No...not the show...Trading Spaces. This is a concept that has been slowly growing. It involves homeowner's trading their homes with other homeowner's. It may be easier then outright selling. There may even be some builder's that are considering buying your 'clunker' house for buying one of theirs. Could be a good deal for everyone! Interested email us at the link above.

Link: http://www.homedesignsense.com/terms/paint.html

Masking tape can be extremely helpful if you are not steady with a paintbrush. It can also be a time saver when painting multiple coats. The type of tape you use will depend on the project. Difficulty: Easy Things You’ll Need: Blue Masking Tape (for painting) Plastic for surface protection Steps 1. Decide on the area that needs to be taped and the tapes width. 2. You can add the plastic to the tape edge to protect un-painted areas. 3. Apply the tape by pressing down only on it edge. 4. Burnish (or rub) the edges to form a tight seal with the surface. 5. Apply the paint away from the tape edge. Do not paint towards the tape to avoid paint seepage. 6. Remove the tape by pulling at a 45 degree angle using a steady motion. 7. Any residue that might be left can be removed with paint thinner. Tips and Warnings: Pulling too slow will leave tape residue and pulling to fast could tear the tape.

It seems as though clothesline drying is making a comeback (or at least trying to). Many towns and cities have bans on these because it affects property values. It didn't affect the values of home back when they were popular. Besides today is the age of energy savings and we could save a lot of energy using this method instead of the electric dryers. Ask older folks what they thought of using clotheslines...you may be surprised. We should reconsider if living electricly is still better for us, as we spend $5 billion every year drying clothes in the US. Since the dryer is responsible for 6% of the average household bill, drying clothed on a line is common sense, but not a right everyone has. (Treehugger.com) Home Design Sense

I recently found an article in the News Journal about having a "Swap Party". This is a way of saving money and finding items you can really use around your home. How does it work? Clean out your house and find some friends with similar tastes. Any amount of people that you can handle comfortably. This is a kind-of "regifting" party; so you want to have items hat a re new or in good condition. Draw numbers to see who will pick first from the items gathered from all who are attending. The amount of items each person brings will be the amount of "numbers" they receive. If someone brings 5 items they get 5 numbers and so on. Make up your own rules but be sure to give everyone a copy of how the party will work. Have fun, enjoy and save money! Home Design Sense

We are starting a new section for Home Design Sense. It will be called "Did You Know?" There will be a lot of interesting information about decorating and design. Keep posted to this blog and Home Design Sense. Home Design Sense