AAA House Manager Blog

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is more than a classic holiday movie — it’s a guide for how not to care for your home. 

So while we winced watching Clark Griswold face home disaster after disaster, we also couldn't resist turning his experience into a set of homeownership tips. (We're all about education here at House Manager, after all.)

Here are just a handful of practical lessons from the movie that all homeowners can use; we'd share them with Clark if we could!

Have you ever noticed how when you walk into a room, its colors can make you feel a certain way? It turns out that a room’s color has a profound influence on our moods and emotions. Color is more than just a visual experience; it can be psychological as well. 

Different colors evoke different responses. Warm colors are associated with feelings of comfort, excitement or even aggression, while cool colors can be calming and relaxing.

Below are some smart tips for how you can use the psychology of color to transform your home.

The National Fire Prevention Association estimates that seven people die each day in home fires across the U.S. According to the American Red Cross, house fires cause more than $7 billion a year in property damage. A fire can happen any time, but the House Manager team believes chance favors the prepared homeowner. 

So, here are seven steps you can take to minimize the risk of fire in your home.

Waterproofing your home sounds complicated. It sounds expensive. We’ve convened the experts at House Manager, and they’ve assured us neither need be true. They insist that a home can be waterproofed at minimal cost in a single weekend.

It’s that time of year again… house-hunting season. If you’re putting your home on the market, we want to help you put your best foot forward to attract the most bidders and the highest price.

At the very least, your pre-open house strategy should include removing clutter, making minor repairs, and giving the whole place an inviting look.

Potential buyers will want to be able to picture themselves living happily ever after—in your home.

You’ve seen the TV shows: DIY Network, HGTV, and The Vanilla Ice Project. You’re feeling the pressure. If they can do it—if Vanilla Ice can do it—you can do it. You really should do it. Honestly, what have you been waiting for?

Maybe you’ve been waiting for a helpful how-to guide. You’re in luck! We've compiled a list of useful tips to keep in mind as you embark on your home remodeling journey. We don’t simply want you to survive. We want you and your project to thrive.

We’ll let you in on a little secret.

We may eat, sleep, and breathe home repairs and maintenance around here, but we’re not even crazy enough to attempt a Marie Kondo–style cleanup more than once a year. To keep your home running smoothly, however, there are certain maintenance tasks that you should perform regularly.

No two neighborhoods are alike. Each has its own unique characteristics and personalities.

Some are filled with people who have known each other for years and like to chit-chat over coffee on their porches, while others are made up of individuals who prefer to stay to themselves.

No matter which kind of neighborhood you live in—and whether you live in an apartment building, condo or a single-family home with a sprawling yard—here are some tips that will go a long way towards building harmony and a shared sense of community.

Are you seeking to add value to your home in 2019? Whether it’s to capitalize on an increasingly lucrative rental housing market, or simply to increase your comfort and enjoyment of your home, renovating is always a good idea. Knowing “what’s hot” and “what’s not” is a great place to start, and a great way to get the most from your investment.

Call it digital living. Call it the way of the future. Growing numbers of homeowners are ushering their homes into the 21st century by equipping them with the services and hardware they need to make them “smarter.”