7 Quick Tidy Tips that Make a Big Impact

With the holidays upon us, I know many will host guests or holiday parties and may even have some drop-in visitors. If you've got someone dropping by last-minute (as my inlaws often do), then you might only have 5 or 10 mins to do a quick tidy up before they arrive after receiving a call from them that they're on their way. Let's face it, nobody's home is immaculate 24/7 unless they have a housekeeper on staff full time or they never get out to enjoy life.

Here is a list of  tips that take very little time but make a big visual impact in your home.

7 QUICK TIDY TIPS

1. Make Your Bed- Nothing looks messier than an unmade bed. Of course you can always just shut the door but it does make a huge difference in how you feel about your home even on a daily basis. A made bed instantly makes any bedroom look neater.

2. Gather Loose Items- If you grab a bin or basket and can round up kids' toys, magazines, and any other odd items laying around the house, they'll be much easier to grab vs. holding them in your arms. This way you can quickly deliver the items back to their designated areas or if you're really pressed for time, you can stash them in a bedroom closet and put the items away after your drop-in guest leave.

3. Load it Up- Any kitchen instantly looks neater by moving the dishes from the sink to the dishwasher. The trick is to make sure day-to-day that you never let the dishes pile up excessively or your dishwasher may not have enough room.

4. Fridge Facelift- Many fridges often have various papers taped to the front doors as well as  loads of magnets on the sides and front as well. As a Professional Home Stager this is one of the first things I recommend to my clientsfor their showings. It's quick and easy and makes a dramatic difference.

5. Fluff the pillows- If you're having a short drop-by visit, the guests are likely to use the bathroom and the living room area as well as kitchen. Focusing on these areas is best, the sofas and chairs need to be fluffed/plumped up as do the pillows so they look neat and inviting. Any blankets or throws should either be stored away or neatly draped over the edge of the chair or sofa.

6. Beautify your Bathroom- The same tip that held true for rounding up items in your home is true for the bathroom. Keep all personal care items, toothbrushes, prescription meds out of sight. If you have a lot of items, round them up in a basket and place them in your linen closet where you can later put them back neatly, if you're pressed for time. You can also use storage baskets to gather these items and place them on a bathroom shelf or under the sink. Be sure to draw the shower curtain and change out the hand towels for a new, clean set. Also,  make sure there is a full roll of toilet paper and some hand soap.

7.  Toss theTrash- Any visible and non-visible trash cans should be emptied from the bedrooms, bathrooms, office and kitchen and taken to the garage's main trash bin. This eliminates odors from kitchen scraps and instantly neatens the room. Nobody likes to look at a full trash can or worse, try to put their garbage into one that is about to overflow. Light a few scented candles and place them in rooms such as the living room, kitchen and bathroom or a hall console table to freshen up and add additional warmth to your home. You can also open a few windows for 5-10 minutes to eliminate stale air.

These of course are not meant to be 'cleaning' tips but rather quick tidy-up and de-cluttering  tips that can be used everyday in conjunction with an already clean home. I will be posting some holiday clean-up schedules in the coming weeks as many prepare to entertain.

For more great cleaning and tidying tips, visit our previous posts on keeping a clean car , keeping a clean fridge  and cleaning with natural ingredients.

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Re-gifting Etiquette

What percentage of people do you believe re-gift? You might be surprised to know that a recent study revealed that 67% of all people have re-gifted at some point in their life. Another interesting fact is that the most popular way to re-gift is to pass along the items to co-workers at Christmas time. About 40% do just that!

At one point, re-gifting was considered to be a huge faux pas and done in poor taste. Today, however, it has become widely acceptable in our modern society. Blame it on the economy or the green movement, but people are determined to save their hard-earned money and keep items out of the landfills too. It's a nice way to make use of unwanted gifts that are perfect for someone else you may know that would appreciate or enjoy it more. Sometimes a return is impolite or just not possible and this is a suitable alternative. I do realize this option isn't for everyone and many are uncomfortable with the idea f re-gifting for various reasons.

If you do plan on re-gifting this year, here are some guidelines:

1. Keep a Log Book- First off, to avoid uncomfortable situations, be sure to keep a small log book to note who gave you what so you don't give the same gift back to the person who gifted it to you to begin with. That would be incredibly embarassing. This also allows you to think of your circle of family and friends so you can ensure that nobody close to the gift recipient may recognize it. If you are not 100% sure of who gave you the gift, do not regift that particular item.

2. Pristine Items Only-Under no circumstances should you ever give a gift that was used or opened. All items need to be in immaculate condition and in their original packaging also. You wouldn't want to receive a used present or a gift in banged up packaging, and neither will your recipient. Be sure to keep all 'regift' items in a special closet or bin and ensure everything is kept clean and free from dust also. If you are giving a book of any kind or jewelery, make absolutely sure it was never inscribed. That would be awkward for both you and the recipient.

3. Shop Mindfully-You should use the same selection process when shopping through your own gift closet as you would if you were in a store. Be sure that the gifts you choose for your recipient show thoughtfulness and are geared especially to their hobbies, interests or preferences. For example if your friend hates green and you give her a green scarf, that won't be well received. Don't give a gift so you can de-clutter your guest bedroom closet. The gift must be useful for the person who will receive it.

4. Be Honest- If the recipient asks you point blank if it was a re-gift, don't lie. Let them know that it was hand selected for them because you knew they'd like it for "x" reasons. If money is tight for you, be honest and also let them know that you really wanted to give them a special gift but were short on cash. I'm sure they'll understand. Know that 99.9% of the time nobody will ask you this question, as asking the very question is a bit rude and distasteful.

5. Make it Special- Wrap it up in some pretty paper or a gift bag also in pristine condition (it is never okay to give any gift-purchased or regifted-in a crushed or used looking gift bag). Be sure to check the tags on the bag too to make sure it doesn't contain old names on the "to" and "from" areas. You'll want to write a card to go along with your gift where you can perhaps write a brief line or two about why you chose such a gift for your friend or family member.

6. Inappropirate Gifts- You might have a closet full of re-gift items just ready to unload but you are far better off to show up empty handed and send an appropriate gift later then to just bring any old thing along for the sake of showing up with a gift. Put yourself in the recipients shoes. How would you want to be treated?

7. Have Fun!-Enjoy preparing such a gift as much as you would heading to the mall and shopping for hours. Be confident in your decision to re-gift and don't let other people's opinions on the subject make you feel bad. If you truly believe the gift comes from your heart and you are perhaps a little low on cash, do what makes you happy. Remember, the new modern manners and etiquette of today do not turn up their nose on this subject just so long as it is done tastefully and discreetly.

8. What NOT To Regift-You're probably wondering if there are any exceptions to the regifting rules. There are several types of items that you shouldn't regift. Many items are perishable such as lotions, perfumes, and other bath products. If they have turned color or the consistency has changed they are not only unsuitable for giving but they need to go into the trash.This is where using a log book comes in handy because you can add the received date for the gift. Likewise family heirlooms, expensive jewelry, travel souvenirs, items with corporate logos or any type of outdated or unusual DVD's, VHS tapes, CD's or books.

While regifting is popular during the holiday season, you can also do the same for other occasions like birthdays or baby showers where you may have been given a duplicate item that never got opened or used. As long as you follow the guidelines above, your gift recipient should be just as thrilled to open your gift as they would one from someone else and you keep money in your pocket and find a home for a useful item that simply didn't work out for you.

So you must be wondering by now if I regift, given that I've just dedicated a whole blog post to the subject. The truth is that I sometimes do. I don't go out of my way to make everyone's Christmas gifts re-gifts, obviously that would be ridiculous. I do however from time-to-time receive gifts from well meaning family, friends or acquaintances that just aren't my personal preference. They are items I'll never use that would otherwise sit on a shelf and eventually wind up in the trash (if it was perishible) or donated to a charitable organization. I do donate items also when I don't feel they might be appropriate for anyone I know. The majority of the time I use my re-gifts for white elephant exchanges where it is generally very acceptable and the whole point of the event is for fun, often the very enjoyment comes from gag type gifts or themed gifts. I just have fun with it and am happy when I can save some money and keep our planet as green as possible.

Beyond the monetary aspect, in general I just believe people have too much stuff. There is a whole lot of excessive manufacturing taking place to produce new items which pollute our planet, which is completely unnecessary. If we'd all just take better responsibility for what we buy and bring into our homes and what we do with the items we never had a use for (which were gifted to us), then we'd all be better off all around.

What are your thoughts on re-gifting? Have you ever re-gifted? Fill out our anonymous poll on the upper left hand side bar and also see what fellow readers have voted on too. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

To Regift or Not to Regift?

That is the question of the day!

With the holidays quickly approaching and a dip in the economy, everyone is trying to make their money stretch further. Many that have never even considered regifting before are planning to do so this year for the simple fact- it saves money. Some also like the idea of being green and recycling vs. having an item go to the landfill.

We want you to cast your vote. On our left hand side bar at the top of this page we are running an anonymous poll to get your feedback on this very subject. There will be a featured post on this topic this Wednesday, so pop back over to check it out!

For those of you who are regifting to save money this year and are interested in more money saving tips this holiday season, you can visit these posts for more great info:

1. How to Save Money While Dining Out
2. Fabulous Free Finds
3. Freebie- Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Cookbook

Have you ever regifted? How long have you been doing it for? Have you ever received a gift from someone else and you just knew it was a regift?  How did you know? I'd love to hear from you!

Black Friday Shopping Starts Early

Do you get up before the crack of dawn and brave the mayhem with a list in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other? Do you peruse the web in search of rock-bottom prices and send out family members accordingly, or do you simply say 'no' to post-Turkey activities and get some much needed zzzzz's? Yes, we're talking about black friday.

My hubby and I have participated every year in what I refer to as freaky friday. Since I've only lived in the U.S. now for 3 years it was something new to me. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated in October (on Columbus day), so this crazy post-Thanksgiving event doesn't even exist. However, here's a bit of trivia-Boxing Day (Dec.26th) is the biggest shopping day in Canada. For all of those people whose gift was money in a card-that is the day they wait for!

I do like the idea of getting great deals before Christmas day, but to date the only real deal I got was 2 years ago, it was a Cricut machine and I was the first person in line at Michael's which my hubby thought was nuts. He came along and waited with me in the car for safety reasons since it was dark and the parking lot was empty. It was actually a present from him to me as it was on the top of my list.

One year we headed to BestBuy for a digital camera that had been gone long before we even made it inside the building. Another year we bought a bike from Walmart and as soon as I tested it in their parking lot, squeeky brakes and all, I realized it wasn't the right bike for me. So- nothing overly fruitful.

This year will be a little different and a first for me, I will be working amidst the craziness at Target. (I picked up some seasonal hours for fun and of course a little cash that I can put into my savings account.)Thank God I'm not starting at 4:30am like many of my fellow colleagues! With the state of the economy, I believe this year will have a lot of doorbusters as companies try to capitalize on the day. Ads are also circulating earlier this year.

For all of you who DO have shopping on the horizon click HERE and HERE for 2 great websites dedicated specfically to this event. They have alphabetized lists which provide the black friday ad for each store (once it's available)-many are up already! 

Here are a few basic tips if you are new to this shopping extravaganza:

1. Start very early
2. Wear very comfortable clothes and shoes
3. Bring a friend for safety reasons and so you can help each other with your lists, besides it's no fun to shop alone.
4. Leave your Kids at Home. They may get trampled, you may be shopping for them and besides they'll be exhausted after about an hour.
5. Stay within your Budget. No matter how good a deal is, it's not worth getting in to debt over. What starts as $100 could turn into thousands after months of accumulated interest.

For those of you that didn't know, many stores allow you to shop online the day of, so no need to get dressed and head into the crowds, you can buy what you like from the comfort of your own home.

What is the best deal you've scored on Black Friday? I love to hear about deals and money savings, so leave us a comment!

How to Be the Perfect House Guest

Have you ever had family or friends stay with you that were so irritating you wished you could just tell them how you felt or wished they would go home? Perhaps you were that house guest at some point without even realizing it. Staying in another person's home is not always the most comfortable or enjoyable experience at times, even if you're staying with those that you know well.  If you're new to staying in another person's home you might be left wondering what your role is.

In last week's post, we looked at etiquette for hosting house guests, just in time for the holiday season.

Below are some tips on how to be the kind of house guest that your host will truly be sad to see go.

House Guest Etiquette

1. Write a List- While a friend or family member probably wouldn't mind sharing a hair dryer with you or letting you borrow their tube of toothpaste, this could become annoying over the course of a week to share various items. The best bet is to make a list several days before you pack your bag(s) adding new items as you remember them and cross off each item as you put it into your bags. This way you'll avoid having to run to a local store to pick up toiletries or constantly asking your friend to use their floss, etc. For larger items like hairdryers, if you'd don't have a tiny travel version you might want to ask our host about that beforehand. They may have an extra or tell you not to worry.

2. Be Thoughtul- Just as I shared in the hosts' etiquette tips, you might want to do something special or thoughtful to let your host know you appreciate them having you in their home. It may be a bottle of wine, a thoughtful card or handmade gift or it may be a dinner out on the town, add that to your list and do forget to bring that item along if it needs to be packed. While hosts don't generally expect anything in return, they do go to a lot of effort cleaning and preparing their home and a room for their guests and it's nice to feel appreciated. One area to be mindful of is when booking your flight/train ride or arrival that you try as best as you can to make it during the hours of 8am-10pm. Arriving at midnight, especially during a weeknight can be exhausting if your host has to pick you up.

3. Don't Do Anything You Wouldn't Do in Your Home- This probably sounds obvious but say for example you need to take off your mascara and you're provided with a lovely white washcloth. You probably wouldn't use that in your own home for fear of staining the cloth. Ask you friend for a darker cloth or be sure to wash it off really well before using the white towels. One exception is putting your feet up in someone's home, especially on a coffee table is a no-no. No matter if you do it in your home or not, it's not respectful. Be sure to ask your host about wearing shoes in the house and what their policy is. Don't smoke on their property without asking where it is acceptable to do so.

4. Clean Up- Regardless of how neat you like to keep your home, it is important and will show respect if you make it a habit to tidy up after yourself whether it be making your bed in the morning, hanging your towel up after a shower and putting away your toiletries or putting away item used in the kitchen. The last thing you want to do is make extra, unnecessary work for your host. in fact, if you have a little time your host would be overjoyed if you did the few dished in the sink, loaded the dishwasher or tidied up the shoe area in the front hall. Anything you can do to show you care and can make their life easier will mean more to them then you know. If you happen to break, spill or ruin something, make sure you get to it right away and let your host know. It's never a good idea to try to cover up something that's been damaged.

5. Do it for Yourself- If there is anything that you can do for yourself such as make you own breakfast, make coffee for everyone in the morning or do your own laundry, do it. You don't want to overwhelm your host with trivialities. If your host has not given you free reign and declared 'mi casa es su casa' then ask politely if you can make coffee for everyone vs. taking initiative. If your host hasn't told you to make yourself comfortable and grab what you need, they may have forgotten or may have a preference for who does what in their home. If you see them preparing dinner though, jump in and help them. If you ask them if they need help, they'll likely say "no".

6. Keep Comments to Yourself- You may be staying with a couple, your parents or complete strangers. Whatever the situation, it's always a good idea to try to mind your own business. If there is a marital tiff or a couple asks you for your opinion in a joking way, let them know you don't want to get into the middle. If you disagree with the way your sister parents her children, or perhaps there is a funky smell coming from the fridge or you don't like what is being served for dinner, do not comment. Just remember that while you may do things differently, you're only a guest for a few days and then you can home and do things as you wish.

7. Departure- While wine is a gift best given the first day of your trip upon arrival, a card along with something you've brought from home or a beautiful bouquet of flowers you picked up locally would be a wonderful way to thank your host and give them something goregous to remember your visit by. If your host played 'tour guide' to you in their home town, or you spent your days sightseeing together, you might even want to put together a cute and inexpensive little photo book and mail it to them afterwards. You can always email them your best digital photos, just be sure to include some of you together. If you were having so much fun that you forgot to even leave a card, be sure to mail one out as soon as you get back home.

Click HERE for some great hostess gift ideas for a dinner party or your next in-home stay so you can be a grateful guest.

Have your house guest experiences been good? What things did your guests do to either really suprise you, annoy you or elate you? Leave a comment!

Thanks for reading!

XO

Etiquette for Hosting House Guests

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Do you enjoy hosting guests and entertaining or do you feel like you'd rather chew your own arm off? From anyone I've asked, I find they either love it and cannot wait until their next in-home gathering to show off their skills or they simply dread preparing for and hosting others in their home. Some are excited to see their guests but simply don't enjoy all of the cleaning and tiresome preparations that go into entertaining and hosting, which I can certainly understand. It's no wonder many exhale a big sigh of relief when their guests depart.

Many have voted on our poll and asked for more posts on manners and etiquette, so I wanted to focus on how to be a great host as the holiday season will be filled with these opportunities.

Whenever I do have house guests I like to go out of my way to make sure that their stay will feel like home to them. A place to feel cozy and that they want to return to. I have been a house guest myself many times and it has been rare that I truly feel at home or comfortable. If you are entertaining this holiday season and find yourself putting up family or friends, here are some great tips so that you'll make them feel welcome and shine as a great host!

1. Prepare Them Before They Arrive-If you live in a small home or have limited bedroom space available, don't feel the need to give up your own bed. However, if they'll be sleeping on an airbed or pull-out sofa in the middle of your livingroom without privacy, be sure to mention it to them beforehand so they can pack proper sleep attire and earplugs or an eye mask if necessary. Find out any flight or train details so you can pick them up when they arrive and greet them (if it is possible) which is most preferable or let them know about the nearest rental car agency if they need to grab a car or a cab, etc.

2. Pick Up- If you are picking guests up upon arrival, you'll want to help them with their luggage into the car if you are fit to do so. After a long flight or train ride where travelers are exhausted, this would be a sweet gesture. Greeting guests at an airport gate is a lovely idea but not always practical with airport parking fees and the extra time it takes. If your guests are travelling within the same country, it is perfectly acceptible to drive up to the arrivals baggage claim door. However, if it is a long lost relative, someone elderly or a friend travelling on a long flight halfway around the world, a gate greeting with some flowers would be most appropriate.

2. Lay Down Some Basic House Rules-If you do not smoke in your home, be sure to let those that do know where they can go to light up-the garage, the front porch, end of the driveway, etc. For those that do not wear shoes in their home (as we do in our home), be sure to communicate that to your guests in a lighthearted way when they arrive. You may want to provide some slippers, especially in the colder months. If there are several people sharing a bathroom, be sure to show each guest which one it is and allow them to work out a schedule for themselves. To make things easier for you, let them know that your house is their house. This way they can take initiative to make their own coffee early in the morning, or make themselves a snack so you don't feel like you are doing everything.

3. Making it Clean and Cozy- This is one of the most important areas I consider when entertaining. While everyone's home is different, there are many little things you can do to make their room feel like home while visiting. Here are a few:

• Clean & Fresh-Be sure that all bedding and sheets are fresh for each house guest you have. I have slept at a home once where the pillowcase didn't smell clean and it was not only gross but I didn't sleep well that night. Needless to say, I now carry my own clean pillowcase when I stay in someone's home. Also make sure the room is clean too, vacuumed and free of dust or dirt of any kind. If the room is rarely used be sure to clean under the bed and also wash any drapery to remove excess dust. Keep a small trash bin inside the room as well as in the bathroom for your guests so they don't have to hunt for one. Likewise, keep some rolled, clean towels and a face cloth for your guests at the foot of the bed and let them know where to locate extras.

• Reading Materials-Many guests don't sleep well in a new place, so to keep an insomniac happy, provide a few magazines and a few books that would be of interest. Keep a stack on top of or on a shelf of the nightstand. Be sure that there is a nightstand lamp so they can actually read without having to get up to turn the light on and off. Nightlights in the halls will help your guest find their way to the bathroom and kitchen at night.

• Midnight Snacks- At our house, I like to provide a little box of sweet treats or gourmet chocolates and bottled water with a glass and place it directly on the nightstand for midnight snacking. If your home is more dry or warm than your guest is used to, this may soothe a dry throat or keep them hydrated after a flight also. It also prevents the clanking of glasses and the sound of cabinet doors closing as they hunt for what hey need while you are trying to sleep.

• Climate Control-If you like to keep the AC to a minimum in the summer months and do not have a ceiling fan installed in the guests room, have a fan on hand to keep their room cool. Likewise, provide extra blankets or possibly a small room heater in cooler months.

• Toiletries-Be sure to keep some extra toiletries on hand for your guests as it's easy to forget something while packing. If you have some travel size bottles of shampoo, conditioner or body wash, lay them out on top of a fresh folded towel for your guest or place them in a little basket with other bath items that may be useful to them. Toothpaste seems to be a common item that gets left at home if they share with a spouse so be sure to keep some extra on hand. Another item to provide is a hair dryer, they are heavy and many people forget them, be sure to provide a regular or travel size dryer for them. Irons and ironing boards may be needed so let your guest know where they can find them.

• Something Special- Do something a little different to make your guests' visit memorable. I always like to write a personal handwritten card welcoming my guests that are staying, noting that I'm looking forward to our time together. It's something a little extra, but it makes people feel welcomed into your home. Another simple touch is to place a photo of you and your guest from years gone by in a frame in the room where they'll be staying. Fresh flowers are also a nice addition. You could buy your guests' favorite flowers or simply buy a mixed bunch and separate each individual smaller grouping of flowers into smaller vases and place some in their bedroom and some in the guest bathroom as well.

4. Entertainment- Depending on the nature of your guests' visit, you may or may not be showing them around town or acting as entertainment director. If you are working or not able to show them around and they are simply staying in your home, be sure to find some web links and bookmark them on your computer or print them off some info. If you can get your hands on some tourist info such as maps and activities, that will make their life much easier.

If you are going to be showing them around, be sure to prepare those plans in advance and find out admission times and prices to local venues and plan out which restaurants they may enjoy. Entertaining others can be expensive so keep your budget in mind and give them some options of what is available. If they are interested in some attractions that are outside of your price range, be upfront with them and let them know you'd love to spend time with them and see such attractions but that they aren't financially feasible for you. They'll understand and may even offer to pay for your admission or will agree to something less pricey.

5. Meals- Do not feel that because you are the host that it is your responsibility to cook constantly for everyone. If it is part of your routine and you enjoy it then by all means go for it, however if it isn't perhaps you can cook one meal for everyone on one particular evening or agree to go out to a restaurant. Leave the rest of the time for your guests to figure out meals on their own. Breakfast is generally simple and can easily be provided by having a couple boxes of cereal on hand, juice, fruit and some yogurt or some granola bars for those that are on-the-go. Do make sure your fridge is stocked with necessities so you can pull something together for lunch if you need to or if your guest needs to make a sandwich, but it is not your job to fund all of their meals or groceries unless you so desire.

6. Departure-If you are available to drop guests off at the airport, it is a nice departure and I highly recommend it. If, however, you are working or are not available at the hour they are leaving, just be sure to provide a snack for the road and see them off with a smile and let them know how much you enjoyed their visit. Provide a spare key to be left in the mailbox or under a mat if you will not be around when they leave, so they can lock up.

If your guests are leaving at an unsensible hour such as before 6am or after 11pm, you might want to call a cab for them to the airport or see them off with a hug, wave from the doorstep and then head to bed. It will not at all be considered rude that you are not driving them to the airport an hour from your house at 5am. After all, with so many flight times available those are things for your guest to consider while booking their trip.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post on the do's and dont's of being a house guest. In the meantime, you  can read our previous post which offers some great hostess gift ideas and how to be a grateful guest.

Do you have any wonderful memories as a guest in a friend's home or have you experienced any faux pas that a host has done while you've stayed with them? Leave a comment and share your experience. What do you do to make your guests feel special?

Thank you for reading!

XO