Real Estate in Our Town by Deborah

Real Estate in OUR TOWN

“ Y o u r W i n t e r T o - D o l i s t ”

By Deborah Ratchford

inter is just around the corner and you know what that means- creating a Winter To-Do list. W Will you make a snowman? Go skiing? Maybe snowboard? Whatever fun events you may have planned, make sure to also include a few home maintenance tasks. The following tasks will help you save costs this winter and keep the warmth in!

Install a door sweep

Have you noticed that some doors leave a small gap between the bottom of the door and the floor? This is to prevent floors from being scratched, however if the gap is sizeable enough it can lead to heat loss. You can fix this by installing door sweeps! These sweeps won’t harm your floors and will close any gaps to keep the heat in.

Programmable thermostat

While it’s great to have the house heated to your perfect temperature when you are home, there’s not really a reason to have your house warm when everyone’s at work or school...or when sleeping. Having a programmable thermostat can reduce costs by setting schedules for the heater! You can also simply set this schedule and make reminders for yourself to save costs.

Insulate, Insulate, Insulate

Having the proper insulation can make a great difference in keeping the cold out and the warmth in! However, some older homes may lack proper insulation, so make sure to get a consultation and maybe bulk up your home’s insulation.

Winterize Your Windows

Many windows tend to let heat seep out but there’s two ways to directly combat this: temporary storm windows or an insulator kit. The insulator kit will provide films to cover your windows and is a cheaper alternative to storm windows, but both are great options for insulating your windows.

Cover the Windows

Applying new windows or films to windows can be intimidating so you can also combat heat leaks by getting insulating curtains. Not only can Our Town

these curtains help prevent heat leaks but they can also be stylish decor to give the room a warm feeling.

Reverse Ceiling Fans

Did you know that the direction your ceiling fans are turning actually effects how heat travels in your home? If you can change your ceiling fan direction, make sure they’re spinning clockwise, as this will make warm air lower.

Clean the Gutters & Drain Outdoor Plumbing

Buildup in your gutters can lead to still water, which has a high chance of freezing. This also applies to any outdoor plumbing you may have like hoses and a sprinkler system. Try to make sure that there’s no water in either of these systems when the colder months come our way because they might freeze over.

Sweep out the Chimney

One of the best parts of winter is sitting in front of a cozy fire but you have to make sure you do it safely! If you burn log fires at a lower temperature, tar can actually start to build up in your chimney. Make sure that before each winter starts, get your chimney swept, cleaned and inspected for safety to avoid any potential fires.

Please feel free to contact me with any of your Real Estate questions.

Deborah Ratchford 678-570-4779 Debratchford@kw.com

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Let’s Follow Our Dogs Lead into a New Year

Each year during this season, we reflect on our past and look forward to the possibilities of the future. What did we learn? What did we accomplish? What challenges did we overcome? Where did we fall short? What do we want to do in the future? And so forth… As we charge into 2021, doing everything possible to move beyond the reality that was 2020, I find myself asking “What would life look like if we were more like our pups?” and I am reminded of an article I read and saved some years ago. It was written by Debbie Gisonni and published on huffpost.com in 2014. The following excerpt is from that article: 10 Things Dogs Teach Us About What Matters Most: 1. Live in the moment - Whether they’re eating a bowl of kibble or chasing a ball, dogs live for the present moment. The past is gone; you can’t do anything about it. The future is unknown. The only thing you can really enjoy and affect is the present moment. 2. Overcome fear with love - There are plenty of stories about frightful, aggressive dogs who transformed into kind, gentle dogs after they were placed in a loving environment. Dogs can overcome their fear and insecurities through love, and so can humans. 3. Don’t hold grudges - A dog will never be angry with you because you didn’t give him a treat after dinner last night. Holding a grudge weighs you down emotionally and keeps you from moving forward in life. Let grudges go and you will create your own personal freedom. 4. Play every day - Dogs love to play, which usually involves lots of movement, whether it’s running, chasing or jumping. This is a good reminder for us to play and move our bodies every day as well. 5. Jump for joy when you’re happy - We live in a miraculous world where the sun comes up every day, flowers bloom and seasons change. There is much to jump for joy about. PAGE 42

6. Accept yourself - Can you imagine a terrier wishing she were a boxer or a poodle envious of a collie’s mane or a pug wanting the nose of a greyhound? How boring it would be if all dogs (or all humans) looked and behaved alike! Love everything about yourself -- the good, the bad and the ugly! 7. Enjoy the journey - When dogs go for a car ride, they stick their head out the window, smell the air and feel the wind against their fur. They don’t care where they’re going. They’re just enjoying the journey. 8. Drink lots of water - Dogs instinctively know when their bodies need water. They usually stop eating when they’re full and won’t eat anything that seems poisonous to them. 9. Be loyal and dependable - Dogs are pack animals. They stick with their pack. They play with their pack. They defend their pack. This is a great reminder for all of us to be conscientious members of our human pack. 10. Love unconditionally - No matter what, dogs love you unconditionally. Loving others unconditionally is a difficult task, but it’s the one that would surely make the world a better place if we all just tried.

For the entire article, see our website here: www.k-9coach.com/dogslife So, here’s to 2021 and living like a dog!

Thanks everyone. Be safe and wag on.