Over the past 6 years, we’ve had the privilege of learning some best practices for estate sales. Transition is inevitable and we wanted to share some helpful steps to plan an estate sale.
Thanksgiving Prep Time
Three Thursdays from today is Thanksgiving and HYD wants to help you get ready!
We know that spending time with all the people you share this meal with can bring great joy or may have it's own challenges. Either way, being prepared will make Thanksgiving more enjoyable for everyone! Today we're focusing on the main event of the day, the meal . Getting a game plan for the meal in place now; finding recipes, cleaning linens, inviting any extra guests, and then finally scheduling when to shop and cook are all things that can be done ahead of time and you can have control over.
As always, HYD likes to help make your planning pretty. We found this cute downloadable Thanksgiving checklist designed by Jessica Reed Designs for Kristen Duke at Capturing Joy. It's a great place to start your meal planning and starting now let's you be a bit more creative with your food choices. Grab a few magazines off the shelf this week or search around on Pinterest to see what's new for the Thanksgiving table this year that might be a new tradition for your family.
While cooking is not really HYD's specialty, we do know the great benefits of getting it done ahead of time. If cooking is your specialty, but preparing your home is not - that's where we really shine. Let us know if you need any help!
865.245.9080 -- info@helpyoudwell.com
Fall To-Do List
Do you ever get to the end of a season and realize that there were so many things you planned to do but never got to? Us too.
There are so many fall festivals, holidays, and events going on and we've made a to do list of sorts to help get the ball rolling for your harvest plans. We love the idea of having seasonal bucket lists as well; things that aren't necessarily all planned out but a list of ideas for the occasional Saturday when you find yourself with no plans.
We suggest carving out an hour with your calendar ASAP to get things on your schedule.
Festivals: Click on the links for more info
Happy Hollerpalooza (This Saturday- Sept 26)
Tennessee Fall Home Coming Folk Festival (Oct 9-11)
Open Streets (Oct 25)
Foothills Craft Guild (Nov 20-22)
Activities/Holidays:
Photo by Sarah Musgrave
Host a bonfire
Take a hike in the Smokies (not sure when trail to choose? Check out the Top 10) If you are looking for a family friendly hike with young kids, "Andrew's Bald" is perfect.
Plan and purchase or make Halloween costumes for your kids (Need some ideas? Here are a few)
Seasonal decorating (Southern Living's Fall Decorating Ideas)
Tailgate with friends before a football game
Finalize Thanksgiving plans
What kinds of things are on your to do list for this Fall?
The Quick List for Back-to-School Organization
Here in Knoxville, the start of school is just over a week away for most of us. It's time to plan, shop, and prepare for another year of learning and growing. To start off the school year right, HYD wanted to share a few tips that can help make the transition more simple and efficient.
1. School Supplies
Obtain your child's class supply list from his/her school as soon as possible.
Take advantage of Tennessee's tax-free weekend August 7-9
Wait for discounts on items like clothing, electronics, and shoes that typically drop in price around mid-August
For eco-friendly options, check out MightyNest and earn money for your school while you shop.
2. Ease into School Routine
These last weekdays before school begins, begin waking late sleepers up a bit earlier and re-introduce school year bedtime.
Keep snacks readily available for kids throughout afternoon as meal times during school may differ from summer eating routines. Real Simple has a great list of snack options.
Remind your kids what you expect from them in their morning routine and after-school routine so they know what they're responsible for. Here is a checklist HYD likes.
3. Calendar Prep
Find your school's or your school system's calendar for the year and place all important dates including holidays, in-services, half-days, and report card days on your personal calendar now.
Create a central calendar the whole family can see with school and after school activities using a paper or whiteboard so it's easy to read and adjust like this one.
4. Prepare for Paper Piles
Make an effort from day one of school to fill out each form as you get them, place them back in your child's folder, and back to school before it gets lost in a pile.
Create a system for keeping art or school work that allows you to discard all other items the day they enter your home. In other words, go through folders each afternoon/evening, look at each piece of work, if it is an original that you would've liked to have seen as you looked back to that age and you have no other like it, keep it. Otherwise, recycle it.
5. Teacher(s) Support
Try not to miss any opportunity to meet your child's teacher or teachers. If you're not able to meet in person, reach out with an email to introduce yourself and offer help to make the school year successful. This is invaluable to both your child and his/her teacher. Teachers need our support, encouragement, and helpful knowledge that only we can give them about our child.
Help You Dwell wishes you and your family a safe and successful 2015-2016 school year!
Organizing Your Summer with Your Kids
It's been officially one week since my kiddos had their last day of school before summer. So far, they've enjoyed sleeping in, lounging around the house in PJs, some crafts they've been wanting to get to, and taking a road trip to visit old buddies in Asheville. Thankfully, we're off to a pretty good start.
“Summer will end soon enough, and childhood as well.”
With that said, summer with school-age kids home can be a bit overwhelming without a plan. It can also be a wonderful time for kids to explore, relax, create, and enjoy the freedom of days without the time restraints of the school year. All you need is your time, a little rhythm in your day and a brainstorming session with you kids to make the most out your family's summer.
Here are 7 tips to get you started:
1. Make time each day to play or connect with your child.
Take the time to play a board game, make a milkshake or catch fireflies. It doesn't have to be an elaborate project or outing, just a few minutes of your attention can make simple moments last forever.
2. find the balance for structure
After the long school year, kids need time to unwind, relax and let their brains and emotions take it easy. Kids also need a routine so that they know what to expect. Come up with a loose plan for each day, like hang at the house in the morning doing a small job or working in the garden, afternoons are spent running errands, at the pool or splash pad, or visiting a friend. The summer is a great time to teach kids how to do certain chores well so that during the school months, they can continue contributing to helping the house stay in order.
3. help kids develop a healthy relationship with time
"I'm bored" is a phrase we can all remember using at some point and one I'm sure you've heard from your child as well. Use the summer as a time to help your kids be comfortable with themselves, without technology. This may be hard to commit to at first, but don't lose heart. Here is more on why being bored can be a good thing and ideas for kids when they are.
4. Strictly limit screens
Give your kids certain times of the day for technology. Kids are less likely to bug you about it and more inclined to use their imagination if the option of being on a screen is off the table until a certain time.
5. establish daily reading / quiet time
Setting up this time during each day keeps your child's mind engaged and growing as well as gives you time to yourself. Here is a great list of summer reading ideas.
6. plan memory making activities
Get the kids involved in this brainstorming activity. Here's a list to get you started...
- Play an outdoor movie in your backyard
- Have a lemonade stand
- Make a firepit in your yard and enjoy s'mores together
- Have a water party with sprinklers, water balloons, water guns, slip-n-slide, etc
- Plan a bike ride and pack snacks for a picnic along the way
- Go berry picking
- Make your kids breakfast in bed (or encourage siblings to do it for one another)
- Surprise Dad (or Mom) at work with lunch
- Go hiking, camping, kayaking or canoeing
- Plant a small garden or even just a couple of pots of plants
- Host a pot-luck outdoor party, let your kids help with the guest list
7. capture the summer in a photo album
My kids love to look back at photos from previous summers. As you embark on this summer's activities, grab your camera to snap shots along the way. The week before school starts, have your kids help put an album together as a way to celebrate the priceless memories you've made. It will be time very well spent.
Yard Sale 101
Help You Dwell has been busy lately clearing the excess from houses, garages and basements. Springtime is a great time for this! And working alongside our clients as they let go of all kinds of items to go to new homes is so satisfying both for us and our clients. One way several clients have decided to go about the purge is with a yard sale. A yard sale is a great choice if you have the time, energy and neighborhood to pull one off.
HYD recently had the opportunity to help a client from almost start to finish in preparing for a huge sale. We thought you could benefit from some of the planning tips we used to make her sale a success. If a sale is right for you, read on for a timeline of how to go about hosting your own successful sale. This is a great time of year to hold one!
SALE PREP
PLAN A DATE, GET A BUDDY (OR A FEW)
- Yard sales are always more successful, less work, and more fun with friends &/or neighbors
- Saturdays always get the most traffic and Spring or Fall are the best times to hold one
- Check your local weekend planner guide for other events you may have to compete with
- Set time. Sales usually start at 8am and we suggest an end time as well, that way you can do an "everything's half off" when you're about to close up shop
2-4 WEEKS OUT
- Gather items and place in one space in your home
- Store sale items in trash bags or boxes so you're not tempted to extract an item once you've tagged it a sale item (Stay Strong - Let it Go!)
- Plan an exit strategy, either schedule the charity pick up (Habitat for Humanity ReStore or KARM Store) or the vehicle you will load to donate the items that don't sell
- Begin pricing. Think to yourself, "How much would I pay for this item at a yard sale?" or check online for suggestions if you're not an avid yard saler. This site is helpful.
1 WEEK OUT
- Place Craigslist advertisement. Read other ads first to get ideas of how to grab shoppers' attention and make sure to be clear on location, date, and time. Also, adding lists and photos of items helps draw more to your sale. Lastly, if you're not interested in "early birds," use a phrase like "early birds pay double" or "no early birds please."
- Use social media. Facebook is an easy place to just post your Craigslist ad.
- Make signs. Think less is more. Your sign should be on bright poster board, backed with cardboard and write with a thick black marker. Just write "Yard Sale" plus location, date, time. Arrows are great too especially for neighborhood sales.
THE WEEK OF
- Gather tables, tarps, tents, tablecloths to display and protect items
- Visit bank to obtain change
- Finalize pricing
- Get drinks and snacks for sale workers
DAY BEFORE
- Set up sale area
- Get items as close to prepared sale area as possible
- Gather grocery bags, boxes, and packing materials for customers to use
- Have apron with pockets, fanny pack or cash box ready
- Keep pricing materials close in case you missed any and need to add a quick price
SALE DAY
- Post signs
- Move all items to sale area
- Sell it all!
Our Favorite Calendars
It's right around the corner - A Brand New Year! One of our favorite items to shop for this time of year is a new calendar.
Calendars can be an easy & inexpensive way to brighten up a spot in the kitchen or office. Traditional flip calendars, tea towels or creative letterpress calendars are just a few of the ways to keep your days straight & make your space look great!
We've collected some our favorites to get you started.
Here's one of Help You Dwell's favorites for your desk....
This one can make any wall happy...
This Nikki McClure is wonderfully unique. Armed with an X-acto knife, she cuts out her images from a single sheet of paper and creates a bold language that translates the complex poetry of motherhood, nature, and activism into a simple and endearing picture.