Kitchen Cabinets Need a New Look? 7 Savvy Design Tips To Improve Your Storage Space

Jennifer Kelly Geddes | Realtor.com | Aug 26, 2021

Fresh paint and new hardware are perfectly fine kitchen cabinet upgrades. But when you want to rehab your cook space, there are plenty of design considerations beyond variations on beige paint samples or the shape of drawer pulls.

“The best design in any room incorporates how the space is going to be used,” says Karen Gray-Plaisted of Design Solutions KGP.

Follow this line of thinking to your kitchen cabinets, and then ask yourself whether you still need that dedicated drawer for sippy cups and melamine bowls—or if the spot might be better used for your current storage needs.

And when it comes to kitchen cabinet upgrades, don’t be swayed by every trend you spy on Instagram (we’re looking at you, open shelving!). Instead, be brave and try a new look with your kitchen storage that isn’t splashed all over the internet.

For some help in this endeavor, check out these seven design ideas to consider when you’re updating your kitchen cabinets.

1. Try two colors (instead of one)

Photo by Paper Moon Painting

Who says your cabinets have to be painted all the same shade? Don’t be afraid to use a two-tone color scheme, with a darker hue on the lower cabinets and a contrasting one above, say the pros.

“A deep green or blue paired with a lighter upper is a refreshing look,” says Gray-Plaisted.

2. Open up lower cabinets

Photo by SV Design

Many people flock to open shelving, or they remove their upper cabinet doors to expose their box storage. But revealing the lower cabinets is just as effective and can create an airy feeling in your kitchen.

And if you’ve ever rummaged around in a dark lower cabinet for a Bundt pan or rice cooker, you’ll save time and stress on your back with easy-access bottom cabinets.

Create theme storage by dedicating certain areas to particular needs—think baking dishes and mixing bowls in one section and egg pans and small skillets in another. (This is helpful for open shelving as well as closed cabinets!)

3. Reconsider your storage needs

Photo by Bakken Design Build 

Tastes change over time—and kids grow up and move away. Left in their wake may be storage and other cabinet solutions that don’t make sense anymore.

“Cubbies for wine or certain appliances may not be needed, so consider how you want to live right now and going forward,” says Marty Basher, an organization professional at Modular Closets.

For example, that roll-up, garage door–style cabinet for the standing mixer you’ve stopped using could be replaced with a tricked-out spot for a cappuccino maker. Or the messy dog food bags that live under the sink could finally be stored properly in a pet-feeding station.

4. Skip paint—and add veneer

Photo by Cronos Design 

To rehab kitchen cabinets, you don’t always have to slap on new paint. You might sand and stain these areas instead. Or you could update the wood in a whole other way with new veneer.

“Veneer comes in lots of colors and styles, and it’s actually something you can DIY,” says Basher.

And even if you don’t want to completely cover your cabinets with veneer, you could use it as accent trim, he adds.

5. Pick interesting glass

Ho-hum glass-front cabinets again. Or are they? Look closer, and you’ll notice that these kitchen boxes don’t hew to the same style you see in everyone’s house. Check out the different options for this look, including fluted, wavy, or frosted panels, says Gray-Plaisted.

Bonus: With glass that obscures the insides of your cabinets, you won’t have to work as hard to stack and arrange your cups and bowls every time you empty the dishwasher.

6. Try chicken wire, cork, or chalkboard cabinet faces

Photo by Case Design/Remodeling of Indianapolis

Glass isn’t the only choice when updating your kitchen cabinets. Chicken wire is an unexpected surprise on the fronts as it offers a glimpse of your pretty plates as well as infusing the whole room with a farmhouse vibe.

Or go for cork or chalkboard as inserts on cabinet faces. With handy surfaces like these, you can pin up notices, announce the evening’s dinner menu, or make a to-do list.

7. Consider stand-alone storage

Photo by Davonpor

Sometimes upgrading your kitchen cabinets means adding a separate piece of furniture. A free-standing pantry or larder is an ideal solution for a corner space, whether you buy one just for this purpose or rehab an old china chest or curio cabinet. And if you choose the two-tone theme mentioned previously, you might continue it by painting this item one shade on the outside and a brighter, more exciting hue within.

Jennifer Kelly Geddes creates content for WhatToExpect.com, the National Sleep Foundation, American Airlines Vacations, Oxo, and Mastercard.
For all things home and family, follow us on FB and IG at @carealestategroup.com

Larissa Runkle | Realtor.com | Aug 17, 2021

Do your garden plants look droopy and sad, crispy and withered, or munched on by countless pests.  Whatever the issue is, we may just have the troubleshooting solution. After chatting with experienced gardeners about the most common reasons behind unhappy plants, we’re here to help you mediate and give them a new take on life.

1. Move that plant!

One of the biggest reasons newly planted specimens are unhappy is simply that they’re in the wrong spot. Fortunately, if you can figure out what it is they need (e.g., more shade or more sun), it’s easy enough to move them, especially while they’re still relatively small.

“Every plant has specific demands for sunlight, and you have to fulfill them,” says botanist and gardener Ronnie Collins, of Electro Garden Tools. “Plants that need a lot of sunlight may refuse to bloom or may grow low if there’s too much shade for them during the day.

“On the contrary, shade-loving plants can simply get buried under excessive sunlight,” he adds.

Do some research or talk to your local gardening experts (nurseries are a great resource) for help deciding what kind of spot would make your plant happiest. Then get out the trowel and carefully transplant it to its new home.

2. Give your garden a good, long drink

If location isn’t the issue—and your plants are looking droopy and sad—it might be that they’re simply underwatered.

Another telltale sign of an underwatered plant: It refuses to flower or isn’t growing to its full potential.

“Plants need water for their metabolic processes,” says gardener and musician Tony Grenier, of Instrumental Global. “Both respiration and photosynthesis need water. If plants don’t have enough water, they won’t be able to perform these processes and they will die.”

Don’t make the mistake so many new gardeners do of thinking those daily light rain showers are enough, especially if your unhappy plants are in pots. Go ahead and give your sad-looking plants a good, long drink, then come up with a more rigorous watering schedule and stick to it.

3. Amend your soil

Having healthy, nutrient-rich, well-draining soil is a huge factor in the success of your plants. So don’t be surprised if you just plop a plant into the ground without amending (i.e., improving) your soil only to find it isn’t happy.

“Soil is the second most important factor after the sun,” says Collins. “If the soil lacks essential nutrients, the sun isn’t likely to fix the situation. The best solution you can make is to balance out the nutrients in the soil every time you want to plant something new.”

If you’re not sure what to do, try ordering soil analysis with your local lab or nursery, and restore what’s lacking with the right fertilizer. In most cases, you’ll need a balanced organic fertilizer to enrich tired soil.

4. Stop pests and disease

When you’re dealing with disease or pests, it usually presents itself fairly clearly. For pests, plants will look eaten or may have chunks missing from leaves—or flowers and vegetables could entirely disappear overnight.

If, on the other hand, you’re dealing with a diseased plant, the leaves might be mottled, withered, or otherwise discolored.

“Spraying pesticides might seem like the most obvious solution, but it will also kill entire colonies of beneficial insects,” says Collins. “Most garden plants have specific pests and diseases. All of them have particular signs. Once you identify the problem, choose the gentlest solution to start, as you always want to save pollinators and other beneficials.”

For larger pests like squirrels and deer, try creating a perimeter around your garden, which includes fragrant plants they tend to dislike. Then spray (downwind, dear gardener) all your tasty plants with a product like Liquid Fence.

5. Be sure you’re planting for the right hardiness zone

Sometimes, everything is hunky-dory in a garden until the first winter season comes and goes. If this is your very first summer as a gardener, you’ll want to be sure you’re planting things that can survive the winter at your house (i.e., plants suitable for your hardiness zone).

“The environmental conditions for each hardiness zone differ, especially if the numbers are very different from each other,” says Grenier. “That means that a plant thriving in hardiness zone 8 to 10 will most likely not survive in zone 6. Though there are some exceptions, most plants won’t be able to survive because their mechanisms are built for certain climatic conditions.”

Learn your hardiness zone, and create a garden around plants that thrive in it. That way, you’ll give your garden the best possible chance of coming back healthy and happy, year after year.

Larissa Runkle divides her time between a cabin in the San Juan Mountains and traveling in a converted van with her partner and pup. She writes for finance, real estate, and lifestyle publications, and is also at work on several fiction projects.

7 Living Room Improvements That’ll Help Sell Your Home for More Money

By Lauren Sieben | Realtor.com | Jul 19, 2021

The kitchen may be the heart of the home, but the living room is the hub. It’s where everyone convenes to relax and enjoy quality time with each other (or with the TV). If you’re preparing to list your house, you need to go the extra mile to help prospective new owners see your living room’s full potential.

Today’s buyers expect spaces that are equal parts inviting and updated. We spoke with real estate experts around the country to learn about the living room fixes that can help you attract top dollar in today’s housing market.

1. Let the light in


Photo by Martha O’Hara Interiors
Forget moody color palettes and heavy window treatments in the living room.

“Buyers want to see homes that are bright, spacious, and inviting, with natural light,” says Tamara Moritz, a Realtor® at Coldwell Banker Realty in Austin, TX. “I always advise my clients to thin out these rooms, open all the blinds and remove darker solar screens, to invite more natural light into the home.”

One of the best living room upgrades to make before you list is new light fixtures, Moritz adds—you can’t go wrong with something bright and simple.

Donna Incorvaja, a Realtor associate and licensed broker at RelatedISG Realty in South Florida, agrees: “The living room should be balanced with a neutral, light, color palette, which will make it easier for the buyers to visualize themselves and their style in your home.”

2. Neutralize the wall colors


Photo by Lauren Smyth
At this point, it should go without saying: A fresh coat of paint in a neutral color works wonders to freshen up a dated space and help buyers see its possibilities. White or off-white is a perennial safe bet, but it’s not your only option.

“Buyers in my area are still loving light gray,” says Tracy Jones, a real estate agent with Re/Max Platinum in Sarasota, FL, and Re/Max Oak Crest Realty in Elkhart, IN. “It’s a safe choice for sellers, as it appeals to almost everyone, and sellers can use bold colors to accent with.”

3. Open up the space

If it’s within your budget or skill set to create an open floor in the living room, this project is worth the effort.

“Sellers can remove walls if possible, and barriers such as pony walls,” says Suzi Dailey with Realty ONE Luxe in Dana Point, CA. “Sometimes, near the front door, you see false walls to create a foyer, but removing excess walls is a popular trend today, and it bears good fruit.”

Today’s buyers aren’t interested in their grandma’s stuffy living rooms, so don’t let old-school conventions limit your vision for an open space.

“Formal living rooms are more uncommon nowadays,” Incorvaja says. “It’s very important that the main living room is big and open enough for the whole family to gather together.”

4. Streamline and stage thoughtfully

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Photo by Attractive Interiors Home Staging
Once you’ve opened up your space, don’t let a busy room full of furniture and tchotchkes detract from the appeal.

“One of the best tips to increase the living room’s appeal is to declutter furniture,” Incorvaja says. “Keeping the decoration simple and staged well helps buyers visualize their furniture in the home.”

If you’re not sure how to scale back, choose just a few focal pieces to anchor the room.

“I always recommend keeping it simple, with a great piece of art—it doesn’t have to be expensive. A nice plant, and just a few pieces of furniture,” Dailey says.

5. Remove dingy carpeting and replace with wood or tile flooring


Photo by LL Flooring
Old carpeting is an instant turn-off to prospective buyers.

“Renovations that definitely add value to a home include tile or wood flooring,” Incorvaja says.

If you don’t have the budget for brand-new hardwoods, don’t despair.

“Wood-look vinyl is not only affordable but easy to maintain, and has become an appealing option in lots of price points,” Moritz says.

In some parts of the country, tile is even preferable to wood flooring.

“In Florida, tile is always a popular choice,” Jones says. “Homeowners have been opting for tile that looks like wood. It doesn’t scratch, and holds up well to kids, pets, and wet feet coming in from the pool.”

Whatever you choose, resist the temptation to replace old carpet with new carpet.

“Replacing carpet is not money well spent,” Dailey says. “Most buyers would prefer engineered wood.”

6. Show the room’s versatility


Photo by CM Natural Designs
Pre-pandemic, a living room might primarily have served as a hangout spot. These days, it probably pulls double duty as a gym, office or classroom.

“These rooms have evolved into multipurpose rooms that are being furnished to accommodate offices or virtual classrooms during the day, and media rooms or game rooms in the evenings,” Moritz says.

You can set up a nook with a desk and laptop in the living room, or take advantage of extra living spaces like sunrooms or large foyers to stage different options for multipurpose spaces.

“If a rec room is in the basement, use the lack of windows to your advantage,” Dailey says.

She suggests creating “a media/theater/virtual reality type of room, or a hip gym.”

7. Incorporate extra shelving or storage


Photo by John Lum Architecture, Inc. AIA
Storage is always a bonus for buyers, especially in a living room where they may want to hide away blankets, toys, or electronics.

“When there are interesting angles or niches, I recommend adding built-in shelving with lights and accent paint color, to add interest to a room,” Moritz says. “These touches don’t cost a lot, but add character and interest to buyers.”

Don’t overlook dead space around the house that could be transformed into storage.

“If there is an entry staircase, adding a cut-in under the stairs for shelves creates an appealing use of what would otherwise be a blank wall,” Moritz adds.

Lauren Sieben is a writer in Milwaukee. Her work has appeared in the Guardian, Washington Post, Milwaukee Magazine, and other outlets.
Emily Fazio | HGTV | December 7, 2020

We get it – your bathroom showerhead is one of those spots in the home you’d expect to be somewhat self-cleaning, but it does need some routine upkeep to look new and function at full capacity. It may not come into contact with much besides water and soap, but cleansing the showerhead helps to treat hard water build-up and keep soap scum at bay. Mineral deposits like limescale in your water supply can create blockages in the holes through which water passes, reducing the power of the jet or entirely clogging it. Time to get those micro-jets clean and improve your overall showering experience.

Dirty showerhead in a bathroom.

Materials Needed

  • pitcher
  • gallon-size plastic bag
  • 1/2 cup of baking soda
  • 4 cups of white vinegar
  • 1 cup of water
  • zip ties or rubber bands

Inspect Showerhead

Start by checking out your showerhead closely. Turn on the water, and identify which water holes seem plugged when the shower is running. Make sure those affected holes are completely submerged while cleaning.

Mix Cleaner

Place the gallon-size plastic bag, open, inside the pitcher, and fold the edges of the bag around the outside of the container. This helps to keep it upright. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the bag.

1 cup of baking soda in a plastic bag.

Slowly pour the vinegar into the bag. Emphasis on slow! This isn’t meant to be a science experiment, but we guarantee that you’ll enjoy witnessing the bubbly reaction. Without causing the bag to overflow, continue adding the vinegar until it’s fully mixed and settled. Add 1 cup of water to dilute the mixture.

Baking soda and vinegar interacting in a container.

Submerge Showerhead

The size and angle of your showerhead makes this next step a bit of a challenge to direct universally. Best-case scenario, you’ll be able to angle the showerhead downwards and fully submerge every single water jet into the bubbly cleaner, securely tying the bag around the neck of the showerhead. A removable showerhead or two-in-one design might call for a little extra work in order to get all of the jets soaked in cleaner. You’ll see that I took the handheld attachment of the showerhead out of the fixture and soaked it separately in a bowl on the floor of the shower.

Showerhead wand in a plastic bag for cleaning.

A zip tie is a very secure way to attach the bag around the neck of your showerhead. You can also use a rubber band if you’re able to wrap it well and keep the bag in place. Be mindful of the bag’s weight, too; if you have a small showerhead, you may want to reduce the amount of cleaner weighing down your fixture. (Just pour any excess onto the floor of the bathtub or shower and give the area a good washing while you’re at it.)

Allow the showerhead to soak in the cleaner for four hours, or even overnight.

Plastic bag with cleaner secured around a showerhead.

Wipe Down Showerhead Surface

When you remove the bag, pour the liquid down the drain and turn the water back on to see if any of the previously clogged jets have opened up. If your showerhead produced a low water pressure prior to cleaning, you might notice a big difference now.
Use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe down the surface of the showerhead gently to wash away any remaining build-up or residue on the metal or plastic. Soap residue and hard water spots should be completely gone, and your shower should be good to use again, so have at it.

Remember to clean your bathroom showerhead.

Routine Cleaning

For routine cleaning, keep some diluted vinegar in a spray bottle — no baking soda necessary. You can keep build-up at bay by spraying and wiping down the showerhead during your regular cleaning process, reducing the number of times you need to do a deep soaking treatment.

For more home maintenance tips, follow us on FB/IG @carealestategroup

By Margaret Heidenry | Realtor.com | Jul 7, 2021

We all have junk drawers. And we all have various junk floating around closets and garages we know we need to get rid of.

And on top of those piles of junk, many of us also have certain items we straight up keep—and add to—without even thinking about it. But sometimes this habit can ultimately lead to an unfortunate (mild to moderate) case of hoarding.

Do you have this problem? I certainly do. And some of the odd things I can’t seem to throw away are shared by others—and listed below. Read on to find out some weird things people hoard and how to purge them if you do the same.

1. Tons of totes

The No. 1 thing people seem to hoard? “Free tote bags,” says Marissa Hagmeyer, co-founder of the NEAT Method, a nationwide professional organizing company. “I frequently find an entire closet or pantry floor full of them.”

Hagmeyer encourages her clients to pare down their collection to only a few totes.

“I ask them to realistically think about how many totes they can use at one time,” she explains.

The remaining tote bags are donated or used to carry other donations to a drop-off center. But the best strategy for getting rid of tote bags is not accepting free ones in the first place.

“Just say no,” says Hagmeyer.

2. Ancient paperwork

“I see plenty of clients hoarding old paperwork and receipts,” says David Aylor, CEO of South Carolina’s David Aylor Law Offices.

Some paperwork—such as old tax returns and financial records—is necessary to keep, at least semi-permanently. But when you’re holding on to a 20-year-old receipt for a computer that you don’t own anymore? It’s time to purge.

Pay stubs and monthly financial statements need to clutter your desk for only a year. And toss utility bills after one month.

“Keep taxes and supporting financial records for seven years, then shred them to protect your sensitive financial information,” says Aylor.

3. Buttons, buttons, buttons

“I like to hoard buttons,” admits Setlla from Gobadtips.com, a website dedicated to food storage and spoilage. “I think they’re cute and I find nifty little boxes to store them in.”

But the truth is, those cute little buttons can pile up. For Setlla, the button brigade became overwhelming and she had to figure out a way to winnow the herd.

“Now I use the buttons to make small handmade objects such as embellishments for woolen dolls, button paintings, or on earrings,” she says.

4. Plastic shopping bags

James Crawford, co-founder of the shopping voucher website DealDrop.com, recalls helping an elderly relative move to a nursing home.

“My job was clearing her house,” he explains. “She was always a tidy person, and it should have been straightforward.”

So Crawford wasn’t prepared when he found a home crammed full of plastic shopping bags.

“Everywhere I looked—in every room, in the garage, in the attic, under beds, in every cupboard—there were thousands of plastic shopping bags neatly folded away.”

Crawford found a charity that took the bags to use in its shops. And a classified ad he placed led to a crafts group taking some for an art project.

“But I often wondered why my relative didn’t just buy a reusable shopping bag,” he adds.

5. Pens and pencils

“I know, I know, pens are always handy to have,” says Marty Basher, organization and decluttering expert with Modular Closets.

We all have had a time when we really needed a writing implement but didn’t have one. That said, no one needs enough pens or pencils to supply an entire school.

To purge pens, Basher advises testing each one to see if it works. Throw away any that don’t. If you still have more than a large cup can hold, donate any you got as a giveaway or don’t like.

For pencils, toss broken or stubby ones. If they’re mechanical pencils, chuck any that are out of lead or erasers.

6. Mugs

You’re at a store and you see the cutest mug in the world. You buy it, take it home, and realize your mug shelf is already stuffed—with the world’s cutest mugs.

“Go through your collection, and set aside any that have nostalgic value or are your absolute favorites,” advises Basher. Give away or donate the rest of the mugs.

“If you can’t part with enough mugs to make a dent, repurpose some into small planters,” adds Basher. “Simply drill a small drainage hole into the bottom.”

7. Takeout containers

“The weirdest thing I’ve hoarded are plastic takeout containers,” admits James Jennings, creative manager of Home Garden HQ, one of the United Kingdom’s top home gardening sites.

Think: disposable plastic cups, boxes, bowls, lids, deli containers, and sushi trays.

Yet Jennings has a creative way to purge.

“As a master gardener, I use plastic containers as pots for my seedlings and grow some of my plants in them,” he explains. “This way, I turn my hoarding addiction into a recycling endeavor.”

8. Condiments

 

“I have yet to go to someone’s house, look through their condiments, and not find at least three expired ones,” says Basher.

Other common problems: a fridge door crammed with 10 types of mustard or a jam jar with a half-teaspoon left.

To unburden your fridge, go through all your condiments and check the expiration dates. If they’re old or mostly empty, trash them. If you have some that are unopened and not expired, donate them to a food pantry.

Margaret Heidenry is a writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, and Boston Magazine.

For more home maintenance tips, follow us on FB/IG @carealestategroup

Among the top home maintenance items that are overlooked is garage door maintenance. It’s one of those things we assume will work forever or smoothly until our neighbors start waking up to the squeaking, creaking, and squealing every time we come home late! So, here are five simple steps to ensure your garage doors stay operating smoothly (and quietly).

The whole process, which experts recommend to do monthly, should only take a few minutes, and it’ll help ensure that our garage doors stay in good working condition for a long time.

We found that applying the 3-IN-ONE Garage Door Lube (Home Depot, $6) made everything noticeable quieter as soon as it was applied, which is a win all around.

By Ana Durrani | Jun 24, 2021 | Realtor.com

You might be gazing out at your backyard and thinking it’s seen better days. Sure, the past year was tough on all of us—and even your backyard may be showing battle wounds.

But does fixing up your outdoor space really need to be a big financial commitment?

The American Society of Landscape Architects recommends homeowners budget the cost of a major landscaping project at 5% to 10% of the value of their home. And if you have that much to spend, god bless. But whether it’s a whole outside concept or a revamp of the patio, renovating your yard doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or be too time-consuming.

To get started, use these clever design tricks to transform your basic yard and make it look like you had it professionally done.

1. Define your spaces

“Cleary defined spaces in your backyard will give your yard dimension and purpose,” says Matt Blashaw, TV host and licensed contractor. “This is why designing a yard is so hard to do for some people. In a home, the spaces are already defined for you, but outside you have to organize those spaces and add all of the features.”

For example, define an outdoor sitting area by gathering a few all-weather chairs, facing them inward. Add an outdoor coffee table in the middle.

Blashaw says he also likes to use an outdoor area rug under a dining table and chairs to define the space and add color and texture to the yard.

Clearly defining an outdoor kitchen space doesn’t have to break the bank either.

“Place a kitchen cart topped with butcher block behind the chef to add more workspace and perfectly define your outdoor kitchen,” he says.

2. Create a garden path


Photo by Living Space Landscapes | Add a meandering path to give a more polished look to an otherwise untamed space.

“I love bringing old brick or stone pathways that have been overrun by weeds back to life,” says Blashaw.

He uses Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer ($8, Home Depot) to eliminate weeds in between bricks and stones and breathe life cost-effectively into walkways.

You can also lay a new path with gravel, pavers, or concrete slabs.

“One of my favorite pathways is made from a decomposed granite mix with polymeric sand,” says Blashaw. “Create the pathway by installing thick lawn bender board, add the decomposed granite, compact with either a hand tamper or plate compactor, then lightly mist with a water. In a few hours the surface will harden giving you a very solid surface.”

3. Add some paint

Consider painting the back of your house a different color than the other three sides.

“Painting the back of the house has been one of my most cost-effective backyard renovation tricks for many years. Sometimes it takes me a little while to convince a homeowner to do it, but when they do, it makes an instant impact to the yard,” says Blashaw.

He recommends imagining the back of your house as an accent wall for the house. Choose a wall color that coordinates with the rest of the house’s exterior color scheme. And be sure to take into account the landscaping in your yard so you don’t clash. For example, a back wall painted green in a yard with heavy foliage will get lost.

“A lighter color will brighten a space and make your existing backyard elements stand out,” Blashaw says.

4. Think vertically

Chiminea (Terrain)

Switch up your perspective and add some vertical elements to your backyard.

If your backyard has a large, flat lawn, add some dimension by bringing in a colorful glazed pot with some colorful annuals planted inside, Blashaw says. “This will give you color even during the winter.”

You can also add a birdbath ($125, CB2), a geometric chiminea ($528, Terrain), a trio of planters ($129+, Frontgate), or a hanging garden wall ($24.95, Amazon).

5. Mulch it up

By laying like-colored mulch on all flowerbeds and exposed soil in your backyard, you can give your space a finished, unified look, experts say.

“Adding mulch to your garden beds is one of the most important things you can do for the health of your plants and soil,” says Aaron Lynn-Vogel, horticulture answer service coordinator for the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Lynn-Vogel says several studies have shown that mulching can conserve water, reduce weeds, prevent soil compaction, and increase soil fertility.

“I describe mulch as ‘the paint of landscape.’ It’s a very inexpensive way to make your planter look brand-new,” says Blashaw. “I personally love a good cedar mulch. It lasts longer, has amazing color, and it smells great.”

Anayat Durrani is a freelance education reporter for U.S. News and World Report. Her work has been featured in Military Officer, California Lawyer, the American Scholar, and PracticeLink magazines.

For more home maintenance tips, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @carealestategroup.

By Ana Durrani| Realtor.com | Jun 21, 2021

Hummingbirds have long been considered a symbol of joy and happiness and are said to bring good luck and positive energy to those who encounter them. So why not keep the good vibes going by creating a hummingbird hangout in your garden that can ensure these beautiful creatures return year after year?

“Adding a hummingbird-friendly spot in your garden, with a foundation of native plants, is an amazing way to support local wildlife and the broader natural environment,” says David Bryant, manager of campaigns and engagement at California Native Plant Society. “You’ll be rewarded with gorgeous floral displays, the beauty of these winged visitors, and a deeper sense of connection to the place you call home.”

Building a haven for hummingbirds is not as complicated as it sounds. By providing the basics like water, shelter, and colorful flowers, “you will be rewarded with the company of these wonderful wild birds,” says David Salman, chief horticulturist for High Country Gardens.

To begin, experts at Wilson Bros Gardens suggest creating a curved, narrow flower bed in an open area so that hummingbirds will have access to the flowering blooms from all sides. They also suggest planting your hummingbird garden near a deck, patio, or porch, or outside a window.

Here are a few other steps to take to bring the hummingbirds to you.

Pick a variety of plants and flowers

To help support the full life cycle of hummingbirds, experts recommend planting native flowering plants, vines, shrubs, and trees.

“Native plants like trumpet honeysuckle, bee balm, and hummingbird sage are just a few of the nectar-providing options that hummingbirds are attracted to,” says John Rowden, senior director for bird-friendly communities at the National Audubon Society.

Gardeners can use Audubon’s native plants database to find what plants are best for their local area.

“If you have space, it’s ideal to provide a variety of plants. Grouping similar plants together and choosing species with different blooming periods will help ensure that there is a steady supply of flowers and nectar,” says Rowden. “If done deliberately, you can support hummingbirds year-round—if you’re lucky enough to have them throughout the year.”

Katrina Godshalk for High Country Gardens says nectar-rich perennials are a good choice to plant in your hummingbird garden. She also endorses the practice of organic gardening methods, which can eliminate and restrict the use of chemical herbicides and pesticides.

Cultivate a natural ecosystem with insects

Hummers love sipping flower nectar, but did you know they eat insects, too?

An important part of an adult hummingbird’s diet is small spiders and insects, says Rowden, “and young hummingbirds still in the nest are almost exclusively fed on those protein-rich foods.”

To encourage spiders and insects in your hummingbird garden, Rowden says to make sure your yard has insect-pollinated flowers, hummingbird-pollinated plants, and native plants.

Provide a perch

Hummingbirds like their perches and spend up to 80% of the day sitting on one.

Salman says conifers, shade trees, and taller shrubs can create a sheltered perch “where the hummingbirds can rest, build nests, and safely survey their garden domain.”

“Leaving some sticks and small branches on bushes and trees will provide perches for hummingbirds,” says Rowden. He says it’s also important to place some in more sheltered spots hidden from the view of predators.

“Hummingbirds use bits of spider web, insect cocoons, and other lacy material to construct their nests,” says Bryant. “Be sure to leave some cobwebs in the nooks of tree branches and shrubs for hummingbirds to utilize.”

Gardeners can place bunches of dryer lint in the branches for nest-building.

Have plentiful water sources

Photo by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

A water feature with a splashing fountain or dripper will also get the attention of hummingbirds.

“Hummingbirds like to bathe frequently—even in the pools of droplets that collect on leaves,” says Rowden. “Provide a constant source of water in your yard.”

Hummingbirds prefer water sources that drip or spray, Salman says—such as a fountain with multiple tiers that drip or a very low–volume mist nozzle attached to a branch or tree trunk. Make sure to put the mist nozzle or fountain in the open, “away from hiding spots where cats can hide and ambush the birds,” he says.

Consider feeder placement

Get ready to bird-watch once you hang a feeder! But remember, the location of the feeder is very important.

“Hummingbirds are territorial and will protect their nectar sources. Hang several feeders far enough apart that the hummingbirds cannot see one another; this will prevent one bird from dominating the rest,” says Rowden.

He also recommends hanging feeders in the shade to prevent the nectar from spoiling quickly. He notes that cleanliness is important with feeders, too.

“Be sure to change the nectar regularly, every few days,” says Rowden. “If it gets cloudy, it is spoiled.”

Clean feeders with a solution of one part white vinegar to four parts water about once a week, and rinse the feeder with warm water three times before refilling it.

Anayat Durrani is a freelance education reporter for U.S. News and World Report. Her work has been featured in Military Officer, California Lawyer, the American Scholar, and PracticeLink magazines.

By Erica Sweeney | Realtor.com | May 24, 2021

Moving is the perfect opportunity to declutter, jettisoning the dead weight of your unneeded stuff before you haul it into your new home.

Yet while the very best time to cut your losses is before you pack your things, unpacking is another prime opportunity to edit your belongings, too.

It could easily come in handy, especially if you packed in a frenzy, without fully considering what to keep or toss, or if you hired movers to pack up everything for you.

So if you’re ready to wipe the slate clean, here’s how to declutter while unpacking—and how this strategy helped with my own most recent move.

Unpack room by room, starting with the essentials

“Don’t unpack a little bit here or a little bit there,” says Megan Ludvinsky, a professional organizer and owner of About Space in Little Rock, AR. “It’s much better to have one room fully unpacked than three rooms a quarter of the way unpacked.”

Ludvinsky recommends starting with essential items, like bedding, toiletries, medications, a coffeemaker, or whatever else you need for the first day in a new place. Pack these in a way that you can find them easily.

Keep purging as you unpack

Even if you thought you did a lot of sifting as you were packing, you’re sure to find more that you don’t need or want as you unpack.

“You definitely want to kind of ruthlessly edit everything that’s coming out of the box,” Ludvinsky says.

She suggests setting aside some empty boxes and tossing in items you don’t want, before you put them away. Then, take them to a donation center.

This tactic worked wonders for me in a recent move: As we were unpacking, my husband and I found several things that we realized that we no longer wanted or that didn’t work in our new home, so we donated them before they took up permanent residence.

Separate items by general category, then zero in

When unpacking, work “macro and go to micro,” Ludvinsky recommends.

In other words, group like items together, think about where they should go, and put them in a tentative place.

“They don’t have to be arranged in a beautiful manner yet. You just want to get all your plates together and cups and glasses together, and so on,” Ludvinsky says.

This helps the unpacking take shape, and gets all the boxes out of the way, so you can get a sense of living with the items in those spots. As you put things where you think you want them, don’t feel that the spot has to be permanent. It’s OK to change it up if it’s not working.

“Then you really start to hone in on the micro,” Ludvinsky suggests, like putting silverware in the silverware tray or arranging dishes in a logical way.

This was a key stage of the unpacking process for us. We randomly hung our clothes in closets and dumped boxes of shoes on the closet floor to get them out of the way.

Later, I fine-tuned everything, hanging dresses with dresses and sweaters together, and bought boxes to organize the shelves in the closet.

I grouped types of clothing together and added shoe drawers and bins to the shelves, so that I can see everything. (Erica Sweeney)

In the kitchen, we tossed pots, pans, spatulas, and wooden spoons in the cupboards and drawers near the stove. Once we decided the items were staying put, we added cork liners and trays to the drawers and arranged the cabinets definitively, so we could easily grab what we needed.

Use organizers to cut clutter

After you’ve found a home for all your items, it’s time to get sort everything out for good. Examine each closet, cupboard and drawer to size up what kinds of trays, boxes, or other tools can help make things easier to access visually.

“It’s going to just look neater and make your whole area much more cohesive,” says Ludvinsky, explaining that adding organizational tools is part of the “micro” stage of organizing and unpacking.

She also suggests getting trays and boxes that match, if possible.

We spent a small fortune on trays, bins and other organizers, but it was worth every cent. The organizers designate a place for everything, so that it can easily be returned there. More than a year later, this has kept the spaces from becoming junky.

We added a tray like this to every drawer in the kitchen, to keep things from getting cluttered. (Erica Sweeney)

Put things back where they go

To get everyone used to where different items live, Ludvinsky recommends sticking a note to the outside of a cabinet or drawer, listing its contents. Leaving them in place for a couple of weeks will help everyone to remember both where things go and to put them away in the right place.

Giving everything its own spot and always returning an item to that spot are essential for a clutter-free home.

“It prevents things like a colander from ending up with the dinner plates, and also helps family members develop automatic responses to finding and storing necessities,” Ludvinsky says.

We didn’t label our cupboards after unpacking, but it would have been a big help in getting used to where things go. Labeling would have made tasks like unloading the dishwasher and putting away laundry a little easier after we just moved in.

Bins keep the contents of the pantry fairly neat and orderly. (Erica Sweeney )

Erica Sweeney is a writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Parade, HuffPost, Business Insider, Money, and other publications.

For more home maintenance tips, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @carealestategroup

4th of July Festivities

From festivals and fireworks to Independence Day parades, here are the best 4th of July events for your entire family.

** Due to possible last minute changes to times & locations to the events below, we encourage you to click on the link of the event holder (or contact the host city) to get the most updated information.

Events in Orange County (smaller cities and events included)

Events throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties

Events throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Ventura Counties

Events all along the California Coast

 

For all things home & family, follow us on FB/IG @carealestategroup

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