7-Day Plan: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Bedroom

You may know what to do, but with this 7-Day Plan, you can get a beautifully organized bedroom in no time!

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We’ve already tackled the living room, entry hall and bathroom with weeklong cleaning and clutter-busting plans; now it’s time to dive into the bedroom. If what you notice when you walk into your bedroom is not peacefulness but the overstuffed closet and the dust bunnies, put this strategy to work. Let’s get started.

Nanette Wong

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Make a plan of attack. Assess your bedroom. Where are the problem areas? What is working well? The bedroom should be a sanctuary, a restful place in which to relax and dream. If your space is pretty clean, but your closet is stuffed to bursting and you can barely close your drawers, it makes sense to spend more time decluttering. On the other hand, if your wardrobe is already fairly streamlined but you suffer from allergies, you’ll want to devote extra time to banishing dust and pet hair. Read over the whole plan below before beginning and decide where to focus your efforts.

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Day 1: Streamline the wardrobe.

Decluttering tasks: Take everything out of your closet and drawers. Assess each item by looking it over for damage and trying it on. Don’t skip trying it on! Put clothes that no longer fit or that you do not like in a pile to give away or sell. Put out-of-season clothes and accessories in a separate pile for storage. Put clothes you love that need alterations or repairs in a tote bag to bring to the dry cleaner.

The clothes you put back in your closet should be ones that you love, that fit you right now, that are appropriate for the current season and are in good repair. If your wardrobe needs serious paring, this could take all day, so plan accordingly. It’s no fun to get everything out and then realize you have somewhere to be, leaving your room worse than it was before! If you know you don’t have as much cleaning to do, consider tackling the closet today and the dresser tomorrow. 

Cleaning tasks: While your closet is empty, vacuum the interior. Wipe down closet shelves and inside dresser drawers.

Simple Ways to Get Your Closet Organized Right Now

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Day 2: Do a whole-room refresh.

Cleaning tasks: While the bedroom does not get as grimy as the kitchen or bath, it can accumulate a surprising amount of dust.

• Vacuum the entire room from top to bottom. Use an attachment to clean window treatments and walls, and be sure to reach the wand all the way under the bed.
• Get on a stepladder and clean the light fixtures and the tops of high shelves.
• Clean the tops of nightstands, dressers and other surfaces.
• Launder small rugs and curtains if they’re washable.
• Spot clean area rugs after vacuuming or take them to the dry cleaner.
• Mop wood floors.

Decluttering tasks: As you make your way around the room, set aside things that belong elsewhere (dishes for the kitchen, borrowed clothes etc.) and return them.

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Day 3: Spruce up the bed.

Cleaning tasks:

• Clean the headboard.
• Vacuum and rotate the mattress.
• Launder the mattress pad and bedskirt.

Decluttering tasks: Sort through your linen closet and take stock of what bedding you have. If the piles are a jumble, try folding each set and storing it inside a pillowcase for easy retrieval. Set aside any sets of sheets, blankets, pillows or duvet covers that are extremely worn out or are sized for a bed you no longer have.

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Day 4: Take notes.

Now that you’ve removed much of the clutter and dust, it should be easier to figure out what needs changing or updating. Note anything you would like to change, remove or shop for.

• Do you have adequate light, both mood lighting and task lighting (such as for reading in bed)?
• Are you happy with your bedding? How about your pillows?
• Do you have a nice set of hangers in the closet?
• Do you have proper storage for your shoes, or are they in a big pile on the floor?
• Would it be helpful to have drawer organizers or shelf dividers, such as to keep sweaters from toppling over?

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Day 5: Beautify the bedside.

Decluttering tasks: Sort through all of the books, magazines, journals and other things that have made their way onto your nightstand. Move all but the items you use nightly to a different space.

Cleaning tasks: Clean the bases and shades of your lamps, and dust the objects on your nightstands.

Nanette Wong

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Day 6: Take care of the little things.

Decluttering tasks:

• Sort through jewelry and other small accessories, letting go of pieces you no longer wear.
• Care for plants, dusting large leaves, trimming off dead leaves and repotting if needed
• Toss old candles, ratty throw blankets and anything else that has seen better days.

Now treat yourself to fresh flowers or blooming spring branches in a pretty vase.

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Day 7 and beyond: Do maintenance every day.

Cleaning tasks: If you are not already in the habit of it, make your bed as soon as you rise in the morning and tidy up the bedside table before you leave the room. In the evening drop dirty laundry right in the basket and put accessories away instead of piling them on a chair or dresser.

Decluttering tasks: When you shop for new clothes, bedding or anything else that will live in your bedroom, let go of something similar to avoid accumulating clutter. Mark a date in your calendar near the start of each new season to overhaul your wardrobe and bedding, and store some of the previous season’s things elsewhere.

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Important Questions to Ask A Builder When Looking At New Homes

Buying a new home is thrilling, but having a new home built (especially by Landon Homes) for you is even more exciting. 

I've been a New Home Sales Consultant for many years representing builders with decked out beautiful Model Homes.When considering a new home, nothing is more important than selecting the right builder.

As you consider various builders, remember you have a right to and need to ask every question that you think is important.  The Sales Consultant should be eager to answer all of your questions, or if he can't, he should be able to get the answers for you quickly.  

I encourage you to use these questions to learn important information about each builder.

Starting with the obvious, but I’m surprised that many of our customers don’t ask me this question….

• What is your experience, how long have you been building homes?

You want a builder that has experience, because things come up during construction and you want to make sure your builder has the experience or knowledge to deal with. Look for a builder that has a proven track record, professional business approach, strong technical skills and, of course, the knowledge.  

•  What building qualities set you apart from other builders in the area? 

Find out what this builder does different than the rest.  For instance, do they use a Zip Wall System instead of the paper wrap?  How about Radiant Barrier Roof System?  What energy efficiency techniques do they use that is over and above the typical builder's offering.

• Can we see any of the homes you have built?

Visit homes that are in various stages of construction to see what goes on behind the walls and behind the Model Home scenes

• Will you give references from past clients?

This is a great indicator of the construction process.  The Sales Representative can tell you all day long that they have "Happy Landon Home Owners" but a discussion with past clients will help you determine that for your self.

There may be other important questions you wish to ask, so feel free to add them.   

Home sales expected to be strong in spring

Homebuilders in Southwest Florida are preparing for a bustling spring, thanks to large numbers of tourists and seasonal retirees who are scouting for homes.

The industry's busiest months are March and April, and with homebuilding activity last year at its best level since the Great Recession, most industry observers expect that recovery to continue into the crucial spring months.

Unusually cold weather in the northern states this year has clipped purchases compared with last years, builders acknowledge and records show. But now, builders say more potential buyers than usual are touring their models, visiting their sales centers and mapping sites for potential homes.

If the interest holds, it could translate into more purchase contracts and higher profit margins.

"So far, we're seeing almost the exact same trend we saw last year, and we're certainly meeting our budget," said Lee Wetherington, owner and founder of Lee Wetherington Homes. "We're seeing a shift, too, where the buyers are paying cash, and they're spending a little more money. It's just loosened up a bit."

Contractors pulled 222 single-family building permits in February to build new homes in unincorporated Sarasota and Manatee counties. That was up nearly 3 percent from the start of the year, but off from the 2013 pace by 10 percent, government records show.

New home construction was most active in Manatee, where builders pulled permits for 144 new homes in February, 16 percent higher than the January total but flat from permits issued during the same month a year ago. 

In Sarasota, builders pulled 78 permits last month, down 15 percent from January and 28 percent compared with last year.

Permits indicate homes expected to begin the construction in 30 to 90 days. They are considered the best predictor of local construction activity.

February's numbers come in the wake of the best year for homebuilders since the region's housing bubble burst seven years ago.

Homebuilders in Southwest Florida pulled permits for 3,009 single-family homes in unincorporated Sarasota and Manatee counties in 2013, an increase of 42 percent from 2012, a 96 percent hike from 2011 and double the amount from 2010, when 1,582 new single-family permits were issued, records show.

Most builders in Southwest Florida expect that recovery to continue in 2014, especially during the peak tourism months.

"The trends we have always seen historically are now back in place, where there's a surge from November to April because that's when we have people out there looking and here visiting," said Alan Anderson, executive vice president of the Manatee Sarasota Building Industry Association. "With spring coming, we're expecting to wrap up that season pretty well."

The influx has even spread to the luxury market, with buyers customizing new luxury residences after years of lackluster interest because of foreclosure discounts.

In The Concession, a tony golf community in East Manatee County, buyers have closed on 23 lots priced from about $225,000 to $290,000 this year. By comparison, 32 lots sold in the development in all of 2013.

Although the houses built there will still generally cost more than $1 million, buyers are opting for smaller homes now, said Mark Bruce, director of sales at the Concession Real Estate Co.

"People are much more comfortable with their decision now, where two years ago, there was still a little skepticism," Bruce said. "A lot of it has to do with the stock market recovery."

Local housing market rebounds heading into buying season

The local housing market started the year slow compared with last year but picked up the pace in March heading into the spring and summer buying season.

Realtors handled 186 sales of existing single-family homes in March in Alachua County, up 5.7 percent over the 176 sales in March 2013, Florida Realtors reported Tuesday. The median sale price of $169,287 was a 4.6 percent increase over the $161,900 price in March 2013.

February's 15 percent drop looks like an aberration compared with the positive sales growth of the past 12 months and might have to do with seasonal buying, said Gary Thomas, president of the Gainesville-Alachua County Association of Realtors.

“If it's like it used to be, May, June, July, August will be pretty rowdy, and September will be really slow,” said Thomas, broker of Re/Max Professionals.

He said he expects the very gradual improvement in sales and prices to continue.

Statewide sales were up 2.8 percent over the year, and the median sales price was up 7.1 percent to $173,000 from $161,500 a year ago.

Short sales have dropped 55 percent since March 2013 as rising values make fewer homes candidates for bank writeoffs. That has helped fuel more interest from sellers as they observe the return of more traditional market conditions, with new listings up 16.5 percent, according to Sherri Meadows, Florida Realtors president.

John Tuccillo, Florida Realtors chief economist, noted that market activity has moved up the price ladder, with “strong” decreases in days on the market for homes priced at more than $250,000.

U.S. sales of all housing types dropped 7.5 percent compared with March 2013 and were down 0.2 percent from February for the slowest pace of sales since July 2012, according to the National Association of Realtors. The median sale price was up 7.9 percent over the year to $198,500. Single-family home sales were down 7.3 percent over the year and the median price up 7.4 percent to $198,200.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said sales should be stronger given the population growth and that he expects some improvement as a result of job creation and the return of shopping activity that was delayed by winter weather.

NAR President Steve Brown said tight credit and tight inventory in lower price ranges are holding back first-time buyers, but rising new-home construction means some owners will be trading up and adding more existing homes to the inventory.

Thomas said consumer confidence will be a deciding factor.

“Optimism makes builders build more and makes first-time home buyers get into the market,” he said. “Those two things need to happen to really pick it up.”

Alachua County townhouse and condominium sales rose from 41 last year to 43 in March, while the median sale price was up 38.5 percent to $90,000 from $65,000.

Florida condo sales dropped 5 percent to 9,580 over the year -- largely as the result of a 63 percent drop in short sales -- and the median price was up 17 percent to $140,000.

33 Moving Tips That Will Make Your Life So Much Easier

So you found a new place! It’s all wonderful and exciting until you start to think about how much stuff you have.

1. Pack an overnight bag containing all the essentials.

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Chances are, you’ll be too tired to unpack your things. You’ll want your essentials within easy access, including a change of clothes if you’re going back to work the next day as well as all your toiletries. It’s also a great way to transport a laptop, which could run the risk of getting stolen during a move.

2. Pack the items you will need FIRST in a clear plastic bin.

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This includes things like a box cutter, paper towels, trash bags, eating utensils, select cookware, power strips, phone chargers, toilet paper, tools, etc. The clear bin allows you to see inside; it also separates itself from the myriad of cardboard boxes.

3. Wrap your breakables (dishes, glasses, etc.) in clothing to save on bubble wrap.

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Two birds, one stone: you’re packing your clothes and kitchenware at the same time.

4. For extra padding, pack your glasses and stemware in clean socks.

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5. In addition to labeling what’s in your boxes, add what room they’ll be going into, as well.

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When you arrive at your new home, unpack BY ROOM. The unpacking process will feel more manageable.

And remember to label the SIDES of the boxes, not the tops. This way, you’ll be able to identify them even if they’re stacked.

6. If you can, show up to your new home before the move and pre-clean the bathroom and kitchen.

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Put up a new shower curtain liner and stock some new bath towels and toilet paper, as well. You’ll want to take a hot shower after a long day of moving.

7. Place an extra cotton pad or ball into your powder cosmetics to keep them from breaking.

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This is a great tip for traveling in general.

8. Cover the openings of your toiletries with saran wrap, then put the tops back on.

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This will keep your toiletries from breaking and leaking all over your stuff during the move.

9. Pack plates vertically, like records. They’ll be less likely to break.

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10. Keep drawers intact by covering them with Press’n Seal.

Dresser drawers are like their own moving boxes — this will keep you from having to unpack and re-fold their contents.

It’ll also make moving the actual dresser much more manageable.

11. Press’n Seal is also great for keeping jewelry displays intact.

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12. Buy a roll of stretch wrap.

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It works like Press’n Seal but on a bigger scale. You can group items together, and it’ll protect your furniture from getting scuffed and scratched.

13. Keep sandwich bags handy for holding any small parts of things you have to take apart, like curtain rods or mounted flat-screen TVs.

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Tape the sandwich bags to the back of the item they correspond to.

ALSO: use this method with the cords for your electronics.

14. Beer boxes are the best for books because they have handles on the sides.

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So be sure to hit up your local liquor store.

15. Take a photo of how your electronics are connected so you can remember how and where all the wires go.

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16. Cut down on boxes by making all of your baskets, laundry bins, hampers, and suitcases work for you.

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Pack them with stuff! Use the wheeled suitcases for heavy things like books.

17. The fastest way to pack a closet:

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This also keeps your clothes on their hangers, for much faster unpacking.

18. Vacuum seal your out-of-season clothing.

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Not only will they take up less space and be a breeze to pack, but they can go directly into storage in the new home.

19. Along with food and alcohol, give your friends who help you move first dibs on anything you originally planned to sell or donate.

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It’s just an extra perk, since you won’t be paying them.

20. Make sure everything is completely packed before your friends show up to help you move.

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Don’t be that horrible person who makes everyone wait around/help you pack.

Another note: if you have enough friends, split them up into shifts — one set to help you move in the morning, and another to help you move when you get to your new home.

21. Enlist the color-coding system.

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Pick a color code for each room and label that room’s boxes accordingly. Label the door of each room with the corresponding sticker/tape so that movers know where to place the boxes.

22. It doesn’t hurt to number your boxes.

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Make a detailed corresponding list of what’s in each box by number. This makes it easier to make sure you didn’t forget any boxes, or god forbid, someone stole one. AND, if there’s anything valuable in there, you won’t be broadcasting it to the world by writing it down right there on the box.

23. If you have a lot of fragile valuables, hiring movers as opposed to asking friends can end up paying for itself.

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Many movers come with insurance, which means if something breaks, they have to compensate you. You might want to weigh the pros and cons though — they won’t want to be responsible for a television that isn’t properly packed in its original box and could end up charging you upwards of $150 to pack it as they see fit.

Also remember to book them weeks in advance — you’re not the only person trying to get out of your space on the last day of the month.

24. If you do hire movers, be sure to read the fine print and find out if they have any weird rules.

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For instance, some movers will only move things in boxes, not garbage bags. Which means you’ll be paying them extra for unnecessary boxes at a marked-up price.

25. If you’re renting, take photos of your cleaned-out old home and your new home before moving in.

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This is essential if you ever hope to get your deposit back. It will save you major headaches with difficult landlords who charge you cleaning and repair fees unnecessarily when moving out.

26. Fill the nail holes in your previous home with a bar of soap.

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27. If you’re doing a cross-country move and you don’t need your stuff immediately, consider shipping via Greyhound.

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It’s an inexpensive shipping option for large items. Just remember to pack your stuff really well — your boxes WILL get a little beat up along the way.

28. Change your address at least two weeks prior to moving.

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This might seem like a no-brainer for important things like utilities and cable but don’t sweat the small stuff. You’ve also got Amazon, PayPal, credit cards, your bank, magazine subscriptions, and your mail to worry about.

29. If you own items that you want to get rid of but are too valuable to just give away, start selling on eBay, Etsy, or Craigslist at least 6 weeks before moving.

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It’s an easy way to make you feel like you aren’t procrastinating, and you might be able to make enough money back to pay for the entire move itself.

But it takes time for things to sell on Etsy and eBay so you’ll want to plan accordingly.

30. Arrange for a charity organization to come pick up the items you don’t want at least a week or two before moving.

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It’ll save you the trouble of having to take it there yourself.

31. Make your last grocery trip two weeks prior to moving.

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The more food you end up using before moving, the less you’ll have to throw out.

32. For same-city moves, hire a sitter for the children and pets.

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The last thing you need is to be worrying about losing track of your kids or pets on this stressful day.

33. Remember to defrost your refrigerator at least a day before moving and wipe up any liquid.

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Else you’re going to have stinky wet mess when you get to your new home.