DIY Decorating | SAR Home Staging And Redesign Training

Light bulb conversion chart – how to replace that 60W bulb

Wondering what to do when that 60 watt bulb is phased out? Here’s a good infographic that explains the difference between types of bulbs.

Not accounting for cost of wattage, the average annual price of all of the alternatives are pretty similar.

CFL bulb costs $1.11/yr
Halogen/CFL Hybrid costs $1.49/yr
LED A19 costs $1.11/yr

These are all in stark contrast to the 60W bulb that costs $3.61/yr plus uses nearly 3 times the wattage to run. Now the question is, how much money do you want to spend initially and how often do you want to change the bulbs out?

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Chip it! by Sherwin Williams, a fun new eye-candy color toy for your browser…

Do you subscribe to Sherwin Williams Stir Magazine? Well, if you did, then maybe you noticed the article on Chip it! If you didn’t, well, pay attention. This is one of the most fun toys our there for color buffs. Watch the video and you’ll be hooked. I know it’s already in my browser toolbar, right next to Pinterest.

If you aren’t a professional color consultant, designer or home stager, you might still think the tool is pretty nifty. I went to my pinterest boards to show how cool this really is… Pin It

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30 Day Organize Your Life Challenge! Let’s get started… Labeling

I’ve always struggled with being organized. In the last year, downsizing and moving to another state, I’m finding that it is becoming more and more important. As the real estate trend shows families are ditching the McMansions and opting for smaller digs, finding a way to store everything is becoming more and more popular. Our culture isn’t a “do without” society, rather we have to find a way to make it all fit.

For the next 30 days we’ll be asking you to take 5 minutes out of your schedule, each day, and organize one small area of your life. It may be a junk drawer, a closet, your glove compartment or refrigerator. Pick what is important to you. If, let’s say, your garage is your big problem area, don’t freak out and try to do it all at once. Instead, pick a single shelf that you can work on that day, or work on one pile for 5 minutes. At the end of the month you’ll be surprised what you accomplished.Pin It

Throw pillows: Your most important home accessory.

Throw pillows may be the most important home accessory you can own. Pillows provide pops of color, texture and luxury on a small budget. Because the price tag is low, they can be traded out for the season or trend changes. Read more about today’s trends…..

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What’s in your home staging tool box? A look at tools of the trade…

What are your favorite tools that make your home staging job easier? What could you not live without? This blog will focus on a couple of my favorite tools; please list your favorite tools in the comments. It would be great to hear what you think makes your life easier!Pin It

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Tips on creating an organized home with Alejandro Costello & HGTV Clean Freaks

Having a beautifully organized home is becoming a popular home trend. It’s not enough for rooms that guests see to appear well designed and attractive, now we want spaces that are functional, beautiful and well organized. With such busy lives, productivity is a huge buzz word, even at home. Having a well organized home will provide just that.Pin It

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Organizing your closets provides value whether you are staged to sell or staged to dwell.

Whether you are staged to sell or staged to dwell, organized closets can add value to any home. The Nest provides 9 closet makeover tricks that will keep your life simple – at least in the closet. Pin It

How to hang and measure draperies and curtains.

Draperies and curtains can add so much impact to any home. Learning how to properly hang them, what height they should be hung at, and how long the rods takes some basic knowledge. Here are 3 videos to help you understand everything you need to know to get that designer look.Pin It

How to hang a mirror or heavy piece of art.

Learning how to hang a mirror or heavy art piece can take some practice. I ran across this video by Pottery Barn and have to say that it perfectly shows the best techniques.

In order to do this properly, and without damage to you, the mirror or the wall, be sure you use the correct tools and have someone to help you.

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How to repair damaged flooring before selling your home.

How to prepare damaged flooring before selling your home.Pin It

Upcycle & Recycle your way to a Beautiful & Unique Home

I love the upcycle and recycle trend. My home is full of old and worn things. I simply love the look. It is great to have the nostalgia of yesterday, but with a more modern take. Then again, sometimes upcycle is as easy as transforming your trash into new treasures.

Take a look at this clip from ABC’s new show, The Revolution, and watch how Ty Pennington takes objects that you may normally throw away and turns them into objects you would likely pay good money for (and probably need right now). Pin It

Add drama to your walls with paint, DIY tips by Ty Pennington

Everyone loves a beautiful room. When the room feels uniquely yours, the space is more personal and more inviting. In this video Ty Pennington shows how to add color and drama with paint. Learn the tip that the experts don’t want to tell you about, that leaves you with perfect lines everytime – it’s not in the video. Read the blog to find out.Pin It

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Can PicMonkey replace Picnik for photo editing?

Pinterest has been a big deal in marketing and sharing images, but of course with so many copyright issues, it seems such bad timing for Picnik to be going out of business. Picnik was my favorite site for photo editing, adding captions, creating great effects and borders/frames. Pin It

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Fake it! How to make windows look bigger.

Whether you are a weekend DIY warrior or a design professional, you know that sometimes the secret is just to fake it till you make it. Making windows look bigger is no exception. Big beautiful, well dressed windows are often the secret to a beautiful space, and they can even add value to a home for sale.Pin It

Ty Pennington shows how a french cleat can make hanging DIY headboards easy.

Ty Pennington, co-host of ABC’s new talk show, The Revolution, shows off perhaps one of the best headboards ideas I’ve seen for DIY’ers: The French Cleat.

While you can find prefabricated metal versions of the French Cleat, Ty shows off exactly how easy this is to do yourself.

If you or a neighbor has a table saw, this will take only moments. Simply cut a 6″ piece of wood (length varies on needs) down the middle at a 45 degree angle. (Don’t have a table saw? Ask your home improvement center to do the cutting for you.)

Take a few moments to find the studs in your wall. Using a level and some screws, attach the bottom piece of wood (with angle away from the wall). The top piece of wood should be attached to the back of your headboard with the angle against the wall, facing down.

To hang, simply hang the headboard over the wood attached to the wall. The angles will hold it in place. Yes, it’s really that easy.

Headboard ideas are then unlimited. Need some inspiration? Check out these DIY Headboard ideas or low cost headboard ideas.

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