Priority To Do List for Moving Day

Moving into a new home is an exciting time, and you’re probably daydreaming about decor and paint schemes and new furniture. But before you get into the fun stuff, there are some basics you should cover first.

Change the locks

Even if you’re promised that new locks have been installed in your home, you can never be too careful. It’s worth the money to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that no one else has the keys to your home. Changing the locks can be a DIY project, or you can call in a locksmith for a little extra money.

Steam clean the carpets

It’s good to get a fresh start with your floors before you start decorating. The previous owners may have had pets, young children, or just some plain old clumsiness. Take the time to steam clean the carpets so that your floors are free of stains and allergens. It’s pretty easy and affordable to rent a steam cleaner—your local grocery store or hardware store may have them available.

Call an exterminator

Prior to move-in, you probably haven’t spent enough time in the house to get a view of any pests that may be lurking. Call an exterminator to take care of any mice, insects, and other critters that may be hiding in your home.

Clean out the kitchen

If the previous occupants wanted to skip on some of their cleaning duties when they moved out, the kitchen is where they probably cut corners. Wipe down the inside of cabinets, clean out the refrigerator, clean the oven, and clean in the nooks and crannies underneath the appliances.

Ideas for Accent Walls

An accent wall can totally transform a room, taking it from boring and drab to bold and exciting. Accent walls create a new focal point for your space, add liveliness and contrast, and are typically a very inexpensive DIY project.

The starter accent wall

You can easily add an accent wall to your room in one afternoon by applying a new paint color. Deep blues and bright oranges are common choices for accent walls, but choose a color that will complement your existing decor and overall design aesthetic.

Interesting textures

Bright, contrasting paint is a good starting point, but there are other options for accent walls that are even more eye-catching and distinct. Floor-to-ceiling wood planks can make your home seem both rustic and modern all at once and provide a natural, outdoors-inspired feel. It’s more work than simply painting a wall, but it’s still relatively inexpensive. You can source the wood from pallets on Craigslist and stain it yourself before attaching it to your wall. It takes a little extra elbow grease, but it’s worth the effort.

Patterns, murals, and more

Paint and wood are bold enough on their own to transform a room, but they’re still pretty subtle compared to other accent wall options. A chalk paint accent wall is a creative idea for any room and makes for some fun moments when you’re entertaining. There are also endless options for wallpaper and stenciling if you want some patterns or you can get really bold with a mural or oversized art print.

The Dirtiest Items in the Home and How to Clean Them

Of course, one of the dirtiest objects in anyone’s home is the toilet. But, that’s not the only place where dirt and germs accumulate. Here are five other dirty places and suggestions for cleaning them.

1. Bath Towels - When you and your family dry off from your shower, your bath towel absorbs the water from your body. Then it sits all day breeding bacteria that thrive in warm, moist areas. Combat this issue by changing your bath towels out every two days and washing your dirty towels in hot water to kill anything living on them.

2. Shower Curtain - Shower curtains easily pick up bacteria the same way bath towels do. They also attract germs from the toilet if they are near each other. Clean your shower curtain by spraying it down with a bleach-based product. Spray the rings and rod, too. Also, when the shower curtain is beyond cleaning, replace it.

3. Doorknobs - Entryway and bathroom doorknobs are exposed to myriad germs daily. Thankfully, doorknobs are easy to clean. Wipe them down with antibacterial wipes regularly.

4. Window/Door Tracks - Window and door tracks are harbingers of dust and dirt. The grime that builds up can make you and your family ill. You can easily clean these areas by vacuuming out large pieces of debris and then spraying the stuck-on dirt with water, letting it loosen up and wiping it with a damp cloth.

5. Toothbrush Holders - Your toothbrush holder is likely teeming with germs and bacteria. Wash it with hot soapy water twice a week. If you can, run it through the dishwasher to ensure it gets clean and sterilized.

Staying Active and Having Fun

With most gyms closed, many out there are changing up their workout routines. Personally, I have not been a member of a gym for almost three years because I prefer getting outside for a walk or a run. My favorite workout spot is along the Dunedin Causeway because it is right outside my door. Unfortunately, it is a favorite spot for many people, and the last few times I went for an evening walk, I found it difficult to maintain safe distances from people.

As a result, I started looking for creative ways to workout at home on those days I don't wake up early enough to walk before everyone else. The free app Zombies, Run! is something I have used in the past. As the website describes it: "Run in the Real World. Become a Hero in Another. Only a few have survived the zombie epidemic. You are a Runner en-route to one of humanity’s last remaining outposts. They need your help to gather supplies, rescue survivors, and defend their home."

This app turns your run into a game, and who doesn't love games? If you are able to get outside for a walk, jog, or run and stay safe, this app will add a new level of fun to your daily workout. There are over 200 missions, and the app has made many of them free right now in light of current events.

If you are unable to get outside everyday, they have added some new stay at home missions. Essentially, you're all stuck inside because of an increase in zombie hordes outside (a little relatable, yes?). The 30-minute workout includes beginner and intermediate exercises. The first mission includes a lot of dance breaks (and who doesn't love dancing?!) with some other at-home exercises mixed in.

If you are interested in downloading the app and adding a new level of fun to your workout, download at the links below. Have fun!

5 Secret Weapons You Already Have For DIY Projects

As we enter into the second week of social distancing, if you are like me you may be going a little stir crazy trying to figure out what to do next to make productive use of your time at home. You may be thinking of some at home projects you have been meaning to tackle but keep putting off. This weekend I spent some time redoing my closet installing a new shelf and bar. However, I had the materials already, so a trip to Home Depot was not necessary.

Right now, you may have a home maintenance project that’s been lingering on your to-do list that you finally want to tackle, but you can't make the trip to your local hardware store or craft store because you're under a shelter in place order or the stores are closed. There are some projects you can tackle with items that are almost certainly already in your home.

1. Vinegar: There’s probably a jug of vinegar in your pantry right now. You can soak items in vinegar to remove mineral deposits (like in a clogged showerhead), and you can boil vinegar in your microwave to remove odors and make it easier to clean.

2. Cola: A can of Coke or Pepsi can be used to clean many surfaces, including your glass windows, porcelain toilet, or chrome fixtures. Just do some research before using it on metal surfaces, as it can be corrosive.

3. Baking soda: This item may actually be more useful for applications other than baking. A baking soda-vinegar paste is great for cleaning bathrooms and kitchens. Baking soda can also be used to absorb odors.

4. Butter knife: Screwdrivers are easy to misplace. If can’t find a screwdriver when you need one, a butter knife—preferably an older one that you no longer need for table setting—is pretty effective for both Phillips- and flat-head screws.

5. Toothpaste: Is there an unsightly scratch on your car or bike? The grit in tarter-control toothpastes makes for an effective scratch remover. Clean the scratch, apply some toothpaste, let it sit for a few minutes, and then buff it out with paper towel.

Living that Tower Life Like Rapunzel

Although many of you have been practicing social distancing since the weekend, today felt like the first real social distancing day for me. I should have been at work at 6:00 am this morning to process shipment. Instead I slept in this morning and started wondering what in the world I would do all day and for the next couple weeks. That's when it hit me that all of us are about to experience what life was like for Rapunzel trapped in that tower. On a happy note, she provides lots of great ideas of what you can do to pass the time.

Here are some suggested activities to do to pass the day per Rapunzel:

• Sweep 'til the floor's all clean
• Polish and wax
• Laundry
• Mop and shine up
• Sweep again 

Once done with all those chores, Rapunzel provides some more entertaining items on her activity list:

• Read a book...or maybe two or three
• Add a few new paintings to your gallery
• Play guitar 
• Knit
• Cook
• Puzzles
• Darts (be careful!) 
• Baking
• Paper mache
• Ballet 
• Chess (and so many other games!)
• Pottery 
• Ventriloquy (ummm... okay...)
• Candle making
• Stretch
• Sketch
• Take a climb
• Sew a dress
• Brush and brush and brush and brush your hair 

Rapunzel starts her day at 7:00 am. I used to do that, but then we changed the clocks. Now, I continually wake up after 8:00 am. First task to tackle on this self distancing journey: getting back to the 7:00 am wake up routine.

Once I finally dragged myself out of bed, first on the agenda was getting in some exercise. I dusted off the old Nintendo Wii, popped in the Michael Jackson Experience, and started dancing the morning away. Per Rapunzel's suggestions, I also should have stretched... I did not...

Next on the list was cooking. Today, I decided to tackle Keto friendly chocolate chip waffles. They were Mickey shaped (of course!) and delicious. The recipe was from Simply Keto by Suzanne Ryan, and you can order her cookbook from Amazon. By the way, if any of you are missing the Disney theme parks and Mickey shaped waffles, you can buy the Mickey waffle maker I own from ShopDisney It makes 6 waffles at a time, and they are the exact size and shape as the ones sold at restaurants throughout Disney resorts. A little piece of Walt Disney World and Disneyland right at home!

By the time I was done with breakfast, it was about 10:30 am. Oh goodness, this was going to be a long couple of days. I know there are many of you reading this who are totally content laying around watching Netflix all day. I am not that person. Based on past experiences (i.e. 7.5 week medical leave), I get bored easily. I work two jobs partly because I just always need to be busy with something.

Luckily, I work in a small office which means I ventured into the office for a bit to stay motivated and up to date on all the changes happening rapidly in the real estate industry as a result of COVID-19. Don't worry, even with only 2-3 of us in the office, we still practiced social distancing...

 

(Side note: I have also determined that makeup is not necessary at this time.)

While working at the office, the news was released that the Governor of Florida was ordering the closure of all bars and nightclubs at 5:00 pm today, and restaurants were required to a max of 50% capacity. With the tide of things so quickly change, we ventured out for a late lunch at our favorite spot, Clear Sky Draught Haus, across the street for what may be the last time for a while. On the way back to the office, we continued to be in high spirits and channeled the Beatles when in the crosswalk (also worked great at maintaining acceptable social distances).

Once I returned home in the late afternoon, I knew I would be home for the rest of the night... no place to go, right? So it was time for some at home pampering! While relaxing with a face mask, it hit me that I won't be opening boxes upon boxes for a few weeks which means I could paint my nails and not have it be a waste of time! #Bonus!

I decided one way to make good use of my extra time was to work on finishing projects I started but never finished. So after months, I am excited to announce I finally finished knitting a pair of baby booties. Those cutie only took me about as long as it takes a human to grow a baby. So... win?

As you can see, my day was a mix of activities and work. As of now, it is my plan to get through the next few weeks without going crazy. Take note that I am finishing this blog post at about 7:00 pm. The rest of the night will be a usual evening for me, though. Relax, watch some TV, read a book, play the ukulele, color, and do a Soduku puzzle or two. The secret is out... each night I channel a 6-year-old and a 60-year-old. #sorrynotsorry

How was everyone's day of social distancing? What fun activities did you do today?

Stay strong! Be safe! Wash your hands! Don't touch your face!

Just Keep Swimming

Let's face it in the last week, a lot has changed. A LOT. Just over a week ago, COVID-19 aka Coronavirus was a news story popping up on social media feeds, a reminder that we all need to be better about washing our hands, and a real concern overseas, not in the US. Within a matter of days, the number of cases escalated quickly, and we went from business as usual to working from home, schools closing, events being cancelled, and the temporary closing of theme parks, stores, bars and restaurants. Now, all of us have quickly learned what social distancing is and doing our best to do just that. (Although, if you're an introvert like me, you've probably been training for social distancing your whole life...)

 

I am not going to use this blog to start discussing COVID-19 or anything related to that. First of all, I am not a doctor. Second, there is plenty of videos, articles, and opinions on that... every where. Instead, I'll take some time to discuss what I am doing outside of real estate work to socially distance myself to entertain you and give you some ideas of things to do when the boredom sets in. 

Having worked all weekend, today was really my first day off, which means it felt like a fairly normal day. I spent it getting a few errands done as quickly as possible. I picked up some supplies for a home project I've been meaning to do for months and will finally get done in the next few days (stay tuned...), grocery shopping (no, I didn't panic buy - grocery stores are not closing, there is not a food shortage, stay calm, folks), laundry (because that's never going away), some real estate work on the computer, and lastly playing the ukulele (when everything is changing just keep calm and jam on). In all honesty, it was a pretty average day off for me. Don't worry though, future posts will be way more exciting than today.

I know many people are disappointed, frustrated, and upset about cancelled plans, vacations, and events. Social distancing may seem extreme and crazy to some, but it does help and will make a difference. It's not a new concept, and during the 1918 Flu Pandemic, social distancing proved to help slow the spread of the virus and save lives. Embrace the time at home with your family, stay calm, and just keep swimming.

To end today's post, I will leave you with something to make you smile - penguins at the Shedd Aquarium on a field trip. 😃🐧