Crown molding - Adding a touch of glamor to your home decor

Crown molding is a great way to beautify an ordinary looking home into one that exudes class and style. Crown moldings are typically decorative strips made up of wood, plastic, or fiberboard. These are introduced to any room décor in an effort to camouflage the existing flaws and ugly blotches on the walls or ceilings. The crown molding is therefore similar to a wall decoration which adds a touch of elegance to a room, making it appear more grand and unique.

Crown molding ideas can be retraced to the Roman and Grecian culture where it became vastly popular. Wooden crown molding gained popularity later when craftsmen mastered the art of cutting, sanding, and carving wooden blocks to create masterpieces. Crown molding is affordable and can be implemented in almost any type of room. You can buy the raw materials yourself and get it made professionally by customizing it. What materials you choose for crown molding will largely determine how durable and beautiful it is going to be. Superior quality materials for home furnishing are likely to be far more expensive but are less likely to be damaged.

Home furnishing experts choose crown molding these days because it helps heighten a property's real estate standing. When a property appears visually stunning, chances are buyers will be willing to pay more for it. Simply demolishing walls to give your rooms a spacious look is not enough; instead, this is more expensive and impractical. An easier and economical alternative is using decorative columns and ceiling medallions for your home décor. These home décor ideas are easy to implement and will not cost you dearly.

Buying crown molding online can give you many advantages. This is because you can purchase your decorative columns or door casings or ceiling medallions directly from the maker without having to handle the wholesalers and retailers. They offer you the luxury of customizing your home furnishing ideas and guarantee you good quality materials. Unlike furniture, such decorative columns or ceiling medallions will not occupy unnecessary space, nor will they clutter the room. Besides, they are fire-resistant and help keep away harmful UV rays. Crown molding can be easily maintained and these products seldom rot. Installing them is never a problem and most of the products can be set up by following simple instructions, except ceiling medallions where professional assistance is recommended.

Crown molding can come in various designs like the traditionally classic designs which help add elegance and class to your home décor. Crown molding in the kitchen is similar to ceiling and wall decorations, but the installation process is different. Although challenging, using crown molding is a sure way of giving your rooms that much-needed makeover. It helps give every room a distinct flavor, an aesthetic appeal, a unique personality, and a sophisticated touch.

When choosing the crown molding for your rooms, make sure to choose the right molding depending on the room dimensions and ceiling height. Select the materials that are sturdy, dependable, and weather-proof. The world of home furnishing has undergone a revolutionary change with the advent of crown molding.

by: Walter Mitchell
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_7226.shtml

jaredanthonycox.com

Three steps to an organized garage sale

OK--you finally finished your spring cleaning. You spent days sorting and purging through your belongings. You threw a few things out. You even repaired that old clock you've had for years. But what will you do with everything else you uncovered and discovered? If you're willing to invest some time and energy, why not have a garage sale?

Garage sales are a great way to get rid of the things that you no longer want, need or cherish. But is it as easy as just dumping your stuff on the lawn and waiting for customers to drive by? Not if you want to make any money, it isn't. Besides having decent-quality merchandise, the key to a successful garage sale is being organized.

Here are 3 steps for making your garage sale organized for happy customers and optimal sales:

Step 1 - Pre-Sale Organizing

• Select a weekend for your sale and make no other commitments on those days. You WILL be exhausted. Ask friends and neighbors if they would like to join you. It is a perk to be able to split advertising costs and have someone watch over your area while you're grabbing a snack or running to the bathroom.

• Have you ever been to a garage sale where the items had no prices on them? One way of making 'Garage Sale Day' organized is to create a pricing system. This makes the selling easy for you and the buying easy for your customers. Purchase colored, circle-shaped labels from your neighborhood drug store or office supply store. Designate each color to be a different dollar amount, for example: Blue = $.25, Red = $.50, etc. Use white circle labels to write in prices higher than $1.00. Make signs that describe how much money each colored circle is worth. These should be posted around the area of your garage sale so you don't have a constant stream of people asking you about prices.

• For making your system even easier, you can purchase a package of yellow, circle-shaped labels that already have the amounts $.25, $.50, $.75, and $1.00 written on them.

• Select one area in your home to be the staging area for pricing items and one area (most often the garage or an underutilized room) for storage of the items before the garage sale. Price the items accordingly using the colored, circle-shaped labels. Then move the priced objects into the pre-garage sale storage area. This space will enable you to see exactly what you have and allow you to group like-items together such as books, kitchenware, toys, etc.

•Start saving grocery store bags as well as heavy-duty shopping bags. Your customers will appreciate your preparedness and it will be easier for them to carry their new-found treasures.

• Some of these new-found treasures will be breakable. Start saving newspaper, old wrapping paper and bubble wrap. These packing materials will help your customer get their breakable purchase home in one piece.

• Borrow and gather card tables, crates, workbenches, and other horizontal surfaces for displaying items.

• Make signs and put them up on nearby streets facing oncoming traffic.

• Check with your town regarding permits for having a garage sale.

Step 2 - During-the-Sale Organizing

• Post your pricing system signs around the area of your garage sale.

• Wear clothing with pockets. Pockets come in handy for holding some or your garage sale supplies such as pens, markers, and extra price stickers.

• Wear a fanny pack around your waist. Your money will be close to your body without spilling out of your pockets. The pack should have a minimum of two pouches. Dollar bills go in one compartment and loose change goes in the other.

• Know exactly how much money you started the day with so you'll be able to calculate exactly what you earned.

• Set up your belongings outside by category -all kid's stuff in one area, sports equipment in another area, etc. Group items with other like items to the best of your ability. If a customer is looking for toddler toys and they're all in one place, it's very likely that they'll buy more since everything they need will be right in front of them.

• Have at least one other person working with you. It is difficult to sell merchandise, wrap breakables and field questions by yourself. Take turns helping customers, straightening up the merchandise, and taking breaks.

Step 3 - Post-Sale Organizing

• Bring everything that was not sold into the room that was used as a staging area and make final decisions on whether or not to keep unsold items.

• Throw out anything that became damaged, dirty, or broken as a result of being at the garage sale.

• Donate the 'leftovers' to a charity such as The Salvation Army or the charity of your choice. The Vietnam Veteran's Association will often pick up donated goods at your home.

• Clean your lawn/driveway of any debris from the garage sale.

• Count your money and determine your profit.

• Place your fanny pack, the colored stickers, your pricing signs and other supplies from the garage sale in a container. Label it 'Garage Sale Supplies.' Now you're ready for your next garage sale. Job well done!

by: Stacey Agin Murray

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_5108.shtml

jaredanthonycox.com

'Summer-ize' Your Home to Look and Smell Wonderful in Warmer Weather

(BPT) - The three R's aren't just reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic. In the summer, they refer to "reorganizing," "restyling" and "reviving" your home. It's the perfect time to bring a summery, comfortable feeling to your home's interior. Luckily, you don't need to redo every room or throw out all your furniture to get a wonderful seasonal change. Spend a weekend giving your living spaces a lighter, fresher feel. At the end, you might even think you're on a summer vacation.

Home and lifestyle expert Evette Rios has some simple suggestions that can make powerful impressions throughout your house.

Reorganize

Boost the excitement and va-va-voom in your rooms by moving just a few things around. You'll be amazed at the new looks you can create. Something as simple as changing the angle of your couch and voila - new room! Try this scuff-proof method for moving heavy pieces: Fold two clean towels (dirty ones can scratch floors), place one under each end of the furniture piece, and then slide it across the floor. This might also be the time to incorporate a few white wicker pieces, which will add a summery touch.

Take some time to sort through your linen closet and remove unwanted items. Put old or unused linens into a "giveaway" bag. Store bed linen sets inside one of the pillowcases, and you'll never have to hunt through piles looking for a match. All you'll have to do is grab and go. Want a closet full of freshness? Place a few Gain dryer sheets in with your folded sheets to keep them smelling great.

Restyle

Fresh new accessories can help to brighten up each room in your home. Turn plain lampshades into fabulous ones by adding bright or printed linings that come to life when you flip the switch. You might even want to swap out the art on your walls, adding more colorful pieces that are floral or botanical. If you're feeling really ambitious, consider painting a few walls to add a clean, fresh look to your rooms. Try bold colors you've never had before to really change up the look.

Want to get the kids involved? Turn some drab kitchen aprons into fun "cleaning armor." Give each child his or her own apron to decorate with markers or stickers to wear, and send the kids on their mission to dust, clean windows, organize, etc. They'll love wearing something they decorated themselves. Don't forget to ask their opinions on the changes you're making - you might be surprised at their great suggestions.

Revive

If you're packing away heavy clothes or quilts for the season, ensure they maintain a fresh scent by using new Gain Original Fireworks In-Wash Scent Booster in the wash before you store them. It's safe for use on all colors and fabrics and the freshness lasts up to 12 weeks in storage (just in time to take them out for the fall).

Make your laundry room a place you're not afraid to enter. De-clutter the room by installing a tension rod to hang spray bottles, cleaning supplies and more. You can also decorate the room with your kids' artwork to make it a fun space.

Your summer home makeover doesn't need to be expensive or time-consuming. Ambitious projects might take a little longer, but you'll be pleased at how simple it is to transform some of your rooms from drab to wonderfully fresh. Just don't wait too long - summer doesn't last forever! For more inspiration, visit ILoveGain.com or facebook.com/gain.

http://www.jaredanthonycox.com

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