Decluttering 101: What Do Experts Say About Decluttering at Home

There will always be a profound feeling when we have our home cleaned. Who would not want to clean their home, right? Even if we are so busy with our work or in school, we always find time to do all the household chores. Nobody wants to live a dirty and messy home. That is why we clean and we make sure that the environment is healthy enough for us to live. Whether you live at Sedona Parc or any real estate property in the Philippines, there is no reason for you not to declutter your home.

If you are wondering about what experts would say about decluttering, then we list down some quotes from them. Perhaps, it is in this way where you will be able to inspire and motivate yourself to declutter more.

1. "The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don't." - Joshua Becker

2. "Owning less is better than organizing more." - Joshua Becker

3. "Clutter is the physical manifestation of unmade decisions fueled by procrastination." - Christina Scalise

4. "Clear your stuff. Clear your mind." - Eric M. Riddle

5. "If someone doesn't life with you, neither should their stuff." - Monika Kristofferson

6. "Thre is an easy way of finding the job to be done today, just look around your environment; take note of the place that needs cleaning and the places that need decoration; do one at a time!" - Israelmore Ayivor

7. "Don't own so much clutter that you will be relieved to see your house catch fire." - Wendel Berry

8. "By handling each sentimental item and deciding what to discard, you process your past. If you just stow these things away in a draw or cardboard box, before you realize it, your past will become a weight that holds you back and keeps you from living in the here and now." - Marie Kondo

9. "Think twice before you buy. Decide before you purchase anything where you are going to keep it and what you are going to use it for. If your answers to either of these questions are vague, then you are about to purchase clutter. Desist from buying." - Karen Kingston

10. "When you live surrounded by clutter, it is impossible to have clarity about what you are doing in your life." - Karen Kingston

11. "The more things you own, the more they own you." - Unknown

12. "Clutter is anything that doesn't belong in a space – whether because it belongs elsewhere in your home, or it doesn't belong in your home any longer." - Chrissy Halton

13. Keeping baggage from the past will leave no room for happiness in the future." - Wayne L. Misner

14. "'Later' is the best friend of clutter." - Peter Walsh

15. "Clear clutter – make space for you." - Magdelena Vandenberg

16. "Get rid of clutter, and you may just find it was blocking the door you've been looking for." - Katrina Mayer

17. "In a sense, clutter is the end result of procrastination." - Jeff Campbell

18. ‘Clutter is not just physical stuff; it's old ideas, toxic relationships, and bad habits." - Eleanor Brown

19. "You can't reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday's junk." - Louise Smith

20. "It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven't lost the things that money can't buy." - George Horace Lorimer

21. "The more you have, the more you are occupied. The less you have, the more free you are." - Mother Teresa

22. "Letting go becomes easier when you see not what you lose, but all that you gain, in creating space for something new." - Renate Vullings

23. "The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." - Hans Hoffman

24. ‘You're the boss of clutter, not the other way around." - Monika Kristofferson

25. ‘Clutter is evidence of excess." - Cristin Frank

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Home Investment 101: 4 Peet Peeves Home Buyers Should Avoid

Home selling is one of the common investments most people do. Agree? Yes, since buying a property in High Park or any other properties in the Philippines is also an investment in the future. That is why, if you have just noticed, more and more people are now into real estate investing. Who knows, you can be one of them too.

However, one of the reasons why most homeowners would decline your offer is because you have some issues that you fail to oversee and fix. Of course, homebuyers are also keen when it comes to those matters. Well, to give you an idea, below are the reasons as to why your home isn't selling.

Overpricing the home

When selling a property, always remember that home buyer would overlook an overpriced home. And if you tend to raise the value of your home, it would most likely take you some years before you can successfully sell your home. Of course, who would want to invest in an overpriced home when they can have a property that is affordable enough for them to have without compromising the quality of the place.

Moreover, you have to know that even rich home buyers would also overlook a property that is too expensive without any assurance that they can have what they want. Of course, the value or the price of your home is one of the deciding factors of most homebuyers. That is why you also have to be careful when it comes to deciding on what price your property should have.

Failing to prepare the home before listing

Never list your home online if there are still a lot of home repairs or renovations that you need to do. Well, talking about cleaning, decluttering, repairing, decorating, and other things you need to do to beautify your home. When you don't care about all these things, this can turn-off homebuyers and would decline your offer without any hesitations at all.

The beauty of your property is one of the main factors why home buyers would choose your home. That means the interior and exterior design of your home would matter when selling your home. And when you have such beauty on your home, homebuyers would line up for that.

Not being accommodating for showings

If you want to sell your home, you have to expect that there would be time where you would show your property to your potential homebuyer. And if you are not that accommodating and approachable enough with your clients, they would not like to continue investing in your property. Of course, there are a lot of home sellers who are willing to show their homes.

Additionally, showing your actual home to home buyers can also be one of the deciding factors for them. If they like what they see, then they will most likely invest in your property. But if not, then think about what other things that you miss or fail to see. With that on, you will have an idea on what and what needs to be done to make homebuyers like your property.

Covering up potential issues

This is one of the reasons why home buyers would back out from your offer. People naturally don't like secrets especially when they know they can be involved with that matter. How much more when you deal with home investors? Covering up potential issues such as bad odors, bad foundation, no facilities that can be of use, and other major or minor defect found at the property would cost you a big mistake.

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6 Safety Measures for Living with Older Adults at Home

We always aim for safety and often these can be reflected on how we manage our houses as well. Real estate developers in the Philippines or any elsewhere around the globe are finding comfortable ways for their customers and clients to be safe not only outdoor wise, but also inside their household premises.

If you are living with oldies at home, it is a necessity to keep them safe and away from accidents. Knowing some safety measures would not hurt because after all, safety is a valuable investment and having some precautionary measures at home would not be bad at all.

1.    Check fire escapes at home.

Fire exits are important portions in a house, which can mend or break a life. Seriously, this can help in achieving a safe-zone inside your home by preparing yourselves for the worse. If you are living in one of the Ayala condos or Rockwell townhouses in the Philippines with your senior parents or grandparents, there are allocated fire exits in the building so this is something not to worry about. Make sure you also know the whereabouts and the fire escape plans within the building to keep you noted.

2.    Be organized.

If you are living with older adults at home, make it to a point that your house is not cluttered and that your stuff are not placed anywhere else inside the house. There are designated areas where you can keep your things to avoid the elders stepping into them, like the toys your kids are playing with, or the screwdriver that your husband missed to put back on the toolbox at the basement. By simply following the no-clutter-inside-the-house rule, being safe can also go on its way.

 

3.    Avoid slippery portions at home.

As we all know, most of the elders are often losing some of their very important senses like vision, or are already using support like a walking stick to keep them up. And sometimes, some portions in the house are often neglected, like the slippery areas. With this in mind, it would be helpful to assist them in the process especially in moving around the house. Floors are often causes of accidents due to slippery surfaces but these can be prevented by being too extra careful. Avoid spilling liquid on the floor as well so as not to cause mishaps around the house.

4.    Keep sharp objects.
 

Not only for kids but also for older adults at home. Sharp objects are often neglected and some of the sources of these sharp things are furniture with pointed edges and sharp surfaces. Choose carefully your furnishings and decors to avoid such accidents. You can prefer using leather or soft cased couches or custom-made sofa for your grandparents or senior citizen family members. By having this, it would not only make them more comfortable but would also serve as a relaxed and safe atmosphere, conducive for settling.

5.    Rooms should occupy the first floor.

For most homes with older adults living with them, it has been taken to consideration the amount of energy these senior citizens will be exerting. And by that, it is suggested to have rooms especially made for the elder ones on the first floor of the house to avoid tripping over the stairs. This would also save more time and energy for them to begin with. And when they get much older, it would be easier to move to and fro around the rooms, kitchen, living room area or the garden for that matter, if their bedrooms are just accessible.

6.    Stairs should not be too steep.

Houses with two or three stories are often a pain for some of us, not mentioning the cleaning part, but also the moving-around-the-house portion. And by having this number of stories, means having stairs. Stairs are really okay, as long as you take into consideration your household members living inside your house. Again, senior citizens are to be protected since they are already quite soft-boned and may not be able to carry themselves up the steps.

These are just among the few more safety measures that can go along with while living with oldies at home. But these safety tips do not only apply to them, but merely to everyone inside your home sweet home. Just keep in mind the basics and everything will follow.

Real Estate Talk: Designing Your Property Interiors

Colors bring life to a blank canvass; same as what furniture does to a house.  Starting with a bare unit from real estate properties in the Philippines would mean a lot of work. This is how crucial interior designing is in real estate developing and learning the know-hows and whatnots in this industry or just maintaining the art of your space, might spark an interest in you.

You might be living in a high-rise condo unit somewhere in Manila or in one of the top real estate developers in the Philippines, and styling your house would be a tedious job if you do not know how to do it, and you would have yourself hire an interior designer if that is the case.

In this article, will be some insights to be learned on how you could do makeovers and create a look that you desire for your homes, offices and the like! We will be sharing to you some suggested decorations, designs and styles that might help you in coming up with the best ideas for your interiors as we go on.

Wall Decors

Wall decors are pieces of art that are very common in every blank room. Frames, mirrors, plaid designs or even artworks could add an accent to your home! From the size of your wall decors to your centerpieces, it is important to have a look that you wanted to achieve to suffice the theme of your choice. With this, it also means allowing you to create the feel of your home with regard to your personality by adding a touch of it!

Bookshelves

These can always go with just anything in the house! But it does also means that you can tweak a design for your bookshelves depending on the theme of your house or how you would a room to look like. Bookshelves are strategic design items, which can be of great help in accentuating your place.

Tables and chairs

These are one of the crucial items to be displayed at home and choosing better tables and chairs to suit your style should be well thought of.  Say for example, you are aiming for an elegant design with a touch of modern look; you can look for items online for inspiration or manage to ask your interior designer where you can buy those Caribbean-inspired items to complete the whole design that you are aiming for.

Kitchen

This is just one of the many important spots at home and where you will usually be spending a lot of time cooking and brewing your recipes for the family. But to make the feel more refreshing, you can tweak and add some designs to your kitchen area such as your dishwashers, your sink and your cabinets to a whole new level.

Bedrooms

This is one of the many favorite places to design and perhaps one of the easiest yet tedious areas at home that needs attention to details! Bedrooms are our private rooms and this is where we usually spend our time relaxing and filling ourselves with the comfort that we need from a day’s tiring work. To tweak this, you can choose linens that will go with the design of your bed and room. Color matching is also important since it can add up to the mood of the room.

Living Rooms

The heart of the house, the living room is one of the best places to hangout with your family and friends. It is important that you can manage to have a look that is not cluttered and well designed items. Color matching is another important thing to consider topped with the proper decors that would suit your style.

Gardens

Your house could have a tiny garden outside to maintain a balance façade of green and concrete. This can also add a natural and refreshing look for your homes. Just make sure that your gardens are well maintained in order for you to achieve a well-balance look.

Ways to Take Care of Your Properties

Having a lot of assets and investments is such a big responsibility to deal with. And by having responsibilities, means being hands on. Most people nowadays are already devoting their time on real estate properties because of the current trend that is happening in the global market. You might have Philippine properties that needs managing. 

Taking care of your properties is not a walk in the park. Sometimes you have to deliver time and effort in order for you to maintain what belongs to you, or let us say, something that is entrusted to you. It is not easy as counting one to ten, but it can be learned and can be a habit for you to do. It is your investment that we are talking about here anyway.

Here are some suggestions for you to know how to make sure that your properties are in good hands:

Know your surroundings.

By knowing your surrounding means getting yourself cautious on the possible instances of burglary or worst-case scenarios—crimes. We need to have it secured as possible so that these adversaries would not happen. These incidents can be avoided by having security measures such as security guards, CCTV cameras around your place and knowing a nearby police headquarter, just in case.

Do not leave your valuables unattended.

A very common statement often neglected by a lot of people. And by valuables, this does not only go to individuals who have high-tech gadgets, 5-number priced bags, but also to properties such as condominium units that are on five star locations. It is important to have these possessions secured and kept-an-eyed for.

Have your placed insured.

Every owner should know about this. And it is one essential move anyone should know if you want to keep your properties safe and protected.

Keeping it clean.

Owning a property do not only need to have safety measures, but also the need of keeping it clean. Having a regular cleaning session not only maintains the orderliness of the place (say for example a condo unit you are staying in) but also gives an impression that it has been taken cared of. By upholding this trait, this also reflects on how the owner treats his or her possessions.

There are still quite a lot of methods on how you can take care of your properties and it is important to practice these measures to ensure that your assets are in good shape.

Disclaimer: All images courtesy of Google images.

The Pros and Cons of Renting a Place To Stay

Is Renting An Apartment a Good Decision?

This predicament is often understood as a money-based question since it obviously involves cash out. And perhaps, a good answer to that depends on how bad you needed a place to stay. We never know you might able to find a condo in Philippines.

Now, let us narrow down the pros and cons of renting an apartment, which might just actually give you some hint of what to decide upon.

Advantages

1.    It is cheaper.

Living in an apartment is a cheaper bet than living in a high-rise condominium. You can even have the place by your own without any trouble.  Or you can even share and split the finances if you come in with some friends. It also allows you to save up on some other things you want.

2.    Maintenance is just a call away.

Some apartments are being maintained by property-owners (lucky for you if you scored one), and it is as easy as dialing the number of the maintenance person to have it fixed for you.

3.    Amenities are inclusive.

Rental apartments often come with facilities (such as a pool, a tennis court, etc.) and services (e.g. laundry services) and they are to be exhausted by you! A thing, which is good, because you will no longer have yourself looking for some of these when they at your arms reach! Some rental apartments are even furnished with appliances such as stoves, refrigerators, or even dishwashers and or dryers. Sweet!

Somehow, there are also downsides of living in and renting an apartment. Here are some of the following:

  

Disadvantages

1.    Privacy is an issue.

If you are living in a rental apartment and have the cost split with a friend (for finances sake), chances are, you can be deprived of the privacy that you needed. You will share a common CR (if that is what is available in the apartment you got), a common mess hall, kitchen and where else. You are also welcomed by noise, such as the noise of your friend’s TV on the other room or the sound of him groaning while asleep.

2.     Parking space is limited.

If you happen to own a car, well, lucky for you. Or let us say you are fortunate enough to own one yet having it might give you a problem while looking for a parking space. This might be one cause for you to get irate for it can really consume your time and would have you compete with someone who is also looking for a free space. May the odds be ever in your favor.

3.    It can sometimes affect your budget.

Especially if the owner of the apartment you are staying in, decides to increase the monthly rental. This would really leave you spending more in a month (not mentioning the other bills that you are going to pay).

4.    Pets are not allowed.

Some apartment rentals or units implement no-pets-allowed policy. So it would be difficult to find a place for you and your pets, if you are living with your favorite dog or furry cats as companions. It even becomes for lonesome and boring for you.

5.    It is not permanent.

Living in a rented place can never be permanent. So it will still leave you on deciding whether buying and owning your own place is a good idea, especially if you are looking forward to long-term options such as a house and lot for you and your future family.

There you have it! These are just some simple tips you should know for yourself and by knowing these advantages and disadvantages will eventually have you thinking a couple of times on what to decide upon. Hope this has been of help and have made you do a worthwhile decision! 

Disclaimer: All images courtesy of www.google.com/images.