It has been too long since we last posted and I have missed the blog.
2018 has been an unusual year and I expect that will continue until the end of this year.
In January I thought about moving.
What a monumental task to even think about. I have lived in this house for twenty-three years.
They have grown up and flown away.
In January my daughter approached me with the idea of moving into a multi-generational home.
(dreams of grandeur)
Not a bad idea, I thought, but it would have to be the right home just like the one above.
It would have to be a home with completely separate living quarters and separate entrances, if possible.
I mean separate kitchens, laundries, and bathrooms, and storage areas.
I really wondered if such a home could be found.
Yikes! This is too scary. This is not the home, I'm thinking.
We do not want a run-down place that would take a lot of work and money and time to bring up to standards.
We don't mind some work, but it pretty much has to meet most of our needs at the start.
Did I mention that I am not planning on living in a Granny Suite?
That's a good thing to get off my chest right from the beginning.
So the hunt began and so did getting organised.
So the hunt began and so did getting organised.
Who knew I had so much stuff. I was still storing my kid's things. I had things from my parents home, and I had my own things.
Things to Do When Selling Your Home
1. Get Organised
The first thing I did was go out and buy a day planner.
It has lots of space to schedule appointments plus "To Do" lists and this one also has extra sheets of paper that can be removed or moved to a different section.
I started making lists of things I needed to do and areas of the home that could use some attention.
The notebook I would use later once a new home was found.
I would record the measurements of each room plus paint and tile colours, and flooring. I recorded almost anything I thought would be important information down the line.
At first, I just had the overall sizes of the rooms and later I would go back and take perimeter measurements of each room that would include door, closet and window placements as well as ceiling height.
Next, I transferred those measurements into a small book of graph paper.
This is the simplest way to map out your rooms so that you know exactly where every architectural element is in each room.
From there it is easy to draw each piece of furniture into the rooms.
It is so helpful to know which pieces of furniture will actually fit.
The graph paper is useful for making a plan view of each room, but elevation drawings can also be done on graph paper. For instance, if you want to see how your bookcases would look on a particular wall, they can be drawn in as though you were standing in the room looking at them.
You will record ceiling heights as well as well as the wall measurements. Again, this is helpful for furniture placement.
If you have furniture that won't fit, it can be given away, sold, or put into storage for future use.
Even though I can draft my plan views and elevations, I still find graph paper the easiest and quickest way.
There are online apps that can be downloaded to do this too, but really, I like paper and pencil.
I put the drafting board away until I want to make real changes such as designing a kitchen or bathroom.
Fortunately, my daughter was a great help with the purge part and my son helped too by taking out of season things away such as the large snow blower.
We just need to sell our present home.
It has lots of space to schedule appointments plus "To Do" lists and this one also has extra sheets of paper that can be removed or moved to a different section.
I started making lists of things I needed to do and areas of the home that could use some attention.
The notebook I would use later once a new home was found.
I would record the measurements of each room plus paint and tile colours, and flooring. I recorded almost anything I thought would be important information down the line.
At first, I just had the overall sizes of the rooms and later I would go back and take perimeter measurements of each room that would include door, closet and window placements as well as ceiling height.
Next, I transferred those measurements into a small book of graph paper.
This is the simplest way to map out your rooms so that you know exactly where every architectural element is in each room.
From there it is easy to draw each piece of furniture into the rooms.
It is so helpful to know which pieces of furniture will actually fit.
The graph paper is useful for making a plan view of each room, but elevation drawings can also be done on graph paper. For instance, if you want to see how your bookcases would look on a particular wall, they can be drawn in as though you were standing in the room looking at them.
You will record ceiling heights as well as well as the wall measurements. Again, this is helpful for furniture placement.
If you have furniture that won't fit, it can be given away, sold, or put into storage for future use.
Even though I can draft my plan views and elevations, I still find graph paper the easiest and quickest way.
There are online apps that can be downloaded to do this too, but really, I like paper and pencil.
I put the drafting board away until I want to make real changes such as designing a kitchen or bathroom.
2. Purge and Pack
You may not move for months, but start purging.
It really is amazing how much stuff we have. If you haven't moved in years then there are probably things you haven't used in years that you are just storing somewhere in the house.
You will have to make a decision about everything you have in your home.
If you are downsizing you may not have room for some things.
Purging takes time. It doesn't happen overnight so start as soon as you can.
Anything you will no longer keep can be donated to a charity, sold or given away. Taking it to the dump is the last resort.
Don't stockpile. Remove things right away so that you don't have piles of stuff you no longer want.
We know a man who will pick up old metal and electronics for FREE. He came twice to my house.
We know a man who will pick up old metal and electronics for FREE. He came twice to my house.
Have a supply of boxes. If you are purchasing boxes find a size that is manageable for most things, not too big and not too small.
I used plastic bins for cloth items like blankets, pillows and clothing.
Start packing off-season items, clothing and sports equipment.
It is okay to use closets for storage, but don't stuff them. Try to make them look spacious by removing and packing clothing.
Pack books, cookbooks. Anything you have two or more of can be packed.
You will have to pack anyway, so you might as well start now.
You will have to pack anyway, so you might as well start now.
3. Get the Help You Need
I knew I would need some help from professionals such as an electrician, handyman, etc.Fortunately, my daughter was a great help with the purge part and my son helped too by taking out of season things away such as the large snow blower.
Here is a List of Who I Hired
Handyman: Minor repairs, painting, fixing the fence and gate, installing a dishwasher, new kitchen floor, and replacing broken tiles.
Electrician: Switching out light fixtures (I didn't want to leave the antique fixtures), changing a ground fault plug and replacing two fixtures that no longer worked, and running a wire for the dishwasher.
Counter Installer: I ordered a new counter which he installed. He also installed the new sink and taps.
Garage Door Repairman: The garage door needed some repair and reinforcement.
Realtor: I cannot stress enough the value of a good real estate agent. They can help in so many ways throughout the process of buying and selling from listing your present home to finding a new home and everything in between such as staging and hosting open houses.
They also have a realistic idea of the housing market and can research and guide you to reasonable expectations. For instance, my house was worth more than I had thought.
Furnace Cleaner: It is a good idea to have your furnace cleaned and inspected. Give a copy of this receipt to your realtor so prospective buyers can see the furnace is in good working order.
Professional Carpet Cleaner: If you have carpets in your home it is important to have them professionally cleaned. Yes, you can go to the grocery store and rent a carpet cleaner for much less, but they won't be as clean.
Window Cleaners: I had the windows cleaned just prior to the house going on the market so that they would shine.
Stager: Even a seasoned interior decorator can find value in a professional stager. I had removed some larger pieces of furniture out of the house and rearranged a few things and removed a lot of bits and pieces, but I really liked having a fresh eye look at my home. She had some good suggestions and used most of my furniture and accessories. We removed some of my art and she brought in some different pieces of art that were larger. She did a great job and the place looks great.
Cleaning Lady: I didn't actually hire her. My realtor provided three hours of cleaning from this lady. If you are feeling overwhelmed a cleaning lady can ease some of the stress.
Home Inspection Company: You will need this once you find your new home. Having a home inspection can save you from a few surprises down the road.
You may not need to hire all of these people, but get the help you need. Selling and buying homes can be stressful. If you need help, get it. You may also need the help of a gardener, carpenter, drywall professional, plumber, etc.
I found the right house and bought it.
This is it.
It is a bungalow on a ravine type lot built in 1965.
It was a custom built home at the time and has been well maintained.
We have a late fall 2018 closing.
This is it.
It is a bungalow on a ravine type lot built in 1965.
It was a custom built home at the time and has been well maintained.
We have a late fall 2018 closing.
We just need to sell our present home.
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