5 Ways To Improve Your Closet’s Organization

Your home’s closets are only as good as their organization. Even a large, spacious bedroom closet loses its luster when it’s hard to find and access items. Recently, Forbes published a list of organizational tips for how to improve your closets and make them easier to use every day. Here are a few of our favorite tips.

Critique your closet

The first step to improving the organization of your closet is to carefully critique everything in it. If you’ve lived in your home for years already, that probably means completely emptying the closet. If you’re a new home owner, this is an ideal time to assess all of your clothes, shoes and other items before putting them into the closet. Once you know exactly how many items are going back in, you can make more intelligent choices about how much storage you need to add.

Use empty space

It may seem like your closet is at its limit but there’s almost always some empty space on walls or the door that you can utilize. Bars and hooks can greatly increase your storage capability without putting often used items out of reach.

Add light

Not only is does there seem to be never enough storage in a closet, there’s also never enough light. Most closets have one solitary lightbulb on the ceiling, but that’s hardly enough to effectively light the whole closet, especially when it’s full. Adding shelf lighting doesn’t have to be a big, expensive project, however. Consider battery-operated LED lights that can be stuck or screwed into shelves. You can even invest in motion activated LED lights that only come on when you’re looking for something near them.

Be able to reach

If you’re short, either make all your closet storage lower, or add a step stool or ladder to your closet so you can reach everything you’re storing. There are also options like clothes racks that pull down when you need them so you can easily reach clothes on the top rack.

Quality hangers

It’s tempting to use the wire hangers from the dry cleaner that all of us have accumulated over the years, but those hangers are tough on clothes. Your hangers can be wood, plastic or metal, but they should be able to easily hold the weight of your clothes without stretching and bending them. They also add the benefit of being able to group your clothes easier. For example, use wooden hangers for dress shirts in one area of your closet and metal hangers for pants in another area.

At Perry Hood Properties, we build high quality homes in the Tulsa, Bixby and Broken Arrow areas and want to help our buyers enjoy those homes for years to come. To browse through our currently available homes, visit our Catalog.

March 31, 2015closets, Forbes, home tips, organization

4 Cabinet Customization Options For A More Efficient Kitchen

Moving into your home with beautiful and contemporary kitchen cabinets is only the start. There are a number of options you can add to your cabinets in order to make your kitchen more functional without sacrificing the look of those cabinets. At Perry Hood Properties, our homes are constructed with high-quality Jay Rambo cabinets, which give your kitchen an attractive look. To add additional functionality, Jennifer Ott put together a few suggestions at Houzz. Here are a few of our favorite ideas.

Lighting

Adding lighting underneath your cabinets serves a number of uses and doesn’t take up any additional room. These lights help with food prep and other work done on your counters and can serve as nightlights for those late-night trips to the refrigerator. Low-profile LED strips are barely noticeable during the day and are also inexpensive.

Outlets

The backsplash is one of a limited number of design elements in your kitchen. Sometimes putting outlets over your backsplash is unavoidable, but in most cases you could put outlets on the underside of your cabinets instead. This also ensures that there’s always an outlet close by when you need it. The one downside is unsightly cords hanging down from the suspended outlets, but that can be easily remedied by unplugging countertop appliances when they’re not in use.

Stemware or Bottle rack

It’s always difficult to find a space for your stemware. A similar problem is storing wine bottles without taking up a lot of counter space. By utilizing your cabinets, you can solve both problems and save space in an attractive way. A stemware rack can be added either inside a cabinet, or to the underside of one. The underside of your cabinet can also be used to add a bottle holder. Putting these two options together is extremely handy.

Device Docks

Do you use your tablet for recipes while you cook? Or do you talk on the phone or return emails while in the kitchen? Even if you just want to listen to music while you cook or clean, having docks for your electronic devices mounted under your cabinets is a great way to keep them out of the way but still accessible. These mounts hang down far enough where your device is easily readable but ensure it won’t ever be in the middle of spills.

There are a number of other ways to customize your kitchen to better fit your needs. Consider mounting your knife block under cabinets, or keep paper towels or a jar or can opener mounted to keep them handy.

At Perry Hood Properties, we ensure that all of our homes are constructed with high quality materials that will last for our residents. Contact us for information on building a new home, or visit our Catalog to view currently available homes.

March 25, 2015cabinets, Houzz, Jay Rambo, Jennifer Ott, kitchen

Proper Care Of Your Silgranit Sink

Your kitchen sink is used for a variety of jobs and sees a lot of traffic throughout the life of your home. At Perry Hood Properties, our homes are built with Silgranit kitchen sinks by Blanco because they’re both durable and stylish. To keep them looking great, there are a few manufacturer suggested tips you should follow.

Keep it dry

It may sound strange that you need to keep your kitchen sink dry, but due to mineral deposits in water, allowing it to sit will create spots over time. You don’t need to dry the sink every time you use it, but be sure to wipe it with a soft cloth regularly, particularly if you’ll be away for extended periods of time.

Non-abrasive cleaners

You want to keep your sink clean, but you can actually over-do it and damage your sink’s surface. Abrasive cleaners containing chlorine or hydrochloric acid. You’ll also want to clean with soft sponges or cloths, rather than steel wool or metal scrub pads. Blanco offers a cleaner specifically made for their sinks but there are also a number of cleaners and polishes available that will maintain the luster of your kitchen sink.

Use a sink bottom

Dropping sharp items into your sink can damage the surface and leave you with small nicks. To fully protect your sink, consider adding a sink bottom that fits the sink bowl and protects it from scratches and nicks. Blanco makes sink bottoms for all of their sink models and there are other options available as well.

Avoid stains

Speaking of sink bottoms, you’ll want to be careful about what type you use. Rubber-coated mats when left for long periods of time tend to cause discoloration of your sink. Additionally, wet sponges or cleaning products that are left over time will also leave stains and discoloration, just as they would with any sink. It’s always a good idea to rinse and wipe down your sink after pouring any type of chemicals or colored liquids into it and after cleaning.

At Perry Hood Properties, we build our homes with high quality materials and help our clients keep those homes looking great for years to come. To see the homes that are currently available in Tulsa, Bixby and Broken Arrow, browse through our online Catalog.

March 17, 2015Blanco, cleaning, maintenance, Silgranit, sinks

4 Tips For Maintaining Your Concrete Driveway

It may not be the first thing you notice when you look at a house, but the driveway does impact the overall look. It’s easy to overlook a smooth, well-maintained concrete driveway, but one with unsightly cracks or holes detracts from the quality and appeal of the house. Concrete Network put together a handy guide for caring for your concrete driveway in order to keep it, and your home, looking beautiful. Here are a few care tips.

Clean and Reseal

In Oklahoma, your driveway is subject to hard rains and hail, snow and ice and blistering sun at different points of the year. All of this extreme weather take its toll over time. Especially if dirt and debris are left without attention. Typically, it’s a good idea to regularly hose off and clean your driveway to prevent cracks from developing. Resealing your driveway also helps to keep it clean and looking like new. Most contractors advise you reseal every 2 years, but your driveway may need it more often if it experiences more extreme weather or heavy traffic.

Stains

While a grease, gas or oil stain likely won’t harm your driveway’s structure, it does create unsightly blemishes that detract from your home’s appeal. Having a freshly sealed driveway helps to keep spills from staining the concrete, but it’s always a good idea to thoroughly clean them as soon as they happen. For tough stains that won’t come up, consider a pressure washer combined with cleaning chemicals, but be cautious that some chemicals can be harmful to concrete.

Avoid Deicer

One such chemical that actually attacks concrete is deicer. Oklahoma winters typically ice over driveways at least a few times each year and deicer is extremely helpful to make your driveway more passable. Unfortunately, it can also cause surface damage to the concrete. Rock salt is better for concrete, but is harmful to vehicles and your lawn. An alternative would be to put down sand for better traction, but be sure to wash your driveway when the ice clears to remove excess sand and dirt.

Heavy Vehicles

Concrete is a durable material, which is why it’s so often used for driveways. It’s not intended for any load, however. Heavier vehicles, like fully loaded moving trucks and construction equipment can cause cracks and other damage to the concrete. Even long-term storage of boats or RVs can end in damage to your driveway. Consider alternatives like street parking or off premises storage for large vehicles to prevent the need to replace your driveway.

At Perry Hood Properties, we build houses in the Tulsa, Bixby and Broken Arrow areas with high quality materials. We use these materials so our homes will stay beautiful for as long as you own the home. To browse through our currently available homes, please visit our Catalog page or call us at 918-250-2663.

March 11, 2015March 11, 2015concrete, Concrete Network, deicer, driveway, home tips

Maintenance Tips For An Efficient Air Conditioner

You may not need your air conditioner now, but that makes it a great time to for maintenance and some routine cleaning. You certainly don’t want to wait until the first hot day of the year to find out that your air conditioner isn’t working. At Small Notebook, there’s a helpful list of ways you can get your air conditioner ready for warmer weather and keep it running throughout the summer. Here are the vital tips every homeowner needs to know.

Air Filters

Most of us know that air filters need to be changed regularly. Doing so regularly improves the quality of your air and prolongs the life of your air conditioner. Think of it like changing the oil in your car. Typically, changing it every 3 months during use of your A/C is recommended, but you’ll want to change it more often if you have severe allergies. There are plenty of options in filters, but don’t skimp and buy the cheapest available. Pleated synthetic filters don’t cost much more, but do a better job for longer.

Check Efficiency

How efficient your air conditioning unit is running not only dictates how cool your home stays, but also how high your electricity bill is likely to be. Before the peak of summer, measure efficiency by comparing the temperature of air coming out of the vents with the air going into the return vent. There should be about a 15-degree difference. If it’s more, it could signal it’s time to change your filters. If the difference is less, you’ll need some maintenance on your A/C like more Freon.

Maintain Ducts

The ducts in your home are responsible for carrying air to the vents in each room. If they’re not properly maintained, an efficient unit is unable to distribute cool air properly. Go to your attic to see if there are any leaks that allow cool air to escape before it reaches the vents. If so, you can either replace the duct, or try to patch it with duct tape. It’s also a good idea to invest in insulation to wrap around the ducts so that the heat from the attic doesn’t affect the cool air. Finally, keep ducts free of debris and dust by protecting them during any home renovation project. Cover the return air vents in your home with air filters to keep all that dust out.

Keep Outside Unit Clean

The unit outside of your home, also known as the condenser, needs to be clean in order to have sufficient airflow. When it’s dirty, it either stops working, or must work harder, which uses more energy. One cleaning per year is usually plenty, but you should clean the condenser when it is visibly dirty. To do so, turn off the power, then rinse with a hose. Don’t use much pressure because some parts of the unit can bend easily. Your goal is to remove dirt and debris from between the small openings, or fins, on the condenser.

Keeping your air conditioner running is vital during the sweltering Oklahoma summers. These tips will help you keep energy costs low and regular maintenance will keep you from paying big repair bills.

At Perry Hood Properties, we want our homeowners to keep their homes looking beautiful for years after they buy them. We use high quality products to help homes look like new. Browse through our available homes and call us today!

March 3, 2015air conditioner, air filters, home tips, Small Notebook