If it’s time to move your child’s room from nursery-style to something a bit more mature, take advantage of the opportunity to make changes that will work now and in the future.

A child’s tastes will change dramatically, maybe even year-to-year. It’s up to you to decide how often a room redecoration is in order and what will be involved.

To make this work well, certain elements should be established early and be included in future re-dos. To start, select a neutral flooring and blind combination that will work at any age. For example, a light to medium wood floor with matching 2 inch blinds will handle changes in colors and themes.

You may want to select simple furniture that complements the flooring, so the basics are completed. Pick out basic pieces that will work as your child grows. If possible, leave enough space to allow for furniture rearranging as well as some play space on the floor.

Use inexpensive elements to create colors and themes in the room. Paint, bedding, art and accessories can make a dramatic difference in the look of a space without breaking your budget.

Include your child as much as possible in the decision process. This will help him or her feel like the room belongs to them, and can get them started thinking of how they want their space to look, feel and function. As your child grows, you can give them more and more autonomy to experiment with their own tastes and preferences.

When you decide to find the right home, the process can be fun and rewarding or frustrating. Planning ahead will reduce the headaches and eliminate many miscommunications. Here are a few suggestions as you begin.

1.     Figure out how much house you can afford. Visit with your bank, reputable mortgage broker or use our mortgage calculator on our website to see how far your income will go in the market. Don’t stop there, however. Look at your lifestyle choices and determine what amount will allow you to have a home with a mortgage that works for both of you. Once you determine that monthly amount, start saving the difference between what you plan to pay and you are currently paying. This will enable you to test run your mortgage and give you some extra money for the move.

2.     Decide whether you want a new home or a resale. If you want a new home, start by using our new home finder.

3.     If you want a resale home, start going to open houses. Every house has advantages and disadvantages. By attending open houses, you and your partner can discuss what you like and don’t like about each home. This will help you define what features are important to you. It’s also a good way to look at neighborhoods. This can also help you understand how much house your planned mortgage amount will buy.

4.     Find a realtor. Your visits to open houses give you a chance to meet a number of realtors and talk to them without worrying about a sales pitch. Although you can buy a home without one, a realtor can help screen homes and provide advice. Look for one who is familiar with the neighborhoods you’re interested in and the type of home you want.

Ironwood Crossing is the last of our communities that we would like to present to you.  You can find the information regarding this community through the homepage of our website.  At Fulton Homes, we like to provide our customers with as much helpful information as possible.  Ironwood Crossings is a safe community for just you or you and your family.  A large Aquatic Center with a 7,000 square foot pool and club room is located close by as well as a well known Charter School for grades K-6.  There are several neighborhood parks with basketball courts, ramadas, etc.  Below are other several statistics on what else Ironwood Crossings has to offer you.

• Perfect for young families in a great neighborhood featuring 20 parks, one for about 100 families, all done in a master planned setting.
• Aquatic center with splash pad for small children, separated from 7000 square foot pool.
• The main pool area has separate restroom facilities, a clubhouse with kitchen and a giant sail shade structure will cover half of the gigantic pool to protect residents from the sun.
• The Legacy Charter School within the community and host grades K-6. There are already 540 students signed up.
• In addition to Legacy Charter School, Ironwood Crossing is part of the new J.O. Combs Unified School District offering students preschool through 12th grade excellent educational opportunities.
• This new and emerging area features over one million feet of retail for shopping, services, and dining.
• The new Banner Hospital is 2 miles south of Ironwood Crossing.
• Ironwood Crossing provides the best in Affordable Family Living.

In our last blog post (Making a successful move: Part 1) we talked about what you need to do before a move to avoid looking like this guy on moving day. Here are some suggestions to make it through the rest of your move.

During the move:

• Use drop cloths or old rugs to protect your beautiful floors during the move. Carpeting can get dirty from the back and forth of moving boxes and wood floors can get scratched from heavy furniture.
• Make sure that you can focus totally on the move. Have any children stay with friends or family, plan quick take-out for any meals. If possible, have one person stay at the old place and one at the new one to handle the transition from one to the other. Use your numbered box list to make sure every box makes it to the new place.

After the move:

• Completely check every piece of furniture for any scratches or dings. Be sure to call attention to them with the moving company immediately.
• Unpack only the critical boxes and set up the basics of your new home. Plan for take-out or dinner out the first night or two so you can focus on setting up the kitchen the way you want.
• Sit back and enjoy your new home as you unpack!

Moving to a new home is never easy, but you’re in charge of whether you have a smooth move or a traumatic one. Here are some suggestions for before a move.

Before:

• Take at least a few weeks to go through clothes and household items to get rid of anything you no longer need or want. Don’t move anything that you don’t want to keep. Get ready for a fresh start!
• Make a plan for your furniture placement. Use the extra sticky post-its to label each piece with the right room so there is no confusion on moving day.
• Start packing way before you think you need to. Begin with the least needed items and box up your kitchen and personal items last. Label each box by number and list critical things inside. Put the room the box belongs in on the outside. It seems simple, but it will really help!
• Highlight any boxes that need to be unpacked first. Have a special place in your new home to stack those.
• Choose a special cupboard or closet to put those things that are too precious or valuable to have movers handle so that you can move them yourself.
• Check regularly behind your local copier stores for terrific boxes that are strong and a good size for packing, stacking and lifting. You will need many more boxes than you think you will.

If you are moving into a home that is not new, either clean or have your new home cleaned before you move in. Check the floors to see if any carpet needs cleaning or if any other flooring should be sealed or protected. Line your kitchen shelves with shelf paper and do as much as you can to prepare your home for the move in.

The last couple of weeks, we’ve been focusing on the different communities that Fulton Homes has to offer.  We would like to stick to this trend and discuss our Freeman Farms community.  At the top of the page you will find a story from a family who recently moved into Freeman Farms.  The story highlights the shopping areas and easy routes to downtown and the airport from their home.  We try and keep our residents as involved in the community as possible, as well as always feeling welcome and we love to hear what they have to say!  Our residents are very true to our hearts, and we respect each of them equally.  Freeman Farms has several things to offer as a community, please see below for a highlighted list.

• Ideally suited for growing families, this great Gilbert masterplanned community, features lakes and parks with tot lots, basketball, ramadas, and plenty of open spaces.
• Just up Greenfield Road is the fabulous San Tan Mall, an outdoor mall that features Dillards, Macys, many top retail stores as well as plenty of dining plus and a huge Harkins Theater complex.
• Just south of the loop 202, making Freeman Farms an ideal destination that’s easy to get to.
• Family Living in a rural setting.

Aside from being conscious of our environment, we are starting to become more and more health conscious when it comes to our homes, and with good reason.

When we say “organic” it refers to plants that have not been treated with pesticides and other toxic fertilizers.  Plants are not only used as food but they can also used to make home items like linens. (table cloths, towels and bed sheets)

Wouldn’t it be nice to use table cloths and other linens with the confidence that they  are made organically? The most common type of environment friendly table cloth linens are made from cotton. There are more materials available such as wool, bamboo, jute, hemp and silk that can be made into table cloths.

The same applies when it comes to bed sheets. Maybe many of us do not pay much attention to what our bedding is made of as long as we get a good nights sleep! But the statistics tell us—we spend a third of our lives sleeping so why not make sleeping as healthy and comfortable as possible?

There are a number of materials used to make bed sheets some of which include flannel, polyester, satin, wool and cotton. Resources that have been grown the organic way are proven to produce the most comfortable bed sheets to sleep on. With this comes the promise of a better sleep. Don’t worry! Organic bed sheets do not compromise on luxury and style.

Choosing organic linens not only contributes to a healthier and more comfortable life but it can also help you invest in the health and future of our environment.

Many of us live a fast-paced and busy life. After a hard day’s work all we want to do is to return to a warm, relaxing and welcoming home. Here are some tips on how to create a cozy and inviting home not only for your guests but also for the master of the house – you.

Paint your walls a neutral shade.

When we say neutral shade, most people think of the color beige. Yes, beige is neutral color but it doesn’t always have to beige. You can choose a warmer sage colors or even brownish tones. Warm colors can be any color among the red, orange or yellow family. Just see to it that the color is not a high bright white.

Choose comfy furniture.

For sitting and lounging an oversized and overstuffed sofa, loveseat and ottoman will have you saying “ah”. The oversized furniture will surely make for an inviting feel for a good conversation with family or guests. Again, warm colors are a must.

Add a splash of green to your kitchen.

The kitchen is the busiest area in your home and it is also essential to make it as inviting as possible. De-clutter your kitchen and put live plants on your countertops. You can also put up a small garden of herbs on your windowsill to give it a more homey feel.

Add texture to your bathroom.

You can do this by placing thick, luxurious towels near the shower or tub. You can also place a plush area rug and some plants too. As for the windows, you can use frosted glass or bamboo shades for more light but without compromising your privacy.

With these tips, making your home more warm and welcoming will be as easy as pie. And you might just want to bake one just to give that fresh pie smell to your kitchen!

The last two weeks, we’ve been focusing on the specific communities at Fulton Homes.  Last week, we zoomed in on Fulton Ranch; this week we’d like to zoom in on Geneva Estates.  Geneva Estates in Chandler, Arizona.  The site lists a variety of options that this particular community offers.  Please see below these.

About the Community

• Geneva Estates offers classic park-side living with lushly landscaped green belts that meander throughout the community.
• New homes in an established area with a great location just south of the 202 at McQueen and Ocotillo Roads.
• Community water features and landscaping accents create a welcoming atmosphere.
• The close in location is near shopping, dining, and services.
• Chandler Fashion Center with Macy’s Dillards, Sears, and Nordstrom is just 10 minutes away.
• Paseo Vista park is just outside of Geneva’s entrance at Ocotillo and McQueen.
• This 64-acre special-use park includes an archery range, disc golf course, dog park, playground, picnic areas and more than a mile of walking trails.

It’s a beautiful community and we hope you consider it for your new neighborhood!

Once in your home, it is time to show off all of your hard work to family and friends alike. No matter whether you are entertaining for a weekend or the week, you’ll want to make sure your guests are as comfortable as possible. One way to achieve this is to create a welcoming guest room which meets all of your company’s needs. It’s not enough to just have a room where they can lay their heads at night you need to think as if your home were a five star hotel. Here a few ideas for making your guests feel like royalty:

• Make the bed inviting and so comfortable guests will melt into it and experience an incredible night’s rest. A feather bed and a set of fresh luxury sheets of 600 thread count or higher will do the trick. Top it off with a down filled comforter topped with a plush duvet in a soft fabric such as velvet or chenille.
• Place a nosegay or other fresh floral arrangement next to the bed and also in the bathroom if you have enough vanity space.
• Fill a crystal carafe with chilled water and set alongside several matching glasses. Place a bowl of fresh apples and oranges for a midnight snack.
• Illuminate the room with bedside lamps for reading or other activities. In case they need to jot down notes, be sure to leave a pen and pad by the bed. Don’t forget an alarm clock or clock radio.
• Outfit the bathroom with fresh, plump body and hand towels and washcloths, a new bar of soap, shampoo and conditioner. For an extra special touch offer a scented candle, matches and bath oil for a relaxing soak in the tub. Hang a white terry robe in XL at the ready in case they forgot their own.

While these are just a few ideas for making your guest’s stay an experience they will remember, keep in mind anything extra you do will not go unnoticed. Your hospitality coupled with your Fulton built home will have guests looking forward to each visit in your welcoming home.