Beat the Post Holiday Blues

January 19th, 2010

By Amy Wolff, CID

 

 

Once the decorations are back in storage, here are some ideas to spice up your rooms!

 

Planning and installing holiday decorations consumes a lot of time – and we all get real satisfaction once the scene is set for entertaining.  But what happens when once the greenery and ornaments come down?  Our homes feel bare and lose the warmth they held for those few weeks.

There are lots of simple ways to transform your rooms once the holiday decorations are stored.
§ How about the walls of stairways and hallways?  This is a great time to frame and hang artwork or photos.
§ What about those empty corners?  Consider adding that accent table you never purchased or the lighting needed in that space.
§ What about color?  The house may have looked more inviting because the decorations added a shot of color that is missing the rest of the year.  Reupholstering one chair or painting an accent wall will impact the whole room!  Think about an interesting wallpaper in the powder room, too.
§ Is scale a problem?  The absence of that holiday décor may reveal that the scale is incorrect – especially in rooms with generous ceiling heights.  Place something higher on the wall or an item taller than 6 feet.  Clear away some smaller items for one large accessory!

Consider this a season of opportunity for your home.  In the coming year, our homes will become even more important to us.  It’s a new age of cocooning – entertaining at home and adjusting rooms to better fit our needs.  Even if you can’t do a major redecorating project, these small things will bring emotional warmth to the home!
 

Amy Wolff, CID, is nationally certified in the interior decorating profession through Certified Interior Decorators International (CIDI).

Party Decorating 101 – Keep It Simple!

November 14th, 2009

by guest writer Amy Wolff

In addition to being the busiest time of year, the holiday season is the most popular time to entertain and make merry with family and friends.  Seek out decorating inspiration that’s simple, yet adds warmth, cheer and style to your home!  Some simple ideas to make your home more festive…

 

Holiday Greenery:  Add holly berries, evergreen boughs, and pine roping to banisters, doorways and centerpieces.  Fill a large bowl with colored glass ornaments for tabletops and mantles.  Easier still, faux evergreens are great looking, re-usable, and easy to find at craft stores. 

Holiday Scents:  Use pine, gingerbread, sugarplum or peppermint scented candles or potpourri. Even grocery stores offer candles and “plug-in’s” with seasonal scents. 

Holiday Table Wrapping:  Linens, placemats or runners add holiday flair to tables.  Turn functional items like chairs, doors, banisters and plant containers into decorations by “wrapping” them in fabric and bows.  Buy green, gold, red, blue, or silver linens without holiday themes and think about all the other occasions in which you can these!

Holiday Sparkle:  Use bead strands and candles to create a holiday glow. String the beads on light fixtures or over window treatments and watch them twinkle!

Holiday Sounds:  Have a diverse selection of festive holiday tunes to set the mood for a party – or even for yourself!

Decorate and Forget It!

The most important part of the party should be spending quality time with family and friends.  Keep the holiday displays on the mantle instead of the dinner table so you won’t need to re-arrange for every meal.  Get your decorating done early and simply, so you can sit down and enjoy the season!

Amy Wolff, CID, is nationally certified in the interior decorating profession through Certified Interior Decorators International (CIDI).

An “Ultimate” Outing for QwikBids!

October 23rd, 2009

Cathy’s Clips

The staff had a wonderful time at the Arizona’s Ultimate Women’s Expo at the Phoenix Convention Center. We had an exhibitor’s booth awaiting us when we arrived. We’re getting good at this so set up went very qwik this time around!

In our industry, we have found that the bulk of consumers that generally use services to locate quality service providers are overwhelmingly women. So we didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to put on display the ease and convenience of using QwikBids for their next home project. We got their attention! The busy woman is looking for ways to avoid having to endure the task of looking for a service provider. Do you need landscape in the Metropolitan Phoenix area? Do you need swimming pool repair or maintenance? Is your roof in need of repair? Demonstrating how QwikBids takes the pain out of locating a service provider that will treat customer’s right, was relatively easy.

We handed out literally thousands of our cards, and explained to all who we are and how we not only benefit consumers and service providers, but also charities. Attendees were very adamant in saying what a great idea QwikBids is and how they plan on utilizing our service on their next home project!

The Expo went on for two days. The first day, Valerie Bertinelli spoke about empowerment, and her battle with weight loss. It was a very heartfelt speaking engagement, and a very crowded one. Women from around the Valley applauded Valerie for her courage and determination.

Speaking of courage and determination, the second day of the Expo presented Olivia Newton-John (who was accompanied by her new husband, John Easterling). Olivia expressed her battle with cancer, and the resulting victory overcoming it. According to her, a new lease on life and outlook in the future has forever been changed. She is reaching out to women globally in an effort to raise awareness of cancers that plague women from every walk of life.

How could we not applaud both Valerie and Olivia? The entire gang loved it!

This is just the beginning for QwikBids, a business that’s in the business of helping others and showing all other businesses that profits are not the only issues that need to be addressed. As many of you already know, QwikBids is modeled for charities as well. The recession has affected everyone, so it’s a breath of fresh air knowing that when you use QwikBids, you’re giving back to the community.

It seems we are in recovery, and we’re bouncing back! Stay tuned for more events the QwikBids team attends. And if you see us, drop by and say hello!

A Short Take on Bathroom Remodeling

October 21st, 2009

QwikBids Investigates – Brian M. Smith

 

According to Remodeling Magazine in 2007, Americans spent an average of $15,000 remodeling their bathrooms. The resulting value rose in those same homes to about $12,400. Here we are two years later, and as you can imagine, that margin is even bigger now.

Time and again I have heard do-it-yourself remodelers say they regretted doing the project themselves. The projects took long hours and the material cost was still an issue. So, we’re going to steer this one to the professionals. In doing so, you’ll want a minimum of 3 quotes from reputable, licensed and insured remodelers and contractors. A few references from each that are verifiable are also highly recommended, as well as seeing photos of some of their work. These tasks take time, so why wouldn’t you go to a source that has taken care of it all for free? Yes, you read it correctly: FREE! Simply go to QwikBids for your remodeling needs. It’s really a no-brainer.

Having a smart contractor for your remodeling needs will make the entire process easier, and any good service provider in this field will work with you on maximizing the value added to the home through the project. Besides the choice of materials and new bathroom additives, it’s also recommended that you get advice from an experienced interior designer to make certain all of your ducks are in a row.

We set about talking to folks that have undergone the experience firsthand, and got some surprising feedback. Darlin Smith, of Ocala, Florida, indicates that she wished she’d gotten someone else to do most of the work from a skilled service provider. “I tried to take on the project myself, but realized I would need help with many things, such as removal of the tub and help with the plumbing. I also didn’t know anything about electrical,” she says.

Another home owner, Susan, was very unhappy with her remodeling project. She was quick to put in her 2 cents, “I’ve found the biggest challenge with any home repair is when you don’t have a choice but to hire someone; finding one that will actually show up, do the job (and do it well), and finish it within the agreed-upon estimate and timeframe.”

So it’s obvious what the main concern of consumers is. And if we told you there was a way to avoid a nightmare and stress by offering only service providers that are already prequalified wouldn’t you take advantage? If there was a service that allowed you to remain anonymous until you chose between multiple bids, already having the licensing, insurance and references checked out to save tons of time would you take advantage? It’s free, what are you waiting for? Go to QwikBids today!

Home and Landscaping Show: QwikBids is back at it!

October 8th, 2009

Cathy’s Clips

 Once again, QwikBids hit the road to spread the word about a unique way for consumers and service providers alike to come together. The destination this time was the Maricopa County Home & Landscape Show at the Maricopa County Fairgrounds in Phoenix. The mood was cheery, and the smell of food cooking was everywhere. We found our referred service providers are able to handle all Phoenix landscape needs!

We got situated rather quickly, then settled into the routine of meeting consumers and the many service providers that came out to show their stuff. We had more visibility this time around, so we were busy! Thousands of consumers were in attendance, wanting to get the most for their money during these recessionary times. These consumers represented the many homeowners looking for home improvement ideas. Yes, consumers want to spend money!

We explained to consumers (and service providers) what we were all about, and they knew we would come in handy for their upcoming projects. There was one that was interested in using our service but also owned a business. So they are not only a consumer using QwikBids, they are also now a service provider on our site. Awesome!

I had the crew by my side, and as always we had tons of fun. The bid requests have picked up as a result, meaning business is picking up for our service providers. The three days at the show were a success, and look forward to attending many more.

Next up is the American Cancer Society Charity event in Goodyear (we are a sponsor), then we will be attending the Arizona’s Ultimate Women’s Expo at the Phoenix Convention Center October 17th and 18th. Come on down and visit our booth, I would like to meet all of you personally!