Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category

If you’re in a brand-new Paran Home (OR hope to be in one in time for Thanksgiving NEXT year), chances are you’re eager to open your home to holiday guests. While it can be an exciting time, it can also be undeniably stressful. Rather than risk a Turkey Day morning meltdown, we recommend taking advantage of the days leading up to Thanksgiving to organize in hopes of minimizing the stress. While there’s not much we can do to stop your mother-in-law from weighing in on your choice of décor or keep your uncle from diving headlong into the topic of politics, Paran Homes is proud to offer up the following five tips to hosting a fret-free Thanksgiving…

1)      Take a Cue from Expert Culinary Teams: Now that you have a gorgeous new kitchen by Paran Homes, consider this your command central for the big day and DEVISE A PLAN. Decide ahead of time which recipes you would like to make, print them out and even laminate them (to protect from spills), shop for all of the ingredients so there are no unexpected Thanksgiving Day runs to find an open store, and develop a task list for Thanksgiving Day attendees. You KNOW a select few will ask repeatedly what they can do to help. If you REALLY want to minimize your stress, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to say “can you help chop this onion?” or “can you please stir the gravy?” While you don’t want too many people in the kitchen, it’s nice to have several people around you in the heart of the home, where great memories are made and wonderful conversations are shared. Your task list can also cover the post-meal activities, such as clearing the table, washing dishes, drying dishes and putting the left-overs in containers.

2)      Don’t Make a Rookie Mistake: While it’s fun and valiant to try a new recipe or two, Thanksgiving is the “big show.” You don’t want to disappoint yourself OR your guests by serving a dish that’s anything shy of fabulous. In the days leading up to Turkey Day, take a practice run of any new recipes you plan to try and use your family members as guinea pigs. Make a game of it and tell them that tonight, they are food critics. Give them each a pen and paper so they can write down their thoughts about the new dish(es). They can even share their ideas for ways to make it even better. This practice run will let you know which dishes will be making their debut at your Thanksgiving dinner and which won’t make the cut.

3)      Map Your Prep and Serving Stations: When we design our homes, Paran Homes takes great care in considering everything from daily life to opportunities to entertain. Many of our designs feature an open flow between the kitchen, breakfast area and family room, and many of our kitchens features loads of countertop space and large central islands. A number of our homes also boast separate and spacious formal dining rooms. If you plan to serve from a long buffet table in your dining room, then you’re all set to purely prep in your kitchen. If you need to use your kitchen for both prep and service, you’ll want to map out where the “magic” will take place. This “station” plan can also jive with your task list for guests – your mom can prep the sweet potato casserole at one section of the counter, your sister can chop ingredients and toss the salad at another section of the counter, and you can manage everything going into/coming out of the oven while supervising the stovetop dishes. Have everyone’s tools, ingredients and pans in place at their stations to ensure a smooth operation. Set your kitchen island as your service buffet for the moment that you’re ready to serve.

4)      Make Your Seating Chart: Seating charts aren’t merely for weddings, people! You know how many guests you plan to host and you ALSO know everyone’s distinct personalities. If you can’t fit everyone around the dining room table, consider expanding the kids’ table to the breakfast room. Depending on the size of your guest list, you may need to have a folding table set up to aid with overflow. Set each table ahead of time so you’re not scrambling to cook AND set up at the same time. Consider making place cards to place people where you believe they’ll feel most comfortable and have the most fun.

5)      Set Guests Up with Delightful Distractions: You’re going to be BUSY making the Thanksgiving feast, but you don’t want a house full of bored (and hungry) guests. Have light snacks set about and plan games/activities to keep them preoccupied while you work your magic. Video games, board games or holiday-themed crafts are always a hit with the kiddos, older guests might enjoy watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or sports on TV, and you’ll have a select group with you in the kitchen. You may also want to set up a ball jar, pen and paper squares where people can write the things for which they are thankful and pop them in the jar. The host of the meal can read these notes during the meal and guests can take guesses at who wrote them. If your family observes Christmas, you may want to set up an area where they can create their own ornament. If you plan to set up your tree soon, you can either add all of these new ornaments to your tree for your first Christmas in your new Paran Home or allow your guests to take their ornaments home as a keepsake of their Thanksgiving at your house.

From all of us here at Paran Homes, we wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!

At Paran Homes, we build our homes to last with loads of living spaces, inviting bedrooms and convenient flex spaces in which your family can bloom and grow.  Is there anything more exciting – and somewhat terrifying – than bringing a brand-new baby home from the hospital and through your front door for the very first time? You quickly realize all that you DON’T know about raising a baby and keeping them safe. Blink your eyes and they’re crawling. Blink again and they’re up on their feet and walking… then running. A mobile baby presents a whole new world of unbelievable joy (and potential disasters.) With many of our new home owners at the baby (or grandbaby) stage of family life, Paran Homes is tickled pink (or baby blue) to share these expert tips on the latest techniques and tools for babyproofing your new home beyond the age-old baby gates on the stairs.

Get a Baby’s Eye View: The best way to assess all the prospective dangers your baby might face is to get down on their level. Go room to room throughout your home and get down on your hands and knees. Crawl all throughout the space, taking note of any possible issues along the way. You should do this BEFORE they start to crawl. Pay particular attention to sharp corners where they might hit their head – like the fireplace and coffee table – and address those with cushioned bumpers.

Be Wary of the Bathroom: At some point, babies learn to pull up on things to enjoy the view. If they do this on the bathtub, they could slip on the tile and hit their head on the way down. Non-skid rugs could prevent the slip and also cushion their fall. The best measure to take here is to never leave your child unattended in the bathroom, particularly when soaking in the tub – not even for a minute. A baby can drown in just 1 inch of water. Other measures for this room of the home that Parents.com recommends are to keep your water heater set to 120 degrees or lower to prevent scalding, place a soft cover over your faucet head, and lay down non-slip strips in the bathtub. Parenting Magazine also suggests installing toilet locks to protect baby’s fingers from getting smashed, as well as another potential drowning risk.

Be Particularly Careful in the Kitchen: Stove knob covers prevent the risk of baby accidentally turning on the gas or possibly burning him/herself. A stove guard can protect your child from pulling boiling pots and pans down on themselves.

Keep ‘Em Out of the Cabinets and Drawers: Whether in the kitchen or the bathroom, cabinet doors and drawers can present their own realm of dangerous prospects. Cleaning supplies, chemicals, sharp or breakable objects, heavy appliances that can topple and more that lurk behind those baby-sized doors or fun sliding drawers pose lots of potential risks. The best way to avoid disaster here is to invest in childproof safety latches made specifically for cabinets and drawers, then place them throughout your home.

Stay Indoors, Kids: While the “get outside and play” mantra will begin soon enough, those shiny doorknobs on the front and back doors, as well as all of the interior doors of the home prove incredibly alluring to small children. Rather than allow them to turn the knob and walk on out the door unsupervised, it would be wise to purchase childproof doorknob covers. These will also limit their opportunities to shut their sweet little fingers in the door, as well.

Don’t be Blind to the Dangers of Blind, Drapery and Electric Cords: The cords that hang down on your blinds or window treatments can be rather tempting to toddlers. In addition to the fact that one good yank could potentially bring the entire set of blinds or draperies down on your baby’s head, those cords could prove a strangulation hazard. The same holds true for dangling cords from small kitchen appliances.

A Shocking Discovery: It just so happens that little baby fingers can fit neatly into the holes of an electrical outlet – posing a shock risk. Placing covers over the outlets renders them virtually invisible and dramatically lowers the potential for baby to try and place other objects inside. But because the individual plastic electric outlet covers could also be a possible choking hazard for little explorers, Parenting Magazine suggests using sliding covers instead.

That is NOT a Ladder, Little One: Small children – once they become mobile – love to use stationary objects to pull up and will even attempt to climb them. This is particularly true of bookcases and chests of drawers. To prevent them from toppling on top of your baby, secure them to the wall with sturdy anchors.

Other helpful tips can be found in Babyproofing Basics on Parents.com or 20+ Tips for Babyproofing Your Home from Parenting Magazine.

From all of us here at Paran Homes, we hope you enjoy raising your baby in your new home! Haven’t found your family’s ideal home yet? Check out our communities in Atlanta, Nashville and !

Buying a new home – particularly one crafted by Paran Homes – can be an incredibly exciting adventure. One that nearly counters the daunting task of packing up an existing home in time for the movers to arrive. Whether moving from an apartment or a house, we’ve compiled a list of 10 tips designed to make the task of moving more bearable. Just remember, “a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” (Lao Tzu) In the end… HOME SWEET HOME!

1. Set a Budget: If you have the money in your budget to pay a moving company to pack up and haul your belongings to your new home, by all means do that! Of course, that money might be better spent on a new sectional for the family room or dining room table or master suite or… If you can find the time AND ENERGY to pack up the house yourself, it will definitely save you on the budget side.
2. Set a Date: This is typically a tight window if you’re moving from an existing house into a new home. You have not just one but TWO closing dates to work around. Hopefully, you’ll have a little wiggle room between the two so you don’t feel pressed for time. In the event that there is TOO much wiggle room between your closing dates and you find the need for temporary housing, you may want to research storage units or portable moving containers to store the bulk of your possessions.
3. Find a Reputable and Licensed/Insured Moving Company: Even in this digital day and age, word of mouth continues to reign supreme. If you know anyone whose made a move in the last couple of years, ask them who they used and what they recommend. In the event that you’re not getting the results you hoped for, start scanning online reviews and Better Business Bureau ratings. Once you’ve narrowed your list down to a few, ask for proposals to see who falls best within your timeframe and budget.
4. Give the 4-1-1 to Family and Friends: Moving is a very special occasion! One that is worthy of having “We’re Moving” announcements printed and mailed – featuring your move-in date and new address. You may want to do this a month to a couple of weeks before you move.
5. Host a Fond Farewell Fiesta: Like we’ve said, moving is a very special occasion. Goodbyes can be bittersweet. Make a concerted effort to say farewell to your neighbors by hosting a party – this is particularly important if you’re moving across state lines.
6. Take Small Bites When Eating an Elephant: Okay so we’ve covered the fact that moving can be a daunting task. In an effort to avoid becoming overwhelmed, formulate a plan and attack the art of packing one room at a time. As you do, check these rooms off your list to give yourself a constant sense of accomplishment.
7. Decide What You Want to Follow You Into this Next Chapter: As you formulate your plan and move room-to-room, decide what will be following you to your new home – and get rid of the rest. That’s less space taken up on your moving truck! Extra furniture, appliances, etc. can be donated to your local Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity or Goodwill – many of which will pick-up, free of charge.
8. The Kitchen Should be the Last Thing to Go: Unless you want to spend a small fortune on takeout and dining out, you should leave the basic essentials of your kitchen intact until the last possible moment.
9. Mark All of Your Boxes as Clearly As Possible: As challenging as packing can be, unpacking is equally intimidating. By having your boxes clearly marked at the get go, it’s easier to prioritize which boxes you’d like to unpack first. Instead of simply marking a box “Kitchen” – take a few seconds more to add WHAT is inside, such as utensils, plates and bowls.
10. Capture the Moment:  It’s all to easy to get swept up in the act of moving that we often forget what a special occasion this is! Be sure to take a moment here and there to snap a photo of your kids playing around the moving boxes, your former home empty of your family’s possessions, one last front stoop photo, the family gathered around the SOLD sign in front of your new Paran Home, before-and-after images of your new home without and with furniture, etc… You’re making history and Paran Homes is proud to be a part of it!

Need a Recommendation for a Great Moving Company?

Take-Away Movers in Norcross is Paran Homes’ Preferred Moving Company! We regularly use them to move into – and out of – our model homes and sales centers throughout Metro Atlanta. Take-Away is currently offering an exclusive 10% discount on their moving services for new Paran homeowners (Discount Code: Paran10). Need new furniture? When you schedule a move with Take-Away Movers, they’ll send you a coupon for 20% off Ashley Home Store! and also can offer a discount at Ashley Home Store. To schedule YOUR move into a new Paran Home, contact Take-Away Office Manager, Latoya Wilson at 678.606.9050. Want to learn more about Take-Away Movers and the services they offer? Visit their website at www.takeawaymovers.net.

Best wishes to you and yours as you “make your move”!