HO HO HURRY!

I've got to know...are you one of those people whose holiday to-dos are DONE?

Sloooowly getting my act together here. Christmas is nipping at our heels. There's a lot of pressure to get it all wrapped up - literally!

This is the one time of year that I need a wife ~ 1 with better handwriting to address those cards and 1 with some Martha Stewart baking skills, please!!

SOME decorated and online shopping has been done ~ BUT I do aspire to be more like the ahhhhsome bloggers I follow:

This beauty is the home of

BlueEggBrownNest.com.

AND...this amazing gal who decorated her laundry room! ThistlewoodFarms.com

What's your status? Are you a holiday over-achiever --- or a bit of a slacker --- or somewhere in between?

I certainly wish you a Happy Holiday - enjoying the season in YOUR own special way!

Holi-Daze!

Seems we had barely gotten through Halloween, when a retail explosion propelled us into all things Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas! Some big box stores seem to think we should be "thankful" that they will be open on Thanksgiving Day!

If you do decorate for the holidays, what is your usual timeframe? Do you have your Fall decor out now then patiently wait until AFTER Thanksgiving to move on to the next holiday?

The ink is not even dry on my draft copy of my Thanksgiving menu - so I am not mentally prepared to celebrate several holidays at once!!

Home sellers often ask what they should do about holiday decorating if their house is on the market. There is nothing wrong with being a little festive. Keep decor within reason and keep it tasteful.

Need help pulling your look together? Thinking about making a move? Let's chat about it.

all images courtesy of Southern Living Magazine

Bar Cart Band Wagon

I am seeing more of those cuties in homes I preview these days!

Although I have never seen an episode of "Mad Men", I've heard it's partly responsible for the trend.

Seems that there is certainly a style to go with any decor! They can be used as a side table or easily wheeled out to a patio or deck with picnic supplies and additional serving space. So...they're attactive AND practical!

Most of the home decor stores and decorating catalogs carry a version or 2.

There is a WIDE variation in pricing, for sure.

Have YOU jumped on the bar cart band wagon?

images from Ballard Designs, Crate n' Barrel and CB2

Need help pulling YOUR look together? Thinking of making a move? Let's chat about it!

Take a Stand (on night stands...that is)

Bed side table, night stand, bed side shelf ~ most of us have 1 version or another.

Whether yours are a matched set or completely different styles is of course, up to you.

What do you keep on that surface? I am a fan of uncluttered surfaces.

I previewed several homes listed for sale this week (well...several for the extremely low inventory in my area). I took special note to the state of those homeowners' night stands. In the majority of cases, There was a LOT of clutter!

Stacks of magazines, medications, pairs of glasses, drinking glasses, lotions,etc!

ALL of that stuff does not make for a masterful bedroom.

If you're planning on selling please note it's ALL in the details. Shoot for that model home look. No buyer wants to see all your personal stuff laid out there!

all images from House Beautiful

Need help with your space? Planning on making a move? Let's chat about it!

Nix the Pix?

Interior decorators and designers have mixed opinions about displaying family photos in the main living areas (public spaces) of the house.

My personal opinion is that photos are fine for family rooms (which tend to be more casual, relaxed spaces), and home offices and bedrooms. I really feel they are not necessary decor for living, dining rooms or kitchens.

Many of the decor magazines are into photo galleries -- walls with LOTS of photo frames!

Are you a photo fan? What's your preference when it comes to framed photos?

When I coach my clients on preparing their home for sale - it's zero tolerance when it comes to personal photos. They ALL should be packed away! Let the buyer picture themselves in the home!!

(photos from Pottery Barn)

All About Autumn

Suddenly, without a lot of warning, a whole new season is upon us here in NoVA!

It has replaced humid 90 degree days with crisp, cool mornings with no sign of any humidity.

The to-do list included: "Fall Decorating"!

Do you do seasonal decorating around your house? Maybe some pots of mums or some pumpkins? How about a vignette for the dining table?

I am still working on the inside Fall flair, and have barely begun on the outside!

I am in the midst of spray painting some old foam pumpkins from Michael's that were purchased years ago. The "new" black, cream and silver colors go much better with the porch decor.

Some bloggers are inviting us on their Fall home tours. AND...some of those homes are amazing. How did they do it all. Nearly every room has a tasteful Fall touch!

Home sellers often ask me if it's "OK" to do any Fall decorating if they are putting their home on the market for sale.

Yes! I encourage them to add that pot of mums by the front door for curb appeal. Add mums and decorative cabbages to the landscape. A Fall arrangement for the dining area is very welcoming!

Help your buyer really "picture" living in the home.

AND...good luck with YOUR Fall decor!

Home / Work

Today was the FIRST day of school in my area! So many cute photos of kids boarding buses with all their new backpacks and supplies!

In keeping with the theme of home work and such ~ we're exploring home offices today.

Do you have a dedicated home office?

...or have you carved out a niche in a bedroom or maybe converted a closet to pay bills, catch up on emails, etc.

Do you like your supplies all neatly tucked away or do you like to be able to see all your wares. I am more of the tuck it away type!

The options for storage are amazing...and stylish, too!

Here's to productivity - no matter what space your use for YOUR home office.

(all images from BH&G)

Campus Cool

For many households, this upcoming weekend is a BUSY one! College students are heading back to campus.

Keeping students organized in the space that today's dorm provides can be a real challenge.

Today's student housing is more like a super-sized apartment building.

Back in the day, this was my residence...at a very small school. The "Halls" were originally built either as small mansions (in their day) or multi-unit buildings that were later acquired by the school and outfitted for student housing.

Here's another residence hall from the college I attended.

How accommodations have changed!

While browsing the latest PBTeen and Ikea catalogs, I spotted some really fun AND practical items for back-to-school.

I totally need this fuzzy ball chair BTW!!

If you're sending one off to campus or the classroom, I hope you've had some fun with the process.

There are no students in my household; however, I did find that some of these products will be very helpful in working with my sellers and staging clients to prepare their homes for the upcoming Fall housing market. Even if the potential buyer does not have children, it's really best to show a home that doesn't have any rooms that can be a haz-mat zone (A.K.A. a tween's or teen's room!).

Have a great weekend!

(all decor images are from PBTeen)