• Be upfront about your pets.
  Your landlord will not be happy to find out about a secret or hidden pet and it could even result in eviction or serious financial penalties. If you have a pet, search for pet-friendly rentals and be upfront when making inquiries. Rental companies and property managers are much more willing to work with individuals who are honest about their pets.

• Keep a file for your pets that includes medical information and any references or certifications.
  Keep your pet up to date with vaccines and keep the medical records from your veterinarian. If your dog has passed any training or behavior courses, keep a copy of those certifications as well.

• Consider the layout and finishes of your apartment.
  If you have a puppy learning potty training, an apartment with new white carpets may not be the best option. Likewise, an apartment tight on square footage may not be comfortable for a larger dog. Think about the space and details of your potential apartment in terms of your pet. You want your pet to feel comfortable while minimizing risks of damage to the rental property. If there’s too much to pet-proof, it may not be the best home for you and your pet.

• Be aware that having pets often means that you’ll be subject to additional deposits or rent.
  In the rental world, pets=money. Most apartments have a pet fee, and this fee is usually around $300.00 per pet. Be mindful that you may have to pay a pet fee, deposit, or additional pet rent.

• Find ways to keep them entertained while you’re at work.
  Schedule a dog walker, or if you work close enough to home, visit your pet during your lunch break. You can also create some entertaining games and toys! We like these DIY toys for a dog or a cat.

• Always clean up after your pet, indoors and out!
  Be courteous to your neighbors by picking up after your pet outside. Some leases may even require you to do so! If your pet has an accident inside, be sure to clean it up quickly to avoid stains.

• Apologize to your neighbors when you need to.
  If your pet creates an issue with a neighbor, be sure to apologize and work on a solution. Most neighbors understand that accidents happen and that dogs bark, but apologizing for bad behavior and opening a dialogue with your neighbors never hurts!

Spring Cleaning Tricks, Tips, and Checklists to Keep You Tidy!

Our favorite and thorough Spring Cleaning Checklists: Imperfect Home Making, I Dream of Clean, A Blissful Nest (free printable!)

Our Tips for Spring Cleaning

• Carve Out Some Time.

To thoroughly clean your home, make sure you set yourself up for success by setting aside a little more time than you think you need. Then, commit to a certain day or two to clean, such as Saturday or Sunday. Once you have a date set and marked on your calendar, you’ll be less likely to cancel on yourself!

• Walk Through Your Whole House First.

Take a walk through your home prior to your cleaning date and make a note of which areas need more attention than others. If you clean your home regularly, you may see that your focus needs to be on particular spots, such as the pantry or attic, rather than on general cleaning.

• Print or Create A Checklist.

Once you’ve done a walkthrough, utilize a printable checklist or create your own. Prioritize your “to do” items and set up more time for yourself, if needed.

• Have Your Supplies Ready.

Nothing is worse than when you start cooking and realize you don’t have an ingredient you thought you had. The same principal applies to cleaning. Once you get going, you don’t want to have to run out to get something. Once you have your cleaning checklist, make a note of what cleaning supplies each item will require.

• Be Realistic About What You Can Accomplish.

If you have a lot of big items on your to-do list, break them down by priority or schedule some tasks for future weekends.

• Have A Plan For Your Next Meal.

This may sound silly, but once your home is clean and in pristine condition, the last thing you want to do is make a mess again. Make a meal beforehand that you can heat up later or treat yourself to a meal out on the town after all your hard work!

• If a DIY Seems Risky, Hire A Professional.

We’re always tempted to follow a good DIY, but if you’re not familiar with what you’re doing, hire a professional! A mistake could be costly, so be honest with yourself about your skillset.

Some of Our Favorite Cleaning Tricks

•  For cleaning  dust off blinds, wipe them down with a dry Swiffer sheet or create a 1:1 solution of water and vinegar, and wipe off with a rag.

• Dryer sheets are also great for quick dusting. For dust on lamp shades, try using a lint roller.

• Use post-it notes or a dusting spray to clean your computer keyboard.

• Keep water spots away, by rubbing wax paper over your faucet after cleaning.

• If you’re looking for more natural cleaners, try vinegar, baking soda,  or lemon! See some ideas here.

• Remove furniture indents in the carpet by placing ice cubes in the indented areas.

•  Run lemon peel through the garbage disposal to help deodorize bad smells. You can also use vinegar and baking soda.

•  Fill a plastic bag with baking soda and vinegar. Tie it around your shower head and leave it overnight to clean and disinfect!

•  Microwave a sponge to remove germs (just be sure to keep an eye on it!)

•  Remove grout stains with bleach and baking soda.

Any tips or tricks we missed? Share them with us on Facebook or Twitter!

Renter’s insurance is required by many property management groups and landlords, but what exactly do you need it for? Many renters, from first-timers to veteran renters, often don’t think about renters insurance and many may not even know what it is. Other renters may stray from renters insurance because it may seem daunting, complicated or expensive.

The truth is, renters insurance is usually fairly inexpensive and highly valuable to renters.

So, what is renters insurance?
Renter’s insurance is insurance that protects you and your personal belongings in the home or apartment you are renting.

Won’t the landlord’s insurance cover damages?
Yes, their insurance or homeowner policy will cover their property – the building- but not your personal belongings. So for example, if someone breaks into your home, or if there is a small fire, the homeowner policy won’t cover your lost or stolen items, but renters insurance will.

What kind of items does renters insurance cover?
Renters insurance covers several types of property in your home including clothing, furniture, electronics, jewelry and even home appliances. While you may think it is silly to insure some or all of your personal items, just remember that these items can quickly add up!

How much is renters insurance?
Renters insurance does not have to cost an arm and a leg. The average cost of renters insurance is about $12.00 a month.

What do I need to know before buying renters insurance?

• Read the insurance coverage carefully. While most coverage usually includes theft, fire, or stormy weather it often does not include flooding or earthquakes. However, most companies will allow you to add on flood and/or earthquake protection. Additionally, be sure to take a good look at what is protected. Often your clothing, jewelry, and electronics will be covered, but items like cars, glassware or items made of porcelain or china, may not be covered. Pets are also not usually covered by renters insurance.

• Choose the right coverage amount. Some property management groups or landlords will require a certain amount of coverage, so be sure that your policy meets those requirements. You should also take an inventory of your possessions and their estimated cost, so you can get a better idea of the amount of coverage you will really need.

• You can often bundle your insurance policies. Certain insurance companies allow you to bundle your policies and many offer a bundle discount. If you already have an insurance policy, such as auto insurance, reach out to your insurance company to see if they offer renters insurance as well.

Have you ever had questions while watching Fixer Upper? (I have: “Who do I need to sell my soul to to get on this show?”). We’ve all been in awe of Chip and Joanna’s fixes, but how exactly does the process work? There’s more to the flips than the 60 minutes show you, so we’re breaking down every step below.

Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV s Fixer Upper Chip and Joanna Gaines, hosts of HGTV’s Fixer Upper.

• You have to apply.
  Homeowners featured on Fixer Upper have to go through an application process to be considered for the show and the home must be no more than 40 miles outside of Waco, TX.

• You have to meet the budget.
  There’s a bit of a formula required by HGTV. Homeowners on the show must have a home with a purchase price under $200,000 and they require at least $30,000 worth of renovations. HGTV does not fund the renovations, but they do cover the cost of one bonus item and pay a talent fee to Chip & Joanna.
  If you thought that renovation budget seemed impossible for everything Chip and Joanna accomplished, that’s because the buyers are basically getting the renovations done at a cost.

• Homeowners may already have their home.
  If the beginning scenes of house hunting seem phony to you, it’s because they might be. Sometimes the couple already owns their home or may have submitted an offer to purchase a home, even though it may seem like they are selecting from three options. Though this part of the show is sometimes staged, the property still has to meet the budget requirements set by HGTV.

• Not every room is fixed or gutted, but the whole home does get a makeover.
  They may not “fix up” every room in the home, as some may just need a fresh coat of paint or re-staining, but the team does touch up every part of the house. They may not get the full Joanna Gaines treatment, but all the cosmetic updates are completed for the homeowner.

• Some of the “issues” Chip and Joanna find may not be such a surprise to the homeowners.
  Once homebuyers submit an offer, they usually have a due diligence period, which is a period where the buyers have an opportunity to get a home inspection. The home inspection will note any issues with the home, from old batteries in a smoke detector to foundation or crawlspace issues. However, on occasion, the buyer and the seller may waive the due diligence period or the buyers may be buying the home as is (such as a foreclosure or auctioned property). While some issues appear to truly come to light during the flip, the homeowners may also have some knowledge of the underlying issues at the property.

• Homeowners don’t get to keep the furnishings from Joanna, but they can purchase them.
  The finished home you see at the end of the episode is actually staging done by Joanna to show homeowners how they can utilize and maximize the new space. The budget set at the beginning of the episode is only for the flip, although some clients may give Joanna an additional budget for furniture. Many of the pieces are from her Magnolia collection and can be purchased by the homeowners (and us viewers!) although sometimes the finished reveal features some of the homeowners own furniture. Joanna does often gift a piece or two to the homeowners, which is often featured on the show.

• That big reveal is essentially a billboard.
  The reveal at the end of the episode is real Chip Gaines ingenuity. He had a friend weld together the rolling frames and reached out to a friend at a billboard company to produce the canvas with a photo of the old home. The homeowners even get to keep the “before” canvas after filming! The walkthrough isn’t a quick showing either- according to one homeowner, filming the reveal takes all day!

Image via Tammy Strobel on Flickr.

The tiny house craze is one of the newest home trends in the past few years and has even inspired Tiny House Hunters a spinoff of the classic HGTV House Hunters series.

These tiny house hunters and tiny house lovers enjoy the downsizing draw of the small homes and since many are also portable, those looking to travel more and work less can finally have the best of both worlds.

On the other hand, there are people like me who cannot imagine having 400 (or so) square feet as my ENTIRE living space. While I love the idea of being able to travel more and work less, I’m not yet willing to give up my beloved walk in closet or full-size appliances. While I

There’s a lot to love or a lot to be desired with these tiny homes, depending on how you look at it. We’re sharing some of the pros and cons of this trend below!

Pros

• Downsizing.
  If your home is too big to manage, you can cut down on space by purchasing a tiny home. It could be a great option for a couple or individual living on their own.

• Low cost.
  While tiny homes vary in size and cost, most are affordable and cost just a few thousand dollars. Not to mention, the mortgage payments are usually much more affordable and less cost usually allows for more savings.

• Quicker cleaning time!
  With a tiny home, there’s less to clean and the small home will be more manageable than a whole house.

• Lower utility bills.
  A smaller space will take less time to heat or cool and the utility bills will be much lower than in a larger home.

• Lower carbon footprint.
  Tiny homes produce less energy and waste, benefitting the environment.

• Mobility.
  Most tiny homes are mobile and bring a whole new meaning to “pack up and go”. That being said, the cost of moving a tiny home can still be costly and could be a con.

Cons

• Space.
  This is obvious, yes. But it is important to consider all the activities that you like to do in a full-size home. Do you like to cook? A tiny home may not afford you as much counter or prep space. Do you like to entertain? Most tiny homes can utilize the outdoors, but you may not be able to host your whole family inside of a tiny house. Take into consideration all of your activities – even the ones you do just some of the time- to make sure that you will be happy in a tiny home.

• Lack of personal space.
  If you’re looking to live in a tiny house with a friend, partner, spouse, or kids, you should definitely consider personal space. Will you need some alone time? What if you get in a fight and want to spread out?

• Storage.
  Many tiny homes get creative with storage, but you still may not be able to bring all of your beloved items into your new space. Consider the storage dimensions in a tiny home, you may be able to roll up your shirts, but do you have room for that guitar? Factor in the cost of a storage unit if you’re unwilling to part with all of your items.

So,  do you love or loathe tiny homes? Share with us on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #dperryco!