De-Cluttering Your Garage

One of the most neglected areas of the house for organization is the garage. Our focus usually ends up being concentrated on the sections of the home that will be viewed by visitors the most while the garage ends up playing the role of storage area for the items that don’t necessarily have a proper place indoors. It may not be the first thing on your mind when trying to declutter your home, but making sure that it’s items are easy to access can help your day run much more smoothly.

 

If possible, clear as many items out of the room as you can. Once they’ve been removed, take an inventory of everything. Of all the pieces that you’ve pulled out, how many are necessary in this space? Is some of it just junk you haven’t had time to dispose of? Do some items belong in a different storage area that you didn’t have time to place them in?  Well, here’s your chance to make it right!

 

Items you no longer need, organize them into either waste or recycling bins. If you are dealing with hazardous material, check your local waste disposal laws for proper handling. Next, return all misplaced items to their proper storage areas, whether it is an attic, an outdoor shed or even a borrowed item from a neighbor. Now that you’ve pared everything down to essential items only, think about the best way to keep them organized and accessible for future use.

 

Your garage became cluttered for a reason! New organizational units may be the key to fixing the issue. There are great products available today for every garage size to keep your items organized.   If you don’t have a lot of floor space, hanging overhead shelves can help provide some much-needed storage. Hanging wall units equipped with hooks can help keep gardening and automotive tools at arm’s length for your next project. Hang hooks up high to store bicycles vertically as well as other various sports equipment. If you have a few feet of room available, there are different varieties of metal and wooden shelving and cabinetry for storing miscellaneous workshop items.

 

Customize these units to your convenience. The easier things are to store after use, the more likely you are to not have to do a major closet clean like this any time soon! 

Adding Crystal Accents to Your Home

Looking for something to add to your interior’s design that will catch the eye while adding a finer touch to your space? Consider incorporating crystal decor into your home. It’s naturally reflective appearance helps to provide light and depth during the daytime and adds glisten and shine in the evenings. While crystal pieces are more on the delicate side, with careful placement away from pets and children, they can add a definite pizazz to your home.

 

Modern crystal chandeliers have come a long way from the one you saw hanging above your grandmother’s dining room table. They can range from large and elaborate to long, slim and minimalist. There’s a style to accommodate every taste.  For special occasions, you can place crystal candle holders in the center of the table for a dazzling touch.  While serving dessert, a cake stand with hanging crystal strands makes a beautiful statement.

 

For non-food related crystal ideas, add a decorate vase or bowl to the center of your table.  Assorted colored crystals in a wall art piece can serve as a focal point in your living room as can carefully placed obelisks of differing sizes. To add a little decoration for a celebration, hang some crystal garland to wow your guests. For side tables, glass boxes and a lamp with crystal accents add elegance to the room. If a large chandelier is not appropriate to your space, try wall sconces with crystal strands for your lighting.

 

Finally, give your furniture and doors a vintage look by changing out their knobs for crystal ones.  This look can work just as easily on bathroom drawers as it can for kitchen cabinets and closet door handles. Use clear crystal or colors depending on the impression you would like to make.

 

No matter where you choose to add crystal accents in your home, they are sure to get noticed.  Without overdoing it, adding a little crystal to each room will give it that little extra sparkle you are looking for. Experiment with the look of crystal in your home and we promise you won’t be disappointed!

Your Junk Drawer

We all have one. That drawer that serves no purpose holds an infinite amount of random items, and always has things added to it but never taken away. You guessed it, it is a junk drawer. Junk drawers tend to get on everyone’s nerves because they house an array of miscellaneous items and no one enjoys looking through them. Organizing your junk drawer does not sound like a walk on the beach, but the after the effort, it will be well worth the frustration. The key to organizing your junk drawer is that you cannot place random items into a different drawer afterward. Let us set a rule for ourselves: we are going to organize your junk drawer and another drawer will not show up in its place. 

 

Let us get started:

 

  • Take it all out. Yup, you heard it correctly. We are starting from scratch here. Place all of the drawer’s items on your counter. 
  • Sort out your items. Now that all the items are on the counter, we are going to sort through them. We will create certain piles: trash, give away, relocate or stay. You need to decide how you want to repurpose this drawer. Determine what you want to be stored in this drawer. Just one classification for this drawer, we are getting strict with ourselves. After you decided on the contents of your drawer, you can move the piles as needed. Throw the trash away, place the giveaway in a box for charity, relocate the random miscellaneous items and keep what you think belongs in this new drawer.
  • Buy a drawer organizer. Depending on what contents you will place in this drawer, an organizer can be life-changing. You can place your smaller items in tiny containers throughout the drawer. Recycle your old jar lids and use them as a container for paper clips, push pins, rubber bands, etc. 
  • Be strict with keeping it organized. Keep this drawer constantly organized, because as soon as one random item is thrown in another will suddenly appear. Inform the other people in your household of the new drawer’s purpose. 

 

Junk drawers happen, we totally get it. Another one may appear over time and in that case, pull out this blog and restart the organizational process. 


Your Junk Drawer

We all have one. That drawer that serves no purpose holds an infinite amount of random items, and always has things added to it but never taken away. You guessed it, it is a junk drawer. Junk drawers tend to get on everyone’s nerves because they house an array of miscellaneous items and no one enjoys looking through them. Organizing your junk drawer does not sound like a walk on the beach, but the after the effort, it will be well worth the frustration. The key to organizing your junk drawer is that you cannot place random items into a different drawer afterward. Let us set a rule for ourselves: we are going to organize your junk drawer and another drawer will not show up in its place. 

 

Let us get started:

 

  • Take it all out. Yup, you heard it correctly. We are starting from scratch here. Place all of the drawer’s items on your counter. 
  • Sort out your items. Now that all the items are on the counter, we are going to sort through them. We will create certain piles: trash, give away, relocate or stay. You need to decide how you want to repurpose this drawer. Determine what you want to be stored in this drawer. Just one classification for this drawer, we are getting strict with ourselves. After you decided on the contents of your drawer, you can move the piles as needed. Throw the trash away, place the giveaway in a box for charity, relocate the random miscellaneous items and keep what you think belongs in this new drawer.
  • Buy a drawer organizer. Depending on what contents you will place in this drawer, an organizer can be life-changing. You can place your smaller items in tiny containers throughout the drawer. Recycle your old jar lids and use them as a container for paper clips, push pins, rubber bands, etc. 
  • Be strict with keeping it organized. Keep this drawer constantly organized, because as soon as one random item is thrown in another will suddenly appear. Inform the other people in your household of the new drawer’s purpose. 

 

Junk drawers happen, we totally get it. Another one may appear over time and in that case, pull out this blog and restart the organizational process. 


The Value of Built-in Cabinets

Models 082People recognize the value of built-in cabinets in a kitchen, but there are so many other places in your home where built-in cabinetry can make your life easier and your home more beautiful too. Consider these possibilities.

Dining or breakfast room: What better place to store serving pieces and entertainment items than right where you need them. Rather than taking up space in your kitchen, let another room in your home be of help. And a well-designed choice of cabinets including features such as glass-fronted doors and special lighting can make a bare wall into a design feature while providing extra storage. Take a look at how the space above has been transformed by adding the right type of built-in.

DSC_0049 (1)Laundry room: A well-designed laundry room can provide more than clean clothes. Use laundry built-in cabinets to hold cleaning supplies, craft tools, table linens or holiday decorations. The bins shown in the photo to the right could serve as a family “lost and found” with every family member assigned their own place to put anything left around the house.

DSC_0185 (1)Hallway: If you have halls that are wide enough or that have a natural niche, consider adding built-in cabinets. You will have extra storage, something we all can use, and create a space with personality rather than an empty area.

With built-in cabinets, you can customize their size and design to capitalize on all of the space and make maximum use of it. Take a walk through your home. You may be surprised at all the places that could benefit from built-ins.

 

Design Center: Pot filler

4 Pot Filler Design Center 016Would you appreciate never having to haul a heavy pot of water between your sink and range again? If you enjoy pastas, soups and stews, you may find that a pot filler reduces back strain, prep time and makes meal preparation that much easier.

Even your largest pasta pot will fit under this faucet. Its hinged design means that you can push it out of the way when you don’t need it and grab it easily when you do. Whether you use it to fill large pots or just add water to your saute pan to slow down the cooking, this pot filler will save steps.

By adding metallic tiles to the backsplash, this pot filler is well integrated into the kitchen’s design. The structure allows you to pour water as needed for any pot or pan on your stove.

Are you not sure how much you would use this? Try an experiment. Put a post-it note above your stove and jot a check for every time you fill a pot, pan or kettle with water from the sink before you bring it to your range. You may be surprised at how often you could save yourself the steps if you could access water right at your stove. Now, multiply that by 52 – and don’t forget to factor in holidays, parties and family gatherings which will only add to the sink-to-stove trips. And don’t forget that all those trips include hauling heavy pots filled with water around!

Well, is it worth it for you? A pot filler may be one of your smartest kitchen features!

Cook Outdoors with Barbeque Options

Outdoor barbeque from the Fulton Homes Cascade model.

Outdoor barbeque from the Fulton Homes Cascade model.

Your outdoor entertaining options can be greatly expanded by installing a backyard kitchen with built-in grill. There’s no juggling of platters and raw versus cooked food when you have this kind of counter space.

Add a few outdoor bar chairs and you can cook and feed quite a few people right from the grill. Having the counters made from the same stone as the patio helps keep everything connected from a design standpoint.

Courtyard DSC_0301 w barbeque and fountainsThis backyard – from the Fulton Homes Cascade model – also brings in a triple fountain, creating a three-sided integrated space that is ready for a table and chairs or outdoor sofa and loveseat combo. The earth tones of the tile and coordinating stone allow you to choose from a variety of cushion colors and patterns.

A finished space such as this one makes finishing touches easier. The raised beds are ready for bedding plants – or maybe a collection of herbs could combine with tomatoes and peppers to create your own kitchen garden.

From a simple family dinner to a more elaborate entertainment for a larger group of friends, this outdoor space provides the impetus for bringing your yard into the party. With a relatively low-maintenance choice such as this one, you’ll have plenty of time to plan the perfect outdoor brunch or dinner. Just have fun and make the space your own.

Set Resolutions for your Home in the New Year

10254941_SWhen you consider resolutions for the New Year, how about making some for your home?

Most people have things that they want to fix, change or add to their homes, so you could make 2014 the year that some of those dreams turn into reality. Here are a few examples.

Small maintenance tasks: A dripping faucet, weeds in the yard or even light bulbs that are burned out are easy to ignore but can be a constant irritant. Plan a day to fix those little frustrations that always seem to be postponed. Getting those done will make your home more relaxing.

Safety checks: Have you replaced the batteries in your smoke alarms? Do you have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen? How about a complete first-aid kit? Are some rugs or cords tripping hazards? It won’t take long to make sure your home is as safe as you can make it. You can find tips for keeping your home hazard free on the Internet.

Organization: Don’t feel obliged to get the entire house whipped into shape. Instead focus on a few areas that are particularly challenging. Maybe you empty and sort-out your junk drawer, or get your gardening tools organized in the garage. It could be time to dispose of all of those old cleansers and unsatisfactory cleaning products under the sink that you never use. Every place you make more functional will add to your pleasure in your home.

Special touches: Have you wanted to add scented candles to your guest bathroom? Maybe one wall is begging for some art. Pick out one or two areas that feel unfinished in your home and resolve to add those items that will make it look and feel the way you want.

If you include your home in your resolutions for 2014, your home will see improvement and you will find yourself happier living there.

Pinterest Power

14817814_SHow well do you know Pinterest? It’s an online application that allows you to sort and store information and images from all over the Internet.

Well, whether you’ve vaguely heard of it or you’re an active pinner with followers in the hundreds, you may want to start following the Fulton Homes Pinterest site.

First, it has multiple photos of various Fulton Home models and neighborhoods, which can help you remember various homes after you’ve visited.

Next, the number of overall suggestions to decorate your home, entertain, engage in crafts, cook, get organized and more keeps growing weekly. The focus is providing pins for current and future Fulton Homeowners.

Don’t stop there – take a look at the Pinterest people Fulton follows and discover an amazing selection of ideas, images, and thoughts focused on the needs of people and families.

If you haven’t yet, you might want to consider creating your own Pinterest boards. It’s an easy way to keep track of the kind of information that you used to tear out of magazines and file, never to look at again.

Instead of cluttering your home, you can store literally thousands of good ideas on Pinterest, taking advantage of other people’s discoveries and sharing yours.

If you haven’t explored the possibilities of Pinterest, simply type the word in your search engine and you’ll find yourself jumping into a fascinating world. And while you’re doing that, how about visiting http://pinterest.com/fultonhomes/, and seeing what the Fulton Homes Pinterest site has to offer

Fulton Homes Design Online – Doors

Montano Iron DoorWhen friends and family visit, their first impression of your home happens before they enter, with the front door. To start getting some ideas for the perfect front door for your home, check out Fulton Homes Design Online. Are you drawn to this dramatic option? It’s the Montague Iron Door, which brings light into your entryway without compromising security.

2 Panel Plank Door ThermaTruOr perhaps you would prefer a wooden door such as the one on the right: the ThermaTru 2 Panel Plank Door? While you may want to make some preliminary choices online, the Fulton Homes Design Center has full-size samples of exterior doors to enable you to make the right final selection.

Now walk into your home, because you have some choices to make with interior doors also. Do you have a den or office that would benefit from French doors? Fulton has them for you. French doors let in light while still providing some sound reduction. They also add character to a home.

glass pantry doorHow about an inviting door for your kitchen pantry? Add a touch of old-fashioned charm with this glass pantry door.

You’ll also get to choose from a variety of interior door styles for the other rooms. Take a few minutes to visit Fulton Homes Design Online to see what’s available.Pedestal Handset - oil rubbed bronze

Like your lighting choices, you also can select from a choice of metal finishes for your door hardware – including Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Wrought Iron and Oil Rubbed Bronze. Any front door gains dimension with a handset such as the one to the right, the Pedestal Handset in oil-rubbed bronze, by Design Elements from Yale.

Exterior and interior doors and hardware contribute significantly to the character and personality of your home. Enjoy making just the right choices to keep your home focused on the look and style you want.