Page 39 - Blog

Baby boomers retiring in droves. The tiny house movement. Downsizing to reduce your carbon footprint. It’s tough to pick up a magazine or read a trend article about how many people are seeking to downsize and simplify their lives.

Whatever the reason, many homeowners are realizing how much money they could save if they have less square footage. (e.g. heating, cooling, electricity, etc.). Most understand that smaller homes help them become more energy efficient and create less pollution.

This is especially important for retirees. According to the Washington Post, 10,000 baby boomers retire each day. Most are active seniors who prefer to spend their money on travel or other things that are important to them. Smaller spaces and less maintenance give them the time and money they need to live life on their own terms.

Downsizing is also becoming popular with millennials who prefer to keep their lives simple and clutter-free. Many of these individuals are part of the “gig” economy where temporary

The family room is one of the hardest rooms in your home to keep neat. The space gets used a lot – and doesn’t usually offer much storage. Some of these spaces have bookcases and a small television console, but let’s face it, there’s not much space for hiding clutter.

This January, it might be a good time to tackle the problem permanently. To do this you need to:

1. Decide what items are absolutely necessary in the space and find a permanent home for each item.

2. Purge those items that aren’t necessary.

3. Assess whether you need to invest in furnishings to keep the space neat and tidy.

The best place to start is to empty your bookcases and television console. Place your items on a temporary table (e.g. card table). Sometimes it’s tempting to just move clutter around, which just transfers clutter around the home and doesn’t deal with the actual substance. Don’t forget the electronics, remotes, gaming systems items, etc.

Get three empty storage bins and label them: Keep. Donate. Toss.

Then,

The holiday season is a time that is supposed to draw out good cheer and compassion toward each other. For some, however, the demands of the holiday season can be overwhelming as more and more tasks get added to already busy schedules.

If you’re feeling the stress, we urge you to take a few moments to yourself and take a deep breath. Then take another deep breath. Then exhale slowly. Let this be a time to celebrate all the things that are right in your world. Focus on the positive and remove things that add stress to your life. Walk away from the smart phone and spend quality time with people you enjoy.

And as 2017 draws to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on the past year and those who have helped to shape our business. It’s been quite a year for us all. We hope that the year has been just as memorable for you and your loved ones. There is no greater joy than an opportunity to reflect on what really matters. May your holidays and New Year be filled with the joy and peace of the season.

If you’re a football fan, no. It’s never too early to think about the biggest game of the year. In fact, many super fans start planning the next Big Game party. More than 111 million people tuned into the 2017 game. It’s one of the most anticipated television events of the entire year. And it’s just a few short weeks away (sure, there’s Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day in between), but if you’re a Super Fan, the wheels are already turning on how to make this year’s Game Day memorable.

First thing on the list? Do you have enough space to host the party this year? Is there a central location where people can watch the game, chat with everyone (or no one) and grab some awesome food? Look at the numbers and scope out the best place in the house to maximize viewership and entertainment.

One way to enhance the Big Game experience is to have your television on a 360-degree swivel – so you can change the viewing with the flip of a switch. What? You can’t do that right now? Have you ever

10,000. That’s how many Baby Boomers will retire every day through 2030, according to a Pew Research Study. For some, it’s the beginning of new adventures. For others, it’s time to downsize and figure out what’s next. And for most people, it’s time to downsize. And yes – I’m in that mode right now.

One of the most difficult things for people who are preparing for retirement is to downsize incrementally, yet it can be the most cleansing part of the process of moving forward. Here are a few tips to consider:

Baby steps for Baby Boomers. You don’t need to tackle everything at once. Pick small projects each month. Go through one shelf in a closet or one file cabinet drawer. Label three bins (Keep, Toss and Donate). If you choose to keep something, make sure it’s something you really need moving forward. Then Toss and Donate the other items the same week (so you don’t have time to change your mind).

One thing to keep in mind is that most children and grandchildren don’t have space for all your

It’s happening: lists with the best gifts of 2017 are all over the internet. It’s not too late to plan for the big days ahead. 

One thing I know for sure, my husband and sons are pretty laid back and just wouldn’t appreciate things like ties, electronic gadgets or clothes. They prefer things they can use regularly – and have function in their lives. One thing they all enjoy is watching television. If they could watch it from every room in the house, that would be a great option.

In fact, the first thing my husband does when he enters the house is turn on a television set. He doesn’t much care what’s on (except for football, baseball and golf). I’m kidding. He does care - a lot. This year, I’m thinking about ways to make his life a little easier (which always makes my life easier). We’re planning to retire in a few years, so I’m looking for things that are transportable that won’t require a lot of special electronic gadgets.

Bingo. A TVMirror for the bedroom. When the TV is in the off position,

Let’s face it. 2017 has been a tough year for everyone. Natural disasters have taken a toll on many families and friends. The political climate is crazy. And many people have started clinging to each other to find some peace.

As the holiday seasons approach, I’m vowing to simplify things, to allow for more meaningful conversations and less noise. With three children (and their spouses) and four grandchildren, that can be difficult (but not impossible). So, I’m planning now to make this season our best holiday yet – and mom (grandma) controls the TV time this year.

One thing I’m doing is to create “safe” zones in my home – places where people can relax without external noise and video games. I have several locations in my home with no televisions, but there are other times it would be useful to have a smart television in certain spots to put on shows for the little kiddos. So, I’m looking at TVMirrors to solve the issue of having a large television dominate a space. They’re great because

Last year, 264 million people tuned in to watch football games each week.  In 2017, more than 111 million people tuned in to watch the biggest game of the year. The numbers are staggering – as are the ways that people around the country celebrate their teams each and every week. Friends and family gather to cheer on their team, jeer about rivals and convene around good food (and the television) in what has become a tradition to pass on to future generations.

Here’s another tradition – find a way for as many people to see the television as possible this year. Consider a TVLiftCabinet with a 360-degree swivel for maximum flexibility in finding just the right way to display the big game. The most popular unit is the Crystal Pointe 360 Swivel .

Crystal Pointe 360 Swivel

This cabinet is finished on all four sides. It has a unique design means that all the component drawers can be reversed so they open from the front or back – whichever you choose. You can place it against a wall, as a room

The world is becoming a pretty scary place these days and many families are sticking close to home, seeking solace and support from those they love the most. It may be time to look at each room in your home and find ways to remove things that can add stress to your life. Let’s start with the bedroom.

Everyone knows that you spend approximately one-third of your life in your bedroom (or pretty close to that), so adding comfort and removing items that cause alarm.

The first thing you need to do to add more calm to your bedroom is to declutter. As I started writing this today, I took a look at our master bedroom. No matter how hard I try, there’s always a stack of something on the dressers, clothes hanging in odd places, papers waiting to be filed – you know the drill. My sister’s idea of decluttering is to buy more plastic tubs – and hide the mess. I think she now has 50 tubs – and no less clutter. But that’s a hoarding story, so let’s stick to the topic. Decluttering – truly getting rid

You’ve heard about all kinds of new places to call home. For those people who love the water, houseboats are gaining traction. Houseboat villages are popping up all over the world. As climate change continues to wreck havoc on beachfronts, houseboats are becoming a solid option to live a life on the water without worries about waterfront erosion.

Houseboat owners are especially savvy when it comes to maximizing room in their living space. Much like RV-living, these smartly-designed homes make it possible to move freely in limited space. Here are a variety of interior design and decorating tips to help houseboat owners maximize the use of each inch on the boat.

Add mirrors to add depth (and technology) to your room

Adding multiple mirrors to your houseboat can enhance the feeling of depth throughout a room. Even better, consider adding a TVMirror to the mix. You’ll have a beautiful mirror that doesn’t take up any floor space and turns into a smart television with just one click.

Invest in