Staging Your Home for Successful Fall & Winter Sales

While many people swear by selling homes during the bright spring and summer months, there is really no reason why you can’t sell your home during the darker, cooler months of the year as well. Staging your home is important no matter when during the year you are trying to sell, but it is especially important when you’re putting your property up for sale in the fall and winter months.

The whole purpose of staging your home is to make the atmosphere appear inviting to the prospective buyers; what buyers will find inviting in the winter months is quite different than what they’ll find inviting in the warm summer months. In the summer, home owners tend to stage their homes with a focus towards light, bright, and airy environments. In the darker, cooler months, what we find inviting is quite different than what we see as inviting in the summertime.

When the weather is brisk outside, what many people will find inviting is a warm, cosy home. When the weather is cool, make sure that you turn the heat inside your home up a little so that prospective buyers are comfortable. If you have a gas or electric fireplace, turn it on to add to the ambiance of your home.

While you don’t want your MLS pictures to be dated by seasonal decorations, it is totally fine to use them in your house when you’re staging it for sale. Try to keep your decorating fairly neutral and simple so that prospective buyers can easily see themselves in your space. Don’t let your holiday decorations obscure your home’s assets either, they should just add a touch of the holidays without being overpowering.

Another great way to make prospective buyers feel at home in your house is by using smells. Fresh baking smells are inviting for most people, even if it’s just some store bought cookie dough that you pop in the oven before your home is shown so that the smell pervades the house and buyers feel welcomed by a plate of freshly baked cookies. A crockpot full of warmed spiced apple cider is a great alternative to baking and has a great holiday scent as well.

If you live in an area that has rainy or snowy weather in the fall and winter months, make sure that you take care that people can get to your front door without too much trouble. Keep your driveway ploughed or shovelled when it’s snowy and make sure to keep walkways salted and sanded for safety. During the wet weather, and particularly when there is sand and salt down, make sure that you have ample space by the front door for people to take off their shoes. Use a mat by the front door to collect bits of grit that come in on people’s shoes to help protect your floors as well.

The main concerns when you’re trying to sell your home during the fall and winter months is that, due to the weather and darker days, people find different things inviting than they did in the summer months. Make sure that you focus your staging on fall and winter comfort to make your prospective buyers feel at home in your home.

Simple Green Substances to Clean Your Home With

While many people want to improve their cleansers’ eco-friendliness, many don’t realize that “green” cleaning isn’t reaching for that bottle of “Eco-Kleen” on the shelf. Environmentally friendly cleaners, while better than some conventional solutions to household grime, can be expensive and take quite as much packaging as conventional cleansing products. The happy news is that there are several substances that can materially help you clean your home that don’t cost a lot and don’t take a lot of packaging.

Plain old water is often the best cleaner that can be used to address a spill, stain or dirt. Water soaking can loosen dirt out of fabric and a damp rag is often all that is needed to make a counter, sink or bath sparkle. Soaking a stain on a carpet and putting a weighted towel or newspaper over it can draw the stain out. Water is also free, which makes it a very attractive first choice of cleaner.

Lemon juice and vinegar do many of the same things, which is to say that they can be used to bring brass, copper and pewter to a shine, get rid of soap scum and hard water stains, and be used to sweeten up drains and remove gummy residue from smooth surfaces. Vinegar is also known for its prime window-cleaning qualities, with a spray of vinegar and yesterdays newspaper leaving behind a streak-free pane. Lemon juice leaves behind a pleasant citrus scent which is a nice touch in a clean room. When paired with vinegar, lemon juice can tone down vinegar’s nose-piercing smell to something more tolerable.

Baking soda is the scourer of the lot. A paste made from baking soda and water can scrape away stubborn stains. The bubbling action that baking soda and water produce can help keep drains clear if one pours a quarter-cup of soda down every week, followed by a rinse of hot water. Baking soda is also famous for removing odors from just about anything. Carpets can be sprinkled with it and vacuumed to remove lingering smells. It can also be tossed in the wash for some extra cleaning action. Baking soda doesn’t spoil, making bulk buying an economical choice.

Hydrogen peroxide is not just for cleaning wounds; it can also remove mold and has mild antibacterial and antiviral properties. While many people are seduced by the promise of ‘anti-bacterial’ cleaners, these don’t actually clean any better than regular cleaning products, including the ones that are the simplest. Regular cleaning will do more for household hygiene than anything that can kill “99% of all bacteria on your counter!” However, hydrogen peroxide is a great green way of adding some bacteria-killing power to your cleaning if you feel it’s important.

Green cleaning can require more work than conventional cleaners, but the less chemical residue left around your home and going down the drain is worth it. However, natural products are not to be sniffed at. Try the above substances and see how well they can work!

Home Baking Business Equipment

My mission in this article is to give you a feel for the kind of equipment that’s usually required by the health department and equipment that’s traditionally used in a personal kitchen but can also be used to get your business started. I’ve also included a few helpful tips that can make your work a little easier, less time consuming and more profitable.

Here’s your first money-saving tip: used commercial equipment will more than satisfy your needs. Commercial equipment tends to have a long operating life when it’s taken care of properly.

The following equipment list will be especially helpful if you’re operating on a shoestring budget. It will also be useful if you are uncertain about operating this type of business and want to test the waters.

Ovens – The health department has no requirements concerning the size, type, or make of oven used in your business. You can use the same type of conventional stove that you have in your personal kitchen if it bakes properly and produces the results you need. But you should be aware that conventional ovens limit the quantity you can bake at one time and the speed of baking.

To increase production and keep up with demand, you’ll need a commercial oven, preferably convection. Convection ovens bake fast and efficiently. Before purchasing a commercial electric oven, inquire about wiring and outlets needed for operation. Before purchasing any type of gas oven, make sure you have enough space for a hood fan and proper ventilation.

Mixers – If you have budget concerns, a home-style stand mixer will work perfectly to get you started. I recommend KitchenAid mixers. If you have product demand and the budget, definitely invest in a commercial mixer. A used twelve or twenty-quart commercial mixer will get you off to a great start.

Refrigerators/Coolers – Are you watching the budget? If so, here’s another tip that will save you many dollars. Home-style refrigerators will work perfectly for your start-up and established business. Commercial refrigerators (referred to as coolers) can be expensive, even the used ones. So consider carefully the amount of space you have, the amount of product to be chilled, and your budget for refrigeration. Before purchasing a commercial cooler, inquire about the necessary electrical wiring and outlets needed for operation.

Proofing Cabinets – If you’re making large quantities of yeast breads, you will benefit from having a proofing cabinet. This cabinet maintains a warm temperature that’s perfect for the stage of bread making when the dough needs to rise and double in bulk.

Work Sinks – A stainless-steel compartment sink is usually a requirement of the health department. Even if this type of sink is not required, you should consider buying one. The convenience and ease of washing large sheet pans, large mixing bowls, and other oversized pieces make it well worth the cost.

Work Tables – The health department usually requires a certain kind of work surface for food preparation and protection. Stainless-steel tables are the most popular because they can be easily cleaned and do not absorb germs and other contaminants. There may be other tabletop surfaces that meet approval. Ask your health department for more information. The size table you buy should be determined by available space and the task to be performed. Rolling Pan Racks (Shelves) These heavy-duty metal racks are made to hold both half- and full-size sheet pans. They vary in height and the number of pans they hold. They are excellent space savers. Use them for cookies and cakes (before and after baking), ingredients, supplies, and more. One of the great convenience features is mobility. They can be moved to wherever you’re working. A pan rack is not required by the health department, but it should be near the top of your list of necessities. Used racks will work perfectly.

Storage Shelves – You’ll need lots of storage space for dry ingredients, packaging supplies, and other items. It’s always a great idea to make the most of your work space from floor to ceiling.

Hand Sink – A hand sink is generally a small sink used to wash your hands before and during work. This sink is usually required by the health department. You can save on cost by purchasing a fiberglass sink (called a utility sink) at most building supply stores.

Ingredient Bins – It’s not necessary to buy commercial storage bins for items like flour and sugar. Just go to a building supply store and purchase large thirty-two-gallon trash cans with lids. They must be new, of course. These cans will store a fifty-pound bag of flour or sugar and more. Do not empty the product directly into the trash can. Instead, drop the unopened bag into the can, and then open the top of the bag and dip out the product as needed.

More Tips: Before purchasing any large equipment, measure all doorways that the equipment has to pass through before it can be placed in the work area.

Always ask for a warranty. Most companies offer at least a thirty-day warranty on used equipment.

Information for Baking at Home

Eat healthy. Avoid sweets and processed foods. Cut back on fats. Watch your carbs. Once upon a time, those words of advice were only given to dieters looking to take off some added pounds. These days, though, all the major health organizations are telling us that following these rules can make us much healthier.

Unfortunately, for those of us with a sweet tooth and those of us who love to bake, those bits of advice also seem to sound the death knell for decadent desserts. With just a little adjustment of your recipes, you can bake low sugar snacks that taste just as good as the traditional high fat, high calorie and unhealthy treats. For more resources login on to www.appetizer-collection.com. Here are some tips for baking at home with less sugar.

Basics of Baking Lighter at Home

These are the big three rules when it comes to baking healthier at home.
???? Reduce the amount of sugar used in your recipes. Unfortunately, that’s sometimes easier said than done. Some recipes depend on sugar for more than just taste in a recipe. You may have to experiment with different sugar substitutes when baking until you get it right. In general, of all the sugar substitutes on the market, Splendid granulated, which is made for baking, is most easily substituted in a one to one measure for sugar in a recipe.
???? Reduce the amount of fat used in recipes, but keep in mind that some recipes need a minimum amount of fat in order to succeed at all. The biggest trick to learn in reducing the fat content is to substitute another moist ingredient for part of the butter, oil or shortening called for in the recipe. Popular choices include fat-free sour cream, light cream cheese, orange juice or applesauce.
???? Make smaller servings more satisfying by adding fiber to recipes. Instead of chocolate, add fruit, or use whole wheat flour for part of the flour. When you increase the nutritional value of the dessert, it’s far easier to be satisfied with smaller portions – and fewer calories.

There are lots of other little tricks to enhance flavor and make low sugar baking fun.
???? Use flavor enhancers like lemon zest in fruity dishes. The tang brings out the fruit flavor and heightens the flavors of whatever ingredients you use.
???? Vanilla, butter and nut flavorings can add the taste of butter and nuts without adding the extra fats.
???? Cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger and nutmeg intensify flavors and enhance sweetness in a dish.
???? Experiment with spice combinations to create a fresh, new flavor.
???? Substitute strong, cold coffee for part of the liquid in chocolate recipes to bring out the chocolate flavor.
???? Top cakes and cupcakes with fruit or fruit spread, or substitute pureed fruit for frosting between layers in a cake.
???? When baking cookies using a sugar substitute, flatten each cookie slightly before baking. This will help the cookies to spread enough while baking.
???? Add a little extra vanilla when you reduce sugar in a recipe. It accentuates the sweetness.
???? If using fruit juice as a sweetener, reduce the juice to a third of its original volume by boiling over high heat. It will concentrate the flavors and the sweetness.
???? Use dried fruits in muffin and cake recipes to add a burst of sweetness in every bite. Chop the fruits into very small pieces to distribute the flavor more evenly through the batter.
???? Mashed, overripe bananas are a great shortening substitute, as is applesauce. When buying fruits, buy them individually instead of in plastic bags. The flavors are more intense when the fruit hasn’t been packaged in plastic.
???? When baking pies, try this tip: sprinkle a small amount of sugar on the pie crust before filling it with unsweetened fruit. Spray the top crust with cooking spray, then sprinkle with a little sugar. No one will ever miss the extra sugar in the filling.
???? When reducing fat and sugar in baked goods, try baby food bananas, pears, prunes, sweet potatoes or carrots. The typical addition is applesauce, but you’ll get richer, sweeter flavor from other fruits.

Low fat and low sugar recipes may not brown properly. Sugar substitutes and other sweeteners do not darken with heat in quite the same way. Here are some ways to add color to your baking when using sweeteners and less sugar.
???? A small amount of molasses provides color, as well as moisture and deep sweetness.
???? Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg on top of a cake or cupcakes before baking.
???? Use a small amount of dark brown sugar with fruits to add intense color.
???? When baking with sugar substitutes and sweeteners, reduce the baking time. Get your cookies and brownies out of the oven before the look done. They’ll continue cooking while they cool.

Baking with Less Sugar

Sugar substitutes such as: Splendid Sugar Blend is blends of a sugar substitute that incorporate some sugar for better baking. If you can’t use sugar substitutes, here are some other suggestions for reducing the sugar in your recipes.
???? Add dried fruit puree in soft chewy cookies to replace some of the sugar and some of the fat.
???? You can reduce the sugar by up to a third in most drop cookie recipes without appreciably affecting the recipe.
???? Use chopped dried fruits instead of candied fruit peels in holiday recipes.