rather than just tossing things into a drawer to eventually be a jumbled mess, choose from the many drawer and cabinet organizers on the market. Plastic divided containers from Ikea or Staples. Place the containers back into the drawer and see how the drawer takes on a completely new look. You can now conquer and divide your items accordingly and everything will have its place.
 
When emptying the cabinets, keep a lookout for repeat purchases. We all do this at some point. Buy another deodorant or toothpaste cause we think we are almost out and then we realize when we get home we already had an extra one in the cabinet from a sale we found 4 months ago! The goal with this is to save you time and money. Once you are organized and can plainly see what you already have you won’t continue to buy more. Begin to put things away that were on the countertops.
 
Another wonderful organizer is one that swings out to utilize the space around the pipes under your sinks in the bathroom and kitchen and eliminates the clutter that occurs on the countertop surface. These are always available at stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond.
 
Transform the dead space over a toilet by adding a stacked cabinet to store some of those items that have been kept under the sink. Use decorative containers to hold cotton balls, Q-Tips, cosmetic brushes and other small items you use on a daily basis.

But do this SPARINGLY!!!

Another way to gain some shelving and or cabinet space is to build into the walls between the studs (pending no pipes or electrical components in the way). You can gain an attractive little cubby of shelving, or perhaps a recessed medicine cabinet.
 
Make sure there are plenty of towel racks to hang the towels. Decorative hooks might be easier for kids to manage. Do what works to get the towels up off the floor! Don’t forget hooks on the back of the bathroom door as well for hanging items.
 
If there is no built in shelving in your shower or tub area, it would be wise to invest in some alternative shelving device. There are units with numerous shelves perched on a spring pole that go from floor to ceiling. We enjoy this because it has areas for toiletries as well as toys to sit on. And there is always the over the showerhead hanging types of organizers. It helps to keep things contained and handy.

Keep the counters clear!!!!!!

Being able to see the bathroom counter is a major plus in my book when it comes to organizing your bathroom. The countertop and sink need to be wiped down on a regular basis because of all the splattered toothpaste and soapy spills. And there’s nothing like piles of clutter to make wiping down that counter a chore. The main thing that should be on the sink countertop is a soap dispenser. Other than that, if you can store things somewhere else, do it!
 
I’m sure that many of these tips to organize your bathroom seem obvious and are probably already in your bathroom. The two areas that are most important to organize your bathroom are to de-clutter unnecessary items and to store what you keep neatly hidden away in your cabinetry or storage products.
 
Additional “Edmonton Realtor: KENNEDY Real Estate” Articles…

 

Robyn Fisher
Associate | REALTOR®
Your Ellerslie/Summerside Area Specialist
Search Homes for Sale in Summerside
 KENNEDY Real Estate
Your Edmonton REALTOR®Edmonton HomeStager
Call us today…780-485-3010 and GET SOLD!
Area Specialists | Lifestyle Marketing
REALTORS® : Looking for a great Team environment to grow your business…see our Brokerage Model for info on how to make that happen!

 

Posted in Robyn Fisher | No Comments »

Area Specialists.Designer Real Estate.

Kennedy Real Estate

Suite 100, 8615 149 Street Edmonton, Alberta, T5R 1B3
Office: 780-485-3010 Fax: 780-481-3021
Email: Click Here
The data included on this website is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate by the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton. The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.
MLS® MLS REALTOR® Realtor