7 Home Improvement Ideas That Stretch Your Dollars the Most

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Debbie Prosser

Enjoy your home more today — and sell it for the best price tomorrow.

Built-in floor to ceiling bookshelves with grey couch and glass coffee table
Image: Susan Yeley Interiors/Gina Rogers Photography

When it comes to home improvement ideas, some are more financially savvy than others. And if you’re on a limited budget, it becomes even more important to be savvy. 

Here are seven affordable home improvement projects that’ll help you enjoy your home more today and provide excellent financial return in the future.

#1 Add the Finishing Touch of Molding

Decorative molding in a home
Image: Crazy Wonderful

Crown molding makes rooms seem both bigger taller. It’s an elegant addition to any home.

Plus, wood moldings come in hundreds of options — from simple to ornate — that you can stain, paint, or leave natural.

You can also find moldings in flexible materials, such as foam, that make installation a whole lot easier. Some moldings even include lighting that casts a soft, ambient glow.  

And at $1.50 per foot if you DIY it, or $8 per foot if you hire, it’s a no-brainer in terms of personalizing your home while adding value. (Although we don’t recommend DIY unless you’ve got above-par mitering skills.)

A few tips about molding:

Be careful about proportions. If your ceiling height is 9 feet or less, go with simpler styles to avoid overwhelming the room.

Place a chair railing at one-third the distance of the ceiling height. Chair railing placed incorrectly can make a room seem out of proportion.

Don’t forget entryways, doors, and windows: Bump up the trim around these areas to give rooms a completed and expensive feel.https://www.youtube.com/embed/LhpuVZYUE0M?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1HouseLogic

#2 Hang Quality Ceiling Fans

If your ceiling fans are old and outdated, new ones (coupled with a fresh paint job and crown molding) could give your rooms a refreshing update while saving money.

Some tips about ceiling fans:

  • Hang 7 to 8 feet above the floor.
  • If you’ve got a low ceiling, buy a hugger ceiling fan that’s flush-mounted.
  • Go for the biggest Energy Star-rated fan that will fit the space.
  • Choose quality. You’ll get better cooling results, less noise, and good looks at a digestible price point of $200 to $600.

#3 Plant Some Trees

Apple tree outside of a house next to a patio
Image: M. Williams

Say what? Adding trees doesn’t instantly pop into your head when you think of adding value to your home. But trees are moneymakers that get better with age.

A mature tree could be worth between $1,000 to $10,000, says the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers. A 16-inch silver maple could be worth $2,562, according to a formula worked out by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service.

In urban areas, money really does grow on trees. A recent study of home sales by the Pacific Northwest Research Station of Portland showed that street trees growing in front of or near a house boosted its sale price by an average of $8,870 and shaved two days off its time on the market. 

There’s more. Trees also:

  • Save $100 to $250 annually in energy costs
  • Lower stress
  • Prevent erosion from downpours and roof runoff
  • Protect your home from wind, rain, and sun

#4 Install a Deck or Patio

Back yard patio in the dusk
Image: Suzanne Davis at bebehblog

But don’t go crazy and trick out your outdoor space with high-end amenities, like an outdoor kitchen — especially if you’d be the only one on the block with one. When it’s time to sell, you won’t get back much — if any — of your investment on outdoor kitchens and other high-end amenities. Instead, keep it simple and functional to see a return on investment. 

A professionally installed deck costs about $10,000 to install, but if you DIY it, you’ll save more than half that while adding to your equity.

Don’t skimp on deck lighting. It can make all the difference in functionality and beautification.

#5 Upgrade Your Insulation

It’s not as sexy as a kitchen remodel, but it doesn’t cost as much either ($65,000 vs $2,100).

Plus, you’ll save all year long on your utility bills. Win-win!

#6 Add Some Creative Storage

We don’t have to sell you on the value of storage and built-in organization. Since when have you heard someone complain about too much storage? Never, we bet. 

Adding storage is a no-brainer, but it does take a little brainpower to find your home’s hidden storage. 

Here are a few ways to think outside of the toy box:

  • Open drywall to create storage cubbies between your wall’s studs.
  • Install platform storage that hangs from your garage ceiling.
  • Even stairs can give you more storage. One clever mom repurposed an old chest of drawers and created storage within a basement staircase.

#7 Install Landscape Lighting

Exterior lighting makes your home shine in the evening, accents features you like most about your house, and helps keep burglars away. Installing motion-detecting lights can even lower some homeowners’ insurance premiums. 

Landscaping lighting tips:

  • Place accent lights under your favorite trees to show off your landscaping’s top earners.
  • Put them on a timer so you don’t waste energy running them during the day.
  • Choose a warm, white light. It’ll make your home look and feel welcoming.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Your Inner Child Will Love These Creative Ways to Organize

Posted on June 30, 2022 by Debbie Prosser

There are 5 personality and organization types. Find the one that fits you.

Illustration of people with different personality types
Image: Chris Madden/ourlifelooklikeballoon/Btownchris/Sergey Oplanchuck/KeithBishop/Getty

Being organized isn’t about putting everything into a beautiful, new organization system— it’s about how well you’re able to maintain it.

And it’s your psyche that determines that. Find creative ways to organize your home by choosing a strategy that fits you. Which of the five personalities are you?

The Pile Maker | The Minimalist | The Designer | The Collector | The Speeding Train

The Pile Maker

Desk crowded with stamps, notebooks, typewriter, and objects
Image: Hellojanelee Photography

If you like everything out and visible, you’re likely a creative, right-brained sort, says Beth Randall, a professional organizer and speaker.

The piles on your desk make sense only to you (well, until they don’t), and you get energized and inspired by the visual stimulus of stuff.

Strategy: Keep your stuff in view and organized with open-face organizers that have a place for everything in plain sight.

Tips:

  • Store your jewelry on a corkboard covered with fabric, using push pins to create a work of art, Randall suggests.
  • Stash items in clear bins or cubbies that don’t cut off your view of the contents, like an over-the-door shoe organizer with clear sleeves.
  • Take a moment every couple of weeks to look at your desk and countertops and purge or put away clutter.
  • Rather than plopping your paperwork in one big pile on your desk, use paper organizers or shelf dividers that only allow about six or seven inches of clearance per shelf, recommends professional organizer Thalia Poulos. Then, use labels as your new visual trigger. This can work in entryways for mail, in kitchens for recipes, or anywhere papers start to pile up.
  • Pegboards: Put ’em everywhere. Pegboards give you customizable, highly visual storage in the garage, office, closets, bedrooms, kitchens — pretty much anywhere. To accommodate your creative brain, space out your hooks enough so you’re not limited to one configuration where everything fits.

The Minimalist

White bedroom with natural wood floor, bed frame, and desk
Image: Audrey Nguyen

You like everything to have its place — and that place is out of sight. You find nothing more restorative than a tidy, minimalist space. But life happens, and you’ve been known to “stash and dash” and forget where you put things. And sometimes you pitch something you end up needing later on.

Strategy: You need behind-the-scenes systems that are convenient and efficient.

Tips:

  • Go virtual: You can ditch all that paper. Use an app for your to-do and grocery lists, and use scanning software (or a simple snap of your phone!) to turn any paperwork into a digital file.
  • Make it easy to quickly put stuff away with personalized classification systems, recommends Cena Block, a productivity expert and former professional organizer. From clothes to craft supplies, and from bins to drawers, group things the way your gut tells you to: by size, function, alphabet — whatever. The less thinking you have to do, the fewer “stash and dash” mishaps you’ll make.
  • Organize your organization: Think drawer sorters, hanging file cabinets, closet systems, or even ice-cube trays for jewelry drawers.
  • Have storage options where you need them that match the function of each space — like cubbies under the front stairs for shoes or rolling bins under your bed for sheets.

The Designer

Organized kitchen stocked with brightly colored dishes
Image: www.beapopofcolor.nl

Sure, you want your stuff to be organized, but if it doesn’t please the senses, you’re not gonna use it. That sometimes leads to more Pinterest-browsing and project-dreaming than actual organizing.

Strategy: You need organization options that look good — but are super-functional, too.

Tips:

  • Use woven baskets or wood boxes, rather than plastic bins, to organize items around the house.
  • In the office, rely on color-coded file folders, Poulos says.
  • Keep a beautiful notebook for jotting down your to-dos. An app simply won’t give you that tactile satisfaction you crave.
  • Use color-coordinated hangers to group ensembles together in your closet, Poulos suggests.
  • Include artwork among items you’re storing on shelves, or even on pegboards, to make even the most utilitarian spaces a delight to use.

The Collector

Assortment of clay pots laid out on shelves in kitchen
Image: Olley Pottery

You see a lot of value in things. Sometimes too much value. You have a hard time deciding when to let go, which makes clutter control an endless challenge.

Strategy: Maximize your storage space, and keep things away enough to avoid clutter but close enough to appreciate the value your things add to your life. Also, regularly chip away at your collection where possible.

Tips:

  • You love your stuff. So before a quarterly purge, pick a charity or friend who could use some of your non-essentials. Loving your stuff’s next home can help get it out of yours.
  • Display your favorite things a few at a time, rotating them in and out of storage. It will make you feel like you have more stuff and will cut down on the clutter.
  • Set limits on how many of any one item you can have, whether it’s shoes or spatulas, Randall says. For magazines or catalogs, for example, give yourself one basket or bin. When it’s full, it’s time to pitch.
  • Use every cubic foot in your home with nice-looking, built-in, floor-to-ceiling storage systems. It’ll give you more storage space and keeps the things you love nearby and accessible, even when they’re put away.

The Speeding Train

Mudroom storage built into staircase with bright items
Image: California Closets

You’re constantly moving from one location, appointment, or task to the next. Who’s got time for reading every email or finding a hanger for your coat? But man, you can leave a mess in your wake!

Strategy: Keep home organization solutions simple, flexible, and (most importantly) right in your path.

Tips:

  • Use simplified systems. Store any documents (physical or digital) you may eventually need in a single 12-folder system – one for every month of the year. Then conduct just one yearly purge, Randall suggests.
  • Systems that will work for you are those that don’t require much of a pause — like hooks for jackets, bins for shoes, and open cubes for, well, anything, Poulos says.
  • Because you’re always on the move, daily items like your keys often get lost in your dust. So create rituals around stashing these essentials in an in/out station, right where it’s most convenient to drop them.
  • Always keep a donation box by the door. When you don’t have to stop and find a trash bag or bin, you’ll be that much more likely to get rid of something. 

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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8 Simple and Easy Landscaping Ideas for People Who Hate Yard Work

Posted on June 29, 2022 by Debbie Prosser

Yards are meant for fun times — not chores.

Yard-Work-Easy-Landscaping-Low-Maintenance-Patio-Trees-Path
Image: Tom Merton/Getty

The point of having your own yard is to enjoy it, not be a slave to it. These easy landscaping ideas will give you more time for outdoor leisure instead of mowing and weeding.

#1 Use Rocks for Interesting Landscape Features

Low water landscape with gray rocks next to a sidewalk
Image: JPM Landscape and Design

Grass doesn’t grow on rocks. Besides stating the obvious, what that really means is that they’re the perfect, versatile tool for creating a low-maintenance outdoor space. Use them to create walkways or group them together to form decorative outcroppings.

You can even lay out stones to be ornamental dry creek beds.

Small yards, especially in desert climates, can be completely rocked over, or you can use them as strategically placed accents. 

And if you’ve got spots that are constantly wet, rocks are great for keeping mud (and mosquitoes!) under control because they’ll help the water run off instead of collecting.

#2 Add a Rain Garden if You’ve Got a Soggy Spot

Lush rain garden in front yard with brown mulch, plants
Image: Rain Dog Designs LLC

A rain garden is kind of a mini-wetland that reduces storm-water runoff. And done right, they’re almost maintenance free because they require no mowing, no watering, and little weeding.

They make much prettier focal points than soggy grass, too. 

Rain gardens are fairly easy to create, using gravel, sand, and native plants. The idea is to slow down rainwater so that less of it goes into the sewer system and more is used to nourish plant life.

#3 DIY the Easiest Deck Ever

A light-colored deck with patio furniture at night
Image: Alexi Politis at Seeking Alexi

Decks do require some maintenance, but you don’t have to mow ’em every weekend, that’s for sure. And a platform deck — no steps, no railings — is the easiest of all to build.

“There are lots of dense hardwoods like ipe and cedar, redwood, and composites that last a long time and are very low-maintenance,” says Tomi Landis, principal landscape designer at Everett Conroy Landis Garden Design in Chevy Chase, Md.

While you’re dreaming of your new deck, think about this: How you will use it?

No Deck?

Adding one would be wise. Most decks recoup 80% of the cost when you sell.Read More InThe ROI of Your Cost to Build a Deck

“Will you be using it in the morning while having coffee?” Landis asks. “If so, it should be oriented to the east. If it’s mainly for dining out in the evening and having cocktails, it should be facing west.” But be sure shade is available in the hotter months.

#4 Switch to Tall Grass That Never Needs Mowing

Contemporary backyard patio and garden with tall grass
Image: Carol Heffernan

Not all grass is created equal. Tall grasses, like switchgrass, bluestem, muhly, and fountaingrass, all grow fast and require very little TLC. Nor do they ever get mowed.

“Native grasses are a great solution to a lot of landscaping problems,” Landis says. They soak up lots of water and provide an organic privacy screen while trimming your mowing time.

How to use tall grasses in your landscaping:

  • Group along a fence line.
  • Group into geometric patterns in your yard for a clean look.
  • Go more random for a more natural look.

The most maintenance you’ll do with these is cut them back in late fall. They dry up in the fall, which sends some of those glorious long leaves flying across your yard. But they can be used as (free!) mulch or ignored. They’ll do no harm.

#5 Create Pathways to Reduce High-Maintenance Grass

Concrete pathway leading to front door
Image: Val Lonergan/zenshmen!

Like the rocks above, pavers (sometimes called “steppers”) are decorative stones used to create pathways that need little or no care.

“A stepper in a natural shape looks really great in a lot of contexts,” Landis says. Traditional house styles like bungalows, colonials, and Victorians tend to go well with more natural pavers, like flagstone.

If your house is more on the modern side, opt for some rectangular or square pavers.

#6 Go For Fake Grass — No One Will Know (Seriously)

Fake grass used on a steep front lawn
Image: John Riha for HouseLogic

Some purists might consider fake grass to be over the line, but the newer faux turf doesn’t make your yard look like a putt-putt course, nor does it get so hot it burns your feet like the fake turf in your parents’ day.

“It’s great for somebody with no time on their hands,” says Doug DeLuca, founder of Federal Stone and Brick in Sterling, Va. “It comes like a roll of carpet, you set a bed for it with gravel, then use sod staples to hold it down.”

It doesn’t need to be cut, watered or fertilized, and pets can’t kill it.

#7 Plant Your Own Mini Forest if You Get Lots of Rain

Native habitat in a back yard with bird bath
Image: RDM Architecture

Where there are trees there shall be no grass. But there will be shade, and that’s a plus for picnicking and lawn-chair lounging.

“Trees can soak up a lot of rainwater,” Landis says, and therefore, need a lot of water. Consider your local climate, as soaking up water can be good or bad. Do you need to sop up excess water? Is the yard already too dry?

Keep in mind that native trees are less maintenance because they’re adapted to your area.

#8 Use Objects to Add Color — Instead of Flowers

Red Adirondack chairs in a gravel backyard
Image: DesignFix

Color is the secret to a stunning yard, but that doesn’t mean you need to plant a garden full of labor-intensive dahlias.

It means choosing bright pots, benches, bird baths, Adirondack chairs — anything that just sits there and looks lovely while you pour the cocktails.

The options are as numerous as the Pinterest search results for “yard art” (which is somewhere between 5,000 and infinity).

And if you decide to pop some colorful flowers into your colorful pots, what could be better a better backdrop to your finally realized cocktail party?

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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9 Ways to Rethink Your Landscaping for Severe Weather

Posted on June 28, 2022 by Debbie Prosser

Pick nature-friendly landscaping options to bypass weather fallout.

rethink-grass-yard-work-hardscaping-ground-cover-succulent-garden
Image: sakchai vongsasiripat/Getty

Maintaining a yard isn’t for the faint of heart anymore. Severe weather means rains are heavier and more intense. Droughts last a long time and can be dangerous. Then there’s the trickle-down effect. Rising temps are causing more aggressive weeds, and longer frost seasons are giving insect pests more time to reproduce (shudder). But some homeowners have figured out how to change their landscaping to sync with area weather patterns and their desire to do other things than manage their yard and lawn. Here are nine tips from varied sources to help you win over weather – and go low maintenance at the same time. 

#1 Pick Several Species of Plants.

Gardens and landscapes with several different species of plants can better resist pests, diseases, and just plain prolonged bad weather. Native plants are an excellent choice because they’re hardy and can support native wildlife. – Environmental horticulturist Kim Eierman, founder of EcoBeneficial!, from HGTV’s “Climate Change in Your Own Backyard” 

#2 Replace or Reduce Your Lawn.

Some pros call exotic turf grasses “green deserts,” because the grasses have shallow roots and require a lot of work. Consider replacing them with native grasses that have deep roots. Little bluestem holds a lot of moisture but also tolerates periods of drought. – Kim Eierman

#3 Nix the Lawn, Opt for Ground Cover.

Step away from that lawnmower. Use ground cover instead of lawn and say goodbye to mowing. Ground cover retains carbon in the soil, tolerates drought, and prevents both erosion and invasives. More important, it renourishes the soil so you don’t have to continually fertilize it. – Susan Nugent, climate reality project leader, from “South Florida Sun-Sentinel”

#4 Create Rain Gardens.

Plants that need more water can be used in a rain garden, a wet area in your landscaping. Water-loving plants can bloom near a downspout with a rain barrel attached. During droughts, you can add stored water. – Susan Nugent

#5 Plant Pollinators.

They support about 35% of our food supply. When selecting plantings, use biodiversity – differing types of plants to benefit birds, butterflies, and bees. – Susan Nugent

#6 Choose Natural Mulch.

Like cedar, natural mulch keeps insects away. Pine bark mulch is often sold as nuggets, but the shredded form covers better and looks great throughout the season. It decays fairly quickly, enriching soil over time. – Tata & Howard, specialized water, wastewater, and storm water consulting engineering firm

#7 See the Pluses of (Some) Weeds.

Creeping Charlie is one weed hated by lawn-lovers because it can “spoil” a nice lawn and spread like crazy in part shade. But it’s a native plant with attractive flowers, and bees love it. – Henry Homeyer, blogger at gardening-guy.com, “Gardening: Give ‘Rewilding’ Your Lawn a Try,” from “Providence Journal”

#8 Add Stone or Gravel Pathways.

They work as firebreaks and reduce rain runoff. – Bob Vila, from “The 12 Biggest Landscaping Trends for 2022”

#9 Use Boulders and Large Stones.

It doesn’t get much lower maintenance than boulders and large stones. Plus, they conserve water. And they’re versatile and can be arranged in clusters, stacked as a retaining wall, or used to accent changes in elevation. – Ryan Plank, “How to Landscape with Boulders,” from “Lawn Starter”

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Strange Home Quirks – and How to (Finally!) Make Them Go Away

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Debbie Prosser

Home maintenance solutions for the quirkiest things.

Upside down house
Image: Pascal Willuhn/Flickr

Sometimes you swear you’re sharing your house with a spirit — either that, or your home is very much alive and has a mind of its own.

It makes the strangest sounds. The water smells funky. The lights flicker. 

You didn’t notice any of this when you first bought your house, but now, well, it’s starting to make you wonder. Should you be concerned?

In most cases, no. But sometimes, your home really is trying to tell you something’s wrong. Here’s how to interpret your home’s strange quirks, and how to fix them for good:

Flickering Lights

Cause: Odds are eerie light flickering isn’t paranormal activity. But if groups of lights flicker together, it could be something just as scary: dangerous, loose electrical connections that can cause power to jump over the gaps. Pros call this “arcing,” which can cause fires. If, however, lights dim when the refrigerator or another appliance turns on, the circuit might be overloaded.

Cure: Call in a licensed electrician. The $150 to $250 you’ll pay for a new circuit (or $500 to $700 for a new electrical panel) is way less than what you’d spend to recover from a fire.

Peeling Exterior Paint

Cause: Moisture is probably getting underneath the paint. Leaky gutters or a steamy bathroom on the other side of the affected area are often the culprit.

Cure: If it’s a brand-new problem (you know it wasn’t there a couple of weeks ago), you might be in time to save your siding — and a costly replacement bill. What to do:

  • Stop the moisture at the source so the problem doesn’t repeat.
  • Scrape off the loose paint, then prime and repaint.

Delay too long and the siding might rot. Patching and repainting the whole house could easily rise to $10,000! 

If the root cause is a damp bathroom, a new ventilation fan with a humidity-sensing switch (about $250) should take care of it. 

Rustling in a Wall

Cause: Typically, it’s termites and carpenter ants — tiny beasts that love to feast on your home’s bones. Tap on a wall and then press an ear against it. If you hear a rustling sound, it could be termites. A sound like crinkling cellophane could mean carpenter ants

Cure: Call a pest-control professional. Cost is $65 to $100 for an inspection.

Loud Knocking

Cause: If the knocking occurs when you turn off water, you have what’s known as “water hammer” — when fast-moving water comes to a sudden stop and there’s no air chamber (usually a short pipe) to cushion the shock wave. If knocking occurs when your furnace switches on or off, metal ducts are expanding or contracting as temperature changes.

Cure: If there’s an air chamber, it may be filled with water and only needs to be drained. If it’s missing one, it needs one installed. Call a plumber ($65 an hour) to add one. Those snapping ducts? They aren’t a cause for concern — just part of your home’s personality.

A Toilet Tank That Refills All on Its Own

Cause: Worn interior parts may be causing water to trickle through the toilet constantly, causing the water level in the tank to lower and trigger the refill mechanism. A leaky toilet potentially wastes 1,500 gallons a month (not to mention the wasted $$$!).

Cure: Untangle or loosen the chain — it may be too tight and preventing the flapper from seating fully, letting water leak out the flush valve. Or, try bending the tube connected to the float ball. If those don’t work, replace the valve and flapper inside the toilet tank (under $25 if you do it yourself, and a little more if you upgrade to a water-saving dual-flush valve).

Creaks and Growns

Cause: All houses creak and groan a little as parts expand and contract with temperature fluctuations. Changes in levels of humidity can be the cause, too.

Cure: You don’t really need to do anything — it’s normal for a house to make a few snaps, pops, and groans as it gets older (like all of us). But if a creaky floor is driving you nuts, get an anti-squeak repair kit — or dust some talcum powder into the seams where floorboards meet. The talcum acts as a lubricant to shush boards that rub together.

Musty Odors

Cause: Mildew is the root of all that’s musty. It’s a yucky, not-good-for-you fungus. Basements are favorite haunts for this nasty life form. But basically, any place that is humid enough to allow condensation to form on cold surfaces can grow mildew and assault your senses.

Cure: Keep surfaces dry. A few ways include:

  • Running a $20 fan to keep air moving, which creates dryness.
  • Adding a dehumidifier (about $175 or so) to stubborn spaces that a fan can’t handle. 
  • Make surfaces warmer by adding insulation throughout your home.

Rotten-Egg Smell When You Run Water

Cause: A type of bacteria that produces hydrogen sulfide gas (the scientific name for rotten-egg smell). It could be in your water heater or in your drain. To find out which:

  1. Fill a glass with hot water.
  2. Step away from the sink.
  3. Take a whiff.

If you smell it, your water heater is the likely culprit. If not, the bacteria is in your drain. 

Cure: Pouring a $1 bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution down the drain should kill the fungus. Follow that up about 20 minutes later with baking soda to curb the smell. 

Your water heater is another issue: Call a plumber to disinfect the system. If hot and cold water both smell, call your water supplier (or health department if you have a well).

Strange-Tasting Tap Water

Cause: If the water tastes metallic, iron, or copper may be leaching from pipes. If you taste chlorine, your water supplier may have overdosed on disinfectant, or a correct level could be interacting with organic stuff (like that bacteria mentioned earlier) within your plumbing system.

Cure: If chlorine seems high at all taps, or if you taste metals, call your water supplier or have your well water tested. If only one tap has water with high chlorine, or if the taste goes away after you run water for a few minutes, flush your system or call a plumber.

If it’s an ongoing problem, a permanent water purifier ($150 to $200) might be the cure you need. With a top-quality activated carbon filter, it can remove heavy metals, bacteria, and other contaminants. Sweet water at last!

Trembling Floors

Cause: If all the bottles on your newly set-up bar jiggle and shimmy each time you walk by, or if your floor feels like it gives under your weight, the floor joists might not be sturdy enough. That’s often caused when homeowners remove walls during remodeling. 

Cure: Have a structural engineer or experienced contractor see whether you can add more joists, boost existing ones with an additional layer of subflooring, or add a post to support the floor better. You’ll pay up to $500 for a structural engineer to evaluate your problem. A contractor will cost less, but make sure they have the experience.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Grub Control & Other Curb Appeal Tasks for June

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Debbie Prosser

If your lawn could talk, it would tell you to water deeply and less often.

String trimmer mowing grass | Buy outdoor power tools
Image: DERO2084/Getty

June’s a critical month to make sure you’re giving some TLC to a key curb appeal asset: your lawn.

You’ll spend less time (and money, if you hire help) if you do these things now rather than later.

#1 Buy Outdoor Power Tools

Trim 15% to 30% off the cost of powered edgers, saws, and more by taking advantage of Father’s Day sales — which typically offer the lowest prices of the year.

#2 Start a Lawn Watering Schedule

Yellow flowers being sprayed by sprinkler against sidewalk
Image: Mr. Sprinkler.ca

When temps climb into the 80s, make sure your lawn’s getting enough water to preserve your curb appeal. That means at least 1 inch of water a week for cool season grasses and a half-inch for warm-season varieties.

Lawns prefer to gulp rather than sip. So water deeply, up to 30 minutes, rather than frequently. You’ll waste less water, too.

#3 Use Grub Control

Close up of lawn being sprayed with grub control
Image: BanksPhotos/Getty

Grubs dine on your lawn’s roots. Left to gorge, they’ll kill your lawn. That’s not cheap to replace: up to $1.75 a square foot to resod, including installation. Go the preventive route and spread a lawn grub-control product that will take care of the eggs now — before they hatch and start munching hungrily.

#4 Stick to a Mowing Schedule

Tween boy in blue mowing lawn outside light green house
Image: Inti St Clair/Getty

Cutting your grass too long or too short, or neglecting to cut it regularly will slowly erode your property’s good looks. To prevent that, you (or your lawn service) should cut no more than one-third of the grass blade per mow. Whacking off more makes your yard susceptible to pests and disease.

Note: You may need to plan for up to two mows a week to stay ahead of growth.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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5 Ways to Keep Severe Weather from Doing a Number on Your Yard

Posted on June 23, 2022 by Debbie Prosser

A new way to look at landscaping can protection your yard from severe weather patterns.

Landscaping-climate-change-hardscaping-groundcover-dead-grass-overgrown-fence
Image: Richard Ross/Getty

Contrary to what many may believe, severe weather doesn’t just beat up on the other guy. Mother Nature can wallop anyone’s home and yard.

That doesn’t mean you’ll have to watch your house reduced to briquettes by a wildfire or flooding test your home’s capacity for flotation. But your yard may lose some of its curb appeal if you let nature take its course and you experience events like drought, flooding, hail, high winds, or other uninvited elements. If severe weather is persistent or paired with deficient maintenance, it can set your yard back years. 

It may be time to rethink your ideas about traditional yards and landscaping. Consider new ideas that will stand up to new challenges but still leave you enough time to enjoy your yard – and your life. Here are five tips to get you started.

1. Counteract Drought Devastation

Continuous lack of water is a serious threat to cultivated plants, says Bryan McKenzie, landscape designer and co-founder of the blog Bumpercroptimes.com. Drought slows plant growth, affects the structures of plants, makes them more susceptible to disease, and can even deep-six entire root systems.  

Unless you want to relive the Dust Bowl, understand that drought can have a negative impact on soil. “If you’re in a drought situation, you’re exposing the soil to the sun,” says Joe Raboine, director of residential hardscapes for Belgard in Atlanta. “[Soil] will bake, dry up, and turn to dust. Pesticides in the dust will be dispersed through the air.” 

To thrive, grass lawns need to quaff at least one inch of water weekly, says Luke Lee, a London-based real estate professional who helps homeowners with landscaping design choices. If your home is in an area gripped by frequent drought, consider installing artificial turf (AstroTurf is one type). It will help conserve water and put a damper on grass fires, Lee says.

Another option: Use drought-resistant plants or mulch on the land to protect the soil and allow the soil biome to thrive, Raboine says. One other possibility is edible landscapes, including blueberry bushes. “Blueberries can be planted from the South to far North and thrive in many different and even fairly harsh conditions,” he says. “There’s receptivity to new ideas about how to cover your land, which are really old ways that predate the arrival of lawn mowers to cut your grass.”

2. Prevent Damage from Excessive Precipitation

Too much precipitation from rain and snowfall can damage both plants and soil, says  the marketing director of Manchester, Conn.-based Green Building Elements. Monsoon-like downpours can unleash a torrent of stormwater pollution, which can kill plant roots.

Flooding can rob landscapes of large volumes of nutrients and also choke them from lack of air. If plants remain in standing water too long, growth can be slowed, or they may die, McKenzie says.

Many homeowners grade the soil on their properties rather than accentuating the natural landscape, says Tom Monson, owner of Monson Lawn & Landscaping in Mendota Heights, Minn. When combined with extreme weather like heavy rains, this grading can lead to erosion.

Homeowners in areas with severe weather need to consider where water drains, Monson says. “Many homeowners have installed customized draining systems to protect against flooding. But many have not installed drainage systems, and [their yards] are at risk.”

Water running off a yard can carry oil and debris, which end up in waterways. To avoid getting the evil eye from the Environmental Protection Agency, consider installing permeable pavements in your yard. Two such coverings are interlocking concrete pavers or amended soils. 

Permeable pavements can prevent both pollutant runoff and flooding, says Raboine. They capture the water in the substrate. There, microbes break down pollutants before they can enter the aquifer. 

“The storm water from a driveway can be collected in a tank in the same way water was once collected in a cistern, and later used for irrigation purposes,” he says. 

3. Secure Your Yard from High Winds

Gusts strong enough to propel Dorothy back to the Emerald City seem more common these days. As threatening as they may be to houses and cars, those gusts are also no friend of your landscaping. Strong sustained winds can rip smaller plants from the ground. After a windstorm, distribution of leaves, pine needles, and small branches, as well as large fallen trees, can make your yard look like a disaster zone. Even milder winds can accelerate soil erosion. That’s destructive to landscaping and brings slower growth.

Landscape experts urge several steps. Prune trees and bushes of loose or dead branches. Before an impending storm, tie down any other loose foliage, and secure furniture or decorations, which can be blown around your lot as well. Think about planting fewer ornamental shrubs or trees, and avoid trees that are easily uprooted by heavy winds. Even ponder cutting down a few trees and foliage vulnerable to high winds.

4. Prepare Your Yard for Extreme Heat

Statistics suggest the weather pattern most deadly for humans is extreme heat. It can be just as lethal to the yards of humans. This weather pattern can cause loss of foliage, dormant lawns, stressed shrubs and trees, and insect and disease infestations. So says Owen Mosser, Maine-based garden expert at online publication The Golden.

To keep your lawn green in spite of the summer heat, replacing some areas with water-wise plantings will make your yard more tolerant. Possibilities include Spanish lavender, African daisy, aloes, pride of Madeira, rockrose, and Juniper.

“Pruning dead or infected limbs will keep plant diseases from spreading to the healthy parts of your yard,” he adds. Detect infected plants by spotting abnormal growth or appearance of disease-causing organisms such as insect larvae or bacterial slime. Leaves are also visibly yellow leaves with white blotches, and the stems may become a bit mushy.

5. Protect Your Landscaping From Harsh Winters

Long cold stretches, when combined with the kind of gusts that send wind chills plummeting to minus zero territory, can leave your yard’s future on thin ice.

Prevent this by overseeding your lawn to generate stronger, healthier grass and keep your lawn safe during the winter months, Mosser says. Incorporating mulch also provides insulation, regulates root and soil warmth, and keeps your plants healthy.

“Don’t forget to remove dead leaves and debris,” he adds. “Doing this will prevent your plants from suffocating and infesting fungus and diseases. Mother Nature can be unforgiving sometimes . . . preventive landscaping is key.” 

Bottom line? Make the time and money you spend on your yard a strong investment against severe weather. Preventive landscaping can help ensure your yard stays green. That could also save you some green by fixing problems that could have been avoided.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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The 5 Best Things to Do When You Move into Your New Home

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Debbie Prosser

Yes, a more homey home starts with a new toilet seat.

Natural scented items for the home
Image: Bower Power

Bower Power logo

CONTRIBUTED BY

This article was contributed by Katie and Jeremy Bower, home and lifestyle bloggers for “Bower Power.” They spend every waking minute loving to create, improving homes, and teaching their four little boys (all ages six and under!) how to laugh, love, and learn!

Moving into your dream home can be a daunting task. Between unpacking, cleaning, and trying to find that stray roll of toilet paper, it may feel like you’ve lost your mind in a sea of Bubble Wrap.

That’s why I wanted to share with you five simple things that you should do during the first month in your new home. These may feel like back-burner tasks, but really, they’ll help you sleep better at night and make your new place feel less like a house and more like your home. 

When we moved into our dream house, we were tired, overwhelmed, and couldn’t remember where we put the sippy cups for our 10-month-old son. Plus, we had no idea what to do first! Of course, we cleaned and unpacked, but what next? 

This handful of to-do’s walks you through each of those tasks and why you should tackle them first and foremost. 

Let’s get to it!

#1 Lock It Up

Security is the No. 1 concern for most people in a new environment. You can easily switch out your locks and deadbolts to your new home to protect your valuables and your family.

Woman securing a front door lock
Image: Bower Power

Now’s the time to consider the lockset finish, and the options are endless. When it comes to exterior locks, make sure you choose something that looks timeless and can be cleaned easily.  

A new security system is also a good idea. The options for this are many as well. Systems with online monitoring, smartphone compatibility, thermostat control, and even video monitors for the interior including the baby nursery are super helpful. Even if that room is empty now, it might not be in the future – so go ahead and secure it!

#2 Remove Toilet Seats

Some folks may think it’s unnecessary to replace toilet seats, but my point here is to simply remove them. By removing your toilet seats, you can really deep clean under the bolts and hinges where the “yucks” like to hide. Your goal is to make sure your royal throne is YOU-worthy.

Woman standing in front of toilet seats on a wall
Image: Bower Power

You can reinstall your existing seat or opt to shop for a new one. New versions with night-lights, padding, or even child-sized attachments are available. Either way, you’ll know your favorite seat in the house is ready for your entire family.

#3 Improve Your Home’s Air

Changing an air filter is a three-minute task, and it should be done right after moving into a new home – even if the previous owners swear the chore was just done. Changing out a filter can help improve the performance of your air conditioning and furnace and help with any allergens in the home.

Man checking air filter
Image: Bower Power

This inexpensive fix can also save you money! The U.S. Department of Energy says that replacing your dirty air filter with a new one can lower your AC’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%. 

It’s a good idea to write the replacement date directly on the filter when you put it in so you can be sure you know how long it’s been since the last change. 

Also, take the time to test and change out batteries in all your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. These are often tested during inspections, but the batteries can die and tampered-with units aren’t uncommon, especially if a house was left vacant.

#4  Paint Your Front Door

Painting your front door (or freshening it with a coat of oil if it’s wood) can show your new neighbors you’ve arrived on the block and you’re investing in your home. This simple task is so easy!

Woman painting her front door green
Image: Bower Power

After you do proper prep work, which includes sanding the surface, make sure you pick an exterior-grade paint and use a high-quality bristle brush to give it multiple thin coats for the best coverage. It’s a great time to show off your personal style, and these days any color goes! 

Every day you walk in through your newly made-over door, you’ll feel welcomed into your new home and inspired to keep creating a space you love.

#5 Choose Your Signature Scent

Every house has a smell. You know what I’m talking about. It’s that “other people smell” that’s definitely not your own particular brand of aroma. Even if the smell isn’t bad, it just isn’t yours, and that makes you feel like an intruder in someone else’s space. Make your dream home even more dreamy by filling it with your signature scent.  

Don’t have a signature scent? Check out a candle store or the air-freshener aisle to peruse the options, and then regularly use your favorite in your new home. My favorite is a lemon-vanilla-rosemary mix that I let simmer all day on the stove; it fills every room of the house.

In homes that have particularly distressing “stanks,” try getting the carpets cleaned before moving in the furniture. It can eliminate the smell as well as remove allergens, dirt, and stains.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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6 DIY Fire Pits That’ll Make You Feel Oh-So-Warm

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Debbie Prosser

Not to mention, get you a nice ROI on your home’s value.

Friends having fun around a DIY fire pit
Image: SolStock/Getty

Don’t spend the whole summer planning your dream fire pit or there could be frost on the ground before it’s ready to roar. Start your DIY now and you won’t miss a single day of prime bonfire season.

Plus, there’s this: A pro-built fire pit costs about $4,500 with a return of about $3,500, according to the “Remodeling Impact Report” from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Now think of your return if you DIY it instead. (Here’s how to do it the money-saving way.)

Some ideas to motivate you:

#1 Old-Timey Rock Fire Pit

A rock fire pit with flame
Image: Greco Design Company

If you live near rocky terrain, you can forage for rocks and stack them into a pit that looks like it came from the 19th century, instead of from a big-box store kit.

#2 Koi Pond Turned Fire Pit

A koi pond converted into a backyard fire pit
Image: Lucy’s Lampshade

If you’ve decided the koi are more trouble than they’re worth, re-home them and turn the fish pond into a fire pit. Drain it, fill it with sand, and top with a layer of lava rock (or azure fire glass if you want to keep the look of water).

Use the money you save on fish food, algae killer, and chlorine remover to buy firewood and marshmallows.

#3 Easy-Peasy Tree Ring Pit

A clay-colored tree ring fire pit with flame
Image: By permission of Dewey Lindstrom

Want to DIY a fire pit, but would rather read software user agreements than spend a weekend stacking and mortaring?

Pick up some concrete tree rings, and you can make a fire pit in about an hour.

Stack the rings into an inner and outer wall. Use rings with a scalloped top so you can turn the top rings upside down and lock them with the bottom ones, Lego-style. Put landscaping rocks between them to make the fire pit sturdier.

And the genius hack: Use a small, round charcoal grill as a liner. Let the bonfire begin.

#4 A Great Big Seat by the Fire

A white sofa bench surrounding a DIY paver fire pit
Image: DIY fire pit sofa bench made by Keeping It Simple

If you’ve got a gaggle of friends, build modular wooden seating so there’s room for everybody around the fire. You’ll need to be handy with math and power tools to build this bench, but the fire pit’s a cinch: It’s made of dry-stack retaining wall blocks. That’s it.

If building benches with angled edges is above your pay grade, just buy some regular benches and arrange in a circle. You made the fire pit. That’s plenty.

#5 A Room With a View

A gravel patio with fire pit, flagstone path, comfy chairs
Image: Monika Davis

DIY Tip

For a gravel patio that’s easy on the feet, use decomposed granite or pea pebbles. Larger rocks are harder to walk on, and the kinds with sharp edges aren’t foot-friendly.

Why stop at a fire pit? Go for a full-on outdoor room in a cozy corner of the yard, with a gravel patio, flagstone path, comfy chairs, and side tables.

This fire pit is super simple: a hole lined with sand and ringed with dry stack pavers.

#6 New Fire Pit, Old Materials

A gray paver patio with fire pit
Image: Project done by Lehman Lane

Why buy new stuff when you may be able to scavenge perfectly good ones from your yard?

Got a paved path you don’t want? A patio that’s too big or in the wrong place? Pick up the stones and use them to make the fire pit you’re craving.

Nearly all of the materials in this fire pit and patio came from other hardscape features in the yard. Those benches? Salvaged wood beams from a razed building.

Scour Craigslist and other marketplaces for used pavers, flagstone, or salvaged wood you can use for a fire pit. Other people’s old stuff works, too.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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