A couch with a throw blanket and text Hygge Home Ideas to Warm You Through Spring

Hygge Home Ideas to Warm You Through Spring

“Hygge” is a Danish and Norwegian word that defines the feeling of a warm, cozy, welcoming environment that inspires a sense of wellness, comfort, and conviviality. Hygge is a year-round value in Denmark and Norway, but as they enter their long dark winters, hygge goes into high gear. While Minnesota winters aren’t as intense as these northern neighbors’, we could learn a thing or two from them about how to prioritize the sense of hygge in our homes during the cold seasons. The House Lift team loves inspiring a sense of comfort in homes, and we’d love to share some hygge inspiration to make this season bright.  1. Embrace Warm Lighting Lighting has a transformative effect. Candles are considered hygge because of the gentle, warm light they provide. Proven to inspire relaxation, comfort, and light-heartedness, bringing out the candles in winter can ease the stress of cold commutes, uncooperative appliances and vehicles, and winter storms. In addition to candles, utilizing your fireplace and setting up twinkle lights are great ways to create hygge lighting and add a spirit of warmth and magic to your winter home.  2. Get Snuggly The comfort provided by blankets is so profound that’s been the...
A House Lift Inc. features an image of a modern kitchen with text: "Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Appliances"

Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Appliances

Spring cleaning – it’s that gritty process you’re thankful only occurs once a year. But giving your house a facelift is a great way to start off the fair-weather season the right way, even if it takes some effort and a few rolls of paper towels. However, when we freshen up our homes in the springtime, we normally neglect our appliances. In fact, there may be a couple that you only clean in the case of a spill, or have never cleaned at all. But how exactly do you go about cleaning your appliances? Is it possible to do it yourself? In short, there are some easy steps you can take to spruce up the cleanliness of your kitchen appliances without hiring a professional cleaner or shelling out for expensive chemicals. Keep reading to see our top tips for cleaning out each appliance this spring: Microwave Place a microwaveable container filled with water and a few lemon wedges in the mic, and nuke it for 3 minutes. The vapor and lemon will loosen any stains and smells living in your microwave. Let it cool down, and give it a wipe. Easy peasy! Oven Similar to your new microwave strategy, place...
A House Lift Inc. blog banner features a Christmas tree with text "Ways to Prep Your Home for The Holidays"

Ways to Prep Your Home for the Holidays

The holidays are upon us here in the Twin Cities and whether you are able to celebrate with family and friends this year or your holiday plans have been postponed, what better way to add some cheer to the season with some easy home upgrades and festive decor!  Here are 3 ways to prep your home for the holidays: Winter Cleaning Giving your home a deep clean prior to the arrival of guests goes a long way. Of course cleaning the main rooms of the house where guests will congregate first will allow you to feel more prepared, but doing a deep clean on corners and closets and other out-of-sight locations will help relax your mind so you can focus on spending quality time with your family, rather than worrying about what the guests think of your home. A clean home promotes a sense of well-being that will carry over into your holiday. Consider it your early spring cleaning.  Stock Up On Supplies To avoid the unwanted stress of holiday shopping, try stocking up on necessary items well in advance. Items ranging from food, to household supplies, to holiday gifts can be purchased before the holiday season so that when...
A ivy covered home with a red door and text that reads 3 Spring Updates For Your House

3 Spring Updates For Your House

Spring is a time for renewal and rejuvenation. After months of a cold, dry, and dreary Minnesota Winter, we all feel ready to embrace the Spring weather. If you’re feeling the urge to update your home, here are three ways to embrace the Spring season in your home with style. 1. Flowers and Plants Brighten up your house with some freshly cut flowers or potted plants. Next grocery haul pick up some fresh flowers or plants from the grocery store or order online at marketplaces like Amazon for added convenience. Another way to welcome the Spring into your home is to plant an indoor garden which will make your house feel Spring-ready as it brings the outdoors indoors. You can build a beautiful Spring garden inside by installing a rack, hanging capabilities, or an indoor trellis. To make sure you choose the right plants for your house read The Spruce guide to indoor plants for your best indoor garden. If you’re worried about remembering to water your plants, there are many custom, self-watering systems available for installation. All the plants and flowers in your house will improve air quality; making the house feel healthier and happier. Between mini-cactus desk plants...
A House Lift blog banner features a modern open concept living room and text "Top Updates Before Selling"

Top Updates Before Selling

To impress potential buyers, there are five areas of your home to focus your decorating efforts. Don’t worry — these are quick upgrades. Your real estate professional can help you determine your target buyer so you can tailor your upgrades to the local market. Here are the top upgrades for the five high-impact areas in your home: 1. Curb Appeal First impressions matter in real estate, increase your curb appeal with these simple changes: Reduce clutter: if your porch or yard has been cluttered for a while it’s easy to ignore it. Tidy up your yard and pressure wash your driveway, porch, and garage. Upgrade accessories: pick out a new welcome doormat and add a simple, seasonal wreath. Choose timeless accessories so your photos won’t look dated if a holiday passes. Add accessories: your porch shouldn’t be bare but don’t go overboard with accessories. Think of your porches’ accessories like jewelry; they should enhance your home, not overpower it. Add some colorful and stylish potted plants to your exterior entryway or an understated outdoor cafe table and chairs for coffee and morning showings. Paint your door: a beautifully painted front door is always a favorite. It’s an important part of...