Joy of Arizona | Christina Vance, Realtor
  • Home
  • Buyer
  • Seller
  • Fountain Hills Listings
  • Ames Place
  • Grandview Rd
  • About
  • Contact
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Home
  • Buyer
  • Seller
  • Fountain Hills Listings
  • Ames Place
  • Grandview Rd
  • About
  • Contact
  • Testimonials
  • Blog

Small Bathrooms Tips

9/24/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Is your bathroom small? I work primarily in the Old Town/Central Phoenix area and most of the homes were built in the post war era.  These older homes, have loads of charm, but often charm=small spaces.  Unless the floor plan has been completely altered and square footage added on many of these homes are between 1100-1500 SF total with very small bathrooms.  A change of organization and storage space can make a drastic change to how your bathroom feels. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your bathroom space feel more functional and spacious.
  •  Medicine Cabinet
    If you have a regular mirror, replacing it with one that includes a medicine cabinet and provide further storage space.  
  • Shelving
    If you have free space above your toilet, vanity, or other another empty part of the wall, install shelving units. Purchase a few decorative baskets to maximize shelf space.  I love baskets because you can tuck things away and still have easy access to them.
  • Hooks
    With a few decorative hooks, in a style of your preference, you can declutter by placing a couple on the back of the door to hang towels or robes. Perhaps one or two right next to each end of the shelving unit you just installed.
  • Towel Racks 
    A rack installed inside of you shower can save you space and convenience, also adding an additional shower bar above the original will work nicely. Another idea is installing a few racks a couple of feet above each other or right next on another. If you have an excessive amount of towels, store some of them away in the bedroom closet.
  • Vanity with Cabinet
    I have come across plenty of pedestal sinks in small bathrooms, but if you want save some space, add some storage, and upgrade the look of your bathroom at the same time, a vanity cabinet will definitely do the trick.  Bonus if you can have a vanity with drawers - drawers can make the best use of space in a bathroom.
  • Keep scale in mind
           No, I don't mean the weight measurement type of scale here.  If your bathroom  is small, then your vanity and accessories should be also.  An oversized vanity in a small bathroom will only accentuate the size of the room.  I am currently working on a project where the house was built in 1956, the original vanity is very narrow, and makes the small bathroom feel large.  I'm planning to refinish the small vanity and put a new top on it rather than replace with one of today's larger/deeper sized vanities.  
  • Go bold with your design
            I think my favorite thing to do in a small bathroom is make your first thought be how stylish, not how small.  You could achieve this with some temporary wallpaper on an accent wall, cool lighting, painted cabinets, accent tile in the shower.  Consider taking the shower tile to the ceiling to bring your view up as well.
0 Comments

Simple Sprucing Tips For Your Home

9/19/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
You don't need thousands of dollars to fully refurbish your home to make it feel like new again. Instead, you can DIY a lot of features in your house to help spruce it up for the upcoming season. Whether you plan to sell your home, have guests over, or are just tired of how drab it's been feeling lately, here are a few tips and tricks you can use to refresh your space:
CLEAN + DECLUTTER
Throw out all of the junk taking up space! You'd be surprised by how much more you'll fall back in love with your home when you take out the collection of accumulated stuff that has piled up over the years and finally get to see your home's features for what they are. Store what you don't need/use in either the attic, garage, or in a storage unit. After you've decluttered, be sure to finish it off by cleaning your home. Clean windows, walls, and the floors for the best results. 
BRING IN NATURAL LIGHT
Do you have heavy curtains covering your windows? Bring them down! Not only will this make your space feel bigger by removing stuff off the walls, it'll also feel alive again with all of the natural light that pours in.  I love using white curtains to the ceiling, keeps things feeling soft and still feels light and breezy.
ADD FRESH PAINT
Nothing refreshes a home like a new coat of paint. If you have dark dull colors, opt for lighter tones. Covering up stains on the walls, or drab old paint, can help your house feel brand new all over again.  My favorite paint color? Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore.
ADD TILE
Consider adding a tile backsplash in your kitchen or bathroom. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get beautiful results. Be sure you get tiles that compliment the colors in the space, so it doesn't clash and look unappealing.
ADD COLOR
Although neutral colors are always recommended as the base of any home decor, don't be afraid to compliment your neutrals with a pop of color. You can add it throughout the home by using flowers, pillows, decor, or even light curtains that are staged on the sides of your windows.  I also love adding an accent wall in the home for a great pop of color!
CHANGE OUT FIXTURES + HARDWARE
You'd be surprised by how much more a kitchen can look different just by replacing the hardware on the cabinets. A bathroom or living room can come alive again by installing a brand new light fixture. If you moved into a place that still has the same stock hardware or fixtures, replace them and add a little creativity with the new pieces you have installed. 
REARRANGE FURNITURE
Head to Pinterest and get inspired for new living room, bedroom, or dining room arrangements. Most homeowners decorate "incorrectly" when it comes to standard staging rules. View a variety of furniture set-ups on social media and let it motivate you to rearrange your space. You don't have to buy a bunch of new furniture to make a drastic change. 
0 Comments

Cleaning 101 Before Listing

9/15/2018

2 Comments

 
Picture
Before you list your home, you'll want it sparkly clean for potential home buyers.  A dirty house can be a big turn off and could thwart potential offers.  If you can afford it, hire a company to do a deep clean.  To really do a nice job outshining the competition, hire a floor cleaner to clean your grout in-between tiles, and carpets.  Pro-tip, often you can find carpet and tile cleaners on Groupon and save some $$$.

MISC:
+Replace any burnt out lightbulbs
+Dust ceiling fan blades
+Dust AC registers
+Clean the front door & threshold, it's the first thing people will see
+Keep all curtains open for showings - let in that beautiful natural light

KITCHEN: 
+ Wipe down all cabinets.
+Remove everything from counter tops and keep it clean
+ Clean all appliances, inside and out.
+ Clean stove hood, on top and bottom.
+ Clean behind the refrigerator, on top and bottom too.
+ Ensure the microwave is clean of food splatter. 
+ Clean the space behind the sink.
+ Wipe down blinds/shades.
+ Wash any kitchen rugs, clean the floors and baseboards.
+ Store all of your pet food/food out of sight.

BATHROOM: 
+ Clean behind toilet and under sink.
+ Only display absolute necessities, declutter.
+ Organize and clean under the vanity.
+ Scrub floors and clean grout lines.
+ Keep dirty clothes and towels off the floor.
+ Be sure to lock away any medication.
+ Clean the fan and make sure it's functioning.


BEDROOM:

+ Wash sheets, comforters, and blankets.
+ Clean the curtains and rugs.
+ Dust furniture. 
+ Remove any obvious stains from fabrics.
+ Keep closets clean and organized.
+ Store away dirty clothes and personal photos.
+ Clean marks on walls.

2 Comments

Bloom Where you are Planted

9/10/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
I purchased a planner at the beginning of the year with this quote on it - found out in July it was an academic planner and there was no August and beyond -oops! So I now have a new planner, but I still love this train of thought. Wherever you've been planted, don't let your surroundings keep you from blooming. Your surroundings will one day change if you need them to and you work for it, but until then, bloom! ​

0 Comments
    Picture

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Hi, I'm Christina! I'm a full time licensed real estate agent in the state of Arizona.  I am passionate about all the things that go into making a house a home.  I love the state of Arizona and consider myself a specialist in the South and Central areas of Scottsdale and Phoenix. 
    I try and share a combination of local places of interest, real estate tips, and general homeowner tips.  Thanks for checking out the website!

    Want to know more?
    Let's connect!

    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018

    Picture