Home Tips

The second time around i'm going to do it right!

There are a few things I wish I had known prior to purchasing my first home. There are a few tips and tricks  that I've learned along the way and some lessons I've had to learn the hard way.

I have a few suggestions for you future new home buyers, that I wish someone had told me a few years ago. Remember this is my perspective and my opinion so you may or may not agree...

~If you have pets or are planning on getting a pet DO NOT go with the dark stained hardwood> pet hair and scratches are more visible, especially if you go with the maple instead of the oak. In my future home I'm planning on going with a medium stain in a distressed wood finish.

~Soaker tubs are wonderful! But cleaning them is a pain in the BUTT! Make sure you get a hand held shower head installed, this will make it easier on you when cleaning the tub.

~Pantry...I don't have one:( I really wish I had thought about this in advance because we currently store our canned goods, pastas, etc. In our corner cabinet and its difficult to access the stuff in the back. In my next home I plan to include a pantry with the pull out drawers...very convenient!

~Broom closet...I don't have one of these either. Ideally it would be nice to have a pantry with an area that can fit your broom, mop, etc. Alot of the time you will find my dry mop sitting in the corner of my kitchen because I use it so frequently it does not make sense to bring it upstairs after each use.

~Don't waste your hard earned money on a central vac. I did and I regret it! Central vacs are so big and bulky and a pain to drag upstairs, downstairs, around the house. Find a reputable vacuum cleaner. They have so many great ones out there. They are light weight and so much more convenient. After a year and half using the central vac I finally convinced Jay to let me buy  a regular vacuum cleaner. I wish I had never wasted my money on the central unit!

~Espresso stained cabinets are gorgeous, my one issue with them is that grease stains are pretty visible around the knobs. I find myself wiping them down with my favourite micro fibre cloths almost daily. In my next home I plan on going with white or off white cabinets, I wonder if greese will still be an issue? Also I think handles rather than knobs would keep it cleaner.

~I love my stainless steel appliances but I found cleaning them pretty tricky at 1st. All the products I used seemed to leave streaks and it was very frustrating. After a little trial and error I found a product I liked, "Cerama Bryte, Stainless Steel Cleaning Polish" I don't follow the directions on the back instead I dampen a j-cloth with water then spray some of the cerama bryte on the cloth. I clean the appliance with the jcloth in the direction of the brush marks, then I wipe it dry with a paper towel. Works every time!

~A tip for stainless steel fridges. When purchasing one, look for one that has a handle to pull the fridge open. Some fridges don't come with handles and you end up with finger marks running up and down the opening.

~Love, Love, Love Microfiber! (cloths, mops and furniture) The cloths are amazing for dusting, drying dishes and cleaning my espresso cabinets. The Mop is amazing on hardwood, just dampen with warm water and mop your floors, it doesn't leave any streaks and its the best for preserving your hardwood. The furniture (we have a large ottomon) and it is amazingly easy to clean! Just rub stains/marks with a damp cloth, that usually does the trick!


Micro Fiber Furniture




Micro Fiber Cloths ($1 at Dollarama)



~A shower light and a marble/tile bench. Thankfully I have the light, this is important when shaving especially since the lighting in my ensuite is not the greatest. (I could definitely use some pot lights). But the bench I am in desperate need of (a must in my next home)this is once again very handy when shaving your legs.



Shower Bench

 

Hmmmm what else can I think of? I'm sure more ideas will come to me and I'll update this post when they do. In the meantime please feel free to add your input:)

Thank's for reading! xoxox

All that GLITTERS~



I love shiny things! Things that sparkle! Glass! Mirror! Jewels! I love them all!!!

Mirrored furniture and crystal/glass chandeliers are my latest obsessions. Here are some beautiful pieces that inspire me.



What Inspires you?

1

This Week's SWEET DEAL!

Wall Decals~ Dollarama

I'm always looking for creative ways to add a little character to my home without spending too much money. On one of my shopping trips to Homesense, I came across some beautiful wall decals, the prices ranged from $9.99-$16.99 each. I placed a couple into my cart and continued shopping. By the time I got to the cash register to pay for my purchases I decided I might have over done it with some "impulse" items (I tend to do that alot). So I decided to put the decals back on the shelf and think it over before I purchased yet another thing that I really have no place for. I am sooo glad I did because a few days later at my fave store Dollarama, I came across a whole section of beautiful wall decals. Their selection was amazing! They had a wide variety to choose from and it was tough for me to choose just 1, so I chose 5! They were $2 each, at that price you can not go wrong!

As soon as I got home, I found the perfect areas to place three of them. I think they look great and add some character to an otherwise plain wall. The unfortunate part is I'm moving in a month and half and will have to leave these behind...good thing I bought extras:)

Thanks for reading! xoxox

Baci's Home!

Today I picked up our baby kitty! She is now 8 weeks old so it's safe for her to come home with us. We decided to name her Baci because #1-its my favourite chocolate ever!!! And #2- it means kisses in Italian, and she will definitely be getting plenty of those!

Baci and Diesel still haven't warmed up to eachother, they are staying 3 ft away from eachother at all times. Diesel seems a bit curious but everytime he tries to approach her she runs away! Eventually they will get used to eachother...I HOPE!

Our Home in the Suburbs

Currently we live in an 1800 sq ft detached 2 story  house. It is very modern and cozy at the same time. I am quite impressed (if I do say so myself) with the furniture and decor selection. We purchased this house directly from the builder (Aspen Ridge) and moved in about a year and a half later. During that time I spent alot of time watching HGTV, gathering ideas to help make our home beautiful. By the time we moved in I  already had the vision for my kitchen, family room and powder room. Everything came together  so easily and within the first few months my main floor was complete.

My family room- color scheme is neutrals (Brown, beige, white and grey) with a pop of blue (turquoise, aqua)




 I have a small addiction to wall decals! I find they add some interest to an otherwise plain wall. This one was only $2.00 purchased at my go to store...DOLLARAMA!

 This is our Fur Baby, Diesel...doing what he does best> relaxing! We got him in May 2008 and he has been an amazing addition to our little family.