Queens Homeowners: 3 Reasons WHY Painting Your Floors is Not Completely Insane

If you are like most home owners, you avoid getting any paint on the floor. But, what if you could take your floor and create a master piece to amplify any room? What if I told you that painting your floor is not crazy.

Ian Alexander's Reasons Why Painting Your Floor Isn't Crazy: 

Style

The traditional look is a nice stained floor. Right now, mid-tone gray is in. Before that was cherry and espresso. Before that in the 70's carpets were all the rage. As much as traditionally stained floor can look amazing, sometimes a nontraditional color can really make the room pop. 

TIP: Try to use warm and cool tones. 

Let's just face the facts: sometimes the hard wood look does not go with the style of your house.

It's Really Retro

When we say retro we mean 1800 Victorian home retro. Victorian inspired homes have painted floors. It gives most spaces a wonderful look. You can find painted floors in old farmhouses, Victorian Mansions, and on English Estates. Before you write this idea off completely, if your home has a rustic look or if your home has an elegant posh look. THIS TECHNIQUE COULD BE FOR YOU! 

It's Practical

When it comes to sanding your floors and getting it ready to be stained it requires a lot! Dust will get everywhere and let's face it... renting that huge sander is no easy feat. Not to mention the endless vacuuming to get rid of all the dust before staining. Painting your floor is as easy as buying the paint, Moving your furniture, trimming the edges of your wall with tape and going at it. 

It's a much lighter and quicker job. If you are an experienced painter you can blow through this project in about a day depending on the condition of your floor.

Queens Homeowners: Cut your electric bill by nearly $700

What could you do with an extra $500-$950 per year? Would you save up for a weekend get away? Buy your kids the Christmas gifts they've been asking you for all year?

Saving money and home ownership go hand in hand. For most who live on a budget, it's important to cut corners and save where you can. Here are 8 ways you can save some money without  sacrificing much convenience:

Shut It Down

Ever thought about moving into Queens or Brooklyn? 

Not in the room? Lights off! 

When you decide to leave a room or retire for the night turn off all the power strips and lights in a room when not in use. You can get the kids involved by having a points and rewards system. When the habit's in place it would be impossible to not be conscious of it moving forward. 

Countdown timers or Smart lights

Alexa, turn off all the lights in the house! Yes, with technology that allows you to avoid the hardship of actually flipping a switch it should be easier. An alternative to this is motion sensor lights and countdown timers. 

Tip: With motion sensor lights, make sure your moving every so often, nothing is worse than being in the dark on the porcelain throne. 

SAVING ESTIMATE: $100-$300 per year

Heating and Cooling Hacks

Strategically use windows

-Install heavy drapes on your sunny windows. This will allow you to keep the sun out on hot days and help keep the cold out on winter days. 

Install a couple ceiling fans

-Installing a ceiling fan yourself isn't an easy task, but it has a large payoff. Spin the blades downward in the summer to promote cool air flow through your home. Run the blades clockwise during the winter to push warm are through your space. 

Fine tune that thermostat

-Yes, most people do this but it is worth mentioning again. During the winter turn the heat up when home and turn it down 10-15 degrees before bed and/or when at work. You can also apply that to air-conditioning in the opposite manner. 

Estimated Savings: 5-30% of yearly electric bill! 

 

Minimize Hot Water Use

Stop overusing that dish washer

Use your dishwasher only when you have a nearly full load! No more than once a day if necessary. Let's not be lazy you can rinse out your cereal bowl.

Wash clothing in cold water

With the strong cleaning properties of contemporary detergents, it's not shocking that they perform very well in cold water. If you have clothing that requires a hot water wash place them together and wash them together when needed.  

Fine tune the water heater

Lower your water temperature to 120 degrees F. As a plus, this technique can help you avoid hot water accidents. 

Estimated Savings: $100-$250 per year

So, that is how you can save money by being conscious of your energy consumption. Not only are you saving your pockets but you are helping the planet by leaving a small carbon foot print. What are some ways you save money?  

Small New York Apartment? So What?

Welcome to New York! We are known for our art scene, culture, and amazing sky scrapers. We are also known for obnoxiously small living conditions. So whether you are a student, dreamer or minimalist these tips can turn any small space into a functional pad. Save money on that storage unit – your rent or mortgage is high enough. 

Here are 5 must do's if you are moving into a small apartment. 

 

 

1. Murphy Beds Are Back! 

So Murphy beds can run you a pretty penny. If you're someone who loves a DIY project this might be a perfect way to maximize your space. Some Murphy beds feature extra storage and its always a nice conversational piece. 

2. Space Saving Furniture is All the Craze! 

Who wouldn't love a seat that can make a space look homie and also store extra things. There are amazing companies out there that not only craft beautiful furniture but also make space saving solutions that really help people save space. 

3. Wall mounting and Shelves Are Your Friends.

Get Professional Advice

So when it comes to small apartments utilizing wall space can be the difference between being on the cover of Homes and Gardens or being on the show Hoarders buried alive. 

Closets should be utilized to full capacity.    

4. Let Go! Craigslist, Poshmark or E-Bay the Excess Away.  

Ladies and Gentleman there is something called the 80/20 rule. You wear 20% of your closet 80% of the time. So, it might be time to get rid of that summer dress or shirt you wore to that party once 3 years ago. 

I get it! The shirt or blouse was $60. So why not make some of that money back? Create a little online shop or donate to people who might wear the piece you've neglected for years. Create an account at the following online bidding sites. Happy selling!   

5. Scan All Your Documents. 

Scan everything! 

Nothing takes up more space than clutter and loose papers. In this age of technology it has never been easier to keep all your forms and documents on a cloud or external hard drive.

Here are some recommendations for some technologies that are cheap or free to help you declutter that desk.

RECOMMINDATIONS:

 Tiny Scanner: DOWNLOAD APP

Neat Scanner: BUY NOW

External Hard Drives: BUY NOW

Drop Box: GET A FREE ACCOUNT

So there you have it! Those are five ways to maximize your small place. You do not have to sacrifice your quality of life just because your apartment is 500 Square Feet. For more tips on organizing and maximizing please follow Home Organizing by Alejandra.tv. She has many amazing tips that can help you stay organized and fully utilize the space you have.  

What are some tricks you use to organize a small space? Let us know in the comments.

Happy Organizing!