35 : Unlocking Your Homes Hidden Potential with Misty Molloy

Speaker Lehr** ((00:00:00)) - - Welcome to Work it, Live it, Own it!, a show that explores how to upgrade your lifestyle through life lessons, real estate and entrepreneurship. Here's your hostess SaCola Lehr Welcome everyone to another empowering episode of working Living on It. And today I am joined with a special guest who is no stranger to when it comes to design. Because hey, let's face it, after working with so many real estate clients, one of the biggest hang ups that I have come across is when they're actually looking at a new space, whether it's a blank, empty canvas from new construction, or whether a pre-existing home. As someone has moved out of it, they're trying to figure out how to design the space or how the furniture is going to fit in a space. And today, that will no longer be a mystery because I am joined with Misty Molloy. So Misty Molloy is the creative force behind Co-Creative Interiors, and she is here today to share her wisdom on setting realistic budgets, furnishing with style and most importantly, unlocking the hidden potential of homes through design.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:01:21)) - - So grab your favorite cup of inspiration, just like I have. I have a nice hot cup of cocoa today, and let's settle in and let's embark on the journey of transforming houses into dream homes. So without further ado, let's welcome Misty Molloy to the show. Welcome, Misty. How are you doing today?

Speaker Molloy** ((00:01:41)) - - Thank you for having me. I'm doing wonderful gearing up for everything that's to come. Being a couple off for a couple of weeks with the holidays.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:01:49)) - - Oh that's fantastic. So, Misty, tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into the world of design?

Speaker Molloy** ((00:01:59)) - - I feel like everybody's story is always interesting and can be complicated. I wouldn't say mine's complicated. It just took me a while to land where I think I have always should have been. So I was the first person in my family to go to college, and that set the stage for certain expectations, right, to get a certain kind of job. And for me, even though I've always loved design, it's not something I grew up really understanding as a part of our everyday experience.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:02:31)) - - And. I didn't really think it was a real job. Now obviously that's changed. I now know it's a real job, and everything that we do for our clients is so helpful for them. But back then, I just thought of it as something where you just made things pretty, and there's obviously a lot more that goes into design, which is a lot of what we're going to talk about today. So I decided to officially launch my design career in 2019, just took a leap of faith and said, this is what I've always wanted to do and it's time to do it. And I launched literally the week before Covid hit. So it's been an interesting ride. It's been a lot of ups and downs along the way. But four years later, we're still here going strong.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:03:16)) - - Well, congratulations to you for taking that leap of faith, because one that took strength, courage and tenacity. And right before the pandemic to. So I know you probably saw a lot of ups and downs, but here you are today.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:03:32)) - - So thank you for sticking with it.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:03:35)) - - Absolutely. Like I said, the journey has not been easy, but it's been a lot of fun.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:03:40)) - - Congrats to you for sure. So I know one of the biggest things that people will think about is a budget. And you've seen it on so many shows. When they're trying to do design, you hear them going over budget. What budget range would you say is realistic? Say if someone is looking at a home and they want to do renovations, but they want to do successful renovations because you hear the big ticket items are kitchens and bathrooms. Do you help your clients come up with a realistic budget range for home renovations?

Speaker Molloy** ((00:04:19)) - - Yes, absolutely. And I think the outside of the project can really oftentimes be the most important. I big believer in transparency and making sure people are fully informed and armed with the information they need to make decisions. The last thing I ever want is for someone to get halfway into a project and think, I don't have enough money to finish this, or this is way more than I ever expected.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:04:42)) - - And there's a lot of hidden costs that people don't consider upfront. So they'll look at a kitchen and think, well, I just need some cabinets and I just need my favorite orders. Just I just need some appliances and don't think about all of the other things that come into play, whether it's running into issues behind walls, if you're deciding to move something or shipping and delivery. And that's something that we don't often think of, but adds a big price tag to the different items that you're bringing into a renovation. So there's always ballpark's where you can start to give yourself an initial point for determining what type of renovation you need to do. And I also tell people you don't have to renovate your entire house at once if you have that luxury. It's awesome to be able to have everything just the way you like it before you move in, but that's not typically the reality for most people. And you can either phase out renovations, or you can do what I like to call lipstick updates until you get to the point where you can do a full blown renovation to really make it your dream home.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:05:52)) - - And starting with that point of view is really what's going to give you what you need to be able to set that realistic budget. So if you think about it, if you're doing what I call a lipstick update and maybe you're painting cabinetry, let's use a kitchen, because that's a very common space that we often want to update. You're painting cabinetry, you're replacing backsplash. You could even replace countertops. And, you know, keep the bulk of the kitchen the same, but make a big impact with something of that sort. New appliances and lighting. Those are kind of your big ticket items for a space like that. It's a much different project than if you are reconfiguring a space, like pulling everything out and starting completely from scratch, and even theirs. Beyond starting from scratch is a couple of different levels. So one starting from scratch is you're literally taking everything out, but it's the same footprint. So you're keeping most all of the plumbing, for example, in the same place, but you're putting in new cabinetry.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:06:54)) - - The next level is where you're literally taking everything out and you're reconfiguring an entire space, and obviously that's a different level. So. Understanding where you're starting is the most important point, and if it's helpful, I can give you some kind of ranges of what that would look like, and then it would potentially help you get an idea of what you would need to do when you're considering a property for especially like either purchasing a property, renovating prior to selling a property, or if you have an existing property and you want to know how do you make the most of the property without going going overboard? You know something we have to consider as your return on investment. So.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:07:33)) - - Right. And I like how you broke it down into phases because especially if you're selling a home and I've seen this on shows, they go through this extensive renovation and the home looks great. And then they still want to move. I'm like, after I've done all of that, I don't even want to go anywhere. And I look, I get it, if the space is too small and cramped and or you want to live closer to family, which a lot of people are saying in the market, you know, people are not buying homes, people are still buying and selling homes because they want to move closer to their family, or they just bought a home in a hurry in the height of the pandemic.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:08:11)) - - But they realize this is not the home where they want to be, so they want to make it as marketable as possible. So doing little light, face up or touch up work as far as fresh paint will do wonders. New countertops if you need to. Because when buyers, especially right now, they're investing a lot of money, the interest rates are not as artificially suppressed like they were a year or two ago. And so buyers are being a little more cautious and more particular about the type of future home that they're purchasing. So I'm glad you brought that up, because even me as a realtor, the home that I'm in right now, when we moved in the kitchen was an ideal. It's still not ideal, but we had green countertops and I wanted new countertops, and it wasn't in our budget to do so. So what we did, we got an epoxy kit and we painted them and have epoxy on it. And I told my husband, okay, within five years, what I would like to do is to get new countertops and backsplash and then maybe get the cabinets redone eventually.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:09:26)) - - So thank you for sharing that because it can be done in phases. I know a lot of us ideally want it done all at one time, but if you're going to be budget conscious, you got to take it in small steps, small doses. So thank you for sharing that.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:09:42)) - - And along those same lines, I often find that people think that they need to completely start from scratch as well. And I blame a lot of this on social media, where people see things that they think are beautiful, and it's the most recent trend. And so, you know, the all white kitchen with white countertops and everything of that sort. And so if you don't have that kitchen, somehow your kitchen is not up to par. Right. And there's a lot of times where you can work with existing elements and I think even make it more beautiful because it's not what everybody else has. And so if you're working with a specific. Whether it's a layout, specific materials, and you're not really a big fan of it.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:10:25)) - - There are a lot of this is where a designer can be really helpful. Now, don't get me wrong, having a designer is a luxury, and I recognize that. But there are a lot of tricks that we can employ to help you make the most of a current space that don't always require you to do a full blown renovation. So as an example, there are a lot of people it's interesting would like cabinets are coming back, right? So all these people who paid in their kitchens white are now going to be like, oh, you got to replace it with wood cabinets if they want to stay with the trends. And a lot when we were working with previous clients who had wood cabinets, I'm like, listen, I think that we can make this work if we adjust some of the other things. If we adjust paint color, like the color will affect how the paint, the paint color will affect how the cabinetry color looks. For example, if we change out just the backsplash to a backsplash that is a little bit more current but still complements your existing countertops, you know, you a lot of people think they have to go in and do a 5000 thousand dollars kitchen renovation to get the kitchen of their dreams.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:11:28)) - - And while there may be a very specific kitchen you have in your mind, we don't always have to start from scratch. And that's where the benefit of having a professional can really help you see the potential, the hidden potential that is there and make it something spectacular.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:11:44)) - - Thank you for sharing that. Being budget conscious is one of those things that I'm all about. So for my homeowners or my future homeowners who want to remain on budget. How can they even calculate budgets for renovations considering the size, scope, and even more desired outcomes?

Speaker Molloy** ((00:12:06)) - - I think one of the best things a homeowner can do is do some initial research. You know, I think a lot of people have sticker shock and they'll say, what do you mean? It's going to cost me $25,000 to completely furnish a family room, you know, assuming you're starting from scratch. And part of my process, because I am so big on transparency, is I give a complete breakdown of your space, all the pieces I think you're most likely to need.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:12:33)) - - And then, based on what you're telling me, like, for example, I want a sofa with performance fabric because I have kids and I have dogs. That's a different level of sofa than just your off the shelf sofa. That doesn't have any special considerations of that sort. Right? So I take all that information and I put it in a breakdown for them. And almost always they'll come back to me and say, you know, I thought that was a lot. But then I saw the breakdown of all of the different pieces, and it's actually totally makes sense. But most people have never sourced a project, whether it's furnishings or renovation from start to finish, you know, we'll do, oh, I need a sofa or I need a rug, but when you put all of those things together, that's where it tends to be a little bit more of a sticker shock. Then I think people are ready to to take on. So I would say like do some research, like go out and look like, what does an average sofa cost? What does an average, um, per square foot of countertop countertop cost, that kind of thing.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:13:31)) - - So you're mentally prepared for when you start to put all the numbers together.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:13:35)) - - And would you advise them to get multiple quotes. So say for example, there may be one store that they may go to to measure the price per square foot for countertops. Would you advise them to get at least three.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:13:48)) - - So I think there's two different ways you can look at this. There's material costs and there are labor costs. And both of those are going to be different. So that's where functionality comes into play right. If you want like a specific type of countertop that's going to be heat resistant and not susceptible to spills, things like that, you're going to have to get a certain level of counter to be able to meet those functionality needs. And so sometimes the cost of what you want from a material standpoint, it's not really going to change. It's usually the labor that's going to change. And the other thing I like to point out is yes, it's always great to get numbers to compare, but typically it's not apples to apples.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:14:32)) - - So for example, I just finished up a bathroom proposal for a complete master bath renovation, and when I was breaking everything down for her, it looks like it's the number came to $45,000, which seems like a lot. It's a really big bathroom. We are having to do some reconfiguration, but the material costs have been baked into her proposal from her contractor. And so I had to say, okay, this is not he's not billing you this much for his work. He's included about $3,500 for tile allowance, which is about $15 a square foot. We can get it for less than 15. That's kind of a good average. He's included the same for shower, tile, etc., etc. so know what you're looking at and make sure you're actually looking at the entire picture as opposed to I got a proposal from this contractor for $45,000, and I got a proposal from this contractor for $20,000. I'm going to go with $20,000, when in reality they may be very close to the same. Once you put all of the numbers together and look at it from a big picture perspective, and that also goes to quality too, right? Like I work with contractors who.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:15:50)) - - Well, three years later, if something's wrong, they'll come and fix it. And then there are other contractors who are like, my work is done. I did what I was supposed to do, and that's that. So knowing the reputation of the company you're working with and that type of thing is a big deal as well.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:16:04)) - - Okay, so I see why a lot of people will work with a designer because you guys have your hand on the pulse of good contractors and saying, hey, this contractor will offer a warranty three years from now in case something happens or this one is more of, okay, let's set it. Forget it. Oh, I wipe my hands and we're out. So I see the the benefits of that. And also being able to actually look at a quote for what it really, truly is because you can get the initial sticker shock of bathroom or kitchen renovations. So shifting gears a little bit for my future homebuyers. How do you help homebuyers see a property's potential through your creative vision? Can and can you share some transformative design examples of what you've been able to do with homebuyers?

Speaker Molloy** ((00:17:01)) - - Yes.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:17:01)) - - So there are two types of people. There are people who can see a vision in their head and get an idea. They might not know exactly what to do with that space, but they if you give them the the vision, they can they can see where it's going. Then you have other clients who the other type of person who it doesn't matter what you tell them or the pictures you give them, it's really hard for them to see and they usually do better. If you have more of like a 3D rendering, which has become very popular these days. If this is exactly what your space is going to look like when it's done, so you can really, truly visualize what it's going to look like. Obviously that comes with a cost. So I think if you are. Working with a homeowner. It's either one of two things. Are you not sure how the space functions? Like you, you just don't understand it. So, for example, we had a family move into a new build in Charlotte.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:17:53)) - - It was beautiful, new craftsman style home. And a lot of our homes these days that are newer build, have flex spaces and you know, you're not quite sure what to do with it. So in this case, her downstairs included a formal dining room, an office. It included her family space was open concept to the kitchen, and there was this interesting little nook, if you will. It's quite a big room, actually. And she's like, I have no idea what to do with this. I have a breakfast eating area. I have a formal dining room. What do I have an office like? What do I do with this room? She's really big into entertaining and we ended up turning it into an entertainment space, so it's essentially extra space for them when they're having people over as overflow from the kitchen. And that's where they have game nights. And just like really more of like a fun, casual hangout space as a, as opposed to like formal eating in the dining room. And then we transformed the breakfast nook into a seating area.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:19:01)) - - And so that's where they have their morning coffee. And it's like a reading area. So a lot of people, you know, they see a floor plan and they say, well, this is a breakfast nook. It has to be a breakfast nook. No, it doesn't have to be a breakfast nook. You can make it. I always like to say you're paying the mortgage. You can make it whatever you want it to be. So helping them to think about things in a different way that they never would have considered is a great starting point. And then the second is really the vision of what is it going to look like? And that's where kind of like I was saying, sometimes you can give people, hey, white cabinets, white countertops, you know my obsession non obsession with white. And then this is kind of the direction we're going from a design perspective. And they can they can see where you're going and trust you enough that they're willing to let you execute. And then there's some people who just need you to take it all the way for them to be comfortable moving forward.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:19:49)) - - Right. Okay. Good to know. Because like you said, everybody approaches things differently. If they go in and they're shopping for a home and they see someone else's furniture in there, it kind of gives them ideas. So I think that's why staging is important to to give some level of inspiration. But if they walk in, it's new construction is completely blank. And they're seeing walls or spaces and they have no idea what to do with it. They need a little dose of inspiration to get them started, get the juices flowing.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:20:23)) - - And I think even as realtors, you might not necessarily have the exact answer, but you can help them understand that there are different options. So that same house, it was more of a craftsman style house. She had a very fun mid-century modern type vibe, very eclectic feel. She loves colors, very bold and this is interesting. Like they bought it after it had been mostly finished and so whomever had been designing it upgraded the light fixtures. But the upgraded light fixtures were definitely more in line with the farmhouse craftsman style, and she had a really hard time seeing past that.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:21:00)) - - And like it's just a couple of light fixtures. But for her and it just shows you the power of design and how different things make you feel for her. She couldn't see past that and I said, don't look at the light fixtures. We'll replace that with something fabulous. And I even pulled up a picture of a potential light fixture. Not the right, you know, the exact one. But just think about this in this space. And she's like, oh, okay. And just completely changed it. So you don't have to be a design professional to be able to help people see past what they are getting stuck on. And, you know, I know that's what a lot of you guys like your talent is doing is helping them see the potential. And so getting past their objections and then working through those objections, I think is the best starting point. And then when they get to the point of like, okay, I understand that the fixture is making me think that this is how the house looks and I need help.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:21:50)) - - That's when an interior designer can come in, or in some cases they really get stuck and you just need somebody to come in and lay it all out for them. Then you can call a design professional in earlier to.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:21:59)) - - Okay, great. Do you have any recommended apps? Are there any apps or tools for homeowners to help them in the design process? I know in the age of AI, there's so many things out there because you even mentioned 3D renderings, and usually that takes a special software or tool. But are there any recommended apps that you have found that homeowners could use or to help share with realtors to help them say, okay, look at this space. This is what you could potentially do with this space.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:22:34)) - - There are some different apps. So if realtors like there's one called I want to say it's brownie box. And it basically allows you to send in photos of a space and have it digitally staged. And then, you know, obviously you can do that with pictures. But then I've even seen realtors who actually have taken those photos and blown them up into poster sized images and put them on the wall.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:23:00)) - - So it's not physically staged, but it's still in the space and can kind of get a sense of what it would look like in that particular room.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:23:08)) - - And then I never heard of that one before.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:23:10)) - - Yeah. It's um, there's a lot of different programs that do it or services that do it. So if you find somebody who's an E designer, for example, an E designer can take and put together a basic floor plan for you. That doesn't have to be super expensive. It's just much more based on here's the space that doesn't really take anything, any consideration in terms of functionality and things like that. It's just this is what the space could be basically. And then, yeah, I think the key is really like, I think the coolest part about that is blowing it up so that they can get a real life sense of what it's like if they're actually in this space. It's different when you see it on a little picture versus in a big poster size. Canva is super popular and is very user friendly.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:23:52)) - - You can use Canva for free, and it's a graphic design program, so it's, um, not as necessarily as easy to put together floor plans, but it is a great way to help people see the design vision for a space when it comes to like, almost more of like a mood board, I would say. So an example of light fixtures, paint colors, things like that. So they can really start to see how a home can be transformed. We had, um, one client that this this house had every paint color imaginable. I know you've seen them before. One room was bright orange and bright yellow like opposite walls, so orange on one side, yellow on the other. And again, it was just really hard for them to see past it. So putting together that simple storyboard, it's like these are the colors that we could use. Here's an example light fixture you could incorporate. It really paints a completely different picture for them. So whether it's the homeowner using something like that or even again, the realtor to help make that vision more real for them, those are both really good, um, programs.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:24:54)) - - And just to put that plug in there, Misty, you are going to have a book coming out soon and a month or two that is actually going to actually help realtors to help their clients. Help them through the process of getting past or getting stuck on. This is how it currently is versus this is how your future home could look like and could be. So we're excited to have that coming out and I'm going to include that information in the show notes. So miss you're going to let me know when that's ready so we can put it on the work at Live It on It website, and also share the wealth and love and knowledge of Misty's new book coming out. Do you have a title for it yet?

Speaker Molloy** ((00:25:40)) - - Unlocking Hidden potential.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:25:42)) - - Unlocking Hidden potential I love it because you have something you mentioned the color gray. I'll let you explain that one because I need that wrap on my hand. Um, I'm not even going to show you the trim in my house, because three years ago I wanted something different.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:26:02)) - - I have a more traditional type home, but I wanted to keep the walls kind of neutral, but add a little pop. So I did the gray trim, and now, three years later, guess what? I'm sick of a great room. Now I'm gonna have to go back and paint it. So tell me, what are some alternatives or things that we need to look at to get outside of the gray and white box? Because we have been there for almost a decade. And it was like, if you didn't have this white, pristine kitchen, then you weren't up to date. And so a lot of people, like you said, got rid of their wood cabinets. I still have mine because they're solid oak cabinets and I don't. My husband was like, please don't touch these. They're good quality. And the people who owned a home previous to us took great care of the home. So how do we step outside of our grey and white box and not not any knock against anyone who still loves the grey and white? You still love the grey and white.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:26:57)) - - But how can you help someone like me step outside of the grey and white box?

Speaker Molloy** ((00:27:03)) - - Yeah, I always like to say we have to get you out of the grey zone. And you know, to your point, some people do love grey and white. And I think it's important to take a step back and say, what do I like? Do I like this because everybody else likes it right now and it's trendy. You know, there's a lot of talk about things being timeless and classic. And what I find so interesting is that a lot of times that ends up becoming. The anti-gay or no, not integration. It becomes gray, becomes white because then they think, well, it's timeless because, you know, it was gray before that. It was more like a beige with a yellow undertones. Now we're moving more into, I would say, like the Toby undertones type of thing. So there's always phases that people will consider timeless, but they're really not because it's definitely a trend. So.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:27:54)) - - I like to also like, think about all the historic homes you've ever been in that are 250, 200 years old, and they have all of these bright colors and they still look phenomenal, like they're still beautiful. I think if you're willing to step into what it is you really love, your home will never go out of style for you because it's a reflection of your personality and your style, as opposed to what you're seeing on the internet and what everybody else has put out there in terms of your trim and that being gray. I think this is this is a thing. It is easy to change paint. Right? So if you wanted to do something really fun and paint your trim a fun color, it's just paint, you know, it's not like you're completely reconfiguring a kitchen and putting in all new cabinetry. That's like a big commitment, right? It's just paint. That's what I tell people. There are ways that you can go a little bit more fun and unconventional. While it still looks classy, still looks timeless and just not being what everybody else has.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:28:57)) - - Right? And I mean, if you think about it, in the 90s we were all about the Burgundy and the Hunter greens. In the 80s, my mom was about the seafoam green and the peach and and now she's like, ah, I can't believe I did that. And and it's all in the guise of we still want things that are timeless, classic things that would never, ever go out of style because that's my methodology. When I'm purchasing furniture, even my clothes, because things are going to come back in style. But if something timeless and classic, it will never, ever go out of style. And I'm big on accessory. So in my house you can change the color of your pillows or the fabric of your pillows. Your paint. What about wallpaper? I'm scared, am I? It's so funny.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:29:44)) - - You bring this up, right?

Speaker Lehr** ((00:29:46)) - - I've done my.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:29:46)) - - Yeah, people. People have PTSD from wallpaper, right? Like your mom. Probably my mom definitely had the seafoam. We had seafoam green carpet.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:29:57)) - - We had Burgundy wallpaper. It's like the whole thing. And if wallpaper is not done right, not from a sound perspective, but from an installation perspective. It can be a beast to get off the wall. So I think the PTSD is less about the style and more about the headache of actually taking wallpaper off the wall because it's such a labor intensive process. But this is where professionals are key, because if you prepare your wall properly, they do something called sizing, which is a way that you prepare the wall before you add the wallpaper. It makes removal much easier. And they have so many different options now. Like they have kind where it's like water activated, so you can spray the back of it with water and put it up. And then when you want to take it down, you spray it with water and it peels off the wall. Um, peel and stick. This is a cautionary tale. People think of peeling stick as being temporary. I've actually seen peel and stick be the opposite.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:30:57)) - - Number one. It's super hard to work with. My wallpaper installers will not install it because it's just too challenging. You don't have any give with it, but number two, because it's sticky. If you put it up on like drywall, it will peel off the paint and the drywall underneath. And so it ends up being more of a mess than even traditional wallpaper can be sometimes. So I'm a big proponent of wallpaper, I love it. I think it's a really fun way to add personality to a space. And if you do it right and again, do your research and find the right professionals, it can be a really fun way to add something to your home with without having a case of PTSD later.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:31:37)) - - Okay, that that was one of my questions because the walls in my house are flat paint, which is like the cheapest paint that you can use and get scuff marks. And even with the Mr. Clean or a dry eraser, you can take the paint off really quick. And so I wanted to add a little pop of color in, in one of my rooms, and I wanted to do a wallpaper instead of a paint design.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:32:05)) - - And I was like, well, how am I do this? So you mentioned a term called sizing. So for those do it yourselfers, if you choose to go out there, look at YouTube and figure out how to size it yourself. That's great if you got the time, the energy and the resources to do that, that's fine. Other than that, Missy encourages you to get a professional who knows how to hang wallpaper and make sure that they do what they call sizing, to make sure that when you're done and you're ready to say, you know what? I'm tired of this wallpaper. You want to take it down. It doesn't tear up your drywall or your plaster, depending on the age of your home. Yeah, well, guys, I want to hear from you all, Misty, and I want to hear from you. What's one piece of budgeting advice or design insight that you heard from Misty Malloy today that you found most? Are you able for your home projects or for your future home? And how do you envision transforming your living space after hearing these tips on budgeting and design potential? Share your ideas with us and work at living on it.com.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:33:10)) - - Or if you're on YouTube, put your comments down below. So, Missy, before you go. Are there any other advice or tips that I may not have asked you that you want to bring out right now, that you want to share with the audience?

Speaker Molloy** ((00:33:29)) - - The only other thing that I have to wrap up is really to trust yourself in what it is that you like, and don't be afraid to step out of the box a little bit. I think the other thing I most commonly hear is, well, I don't want to do that because it's going to affect resale value. And I was doing some research on that a while back. And it's like we live on average in six places in our lifetime. And, you know, at least two of those places are typically spent when you're, um, younger, you know, with your parents and that type of thing. So you don't have a lot of different homes where you get to express yourself and live fully into your space. And so I just always say make the most of it.

Speaker Molloy** ((00:34:09)) - - Like, do you want to live in a gray box that somebody else can come in and buy? Or do you want to live in a in a space that is really home and like reflects you and your personality? So that's like one of my big things is use what you love is my tagline because I encourage people to use what you love. So that's my tip.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:34:27)) - - Okay, now before you go, I've got two rapid fire questions for you. You ready?

Speaker Molloy** ((00:34:32)) - - Yes.

Speaker Lehr** ((00:34:33)) - - So how do you start your workday for maximum productivity?

Molloy 3** ((00:34:41)) - - I actually think it starts the night.

 Molloy** ((00:34:43)) - - Before and this works well for me, so I. Like to plan ahead so that when I finish for the day, my brain is clear of everything out of my head. So I just write everything down that either I wanted to get done but didn't accomplish, or things I know I need to accomplish in the next couple of days, and that sets me up for the next day. So I'm I typically am a last minute Lucy.

Molloy** ((00:35:09)) - - Like I come in coming in hot. And for me, if I don't prepare the night before the next morning is not going to go well. So I just plan ahead and say what's happening tomorrow. So then when I start working the next day, I don't have to think about it.

Lehr** ((00:35:23)) - - Okay, so you can just wake up, hit the ground running. Yep. And can you share a mantra or a philosophy that guides you in your everyday life?

 Molloy** ((00:35:38)) - - So really, it does.

Molloy** ((00:35:39)) - - Go back to my.

 Molloy** ((00:35:40)) - - Tagline. I really believe in being your brand, because I don't think you can live authentically into your brand if it's not something that resonates with you on a daily basis. And for me, that is use what you love, which translates into be what you love, do what you love. And I think if you look at everything through that lens, it helps shape all of your decisions. And so, you know, for me, be with who you love is my family. And that's been one of the reasons that I have dove into the entrepreneurial space, is so that I had the flexibility and freedom to spend time with my boys the way that I wanted.

 Molloy** ((00:36:16)) - - So that obviously has shaped some of my life decisions. So I think if you look at it from that lens, it helps you to live authentically into who you are. And that's really important to me as being authentic.

 Lehr** ((00:36:26)) - - I love it. Be who you love. You've got one precious life. So yes. Absolutely. Well, thank you so much Mr.. And again audience, we would love to hear from you if this episode resonated with you. Don't hesitate to download it. Share it with your tribe and your community. We're going to be on the lookout for Misty's book, Misty. Tell them what your book, your e-book that's coming out soon.

 Molloy** ((00:36:52)) - - Unlocking Hidden Potential, and it's a guide for both realtors and homeowners. So it just breaks down a lot of what you and I talked about today in more detail. And one of my favorite things about the book is the tools that we include. So you were asking like, how do you even start budgeting? And I said, research is a great way to start.

Molloy** ((00:37:09)) - - The other place to start is by listing out all of the pieces you're going to need, and then kind of figuring out where you think you're going to be in the ranges for those pieces. So I have a budget calculator that is lists out all the pieces you typically need for a space, and it includes almost every room you can think of in the house. So you can go through and really select items that you think you're going to need to give you that budget total to kind of give you a starting point so you don't feel like you're, you know, starting with a blank, blank piece of paper and have no idea.

 Lehr** ((00:37:41)) - - I love it, I love it, I'm gonna need it for myself. And it's something great that I will be able to share with my clients as well. All right, so guys, if you want to get in touch with Misty again, I'm going to have all of her contact information in the show notes. But Misty if they want to follow you. Misty, you are in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.

 Lehr** ((00:38:00)) - - But if they want to follow you on social media, what's the best way for them to do so?

Molloy** ((00:38:05)) - - My handle on Instagram and Facebook is Co-Creative Interiors, also on Pinterest. And even though I'm based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the majority of my work is done locally, I do travel and I also do virtual design as well. So there's a lot of different ways we can partner together, even if you're not in the North Carolina space.

 Lehr** ((00:38:25)) - - Absolutely, because I have listeners in other countries as well, and they may want some design tips as well. So she is available and Misty is available for virtual design tips. All right, guys, that wraps it up for this particular episode. Most importantly, don't forget to work it. Live it on it in your everyday lives. Take care.