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DIY Pull-Out Pantry

Friday, November 18, 2016
by Scott Darling

Finding hidden storage in the kitchen is always a treat. That’s why we’re sharing “Classy Clutter’s“ rolling pantry, which gives slivers of space new purpose.

Mallory (half of the “Classy Clutter” team) built the portable pantry to fit the 6-inch space between her refrigerator and wall — a common underused place in many kitchens.

The neat thing about this project is that it’s adjustable. You can make it as big or small as you need. And it’s totally DIYable if you have basic skills with a drill, hammer, and screwdriver.

Pull-Out Pantry

Here’s what else you’ll need:

  • Wood boards — Mallory used primed pine (about $15 per foot for 1-inch-by-4-inch)
  • Dowels to hold cans in place ($1.50 for 1/2-inch-by-4 feet)
  • Sheet of beadboard (75 cents per square foot)
  • 4 casters ($3 each)
  • Handle or pull

Mallory has construction details, plus a handy diagram on her post about the project. Her rolling pantry was 64 inches high and 31.5 inches wide, and she only needed seven shelves. (Nine were on the plan.)

The other cool thing with this project is that you can jazz it up as much as you want. Mallory wanted the pantry to match her kitchen décor, so she spray-painted a blue-green chevron design on it, which made a really nice background for spices and soup cans.

Mallory says she got the idea on Pinterest. (We’ve been collecting other great ideas on our Perfect Pantry Projects page on Pinterest.)

Have a Super Fantastic Day! 

Oh, and by the way, I'm never too busy for your referrals.

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Keeping Our Children Safe in This Digital Age

Friday, November 18, 2016
by Scott Darling

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Technology surrounds us in every aspect of our lives, including with this blog; it is always with us especially since it became handheld. Emails are sent and received, topics are searched for, books are written, video conferences are done, and listed homes are viewed online. Our kids aren’t just seeing us constantly be digital but they are becoming more tech-savvy at a younger age themselves, out of necessity in part. Even schools require students as young as lower elementary school to do projects involving computers. As parents we of course want nothing but the best for our children and always want them to be safe, keeping them safe in this digital age can be overwhelming to navigate. As a fellow parent I want to help make this easier for both you and me.

Here are a few tips I think can be helpful in getting started to keep the kids safe.

Set Rules- Give them a set screen time when they can use digital devices and keep that time a constant. Decide what timeframe you are comfortable with beforehand. Create rules or actions if they break the amount of screen time they’re allowed or sites that are okay, e.g. losing the internet for a few days, not watching a show they enjoy, etc.

Be a part of their computer time- Know what sites your kids are visiting and check in on them to be sure they don’t need assistance and to be sure they are on ‘approved by you sites’.  Setting up an ad-blocker can be useful in aiding with younger children who are still navigating the web. Putting up the computer in a common family area like a dining room, living room or basement will make monitoring their online activity easier.

Make them aware- Let them know that things can happen online and to be careful of online encounters (e.g.- bullies, people talking to you that you don’t know, things that they know their parents wouldn’t want them to view, etc.). Telling your children, stressing how significant it is, on a regular basis the importance of protecting their privacy and always being aware and alert of what can go on in the digital world we live in.  Whether it is to understand there are cyber bullies around to the various cybercrimes, password strength and security importance and how identity theft works, or how to identify and handle it and being mindful of online profile.

Parent approved kid-friendly sites- There are sites out there that are parent approved yet kid- friendly and popular. Which still allows them to have fun online and gain experience with technology but they’re still child-safe. Options could include:

As a parent it doesn’t matter where your child goes when it comes to anything digital, when it comes to aiding in keeping them safe remember these guidelines. Teach them the information and awareness, give them guidance, and encourage them. 

A couple of good websites for additional reading: SafeKids (http://www.safekids.com/) & iKeepSafe (http://ikeepsafe.org/parents/). 

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Chester County PA Real Estate Market Trends for October 2016

Friday, November 18, 2016
by Scott Darling

Chester County PA Real Estate Market Trends for October 2016

Chester County PA single family homes saw pending sales increase by 18.25% in October 2016 when compared to October 2015. 494 homes sold in October with a median sales price of $325,000, a 7.69% increase from October 2015.  The average sales price increased by 12.73%, and homes were on the market 1 day fewer.

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How to Eliminate Smells So That Your House Might Sell

Friday, November 4, 2016
by Scott Darling

If you have recently put your house on the market and want it to sell quickly you may need to take a look at a few of these tips on how to eliminate smells so that your house will be more likely to sell. While selling your home quickly may sound good to you, you may not be thinking about exactly how clean your house smells when you have a last minute showing pop up.  If you are caught in a bind with a last minute showing and you need to get rid of a few household odors, be sure to read below for some ideas. 

  1. If you have pets you already know that they have a smell all their own.  Pets that may not be house trained yet may be hard to deal with during a house showing.  If you need to cover up the smell of pet urine quickly there are several ways to go about it.  One way to get rid of pee smell in the carpet is to soak the area with enzyme spray.  Another way to get rid of the smell all together (however it may take a bit longer) is to get rid of the carpet once and for all and put in hardwoods. 
  2. Another way to eliminate smells so that your house might sell is to open up your windows while you are cooking.  If you know you have a showing one night, be sure to keep your windows open while you are cooking with the hood fan on as well.  Another good way to get rid of the smell of a recently prepared meal in your home is to set a bowl of coffee grounds on the countertop over night (if your showing doesn’t happen to be the same evening of course.)  If you don’t want to take any chances of having your dinner linger during the showing you could always just go out to eat for the evening. 
  3. Garbage smell in a home is some of the worst odor possible.  One easy way to get rid of that particular smell is to be sure and take it to the curb before you leave for the showing. 

These are just a few ways that you can get rid of smells in your home  so that your showing might go well and you may be more able to sell your home.  Hopefully they will get you started in the right direction.  

Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.

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