plan of houses

You may have noticed that it’s been a little quiet around here lately.

But.  You guys.

Things are happening.

Before I get into the nitty gritty of what’s going on, here’s the quick back story – as you know, Jason and I have been flipping houses for 6 years now, and we’ve done 10 in all (not counting our own house and our two rentals).  We’ve learned a lot about construction, entrepreneurship, and real estate in general.  We’ve ridden the highs and lows of the real estate market, started a family, and moved into our 30’s.

We’ve always said that we’d like to build a house when the time is right, and maybe ultimately move from being flippers to builders.  That prospect has always seemed like kind of a phantom dream, one that you can catch a clear glimpse of from time to time but that just doesn’t seem quite real or attainable.  Maybe it’s one of those things that you talk about but never actually do.

But with the real estate market in Dallas picking up, it’s become harder and harder to find houses to flip – other investors are snapping up houses left and right, and homebuyers themselves are feeling comfortable buying fixer-uppers.  We are lucky to have found the houses that we did.

Back in February, Jason received an email from a wholesaler about an investment opportunity in another part of Dallas.  The house wasn’t quite what we’re used to working with – it was more expensive, more square footage, in a different neighborhood, and on a much larger lot.  Because of all that it wasn’t in our comfort zone, but after I ran some quick comps we decided to hop in the car to go scope it out.  Flips are hard to come by, so it was certainly worth our time to see if this house could be a contender for a renovation.

How to arrange homes

When discarding clothes, Kondo says it's not as easy as flipping through items hanging in your closet and choosing what to lose. Take all clothes — from your front hall closet to your bedroom — and dump it into one spot. Then hold each item and ask the question, "Does it spark joy?" to determine whether you keep the item. When it comes to storing clothes, Kondo says you can fold most clothes so each item can be seen upright in a drawer (instead of in a pile). For clothes that have to be hung, hang items from longest to shortest, darkest to lightest, left to right. 

For books, Kondo says to store them upright instead of in piles (sorry, I still love to style shelves!), keep them all in the same part of your home, and not to feel bad about letting go of unread books. Just be thankful for its purpose in your life and move on.

In the kitchen, the same rules apply whether you're tackling dishes, your pantry or items in your fridge. Want open shelves in the kitchen but worried about storage? Maybe you'll be able to get the look with the KonMari Method!

Think you’re finished discarding? Kondo says you’ll know when you’ve hit the point where you can discard no more. The result of this kind of home detox: Countless bags and boxes of items — from old dishes to dated technology to way-too-many free t-shirts — that need to be recyled, donated or thrown out. Professional junk removal companies like JUSTJUNK® can help you out. Just Junk’s team will come to your home and take away all your clutter, and recycle, donate and dispose everything from appliances to furniture. You simply pay based on how much you want to get rid of. Visit justjunk.com today to see how they can help you get a clean, organized home. Just Junk serves cities across Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Alberta. 

Houses decoration

Why should you discard objects in your home? In  experience, she finds we surround ourselves with lots of things that go unused or don’t suit the life we actually live. We’re stuck with gifts we don’t want, more clothes than we remember we own and kitchen utensils we never use. Paring back means an organized home, and in Kondo’s experience, affects your life as a whole, too. Plus, it's perfect for small spaces and those who love the minimalist look.

So, how do you start? Here are some of Kondo’s top tips:

1. Start immediately — there’s no need to wait for a new month, year or season.
2. Before thinking about how to organize everything you own, focus on discarding.
3. Commit to a tidying marathon. Instead of discarding a little bit every day, turn it into a special event. (Yes, if you’re busy you can try her method to tidying on weekends only.)
4. Discard items one category at a time in this order: clothes, books and papers, miscellaneous items and then sentimental items.
5. Don’t store your stuff at your parents’ home (or anywhere else), and don’t force your discarded items onto friends and family.

When discarding clothes, Kondo says it's not as easy as flipping through items hanging in your closet and choosing what to lose. Take all clothes — from your front hall closet to your bedroom — and dump it into one spot. Then hold each item and ask the question, "Does it spark joy?" to determine whether you keep the item. When it comes to storing clothes, Kondo says you can fold most clothes so each item can be seen upright in a drawer (instead of in a pile). For clothes that have to be hung, hang items from longest to shortest, darkest to lightest, left to right.