Archive for the Terry’s Blog Category

When Staging and Organizing Come Together

On February 26, 2019   /   Terry's Blog  
When Staging and Organizing Come Together

Peggy is a senior preparing to move from her home in Severna park MD into a retirement apartment in Annapolis MD and overwhelmed with the details of the upcoming move. She didn’t know where to begin and couldn’t separate what needed to be done into manageable projects. She was stressed and confused by the many organizing projects and decisions to make. I recommended that her primary focus be to stage her home, confident that organizational issues would be simplified by the staging process. At the staging consult we discussed what needed to be done in order to prepare her home

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The One-In One-Out Rule Applies to Hobbies too!

On January 3, 2019   /   Blog, Organization, Terry's Blog  
The One-In One-Out Rule Applies to Hobbies too!

January is a great month for getting back into those hobbies we don’t make a priority in the busier months. New Year Resolutions combined with wet and chilly weather keeping us indoors means we have the motivation and the time to get back into old hobbies or start new ones. It can be so exciting to start something new and see the end result in our minds eye. A trip to a Joann Fabrics or William Sonoma can be fun in and of itself. However, often times we start and don’t finish our projects and hobbies. We clutter closets with

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Pop of Color, Staging White Avenue

On November 17, 2018   /   Home Staging, Terry's Blog  
Pop of Color, Staging White Avenue

  I received a call recently from a realtor I work with that was concerned about a property in Baltimore, MD. It had been on the market for nearly 4 months already and another house down the street had sold much quicker. The other property had been staged. The realtor didn’t have much of a budget for staging the newly renovated, American Foursquare house built in the 1920s in a classic Northern Baltimore neighborhood.   The renovations were well done, lots of space and a great kitchen. The only problem was the house was empty and had gray everywhere. Gray walls,

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10th Anniversary Celebration Ribbon Cutting

On October 19, 2018   /   Home Staging, Terry's Blog  
10th Anniversary Celebration Ribbon Cutting

In January of this year, TLC Home celebrated 10 years of  business in Anne Arundel County. Throughout the year we created specials, posted on Facebook, and made an effort to do more speeches and networking. But I couldn’t figure out how to top it all off in a celebration. How do you throw a ribbon cutting for a business that started out as an organizing service? Do you just throw a party at a restaurant, or could we make it more unique to what TLC Home does?  My answer came in September in the form of a job opportunity.  I

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Memorabilia Matters

On September 27, 2018   /   Blog, Terry's Blog  

Hello!  What a week so Far! I have a new client that has really reminded me why I love to work with organizing clients and help them to simplify their lives. Organizing with passion and active interest in making your home more functional and fun is important. Clients that have that passion are more likely to succeed long term. The only way to truly instill active interest is to work with my clients and fit organizing into their lives. What is important to my clients is important to me and informs how we work together to achieve our organizing goals.

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I’ve Got a Prescription for That!

On September 8, 2018   /   Blog, Terry's Blog  

I was with a client the other day and we laughed over a joke I made. I told her, “I think people should have to get a prescription from an organizer before they buy a container!”  Disorganization is no laughing matter,  but the joke did inspire some reflection. When I came home I was struck by just how consistent of an issue it has been over the past ten years. Clients know they have a problem in their homes. So they go out to Target or The Container Store and buy containers. When they get home, they often don’t ever

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Organizing for My Future

On August 2, 2018   /   Blog, Terry's Blog, Uncategorized  

Hello There!  I’m Tess, Terry’s marketing assistant! It’s odd to be talking to the world about myself. But is seemed appropriate, given what we do at TLC Home, the time of year, and where I am in my life.  For those of you who don’t know what we do at TLC Home, we are an organizing and staging company.  What that really means is this: TLC Home helps our clients to improve their lives by enhancing their home.  It could mean that we are  helping you sell so you can move into your dream house with your family. Or that

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Charming Staged House in Pasadena, MD

On June 15, 2018   /   Blog, Terry's Blog, Uncategorized  

This Pasadena waterfront property was attractive and intriguing, with a couple challenges to keep things interesting! A small cottage with a lovely, relaxed water view, the house had been renovated to keep as much of the original character as possible – and there was a lot of character. The home was originally designed with rich, warm shiplap interior paneling that had very  rich coloring that brought charm, and challenges. The size of the living space, the renovated wooden interior, and a uniquely small set of rooms upstairs created the most significant challenges that could have prevented potential homeowners from seeing

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What Their Father Learned

On April 27, 2018   /   Blog, Terry's Blog  

My Granddaughter came for a visit last week. She played with her toys and talked to her Grandpop, but her favorite activity was sitting quietly and stringing beads to make a bracelet. Sitting at the craft table, she reminded me of twin four year-old girls I had met and their playroom. I was hired a few years ago by a nice couple with a problem. They both worked long hours and the playroom in their home was a mess they didn’t quite have time to fix. Just knowing the mess existed was extremely stressful for the wife; that’s when they

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Find Your Starting Point: Before and After Garage

On March 6, 2018   /   Blog, Terry's Blog  

Early in my career I had a client “Jane” that really provided insight into how a lack of organizational systems in the home can affect a family financially, physically, emotionally and mentally. Neither Jane nor her husband “John” had grown up with in organized homes and as adults, they both had different organizational issues. Four young children and irregular work schedules further exacerbated  the  problem.    Jane and John wanted to get organized but couldn’t find a starting point. They were overwhelmed and stressed with the process. It didn’t help that the disorganization aggravated health issues in the family. When

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Organize for Healthier Relationships

On February 8, 2018   /   Terry's Blog, Uncategorized  

Has anyone damaged a relationship because they were always late, or they were too busy or overwhelmed to put care into a relationship? Putting effort into time management and home organization can reduce stress and make spending time with friends and family a more frequent and less stressful event. Whether it is with your Friends, Children, Partner, or Yourself, organizing your home can positively impact your relationships. Be a Friend. Other than Facebook, are you able to make friendships a priority? Do you have time and energy for book club or girl’s night out? Do you feel comfortable having neighbors in your home?

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Update Your Preferences to Get Organized!

On January 30, 2018   /   Blog, Terry's Blog, Uncategorized  

What progress have you made with your resolution? As January comes to a close, many struggle with their resolve to get organized. In truth, most people have already abandoned any attempt to forge a path ahead. If this is the case,  a little self examination is in order. Try Updating Your Preferences! When you join a site or sign up for a new organization, you fill out your preferences for what you want. Do you want to learn information about events? Get alerts for sales and deals? Receive newsletters? Options are available to you and periodically you can go back

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