Jim Guido's Blog

You have finished moving and everything is unloaded. Now you probably feel overwhelmed by the stacks of boxes surrounding you. Unpacking in an organized manner can make the transition to your new home less stressful and can save a lot of time. Try these unpacking tips, courtesy of Lowe’s.

1. Unpack Essentials First
You should have a few boxes of essentials marked to be unpacked first. These boxes should include items like toiletries, pet supplies, tools, a couple changes of clothes and so forth. Go ahead and unpack these boxes right away and distribute these essential items to their respective rooms.

2. Clean and Prep Your New Home
Though it’s tempting to dive right in and start unloading boxes, it’s a good idea to clean, prep and get organized. Here are some moving tips to help you prepare to unpack at your new home:

• It’s easier to wipe down shelves, clean windows, and mop under appliances before your belongings are in place.
• Complete any prep work. Line kitchen and bathroom shelves with paper. Consider installing closet systems in bedroom closets, if necessary. Once these jobs are done, you’ll be able to unpack more efficiently.
• Plan where to place certain items. For example, in the kitchen; put dishes and glassware in the cupboards above the dishwasher, coffee cups above the coffee pot, and so on. Deciding what goes where before unpacking will save you time in the long run.

3. Go Room by Room
Focus on one room at a time, and unpack essentials first. Though it can feel like an insurmountable task, rest assured: Your house is going to feel like home in no time!

Kitchen and Baths. In the kitchen, unpack most-used items first. Items that you won’t use immediately can be set aside to unpack at a later time. In the bathrooms, hang shower curtains, unpack toiletries and put out toilet paper and soap.

Bedrooms. In your bedrooms, have the beds set up and made with clean sheets by the first night. Unpacking your clothing and bedroom accessories can wait. Again, now is a good time to install a closet organization system.

Living Room. Unpacking the living room should be a combined effort by everyone in the household. There will be a lot of items to be placed and electronics to hook up.

Garage. Having an organized garage is important. If you haven’t set up shelves and hooks for placement of tools, yard supplies and sports equipment; do so now. Having organizational systems in place will help curb the tendency for making piles later.

4. Play Interior Designer
Place furniture so the room feels open and functional. Strive for balance by distributing heavier pieces of furniture around the room. Create a focal point or use a natural one like a fireplace.

When positioning furniture, it’s a good idea to make a sketch of the room, including desired locations of items. Erasing an armoire, rather than lifting it, could save you a trip to the chiropractor.

It takes time get settled in, but here are some quick and easy tips for making your house feel like home:

• Hang shades, blinds or curtains for instant privacy and a homey feel.
• Consider painting rooms a different color, or stenciling around an archway.
• Brighten up a room with self-adhesive wallpaper borders.
• Refinish old cabinets or add new knobs.
• Hang family photographs, mirrors and framed artwork.
• Add potted plants for extra color or to fill empty corners.

Helpful Tips for Setting Up
• As boxes are unpacked, take an inventory of everything you have to make sure nothing has been lost. If you have any broken or damaged items, make sure to keep them as evidence for insurance claims. Claims usually need to be filed within a set number of days after the move.
• Use a surge protector when setting up a computer or stereo equipment.
• As you unpack boxes, collapse them for storage or recycling.
• Start a log of home repairs and maintenance that needs to be done.
• Create a shopping list to make sure you have everything you need.

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95125, San Jose Recently Sold Homes

Well with the summer selling season in full swing lots of sellers are finalizing their real estate deals and preparing for moving day. If moving day has you feeling stressed, the following tips from the experts at GoMovers.com will help you prepare for a seamless transition.

-Complete as much packing of the items you’re packing yourself by the day before your moving day. Take care of any last minute items early in the morning on moving day. Doing so serves a dual purpose: Only the items the packers are handling will be left, which will help them concentrate only on what they’re going to pack, and your mover won’t need to wait around while you finish your portion of the packing job.

-Before the movers arrive to pack and load, remove any obstacles so they’ll have a clear path from the door to the truck. Also, check hallways and stairways and eliminate any items that are in the way. If you’ll need to remove a stair railing or other ‘impediment’ to get larger items out of the house (your estimator should have alerted you to this), do so before the movers arrive.

-Take a walk through the house and check closets and utility areas to make sure you haven’t forgotten to pack anything that is coming with you to your new homes. Make sure the boxes you packed are clearly labeled and their room location at your destination is clearly marked on the box. Make sure all of your boxes are taped closed so nothing gets lost during transit.

-Move your cars as needed to make room in the driveway so the movers have a clear line between the house and the truck.

-Make accommodations for your pets. You might consider boarding or caging them on moving day or having them stay with a neighbor or relative during the actual move. You might be able to better accommodate them by taking them to your destination in advance. You’ll want to do what’s appropriate in order to keep them out of the way of the movers and help reduce their stress levels and anxiety.

-Plan to be around to keep a watchful eye on both the packers and the movers while they’re packing and loading your possessions. That way, you’ll also be readily available to answer any questions they might have. It doesn’t hurt to build rapport with your movers and packers either, as they’re more likely to do a good job if they like you.

Well with the official start of summer just around the corner the DTE Energy is offering the following tips to help customers save money and keep cool this summer. Check out the tips and have a Cool Summer.

Around the house
–Close blinds, shades and curtains to keep summer heat out.
– Keep the fireplace damper and doors tightly closed to prevent cooled air from escaping.
– Run the dishwasher in the cooler part of the day when the lower temperature can better offset the heat and humidity the appliance will produce.

Air conditioning
– Set the air conditioner thermostat at the highest comfortable setting. When leaving home for more than five hours, raise the thermostat five to 10 degrees. Raising the thermostat just a couple degrees can cut cooling costs by as much as five percent.
– Regular maintenance is important to operating air conditioners efficiently. Check filters at least once a month. Dirty filters cause air conditioners to work harder and use more energy. Many filters can be removed, washed and dried, and reinstalled. Check the owner’s manual or contact the manufacturer for more information.
– Keep air conditioning units free of obstructions, inside and out, so air can flow freely. Outdoor units should be free of bushes, and leaf and grass debris. Indoors, move furniture and draperies to prevent blocking window units, vents and air returns.
– Position window air conditioners on the shaded side of the house, away from direct sunlight. Window units generally are not designed to cool more than one room. Close the doors leading to uncooled parts of the house for more efficient cooling.
– In homes with central air conditioning, leave room doors and air registers open so the system can operate effectively.

Fans
– Make sure ceiling fan blades rotate clockwise in the summer months to draw cooler air up from the floor.
– A window fan in an apartment or one-story home should be put in a window on the warmest side of the structure; in a two-story home, put it in an upstairs window. Fans draw cooler air inside during the night and circulate air during the day. Make sure draperies are secured away from the fan for better air circulation and safety.
– Prevent heat build-up in the attic by opening attic vents and making sure any lower vents are not blocked. A cooler attic benefits the living area below. An exhaust fan or whole-house fan mounted in the attic will pull hot air out of the attic and living areas and draw cooler air in.
– Use an exhaust fan to blow hot air out of your kitchen while cooking. The savings in your cooling costs will far outweigh the fan’s electricity use.