House Beautiful Projects

Whether you are getting ready to sell your home or you simply realize that your home is your greatest asset, why not roll up your sleeves and tackle those home projects today. Follow my journey on what I’m calling my “House Beautiful Projects.”

My Inspiration

Ever since Hawaii added the shelter in place quarantine back in March, I wanted to find a project that would keep me busy and away from the TV. I decided to work on my home. Every aspect of it: inside and out. At first the thought was rather daunting and overwhelming to imagine. Did I really want to do this? Everywhere I looked, there was something to paint, fix, move, shred, get rid of, etc… so, I started small. I started with my laundry closet. The easiest place I thought to get things in order.

Well, it snowballed. I’m not saying this will work for everyone, but it worked for me, and before long I had a list of house beautiful projects that kept me focused and motivated. I must clarify, I’m an organizer by fault, but never dreamed I’d have so much time to focus on getting my house and my life in order.

If You’re Selling Your Home

For those of you who are considering the sale of your home, this would be the perfect time to get started. As I cleaned, painted, and repaired, it dawned on me — I was doing exactly what one would do to get their home ready to sell. Some of these projects are surprisingly easy to do, while others weren’t so keen to even start. But once you see the results, the sense of accomplishment really keeps you motivated and will help bring top dollar, if you do decide to sell.

Curb Appeal

Improve your landscaping and the entrance to your home. Curb appeal is crucial to a good first impression when selling your home. We’ve mowed the lawn, pruned the bushes, cut trees, weeded the gardens and planted flowers. This was easy, because I love to be outside and I love to garden. I learned how to use an electric power blower for the first time. Leaves were blowing in all the wrong directions, but being outside and working on our landscape has been rewarding.

Clean the Outside

An unkempt exterior will make potential buyers think that you’ve relaxed on the inside. I actually painted the fascia and power washed the exterior of my home. What a job that was! I’m hoping the windows will be washed by my fabulous husband. (Well, he doesn’t really have an excuse not to tackle the new “honey-do” list, does he?) Did you know, a potential sale is lost quickly, if a buyer won’t even get out of their car because of the exterior?

Make the Front Door Inviting

Painting the front door and cleaning the entryway makes your home inviting. As you can see, a fresh coat of paint, especially in a color that contrasts with the home, will make the front door stand out. Replace faded house numbers so buyers can see them from the curb. As one of my rewards for painting, new house numbers were ordered, since my address sign started falling apart.

Make Repairs

In a buyer’s market, you want your home to be in the best condition possible. Take care of major and minor repairs that could discourage potential buyers. Thank goodness we don’t have any major repairs to tackle.  We tend to prevent problems before they arise with regular maintenance and upkeep. Today I will squirt the garage door rollers with heavy duty silicone for extra lubrication.

Remove Clutter

For me, this has been the hardest task to do. Declutter. People tend to collect an amazing amount of items over the years and I am somewhat guilty. My reasons for keeping items are endless. My new philosophy is, if you haven’t used it and don’t like it, you probably don’t need it. Discard items in a useful way by donating them to a charity or nonprofit organization. These items not only help those in need, but are tax-deductible. I just need to keep letting go of unwanted stuff.

Organize Closets and Drawers

Choose a closet or one particular drawer each day. You’d be amazed as to what you will find and hang on to. Get rid of old clothes and shoes you know you’ll never wear. I got rid of old makeup and old hair products. Perfumes you’ve moved away from. It’s really therapeutic. Purging things you no longer need makes room for things that you enjoy. Messy closets give the appearance that your home doesn’t have enough storage space. I’ve organized just about every closet.

Make Every Surface Shine

From ceiling fans to floors and everything in between, clean your home until it sparkles. When was the last time you cleaned your blinds or ceiling fans? Mine were rather gross. Shampooing my carpets and doing a thorough cleaning of my kitchen is next on the agenda. There’s always something that can be cleaned. I even painted the hot tub with a fresh coat of paint for extra protection from the Hawaiian sun.

In summary, I’ve really enjoyed working hard on all of my “house beautiful projects” during this time. There are still more projects to do, it’s never-ending, but I do them one day at a time and smile when they are completed. If you are planning on selling or buying a home in Waikoloa, Waimea or the surrounding areas, I will work just as hard for you. So give me a call when you’re ready, so that we can talk about homes or house beautiful projects. I’ll come down off of my ladder. Promise.