Whether you’re part of a couple or not, there are plenty of ways to indulge yourself on February 14^th… and you don’t even have to leave home!

1. Take the day off and do what you want! Declare it “Spa Day” or “Movie Marathon Day”. Relax in a bubble bath. Give yourself a mani-pedi. Wear your PJs all day and veg on the couch. Unplug your technology and enjoy the quiet.
2. If you don’t already have one, invest in a good stereo system. Today’s models are smaller, and connect to your existing wi-fi and Bluetooth. Create a whole-home network and you can instantly blast Pandora or iTunes all over the house! Or invest in a system that can act as a home theatre. (Perfect for Movie Marathon Day!)
3. Take a nap or go to bed early. It’s a fact that we live in a sleep-deprived world. Pamper yourself with some extra zzzz’s.
4. Splurge on some new home accessories – elegant curtains, a gorgeous area rug, silky sateen sheets, fluffy new towels.
5. Light a fire and actually relax in front of it! Grab a book – or your S.O. – and enjoy the warm glow.
6. Cook a meal from scratch and enjoy it. No take out. Nothing frozen. It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, but something you can cook and then appreciate.

Homes by DHR is a new home builder in Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, OK. Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430 for more information.  

Moving is typically not an eco-friendly undertaking. It involves packing boxes, tape, packing peanuts, transportation… lots of ways to harm the environment. But it doesn’t have to be an eco-nightmare. Follow a few of these simple tips and make your relocation a greener experience.

1. If you don’t need it, don’t take it. One of the simplest ways to reduce your carbon footprint when moving is to reduce the amount of stuff you move. Go through your stuff and get rid of things you no longer need. Donate clothing, furniture and books to charities or thrift stores or have a garage sale. If you have items that need to be thrown out, try to recycle them if possible. Always dispose of electronics properly.

2. Go green when you clean. Whether it’s the home you’re leaving or the one you’re moving into, you’re likely to be doing a great deal of cleaning during your move. Cleaning products are typically very bad for the environment, as well as your health, so choose green cleaning products whenever possible. Look for products that are non-toxic and biodegradable and read through the ingredient list to make sure they’re all natural. You can also consider making your own cleaner using vinegar and water.

3. Choose responsibly. Eschew the usual old truck packed with cardboard boxes. There are a variety of moving companies that espouse green practices, from using trucks that operate with bio-fuels, to using recycled or biodegradable packing products, to how efficiently they pack your belongings to minimize trips.

Here are some questions to ask:

1. Do they use recycled packing materials?
2. Will they come collect packing materials so they can be re-used?
3. Do they have a no idling policy?
4. Do they make an effort to reduce fuel consumption through a shortest route possible policy or speed monitoring?

If you’re handling your move on your own, be sure to rent a moving van that’s the right size for what you have to move – the smaller the van, the lower the fuel consumption. And to reduce your carbon footprint even further, load your belongings in such a way that allows you to make the fewest trips back and forth.

Homes by DHR is a new home builder in Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, OK. Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430 for more information.

Everyone knows that the real reason people go to Super Bowl parties is the food. Here are some ideas for a memorable menu! (First rule, by the way: Make sure your guests arrive hungry and leave full!)

1. Mini foods are in! They are easy to serve and devour. Just place them on a toothpick or stick for a lovely presentation.
2. Incorporate foods from each team’s city, or include the teams’ colors in your recipes.
3. Make sure there’s more than a boring old six-pack filling the cooler! Try creative cocktails and craft beers.

Once you’ve got the menu down, it’s time to decorate! Here are some ideas for festive decor!

1. Create bags of football-themed confetti for celebrating TDs… or fumbles!
2. Gather jerseys, old trophies and football paraphernalia that you may have around. They’re free… and free is always fun!
3. Astroturf! This grassy imposter can be used to cover tables, create coasters, and even embellish your food spread.

Be prepared for downtime. In case conversation dies down or there’s an unexpected black out, having a few Super Bowl party games is a great idea. Drinking games, trivia games, betting games… the list is endless!

In the end, Super Bowl parties are mostly about cheering and booing together. So have fun, and focus on food, football and friends.

Homes by DHR is a new home builder in Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, OK. Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430 for more information.

You may be excited about moving to your new home, but for your kids, it might be a little overwhelming.

1. The biggest thing to remember is to prepare your kids. Relocating can be a fun adventure if they know what’s going on. Make sure you talk to them about the move. Ask them about their feelings so that you know their concerns, uncertainties, and fears.

2. Involve your kids in the moving process, from picking out their new home (and their new rooms) to packing their toys.

3. Visit your new community. Make sure there is plenty of time for your children to explore their new home and neighborhood. Check out local parks and libraries. Visit the local pool or community center and other places your child might like. If you live far away but you’ve got pictures of the new place and neighborhood, share them with the kids. 

4. Most kids are concerned about losing old friends, and the uncertainty of making new friends. Assure them that they will not lose their old friends. Encourage them to exchange addresses, phone numbers and email. With Facebook, Twitter and the like, there are many ways for kids to remain in close contact with old friends.

5. Meet the kids on your new block. If possible, try to meet other families with young children who live on your street or nearby. Get the kids involved in activities that will help them make friends, such as summer camps and play groups.

6. Keep their favorite toys and comfort items close by. Pack your child’s beloved items in easily accessible places. Though you may be tempted to get rid of a ratty blanket or stuffed animal, don’t do it now if it’s something your child treasures.

7. Get school squared away. Particularly if it’s the middle of the school year, do what you can to make your child’s transition comfortable. Take them to see their new school, and maybe meet their new teachers.

8. Make sure there’s time to say goodbye. Plan a going-away party, or go out to your favorite local restaurant with your family and close relatives and friends.

9. When the moving truck arrives at the new house, have the children stationed in their new rooms (so they are out of the way, unless they are big enough to actually help). Tell the children not to start dragging out their stuff until the furniture is in their room and they have a place to put their clothes.

10. Keep whatever routines you have if possible. From breakfast to bedtime, kids like to know that some things never change.

Homes by DHR is a new home builder in Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, OK. Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430 for more information.  

It’s a time-honored tradition to make resolutions for the new year. We vow to improve ourselves – to eat healthy, exercise more… the list is endless. This year, take the initiative and see how many resolutions you can keep – right from the comfort of your own home!

1. Eat healthier – Load up the fridge with lots of fruits and veggies. Vow to cut back on take-out and fast food. Take the time to sit down and eat with the family. (It’s healthier and good for the kids!)

2. Exercise more – Take advantage of your bonus room and turn it into a yoga studio. Or a mini gym. And schedule time to exercise every day. No excuses!

3. Spend more time with family – Schedule family dinners, game nights, movie nights – whatever your family likes. Hunker down in the family room with some popcorn and a plan to spend uninterrupted time together as a family.

4. Read more – You know that pile of books that’s been sitting unread for ages? Create a reading nook for yourself. Find a comfy chair, a good light and a shelf or table, and settle in. (Don’t be surprised if you keep finding kids in your nook, though!)

5. Get organized – Declutter your drawers and desk. Sort paperwork, bills, mementos and mail. Find a spot in the kitchen or office that’s just for paperwork & bills, and create a system for sorting things as soon as they come in. Clean out the closets – and see how much space you have!

6. Create & follow a budget – Get yourself on a healthy fiscal track. Once you have your bills sorted (#5), then you can create a budget to track your spending habits.

Homes by DHR is a new home builder in Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, OK. Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430 for more information.  

Good planning and thoughtful everyday habits can save you significant amounts of energy and money. Keep these hints in mind this winter:

BEFORE IT GETS TOO COLD:

1. If you have a humidifier, make sure you change the setting for winter.
2. Learn how to program your thermostat for comfort and efficient energy use. Make sure it matches your current schedule to maximize energy savings.
3. Clean or replace filters.
4. Make sure all your home’s systems are in clean and good working order.
5. Check all exterior doors. Replace old weather stripping where necessary. Ensure that door thresholds are a good fit—most are adjustable.
6. If you have basement windows, consider putting covers over the window wells during the winter months.
7. If you have storm doors, switch out the screens for glass replacements.

DURING THE WINTER:

1. On cold days, open window coverings to allow the sun to warm your home. Close them when the sun begins to set. Try putting thicker drapes on the windows to act as a thermal barrier.
2. Limit use of the fireplace in extremely cold or windy weather when the chimney draft will draw room air out at an extreme rate.
3. Humidify the air in your home so that it retains more heat and is a general health benefit.
4. Keep the garage overhead doors closed.
5. Make sure heating vents have no obstacles in front of them. In many homes, furniture is placed so that it blocks heat flow into a room. This results in cold rooms and high energy bills. Rearrange furniture to keep vents and radiators free.
6. Close doors to rooms you’re not using.
7. If your ductwork has dampers that control the airflow in each room, adjust them so the rooms that you use the most during the winter months are comfortable.

IN GENERAL:

1. Get a programmable thermostat. It can help you regulate your home’s temperature and control costs. Alternate by turning the heating down when you’re sleeping or away, and turning it up at other times.
2. Invest in energy efficient windows and insulation. Proper insulation and energy efficient windows can result in savings of hundreds of dollars annually.
3. Turn lights and other electric items off when you finish using them or leave the room.
4. Plant deciduous trees. They provide shade during the summer and permit solar warming in winter.
5. Plant evergreen trees and shrubs. They can create a windbreak and reduce heating costs.

Homes by DHR is a new home builder in Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, OK. Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430 for more information.  

The sun is shining, the leaves are blowing, and the kids are all in school. This only means one thing; summer has officially left the building and fall has come in swinging. The change of seasons brings the change of clothes in the attic, fall cooking recipes, but most importantly, fall decorations to beautify your home.

If you are bored, want something simple to afford, then welcome aboard to decorating with a gourd! Garnishing your front porch or tabletops with gourds, cornhusks, and other fall vegetables is a simple, yet refreshing new look to add to your interior design! Harvest decorations can work particularly well in your dining room. For example, if you are having company over, use mini pumpkins as place settings to add flare and color to your dining room table.

If you are more into color, try decorating with popular fall colors, such as browns, greens, and oranges. Using these colors upon a white or neutral backgrounds will make the fall colors pop as brilliantly as the fall foliage.

Finally, nothing says fall like a set of spooky decorations for Halloween. But this fall, try to mix it up a bit by creating some pumpkin chic and trading the traditional jack-o-lantern for modern stripes or scallops.

We leave you with these tips, so remember: do not fall behind, and get to decorating your home for the new season.

Homes by DHR is a new home builder in Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, OK. Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430 for more information. 

Are you house hunting in the Shawnee or Oklahoma City areas?  When you decide to buy a new home, it’s important to choose a home that fits your family’s needs. You may think you know exactly what you’re looking for, but it helps to make a list… especially if you won’t be the only decision maker in the selection process!

The following “House Hunting Checklist” is a good starting point.

What kind of home do you want? 

·      One-story?

·      Two-story?

·      Basement?

·      Garage?

·      How many bedrooms?

·      How many bathrooms?

What size home do you want?  

·      How many square feet?

What special features do you want? 

·      Chef’s kitchen?

·      Open floor plan?

·      2nd floor laundry?

·      Deck or patio?

·      Hardwood floors?

·      Energy-efficient construction?

What neighborhood amenities do you want? What’s important to your family?

·      Quality of schools?   Public or private?

·      Community parks?

·      Playgrounds?

·      Sports fields?

·      Shopping centers?

·      Medical centers?

·      Freeway access?

·      Proximity to work?

 As you’re house hunting, you’ll be bombarded with information. Having your checklist will help you navigate this complicated process, and help you figure out what you’re really searching for!

Thought getting the kids out of bed was hard? Well now that the summer sun has set, it is time to get them out of the house and back to school. Getting yourself and your family back into the routine of school days can be just as exhausting, and scary, as going back to school yourself. Although, with this checklist, your band of wild ones will be sure to not miss a beat, or a homework assignment.

Before School

____ Lunches are packed and in a location the kids can easily grab them.

____ Backpacks are packed with all books and in close proximity to lunch box.

____ Kids are dressed, preferably in clothes that match.

____ Keep a calendar for school events to check everyday so that your kids wear pajamas on the CORRECT pajama day.

____ All kids are present and accounted for at the bus stop or in the car.

____ Wave goodbye, blow a kiss, be on your merry way.

Even though the kids are out of the house and out of your hands, the worrying does not stop there. When they come back from school, they are of course going to be hungry like the wolves, sweaty, and probably have unwanted homework to do.

After School

____ Have a shoe rack at your front door in order to prevent tracking dirt and to keep your house looking brand new

____ Have a snack prepared and readily available in your kitchen

____ Set up a coming home routine complete with some down time to ease their troubled minds before they start their homework.

Getting your home and your children ready for the school season is not a task for the simple minds, but don’t you forget about these checklists. If used daily, any scheduled routine can become habitual and make for a happy home!

Homes by DHR builds single family country homes in the Shawnee area, Pottawatomie County, OK.  Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430.

As you prepare to show your home to potential buyers, remember that people like homes that are clean and uncluttered, light and airy, peaceful and quiet.  Here are a few tips to help show your home at its best!

Disassociate yourself from your home. Once you make the decision to put your home on the market, it’s no longer yours. It is a product to be sold. Let go of your emotional ties to the house, and focus on selling it. Don’t get mired in old memories… look toward the future.

De-personalize your home. Pack up your personal photographs and family treasures. Buyers have problems seeing past your personal items. You don’t want them to be distracted; you want them to imagine their own photos on the walls! You want buyers to say, “I can see myself living here.”

De-clutter! People collect a lot of stuff. Potential buyers don’t need to see it. They need to see empty closets and clean cabinets. So, get to de-cluttering. Have a garage sale. What you don’t sell, donate or toss. The less “stuff” that’s around, the roomier your house will seem. If there are essential items that you’ll need every day, put them in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use. Think of this process as the beginning of all the packing you’ll be doing eventually.

Organize closets and kitchen cabinets. People love to snoop. Do you want them to see a messy coat closet or an over-stuffed kitchen cabinet?  Instead, imagine what a buyer will think if she sees everything neatly organized. In the kitchen, arrange pantry items (jars, bottles, cans) in some semblance of order, and neatly stack the dishes.In the closets,hang similar items together and facing the same direction. Line up your shoes.

Let the sun shine in! Raise the shades. Open the curtains. Turn on the lamps. Rooms that are bright and airy seem larger and more inviting than those that are dark.

Take a deep breath… Smells can be very potent. And it’s very common for people to be unaware of smells in their own homes. (Tobacco, pets, mustiness, cooking odors.) Open the windows, and thoroughly clean rugs, floors and walls. Put out fresh flowers. Bake bread or cookies.

Rent a storage unit. Homes show better with less furniture. Remove furniture that blocks paths and walkways and put them in storage. Remove the now empty bookcases. Remove extra leaves from the dining room table. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose.

Remove anything you’re taking with you.  If you want the window coverings, appliances or lighting fixtures, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won’t want it. Once you tell a buyer she can’t have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.

Make minor repairs. Don’t give buyers reasons to disregard your home. Replace cracked floor or counter tiles. Patch holes in the walls. Fix leaky faucets. Fix doors that don’t close properly and drawers that stick. Replace burned-out light bulbs. And don’t underestimate the value of a fresh coat of paint. Stick to neutral colors.

Clean the house – top to bottom!

• Wash windows inside and out.
• Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
• Clean out cobwebs.
• Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
• Polish faucets and mirrors.
• Clean out the refrigerator.
• Vacuum daily.
• Wash & wax floors.
• Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
• Bleach dingy grout.
• Replace worn rugs.
• Hang up fresh towels.

Send pets and children away.  If prospective buyers are coming to have a look, you don’t want them to be intimidated by your dog or distracted by your children.

Scrutinize.  Go outside and try to look at your house the way a stranger would. Walk up the front path. Open your front door. Does the house welcome you? Linger in the doorway of every room and imagine how it will look to a buyer. Re-examine how the furniture is arranged and move pieces until the room feels right. Make sure window coverings are level.

Check your curb appeal.  A buyer’s first impression of your home comes the second they pull up to the house. If a buyer doesn’t like the exterior of your home, you’ll never get her inside. Keep the sidewalks cleared, and the lawn mown.  Spruce up the siding and window trim. Plant flowers if you don’t have any.  Trim the shrubs and bushes. Make sure visitors can clearly read the house number.

Good luck!

Homes by DHR builds single family country homes in the Shawnee area, Pottawatomie County, OK.  Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430.