The 6 Vital Tips to Prepare Your Home for the Fall Season

Fall is finally here, and people across the nation are preparing their homes for the new season with fall decorations and are saying adios to their flip flops and swim suits for the year and breaking out the sweaters and boots.

While it’s important to ready the look of your home and yourself for the season, it’s much more imperative to take care of your home and make sure that the house itself is ready for the change in season and the (somewhat) steady decline in temperatures.

Do you tend to forget to prepare your home for the colder months? No problem! We have six vital tips to help ensure that you, your family, and your house are all ready for the change in season!

Out With the Old, In With the New (Filter, That Is) – What’s the top reason that heating and cooling systems in homes fail? Changing the filter! Some experts feel that filters should be changed every single month, but you’re probably better off inspecting it each month and switching it out every three months, that is, once every season.

Why do this? Well, not only will you help ensure that your system will run nice and smoothly, but you will also improve the air quality in your home, reduce energy usage, and save a little extra money on your electric bill!

Give Your Thermostat Some Love – That’s right. You should really give your thermostat some extra TLC when the seasons change. Be sure to clean its heat sensor, contacts, and contact points; it will ensure that it’s running the best it can. Additionally, if you’d like to save some money on your energy bill, do your best to keep your thermostat between 68 and 72 degrees during the day and a smidgen lower at night. If that’s a bit too cold for you, you can always cuddle up with your favorite blankets and sip some hot chocolate!

The Vacuum IS Your Best Friend – If you really dread cleaning and the very thought of dragging out that big ol’ vacuum already has you searching for an excuse to avoid cleaning, then you might want to keep reading. Cleaning similarly to how you did during spring cleaning can prove to be beneficial for your health AND your wallet! Vacuum your ceiling fans, vents, baseboard heaters, ducts, and cold-air returns to not only keep your heating and cooling system in tip-top shape but to also rid yourself of a great deal of dust (which can cause respiratory problems and further aggravate allergies, by the way!). Trust us, you’ll be glad you did it.

Pay Attention to Your Windows and Doorframes – Are you enjoying that autumn breeze you feel in your home? Well, if you ARE and you don’t have your windows open, that you might really want to fix that on the double! Inspect your doorframes and windows to ensure that they are tight and in good condition. Make sure that you cannot feel any drafts coming through your windows or doors. If you do, you might want to spend some time fixing the leaks with some caulking or weather-stripping before it gets too cold. Remember, the draft may not bother you now, but it’ll be much worse on you (and your wallet) come wintertime!

Pretty Your Home Up! All work and no play makes your house awfully dull! After you clean and ready your house for the season, go ahead and take some time to make it reflect the season in artwork, fabrics, and design. Add a colorful wreath to your front door and some fun gourds and mini-pumpkins inside and outside your home. Display pieces of art that reflect the fall season, display a cornucopia on your dining room table, or simply change the slipcovers off your couch to reflect the colors and vibe of the fall season! Don’t forget the spice or pumpkin-scented candles!

Need more tips ‘n’ tricks to help your ready yourself and your home for the fall season? Why not give us a call at (618) 791-5024 or at (618) 791-9298? We can give you tips to ready your home for the season or even for a sale. Don’t forget that we’re online! Visit us at www.dianamasseyhomes.com for dream homes near you!

What Does Your Paint Color Choice Say About You?

One of the best things about owning a home is being able to choose the paint colors for each and every room! In fact, one of the easiest, least expensive ways to reinvent your home or give it a brand new fresh breath of air is repainting your walls a new color!

But do you ever find that you gravitate toward certain colors when you’re painting your home? Do you tend to reach toward a certain family of colors more often than others?

If you find yourself reaching for a few certain shades of colors with your paintbrush, it could be saying more about your personality than you might think! Find out what your color choice says about your personality below!

Do You Gravitate Toward Soft, Warm Shades? If you find that your home is covered in hues of yellow, orange, peaches, and pinks more often than not, then you tend to have a warm, welcoming, and cheerful disposition. You love to have company over and thrive on conversation. These warm colors are energizing and stimulate appetites, and because they’re bright, they help your rooms to spring forward, making your rooms more intimate, cozy spaces. To make sure that your rooms don’t become too intense, try mixing in cool blue gray or green furnishings in your rooms!

Are Soft, Cool Hues More Your Thing? You may find yourself finding more solitude in nature’s medium blues, lavenders, and greens. You are introverted and view your home as an oasis and sanctuary in your chaotic daily life. When you paint your rooms in these soothing colors, the rooms expand and promote a sense of calm over all who inhabit them. To prevent your rooms from feeling a bit icy, try balancing your cool hues with hints of brown, yellow, or orange in your furniture and decorations.

Do You Love Jewel Tones? If the hues of ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, topaz, and other hot jewel tones draw your eyes, you probably love turning heads just like the celebrities on the red carpet. More than likely, you are confident, outgoing, and creative, and you probably draw inspiration from your environment. Luckily for you, these fabulous colors help minimize any flaws in your room and can give your space enough flare without any unnecessary furnishings. But be warned – jewel tones can make smaller rooms appear even smaller, so balance is key! Try using neutrals such as ivory, beige, or gray in your furnishings (or try creating an accent wall by painting one wall the jewel tone and the additional walls a neutral!).

Are You a Fan of Neutrals? When people think of neutrals, the first word that comes to mind is typically “boring.” But you are anything but! You enjoy crisp, classic looks and are probably a practical, even-keeled individual. You probably aren’t one to keep repainting the rooms in your home every few years! To prevent your home from becoming too blank or boring, place pops of color in your furniture and accessories! It’s amazing what a few bright pillows or a wild piece of furniture can do in a neutral space!

Which colors do you gravitate toward when painting your home? Tell us on our Facebook fan page! If you want more tips for painting your home for fun or for selling (or if you’re in search of your dream home), give us a call today at (618) 791-5024 or (618) 791-9298. Be sure to check out our website at www.dianamasseyhomes.com to see what we can do for you!