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Social distancing and working from the home is now the new normal. Whether your job demands long working hours or a couple of hours during the day at your work desk, creating a comfortable working space in the house is vital to focus and work efficiently.
1. Select a space
Begin by looking at the home space layout with a fresh perspective, and identify an under-utilised area, says Juhi Malhotra, founder and creative director of JR The Design Deuce. This can be a corner, mid landings, staircases, nooks in corridors, guest bedroom, attic, basement or a garage.
"Alcoves are another commonly underused space. They are sometimes too small for a wardrobe but can fit in a TV stand, chest of drawers or even a desk," says Malhotra. "Switch around the furniture in terms of layout and orientation to create a beautiful, slightly isolated pocketed zone, ideally with lots of natural light."
2. Zone the area
When your work involves a lot of client interactions, Malhotra suggests creating a semi-open partition. "Divide the rooms physically with book racks, moveable partitions or wooden pallets that can be stacked on top of the other. When a separate desk is not available, turn the existing console into a desk. A dressing table desk in the master suite could also easily double as a desk with a free-standing long mirror on the side. Else, divide the existing dining table in the work and eat zone."
For an unobtrusive home office look, a glass desk is a great option that will seemingly disappear when not in use. "You could paint your desk or use coloured or marble effect contact paper to give your desk a distinctive look that complements your existing décor."
3. Set up a kitchen office
This is the perfect solution for stay-at-home mums and anyone else with a small home, says Anu Kewalram, creative director of Anu Kewalram Interiors.
"You can order a desk in the same finish as the kitchen cabinetry and incorporate it into the design of the kitchen. The upper cabinets above the desk can be used for storing office stationery and other files and papers. Highlight the space with some artwork on the wall above the desk or a pinboard. Complete the look with a comfortable upholstered chair or stool."
4. Take up a wall
You can designate a wall to your home office, says Kewalram. "Fit floating shelves for storage and create an uninterrupted line in the room. This space will still be a living room, but one wall will be neatly earmarked as a workspace."
A fold-down table next to a window in the bedroom or any other wall can function as a desk when you are working in the room, adds Kewalram. "Folding it away after office hours creates the space back into the room that you need to move around for the rest of the times."
5. Create the right ambience
Working from home can get stressful and along with a lot of distractions. Hala Haddad, head of concept and design at Pan Emirates says, "Home might start make you feel stuffy. Therefore, you can get air diffusers that clear out the air and fill it with a calming essence. Adding tabletop light and some scented candles on the desk will keep the mood calm. Avoid distractions by clearing the clutter; all kinds of storage boxes will come to rescue in this time. And get wall hangings to inspire you when you are working."
6. Outfit your desk
According to design experts at IKEA, you can also work where you lounge, with more efficiency. A laptop stand can be adjusted for a right-height desk and it can double as a side table. You can direct the floor lamp where you need to read. IKEA also has hanging organisers where you can store papers USBs, chargers, pens and practical items. Storage like pegboards and picture ledges keep the area clean and clear. Setting up the home office in an area that receives plenty of natural light boosts the morale.
Natural lighting actually improves our productivity and quality of life. If you don't have natural light, make sure your home workspace is well-lit, says experts at IKEA. Small lamps will help reduce eye strain and make your workspace brighter.
NORWOOD (CBS) – With many donation centers closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, some moving companies are ending up with a lot of stuff that needs a home.
College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving in Norwood is one of them.
With their partners like Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity closed they have everything from sofas and sectionals to dressers, mirrors, dining sets and even toys in the package up for grabs.
They are looking to pay everything forward for free.
Over the next few Sundays they will be open for pick up. Just be sure to wear a mask and gloves and whatever you'd like is yours.
College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving is at 61 Endicott Street in Norwood
For more information, visit their website.
Norwood Moving Company Giving Away Extra Furniture For Free
Things are going to be very different whilst we all get used to this new normal of isolation. But one thing we can be sure of is that, for those with children, your family is going to be spending a lot more time together in the same house. Suddenly the same amount of space will need to be an office, school, playground, gym, pub and most importantly, remain a family home.
With our years of nursery design experience and our love of helping families make their homes work better for them, we have some top tips on making your homes adjust with you over the coming months.
It's only temporary
Don't be scared to make changes to your home that may just be for the next few months. It only needs to be temporary and could keep you sane! Moving furniture around or switching the use of a room can easily be reversed once all of this is over. You may even stumble on a permanent change you love. For example, dinner parties are off the cards right now, so if you have a large kitchen/dining table because you entertain a lot, think about moving it. If it's extendable, make it smaller, or even remove the chairs from one end and cover half of it with a sheet, creating a special den for the kids.
Or if your kids have a bedroom each, why not move them in together for a while so the other room can be used as a classroom, playroom, or even office? Be creative with the rooms and furniture you have before spending any money.
Declutter
Try and use this time at home to go through your house and declutter. The simpler the environment, the better your child's concentration – sensory overload is something that needs to be taken into consideration. With too many toys, books or activities on display, children will be overwhelmed. Stick to a few things at a time and rotate them to spark their interest.
Create zones
In this day and age, a lot of homes are designed for open plan living. Whilst this is great for regular family life, this can be a bit more difficult in these unusual times. Try moving your existing furniture around to create zones that everyone can use. They don't have to be massive; maybe a quiet reading zone under the kitchen table with cushions and a basket of books; a creative zone with pots of pencils, stickers and paper; a quiet study zone in the hallway for more focussed learning; and maybe move the sofa away from the wall to create a play zone behind it for their favourite toys. Think outside the box and remember, it only has to be temporary.
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Find nooks
This is the time to be walking around your house to see if there are any areas that are under utilised. Maybe the hallway or under the stairs is a dumping ground for coats and shoes. Could you temporarily cull these to the ones you most use and store the rest away in your bedroom? You may uncover some space to put a desk for studying or working from home.
Or is there a corner in your bedroom that has an armchair and lamp? Why not move this to one side for a while and create a quiet home office. You will be amazed at what you can do with a small space.
Child's eye view
It is important for children to feel the family home is theirs too. Too often as parents we don't look at things from their perspective. A simple trick you can try is to get down to a child's level and see how the room feels from their height. You may find that looking at table legs and skirting boards isn't very inspiring! Make sure things are accessible to them and, depending on their age, invest in some child size furniture. It is hard to learn independence when you need help to get into your chair or sit at the table.
Out of reach
How many times a day do you say, 'don't touch that' or 'put that back'? Now that you're going to be spending more time in the house together, why not move those valuable items from the reach of little hands and replace them with things that you don't mind them playing with, allowing them to explore freely.
Rotate their toys
Spend some time going through your children's toys and remember what they actually have! Don't get everything out and in sight on the first day, rotate them every couple of days so that they stay interested. Set out a scene with their toys to encourage them to play. Children often need a nudge to get started but once they are on their way, their imaginations go wild!
Get the kids involved
This is going to be as hard on the kids as it is on you. Get them involved in making their new 'classroom' space fun. Give them a space that they can decorate with their art work – windows or glass doors are the best as Blu Tack doesn't mark these when they come off. Or if you are feeling really creative, invest in some wall stickers and let them decorate the lower parts of the walls to help create zones. You can get some great wall stickers for little expense, and they can be removed in a couple of months leaving no marks on the walls.
At the end of the day, these are going to be different times for all of us, but try and enjoy it. There will be days when you think 'I've got this' and days when you think 'I don't', but a few simple changes can help avoid your home being the source of frustration.
• Top purchases •
Here are a few key things to buy which can make your house survive:
• Table cloth: If you are not used to doing messy art at the kitchen table, then invest in a wipe down table cloth. This will not only save your table, but also your stress levels! > Shop at Only Oilcloths
• Kids Aprons: The same applies for the kids – these wipe down aprons have such fun prints and are perfect for cooking and messy art. > Shop at Rex London
• Storage / grab boxes: These are essential to have everything to hand for the day. Staying organised will make your life so much easier. > Shop at Bellybambino or shop at This Modern Life
• Child size furniture: If you have toddler age children, this is the perfect time to invest in some child sized furniture. There are so many on the market now but we prefer the vintage style school desks from Blue Ticking – so nostalgic! This one is amazing as it is adjustable, so can grow with your child. >Shop at Blue Ticking
• Wall vinyls: Adding wall stickers will really bring a room to life and is a lovely way to get the kids involved. Try keeping to shapes rather than animals or flowers, as specific themes can lose their interest quickly. This company makes some lovely designs and gorgeous colour choices. > Shop at Nutmeg Studio
• Craft packs: It is worth doing an online delivery to get a good supply of crafty packs, stickers, glue, colouring pencils etc. One of the best places to get it all from is Baker Ross. They do a very speedy delivery and have some great craft kits – the problem will be stopping yourself getting carried away! > Shop at Baker Ross
Anna Barber will be appearing at Grand Designs Live 2020. See more of Anna's work at House of Kin.
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HIGH POINT — Wood furniture resources say they have enough product in the pipeline — both new and inline — to supply the marketplace once retailers reopen and consumer demand returns following the COVID-19 related shutdowns and stay at home orders earlier this spring.
The question many have been asking is not only when will stores reopen, but how quickly will business bounce back.
"None of us knows what demand is going to be once we get to the other side of this thing," said Fred Henjes, president and CEO of case goods resource Riverside Furniture Corp. "We think it will be 50% when stores come back on line and by June or July, 75%."
But even those guestimates were optimistic based on some private conversations during an unprecedented stoppage not just of retail business, but also related slowdown in shipments and production in countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia and India. In those countries, production either has slowed significantly in the case of Vietnam or stopped altogether, such as in Malaysia and India, due to government mandated shutdowns.
Even the High Point Market, the main event for spring and fall introductions has been put on hold at least until June, with many betting it will be canceled altogether until October.
Inventory flow
Thus, when stores reopen and the wheels of commerce start turning again, Henjes and others believe the biggest demand will be for in-stock goods and immediate shipment of inline merchandise, including proven bestsellers.
"Our biggest concern is making sure we have tried-and-true product back in inventory and flowing when we come out of this. I am guessing new introductions will be treated secondarily," Henjes said.
Others also are planning on making sure their inventories are well-positioned.
"Right now everything is on hold, everything but e-commerce," said Lee Boone, co-president of Home Meridian International, which includes Samuel Lawrence Furniture, Pulaski Furniture and motion upholstery resource Prime Resources International. "E-commerce seems to be moving right along. It stopped at the end of March, but it seems to be coming back. If you want to buy furniture right now, you almost have to buy it online, no matter where you are living."
Boone said it recently has been a waiting game to see when stores will open back up, including its top 10 accounts that represent 60% of HMI's business.
"Most of them have closed their stores," Boone said in early April. "They have canceled and delayed orders. It is not just the big guys that are doing that; it is everyone else."
Most were hoping by the time of the publication of this story, many stores would already have reopened.
Boone said the good news for HMI is that most of its customers are large accounts that are well capitalized enough to weather the storm and flow product "in a big way."
But even those dealers, he said, won't have a big appetite for brand new product the company was prepared to show at premarket and the April market.
"Right now, most dealers don't want to take a risk on new product," Boone said, adding that they want to focus their efforts on "something that is proven. We are focusing on our bestsellers, and we are in a good service position" with product available in its Madison, N.C., and Los Angeles warehouses, as well as warehouse facilities overseas.
"If anything, we have too much inventory and are waiting for the spigot to open back up," he said.
Positioned for recovery
Others also said they are in a strong inventory position. And like HMI, they will probably take product planned for April and hold it for an October introduction should the June market be canceled entirely.
"It depends on what business does as far as new goods are concerned," said Greg Noe, president and chief operating officer of case goods resource Bernards Furniture Group. "If business is good, they will bring in new goods. If it is not, I don't see them bringing in a lot of brand new stuff unless it is price driven.
"Some of our major customers are telling us 'just focus on sourcing our line stuff and stuff that is selling. Don't focus on new merchandise right now,'" he said.
Noe added that during the retail shutdowns it continued to ship product through online resources such as Wayfair. As brick-and-mortar stores reopen, he said, Bernards will continue to have plenty of inline goods in stock in its North Carolina warehouse facilities for both online and brick-and-mortar accounts.
Jamie Collins, executive vice president of case goods and upholstery resource Homelegance, said that the company also was still operating during the slowdown with shipments to e-commerce accounts.
"Our e-commerce business has held up relatively well, but the situation is still very fluid, and we still rely very heavily on our store networks," Collins said in early April.
He added that the company will be well-positioned during the rebound, with plenty of product available from its 10 warehouses in the U.S., two in Canada, plus its mixed container warehouses in Vietnam and Malaysia.
"Business has slowed to a stop at this point, but you can't stop containers that are on the water," Collins said. "We will be well-prepared with inventory. It is preparation by default."
Stanley Furniture has its own case goods plant in Vietnam and will be in a strong position during the recovery, said Walter Blocker, company owner. For one, he noted, Stanley had right-sized its operation well before the slowdown, positioning itself as a lean operation in tough times.
The slowdown, he added, helps the company get caught up on the supply of certain raw materials. This includes whitewood that is now reportedly more available due to lower demand from competitors that either already have too much finished goods inventory and/or have slowed production due to slower orders from the U.S.
Blocker also noted that the company is vertically integrated as a manufacturer, allowing it to develop and produce — under its own supervision — the right product at the right price points.
"We are priced as better, but we compete favorably at best, and we think … that is a good place to be in this economic climate," he said. "We also have worked to build relationships with key retailers and streamline our relationships with fewer customers, but higher volume. Those are the customers that will be the healthiest on the other side of (the) coronavirus."
These and other companies also have plenty of brand new product to show retailers that have the appetite for those goods. That's because most of that product was already shipped from Asia before retailers started shutting their doors.
Spotlight on new product
While many don't believe there will be an immediate appetite for new goods, many are being aggressive in their plans to market and show new collections in the coming weeks.
That includes Universal, which has created a landing page for its newest licensed collection with Coastal Living. As part of its digital promotion of the collection, it will provide digital images, including showroom tours that showcase the line.
This woven panel bed and bench are part of the new Coastal Living Getaway collection by Universal Furniture, which launched a new landing page where dealers can view the product online.
The company also plans to promote the line via social media where customers can receive details that pique their interest and lead them back to the landing page.
In mid-April, full-line resource Moe's Home Collection launched its Digital Market. This platform will let dealers see its newest additions online, which include some 120 SKUs across multiple categories in case goods and upholstery. The launch will cover from 40% to 50% of the new product mix initially with additional items being added in early to mid-May.
"The one thing we don't want to get caught up in is to stop product development; that is not what we are going to do," said Moe Samieian Jr., president. "We are slowing down our purchasing, but we are putting in new orders with our factories."
The Carson and Reed living room vignette by Moe's Home Collection is among the new products the company is showcasing on its new Digital Market.
As part of the Digital Market, new product imagery and specs will be in place for customers to see online and receive electronically.
In addition to the new product, Samieian said, the company will continue to be in a strong inventory position moving forward.
"Factories are asking if we need to cancel orders or slow our orders down as they are inundated with so many retailers or wholesalers that have gone in and tried to cancel or delay orders," he said. "From our side, we are not delaying much.
"In general, we want to let our product continue to flow. We want to make sure we have the inventory there," Samieian said, adding, "We don't want to be in a situation of having shortages."
The new Surfrider collection by Hooker Furniture is made with pecan and pine veneers, and it also features rattan, cane and rope accents.
Hooker Furniture has two new collections it previewed in its back room at the October market. After making improvements based on customer input, it planned to show them to a broader audience at premarket and the April market.
"I was very thankful for that," Jeremy Hoff, president of Hooker Legacy Brands, said of the decision to show the collections last fall. "We were able to receive feedback and made the product better based on feedback from our partners."
At premarket and the April market, Hooker also had third collection planned and is providing customers with photography and video showroom tours highlighting all three collections.
Hoff said all three will go into production in August and will be available from the company's domestic warehouse in October. This will allow customers to receive goods soon after the fall market.
"When customers finally see them at premarket or in October, we can say we have them ready to ship now," Hoff said of the new collections. "We don't have unrealistic expectations, we just want to be here and be open when people need us."
The company also has plenty of inventory on hand — or arriving soon — for dealers to receive between now and the summer months, well before the October market cycle.
"The decisions we are making right now affect us four to five months from now when we think this thing could break," Hoff added. "We just want to be ready when the customer is ready."
In stock and on the way
Case goods and upholstery resource Lexington Home Brands also has plenty of inline product in its domestic warehouses, with more on the way – including 89 containers expected to arrive in the U.S. by late April.
"We didn't cancel anything, we didn't delay anything, so we will have inventory," said Phil Haney, president and CEO. "As customers need it, they will find that Lexington has it in stock."
From the new Barclay Butera collection Park City by Lexington Home Brands, this dining set is named for the historic mining town in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, reflecting the "laid back luxury of mountain modern living."
But he added that the company also has new product ready to flow soon too, including two new Barclay Butera collections, which are already in production and expected to ship in roughly 60 days.
In addition to getting digital photography for the new product, Haney noted that the company still is getting the showroom ready for what would have been an April market. This will allow it to provide dealers virtual showroom tours, something that he said Lexington has been doing the past eight years.
He added that the company is taking a cue from its response to the 2008-2009 financial crisis, when business also plummeted.
"When this happened in 2009, we came out of it really strong," Haney said. "We had new product in process and product in inventory, and when things cranked back up, we had inventory on bestsellers as well as new products."
While he acknowledged that dealer appetite for new product may be minimal, the company wants to be ready, whatever the rebound looks like.
"We will not miss a beat," Haney said, noting that he doesn't expect business to return full-speed overnight. "The only thing we will miss is seeing our customers in April."
He said that customers that want to see the product before a fall market can do so by visiting the company's High Point-area showroom. "For those who want to wait, we will show it to them in October," he said.
Looking ahead to October
While new product could be of some interest, many still agree that most dealers simply won't have the appetite, particularly as its unproven and untested in the marketplace.
Lifestyle Enterprise President Derrick Ng said the company has plenty of new product that would have been shown at the April market. However, while this has already arrived in time for the spring buying season, he said the company will keep it for October High Point or January Las Vegas.
"I think when business is back to normal, new lines will take time to launch, to test and to sell," he said. "They would rather buy something immediately that can be serviced, that is what the retailer is looking for. Business also may not be good right off the bat."
Ng added, "I think they will want something promotional that can bring customers back into retail stores so they can ship them immediately."
Legacy Classic Furniture had a large case goods introduction planned for April, with three new 23- to 25-piece collections along with four shorter bedroom and dining room groups, three new standalone casual dining sets and two new youth bedroom collections for its LC Kids youth furniture division.
"It was planned to be a big introduction for us, said Don Essenberg, president.
In addition to the new goods, the company has inventory in both its North Carolina and some in Vietnam, which it will bring to the U.S. as needed for its retail customers.
"Companies will be looking to replenish inventories fast and from the U.S., and we are positioned to do that all from our warehouse in North Carolina," Essenberg said. "It takes so long to get goods from Vietnam these days. I don't see that changing a lot. If there is an immediate need, you better be able to fill it from the U.S."
But the company is also looking to help its retailers in other ways too, including having its sales force help retailers find new ways to connect with the consumer, particularly those consumers that may have been in the market before the pandemic forced her to stay at home most of the time.
"From our perspective, if she needed a new dining room 60 days ago and her store closed and she has been told not to leave the house, when we recover, she will still need that dining room," Essenberg said.
Has the comfort of your pillow-top mattress grown tiresome? Is the climate-controlled air inside your home starting to sour? Open wide your windows and doors and give camping at home a try. Whether you rearrange the furniture to make a tent pad in your living room or set up on the lawn, here are some ideas to get the benefits of an overnight trip without leaving home.
Set up camp
Start with the tent and build out from there. If you have a free-standing tent, it'll be a breeze to set up inside or out. If it's the kind that will only stand up when staked in the ground, you're in luck. You don't actually need dirt to stake a tent. Balconies, porches, patios, decks, hallways and living rooms all make for great camp spots.
Washington Trail Association's Rachel Wendling made a YouTube video that demonstrates how to set up a tent in your living room. That video is titled "Turn Cabin Fever Into Camping Bliss at Home."
Once you have your home within your home constructed, here are some other ideas for your camping staycation:
■ Make it lavish with lots of pillows and blankets.
■ Or think of this as a test run, and only use the camping gear you would bring on a real overnight
■ Hang a hammock between two sturdy trees or posts and hang out in the sun all day.
■ If you don't have a tent, make one by hanging a blanket over some chairs and snuggle up inside.
Add ambience
If it looks like camp, smells like camp, sounds like camp and feels like camp, it must be camp. These additional tips will take your home-bound hideaway to the next level:
■ Arrange your tent so the door is facing a TV or computer. Play a wildlife documentary or set your screensaver to a photo from your favorite camping view.
■ Find a nature-inspired Spotify playlist for background music (e.g. rain falling on a tent, a rushing river, frogs around a lake).
■ Wind twinkle lights around your tent poles.
■ Arrange your houseplants into a forest outside your tent.
■ Light a scented candle that reminds you of the piney air of the forest.
Simulate the outdoors
For some, a fun living room hang out will be the perfect way to while away the hours; others may crave a more rugged experience.
If you're one of the latter, fire up your imagination and mimic the rhythms of a backpacking trip while staying close to home. Here are some things to try:
■ Go backpacking around your neighborhood, and end back at your home campground for the night.
■ If you're more into car camping, pull out all the bells and whistles and lounge away the day. Or if you've always been curious about literally sleeping in your car, give it a try for the night to see how it feels.
■ Unplug by stashing away all your devices and rely only on your headlamp for light when it gets dark.
■ Use this as an opportunity to test out all your gear and mend anything that needs it.
■ If you miss waking up to the sound of raindrops hitting your tent, fire up the sprinkler and see if that old rain fly still keeps you dry.
■ Break in a new pair of boots by going on long walks during the day and resting your feet at your home camp at night.
■ Live out of your backpack for the weekend to get familiar with all of its secret pockets and zippers and doodads. Only use what you would normally bring camping and see where you can lose weight — or what you need that you forgot.
Camp activities that work at home
Now that you've gotten your miles in and set up camp, it's time to kick up those feet and enjoy the scenery by doing the things that make camp life so refreshing:
■ Test out a future backpacking meal and eat it out of your favorite camp bowl.
■ Practice proper food storage by rigging up a bear hang in your back yard or living room.
■ Have a race to see who in the family can set up their tent the fastest.
■ Grab a book and read by headlamp after the sun goes down.
■ Use a star-finder app on your phone to learn the constellations.
■ Start a fire and make s'mores.
■ Tell stories of past hiking adventures.
■ Learn how to tie some knots.
Washington Trails Association promotes hiking as a way to inspire a people to protect Washington's natural places. Get inspired to go hiking and learn how you can help protect trails at www.wta.org.
Pack like you would for a backpacking trip and head out on a neighborhood adventure. (Emma Cassidy)
Start a fire and make s'mores. It's what camping's really all about. (Getty Images)
As a home seller, you don't want to let the small -- or big -- fixes around your house that have added up over the years sabotage your bottom line during a resale. Buyers and home inspectors will notice these maintenance issues during a walk-through. So now is the time to make these upgrades -- repair a cracked window or mildewed caulk in the master bathroom -- before they tour your property.
Today's buyers want a move-in-ready home, real estate experts say. So you'll need to be prepared to have to spend some extra cash to help get yours ready to list. You'll be able to recoup some of the cost depending on the project, but don't expect to get the full amount. For example, you'll get just 53% back on the cost to replace a wooden front entrance doorway with a fiberglass version (about $9,254), according to Remodeling magazine's 2020 Cost vs. Value report. You'd take home just $4,930 at sale.
Before footing the bill for any repairs, you'll want to consult with a local real estate agent to find out which home features buyers in your area desire most. This should help you determine which of your home's much-needed improvements are worth the effort and to set a remodeling budget that's realistic.
The problem areas mentioned in this slide show are among the biggest buyer turn-offs, according to industry studies and interviews with real estate agents and home-staging experts who deal with buyer preferences every day. They distract potential buyers and detract from all the great things your home does have to offer. Many are easy to fix. You can even do some yourself if you have the time, or enlist the help of a handyman for a fee. Take a look.
Ugh. You want buyers to imagine living in your home, not to wonder "How can these people live like this?" when they come through the front door.
It's not too soon to sort through your stuff. Donate, sell, recycle or trash whatever you don't want or need in your next home. Pack up your tchotchkes and other non-essential stuff that you want to keep (store the boxes neatly in your garage or other storage area). Tidy and organize drawers, cabinets or closets that buyers will be sure to check out. Then thoroughly clean your house, top to bottom, and be prepared to keep it that way until you move out.
Cost to fix: You may be able to get boxes for free from the grocery or liquor store, or visit a local storage-rental place, which often sells various sizes of moving boxes for a reasonable price. Cleaning costs you little -- just the cost of supplies -- if you supply the elbow grease. For a professional deep cleaning, you can expect to pay from $300 to $360 for a 2,000-square-foot house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, or $430 to $530 for a 3,000-square-foot house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, according to Homewyse.com.
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If you turned your garage into a man cave or workshop with no space to park a car or if you use the formal dining room as an office or playroom for the kids, return the space to its original state. If you leave it as is, you force buyers to use their imaginations, which is a no-no, says Jennie Norris, a home stager and chairperson of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP).
This is an easy fix that doesn't require spending any extra cash. Simply set aside a day or two to clear out and clean the space. Swap in the old furniture that was previously there, and neatly store the pieces you've moved in a designated space such as your basement that's out of buyers' immediate eyesight when entering your home.
SEE ALSO: 20 Most Expensive U.S. Cities to Live In
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The last thing you want to do is distract, offend or provoke buyers. You want them to see the house, not you or your family. So pack up your collection of figurines or weapons, sports memorabilia from your favorite teams, expressions of religious faith or political belief (especially in this election year) and diplomas. You'll also want to remove family photographs including the typical gallery-style wall. In addition to helping "de-personalize" the space, it also helps protect your family's privacy.
When it comes to artwork, if you have any that buyers may find weird, violent or controversial (including nudes), put it away, IAHSP's Norris advises. And if you have collections of, say, vinyl records you like to display or antique China dishes, this may be a good time to winnow it down to your most beloved items and stash the rest.
SEE ALSO: 10 Reasons You Will Regret Buying a Home With a Swimming Pool
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Would our kitchens and bathrooms look as Zen-like as the ones we see in design magazines or on Houzz.com. But life happens, and most of us don't live like that. Our kitchen counters are filled with small appliances and other paraphernalia, and our bathroom counters, ledges and shower nooks are filled with personal-care items. Remove everything from those areas before listing photographs are taken, says Cande Green, a Re/Max agent based in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Tex. In the kitchen, put back only the things you regularly use. In the bathroom, put your products in a basket or carrier that you can hide in a cabinet or closet when you're not using them.
SEE ALSO: 8 Places That Will Pay You to Live There
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You may prize your houseplants, but your goal isn't to impress potential buyers with your green thumb, says IAHSP's Norris. Having too many on display will take up needed visual space. Reduce the number by giving them to friends, selling or even giving them away using sites such as Facebook's Marketplace or Nextdoor.com. If your plants are scraggly or unhealthy, toss them out, compost them or give them to a friend or family member who can rehabilitate them.
You'll definitely want to remove any artificial floral arrangements and plants that collect dust and will remind younger buyers of Grandma's house. If you donate them to a nonprofit thrift shop such as Goodwill, you can claim a tax deduction if you itemize deductions on your federal tax return.
SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons You'll Regret an RV in Retirement
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Holiday decor can be hard for buyers to overlook, IAHSP's Norris notes. Plus, they may not celebrate the same holiday as you. If you've decided to postpone listing your property until the real-estate market starts to normalize amid the global health pandemic, there's a chance that may not happen until the cooler months set in. So if you end up selling during the winter holiday season, be sure to keep your decorating to a minimum.
You can hang a cheerful wreath and display a colorful potted poinsettia, but forego a Christmas tree if it will make the room feel crowded. Also, don't display wrapped presents, which may invite theft. And while exterior lights are probably okay, keep it simple. After all, this isn't National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and you're not Clark Griswold.
You'll save yourself some hassle if you leave your holiday décor packed up for your move. Or you can sort through it and decide what you don't want. Then, donate or sell the leftover items. "Christmas is huge in resale," says Bonnie Kallenberg, owner of the Atlanta-based consignment shop Finders Keepers Consignments. She begins accepting holiday items just after Labor Day.
However, if you must put up your special occasion decorations, IAHSP's Norris recommends taking your home off active showings for two weeks while the holiday is ongoing. Once it's over, remove them and get your house back in order and ready for potential buyers, she advises.
SEE ALSO: 10 Most Tax-Friendly States for Retirees
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It doesn't matter how much you spent on your custom drapes, sheers and valances. Simply put, buyers hate them. This has been a hot topic on a few home-related sites including Houzz.com and TheSpruce.com. Window treatments obscure the windows (an important architectural feature of any home), limit the view and natural light, and collect dust.
Take them down. If they match or coordinate with your upholstery, save them in case you can use them in your next home. If you need the drapes for privacy while you live in the home, make sure they're not dusty, and open them fully every morning when you wake.
Cost to fix: If you need a window covering for privacy, say, in your bedroom, put up an easy-to-install roller shade. At HomeDepot.com, you can order room-darkening roller shades by Hampton Bay from $10 to $39 each and light-filtering roller shades from $8 to $31 each.
SEE ALSO: 10 Least Tax-Friendly States for Retirees
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Small area rugs, scatter rugs and runners add color, help define spaces and dampen noise. But they can work against you when you're trying to neutralize your home and make it look as spacious as possible for buyers. Rugs tend to chop up the space visually. So this may be a good time to have your best rugs cleaned, rolled and wrapped for your move.
When listing photos will be taken, remove scatter rugs or bathmats (roll them up and store under the sink), so they don't draw prospective buyers away from the room's important features. "The buyer is buying the tile, not the bathmat," says Agnes Seminara-Holzberg, a real-estate agent with Sotheby's International Realty in Scarsdale, N.Y.
By the way, if the toilets are dressed with a plush set of covers and a rug -- a likely ewwww factor -- get rid of the set.
Cost to fix: The cost to clean a rug up to 150 square feet in size ranges from $130 to $170, according to Homewyse.com. Locate a professional carpet cleaner in your area by using the Association of Rug Care Specialists' search tool.
SEE ALSO: 10 States Most Unprepared for This Deep Recession
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You may have grown nose-blind to the odors in your home, but buyers will notice it as soon as they step through the door. Pet odors and cigarette smoke are especially troublesome. At a minimum, until you move out you need to smoke outside and clean the litter pan, wash the dog, make your teenager take his dirty laundry to the laundry room and empty the trash more frequently. Forego cooking strong-smelling foods. Lastly, open the windows occasionally to let in some fresh air.
Avoid relying on scented candles or plug-ins, which suggest that you're trying to cover up an unpleasant odor, recommends IAHSP's Norris. Keep in mind that buyers may not enjoy the same scent as you.
If you have pets, use a blacklight flashlight (ranging in price from $6 to $120 on Amazon) to help you find urine residue that you otherwise can't see on rugs, floors, walls or furniture. Spot-clean with a vinegar solution or enzymatic cleaners designed for that purpose.
In an area that's musty, run a dehumidifier. You can get a small-space dehumidifier that holds up to a gallon of water for less than $100, while an EnergyStar-labeled model that will pull 30 or 50 pints of water from the air daily runs about $200.
To eliminate cigarette odor and prepare for painting, wash walls and ceilings with a detergent (non-soapy) or a Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) substitute, such as Savogran ($6 for a quart at Home Depot), that will remove smoke residue, grease and grime. Then apply a primer, such as Kilz (from $17 to $25 a gallon), that's designed to seal in odor and stains and repaint.
Have carpets steam-cleaned and drapes dry-cleaned. Wash curtains and blinds (add some vinegar to the wash water). Have upholstered pieces professionally cleaned by a company that's IICRC-certified for the job, which will run you from $140 to $180 for full cleaning with light stain removal of a standard-sized chair and couch, according to Homewyse.com. If the furniture is all but ruined, remove it from the home.
SEE ALSO: The 10 Best Cars for Senior Drivers
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A dark house is unwelcoming. If you can't be home to turn on the lights -- especially during shorter fall and winter days -- put some on timers or install some smart lights. For example, The Philips Hue White Starter Kit ($100 for a kit with four bulbs and a bridge that acts as a translator between the bulbs and your Wi-Fi network) will allow you to turn lights on and off using your voice or a smart device. Extra bulbs are about $15 each.
If your home will be vacant when shown, install a sharp-looking floor lamp in any room that lacks overhead lighting.
SEE ALSO: Should You Buy or Rent a Home?
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Buyers may be frightened, allergic or distracted by them, even if your animal is well-behaved. It's best if you can remove your dog from your home during a showing.
Take him for a walk or a ride. If you can't be available, perhaps your regular dog walker or a neighbor could be on call to help out or you could drop him off at doggy daycare. At Rover.com, you can search for dog walkers, daycare and places for drop-in visits in your area.
Cats are trickier. If your cats strictly live indoors, you could put them in their cat carriers, take them outside or put them in your car and go get a drive-through coffee. Or, perhaps you could corral them in one room or in the garage and put a sign on the door to alert agents and buyers about the occupant within. Place a pet gate in front of the doorway, so the animal can't escape when the agent and buyer open the door.
To keep up with pet fur and dander and reduce the time you spend vacuuming floors, buy a robotic vacuum cleaner, such as the iRobot Roomba 614 ($220 MSRP).
SEE ALSO: The 9 Best 'Purebred' Pet Stocks to Buy
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If you or your real-estate agent are at home during a showing, buyers and their agents can't talk freely and won't stay as long. "You want buyers to [linger] and see themselves living in the home," says Elizabeth Riley, a real estate agent with eXp Realty, in Austin, Tex.
Many homeowners now have security cameras, sometimes hidden, in their homes that they can monitor remotely. Some home sellers have even used their spy cams to watch and listen to buyers and their agents to gain leverage in negotiation. The National Association of Realtors says state laws govern video and audio recording. It advises sellers' agents to ask their clients whether they have surveillance technology in their homes, and if so, to be transparent and disclose it. Agents can include a notice about security technology in the sales listing, at a home's entrances or on a sign-in sheet.
SEE ALSO: 7 Ways to Retire Without a Mortgage
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Buyers will scope out your neighbor's property, and if theirs looks haunted, that could be a turn-off. Pay your neighbors a friendly visit to let them know you're planning to sell, and ask if they can help you make the best impression and sell for top dollar -- which will increase their home's value, too -- by "catching up" with their yard work or tidying. If they're elderly or otherwise in need of help with the outdoor labor, offer to mow their lawn and prune their shrubs or pay for someone to do it for them.
If your neighbors are unreceptive and you believe they're breaking the rules of your homeowners association or laws of your town, you could report them. It won't foster friendly relations, but it could force them to step up.
Cost to fix: Install a wood privacy fence. To install 25 feet of fencing will cost an average of $590 to $960, according to Homewyse.com.
SEE ALSO: 12 Great Small Towns for Retirement
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Nothing says 1970s like a Hollywood-style strip of bare, round lights over your bathroom mirror. Replace it with a fixture that includes a shade for each bulb or a bath bar in a style and finish that complements your faucet set.
Cost to fix: Many best-selling three-light fixtures with shades run $44 to $100 at www.lightingdirect.com. You should be able to handle this job yourself.
SEE ALSO: 27 Solid Ways to Build Your Wealth
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If your yard looks like the Addams family owns it, you need to tidy up. Otherwise, buyers may drive by but never come back.
Besides mowing the lawn, your to-do list should include trimming scraggly trees and shrubs and removing anything that's dead or beyond resuscitation. Edge, weed and mulch garden beds. Plant annuals in a plot or pot for a splash of color (see Cheap Ways to Improve Curb Appeal). While you're at it, be sure to sweep or hose down your front door and porch to get rid of cobwebs and bug detritus.
Cost to fix: Around $95 for a landscaper to prune and groom a small tree and a couple of shrubs, according to www.diyornot.com. If you're strapped for cash and don't want to mow the lawn yourself, you can probably get a neighbor's kid to do it for a fraction of what you'd pay a professional lawn care service.
SEE ALSO: 10 Ways YouTube Can Save You Money on DIY Projects
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Buyers these days expect hardwood floors, even in starter homes. Re/Max's Green says buyers in her area may be okay with carpet in bedrooms, whereas Sotheby's Seminara-Holzberg says hardwood is preferred throughout the house.
If carpet hides your home's original hardwood floors, remove it, even if the wood isn't in the best condition. Offer to have the hardwood refinished after you move out or give the buyer an allowance for refinishing. If you have carpet laid over plywood, consider installing hardwood. Otherwise, don't remove the carpet. Just make sure the carpet looks and smells its best by having it professionally cleaned, especially in high-traffic areas or if you have pets. You can find a cleaner certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification by using their Locate a Certified Pro tool.
Also, talk with your agent about the best strategy (for example, replacing carpet or giving buyers the option to choose what they want). If you replace carpet, choose a low-pile product in a neutral color with a thick pad, which will make a less-expensive carpet feel more luxurious, Green says.
Cost to fix: A pro can clean 500 square feet of carpet with light stain removal for about $130 to $160, according to Homewyse.com. The cost to refinish 500 square feet of hardwood flooring runs about $2,050 to $2,500, including labor, while the cost to install new hardwood runs from about $4,000 to $5,800. The cost to install 500 square feet of new carpet runs $2,156 to $2,986.
SEE ALSO: Where the Housing Market Is Headed
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From switch plates to chandeliers, builder-grade, shiny yellow brass has been unpopular for a while. However, in some cities gold finishes are regaining popularity, especially in a non-glossy finish among young home buyers. Check with a real estate agent to see what's happening in your market and the estimated cost for those updates. If replacement is in order, choose nickel, chrome or stainless steel fixtures in your choice of finish (polished, satin, matte or brushed), which will work in most settings from traditional to contemporary -- or an oil-rubbed bronze finish to update a traditional room.
Replacing a light fixture is a pretty straightforward do-it-yourself job. For instructions, watch these YouTube videos: How to Install a Chandelier from Lamps Plus, and Buildipedia DIY's How to Replace a Light Fixture.
Cost to fix: You could buy two chandeliers (for example, to put over the kitchen and dining-room tables) and a few flush-mounted lights for $200 to $500 at a big-box store such as Lowe's or Home Depot. After that, it's DIY.
SEE ALSO: State-by-State Guide to Taxes on Retirees
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While some home buyers may appreciate having carpet underfoot in the bedrooms, it's a total turn-off in the bathroom, where it will absorb moisture and more. (Yes, some new-home builders in the 1990s outfitted bathrooms with carpet, says real estate agent Anthony Rael, a Re/Max agent based in Denver.) Eliminate the yuck factor by replacing the carpet with high-quality, but economical vinyl flooring that looks like tile.
Cost to fix: Expect to pay about $240 to $550 for 50 square feet of sheet vinyl flooring (including removal and disposal of old flooring), according to Homewyse.com. For some added wow factor, opt for ceramic tile. A 12x12 inch glazed ceramic tile costs around $650 to $1,000 for 50 square feet.
SEE ALSO: Ways to Make Your Home More Age-Friendly
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If you're startled by fleeing creatures when you turn on the lights in your home, just imagine how a prospective buyer will feel -- ewwww. Now's the time to say bye-bye to ants, cave (camel) crickets, cockroaches, scorpions, termites, mice and more. On its blog The Buzz, Terminix, the pest control company, offers good advice for preventing problems, recognizing signs that your home has unwelcome guests and taking steps to rid yourself of them. If doing it yourself isn't doing it, you'll need to hire a pro.
To evict furry, four-legged critters, consider hiring a wildlife control company that uses humane practices. The Humane Society of the United States provides a guide to hiring one.
Cost to fix: The typical one-time cost of pest control is about $300 to $550, according to HomeAdvisor.com. If you have an on-going problem, contract with an exterminator to visit periodically. You'll pay $180 to $185 for an initial visit and can expect to pay on average $40 to $45 per month for subsequent visits ($50 to $60 semi-monthly or $100 to $300 quarterly). The cost will vary with the size of your property and the level of infestation.
If you have ended a termite problem but need to repair damage, you can hire a handyman who will charge about $330 to $700 for a day of labor, according to Homewyse.com.
SEE ALSO: Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
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Acrylic knobs in the bathroom look cheap and can be hard to use by young, aged or soapy hands. Replace them with a faucet and handle set that matches the existing fixture's configuration (centerset or widespread) and meets the standard of the Americans with Disabilities Act with flipper- or lever-style handles. Polished-chrome finish will cost you the least and still be durable.
Cost to fix: Centerset chrome faucets start at about $25 to $50; widespread models start at about $65. The national average cost to hire a plumber to replace a faucet is about $300, according to diyornot.com. It could cost more if there's corrosion or some other difficulty. You can replace a tub-and-shower faucet set for about the same amount.
SEE ALSO: 11 Things That May Soon Disappear Forever (The Pandemic Edition)
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Paint over colors that reflect your taste but may put off potential buyers, such as a scarlet-red accent wall, a lemon-yellow child's bedroom or a forest-green den. Fun colors are for living, but neutral colors are for selling. Say good-bye to outdated faux paint effects, such as rag-rolling or sponging, and murals, too.
Avoid using stark-white paint, though. Choose a warm neutral color -- light beige or light gray -- that makes your rooms look inviting, larger and brighter. Redo painted trim in white.
Cost to fix: A pro can prep and paint a 10x15 foot bedroom with a coat of latex paint and primer in one for anywhere from $400 to $860, according to Homewyse.com.
SEE ALSO: 8 Steps to Appeal Your Property Tax Bill
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Although wallpaper may be making a bit of a comeback (in contemporary patterns, not chintz or cabbage roses), generally speaking it dates a home and buyers only see the work required to remove it. You can save money by doing it yourself. Removing a decorative border may be manageable, but stripping a roomful of wallpaper will be a major chore. If you hire a professional to strip wallpaper, you'll pay from $870 to $1,750 for 500 square feet of wall, according to Homewyse.com.
Buyers aren't enamored of brown, wood paneling, either. In that case, it may be easier to just paint it white at a cost (including priming) of about $610 to $1,370 for 500 square feet. Be sure to degloss the surface with a liquid sandpaper (like Krud-Kutter Gloss-Off, $8 for a quart at Home Depot) and prime it so paint will adhere. (To see how, watch HGTV's video How to Paint Over Paneling.)
If you have knotty-pine paneling in a den or rec room, check with a local decorator or agent before you do anything to it. Younger buyers may like its vintage vibe.
SEE ALSO: 16 Retirement Mistakes You Will Regret Forever
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After two decades, stainless steel is still the most popular kitchen appliance finish -- but consistency among appliance finishes (i.e., all stainless, white or black) is your first goal as a seller. If you've lived in your house for a long time, you may have replaced a couple of appliances -- the dishwasher is often the first to go -- but not others (for example, a wall oven).
Cost to fix: The cost to replace and install a 5-cubic-foot capacity wall oven in stainless steel ranges from $1,350 to $2,930, according to Homewyse.com.
For the best times to shop for appliances, see Best Times to Buy Big-Ticket Items. Retailers may offer a discount on packages of appliances, as well as "scratch-and-dent" models with a slightly damaged finish and come with their original warranty.
SEE ALSO: 11 Surprising Things That Are Taxable
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Anyone who has lived with this outdated mode of room-top styling knows that it accumulates dirt, defies cleaning and is hard to paint. Worse, if your home was built prior to the mid-1980s, it may contain asbestos (which was banned in ceiling products in 1977, but existing supplies may have been used later).
If you have any concerns, have the ceiling sampled and tested for asbestos by a licensed inspector. For more information, check out the EPA's Asbestos: Protect Your Family fact sheets. If the test result is positive, hire an asbestos abatement contractor who is federally or state trained and accredited (not by the same company that tested the ceiling) to seal it with spray paint if it's in good shape (not peeling or crumbling) and unlikely to be disturbed. Or remove the ceiling treatment and properly dispose of it, which is an expensive proposition.
Removal is usually a messy and laborious process with or without asbestos. The material must be wetted down and scraped. The underlying wallboard will need to be wiped clean. Once the popcorn is gone, the ceiling often must be repaired with joint compound and repainted. Even if there's no asbestos, you probably 30 Cheapest Places Where You'll Really Want to Retireshould hire a drywall or painting contractor for the job. (For a glimpse of the process, visit www.ronhazleton.com.)
Cost to fix: You'll pay between $200 to $800 to have a professional test for asbestos. If the test is negative, the cost for removal, repair and repainting will be about $2 to $5 per square foot (or $2,000 to $5,000 for 500 square feet), according to HomeAdvisor.com. If asbestos is present, you'll pay another $3 to $7 per square foot (or $3,000 to $7,000 for 500 square feet) to remove it.
SEE ALSO: 30 Cheapest Places Where You'll Really Want to Retire
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If you have an older home, your ceilings may have been covered with acoustic tile squares to cover cracked plaster or other damage. Buyers will likely think, "Can you imagine what it looks like under that?", says Sotheby's Seminara-Holzberg. She recommends removing the old material and replacing it with drywall. If the house was built before the mid-1980s or the ceiling tile was installed before then, a test for asbestos may be needed.
In older basements, a dropped ceiling (suspended from the framing above to finish the space, covering floor joists and pipes) can make the space feel smaller to buyers. Take it down, and paint everything including the floor joists, floor underlayment and pipes. "As tall as you can make the basement, the better," she says.
Cost to fix: According to Homewyse.com, the cost to remove 500 square feet of acoustic-tile ceiling, install drywall and paint it ranges from $1,840 to $3,000. The cost to remove a lathe-and-plaster ceiling, install drywall and paint it ranges from $2,800 to $5,100.
SEE ALSO: 9 States With No Income Tax
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Home buyers today care about energy efficiency -- especially the cost to heat and cool -- and fear having to replace a big-ticket item.
The typical life expectancy of a heating or air conditioning system ranges from 10 to 15 years, according to ThisOldHouse.com. If your air conditioner or heat pump is more than 10 years old or your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old or if your system is showing symptoms of declining performance, consider replacing it with a high-efficiency Energy Star-rated unit.
When seeking bids for the work, look for contractors who are members of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America whose technicians are NATE-certified (North American Technician Excellence).
Cost to fix: The national average cost to install a new air-conditioning unit (including removal and disposal of the old unit) is from $5,700 to $6,780, according to Homewyse.com. A split system ranges from $3,190 to $3,780. The cost to install a new 96% efficiency gas furnace is $2,530 to $3,000, while you'll have to shell out between $5,120 to $6,050 to have a heat pump installed.
SEE ALSO: 14 Expensive Places to Retire That Are Worth It
EDITOR'S PICKS
Copyright 2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors
The House Hunters Team: 6 Things All Homebuyers Hate to See
The weekend is here and we can all do something to catch a breather (at home of course). You can either cook up a gourmet meal, read about positive developments for a change, or pick out what sound system should be the hero of your dance party (again, only at home with people already in your home). I am going with the dance-party-for-one option and my weapon of choice this weekend is the Slab Console! Imagine me as Player 1, and you can customize the avatar by choosing different pajamas and switching between sound systems like the Street Fighter but quarantine version.
The Slab Console is an upscale adult furniture piece with a vibrant, fun personality – so you can upgrade your home's interior design level and also have a lit time with your playlists! This console is the ultimate audio system, it brings you movie theatre quality sounds with living room-worthy visuals. Inspired by the consoles that existed in the 60s and 70s, the Slab brings high fidelity audio to your space with immersive 5.1 surround movies and games. It is equipped with passive left, center, and right channel speakers along with a 12 inch recessed active subwoofer and a 500 Watt internal amplifier which basically translates into "I am a top-performing audio system worth every dollar of my $6,995 price tag." Because it was designed to be future-proof, you can simply swap out the receiver as and when technology evolves as the aesthetics of the console were made to be evergreen.
You can expand the Slab Console by adding an A/V receiver or an amplifier/processor combination that works for your home. It looks like a credenza but with a 2020 tech upgrade that replaces the individual freestanding speaker set-up you might have. The whole sound experience is now wrapped into this modern, sleek, minimal console. The 390 lb system is created with a CNC precision-milled, multi-layer MDF and uses a furniture-grade plywood core for audio stability which is supported by an aluminum frame. It receives a state-of-art label because each console is hand-assembled with a final finish touch of real wood veneer and no two consoles will be the same, your piece is one-of-a-kind. The Slab Console is truly ultra-rich sound designed with a beautiful, timeless precision. Let's turn our homes into a private concert hall!
Overview When I told my colleague — via Zoom, of course — that I was going to tackle making Ikea's Swedish Meatballs, her eyes lit up. "I LOVE them," she exclaimed. She's not alone. The eight-ingredient meatballs paired with a savory cream sauce, which have long been a hit with shoppers at the popular Swedish furniture store, became an Internet sensation this week when the business released the recipe via Twitter.
As another colleague joked: "That's the main reason people go to Ikea."
[Make a big batch of pantry-friendly tomato sauce for a leg up on dinner all week]
Since the novel coronavirus arrived, many of us have had to do without favorite restaurant dishes, including this one. Ikea has temporarily shuttered its in-store shopping because of the pandemic.
Before sharing the recipe, we decided to test it to see if it tasted just right. The results: It's pretty darn close. And, even if it isn't exactly the same, eaten as is or spooned over mashed potatoes, the meatballs are an ideal comfort food during an uncomfortable time.
The company tweeted the recipe with a line drawing reminiscent of the instructions enclosed in the assemble-it-yourself furniture it sells. The good news is that the meatballs are much easier to put together than that Ikea chest of drawers you bought.
Lorena Lourido, country food manager of Ikea U.K., said in a statement: "We know that some people might be missing our meatballs, which is why we've released an at-home alternative which, using easily accessible ingredients, will help those looking for some inspiration in the kitchen."
Based on the reception the recipe has received, Ikea was right.
[8 famous hotel dishes and drinks you can re-create at home]
And Ikea is not alone in handing out "secret" recipes. Since the pandemic has forced businesses and travel destinations to temporarily shut their doors or limit access, a steady stream of companies has started releasing popular recipes so that people can make them at home, including Doubletree's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and Disney's churro recipe.
We haven't tested those recipes … yet.
Scale and get a printer-friendly version of the recipe here.
Ingredients FOR THE MEATBALLS 1 pound ground beef 8 ounces ground pork 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs 1 large egg, lightly whisked 1/3 cup whole milk 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil FOR THE SAUCE 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups beef broth 3/4 cup heavy cream 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Steps Step 1 Shape the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the beef and pork, mixing with your fingers to break up any lumps. Add the onion, garlic, bread crumbs and egg, and gently mix to combine. Add the milk, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Shape the mixture into 2-inch balls. Place on a clean platter, cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 45 minutes. Step 2 Make the sauce: Just before you begin frying the meatballs, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir it into the butter until a roux forms, continue to cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add the broth, stirring until just combined. Add the cream, soy sauce and mustard and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and let the sauce thicken, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside. Step 3 Cook the meatballs: When ready to cook the meatballs, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. In an ovenproof large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the meatballs and cook until browned on the outside, about 8 minutes. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs. Return the meatballs to the skillet and pour the sauce over. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve the meatballs as they are or with boiled or mashed potatoes. Recipe from Ikea. Tested by Ann Maloney; email questions to voraciously@washpost.com.
Scale and get a printer-friendly version of the recipe here.
Did you make this recipe? Take a photo and tag us on Instagram with #eatvoraciously.
DTC company Burrow has introduced new shelving that can be set up in just 15 minutes using only eight screws.
NEW YORK – E-commerce luxury furniture brand Burrow has introduced a new shelving system for storage in any room of the home called the Index wall shelf.
"We believe this system will serve as more than just a wall shelf for many of our customers," said Evan Clabots, Burrow's vice president of product and merchandising. "Ultimately, this product inspires people to organize their homes and display their personalities. We encourage folks to tap into its versatility to curate and build the perfect storage system for their home."
Clabots said although the shelf looks simple, its carpentry hides a a way to allow users to mount wall shelving in just 15 minutes by using only eight screws. The shelves can be arranged horizontally, vertically or in a grid to create various configurations.
Also, what begins as a unit of three simple shelves can turn into a full-wall bookcase by adding more modular shelving units. The shelves are milled from solid ash, a responsibly sourced wood, and feature an uncomplicated design.
Finishes for the shelving include oak, walnut and whitewash and pricing starts at $325 for a single unit and goes up to $1,950 for a set of six.
Burrow introduced its Bento side table as a companion piece to the Bento coffee table.
In addition to the shelves, Burrow has also launched a new Bento side table, which retails at $295, as a companion piece for its Bento coffee table. The side table features the same interchangeable tabletop as the coffee table and includes hidden storage and a charging cord pass-through.
Joe Burrow's Heisman Speech inspires donations for hometown food pantry | Golic and Wingo
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