What are your New Year's resolutions?

How do you plan to get your 2012 resolutions to stick?  Here’s some advice from Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas and San Luis Obispo.

1)   Don’t try to change fifty things at once.  Pace yourself and don’t try to undo ten years of less-than-desirable habits, behaviors in one day!

2)   Don’t make unwise resolutions.  Set goals that are logical, practical and maintainable.

3)   Create an accountability system.  Once the excitement, the motivation and the initial momentum subsides, what will keep you doing what you need to do to maintain your resolution.

4)   Remember what you did last time.  Don’t do that again!  Don’t do what’s comfortable, do what works.

5)   Work in four-week blocks.  The four week time frame is long enough to produce significant practical change but also short enough for you to stay focused, motivated and in the game emotionally.

6)   Weigh up the cost.  If you want to create exceptional outcomes, then you must be prepared to do exceptional things.           

In regards to this blog, Cinderella Carpet One looks forward to a new year and more blog posts to help those of you that are interested in flooring, design and the latest trends. Feel free to let us know if there are any topics you would like to learn more about in the upcoming New Year. What you want to read is the most important goal to us!

Our New Years resolution is to continue to improve the content based off your interests.  How do we plan on doing that?  Ask for your feedback!   We really do want to hear from you so please make your comments and suggestions on our blog page or our Facebook, and Twitter.  Most importantly contact us on our website and let us know what you’d like to see.

Do you want to read about...

•                Extending the life of your floor. (What issues do you have? What floors do you have?)

•                How to choose the best floor for you. (Are you more interested in hardwood, carpet, rugs, laminate, tile, allergy-friendly floors, eco-friendly floors, etc?)

•                Home design (If this is yours, what is your biggest challenge and what's your favorite style?)

•                 Information about flooring (Is there a term you don't know?

myth/misconception/FAQ that you'd like to double check? something else?)

•                What are you most interested in? (Flooring for the home, business, rental property, etc?)

•                Did we miss anything?  What are you most interested in and would like to see us write about in 2012?

Please comment and let us know!  We really do want to know what you think.

Happy New Year everyone!  Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas and San Luis Obispo hope yours is full of hope, joy, peace, and opportunity.

‘TIS THE SEASON FOR NEW FLOORING.

Stocking Stuffer:  Gift Cards from Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas and San Luis Obispo

Christmas is just around the corner. Where has this year gone? In past years, you have probably scoured the mall and the Internet in search of just the right gift for those special people on your list. Most people love giving gifts to friends and family, especially when they know it is something they are going to love. But, we find these days there is very little time to shop. So, giving gift cards is the gift of choice for many people.

No one can argue that the last several years have been tough on our wallets. Instead of doing the fun remodeling projects, most people have had to focus on those that were absolutely necessary and relinquish those projects that can wait. That’s part of the reason giving a Cinderella Carpet One gift card to your friends and family can be that perfect present. It hopefully gives them that small little nudge to get started on that home improvement project they’ve been putting off.

What homeowner do you know that isn’t always doing some sort of improvement project or renovation? A Cinderella gift card makes great stocking stuffers too. Gift cards are a great way to introduce friends and family to a locally owned store for flooring, window coverings and accessories. Cinderella gift cards come in any increments you desire. So, there’s a dollar value to match just about any budget. Contact us in Salinas or San Luis Obispo to purchase your card!

We would also like to thank you, our client and our readers for all your support this year.  To give is a tradition with Christmas.  Therefore we give you today our cordial thanks for the confidence in our company.  We hope that going into 2012, the future will be better for all of us.  The New Year will bring exciting projects, postings and updates to all our followers – so we look forward to seeing you!

Happy Holidays!

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO BEFORE YOUR HOLIDAY HOUSEGUESTS ARRIVE!

They are all coming over for the holidays, and they are bringing more than just presents. That’s right, your relatives along with their kids, their stuff, and lots of stress! However, you CAN be prepared with these helpful tips: 

DECLUTTER YOUR HOME

It's time to declutter and create some much-needed space. Your living room, family room, and other common rooms used for entertaining should be free of any furniture that you won't use. Old magazines, newspapers, mail, and other items should be sorted and recycled or discarded.

COMPLETE HOUSE REPAIRS

If your family has been dealing with a drippy faucet, squeaky door, or broken steps you should get these things taken care of before your guests arrive. A few small house repairs and improvements can make your home safer and more comfortable for your holiday houseguests. And gals, if you don’t have your own tools to get the job done it’s time to put those on your X-mas wish list.

CLEAN THE HOUSE ROOM BY ROOM

Pick a room each day or a few rooms each week. Or schedule a special session with your normal cleaning SERVICE. Don’t wait until the night before everyone arrives to start cleaning.

TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR GUEST BEDROOM

Can your guests sleep in there comfortably? Does the room need to be CLEANED? Make sure all the bedding is fresh and super comfortable, vacuum the floor (don't forget under the bed), and make space in the closet for your guests' clothes. Provide clean towels and supplies in the bathroom and let them know where to find more. Make the room cozy with a sitting area, if possible.

If you don’t have a guest room, prepare a sleeping space for your guests, and make sure your family KNOWS that it is to be treated as a bedroom while they are there. Also give them a private place to change and wash up. If you don’t have space for relatives at all, do a little research and provide your relatives with local HOTEL information.

COOK AHEAD

Who wants to spend all your time in the kitchen when you have houseguests? Cook ahead and freeze some meals for dinner. Also, make sure your pantry and kitchen are stocked with staple items. Keep breakfast simple (cereal, granola and yogurt, or fresh fruit). Lunch can be sandwiches and salads.

DECORATE

You don't want to be hanging Christmas lights and setting up displays while your guests are in town. Prepare by decorating a little early. Keep things simple and elegant to avoid cluttering up your home and decorate green when possible.

SPECIAL NEEDS

Ask your guests if they have any special DIETARY needs before they arrive. This will help you avid any last minute trips to the grocery store.

GIFT GIVING

Have gifts wrapped and ready to DISTRIBUTE before your guests arrive. They are lots of fun to shake and look at for the kids in your family. This will also allow you to spend time with your family instead of locked up in your bedroom wrapping presents!

 HAVE FUN AND RELAX

Remember to ENJOY your company. Sharing your home can be stressful, but by cleaning and organizing in advance, you can have a relaxing time visiting with those you love!

Happy Holidays from Cinderella Carpet One, your local flooring expert in Salinas and San Luis Obispo.

HOW TO PREVENT HOLIDAY DAMAGE ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL HARDWOOD FLOOR!

Those high heels may make your holiday party dress look great but be sure to take them off before you walk on your hardwood.

The holiday season can bring a lot of wear and tear to your hardwood floors.  Don't worry though, Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas and San Luis Obispo can help you prevent holiday damage. Even with family and friends tromping back and forth over your floors, and the spills from festive foods and drinks, protecting your hardwood flooring isn't as difficult or daunting as it may appear.   Below are some simple tips to protect your hardwood floors from the holidays:

No-Shoes Policy

Enforce a no-shoes policy to help protect your reclaimed wood floors. Provide a shoe rack and a place to perch while people take off their shoes in the entryway of your home. Include a basket with no-slip slippers near the shoe rack.
If a no-shoes policy won’t work have mats on both sides of the door so people can thoroughly wipe their feet before entering your home.  Check out Carpet One’s pink ribbon holiday welcome mat designs and support a great cause.

Area Rugs:

The winter season is quite chilly. By placing rugs in high-traffic areas - such as gathering spaces, on either side of beds, hallways, etc. - you are protecting your hardwood floor from heavy foot traffic, furniture and dropped objects.

Cleanliness
By cleaning your hardwood floors, you are protecting them from scratches and water damage while making your home look beautiful.  A good routine to follow is to sweep your flooring with either a soft- bristled broom or dry sweeping cloth daily and vacuum once a week.

Spill Patrol
Holidays are all about great food and drinks as well as surrounding yourself with friends and family, which of course goes hand-in-hand with accidents and spills. Though you can't really control accidents or spills, you can be prepared for when they happen on your hardwood floors. Create a spill kit to keep on hand; include a bucket filled with a set of clean rags, white vinegar, extra-fine steel wool, mineral spirits and floor wax. If your reclaimed wood flooring is already surface-sealed, all you need to do is wipe up the mess with dry rag - or for stickier situations, use a dampened rag with water or a white vinegar/water solution.

For candle wax spills on your floors, allow the wax to harden first. Then use a card or plastic putty knife to lift off or gently remove the wax. If there is any waxy residue left over, rub a used dryer sheet over the area. Then use a hairdryer on a low heat setting and attempt to melt the remaining wax, using paper towels to lift it. Lastly, use a cloth with an equal mixture of white vinegar and water to clean the area.                    

In order to have hardwood flooring that will last you for many holidays to come, make sure to properly maintain and protect it.

If you are looking for hardwood floors for your home or business? If you're in the market for reclaimed lumber or other sustainable wood products, contact Cinderella in Salinas or San Luis Obispo for a free in-home estimate so we can discuss all your options.