17: Design Hacks That Heal

Narrator

How would you like to improve your health and keep your family safe? You're listening to the healthy home hacks podcast where we firmly believe enjoying optimal health shouldn't be a luxury. healthy home authorities and husband and wife team Ron and Lisa will help you create a home environment that will level up your health. It's time to hear from the experts. listen in on honest conversations and gain the best tips and advice. If you're ready to dive in and improve your well-being and increase your energy, you're in the right place. All right, here are your hosts, bow biologists, authors, media darlings, vicarious vegans and avocado aficionados, Ron and Lisa Beres.

Lisa Beres

Hi, guys, thank you for joining us today on healthy home hacks. Be sure to sign up for our free seven day healthy at home challenge to learn how to stay safe, protect your loved ones and improve your health today. Did I mention it's free? Plus, you get a really cool Bonus Gift called the Stay Safe at Home checklist just for completing the entire week. Visit Bit.ly/thehealthyathomechallenge. Now you and your family�s health depend on it. Alright guys, if you love design, the color orange and bright, bouncy blonde curls, you are going to love our guest today. Like me, our guest has a panache for style, but not at the expense of one's health or pocketbook for that matter. In the design world. A common phrase is form follows function. But if you're into eco-friendly flair as we are, you know that shape should follow sustainability. If your home as I know all too well doesn't heal, then what the heck is the point of it being beautiful? After all, we spend a whopping 90% of our time indoors with more and more people working from home these days. Tracy Metro Yes guys that is her real name studied set design at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, but soon discovered, budget bespoke interiors to be more of her life's calling. And Tracy and her Dame on a dime design sensibility have been seen in our own Netflix UK show called house doctor Oprah Winfrey's networks homemade simple hallmarks home and family TLC�s Designing Spaces HDTVs posh pets HGTV coms extreme small spaces, but today's show Beverly Hills pawn I live with my mom and she knows calm home emergency. This is just to name a few. Additionally, Tracy has been a spokesperson for various fortune 100 companies associated with home interiors and DIY makeovers. Tracy is based in Los Angeles and enjoys spending time with her also fun and witty husband Marty and their street fine Chihuahua. Bernie is also my mom's nickname.

Ron Beres

Alongside Marty, Tracy purchases investment properties and renovates them into eye catching fashion to attract the perfect tenant. You can also find her and her husband on their orange inspired 1975 houseboat the retro Metro, or Tracy encourages folks to just pop on by anytime for one of her personally infused vodka cocktails. Please save us two seats Tracy and to learn more about Tracy and her Metro inspired website visit her at Tracy Metro designs.com.

Tracy Metro

It's almost as if I didn't write that myself. So, by the way, it's not like I shared every show so you could read every show my god I felt like a total tool.

Lisa Beres

Because you earned it. You got to promote it. We do the same thing. And you know, someone leaves out your favorite show you're like, Oh.

Ron Beres

So, let's dive into it. So, what are 10 things people can think about when renovating their homes and wanting to make green choices? And I mean, eco-friendly not just the color green? What do we do?

Tracy Metro

Okay, so Ron and Lisa, I�ve known you guys forever in a day, so it's good to see you. Although I don't know if your audience is looking at us. And so, I have my face full of makeup.

Lisa Beres

I know she looks she looks gorgeous. She's in a flowery dress and the listeners aren't going to get to see all the we will have a headshot of you. So yeah, good.

Tracy Metro

Okay, so Lee, when you and I were emailing back and forth about doing this, I was like, I don't know if I have anything unique and different and interesting to share and you said and I rattled off like 10 things really quick.

Quickly that make a home you're like making eco-friendly choices. And I thought to myself, so people always need to rehear things because it's so easy to slip into. Right. So, number one thing that I find to be the easiest switch when making over home is low VOC paint. What is BOC stands for volatile organic compounds, which means what your paint stinks to high heaven and gives you a headache and nausea and vomiting and exactly so. And now back in the day, the low VOC paints were much more expensive. As it's become more ubiquitous, the price has come down, it's such an easy fix. And then you don't have to steer clear of your home for like two weeks after a paint job. So that's number one out However, after any paint job, open up the windows, let it air out as long as it's not pouring rain outside because then all the moisture comes in. And it makes it much harder or much longer time for the paint to dry.

Ron Beres

Not to put you on the spot but you live in California so it's easy to open up your windows What if you were in, I don't know, Seattle.

Tracy Metro

Right, in a rainy place. Open up the windows ajar, it's going to take longer to dry, I mean, you still want to let it because there are still some chemicals in paint that's just the nature of the beast. So, let it go Turn the air conditioning on also will help it dry out and actually helps you dry but I we still like the air conditioning like makes it just move through the space faster.

Lisa Beres

So that is a good point. The heat the heat speeds up the off gassing of chemicals. VO C's which a lot of people don't realize now you don't really want to be in the house if you're doing that, like if you're cranking the heat and you're getting all these off gassing you know good idea to leave.

Tracy Metro

Which is why open up your windows. In fact, they recommend you're supposed to open your windows at least once a week because all the air in your house just winds up recirculating. So, you just like open it up, get the bad you out and the bad you know, smells and whatnot. Okay, so that's number one. Number two, again, another really inexpensive easy fix, and you're going to be like, Okay, everybody knows this. But I'm going to give you the reason why from a design point of view. I swap out your light bulbs to LED bulbs. Yeah, everyone's like duh, of course incandescent is like so last year or last decade.

incandescent bulbs a take more energy. So, it's they're more expensive, LED light bulbs last longer. So that of course is better, you know, I mean, obviously, you have to purchase them less frequently. But forget all that. I'm here to talk to you about LED light bulbs. Back in the day, were those horrible swirly looking bulbs and had this blue color, everybody looked sickly and they were horrible. Nowadays, they make LED bulbs that have different color temperatures. So, the color temperature for you to look for is called 2700. It mimics an incandescent bulb. So nowadays you almost can't even tell the difference between a proper incandescent, or and 2700 LED bulb. Now if you've got a really beautiful light fixture that's got exposed bulbs, go for the Edison because they just look kind of fancy. How are you actually can get led air quoting here? Edison bulbs are the bulbs.

Lisa Beres

Yeah, which are very popular and trendy right now and so cute. Okay.

Tracy Metro

And they had they come in 2020.

Lisa Beres

I never knew that. Wow. Okay.

Tracy Metro

So, here's how it goes. 3000 and under will make you look amazing. That's why we all look so good at candlelight, you know why we like, you know, Jesus, that flow blows out the wrinkles, anything above 3000. So, 3030 504,000, those begin to mimic what's known as daylight. Oftentimes, you find those colors in workspaces, because they are supposed to increase productivity. However, they make everybody look awful, and they're very glaring. And they mimic in my mind, a fluorescent bulb, even though it's supposed to do something different in your brain to make it feel like daylight outside. It does not do that for me. So, I'm very much a believer in the low lighting.

Lisa Beres

That's interesting, because have you ever been out to dinner and you go to the restroom. You look in the mirror and you're like, yowzah, what is going on? And you're like, wait, I�m on a date with my husband and poor guy. And then other times you go to a restaurant, right? And you're like, dang, things are flowing tonight.

Tracy Metro

Exactly. Low lighting, ladies and gentlemen, please. I mean, dudes, too.

Ron Beres

Thanks for including me. Thanks, Tracy.

Tracy Metro

That�s 3000 and below, you want to look your best. 2700 is a replica of an incandescent bulb.

Lisa Beres

And you don't and you don't want a compact fluorescent. Do they even make those anymore?

Tracy Metro

I think they do because there are relics of old light fixtures around. In fact, I was just in a client's house yesterday,

Lisa Beres

And they obviously have mercury. So, you just don't want them. They're toxic. If broken.

Tracy Metro

I think they make a hack, an LED hack. So now that you know, it's been many, it's been over a decade since we've all started to make the switch. So, they now have plenty of options to suppress those, those fixtures. Okay, next thing when you're reusing something if it's got a nice shape this is a horribly constructed, anything that has let me turn this around for you guys. Got a nice shape, you completely can reuse it. So, what am I talking about? Let's say you've got an old-fashioned chair and you're like, oh my God, this chair is so outdated. But let's just say it's got like this sphere like round cool shades from maybe like, you know, the right 40s or something like that. It's got a good shape. All you have to do is change out either the color of it, or the fabric of it. So that to me is a huge thing in the Eco. When thinking about doing a home in the ego sense is us. Yeah, you know what out just to buy a new piece of crap. and fix or amend something that is older, but that still has some good points. Like me. I mean, I am older now. I still have some good points.

Lisa Beres

Oh Marty. He�s resourceful. Has he upcycled you? Well, that is awesome. I love that tip. You're right because I think older furniture was made so much better. You know, a lot of this cheap crap from China these days. You know, why not? Just repurpose give it a fresh new look with some new upholstery or paint or whatever. I know this. I know you're so good at this. I've seen your shows. And you're such a crafter.

Tracy Metro

Yeah, love it go. Oh, actually, you know, show Okay, so as you mentioned, Marty and I, my husband, we buy in investment properties. And our jam is to buy low, sell high. I buy them and I'm a landlady. I'm like Mrs. Roper, remember the company.

Lisa Beres

You're cuter than Mrs. Roper.

Tracy Metro

My floral dress I'm wearing today is not that is not Yeah, that's very missile ropery I almost wore a dress that we affectionately refer to as my but I digress. So, when by I kind of have an affinity for places that are from like the 40s 50s and 60s because they're just got like this cool old vibe and like nooks and built ins and things like that. And oftentimes what I see in fellow investment property,

However, I always think to myself self, I'm buying a property that had covered wood covers in there since 1940. It is 2020 right now although who knows when they're going to be listening to this podcast, but it's a long ass time. These cabinets have been around for 6080 years and they're still standing they withstood dozens of earthquakes and I'm going to rip out the solid wood cabinets but in the flat pack particle? So, what do I do? stand them down give them a fresh coat of paint. And that to me is the ultimate in eco-friendly is just keeping quality good quality.

Lisa Beres

Quality.

Tracy Metro

I love that. Yeah, yeah, and nothing.

Lisa Bers

Tracy. That's awesome. That's a great tip. Everybody's really into that right now. Everybody wants white kitchens and gray and gray and white and all these, you know neutrals and they're stuck with these brown cabinets so they can just refinish and repaint and I know they have cabinet paint now that's great and easy supposedly to do. And also, you bring up the particle board box cabinets, I mean, they are loaded with formaldehyde guys, and typically Oh yes, that's what keeps those resins bounded together. It's formaldehyde laden resin, and that's a carcinogen and a VOC which we talked about earlier. So, you don't want that you don't want to be polluting your home more.

Tracy Metro

As well. If you don't want your kitchen let's say you were to buy a flat pack can and you, you just don't want your cupboard to look like everybody else's. There are companies out there on the web that are with that are not coming from China. They you can buy door fronts, just door fronts to go on, like IKEA cupboards are made here in the States. So, they're the chemical consistency makeup compound, whatever, you know, put on top of it is that which is mandated by the United States not what is the route and

Lisa Beres

Their standards are much lower. Yeah. Oh, that's a great tip. Yeah, just do the doorframes. Okay.

Tracy Metro

And then you have a look that's slightly more custom. Yeah, personally, I love. Okay, so next thing, carpet.

Ron Beres

What girls. What number are we on now? Just number fours or is this number five.

Tracy Metro

It's four. I have them in Roman numerals.

Tracy Metro

So, carpeting. A lot of people saying, hey, ne ne on carpeting. However, some people have to have carpeting in their bedrooms. Because you get a bed and you want your feet like all rosy and wiped off and whatever. And listen, in Southern California. It's certainly not terribly cold. But there are parts of the country and or world because Lord knows, this podcast could be listened to all over the world for that. So, carpeting. There are basically two kinds of carpeting, synthetic or wool. Let's guess which one is helpful. Because it's natural. And I will say I happen to have wool carpeting in my house. It is the most durable carpeting in the world last forever. If you buy a good quality carpeting, it will last and it won't stain. Certainly, if you take care of it. I have this saying that it's expensive to be cheap. I'm sure you can buy really cheap, like synthetic carpeting and really great It's amazing. It caught me off guard and get five years like Yeah, I know. Right. Exactly. underlayment is key with carpeting. What if you spend a couple of bucks more your carpet could last a whole lot longer? So that's something to think about also, like deterring what's eco-friendly, is it might be cheaper on the front end. But if you're having to replace it more often, guess what? It's more expensive financially and it's more expensive environmentally.

Lisa Beres

And a note on wool carpeting Just be aware of mock proofing because you don't want to be oh yeah, oh, well. They add that treatment to wall carpeting. Oh, typically so you have to ask. I do not want them off proofing treatment on there because that's a lot of caustic chemicals that can off gas.

Tracy Metro

Wow, I never even heard of that.

Lisa Beres

Because moths are big problem on the floor apparently. Like why I don't know why they do it. Anyway.

Tracy Metro

So funny. I saw a month in my house a couple of weeks ago. Oh, no. I have no idea my carpets been treated.

Lisa Beres

You need to do a VOC test.

Ron Beres

Well, maybe it wasn't because the moth was there. So maybe you're okay.

Tracy Metro

I think numero cinco. For those of you that don't speak Spanish, that's five. So let's say you are getting rid of the kitchen and even if it is a wood kitchen and it's against Tracy Metro's wishes that you pull the whole darn thing out, if you do here is something that is perhaps one of the loveliest things I think one can do when renovating one's home. Cook donation, thoughtfully pull out your cupboards and donate them to a place there are loads of facilities. There are stores that we sell full kitchens, Habitat for Humanity being one of them. Speak with your local habitat. If you if there is one. Sometimes they want to see it before you pull it out. But you have to thoughtfully pull it out. You can't take a crowbar it needs to be.

Lisa Beres

You can�t go all Chip Gaines on the cabinet. Demo Day. No, no demo day you got to be nice to your cabinets.

Tracy Metro

Exactly. Because think about it. It. It might not be right for you. But it might be perfect for somebody else might be great for somebody's garage or workshop. Or maybe somebody's building a little cottage in the back of their home and they don't want to go and spend X number of dollars. Yeah uncovered. So, donation donation.

Lisa Beres

I think is a beautiful thing. And you can do that with appliances and Habitat for Humanity is a great resource. I didn't know they accepted that. So that's great.

Tracy Metro

Yes. Now if you are demoing your entire home, you can also thoughtfully do that. And it takes a little bit more on the front end. But guess what you will Could I should say I'm not your tax accountant, you. You can get a wonderful write off on your taxes or the donations so it all has to be separated. There are companies That will thoughtfully demolish your home and separate wood beams and metal and you know, scrap and what can be recycled, what can be reused? There are loads of places let's say you're completely over wood. You guys hear that? That's my dog Bernie.

Lisa Beres

We need a cameo.

Tracy Metro

He's got he's well; he went to go. Um, so there are plenty there are people that don't want the vintage old wood floors? There are other people around the corner from where you live that are jonesing for those vintage floors.

Lisa Beres

Who are these crazy people who don't want vintage old floors?

Tracy Metro

I don't know. But I think they do need to go see a therapist.

Lisa Beres

See a therapist, something's wrong.

Tracy Metro

Exactly. Because they're like gold. I'll tell you every time I go look at a property that I'm about to buy. I like to lift up the corner and I'm like, Yeah. Yeah, like old what it's like, yeah.

Lisa Beres

And you can do anything with that. You could paint it right. You could paint your wood floors; you could stain you can.

Tracy Metro

You absolutely can and you can have them refinished, there's a certain number of times that of wood floor can be refinished, and then bring it back to all this old wonderful luster. And what I love is some I mean, these floors have been down for many, many, many years and decades. And they've had a lot of people living on them in general. So, they have these great stories to tell. I love it when the floors have all these imperfections. Me that tells the story of the house. I have a concept that I will talk about a little bit later. But it's called Wabi Sabi.

Lisa Beres

Yeah, I've heard of Wabi-Sabi.

Tracy Metro

Is the concept of perfection in imperfection. Wabi-Sabi.

Ron Beres

Is that a sauce?

Tracy Metro

That's exactly where wasabi comes from. I

Lisa Beres

Ron ate a whole ball of it. In a bet, Ron had a bet with his friend and ate a whole ball. And it was $100 bet and the guy went across the street to the ATM and got him $100 then as soon as we left Ron�s like my stomach hurts.

Ron Beres

I said that was an example of the front end actually, the opposite of your story. Front end was okay. Not very good. It was rough hours for me.

Tracy Metro

I was going to ask. Okay, so number where are we number seven. I think now everybody probably is doing this. But it's worth repeating low flow, low flow toilets, and faucets. Most people don't think are concerned that if I put a low flow showerhead, and it's going to be trickling and I'm not able to get the shampoo out of my hair.

Lisa Beres

Right? Yeah, that's the big fear. Everybody has. Yep. But they have those aerators, right?

Tracy Metro

And they really, they come out a lot stronger than you think. Exactly. And that's all they've done is air raid. So basically, what that means is they're putting air into that same little hole where the water was coming out, so and it's pressurized, so it's feeling like you have a lot of pressure it's just not a ton of water. And with the toilets, nowadays you can buy the dual flush toilets for your home and they're not crazy expensive the way they used to be.

Lisa Beres

Oh yeah. Okay Good to know.

Tracy Metro

And if you pee, let it be right? And if it�s poo, flush it through. You guys don't pee let it be?

Unknown Speaker

Really? You don�t flush it when you pee? We are getting personal today.

Tracy Metro

Yeah, I mean listen, if you drink a ton of water the pee is virtually

Lisa Beres

Your pee should be white, right? I mean, we are going down a tangent here but it's true. Like we drink Ron and I drink a ton of water. I drink sparkling water a lot. Mineral water and I can tell like yeah, it needs to be white. If it's not, you are dehydrated.

Tracy Metro

Exactly and by white, you're talking about the color of the toilet bowl because your pee is not white.

Lisa Beres

Clear pee. No dark yellow. Okay.

Tracy Metro

Wow, you know what everybody at home is listening to this or on your walk, you�re welcome.

Lisa Beres

Go home and check your pee. Okay.

Tracy Metro

Okay, next thing and I know jack diddly squat about this. But word on the street is catchments at water catchment systems off the roofline of your home are huge. I'm like the world's worst gardener. So, I know I'm supposed to have one. But I know we don't either.

Unknown Speaker

Oh, my goodness. Wow. We don�t either. It's like a confession session Confessions of a greeny.

Tracy Metro

Exactly. But listen, we can always do something better. And I have a girlfriend who's a landscape designer and for some reason I just refused to say hey, come bring me one of those horrendous barrels and put it on the side of my house and use that to water my garden.

Lisa Beres

It just hasn't come up in conversation?

Tracy Metro

I'm a douche. Okay,

Ron Beres

I'm surprised you're not good at gardening because you're so good at like, you're like the Martha Stewart. I mean, I think like, you know, you can, this girl gets down and dirty with the sander and the saws and I mean, she's not afraid to do anything and so you know, you're really good at and I'm guessing you cook.

Tracy Metro

I do. Yeah, yeah. My, my massive Achilles heel and, and blind spot is gardening and I now know why. Because when I do interior design, I can design a place and it looks amazing. And then I just tell my client, hey, follow these rules. Keep this here, this here, don't move that. So duh. And it's fixed and it's finished and it's encapsulated. You take a picture of it done. gardening is something that evolves over time and has seasons and changes. Oh, mama, no, play that. No, yeah. Yeah,

Lisa Beres

You want to see you want to see the results of your work, right? You want to be like I'm done. And it's so beautiful. You don't want to wait so the flowers bloom kind of thing.

Tracy Metro

Yeah. And then they die and then it changes it's depressing actually. Why I quite like drought tolerant because they aren't quite as like grow not grow bloom not need to be hacked back and yeah, like rose. I don't get rose bushes, you guys.

Lisa Beres

Listen. I'm like you. We are green girls that don't have green thumbs apparently.

Tracy Metro

I'm the same way. I mean, I get it. I have nothing. A couple plants. That is the biggest joke in our house. I kept something alive. And that's why I get flowers cut flowers. I kept something alive. Yeah, I have an orchid on my coffee table. had it for like, four months.

Lisa Beres

They last forever.

Tracy Metro

It's amazing how long I've not killed it.

Lisa Beres

So yeah, just give it a little ice cube. Right? You're supposed to put an ice cube in it.

Tracy Metro

Yep, exactly. That's the extent of my knowledge. But yeah. Okay, now, I think we talked about this. We touched on a little bit a couple of numbers ago. Number nine is buying used and rethinking things like old furniture we talked about if you have something that is old, can you refresh it? But guess what, you can actually even go out there in the world and buy something used not brand new, and it can still be amazing. Yeah. So, on an app like next door, you could go to a place like goodwill, if that even existed. It's like going out into the world existed. And you can even find things on the curb. So yeah, those are used. That to me is one of the best green tips I have is to not always have to buy new.

Lisa Beres

And like you said, you want the character of the old stuff. The new stuff doesn't really have that, you know?

Tracy Metro

Yeah, exactly. You have to you have to imbue that into new stuff to make it feel like it's got a story to tell. I'm all about the story. What's the storytelling? What's the story? Yeah. Yeah. And then the very, very last thing are solar panels, that we have solar panels on our house. We've had them forever and ever and ever. And there is nothing better than having that electric bill come and it's like, dollars. Oh, my God. Yeah.

Lisa Beres

And then she can spend all that extra money on buying new things and fixing them up. Yeah, is it? Have you ever gotten a bill where they owe you money?

Tracy Metro

So, my plan isn't that plan. We did it a long time ago. And so, you know, yeah.

Lisa Beres

I love it. We're in a community. We're in a like a master plan community. So, we can't do it. Unfortunately, they are very particular about the homeowner�s association, with the rules and all of that. So that's a bummer. But I think I think someday that will change. It's got to you know, especially here in California.

Tracy Metro

That's shocking. And in this year 2020. That's not a thing. I mean, the homeowners association could take all the money for God's sake.

Lisa Beres

Yeah, yeah, maybe. Yeah, exactly. We're in Orange County. So, people who know Orange County, California, it's very um, I don't know people say cookie cutter, although I don't think its cookie cutter. Because we have beautiful cliffs and beaches and a lot of character but a lot of the master planning.

Ron Beres

We�re defensive Tracy.

Lisa Beres

Tracy, but Tracy, it�s Orange County. Tracy�s favorite color is orange.

Tracy Metro

That's my favorite color. I know.

Ron Beres

And I haven't even seen you in like 10 years. And like, I just know that because like we're looking at her now in her office. It's orange wall and ceiling. Her boat.

Lisa Beres

Her houseboat is orange themed. Yeah, your website is orange themed.

Tracy Metro

Okay, it's a problem. It's funny, you should bring up the color orange because that's the next thing I wanted to talk about. And it's not in my top 10 list, but it's about when making over one comb thinking about color. And or everyone's like, why do you like orange so much, and that's how people talk. reason is it's because orange is such a happy color. It's a vibrant color. It's an energizing color. And in my office. I have zero in and being calm. I mean here to get dawn. I want to be energized which and which is why I love orange and that's its orange is my personality.

Lisa Beres

It is! Orange girl. Yeah.

Ron Beres

But Tracy the orange chakra is linked to something else too. We all know what that is right?

Lisa Beres

The sexual chakra. It's the sexual center.

Tracy Metro

So, colors are key. And I just so happen to have right in front of me. I have them like all of my skate. Oh, it wasn't a plan. So, when designing your home, I think it's super important to think about how you're going to use the space. Nowadays, most people aren't really leaving their homes all that often. So how you feel in your home. A lot of people are feeling trapped and claustrophobic in this setting the other thing? So, bedrooms tend to be places of call. Would you want to have an orange bedroom, a red bedroom a very loud, vibrant, aggressive feeling?

Lisa Beres

Hey, guys, for your listeners, Tracy just pulled out a color wheel and you might be gone. What the heck is the color wheel? Can you explain what that is?

Tracy Metro

Yes, I do around a desk, where it's got the ROYGBV Red, orange, yellow, green, blue purple colors noted on it and it talks it shows you what colors work in complimentary fashion is split complementary fashion. interior designers use it painters use it. And people that just fancy colors often use it just Google it. They're really great. I mean obviously I do interior design. So, it's a really valuable tool for tool for me. But I think if you're say designing a website or you're working on your Instagram feed and you want to evoke a certain emotion or a feeling the valuable thing to look at in terms of getting a message across. So, there are loads of websites out there that can help you put together color combinations if that's a blind spot of yours, that you're like oh, I like Aqua. Okay, a building website. I like Aqua. Well what colors would look great with Aqua. If you look at the color wheel, the you can go across the color spectrum and you go ooh, a red orange would look amazing. And then a white or whatever anyway they build it for you is really helpful. Thank you. All right, that I that was super insider and kind of jerky at me. So that's what a color is a dye to mixing color.

Lisa Beres

it's so important you're right about it that I think people have a lot of trouble with �Oh I like a color� and then they kind of go crazy with one color and their home or even a website you know we've seen. And then not understanding that it's the layers of the colors and how they play on each other that kind of evokes that mood. And that feeling and that real beauty you know you can't just go boom one color you've got especially in your home,

Tracy Metro

I mean you could if you're going for like a really stylized look. Most people are not about that. So, I have this theory that every space should have three points of one color. So, let's just say you're in a living room and the walls are white. Lisa I'm looking at the room behind you.

Lisa Beres

My virtual background exactly stunning.

Tracy Metro

It's lightweight. There you go. There you go. And so, this room is white. For all the listeners at home. It's got a wood floor is got like a whiskey brown leather sofa. And then two side chairs that are black. And then there's another cushion in the back that's black and then the fireplace to round is black. So, the quote color I know people like black is not a color black is a color Okay, so why so your eye is looking walking in the room and you your mind your eye goes up black, I think black on that chair. Wait, where's next bit of black. Oh, I see black on that cushion. Wait where's the nice bit of black. I see bright on the fireplace around. So, you want to have three points of color mouth. I would also recommend how much upon fashionable happy color and put it in a place that's in that that where it can be easily replaceable and an inexpensive place like pushes like throws like little knickknacks. Okay That way if you ever get sick of the few show that warns the awkward or whatever. It's just an inexpensive fix and you can completely change the look and feel of a room.

Lisa Beres

That is a great tip. So, Tracy with those three colors so if your palette is say neutral, in this situation say we have whites, grays, browns and blacks are you saying each color needs three points or just your primary?

Tracy Metro

Excellent. Thank you for the clarification. Um your overall colors, your main colors can be utilized. Wherever that's really not terribly clear. Let me be more specific. The highlight color, a lot of people call it the pop. But the little that's of color that needs to have three points, the thing that you want people to pay attention to the things that's going to curate the mind, how to view the room. Okay, so your mind follows. Yeah, so there you go. So, whenever you want to be, in general, these are broad, broad, broad strokes. And somebody can say, Tracy, I have a read bedroom. And that's amazing. Great. So, the office works for you. Most people want a bedroom that's quite common, which is why you often find creams and whites and blues and greens.

Lisa Beres

Right in hospitals to hospitals, greens and blues, because they're very calming.

Tracy Metro

As well as prisons as well.

Lisa Beres

We don't want red in a prison. And then fast food restaurants for reds and yellows and oranges, because it's speedy. They want you in an hour. They don't want you lingering and getting too comfy. And they want to know, yep, when it Yeah, and the hard seats, all of that is very thought through. I don't think a lot of people realize that and so yeah, our color plays such a big part. Ron and I we learned about the chakras and all that part of spirituality and Ron takes it to a level like, because blue is your throat chakra, right? Blue is your speaking voice. So, like if friends doing a presentation or something, he'll wear blue like we even take it we take it all the way to the clothes.

Tracy Metro

I like that. Yesterday, okay. We're getting personal y'all that we are we've already gotten down here. Yesterday I had cupping and if you ever have cupping?

Lisa Beres

No. I've always wanted to try it.

Tracy Metro

So, they put these little suction cups on you and then they pressurize it and then you know like your skin gets like stuck up into the little cup. And then if you have its kind of gross, but it's called like copying or like liquid cupping. They poke little they remove the little tube thingy, and then they poke little holes and our guy goes ouchy ouchy any posts you post he pokes you then he puts the back thing that thing back on puts the pressure and the wet cupping sucks out the bad blood and put in you know.

Ron Beres

Like a vampire facial.

Tracy Metro

To various parts your body? It�s your own blood coming in and out?

Tracy Metro

It�s your own blood leaving to show that you're it doesn't nothing is put back in you it I'm kind of horrible at describing this but anybody didn't painful you know?

Lisa Beres

Is it painful?

Tracy Metro

No, it's not painful until they do it on the bottom of your feet which is what happened yesterday. Oh, we must have pain. Whoa turns out that's the that and then I guess like the lower back are the two most painful spots. It was not comfortable. All of this was to say I was trying to go to my quote happy place and it's funny you mentioned blue being like in the throat chakra Ron because I said okay, I need to sit here and I need to think about color and blue was the color that. I had no idea.

Lisa Beres

And then like purple. Purple is your third eye so that would be your connection to spirit. Higher Self that's why you see a lot of purples in spiritual websites. It was like a lot of purples and pinks and those colors.

Tracy Metro

Right right. I�m going to have to bring purple into some bedrooms I think a little bit it doesn't have to be so overdone. Like yes purple everybody. Yeah, right. Just a little maybe it's just a box or. How many points you guys do we have purple now?

Lisa Beres

Three. You would want to a bench maybe a vase and Yep, a throw pillow?

Tracy Metro

Yes. You got it. You don't need me. You got it.

Lisa Beres

I know now. No, I love that.

Ron Beres

I'm glad you didn't test me.

Tracy Metro

I'll get you next time.

Ron Beres

Thank you. Thank you for the warning.

Lisa Beres

Purple and grays are really pretty in purple. You know, and grays and neutrals because it is such a strong color and silver.

Ron Beres

Tracy right off the bat. If we�re wanting to sell a home, what are three tips and I know you know, I'm three tips to help us sell quickly and sell high?

Tracy Metro

Okay, I just went through a client's house yesterday. First of all, edit, edit, edit, edit. What does that mean? You know, when you're making a movie? Not that the three of us have ever probably made edited? Oh, yeah, I do that every day. Right? Leave stuff on the cutting room floor, right? You can't show the whole film. You got to cut it off. You can't have a 10-hour movie. You got to have a two-hour movie or, less right? Get rid of more than you think. I would rather walk into a home as a buyer that has to Little stuff, then too much too much stuff too much stuff stuffs up the mind. And makes, unknowingly makes people stress out for a variety of reasons. One of which is, oh my god, there's so much stuff in here. I can't imagine my stuff fitting in here. And if there's all this stuff in here, how do I know that all my stuff's going to fit and it just winds up, sending you down a road, a road to not riches to not selling your house. So, getting rid of as much stuff as humanly possible with it still reading as lived in home, I think shows your house the best. That would be number one. Now, I know a lot of people are down with their religion and down with sexiness. However, be down with your religion and be down with your sexiness on your own time. You're trying to sell your house, get rid of religious art and get rid of sexy art. I have seen some y'all not have a naked lady riding bareback on a pig, okay? It might be fun and fabulous, but.

Lisa Beres

Listen, don't have that don't have that even if you're not selling your home.

Tracy Metro

Just what it does is when people leave your house if they need if they even deign to walk into your home to see it. You're lucky to get people to come to your home, you know, the market in general. Despite how crazy everything is in the world; properties are hot right now. So, despite that, you don't want your home to be the one where they're constantly saying, Oh, you remember the house with the naked lady on the pig? Yeah, the guy on the pig. That's also remembering from your house. They're not remembering how they felt when they walk in. They're not remembered that, you know, we, our couch would look so cool. Next, and the blah, blah, blah, blah. So those kinds of things. All they do is take a buyer out of imagining what their life will be like, in your home. You want them to see it to walk in and go, oh my God, if I buy this house, I can have this life. I could have the life bear. Yeah, you're selling the dream. And I think that's the thing. People forget when they're selling a home. They're just like, but I don't need to fix it because the people that come in are just going to do it to that I say Shaw, not so because a lot of times people have saved all of their money for the down payment, they've saved all of their money to Oh sorry, I live in this city sorry.

Lisa Beres

Give us a smoke signal.

Tracy Metro

So, people have saved all their money to buy the house. They may not have an extra thousand bucks to repaint to wait carpet to read by over you if you are selling higher than what you owe on the house. If you don't own your home outright. It's worth spending a couple of bucks to make it turnkey for somebody else. Unless you're selling a pure fixer pure fixer. That's a whole different conversation.

Lisa Beres

Yeah, there's just no hope there just you get what you get.

Tracy Metro

Exactly. And then the last thing is a take on the first thing about the edit, edit, edit. I want to be really specific about putting things away like vacuums and brooms and massive things like bikes,

Lisa Beres

Dog bowls, pet beds, dog bowls?

Tracy Metro

Dog bowls, or okay massive pet bag, massive pet bag bed. Say that three times massive pet that's a pet that I'll work on that one and get back to if your vacuum doesn't have a closet, not a corner, a closet or an out of the way place in your home, like a basement or someplace hidden. Put it at a friend's house for the show. Right always stop your car and drive it you know off site drive around. Reason being if your vacuum is sitting out during a showing somebody walks in and they're like wait, these people live in this house for 20 years and they've never found a place for their vacuum. I'm going to move into this house and I'm guessing I'm not going to find a place for my vacuum. Yeah, you don't want that to be even a blip on the mind of somebody you want somebody to come in and forget that they even have a vacuum that they're going to need a vacuum closet. If you show them that you don't have a vacuum closet. You've already told them there's no storage in this home Don't move in.

Ron Beres

I remember JLo years ago said focus, show them your highlight reel again. You know don't point out problems show your highlight reel and I always thought that was a great quote and I guess that goes with your home you're showing your highlight reel. We don't want to see your laundry. We don't want to see your pet massive pet bed or your vacuum. And I've also heard do not put take down family photos because like you're like everything you just said you're selling them their dream they don't want to see your family photos. They want to vision that their pictures are going to be there. So, take all those down and just either use stock photos?

Tracy Metro

Okay, so I feel very differently about that. I think that is the weirdest thing. Like, I think it's so creepy to walk in and see stock photos. so creepy to walk in and see that you've taken your family out of picture frames. I think that is so disingenuous.

Lisa Beres

What about just taking the frames down?

Tracy Metro

Sure. Sure, remove them. Yeah, remove the frames or bs photo.

Lisa Beres

Empty frames would be weird. That would be creepy.

Tracy Metro

And so, and so are bs photos. So, you can have like a photo or two. It's okay, if you've got a huge family portrait on your fireplace. And that's true. It's okay. As long as it's not like, on everywhere. You know? I think it's about the overdoing, but under doing and undoing to me, tells me that you're hiding something and that gives me a creepy feeling. And when you're buying a house, you're buying what a dream. You're buying a dream. And if you walk into a dream that you feel weird. You're not going to know why you feel weird. You're just going to go something feels off. You're not buying a house where you feel like it is off.

Lisa Beres

Yeah, right. Cold.

Tracy Metro

This is just Tracy Metro one on one. Listen to three people here what three people's opinions are but that's my opinion.

Lisa Beres

Tracy Metro, where can people find you?

Tracy Metro

Oh, you can go to my website www.TracyMetroDesigns.com

Lisa Beres

TracyMetroDesigns.com and when you go to her website, you get to take a little ride on a metro.

Tracy Metro

Um, no, that's my TV site. My design. Oh, that's just Tracy metro.com that's updated a long ass time. I need to fix that. But anyhoo very cool. Also, on the gram, I�m TracyMetro, Metro like the bus.

Ron Beres

Okay, find her on the Gram. But then going back to this, this is such a big issue. We're going to jump to clutter because we're talking about not only decluttering your home if you're trying to sell it, but just clutter in general, a lot of people have issues they get overwhelmed and buried and going back to energy this manifests in your life. Like if you have a lot of clutter, you'll find like stuck energies in around your life too. So, what's a great way that people can organize their home without losing their mind?

Tracy Metro

So, Marie Kondo is kind of a darling these days, right? Right. Does your stuff bring you joy? And I'm down with that. However, I'm like, a little less Pollyanna about it. I'm a little more thing Tyra Banks, like is your stuff stretching itself, like you, your business to walk the runway, or imagine like it's a gymnast in the Olympics. And they do routine, and then the judges flash up the card from one through 10. That was a 10. Mary Lou Retton. Right? That kind of thing. So, I think your stuff has to earn its keep not does it bring you joy, but does it provide value that doesn't earn its keep. So, here's how I like to do it. First off, the bat, I can tell you, your space 90% of us your space could do with having 50%. Certainly, when selling your home, it could do with having 50% of the crap in it that it currently does. So, you need to do a clean sweep, remove all the extraneous fish that are out that are clogging the mind. When you come in and walk into a space, take it all off, then look at every single thing. And every single thing has to have a value one through 10. And everything can't be a 10. Sorry, it has to be honest here. If you want to change, you have to be honest, so but it's not so difficult. So, you get things one through four, you know, you know what I really, really don't need those pile of rocks on my desk. They're cute, I don't need them. That gets a one. So anything that's one through four, you put that in a box, and you put it in the garage, and then anything that has a five, six or a seven, those things, let's say is, it's a really cute bowl that you like, doesn't necessarily hold any emotional value. You like it, and you use it because it's there, but you maybe could live without it. If it's somewhere like if it feels like that it gets a five, six or seven, that gets boxed up and put in a closet in that room. Take a picture of every single thing that goes in that box and then print it out and put it on the side of the box. So at least you know what's in that box and you don't how that's such a great tip. Right?

Lisa Beres

Oh, good. I love that.

Tracy Metro

You don't have to. Then you've got your eight, nine and 10 those are things that you could not possibly live without. Oh, my goodness, I could not live without having my little sign that says Am I Office Everyday I'm hustling come in again. I love that. Like, I have to have that in my office that inspires you. Exactly makes me feel happy. So, whatever those eight, nine and 10 items are, they get to stay out, then over the next month, two months, three months. And if there's any party that says sir, me, I need that pile of rocks to go to the garage, and you grab just the pile of rocks, and you can bring those back. If after that period of time, you haven't gone back to that box and donate it, give it away, sell it. Same goes true for the stuff that was in the four or five, six boxes in the office or the space wherever you are. I just like to make that easier. So, you're not feeling like oh my gosh, I'm getting rid of it. And they're stressed, right?

Lisa Beres

Yeah, there's anxiety, right?

Tracy Metro

So, it's nearby, it's still nearby, and you can access it at a moment's notice. So, for me, that's a very easy way to clear out the clutter but not get not feel like you're being robbed. Now, if you are a hoarder, and I just was in somebody's home helping them who's this side of hoarding? That's a different thing. And that really does require professional help. So yeah, general population who just has a home.

Lisa Beres

Oh, I My heart goes out to hoarders. Ron and I are both Virgos we're like double Virgo energy in this house. So, we don't have a clutter problem. We actually are clutter free and we you know, work hard at that. But it does free up energy and it makes you feel lighter. Tracy, you have been incredible. I have learned so much I know everybody listening has to. I want to thank you guys for tuning in. And where can people find you one more time? TracyMetroDesigns.com

Tracy Metro

On the internet. Or Tracy Metro on Instagram. Follow me.

Lisa Beres

Follow her. She's a ball of orange energy. And I want to leave you guys with one of my favorite quotes. �Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.� -William Morris. Tracy, do you have a mantra you want to leave us with?

Tracy Metro

I like that. William Morris made such beautiful wallpaper. Oh my gosh, anyway. Yeah, gorgeous, beautiful, beautiful back in the day. Just really like Great Gatsby. Anyway, yes, I do have a mantra. If you don't update your out of date.

Lisa Beres

Oooh, get updated. It goes for your computer, your home your wardrobe. Alright guys. Well, thank you so much for joining us today. Don't forget to take our free seven day healthy at home challenge at Bit.ly/thehealthyathomechallenge to up level your health today. We hope you enjoyed the show as much as we did. And be sure to tune in next week for another very special episode and to find out what the heck is going on in your home. Bye bye.

Narrator

This episode of the healthy home hacks podcast has ended. But be sure to subscribe for more healthy living strategies and tactics to help you create the healthy home you always dreamed. And don't forget to rate and review so we can continue to bring you the best content. See you on the next episode.