Do you realize the positives in good and bad times?

Whew! We made it to the final week of another year. Before this week is done, be sure to remember your wins! We all know life can be difficult and human nature tends to focus on the things that aren’t going the way we expect. That’s why this is a good time to deliberately reflect on all that has gone right throughout the year. End 2016 on a positive note by recognizing your accomplishments and counting your blessings. In fact, this is something Oprah Winfrey does at the end of every year. Noting positive things that have happened (your "wins") is something successful people do every day. In fact, many write them in a journal. There are definite benefits to being grateful mentally, emotionally, and physically. “Be thankful for the bad things in life. They open your eyes to see the good things you weren't paying attention to before.” Whether a quick list or a full written account of the experience, a gratitude journal is one way to count your blessings. Yet, there can be times when moments of gratitude are hard to find. Good is hidden in the bad. When we reflect on bad times, there’s a good chance we will find more to be grateful for than we expected. It could be the situation that generated a positive life-changing lesson- making us better people or simply causing us to appreciate things even more. Whether you write gratitude and blessings down or not, I hope you fondly remember many good things from 2016. In just a few days it will be time to celebrate the final countdown. Whichever way you choose to celebrate, I hope your celebration is as quiet or robust as you prefer. See you in the New Year.            Matt Capell            President of Capell Flooring and Interiors

Have a Pet-Friendly Christmas!

They are entertaining, comforting, and forever curious – the three key words to describe family pets. Each has its unique personality and habits, and all the sparkle and glitter twinkling about this time of year can bring out the worst in them. That’s why it’s important to pet-proof your Christmas. Oh, Christmas Tree! Whether real or artificial, anchor the Christmas tree so it won’t fall over. Imagine the world from the perspective of a cat. Those Christmas bulbs may be fun to swat at, but it can be terrifying if it causes the entire tree to fall on you. In fact, placing the ornaments higher up may prevent temptation.   If your tree is real, be sure to cover the water reservoir underneath and keep those falling needles cleared away to prevent an opportunity for your pets to ingest what is not good for them. Plant Paradise! Speaking of ingesting, beware of holiday plants like poinsettias, holly, and mistletoe. Not only can eating these upset a pet's tummy, but it can cause severe or fatal side effects. Consider pet-friendly or artificial options. It’s not Tinsel Town! Sparkly and shiny things catch a pet’s attention, and our furry friends often want to taste things. Avoid tinsel because any consumption of this can cause an upset stomach, digestive obstruction, and dehydration should constant vomiting occur. Plus, non-food items don’t always pass through their systems. In some cases, surgery is required to remove indigestible things. It’s for humans only! Be sure to keep those candies, nuts, and sweet dishes covered or put away. Aside from finding what the cat swatted under the furniture at some point in the new year, pets eating the wrappers to the chemical components can be harmful. In fact, when it comes to food, though eager and willing to consume just about anything, human foods are not the best options. Some human foods will make pets sick. So no matter how much they beg, resist. What will they get under the tree? Of course, pets love to get in on the excitement and what better fun than to wrap a pet’s gift and watch them open it at Christmastime.     Your Flooring Consultant For Life,        Matt Capell        President of Capell Flooring and Interiors  P.S.  End the headache of shopping for new floors with our FREE Design Audit!™  The Design Audit™ is a diagnostic tool that allows my expert floor consultants help you choose the right floor for your decorating taste and lifestyle.  They’ll walk you through a series of questions that will help narrow down the thousands of options to the two or three that exactly match your unique situation.  They’ll also give you a written, customized “maintenance” plan with their professional recommendations for getting the longest life and beauty out of your floor.  Call or visit us today for your FREE Design Audit!™

When do you and your family start Christmas decorating?

The question was, “When do you and your family start Christmas decorating?” The response was a mix of celebration and “bah humbug!”  Avid fans begin decorating as soon as possible – primarily the first week of November. While other people decide not set out a hint of Christmas until Thanksgiving is over. Another group will not decorate until Christmas Eve, while others do not celebrate Christmas at all. For those who do decorate, the array of ideas and styles is never ending. How extreme are your decorating habits? Those who adore Christmas go all out in and outside their home. Some even to the extreme of the Griswold family in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Maybe this year you know a family that wants to take Christmas off and go somewhere else. Hopefully not like the experience witnessed in Christmas with the Kranks. Some strive to be unconventional in their holiday decorating, like a tree constructed with blown up colorful surgical gloves or the homeowner who strung a single cord of lights spelling out Ditto and an arrow pointing to their neighbor’s home, which resembled the brightly lit home of the Griswold’s. If you’re looking to be unconventional this year, here are 40 ideas for a non-traditional Christmas tree. I like the first image. However, if you enjoy the holiday season but don’t want your surroundings overdone with ‘traditional’ holiday spirit, here are 21 winter décor ideas that don’t scream Christmas. If you are among those who do celebrate Christmas, while getting your home ready and waiting for the big day, here are The 100 Best Christmas Movies of All Time to share with your family.   Your Flooring Consultant For Life,        Matt Capell        President of Capell Flooring and Interiors  P.S. Continue reading this month's copy of the Home Advisor - by clicking the link below. Be Sure to Enter the Mega Trivia Contest - for a chance to win a Free Gift Certificate to a restaurant of your choice.  See past winners and archives here in case you missed an issue.

How do you feel about Thanksgiving with family?

Thanksgiving is approaching fast! It's that time of year when families travel distance to be together right before heading out for the biggest shopping day of the year.   Many of us are super excited to get together and enjoy the long weekend. We anticipate the flavors of favorite recipes, like turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream.  There will be a few who, like the characters we see in movies, dread the idea of going home for the holidays. Often by the end of the movie we get shown that, despite everything, families endure and things never turn out as bad as once thought. Of course, if you're looking for ways to just survive Thanksgiving with the family, there are survival tips. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. May you have safe travels, great shopping, and delicious food.            Matt Capell            President of Capell Flooring and Interiors

Do You Need to Be a Better Giver?

Giving is enriching and it's good for us.  For starters, genuine giving - doing something good for another - makes us feel good. Plus, it releases oxytocin, the love hormone, into our body. This hormone induces feelings of warmth and a closer connection to others. To be a better giver, make it a priority. Giving is not all about money and giving things, it can also include time as a volunteer or helping someone in need.  Whichever form of giving you choose, set giving goals. Decide how much you will give, spend, or time allocated. Make giving easy. The simpler giving is, the more likely you are to continue the habit. Financial giving can be automated between you and the organization you're donating to. Schedule in your calendar the day and/or time you will give to charity, another person, or shop for gifts. In fact, to shop you don't even need to leave home when online shopping. New habits can have a bumpy start, but the more we keep at them, the more ingrained they become into our daily lives. Developing the habit of becoming a better giver can be like that at first.  Yet, over time, it gets easier and it's good for our mental health too.        Matt Capell        President of Capell Flooring and Interiors P.S.  Have you ever heard of a Reticular Activator?  I hadn't until recently myself but once I heard about it - let's face it makes perfect sense.....click here to learn more and getting your Reticular Activator on can actually earn you money from my store!!!

Conquering Your Need to Downsize

We take on downsizing to make a home more spacious, weed out the no-longer-necessary items, or in preparation to move into a smaller square footage. No matter the reason, the entire experience has a cornucopia of thoughts and emotions. Downsizing can be difficult. If you or someone you know is facing the challenge of downsizing, here are some tips to help preserve sanity and make the process as straightforward and smooth as possible. Get clear about the new space. Have a clear vision of the final living space room by room. How big is each room? What items are unmistakably a must in each? Decide on the main furnishings. Whenever possible, plan the layout. Envision the look and feeling you want to experience for each room in your home. Begin going through the things. Get four distinct bins or areas - Keep, Sell, Donate, and Trash – and set a goal to downsize by a half to two-thirds. Each item will get added to one of the areas above. Scrutinize why you put each in the Keep bin. After sorting. Working your way through the contents is a big task. When that’s done, bring the new rooms to mind again. Focus on them in as much detail as possible. What do you see there from your Keep pile? How does the fresh space feel? Now, with a new visualization of each room, go through the Keep pile again. Does each item have a home in the new space or can it be filtered down further to the Sell and Donate piles? If downsizing before a move, it’s a good idea to undertake the process before the move happens. It may require a lot of time to complete and can be overwhelming. That’s why one way to combat the process is to plan out over days or weeks. Downsizing is well worth the time and effort. It can give each room more meaning and cause us to appreciate home a lot more. Your Flooring Consultant For Life,        Matt Capell        President of Capell Flooring and Interiors  P.S.  End the headache of shopping for new floors with our FREE Design Audit!™  The Design Audit™ is a diagnostic tool that allows my expert floor consultants help you choose the right floor for your decorating taste and lifestyle.  They’ll walk you through a series of questions that will help narrow down the thousands of options to the two or three that exactly match your unique situation.  They’ll also give you a written, customized “maintenance” plan with their professional recommendations for getting the longest life and beauty out of your floor. Call or visit us today for your FREE Design Audit!™

Do you need a calming, happy place?

As the season changes and Thanksgiving approaches, a sense of family and gatherings abound. Some may consider this good – others not so much, but one thing is sure, we all want our homes to feel warm and inviting. It's Not About Stuff  Adding warmth to a room is not about adding more stuff. It's about realizing how you want to feel when spending time in the space - inviting, comfortable, cozy - choose the word that resonates for you and make that your reality.   What to Choose  The age of the pieces you choose is not important because items from different decades and centuries can hang out well together. If you love that old side table, it can work with a modern sofa (or floor covering). The key is to make the room suit your tastes, not an image seen in a magazine or television show. Most important, begin with what you already have and pick the items you like most. Here are some ideas to help create a sense of warmth. Pattern and Texture With the main pieces in place, a room can be pulled together with complimentary colors and patterns found in a pillow, wall hanging, or decorative accents. It's surprising how starkly different patterns and designs work well together in a room. Shelves If you have bookcases or shelves in your room, consider painting or adding wallpaper to the back that contrasts the wall color surrounding within the cabinet. That instant pop of color can transform the energy in a room. Speaking of Colors Add more natural light by adding mirror accents. Let them reflect those room colors that make you feel good. In fact, learn how room color affects your mood. Add a Little Nature The addition of plants, flowers, rocks, and other earthly elements can help create a stress-free and relaxing environment. Have you ever wondered how nature affects our well-being? I hope these tips give you ideas to further make your home the best place to be. Your Flooring Consultant For Life,        Matt Capell        President of Capell Flooring and Interiors  P.S.... Continue reading this month's copy of the Home Advisor - by clicking the link below. Be Sure to Enter the Mega Trivia Contest - for a chance to win a Free Gift Certificate to a restaurant of your choice.  See past winners and archives here in case you missed an issue.

Happy Halloween, Stay Safe, and Candy Cleaning tips...

I just wanted to wish you a very safe and Happy Halloween, and let you knowthat I appreciate you as a customer, friend, and reader of this newsletter.  I wanted to throw in a quick tip from my friends at Jon Don since there will be a lot of candy floating around this week, on how to get candy out of carpet.  (Yep - that is me)  Are you dressing up this year? Here is the cleaning tip: The Substance: Candy The Situation As your customer shows you around the house for the pre-inspection, she points to some chunks of hard candy (possibly a candy cane that was ground into the carpet), that are stuck in the carpet in her son’s room. She asks if you’ll be able to remove the bits without having to cut them out of the carpet… The Diagnosis Hard candies can get stuck in the carpet and leave behind a sticky residue that attracts dirt and soil. Tell your customer not to worry, and that you know just what to do to remove the spot. Don’t forget to hand her a pair of booties before you leave – and a few pairs for the kids too! Solution Option 1: Step 1: Vacuum the area thoroughly  Step 2: Apply Matrix Spot Out undiluted. Agitate with a bone spatula and blot with a spotting towel Step 3: Apply Matrix Release undiluted. Agitate with a bone spatula and blot with a spotting towel. Step 4: Rinse the area with water and repeat steps 2 and 3 if needed. Step 5: Apply Matrix Target Tannin Stain Remover undiluted. Agitate with a bone spatula and blot with a spotting towel. Step 6: Use extractor to rinse area with water  Warning: Always test materials for colorfastness, follow label directions, and never mix products unless specified in the label directions. Each situation reacts differently and results may vary.    Product Recommendations Matrix Spot Out Bone Spatula Hand Towel Matrix Release Matrix Target Tannin       Here is to keeping your carpets candy free this year :) Sincerely Yours,            Matt "Stay Safe Tonight" Capell            President of Capell Flooring and Interiors

Why do people wear costumes on Halloween? Capell Flooring and Interiors

It's almost time for the ghosts, goblins, and a multitude of other uniquely costumed individuals to flow from their homes into schools, businesses, and parties. The smaller ones may be knocking on your door in a few days.   Costume ideas are limited only by the boundaries of the imagination and inspiration can be found everywhere! Yet, why do people dress up for Halloween?   In the first ten years of B.C., October 31st was the last day of the Celtic calendar and the day of their Samhain festival ("summer's end"). That was an annual festival celebrating the end of the harvest season and winter's start on November 1st.   It was also a time to honor the dead. The Celtics believed souls were freed to roam the earth at the end of their calendar year. To protect themselves from spirits with bad intentions, they wore masks and disguises during the Samhain festival. In fact, some believed if they looked dead the spirits would consider them one of the ghostly and leave them alone.   Over time, as Romans took over the lands, the Roman holiday of Feralia - when they remembered and commemorated their dead - melded with the Celtic Samhain festival.   Many customs and traditions of Halloween arrived in North America with immigrants in the 1800's and since then the holiday has evolved to include some new traditions like pumpkin carving.   Today Halloween is more about having fun than honoring past lives. From young to old, people dress up in whimsical, scary, and iconic costumes and gather with friends to celebrate.              Sincerely,              Matt "Gettin' Ready for Halloween" Capell            President of Capell Flooring and Interiors   P.S.  End the headache of shopping for new floors with our FREE Design Audit!™    The Design Audit™ is a diagnostic tool that allows my expert floor consultants help you choose the right floor for your decorating taste and lifestyle.    They’ll walk you through a series of questions that will help narrow down the thousands of options to the two or three that exactly match your unique situation.    They’ll also give you a written, customized “maintenance” plan with their professional recommendations for getting the longest life and beauty out of your floor.    Call or visit us today for your FREE Design Audit!™

What does an act of kindness do for you? Capell Flooring and Interiors

Did you ever see the movie, Pay It Forward, that got released to theaters on October 20, 2000? It was based on a novel written by Catherine Ryan Hyde. In that story, a small town classroom assignment takes on a life of its own and spirals positively through people’s lives until it reaches a city reporter states away.   The movie is an example of what can happen when we think outside the box and outside ourselves. It also shows the affect on a person when they take steps to make someone else’s life better. In fact, there are some positive side effects worth noting.   The Beneficial Warm Rush   If you have deliberately done something good for someone else, you may know that warm feeling that sweeps over you. With it flows oxytocin, a positive heart hormone that helps reduce blood pressure. It also helps reduce inflammation and aging organisms in the body.   The Community Impact   Doing good for other people, especially a stranger, brings people closer together. Not only are we drawn to the kind hearted, receiving an act of kindness causes many to want to reciprocate or pay it forward. It’s contagious! The unexpected result is feeling a stronger connection with those around us.   Getting Outside Ourselves   Acts of kindness - holding a door, buying a stranger a coffee or ice cream cone, donating to charity, raking a neighbor's leaves - improve our moods, can reduce our stress, and the more we do for others, the happier we can feel. In fact, doing good for others can cause stressing circumstances to be less worrying.   The fourth Saturday of October is National Make a Difference Day. Small or large, let’s do something to improve the life of another.  Thanks for reading Matt I appreciate it.  Happy Saturday!   Sincerely Yours,          Matt "Let's help each other out" Capell        President of Capell Flooring and Interiors   P.S.  Have you heard of our Referral Connections program - if you aren't already like so many others please start to now - click here to learn more.

3 Keys to Meal Satisfaction When Life Is Busy - Capell Flooring and Interiors - Meridian, Idaho Flooring Store

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here   Life is in full momentum now with school, work, clubs, sports, and other social  activities. This means our days and many evenings get packed. With all that is happening, how are your mealtimes going?   Drive-thru restaurants and pre-packaged meals are certainly convenient, but they come with negative impacts, including the drain on our pocket book. Here are three ways to curb the expense and save time:   A little planning goes a long way.   Taking a bit of extra time to plan on one day can save a lot of time over the coming days. There are different ways people plan out their meals. Some start with theme days - Mexican Monday, Fishy Friday, Leftover Saturday, and Casserole Sunday – to narrow down meal choices. Others decide meals based on sales and coupons. The main thing here is planning out meals early for the entire week or month.   Prepare ahead of time.   In many households, Sunday afternoon is dedicated to lunch and dinner prep for the week. This includes cleaning and chopping vegetables, portioning out food items into containers in the fridge, and precooking early stages of the meal preparations so that everything can quickly and easily come together at mealtime.   Part of planning and preparation may include making extra for dinner so that leftovers become lunch or dinner later in the week. This is especially beneficial on nights when the time between work and extra-curricular activities is more limited.   Cook in one pot.   This method is great when done in a crockpot, because when you use a slow cooker the meal cooks while you’re at work or handling other time pressing activities. Simply add all the contents in the morning and when you come back at the end of the day, dinner is ready. There’s an array of sizes, features, and options for crockpots. So hopefully this article will help you narrow that down.  Here is another good article about "How to buy a crockpot?"    When life gets busy, choosing convenience over home cooked can be easier. I don’t know about you, but I prefer a home cooked meal. These tips can help turn home cooked meals into a convenience.   Your Flooring Consultant For Life,          Matt Capell        President of Capell Flooring and Interiors

Are you looking for storage space? Capell Flooring and Interiors

If you are like many, you enjoy the spacious, decluttered feel of your home. Have you ever wondered how to keep things organized without adding more furniture or an entire extension?   Talented minds have created smart ways to add extra storage without affecting the overall feel and style of a home.   Do you have stairs?   Lower staircase steps have unused space beneath them. Even if there is a stairwell to the basement below the main floor staircase, the space under the first few steps is not utilized. Some have turned those risers into drawers or cubbies with a hinged lid for added storage.   If your stairs have nothing beneath them but a floor, space in between can be converted into a cupboard. Some have created rolling shelf panels that pull out from under stairs to store items like shoes and the vacuum cleaner. Others have built hinged bookcase doors with storage behind them. Yet others have built in a desk nook, reading nook, even a spot for a washer and dryer.   Have you found the hidden kitchen space?   Like other rooms in your home, there is more space in the kitchen than meets the eye. Baking pans can go in baseboard level drawers that roll out from under the cabinets. A rolling shelf of spices can tuck away between the fridge and wall.   Hooks and thin storage containers can get hung on the back of cupboard doors to take advantage of unneeded air space inside the cabinets. These are ideal for utensils, boxes of food wrap, container lids, and more. A shallow drawer can also fit between the sink and front of the cabinets to hold scrub brushes and other small objects.   What’s available in the rest of the house?   Storage can get added in many other places of the home from space beneath the bed to installing medicine-type cabinets behind wall hangings or inserting shelves within the walls.   One of the best places to see clever space-saving storage ideas is Pinterest, but be careful. It’s easy to get lost on there.        Your Flooring Consultant For Life,           Matt Capell           President of Capell Flooring and Interiors   P.S.... Continue reading this month's copy of the Home Advisor - by clicking the link below. Be Sure to Enter the Mega Trivia Contest - for a chance to win a Free Gift Certificate to a restaurant of your choice.  See past winners and archives here in case you missed an issue.

Are you a good neighbor? Capell Flooring and Interiors - Meridian, Idaho

There are many communities where people don't know their neighbor.  Familiarity exists among neighbors based on who gets seen most often, but there is no interaction. Good relationships between neighbors can have a positive effect. If you have a real connection with your neighbor, then you know what I mean.   Ever wonder what is considered good neighbor etiquette?   Hello No, it's not Adele's song. Acknowledge your neighbor when outside with a wave. Say “Hello.” It lets them know you're friendly.   Noise If you've got music on, or you're in the backyard, be aware of the noise level coming from your property and how it could be impacting your neighbors. That includes the family dog. If you hear them repeatedly barking in the backyard, guess who else hears?   Outside Simply, keeping the grass cut, yard maintained, and the garage door closed keeps the ambiance and value of the neighborhood.   Drive Neighborhood streets are not a racetrack or freeway. Enter with ease and low-level stereo base so the neighborhood doesn't vibrate.   Enjoy Good Neighbor Day on September 28th   Of course these are ideas for daily living. What can you do to be a good neighbor on Good Neighbor Day?         Sincerely Yours,            Matt "Saying Hello" Capell            President of Capell Flooring and Interiors   P.S.  Are you floors looking Scary?  Click on this link to get our Halloween Special!!  Then you can say Hello to your neighbor and invite them over to see your new floors! ;)