Volume 2, Number 4 April 2004
Monthly Quote
"A good home must be made, not bought."
-Joyce Maynard (1953- ), "Domestic Affairs," Columnist and Author

Tip of the Month
Are you looking to do your spring cleaning before the beautiful weather gets too difficult to resist? You can make this annual job easier by following these tips before you clean:
Get organized. Making a list of the rooms in your home that you want to tackle, and the tasks to be accomplished within each room, will make the entire job easier. Also, make sure you clean each room fully before moving on to the next on your list.
Take stock. Make sure you have every cleaner, rag and mop you will need before you start cleaning to ensure an easy job with no snags.
Be comfortable. Wear old, comfortable clothes that you will not mind getting soiled. Cleaning itself is a dirty job!
Disconnect. Get rid of any distractions by turning off the television and unplugging the phone. Instead, try listening to some fun, energizing music.
Prepare. Put together a bucket of supplies you can carry from room to room, such as paper towels, furniture polish, an all-purpose glass and surface cleaner and rags. Also, bring a couple of garbage bags along with you. You can use one to carry garbage you find along the way and one to fill with items for charity.
Set the mood. Open the windows wide and let the sun shine in and the fresh air fill your home! The musty smells of winter will disperse and you will protect yourself from inhaling cleaning fumes and dust.
Dos and Dont's When Painting
Your Home's Exterior

Synopsis: "Curb appeal" is a catchphrase that can at times seem overused. However, we the importance of making a good first impression cannot be stressed enough. One aspect of your home that can make a big difference in curb appeal is its color.

A recent National Paint and Coatings Association article espoused just how important the color of your house is for creating curb appeal. Fortunately, the article offered a number of steps you can take in order to ensure the outside of your house is not an embarrassment or a deal-breaker.

Harmonization: Make sure that the color you choose is in harmony with your surroundings. Think about surrounding properties. Although the color of your house does not have to match that of your neighbors, it certainly should not clash. Think about the interior of your house. Ideally, colors should flow from one environment to the next - this same rule applies when you are inside your home. Finally, think about the landscape. You can use the colors of flowers, trees and shrubs found in your garden to help create a pleasing, complimentary color scheme.

Location: Is your property large or small? Is it set back in the lot or nearer the front? Is your house close to your neighbors or is there some distance? These are the type of questions you need to ask when considering whether to use light or dark paint. The general rule of thumb is to choose a lighter color for a smaller home that is set in the back of the lot and is away from neighbors - this creates the illusion that your house is bigger than it is and closer to the front of the lot. You should choose darker colors if you have a big house that is situated on a block where the houses are built in close proximity to one another - this creates the illusion that your house is smaller and set further back.

Age: If your house is older, then you may want to consider painting it a similar color to how it would have originally looked. You may be able to find such information by searching through library and city records. In addition, if your house is registered with the local historical society, you may want to make sure they like the colors you are considering, especially if they have a say in the final decision.

Preparation: There are two final things you can do to ensure a successful paint job. First, you should seek the advice of professional painters. They have seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to choice of color. They will have experience knowing why certain colors appear to work on paper, but when applied to a house, end up looking disastrous. Normally, you will pay no more than a nominal fee, if anything at all, for their professional opinion - something that could save you thousands down the road. Second, you should buy some test pots of your chosen color(s) and paint some test patches. You can then see the colors as they will look on the wall, and you can see them in different lights during different times of the day, and at different angles.

By following these simple rules, any painting decision will be maximized for your own appeal and the appeal of potential homebuyers.