Measure once cut twice, this is a joke saying my family uses when working on a project that requires cutting. The proper saying “measure twice cut once” isn’t quite as funny to imagine. However, for the poor gentleman at Home Depot today, I’m sure neither saying is funny. Somehow his window measurements were incorrect. This mistake was going to cost him $500. I don’t know about you but I would rather take the extra 10 minutes to make sure everything is correct than pay $500.

A trick we used for proofing when I was a graphic designer was to completely remove ourselves from the piece we were working on for at least 10 minutes, then return to it with fresh eyes. Sometimes we would print it off and turn it upside down so we couldn’t see it and sometimes we would leave our desk for a quick break. This gives your mind time to refresh and restart. This theory can also be used when measuring your room – take all the necessary measurements, take a 10 minute break then re-measure.

Now hopefully that I’ve written this down, I don’t jinx myself and measure something wrong. (Knock on wood).

I’m considering getting a new digital SLR camera for my before and after pics. If you’re looking for a new camera it’s quite overwhelming with all of the options out there. I ran across a Digital SLR Guide Blog that I strongly recommend. It teaches you all of the camera lingo and helps you narrow down your search.

Always ensure there is adequate lighting for your pictures, no one wants to buy a dark and dingy room. Even if there is lots of sunlight shining in through the windows, turn on the lights (I just made an oopsies on this one, luckily I caught my mistake before it was too late).

Tripods are great for reducing blurry photos from movement while taking your shots.

Always take extra batteries and remember to have fun! Experiment with different angles and view points. It’s always better to take too many pictures than not enough.

Before staging your kitchen, make sure you clean! Your counters, windows and floors need to be spotless. You want your prospective buyers to imagine cooking in their new prestine kitchen.

Clear your countertops, 80% should be empty. The other 20% is for lifestyle accessories like a cooking book, coffee/tea pot with mugs/cups etc. By coordinating your colours for accessories, you will add harmony.

Plants always make a room more welcoming. Try adding them on top of your cubbords if they aren’t all the way to your ceiling.

Check out the other before & after shots from this home:

– Bedroom
– Closet
– Bathroom

What could we possibly do with about 33% of our time? Sleep! With that in mind, shouldn’t our bedrooms be as cosy and inviting as possible? I can’t say this enough, make sure you have plenty of different sized cushy pillows and a soft comforter!

Although reds and oranges are very bright and fun, they are too energetic for bedrooms. Try to use those lively colours in social rooms like a family room, living room, kitchen or office. By using colours from the cool side of the colour wheel in bedrooms, you will promote relaxation.

For a beautifully decorated bedroom, organization is key. The first thing you do after a good night’s sleep is get out of bed. If you have clothes, shoes or keepsakes lying around everywhere, your whole day will be chaotic. Invest in some storage solutions for you closet and regularly tidy up.