Quilting activities

I've been working on parts for a scrap quilt. I have about 20 9-patches finished and 360 of 560 needed scrappy flying geese. I am making a huge dent in my 2" strip boxes!

On selling a house.... (been there... done that... more than 10 times in my adult life (almost that many as a child)

If you know you are going to move, invest in a small storage place (you know those garage like places). Start packing things up now. Leave only the essentials and a few extra. Pack away out of season clothes from closet (get a wardrobe box from the U-Haul place). Empty linen closes of excess towels and sheets. Pare down the books and knick - knacks. (Eventually you'll need to pack them up anyway -- so get some of your packing done AND at the same time improve the salability of your home.)

Consider scaling back extra tables, nightstands or chairs.

If you have brightly or boldy painted walls -- consider painting to a more neutral color. If your home is older -- consider investing in new hardware in the baths and kitchens. (Amazing how new faucets make the room look newer and brighter. They aren't that expensive - or difficult to install.)

If you have a formal dining room, set the table as if you were expecting guests. Fresh flowers. Cloth napkins... Wine Glasses. Make a buyer feel ready to "enjoy" themselves.

The less you have, the bigger your house will look. The easier it will be to keep clean. When house hunting... the houses that are full of clutter turn me off. As a buyer it is hard to see past it.

Depending upon where you live... make sure your curb appeal is up to snuff. I live up north -- and when I've had to sell during winter months -- I get 8x10 pictures of my home's exterior in spring, summer and fall. Show them the flowers and shrubs. Snow and barren plants do not feel homey to a buyer.

And during open houses -- put your oven on like 200 (or lowest temp) and put a big chunk of cookie dough (monster cookie) in the oven. Make sure your realtor knows it is there -- she can turn off the oven if necessary.

All of these help a buyer feel "at home" in YOUR home... and they leave with this "gut feeling" that this would be a good place to live.

Kate in MI

PS -- Before you list yours -- visit a few open houses and make a note of the things that catch your eye -- both positive and negative. "Borrow" the good ideas... and make sure your home doesn't suffer with the items on your "bad" list.

Thanx for the hints. We will be selling in the next couple of years. I knew about the storage thing just simply from moving 12 times between the ages of 16-24yrs old. After that I stopped counting. My friends joke I'm the queen of moving. If you want it done fast and nothing broke phone me. I'm also great at labeling so there is no ripping open 50 boxes to find that one item. Take Care Joanna

Jeez Joanna, didn't you just buy that place? I know, I know, it was just a stepping stone to where you really want to be, right? like me in the house we are in now. I hope to be able to take my time moving. Stuff into storage first, then maybe room, by room. A lot will depend on selling this place we are in and when the buyers want possession. I'm hoping for a couple of months overlap. The new place is only a half hour away, so every trip we can take a load and put it away!

I've already started packing and labelling boxes. Including which room they are to go to.

Marilyn in Alberta, Canada

adult life (almost that

those garage like

extra. Pack away out of

linen closes of excess

you'll need to pack them

salability of your

neutral color. If your

(Amazing how new

difficult to

guests. Fresh flowers.

keep clean. When

it is hard to see

live up north -- and

exterior in spring,

not feel homey to a

big chunk of cookie

-- she can turn off

this "gut feeling" that

things that catch

sure your home doesn't

Leave the quilts on the bed but take it off the wall....they will think you are 'hiding' something behind something that big--even if it's a WUH. I had one quilt 'in the process of' that was on the SM table---the ppl asked if I'd make one for them (thru the Realtor). They bought the house as it looked 'cozy'. You never know.

HTH Butterfly

Well, I am going through this too right now. We knew it was coming, but all of a sudden, here it is. I did get rid of a lot of furniture last summer, but it seems like I could get rid of a lot more. I know we will have to downsize our house to be able to afford with the market the way it is. My husband has already moved on, so it is up to me. Ugh. Wish me luck. I too would rather be sewing. I am in the middle of a wonderful king size cat/dog print quilt, but don't know when that will ever be finished. One day at a time . . . . .

Martha joysjane Going from cold Idaho to cold Wyoming

I have two small wall hangings that I am going to leave up (unless the realtor tells me not to) I agree that it makes it "homey". A big one probably should be taken down. I don't know yet about quilts on the bed and all my chairs and couches (everything has at least one quilt on it), I guess it will depend on the time of year I get this ready, but wouldn't leave very many out at any rate, and folded up. I don't know . . . . . . .

Martha joysjane heading to Wyoming

Thanks for all the suggestions Kate I had your list in my mind as I was cleaning today. Laundry/back entry is now cleaned out and lots of excess stuff packed away!

House is now listed, but I have a LOT more cleaning to do yet. Where we live the market is pretty hot. Not too many places available, so I'm hoping that is in our favor even though I'm not done cleaning and preparing.

We have an appointment with the banker tomorrow, now that the appraisals are done on both this place that we currently own, and the place that we have made an offer on.

Hopefully, we will have a firm comittment from the bank in the next few days, and then we can start specific planning for the future.

I'm really hoping that next winter I am quilting in my loft with a fire in the wood stove!

Marilyn in Alberta, Canada