In today’s episode, John and Beth talk about how to manage the ever growing accumulation of homeowning documents. From mortgage contracts, appraisals, and home warranties to important receipts and owners manuals – the stack usually grows faster than we can manage. While the bulk of home documents may still be in paper format, there is an appealing draw to convert to a more digital strategy. In this episode John and Beth share tips on how best to organize your documents, the pros and cons of digital vs paper storage and how to take the leap into using digital storage, one small step at a time.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[01:57] The types of documents for homeowners
[8:38] How to store homeowner documents
[11:00] Paper vs digital document storage
[16:15] How to scan documents
[20:28] Using a mobile phone to take photos of documents
[22:04] Digitizing multi-page documents
[23:18] Where to store digital documents
[26:00] Protecting your digital storage
[28:40] The value of going digital
[30:38] Value of sharing documents easily
[32:43] Action items: developing a digital strategy
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
There’s no right or wrong way to store home documents. Do what you most feel comfortable with and what makes the most sense to you.
There is value in storing items digitally, like the ability to search your documents and sharing capabilities.
There are multiple ways to convert items to digital – by photo, documentation apps, or by scanner.
There are multiple ways to convert items to digital – by photo, documentation apps, or by scanner.You don’t have to convert to digital storage all at once. It’s an incremental process. Get a strategy and take as much time as you need to convert documents and fine the best way to store them whether in cloud storage, hard-drive, etc.
John and Beth are here to share with you their tips and suggestions, as well as interviews with industry experts, with the goal of helping you become a smarter homeowner. Once we buy a home, we now ask ourselves the question… Now what? Today’s episode focuses on the value of maintaining your home, including home maintenance and all the different things that we as homeowners need to do to maintain our home. Tune in for advice on everything from preventative maintenance to standard maintenance, what we can save, and how to improve the value of your home!
IN THIS EPISODE:
● [02:00] Standard care of the house. ● [05:00] Health and safety, including smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. ● [10:00] Maintenance and the value of your home. ● [13:00] Increasing your replacement costs if you neglect small 30 minute tasks. ● [17:00] How to be reminded of tasks which need completing. ● [22:00] Should you be doing these tasks yourself or hire a contractor? ● [29:00] Start with the basics to figure out the typical maintenance things you need to do from a preventative standpoint.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
● Keeping track of home maintenance will add value and save time. ● The difference between doing the tasks yourself or hiring a contractor. ● How to keep track of home tasks which need completing.
modern chalet interior. 3d rendering design concept
When it comes to transforming your home into an oasis, you don’t always have to go big and grand. Even the most seasoned interior designers make it a point to mix-and-match big changes with smaller, doable ones. That way, an inviting home can be within your reach.
Give your home a quick run-through right now. Perhaps there are certain aspects of your home that you want to change, because you like it to be more inviting, especially if you’re having guests coming over. In interior design, the goal is to have a home that conveys comfort, coziness, and warmth as soon as your family and visitors walk into your front door.
Are you ready to make your home look and feel more inviting to your guests? Follow these five helpful tips, to guide you:
1. Keep It Clean
This first item on the list is one of the simplest, but also the most effective. That is to keep your home clean. There’s nothing more pleasant than walking into a home that’s spotless and clutter-free. The smell of fresh curtains, tapestries, and sheets sets the mood of the room.
If you’ve been struggling to keep up with your cleaning routine, use the twenty-minute technique. At the end of each day, set your timer for twenty minutes, run around your home and clean as much as you can. By doing this regularly, you get to clean your home without breaking a sweat, because there will be less accumulation of dirt. Should guests suddenly arrive, you don’t have to worry about the mess from yesterday still lurking around your home.
2. Hang Art
In the past, you may have always wondered why many people choose to hang wall art in their living room, and you think that putting one would just be a waste of space. But now that you’re matured enough to understand and appreciate it, you now consider hanging one in your own living room. Purchasing fine art from reputable sources in your area like Fine Art America is a great way to invest your money.
Fine art in your walls can serve as a conversation starter for your visitors. It makes a bare wall lively and a focal point in your living room.
The fine art you choose is also a reflection of your personality. As it ties the whole room together, it transforms a cold and dull space into one that’s more inviting and warmer.
3. Add Touches Of Wood
Whether you’re working on a tiny space or an oversized one, there’s one element that’ll be a top hit. That’s to incorporate and add touches of wood to your living room theme. You can have touches of wood all over your home, from furniture, floors, shelves, or hanging wood elements on your walls.
There is a myriad of ideas to explore if you want that log cabin wood feels in your living room. Always keep in mind to choose pieces that are aesthetically pleasant to the eyes and functional as well.
modern loft living room interior. Living design style. 3d rendering
4. Add Layers Of Pillows And Blankets
Do your couches have enough throw pillows on them? Don’t just go for one-sized, uniform pillows. Go for various styles, sizes and fabrics for your choice of pillows, because it adds to the excitement of the room.
A couch with pillows around, makes the space feel cozy and comfortable to hang around. You can throw in some blankets for those bed weather days, wherein all you want is to snug up the whole day in your couch.
5. Repaint In Darker Hues
One of the simplest changes you can do in your home that also has the biggest impact is repainting your home. If your goal is to make your home more inviting and cozier, the strategy is to repaint from light to dark.
Soft, gray shades will just do the trick. The darker hues can make your home feel relaxed and calm.
Conclusion
As you can see, every single detail in your home matters. There’s so much you have to consider and think about, when it comes to sprucing up your home. Beyond simply creating an aesthetically-pleasing home, your top-most goal should be for your home to exude coziness and an overall relaxed feel. You’ll want your house to feel like a home, by customizing it in a way that it would express your personality. If you know your home could use some work, you can start by following the suggested strategies in this article.
Author Bio:
Candice Miller is an interior design consultant and blogger. She’s been in the industry for over 12 years. She loves conducting webinars about modern interior design. During her free time, she travels and visits museums with her kids.
While it may seem frightening staring down into the abyss that is your chest freezer, it will not get organized on its own. Fortunately, it’s not all that hard organizing your freezer, and it won’t break the bank either, which means it’s a perfect chore to tackle so you can make enough room for the holiday leftovers!
Do you need to be rich to feel good when you step into your living room? Luckily, the answer is no, you don’t. Arranging the living space is something like cooking – it can sometimes be expensive, but the secret ingredient is love and dedication.
So, let’s say you finally settled, and now you want to make the place a bit more personal and cozy. Or, you’ve been in that one place for a long time, and now you long for a change. Another case could be that you are planning to sell the place, but you want to renovate to improve your investment gains. The problem: your budget is limited.
Don’t worry, because there is actually no problem. If the budget is limited, your imagination isn’t. Here is what can be done.
