Beyond The Stage Homes, Home Staging, Decorating, and Design: March 2011

Monday, March 28, 2011

Getting Rid of Unwanted Items

There are a variety of means to to get rid of your unwanted items. You can choose the method that's best for you, depending on the item, and what you would like to get out of it.

Online

You can sell your item online on many different sites, but probably the most popular are kijiji.ca and craigslist.ca. Both sites are free, and you can keep your item listed as long as you need to. You can search similar items to determine how best to price your item. You need to keep in mind that most that are shopping on these sites are looking for a deal, so your item needs to offer that. This is a great way to get rid of a small number of items, and sell them at your leisure.

Printed Classifieds

The printed classifieds tend to reach a different audience then the online classified sites but can still be as successful. Most come at a small price, and will run for a specified period of time, so you'll want to be sure to price appropriately to attract the interest of a buyer.

Garage Sale

If you find that you are clearing out a large number of items, a garage sale might be your best option. You'll need to plan this in advance, and determine for your area the best means for advertising. Feel free to invite your neighbours to join you to draw more attention to your sale with more variety.

Donations
If you don't want the hassle of finding a buyer for your items, or if perhaps you don't feel that the items are of a large value to you, donations big and small are always welcomed by local charities. Some will even come to your home to pick up the items that you're donating.

However you choose to get rid of your unwanted items, clearing them out is a great way to get ready for the spring.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Getting Rid of Unwanted Items - Purging

If you've started your spring cleaning, it's likely that you're reluctant to part with items that seemingly can still be useful. To determine what to keep and what to get rid of, evaluate the last time you used the item:

Kitchen - if it has not been used within the last year, chances are that it's not necessary

Clothes/shoes - if you go an entire season without wearing an article that is suited for that season, then it's time to purge

Tools - most likely duplicates are not necessary when it comes to tools, but often happens through gifts, or buying sets, so remove all duplicates (the average homeowner should be able to fit all hand tools in a standard tool box).

Home Decor - this includes linens, throws, and knick knack accessories. Take a look around the rooms in your home and decide whether or not the shelves are looking cluttered. Have you picked up new items without and simply added to the existing? My rule is no more than 3 accessories for any shelf, mantel, or table.

Spend the weekend purging your closets, cupboards, and shelves, and tune in Monday for what to do with these unwanted items!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Spring Cleaning

I've always said that spring cleaning is best suited for the cold, wintery days. Though the calendar now says that it is in fact spring, the weatherman can often disagree. While you're waiting for weather to allow you to get outside, take care of the inside of your house. Clean out the closets, cupboards, and pull out all of the items that you no longer need.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Let the fresh air in!!

Did you know? Indoor air is often more contaminated than the air outside? After a long winter, open the windows on nicer days and let the fresh air in. This will also help you to fight off the "change of season" common cold.

Friday, March 18, 2011

BTSH March Garden Tip Week - Day 5

Starting Your Plants from Seeds - Caring for Your Seeds

Water your seeds daily. After a few days, the seeds will start to germinate. Once you start to see some signs of plant-life, you can use some plant food if you like. Allow a couple of weeks for the plants to grow to a reasonable size before moving outdoors, ensuring that the chances of frost are minimal. The beauty of the peat moss pots is that these can be planted directly into the soil, no transferring required. Plant according to directions on the seed packages again, careful to lay out the plants based on available sunlight and their needs. For plants that grow into the ground, such as carrots, poke a few holes in the bottom of the pot to allow it to break through easily. Continue to water regularly. By summer, you’ll have a thriving, healthy garden!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

BTSH March Garden Tip Week - Day 4

Starting Plants From Seeds - Getting Started

Now that you've purchased the supplies you need for your indoor and outdoor gardens, it's time to get started planting seeds. It's best to do this 4-6 weeks before last frost, so if you live in cooler climates, you might want to wait a couple more weeks before getting started on this.

All plants will have somewhat varying instructions for planting. These should be printed on the back of the packages of seeds. Be sure to read through these carefully before you begin. Some will also advise how long to keep indoors before transplanting outdoors. You'll need to decide how many pots of each seed you wish to do based on the garden sketch you created earlier. As a safe measure, plant a couple extras for each plant, to allow for some that may not germinate properly. Using your sharpie, label the peat moss pot to easily identify the plants later. Fill your peat moss pots with soil, plant seeds according to the package directions and top with soil as needed. Place pots in the container you’ve chosen (as I mentioned, I simply picked up an aluminum roasting pan and arranged my pots in there). Lightly water the seeds, and place indoors in the sunniest location.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Cleaning Tips on Marilyn Denis with Charles The Butler

This is a man after my own heart! Check him out on last week's episode on the Marilyn Denis show (@MarilynDenisCTV).

http://www.marilyn.ca/Series/segments.aspx/Daily/February2011/02_21_2011/SpringCleaning

Then check out the July 2009 BTSH Around The House Article for Cleaning Naturally:

http://www.beyondthestagehomes.com/uploads/BTSH_Around_The_House_13Jul09.pdf

Some ideas just never go out of style!!

BTSH March Garden Tip Week - Day 3

To Seed or Not To Seed

Determine which plants you want to grow from seeds, and which plants you'll purchase already potted. Sketch out a plan for your garden and determine how many of each plant you need. Take into consideration how the sun rises and sets in respect to your garden and be sure to plan accordingly. Some plants will require more sun than others. As well, be sure to take into consideration the anticipated size that the plants will grow to, and avoid blocking the sun from smaller plants with larger plants. You'll need to space your plants appropriately. Some plants require more growing room for roots then others. Most nursery plants and seed packs will provide instructions for this. Be sure to account for this in your sketch.

Cleaning Tips on Marilyn Denis with Charles The Butler

This is a man after my own heart! Check him out on last week's episode on the Marilyn Denis show (@MarilynDenisCTV).

http://www.marilyn.ca/Series/segments.aspx/Daily/February2011/02_21_2011/SpringCleaning

Then check out the July 2009 BTSH Around The House Article for Cleaning Naturally:

http://www.beyondthestagehomes.com/uploads/BTSH_Around_The_House_13Jul09.pdf

Some ideas just never go out of style!!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

BTSH March Garden Tip Week - Day 2

Buy Your Garden Supplies

Your local stores are already stocked with everything you need to prep your garden. Start by purchasing what you'll need to get started. This will allow you to get out on the first nice day and start getting dirty. Some items that you should have on your list:

For starting plants from seeds:

Peat pots

Seeds

Potting Soil

Tray for your pots (I use an aluminum roasting pan)

Garden Supplies - The Basics For Getting Started

Label Sticks (popsicle sticks and a marker work well for this)

Garden Gloves

Plant Food/Fertilizer

Trowel

Cultivator

Kneeling Pad

Weeder

Watering Can

Monday, March 14, 2011

BTSH March Garden Tip Week - Day 1

Think it's too early to start thinking about your garden? Well you couldn't be more wrong!

Now is the perfect time to start planning for the spring season. In fact, I start planning my garden immediately following fall. Once I've cleared out the last of the vegetables, and final plants have lost their blooms, I start by preparing a review of my gardening season. What went well? What went wrong? What would I do the same, and what would I change for next year? These ideas are fresh at the end of the season, and help you to plan for the following year. Make a list, and even sketch out some preliminary plans for the season. If you didn't do this last fall, then this is your first step towards prepping your garden. Look through magazines for inspiration, and create an idea book or bulletin board.