Well, I can finally say that every last Christmas decoration is tucked away until next year. Even more exciting than that is that the attic where they are stored has been thoroughly cleaned and organized. I'd show you a picture, but it's a tad chilly in there at the moment. I'm proud to report that there are now seven empty bins residing there.
We spent the weekend on that followed by a thorough cleaning of the house. It feels good to start the year off on a clean and tidy note.
As we have been looking at new home choices, it has become clear that some of the things in our 18+ year old home need to be updated.
Recently the walls in the great room and upstairs hallway were painted a light gray. A few new canvas prints were added to freshen the look a bit.
This morning we met with a realtor just to get an idea of what the house might sell for. He made a few suggestions for further updates. A bit more painting is in order and the removal and re-paint of the dining room. Apparently wallpaper is still not a desirable thing to prospective buyers. He also suggested replacing the tile kitchen counters with granite or marble. I'm thinking once we make all of these changes we'll want to stay put. Ha!
We're planning to talk to a few more realtors and get the general consensus of exactly which updates are really necessary.
In the meantime I'll be working my way through this:
The 75 item checklist the realtor left for us.
Should keep me busy for awhile ; ).
That has happened for a few of my friends...they made the changes, did the decluttering, and decided that they couldn’t afford to move. 🙂 Your living room looks marvelous! A clean attic? *Swoon* Happy 2018!
ReplyDeleteLike Vee I know of some that have done all kinds of fixing ( of things that should have been done years ago) and once everything was spic and span they decided they liked the house so much they took it off the market.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck! It is nice to start out nice and clean. I have been deep cleaning drawers and cupboards and donating some things to charity. I do still have winter decor up and will leave it until I pull out Valentines. I deep cleaned my holiday storage room and it feels super good!
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
No matter how much I deep clean here, it never stays that way very long. Such a dusty, grimy environment here in this desert country. How wonderful to tidy up the attic and only store things you truly want. I have so much decluttering to do. Just seems such an overwhelming task and then trying to figure out what to do with all the unwanted items is also a problem. Good idea to definitely talk to other realtors. I don't understand why people want a lived in and loved home to be simple and plain. I'd much prefer to see how people really decorate and live in it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
ReplyDeleteSometimes you can make all those changes and the people moving in don't like what you did anyway. : )
ReplyDeleteWe will be getting ready to sell our house in a few months too. Those tips will come in hand for us too. Thanks.
Oh I remember that list very well! All I can say is whatever you change, keep it very neutral particularly with counter tops. In our many moves, I've walked away from a few homes that had good quality countertops, but I could not live with the pattern or color and didn't want to go to the expense of replacing it. Just my two cents worth! Good luck Kim
ReplyDeleteJeannette
I've never seen a list like that but it looks like it has some good points! Oh my...I hope we don't have to move again any time soon! I know you are ready for this next challenge though...and you're younger than I am! heehee! Sweet hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteYour living room is really beautiful, Kim. After all the changes the realtor thinks you should make, I'd want to stay too! That seems like a lot of changing to me for a house as nice as yours.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you were looking to move, Kim! That realtor checklist is rather overwhelming, but it is true that first impressions are everything. Instead of changing your tile countertops to granite, perhaps there's something less expensive that you could choose that would still be appealing. Maybe soapstone or butcher block?
ReplyDeleteNeutral seems to sell best. Your living room looks fresh and welcoming. It's fun to redecorate a little. Good luck on selling and finding another home.
ReplyDeleteOh Kim, I had no idea you were thinking of moving - have always love the photos you've shared of your gorgeous home and that beautiful garden! I dragged Bob around last year hoping to entice him into moving to an easy to care for condo on one level, with less garden, BUT he won't move yet! Instead we did the exterior and this Spring will have to work with some help on the garden which I just can't handle any longer when it comes to digging. Meanwhile inside, it continues to look like "home" and I have far too much stuff. . . . . . . . but I'm here for the time being. Remember we are much older than you, my thought is the longer we wait that harder it will be to go through the process of moving on!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with whatever you decide. Here in our neighborhood people are fighting for properties and paying high prices for the land because of the location - then they come in, raze these smaller homes and new bigger houses are going up all around us. We have at least one offer a week to purchase our little cottage!
Take care - and watch your back when lifting the heavy things!
Hugs - Mary