Edmonton Real Estate Blog

You don’t have to renovate your entire pad to experiment with some of this year’s hottest trends in home décor. Jennifer Brouwer of Décor by Jennifer reveals some simple ways to add a fresh – and stylish – splash to your humble abode.

Grey is the new beige

“Grey is the new beige” says Brouwer, whether it’ paint, furniture or accessories for your home. “In the past honey tones were designed with a very monochromatic approach with calm spa-like qualities,” she says. “Greys can be used in the same way; however you often see them with pops of colour and bold patterns to have fun with an otherwise calm quiet palette.”

Bohemian is back

“Bohemian is bright, bold and funky and adds interest, colour and flavour to a room,” says Brouwer of 2010’s comeback trend. She suggests channeling this bold style by using flavoured fabrics, eccentric accent pieces, wall hanging tapestries, jewel-toned accessories that add a bright pop of colour, chaise lounges with contrasting throw pillows or painted mirrors, which help also to reflect light in a room.

Wallpaper should be dancing on the ceiling

“Wallpaper continues to be huge,” says Brouwer of the trend that recently made a comeback after years of exile. “Big, bold, fun patterns are used often in design plans but the big difference for 2010 is wallpapered ceilings,” she says. While Brouwer notes that many people are scared to take the wallpaper plunge because there is a misconception that it’s going to ruin your walls, she suggests clients start in a powder room to get some inspiration before papering a larger room. “Be brave in 2% of the space of your house,” she says.

Less is more

“Space savvy, modular furnishings, or multi-purpose furniture is a trend that’s here to stay,” says Brouwer. “We now live in smaller spaces so investments need to be versatile. Less is more.” She points to coffee tables, ottomans and storage benches which can be used for extra seating, storage cubes which can be used as foot rests, or sofas that can be converted to beds when entertaining overnight guests.

By Jackie Burns Msn.com

Is your closet an overflowing disaster? Clothes packed tight, shoes in a hodgepodge on the floor, purses, scarves and sweaters piled high on the shelves?

Some tips for organizing your closet in 10-minute chunks:

1. Plan. Decide what sizes you are going to keep, what is going to be stored in the closet, where you are going to take things that you no longer want, said Standolyn Robertson, certified professional organizer in Waltham, Mass.

2. Take the dry-cleaning bags off, said Lisa Zaslow of Gotham Organizers in New York. “It takes up space, makes it harder to see your clothes and is actually bad for fabric,” she said in an email. Remove empty hangers.

3. Organize clothing by type – blouses, pants, skirts, jackets, suits, etc., said Zaslow. Then spend another 10 minutes arranging by colour. As you go, get rid of anything that is worn or stained, that doesn’t fit, that isn’t flattering or that you just don’t like. Store the things you wear most often in the most accessible parts of your closet.

4. If you have a lot of short-hanging items, use a closet doubler that hangs from the top rod to increase your hanging space, said Zaslow. Put your slacks, blouses, jackets and skirts on the bottom rung.

5. Hang all of your fall clothes backward, said Ecker. As you wear them, put the hanger back on the rod the traditional way. At the end of winter, if an item is still hanging backward, it’s probably something you should get rid of.

6. Tackle the shelves. Use dividers to create cubicles, said professional organizer Erica Ecker of The Specialist in New York. “They slide right in a shelf and make perpendicular barriers so your piles of sweaters, shirts and jeans don’t avalanche into each other.”

7. Put like with like in terms of shoes, said Robertson, immediate past president of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Stick all the tennis shoes together, the sandals together and so forth. Put a magazine in the boots to get them to stand up. Remove shoes that are too small or need to be repaired.

8. Take advantage of unused space. The dead air between the floor and the bottom of a skirt or dress can hold clear plastic bins on wheels for shoes, belts and other accessories. The back of the door can have hooks or over-the-door pocket-type organizers.

Source: Megan K. Scott     YourHome.ca

Tools You’ll Use

• Empty laundry basket, bin, or bag
• Plastic grocery bag
• Microfiber cloth
• Paper towels
• Rubbing alcohol

Biggest Challenges

1. Cluttered entryway
2. Dishevelled living room
3. Not-quite-spotless bathroom

Fastest Fixes

1. Overhaul the front hall. Grab a laundry basket, storage bin, or large shopping bag to serve as a junk receptacle, plus a plastic grocery bag and microfiber cloth. Load up your bin with any shoes, gloves, or hats that litter the foyer. Stash hall-table clutter that could get lost (mail, keys) in the plastic bag; put the bag into the bin. While you’re near the door, shake doormats outside. Flip on the light for an indoor cobweb check; flick webs off with the cloth (don’t worry about ones too high up – chances are, visitors won’t notice them once they see your smiling face). Take your bin, and keep moving. (3 minutes)

2. Put the living room in order. Next stop: where guests will hang out most. Keep filling the bin with kids’ toys, newspapers, and anything else that doesn’t need to be here. Run your microfiber cloth over the coffee table and other dusty surfaces, like the TV screen. Pile magazines or books into neat stacks on the end tables; gather all of the stray remotes in one place. Plump up throw pillows and chair cushions (even easier: flip the latter, if possible). Use a clean corner of the microfiber cloth to nab any obvious clumps of pet hair or dust stuck to upholstery or carpeting. Drape throws to hide dingy chair arms or furniture stains. Drop off the bin in the laundry room or a nearby bedroom, or hide it in a closet; swap the cloth for a few paper towels. Move on to the bathroom. (4 minutes)

3. Fake a super-clean bathroom. Tuck stuff from the vanity into the cabinet or drawers, and close the shower door or stretch out the curtain (sure, nosy guests may still snoop inside, but at least you’ve cut down on visual clutter). Wet a paper towel with rubbing alcohol to both clean and shine, and wipe down the mirror, faucet, sink, and countertop. Use a new alcohol-dipped towel to go over the toilet’s seat and rim. Clean up spots and hair from the floor with a third water-dampened paper towel. Finally, put out fresh hand towels. Make a round-trip to the kitchen with the wastebasket to dump it into the larger trash can. (5 minutes)

Make It Easier Next Time

• Add a shoe bag to the inside of your entryway closet door: It makes a great stash spot for hats and gloves, unopened mail, and (yep) shoes when you’re picking up in a hurry.
• Store a pet-hair-removal tool, like GHRI fave Scotch Fur Fighter ($10; furfighter.com), in a living room drawer or cabinet, so it’s handy.
• Save seconds with premoistened disinfecting wipes like those from Clorox, which are ready for cleaning right out of the canister.

Source: Carolyn Forte for www.GoodHouseKeeping.com

It is a recipe for a do-it-yourself disaster.

Oxmoor House Inc. is recalling more than 52,000 copies of nine home improvement books sold in Canada containing directions that could lead buyers to incorrectly install and repair electrical wiring.

Errors in diagrams and instructions could lead to an “electrical shock or fire hazard,” according to release sent out Wednesday by the U.S. publisher. The release said there have not been any reported, “incidents, injuries, or property damage,” associated with the faulty instructions. Some of the books have been in circulation for more than 30 years.

“If you connect electrical installation incorrectly you have risk of fire,” said Ted Olechna, provincial code engineer with the Electrical Safety Authority.

He said the ESA was informed of the recall by Health Canada last Friday and has requested more specific information on the incorrect information from the publisher but has yet to receive it.

In an email, a spokesperson for Oxmoor House said the books were sold in “home and garden stores, retailers and (by) booksellers,” but did not provide specific locations.

Three of the books were sold at Lowe’s Canada stores; Lowe’s Complete Home Wiring, Sunset You Can Build – Wiring and Lowe’s Complete Home Improvement and Repair.

Lowe’s said Oxmoor House requested the books be pulled off the shelves in late November and early December last year.

Home Depot confirmed the books were not sold at the popular home renovation store.

Rona did carry one of the recalled books, but said no copies had been sold and the book was no longer on the shelves.

Olechna said everyone undertaking electrical work in Ontario, save for a few minor exemptions, needs to apply to the ESA for a permit no more than two days after they begin the work. Licensed electrical contractors are allowed to replace certain types of outlets in residential dwellings without a permit, he said.

On Friday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a voluntary recall for more than 950,000 copies of the books across the U.S. The consumer safety website said the books were sold across the U.S. from January 1975 through December 2009 and cost between $13 (U.S.) and $35.

The title of the books containing the faulty instructions are, AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook, Lowe’s Complete Home Improvement and Repair, Lowe’s Complete Home Wiring, Sunset Basic Home Repairs, Sunset Complete Home Wiring, Sunset Complete Patio Book, Sunset Home Repair Handbook, Sunset Water Gardens, and Sunset You Can Build – Wiring.

Olechna said if the ESA receives information that demonstrates the installation or repair suggestions in the books could pose a serious risk to Canadian consumers they would issue further warnings to the public.

Oxmoor House is instructing people to stop using the books and return them to the publisher for a full refund.

For more details contact Oxmoor House at 1-866-696-7602 or go to www.sunsetrecall.com.

Source: Emily Mathieu,  YourHome.ca

With interest rates at an all-time low, many Canadians are taking advantage of the savings by refinancing their mortgages to consolidate debt, make home renovations, invest in real estate or other ventures, or moving up the property ladder.

Following are ways to take even further advantage of this excellent rate environment by paying down your mortgage faster.

Tip #1

Prepay early in the mortgage

Make extra payments as early as you can after getting a mortgage because the loans are interest-heavy upfront and the faster you pay down your principal, the more interest savings you will accumulate over the long run. Within the first five to seven years of your mortgage is where the largest portions of interest payments are contained. This not only will save you thousands of dollars in interest payments, but it will also increase the speed at which you are accumulating equity in your property. Many mortgage products allow you to make up to 20% more in payments per year.

Tip #2

Make an annual lump sum payment

Whether you use your tax refund, receive an inheritance or get a Christmas bonus, you should apply as much as possible directly to your principal. Most lenders allow you to pay 20% in lump sum payments per year without penalty. I can help you determine exactly how much you can prepay and what maximum percentage of your principal you are allowed to pay without penalty each year.

Tip #3

If your payments go down, don’t lower the payment amount

If you are on a variable-rate mortgage and the rates go down your payment will also often go down. Instead of making the lower mortgage payments, however, it’s best to call your lender and let them know that you would like tocontinue making payments for the original amount. I can help you determine if there is a charge for making the extra payment. Even with the charge, in most cases, it is still worth it and will help you pay down your principal faster.

Tip #4

Round up your payments even if it’s just a little

If your monthly mortgage payment is $776.22 and you were to round up your payment an extra $23.78 a month to $800 – that’s less than a dollar a day – you would effectively reduce your mortgage amortization from 35 years to just over 32 years right away or from 25 years to just over 23 years.

TIP #5

Increase your payments with your pay increases

If your income increases, try not to keep your mortgage payments the same. Although the disposable income is a joy to spend on unnecessary luxuries in the short-term, the long-term benefits of being mortgage free faster and saving those interest payments will far outweigh the short-term joys. Pretend that your income did not increase and maintain the lifestyle that you are currently living.

Tip #6

Increase the frequency of your payments

You can also change the way you make your payments by opting for accelerated bi-weekly mortgage payments. Not to be confused with semi-monthly mortgage payments (24 payments per year), accelerated bi-weekly mortgage payments (26 payments per year) will not only pay your mortgage off quicker, but it’s guaranteed to save you a significant amount of money over the term of your mortgage. Basically, with accelerated bi-weekly mortgage payments, you’re making one additional monthly payment per year.

As always, if you have any questions about paying your mortgage down faster, I’m here to help!

Source: Souchita Rattanarasy of Dominion Lending Centres Optimum (780) 932-2225

7 Steps to Plan Your Dream Bathroom

For all but seasoned professionals, the idea of renovating a bathroom can trigger nightmares. With thoughts of spiraling budgets and out-of-stock faucets, I chatted with RONA’s handy how-to guy, Chuck LeCouter, to develop seven, stress-free tips to plan the bathroom of your dreams.

Fetch-a-sketch

To start, you need to draw your proposed bathroom on paper. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be an architect-it doesn’t even need to be to scale. Still, basic bathroom blueprint will help you make decisions upfront. Changing your mind during construction can dramatically boost final costs.

Set a budget

And stick to it. It’s very easy to get caught up in the magic of modernization and forget that everything comes with a price tag. Unless you’re handy enough to tackle the work yourself, anticipate a starting price of about $8,000 to hire a contractor and purchase all the fixtures, fittings and finishes needed to get the job done. (If this is a bit rich for you, consider cheaper decor boosts such as new paint or towels.)

Go the mile for style

Play it smart and get your inspiration for the whole room from your most expensive purchase. Is it tiles, a tub or lighting fixtures? Choosing your splurge first means you won’t have headaches trying to match tiles to a paint swatch (when it should be the other way around!).

Understand your long-term needs

Plan for the future-is your family growing, or are you planning on selling your home in a few years? Typically you can expect to get close to a 70 per cent return on investment from a bathroom reno at resale.

Measure up

To misquote an old adage, “Measure twice, then order once.” No one wants the pain of trying to return a soaker tub that was ordered and arrived surprisingly too large. Get the specs from the manufacturer, then try taping out the measurements on the floor before you take the plunge.

Don’t jump the gun

Have all the major fixtures in your possession before scheduling a contractor. Some things may need to be special ordered with long lead times. So, check your calendar and make sure you’ll have everything on hand before your contractor is scheduled to start.

Take a vacation, of sorts

If this is your only bathroom, you won’t have access to the loo during the renovation. Check with the contractor to find out how long you’ll be without proper plumbing and make arrangements to stay with friends or family.

Source: Arren Williams Chatelaine.com

The federal tax credit, which could put $1,350 back in your wallet, runs out this weekend. Find out what you can and can’t file for.

Aspiring home renovators have less than a week if they want to get $1,350 back into their own wallets.

On Sunday, the federal government’s vastly popular home renovation tax credit (HRTC) expires. It gives Canadians tax relief for 15 per cent of the renovation costs they incurred between Jan. 27, 2009, and Feb 1, 2010. People can file for a maximum $1,350 non-refundable tax credit on their 2009 income taxes for home renovation projects worth between $1,000 and $10,000.

Although home owners, contractors and retailers are hoping the credit is extended, the Finance Minister has indicated it will expire on the set date. That means Canadians need to get shopping in a hurry.

To help sort out what qualifies and what doesn’t, check out these tips from Brad Cran of Cran & Co., a Vancouver firm that specializes in personal and corporate income tax.

1 You have until the end of the month to use the HRTC.

2 The HRTC covers improvements to your home but not regular maintenance. As an example, sweeping your chimney would not be covered but fixing your chimney’s mortar would be.

3 This is a family credit, meaning a husband and wife who have spent $20,000 can still only claim $10,000 for the $1,350 credit.

4 If you sold your home halfway through the year and bought a new one, renovations to both are eligible but you are still limited to a maximum credit of $1,350.

5 If you have a rental suite in your house, you cannot claim the credit for work done on the suite.

6 It is not uncommon for renters to renovate their own rental units, but you must own the home being renovated to qualify.

7 People living in co-ops or condos can claim the credit on renovations to their unit and/or to a portion of work done on common areas. In order that costs to common areas qualify, you must be informed in writing what your share of the costs are.

8 Supplies and incidentals are covered but tools are not. If you are painting your house, you can cover the costs of paint and incidentals such as brushes, but you can’t buy yourself a $500 band saw to cut a piece of wood to fix a door frame.

9 You can claim the expense for permits and equipment rentals.

10 If you are hiring a contractor to renovate your home, you can only claim the portion of the work that has been completed by the deadline. However, you can claim the cost of any materials that you have purchased before Feb. 1. So, if you were planning to paint your house this summer, you could buy the paint now and still claim the cost for the HRTC on your 2009 tax return.

Final Bonus Tip: Be well organized and tabulate your results. If you turn up to your accountant with a bag of receipts you are going to save with the HRTC but you will have to pay extra on your accountant bill.

Source: Roma Luciw  for Globe and Mail Update (theglobeandmail.com)

Taking Care of Stainless Steel

To keep your stainless steel bright and clean, Adam Kamens of Amuneal Manufacturing Corp. suggests using a light mist of wax-based aerosol spray once or twice a week. Don’t put on too much – you don’t want to soak the surface and make it greasy. Wipe the mist with a clean, lint-free cloth, and never use oils to keep away fingerprints – lint will stick to the oil. Also, don’t use cleaners with bleach after you’ve put on the waxy layer, or it will dry out and lose some of the luster. And finally, don’t use anything abrasive, not even mild products like Soft Scrub or Scotch-Brite pads. You don’t want to scratch or ruin the surface.

Organizing Closets

Organizing your closet is the first step to organizing the rest of your home. Get rid of unused clothes and accessories, and organize the rest by how you get dressed in the morning and by color. Your closet will look appealing, and your everyday routine will be easier.

Removing Stains and Odors

Ruth Travis, president of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, says that to remove stains and odors, blot up as much of the smelly mess as you can right away. While you’re blotting the upholstery, put a plastic liner or a garbage bag between the cushion and the fabric so you don’t push the contaminant into the cushion. Then flush with cold water as best you can. Blot and flush again. Cold water doesn’t set stains as much as hot water. You can also use a portable spot cleaner or wet/dry vac. If there’s still a residual odor, use a half-vinegar, half-water solution and rinse again. If that doesn’t work, call in the professionals.

Cleaning Painted Walls

To clean your painted walls, Carl Minchew, director of Product Development at Benjamin Moore, suggests starting with a clean cloth or sponge and water. If that doesn’t work, dip the rag or sponge into water mixed with a little dishwashing liquid, the milder the better. If the stain persists, apply a few drops of soap directly onto the wet sponge or cloth you’re using. For more stubborn cases, you could apply a little soap right onto the stain. If you need to resort to a stronger product like Fantastik or Formula 409, realize they have strong solvents in them and can soften the paint surface. Make sure that whatever you do to get rid of the stain, you rinse the wall afterward with plain water.

Creating a Different Mood

For easy makeovers, designer Thomas O’Brien says, “I’ve always collected textiles, and you can make a fast, easy change with bedding, towels, and table linens to create a different mood. Switch things out seasonally, or for a special event, or whenever you want to play with a certain color or pattern.”

Cleaning Your Carpet

To keep carpets looking nice, Paul Iskyan, owner of Rug Renovating, suggests taking off your shoes when you get home – but leave your socks on because walking around in bare feet leaves natural oils that attract dirt. Try to vacuum every day and use a top-load vacuum, so the dirt falls inward, and HEPA filters. Change the filters often, so you don’t blow pollutants back into the air. For less-trafficked areas, you can get away with cleaning the carpets once or twice a year, and every 18 months for a bedroom. For higher-traffic areas, the most often you’d need to bring in professionals would be three or four times a year, although once you see that your carpet’s dirty, you probably should have it cleaned for health reasons.

Caring for Your Tiles

Marty Hoffman of Hoffman Brothers Floors suggests cleaning bathroom and kitchen tiles with a cleaner that has “neutral pH” on the label. You can also mix baking soda and water for a homemade cleaner: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into 2 gallons water and mix very well. Then apply the liquid with a string mop or sponge mop. For grout, use the same baking soda and water mixture, but for tough stains, call in the pros.

Removing Stains from Countertops

Getting rid of stains on granite can be tricky, but the key, according to kitchen designer Florence Perchuk, is to wipe up stains ASAP. Also have your countertop sealed a few times as soon as it’s installed. You’ll know it’s sealed properly when water beads and forms droplets on the surface. Then have it sealed again a year later. You can poultice away rust, and you remove soap scum or mildew with a solution of 1/2 cup ammonia in a gallon of water. For most coffee or juice stains, you can use a little hydrogen peroxide in water, plus a few drops of ammonia. For everyday wear-and-tear, buff away small scratches with superfine dry steel wool, called “grade 0000.” For all other stains, check out the Marble Institute of America’s Website or call in the professionals.

Reorganizing Bookshelves

Sort books by size and subject. Remove and discard any ripped dust jackets (unless you think they might have value). Line books, some vertically, some horizontally, in a rhythmic pattern. This will relieve the monotony of rows.

Caring for Your Area Rugs

Philip Costikyan of Restoration by Costikyan says you should clean your area rugs every four or five years – or every 10 years if a rug is not walked on much. Overcleaning contributes to wear and tear. Really fine silk rugs need be cleaned only every 20 or 30 years. For treating stains at home, keep a bottle of club soda on hand. Stains caused by pets, coffee, orange soda, red wine, and anything with dye or an acid base are the hardest to remove, and the key is to act quickly. Pour club soda directly onto the area, let the soda absorb into the yarn, and the salt in the soda will neutralize the acid. Blot again and again, until the residue is gone. For bloodstains, you should use milk instead, and for soil and grease-based stains, mix 1 part Ivory soap detergent with 16 parts water. If you still see residue when it dries, call an expert.

Caring for Wood Floors

The keys to keeping your wood floors looking new are to avoid oversanding, use trivets or saucers under plants to avoid water damage, use furniture protectors to avoid scratches, and damp-mop once a week with a mild soap like Murphy Oil Soap.

Polishing Silver

Metal restorer Paul Karner says to use a toothbrush and Hagerty Silver Foam on your silver because it’s not too abrasive and it’s water-soluble. For really bad black tarnish, Simichrome Polish is great. He also says to never put your silver in the dishwasher and store it in anti-tarnish cloth bags when you’re not using it.

Source: Housebeautiful.com

1. Maximize wall space in an entryway with cut-to-fit lattice from your local home-improvement store or garden center. Thread S-hooks through the slats to hang baskets filled with scarves, hats, and Rover’s leash. Lattice; Lowe’s stores. Green “Carrie” baskets; unicahome.com.

2. Do one small organizational task daily, no matter how small. Clean out one drawer or the top tier of the spice rack. Just think: After a month, you’ll have checked 30 things off your to-do list.

3. Open the mail over the shredder or recycling bin, and get rid of the junk immediately. This forces you to make quick and definitive decisions so nothing piles up in your hallway or anywhere else.

4. Keep each kid’s tests, drawings, and papers in a large art box, and go through the boxes with your children at the end of each school year. Holly Bohn, founder of seejanework.com, allows each child to pick one thing to save. She chooses one special item as well, then everything else gets pitched. “This way you don’t have to make immediate decisions when they bring something home,” she says.

5. Store all your notes, lists, and ideas in one small three-ring binder you keep in your purse. Periodically recycle outdated pages (last week’s grocery list) and keep others (that million-dollar idea that came to you at the doctor’s office).

6. Separate bras and undies with drawer dividers. Home and lifestyle editor Wendy Manwarren uses velvet dividers (available at organize.com) to sort her lingerie into sections according to type (bras, undies, and camisoles) and function (everyday garments stay up front; strapless bras are tucked in the back).

7. Once or twice a year, host a shop-my-castoffs party. Turn on the tunes, open a bottle of wine, and let friends take what they like – from purses and baubles to frocks and shoes.

8. Give yourself recognition for your organizing accomplishments, suggests Gail Blanke, author of Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life. Show off your solutions and brag a little. You’re more likely to maintain order in a space if you’re truly proud of it.

9. Treat organization the same way you would a diet or exercise plan: as a lifestyle change. To maintain results, you have to do a little bit, often, says Meryl Starr, author of Home Organizing Workbook.

10. Hang two canvas totes, embroidered with REPAIR and DONATE, from hooks in the laundry room, suggests seejanework.com‘s Holly Bohn. She tosses too-small, worn-out, and snagged clothes into the bags as soon as they come out of the dryer to keep from stumbling across these mini-projects all the time.

11. Stash a permanent marker in the bathroom cabinet and mark makeup, sunscreens, and medicines with the dates of purchase so you know when they should be tossed. In general, mascara shouldn’t be kept for more than three months, and sunscreens and medicines should be pitched at the end of a year, advises Lorie Marrero, creator of The Clutter Diet. Look for POA (“period after opening”) icons, like the one at right, on packaging; “3M” means a product lasts three months.

12. No bathroom storage? Hang a canvas shoe organizer on the back of the door, says Julie Edelman, author of The Ultimate Accidental Housewife. Put dental-care items in one row of pockets, makeup brushes in the next, your husband’s shaving gear in another, and so on.

13. Get a clutter buddy. “You’re a better editor with someone else’s stuff,” says stylist Christine Cameron, of mystylepill.com, who regularly helps one friend clean out her closet. “I insist she let go of that when-I-lose-five-pounds skirt, and she reminds me that a girl doesn’t need 10 pairs of black pants.”

14. Store frozen foods and meats in easily accessible, labeled plastic bins, as REDBOOK reader and organizing pro Sue Becker did here. You’ll never freeze your fingers hunting through your well-stocked but overpacked freezer again.

15. Record birthdays, anniversaries, and other key dates at sites like americangreetings.com or giftelephant.com, which can send you reminders when someone’s special day is approaching. Some even set up an automatic free e-card delivery.

16. Employ one system to help organize favourite recipes. The Recipe Nest (available at reciperelish.com) is a binder with six tabbed dividers that you can customize with your own categories, such as Grandma’s Secrets or Entertaining Menus. It’s nearly two inches deep, so there’s plenty of room for you to add to your collection.

17. Make yourself a YNK (you never know) box, says Alicia Rockmore, cofounder of Buttoned Up organizational products. Here’s how: Empty the contents of a drawer (the kitchen utensil drawer, or a junk drawer) into a box. Then, every time you need one of the items, remove it from the box and return it to the drawer after you use it. After two months, whatever is still left in the box should be thrown out or donated.

18. Dangle necklaces and baubles from pushpins on fabric-covered bulletin boards, as REDBOOK editor-in-chief Stacy Morrison did here. She hung boards on a wall between two windows and now can always find the perfect accessory. (When the curtains are in place, the treasures are out of sight.)

19. Edit, edit, edit. How many pots can you fit on the stove at once? How many free pens do you really use? How many old T-shirts do you really need to save for the next paint project?

20. Sift through your ever-growing stack of magazines and catalogs while on a plane, train, or bus trip. Bring a few clear plastic envelopes (available atseejanework.com) along with you to stash recipes you want to try, decorating ideas, and reference articles you tear out.

21. Give yourself permission to regift. Just because someone you care about gave you something does not mean you have to hold on to it for the rest of your life (even if you have room for it!). Pass it on to someone who will appreciate and use it.

22. Corral clutter where it lands. Keep containers near mess hot spots, such as the front door, the bedroom dresser, and the kitchen counter. Then empty them once in a while (or when they get full), put the items away, and start over.

23. As soon as you upload your new photos to the computer, create a digital photo book. As for old photos that never made it into an album, Donna Smallin, author of A to Z Storage Solutions, suggests organizing them in photo boxes, categorizing by vacation or time period so they’re easily searchable.

24. Repurpose your old TV cabinet as a hideaway bar, suggests REDBOOK reader and organizing specialist Grace Brooke. Here, she installed inexpensive hanging glass racks and used three-tiered stacking shelves and trays to maximize the vertical space inside the cabinet.

25. Clean house like you’re moving. Keep only those things you’d take if you relocated.

26. If you travel a lot and collect cards and brochures from favorite restaurants, shops, and activities, throw them all into one box when you get home. When a friend is headed someplace you’ve visited, you can sift through your box (like the one below) to pass along some suggestions. Everyone wins: You have one spot where stockpiling a mishmash of info is allowed, and friends get travel tips from someone they know and trust.

Source: Redbookmag.com

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Home remodelers are getting less bang for their bucks. For the fourth straight year, renovation jobs have added less to resale values relative to their costs, according to an annual Remodelling Cost vs. Value Report released this week by the National Association of Realtors.

The average remodelling job cost $50,908 in 2009 and added $32,497 to the value of the home, a ratio of 63.8%. That was down from a cost-to-value ratio of 67.3% in 2008, when the average was $49,866 and the added value was $33,568.

One common renovation, a mid-priced bath remodel, for example, runs an average of $16,142 and adds only $11,454 to the resale value of a house — recouping just 71% of its cost. In 2008, the same job cost less — $15,899 — and typically added $11,857 to the home’s value, recouping 74.6%.

The most financially successful jobs are smaller-scale, lower-cost renovations that improve the exterior appearance of homes. In this down real estate market, curb appeal is king.

“Once again, this year’s report highlights the importance of a home’s first impression,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz.

Ron Phipps, a real estate broker in Rhode Island, said how the house looks from the outside is more important than ever.

“If you’re driving down the street and the house doesn’t have great appeal, it doesn’t matter how nice it is inside,” he said.

But here’s the kicker: Clients are savvier than ever in their shopping. Even though the costs of home improvements are less likely to be returned on resale than they have been in prior years, sellers may still have to bite the bullet and do the remodelling if they want their house to sell at all, he said.

“It’s kind of intriguing,” said Phipps. “Buyers are using the unimproved houses to negotiate lower prices, but they wind up buying the remodelled homes.”

So, if there are two similar houses in the area, buyers will use the listing price of the one that has not gone through a metamorphosis to get the seller of the renovated house to slash their price. Buyers want to pay for the caterpillar but get the butterfly.

Seller must play along if they want to make deals. “You get to sell the house more quickly if you do the renovations,” Phipps said.

Biggest pay-offs

The major job that returns most in resale value is an upscale replacement of siding using fibre-cement. The job costs an average of $13,287 but increases home value by $11,112, or 83.6%. A vinyl siding replacement returns 79.9% of costs.

Adding a basement bedroom is also fairly cost effective, averaging $49,346 but adding $40,992 in value, an 83.1% return.

“Increasing liveable square footage with a new deck or an attic bedroom is usually more valuable than just remodelling existing space,” Phipps said.

The return on investment for some jobs varies greatly by region.

In New England, where winter are long and cold, vinyl window replacements reap a better return than they do in the warm South Atlantic region, where poorly insulated windows don’t mean as much expensive heat leaking away.

So, although replacement windows cost more in New England — an average of $11,155 — they add $9,152 to home values there, recouping 82.3% of their cost. In the South Atlantic states, they cost $9,705 but add just $7,417 to home values, 76.4% of their cost.

On the other hand, buyers in the South Atlantic seem to reward sellers for adding living space more than they do in New England. Maybe thrifty Yankees hate having to heat those extra rooms.

Finishing a basement returns 84.4% of its $55,357 cost in the South Atlantic and only 64% of the $65,715 New Englanders spend for the job.

Among the remodelling jobs faring the worst in return on investment were large, upscale kitchen remodels. They cost an average of $111,794 in 2009 and added $70,641 in recoupable value, just 63.2%.

That was down a whopping 7.5 percentage points from their 70.7% return on investment in 2008 . At the height of the housing boom, in 2005, upscale kitchen renovations returned more than 80% of their costs.

“A lot of the things that, historically, had huge value, don’t have as much today,” said Phipps. “If you want to redo a kitchen, it may no longer make as much sense to use upscale appliances — Viking ranges, Sub-Zero refrigerator. Buyers may not pay any more than they would for a home with GE appliances instead.”

Of course, most remodelling jobs are done to please homeowners. Any increase in home value is a bonus, not an end in itself. But for anyone thinking of selling in the near term, keeping an eye on the bottom line is always a good idea

By Les Christie CNNMoney.com