Tag Archives: Furniture

Top 5 Moving Lessons from Kim Adams

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ONE MOM AND A TRUCK

Moving… as a former military mom, I’m no stranger to moving. 14 times in 12 years. I thought I had it all down to a science. So this past December I decided moving 5 days before Christmas would be perfectly fine. Boy was I wrong. One mom, 5 kids, a cat and a hundred mistakes later, we are finally moved into the new digs. I learned a lot this time. Let me narrow it down to the Top 5 lessons.

Moving Truck with Boxes

1. ORGANIZE, DONATE AND THROW AWAY BEFORE YOU MOVE

Most moving companies charge by weight and/or by the hour. Why pay to move things you don’t need or want in the new home? You will save on moving boxes and the headache of having to pack unwanted items. This includes furniture. I decided to upgrade my kids’ beds to better quality “big boy” bedroom sets from Gardner-White. Instead of moving the old beds, I decided to donate them and take the tax deduction. Their new beds were delivered to our new home. Plus, the beds were all assembled and ready to be slept in the very same day! Truly this was the easiest part of my move!

2. MEASURE FURNITURE BEFORE YOU PAY TO MOVE IT

That huge sofa in the old house might not fit in the new house. Or perhaps you’ve been thinking about upgrading from a queen to a king? NOW is the time to decide if your furniture works in the new home. Because as I said before, it makes no sense to move furniture only to sell or donate it later. Check out the handy “Will It Fit” guide on the Gardner-White website here: http://www.gardner-white.com/customer-service/will-it-fit

TV Cords

3. TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR CORDS

This sounds funny, but trust me it will save you so many headaches. Take a quick picture of the back of your TV of all the cables BEFORE the movers unplug everything. I can’t tell you how much time and effort it took figuring out cable cords, PS4, Xbox and Wii connections! A photo of where things were when everything worked would have been very helpful.

4. MAKE A MOVING SUPPLY BOX

If I had to search for a Sharpie or the tape roll one more time I thought my head would come off. A little plastic bin with all the items in one spot would have saved me time and headaches when I was packing. It sounds simple but packing takes hours and hours no matter how organized you think you are. It never failed I would pack a room only to open a cabinet or closet filled with more stuff!

5. PACK AN OVERNIGHT BOX

Moving day is stressful. No matter how you try and prevent it, you will be an exhausted mess by the end of the day. Even with a good moving company there are still things you have to do yourself. Make sure you have a box with toiletries, sheets, a pillow, change of clothes etc. In fact, I pack an overnight bag for each member of the family. Its much less stressful than searching through 15 boxes to find your toothbrush!

In with the New: Style & Decor for 2016

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As the new year kicks off we often spend time reflecting on our appearance and changes we want to make moving forward. But have you taken a look around you? A new year is a great time to refresh your space with added style and decor.

From your living room sofa and the color of your walls to an all new bedroom retreat, updating your furniture can help turn your home into a place for daily rejuvenation.

Where can you start? Either let your own creative juices take over or look to experts for the latest trends. To expand on your own tastes, find a small piece – a favorite painting or decorative element – and build from there. Love Claude Monet’s water lilies?

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Then run with a large piece that picks up a majority of the colors (in this case a Rainstorm sofa) and add accents that pickup the lesser used colors (emerald, magenta, and teal).

Rainstorm_1200x800

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By using the original piece as a guide, you can create a space all your own. Also keep in mind the sofa example above is just one of the many sofas at Gardner-White that can be custom ordered – for FREE! – in roughly 89 different fabrics with 50 different pillow options. Did we mention, the sofa is just $599? Now that even helps out if you’ve resolved to save money in 2016.

If you don’t feel like you have the creative savvy to trust your own style check out some of the trends online. Although, you might be surprised to find out that the 2016 color of the year is… white. Well, not exactly white, but Alabaster (Sherwin-Williams), Simply White (Benjamin-Moore), Cappuccino White (Glidden) and Ivory Keys (Behr). Read more here.

If you were hoping for something with a little more intensity, check out the Pantone® color report for Spring 2016. With names like Fiesta, Buttercup and Snorkel Blue you’ll be curing those winter blahs in no time.

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Get a FREE Target® GiftCard from Gardner-White.

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468x60_giftcard_blnk_newHow can you get a FREE Target® GiftCard
from Gardner-White?*

It’s easy! During this sale you can get one with furniture purchases as low as $999 and mattress purchases as low as $699.

In fact, for every $1,000 you spend after $999, you’ll get an extra $100 on your Target® GiftCard! Note: Excludes “50 Rooms”, Double Discount, Clearance Items, Floor Samples, items that include electronics or where manufacturer restrictions apply (Tempur-Pedic, iSeries, iComfort, Beautyrest Black and Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid).  See store for complete details.

  • Spend $999 and receive a $50 Target® GiftCardrewards_targetbullseye_gc_fromPropco
  • Spend $1,999 and receive a $100 Target® GiftCard
  • Spend $2,999 and receive a $200 Target® GiftCard
  • Spend $3,999 and receive a $300 Target® GiftCard
  • Spend $4,999 and receive a $400 Target® GiftCard

Plus, wherever there is an offer for a free TV with your purchase, such as a Big Picture Package™ or with a mattress, you have the choice of either the free TV or a Target® GiftCard.  The larger the TV, the larger amount on the gift card.  See the example below.

  • Trade in the 19″ TV from your package for a $100 Target® GiftCard
  • Trade in the 32″ TV from your package for a $150 Target® GiftCard
  • Trade in the 40″ TV from your package for a $300 Target® GiftCard
  • Trade in the 55″ TV from your package for a $450 Target® GiftCard

Visit a Gardner-White sales associate at one of our Metro-Detroit locations for full details on how to get your free Target® GiftCard. Happy Shopping!

*Gardner-White is not affiliated with Target®. Target® is not a sponsor of this promotion. Target, the Bullseye Design and Bullseye Dog are trademarks of Target Brands, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Five Must-Haves for Your Man Cave

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What is a man cave? It’s a space designated for and designed by the man of the house where he can partake in activities like: watching sports, drinking beer and/or taking a snore-filled man nap. The very best man caves are decked out, but to do that you’re going to need some stuff. Here are our man cave must-haves:

Fenway

1. An ultra-comfortable sofa or sectional. What good is a man cave if you can’t sit comfortably to watch the big game? The furniture in the Fenway Collection is extremely relaxing with the soft brown two-toned leather and dual recliners (plus cup holders come standard on the loveseat!). Bonus: the Fenway Collection resembles a shiny new baseball glove or a football. How much sportier can you get?

Recliner

2. A recliner with a cup holder. Every man needs a throne for his man cave. This Black Power Massage Recliner is just the ticket! It comes complete with power reclining, full body massagers, blue LED lights and a cup holder that will chill your beer with the push of a button. Walk, don’t run, to buy this recliner here.

TV

3. A really big TV. The only proper way to watch the Detroit Tigers is if you can see each individual blade of grass in the outfield. That means you’re going to need a big HDTV. Instead of buying your furniture and TV separately, Gardner-White offers great Big Picture Packages™ that include a sofa & loveseat or sectional with accessories and a free 51″ HDTV. For a limited time, you’ll also get two free tickets to Cedar Point! Check out our Big Picture Packages™ here.

North

4. An entertainment center for your really big TV. Now that you have this big TV, where are you going to put it? A large entertainment center not only ties the man cave together, but also provides an attractive way to display your expansive DVD collection and figurines …oops, we mean “action figures”. Check out our entertainment centers here.

Bar

5. A bar and bar stools. The best man caves have a fully stocked bar where friends and family can hang out. The bar from the North Collection is the perfect size for smaller man caves, and it’s a stand-alone piece so you can spend your time watching the game instead of building a costly permanent bar. Belly up to your new North Bar & Barstools by clicking here.

Do you have an awesome man cave? We want to see it! Post a photo of your man cave on our Facebook Page or send it to our Instagram @GardnerWhite.

Black Friday! And Saturday, and Sunday, and Monday, and Tues…

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It’s pretty obvious the best part about Black Friday is all the ludicrous deals and dangerously low prices on the best gifts of the year.

It’s also easy to see the worst part of Black Friday: dealing with wall-to-wall shoppers filled with frustration when the one item you were waiting for gets snatched up by the person two spots in front of you.The perfect solution? Have Black Friday now, and for a long time.

So that’s what we decided to do.

We started our Black Friday Now sale on Nov. 14 so you can:

  1. – Save between 60-80% by taking an extra 30% off the lowest sale price.
  2. – Get your furniture tax-free. (We pay the tax for you. You’re welcome.)
  3. – Chow down on five free pizzas from Hungry Howie’s when you spend $699 or more.
  4. – Have the chance to win TVs, gift cards, soundbars, Amazon Kindles, Samsung Galaxy Tabs, and more every day during the sale. 
  5. – Buy your furniture any day of the week and have it in your home the same day. (Yeah, we do Same Day Delivery. It’s kind of our thing.)
  6. – Avoid camping in front the store at 3 a.m. with the deal hounds.

Bottom line is, don’t even worry about Black Friday. We have all the deals you could ever need, seven days a week. And hey, if you are still feeling adventurous and hit the stores on the 29th, swing by one of our showrooms and test out a recliner or two. It’ll feel nice to get off your feet a while.

Winners of the daily giveaway will be contacted directly, then announced on our Facebook page. We love to make people happy, so check it often for even more giveaways, deals and fun.

The Fox 2 Giving Guide

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Photo credit: myfoxdetroit.com

‘Tis the season for giving…and it’s even more special when you give to those in your own community. Along with Fox 2, we at Gardner-White are pleased to put together The Fox 2 Giving Guide, an annual book that features more than 100 local non-profits agencies and their respective “wish lists.” These wish lists are made up of the things the non-profits need to be able to help others.

You can find charitable organizations from A to Z that work hard all year serving people in Michigan. Remember, during the holiday season a little goes a long way and every person can make a difference.

The Gardner-White family was pleased to help a local family in need by providing them with furniture for their home before the holidays. The children received toys thanks to the Bottomless Toy Chest.  See the full story of how Christmas came early for a family working to overcome particularly difficult times.

Photo credit: myfoxdetroit.com

The Giving Guide is available at any of our locations and can also be downloaded here.

We invite you to tune in to a special show on Fox 2 hosted by Sherry Margolis, where she will spotlight some of The Giving Guide’s charities and the special stories of those who have supported the giving efforts.

Air dates as follows:

  • AIRS: December 24th 6pm (1/2 HOUR version)
  • AIRS: December 25th 7a (ONE HOUR VERSION)
  • AIRS: December 25th 11am (1/2 HOUR VERSION)
  • AIRS: December 25th 5pm (ONE HOUR VERSION)
  • AIRS: January 2nd 4:30 (1/12 hour version)

We are pleased to be a part of this special effort with Fox 2 and Fresh 100.3. Happy holidays to all and thank you for your support!

Tips for Hosting Holiday Houseguests

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The holidays are underway and although it’s fun to have friends and family over to celebrate, preparing for houseguests can be pretty stressful! In today’s blog, we are sharing some tips to that can make your holiday hosting simple, enjoyable and affordable.

  • Turn the heat down! Expecting the in-laws, brothers, sisters, cousins and their kids? The more people gathering inside combined with the heat from cooking and holiday lights, your home is bound to get extra warm. Lower your thermostat to avoid the need to open windows and send that extra heat – and money – out with it.
  • Try recyclable dishes and utensils. Not only does this allow for an easy clean-up, but you won’t have to stress about your favorite dishes being broken (nor will you stress if you don’t have enough place settings). There are so many festive styles to choose from while being environmentally conscious as well.
  • Board games. You can pick up some inexpensive games that give all ages a chance to play and have fun. (Charades is a FREE way to let everyone’s personality shine!)
  • Movies. Who doesn’t love a good holiday movie? Watching certain stories can even create traditions for the younglings. Check out Best Buy to find great deals on movies– or better yet – borrow and trade DVDs with your friends.
  • Make additional sleeping room. Are your in-laws staying for a few days? Do you have more guests than you have bedrooms? You can get more sleeping space while providing another place for guests to sit with a sleeper sofa for a great deal.

Remember, the holidays are busy but it’s your time to focus on family and friends; be sure to enjoy some downtime!

What tips do you have to simplify holiday hosting? We’d love to hear from you!

Expecting company? Get some new furniture at awesome prices by visiting any of our stores.  Be sure to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter to stay in the loop on holiday deals. Thanks for reading!

Furniture-Friendly Treats

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‘Tis the season of messy chocolates, and little ones running wild through the house in costumed apparel, but we believe “furniture” and “Halloween” can belong in the same sentence.

If you’re looking to pass out something unique that will treat – rather than trick — furniture, check out these seven items and make Halloween an easy cleanup experience.

  1. Glow Stickers. Check your local dollar store and stock up on a variety of stickers fit
    for boys and girls of all ages.
  2. Temporary tattoos. What child doesn’t like to decorate an arm or a leg with some faux ink?
  3. Party favors. Check your local store for small trinkets like yo-yos, bouncy balls or rings typically used for birthday parties. These can be a big hit and last much longer than candy.
  4. Furniture-approved snacks. Treats like small bags of pretzels, cheddar crackers and popcorn are popular and won’t cause for messy stains.

If you have your heart set on passing out candy, steer clear of chocolates that easily melt and will cause for some serious cleaning skills.

Halloween doesn’t have to be a disaster for your home. By switching out candy for trinkets, treasures and healthy treats, you will set a good example for your kids and not get tricked into cleaning the next day!

Want to learn more great tips? Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

Do you have any furniture-friendly Halloween tips? Please share!

What a #GWGrand Weekend in Auburn Hills!

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We are so thankful to our customers for making the grand opening of the new Gardner-White store in Auburn Hills, MI (located at 4445 N. Atlantic Blvd. behind Sam’s Club and the Home Depot) a success! Our new flagship location and warehouse has over 90,000 square feet and showcases a wide range of furniture, TVs by Best Buy, the dreamiest mattresses and amazing deals all from a convenient location near Great Lakes Crossing.

One of the ways we celebrated the grand opening was with our “Blog for a Grand” contest for Michigan bloggers. The entries we received came from across the mitten; they were creative, well thought-out and entertaining. The entire Gardner-White team enjoyed reading the blogs and to say it was “difficult” to narrow down to a final 3, is an understatement!

Our #GWGrand blog winners were announced on Saturday: a $1,000 grand prize gift card went to Michigal and our two runners up, Saving Dollars and Sense and SimplyRaising8, each received a $500 gift card. We were excited to learn what items the bloggers said would make their homes grand! From a mattress, to a sofa to a dining room table, a Gardner-White Furniture gift card will certainly be put to good use in these bloggers’ homes. Two of our winners were even able to stop by Auburn Hills this weekend to get a jumpstart on their shopping.

2 of our 3 #GWGrand Blog Winners: Kristie of Saving Dollars & Sense, and Alysia of MichigalMom

We are so thankful to all the bloggers who put the time and effort into entering our contest and look forward to seeing you in our stores to use your gift card. (PS To all entrants, in case you didn’t see instructions on Facebook, please private message us with your mailing address, please include your blog name and we will mail out the cards to you ASAP.)

Throughout the weekend, we had a blast giving away gift cards ranging from $100 to $1,000 in a raffle that was free for all customers in the store to enter.  Here are some photos of our customer winners!

Besides the hourly drawings, customers could enter to win a $10,000 shopping spree as well as have a chance for two tickets to the Tigers game 4. For ways you can still win the tickets, please click here.

Do you like music when you shop? We certainly do! The StoneyCreek High School wind ensemble played in our Auburn Hills store on Saturday and customers enjoyed the Avondale High School marching band on Sunday. Each school received a $1,000 donation from Gardner-White. The performances were beautifully conducted and it was a great experience for customers to get to hear talented local musicians while they shopped.

Besides all the activity in the store, there was plenty buzzing in the virtual world on Twitter about our #GWGrand opening. Members of our TweetTeam were tweeting all afternoon from our Auburn Hills store about the various furniture, mattresses, in-store activity and exceptional deals customers were getting at the grand opening weekend. The team members talked to customers about the “hashtag” for the event (#GWGrand) and even tweeted Gardner-White team member testimonials about their pride and happiness working at the new flagship store.

What item catches your attention?

Thanks again to all customers for your participation. If you haven’t been to our Auburn Hills store, we look forward to seeing you there!

Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.

SLEEP! Everyone Needs It But Not Everyone Gets Enough of It.

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Photo credit: MomLogic.com

Do you find it difficult to fall asleep at night? Do you fall asleep but can’t seem to stay asleep? Maybe you are a parent who has experienced the surprising moment when your child’s face is 3 inches from yours in the middle of the night. Regardless, if you are tired of being tired, you are not alone!

With our busy schedules these days, it can be hard to unwind and get the rest we need. While every person’s sleep needs are different, it can be particularly hard for busy moms, working parents, and even the kids to release what’s on our minds to allow us to slip into REM sleep.

Good sleep certainly impacts our moods, alertness and even our patience; however, not getting enough zzzzs can also lead to physical symptoms from overeating to an increased chance for low bone density. When we sleep, our bodies heal and develop and our brains regulate hormone levels, including the levels involved with regulating our appetite.

To help yourself rest up, try the following:

  • Turn off the technology. Bright backlighting from our iPads, iPhones, laptops, electronic readers and TVs can keep us alert even when we are dog-tired.
  • Be aware of partner disturbance. While we may not have a sure-fire way to stop the snorer in your bed, the right mattress can help you significantly reduce movement that can disturb your sleep more than you may realize.
  • Make regular “to-do” lists. When we free ourselves of mental notes to keep track of, you might resist the urge to think of the next day’s tasks the moment your head hits the pillow. Your kids can benefit from learning this practice as well!

If you don’t know where to start to “get your snooze on,” come talk to a Gardner-White sleep expert. He or she can teach you the features to look for in a mattress so you can see what you may be able to do differently to get the sleep you need.

And if that doesn’t help you fall asleep, you can always count the Serta sheep ☺

What do you swear by for a good night’s rest?  Please share below!

PS Check out some restful –and adorable— images on Pinterest, we’d love for you to repin your favorites!

Thanks for reading.