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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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Stylish Patio Updates for the 2019 Spring and Summer Seasons

Does your new year's resolution list include updating your landscaping and patio? If so, you're in luck for 2019! This year there are several creative and visually appealing ways to take a dull patio and make it the best place in your home to relax. If you're already dreaming of sunny spring afternoons lounging outside with a good book, why not get the planning process started as soon as possible? Try these three exciting patio update ideas to make yours even better for any season.

Fire pits are often easily installed and can be custom designed to keep up with the aesthetic of your landscape. If you love spending clear starry evenings on your patio, a fire pit will take your enjoyment to the next level throughout the year.

Enjoy the Outdoors in Your Home

One of the trendiest patio updates for 2018 is installing folding glass doors along the exterior wall leading to the patio. This new entryway will seamlessly fold out for summer entertaining and collapse back into your home for colder months. With this, you will be able to enjoy a stunning view of your patio and outdoor landscaping throughout the year at any time of day. This type of patio update is also exciting for anyone who loves throwing the windows all year long. Instead of only cracking open a window or two, you'll be able to fully enjoy the breeze of any season by opening up numerous glass doors.

Invest in Better Furniture

Patio furniture sometimes has a bad reputation, as so much of it is made from flimsy plastic and only designed to sit outside. However, with the new year there are countless new designs of patio furniture on the market that will seriously upgrade your patio for the upcoming months. Make this part of your home even warmer by investing in outdoor-friendly throw pillows, loveseats, benches, and even side tables. Many of these pieces are now made with weatherproof materials that are more durable throughout the seasons than plastic, and the best patio furniture is furniture that you can leave outside without worry.

Add a Fire Pit

On a perfect summer or fall night, fire pits are the single best way to entertain outdoors under the stars. With a new fire pit, you'll be able to savor the evenings outside and enjoy make s'mores with your guests. Fire pits are often easily installed and can be custom designed to keep up with the aesthetic of your landscape. If you love spending clear starry evenings on your patio, a fire pit will take your enjoyment to the next level throughout the year.

Professional Landscape and Hardscape Design for Your Home

Rhine Landscaping has the tools to make your yard beautiful throughout the year, so trust us with all of your landscaping and poolscaping needs. We have the expertise and knowledge to complete any and all of the landscaping projects on your list. For more information about our services, visit us online or give us a call at (410) 442-2445. For more tips on how to keep your yard and pool looking great year round, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Houzz.

The post Stylish Patio Updates for the 2019 Spring and Summer Seasons appeared first on Rhine Landscaping.

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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Crochet Cat Bed- How to Make a Cat Bed with Chunky Crochet

You kitties will love this crochet cat bed made with super-soft chunky yarn. This free cat bed pattern can be completed in just an hour. All you need is thick yarn from the craft store and a giant crochet needle. This crochet cat bed is a purrr-fect project for beginner crocheters. Read on to learn how to make one yourself!

Crochet Cat Bed

Hey Gnomies,

Today I'm sharing a cute cat bed that I made for my mom and dad's kitties. The cute cat you see above is Flo and she is the sweetest little cat. For this project I used the Ginormous (actual name) yarn from Michaels and a gigantic crochet hook.

Giant yarn for crochet cat bed

This cat bed uses a similar pattern to the crochet face scrubbie I shared recently.

The thing I love about crochet is that once you have learned some of the basic stitches, you can come up with all sorts of cool projects just by modifying the patterns that you already know.

Supplies for crochet cat bed:

1 skein of Ginormous yarn

1 giant crochet hook

I bought the yarn and hook at Michaels. They had an area in the store devoted to the giant yarn, crochet and knitting supplies over the holidays but you can purchase it through my amazon link below:

.The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for being part of Crafty Little Gnome

Giant Crochet Yarn

Buy It Now

Giant Crochet Hook

buy it now

You may also like: Diy Dog Proof Litter Box

Directions for crochet cat bed:

Chain two and double crochet 5 times into the first chain.

Slip stitch and chain two.

Double crochet into each of the chains.

Once your work your way around, slip stitch and chain two again.

Double crochet into each of the chains.

Repeat rows until the bottom of the cat bed is as wide as you would like it. I made mine just over 12 inches.

Next, instead of crocheting twice into each stitch, just double crochet once. This will give the bed “sides” and make it taller instead of continuing to get wider.

Once it's tall enough, about 3 rows high, finish off the top edge with single crochet.

You may also like: DIY Dog Dry Shampoo

If you need help with the crochet stitches, here is a video I found on YouTube to help you out:

youtube

finished crochet cat bed

At first I was concerned that the cat bed would not be big enough, then I remembered that cats like to jam themselves into tiny boxes and other small spaces. If you aren't sure, err on the side of making it too small. That will be sure to attract your favorite cat.

This is my old cat Mylo. This picture is about 10 years old. Way back in the day when I lived in my old apartment he decided my file folder was a great place to take a nap.

DIY Crochet Cat Bed Q&A:

How do you know what size crochet hook to use?

Use the hook size recommended in your crochet pattern. Always check your gauge with a swatch. Change to a smaller hook if your stitches are too loose or a larger hook if they are too tight.

How do you introduce a cat to a new bed?

Observe where your cat likes to sleep. Paying attention to where your cat likes to sleep will help you find a good spot for its bed.

Place the bed in a low traffic area.

Put some of her toys in the new bed.

Elevate the bed or go with a perch if your cat likes height.

Try a new spot if your cat ignores its bed.

How do I get my cat to sleep in her bed?

Once your cat steps into the bed, hold a treat over his head until he sits down. Praise him and give him the treat when he does. Leave some treats in your cat's bed so he is tempted to come back to it. You can also try sprinkling catnip in the bed to get your kitty interested in it.

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Yield: 1 Cat Bed

Crochet Cat Bed- How to Make a Cat Bed with Chunky Crochet

Make a DIY crochet cat bed from chunky giant yarn.

Active Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour

Difficulty Intermediate

Estimated Cost 15

Materials

Chunky yarn

Tools

Giant crochet hook

Instructions

Chain two and double crochet 5 times into the first chain.

Slip stitch and chain two.

Double crochet into each of the chains.

Once your work your way around, slip stitch and chain two again.

Double crochet into each of the chains.

Repeat rows until the bottom of the cat bed is as wide as you would like it. I made mine just over 12 inches.

Next, instead of crocheting twice into each stitch, just double crochet once. This will give the bed "sides" and make it taller instead of continuing to get wider.

Once it's tall enough, about 3 rows high, finish off the top edge with single crochet.

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Project Type: Fiber art and sewing

Have you tried making a DIY crochet cat bed? Please share your tips in the comments!

The post Crochet Cat Bed- How to Make a Cat Bed with Chunky Crochet appeared first on Crafty Little Gnome.

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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19% of resolution-setters don't even know if they reached their goal last year

I don't do New Year's resolutions. When planning out goals, I focus on “themes” a lot more, since they let me look at the year ahead with a broad lens. Once I know what my theme is for the year, I can start thinking of creative and meaningful ways to drive toward that theme.

Here's an example I like to give: if my theme is “make new friends,” I can plan events to meet new people or think of ways to meet new people at events I already planned on attending (e.g., check the guest list beforehand and email them to grab coffee).

But just like there's more than one way to live a Rich Life, there's more than one way to think about what you do at the beginning of a year to set yourself up for success.

So the team at IWT was curious to hear what YOU think about New Year's resolutions.

Do you set them? What are they about? What do you do to set yourself up for success? DO you actually succeed?

Here's what they found.

We sent our survey to the entire IWT community and wanted the full picture of your 2018 resolutions: the goals, the strategies, AND the outcomes. So instead of asking about what you're planning to do this year, we asked you to reflect on what you resolved to do last year, in 2018.

A few of the key takeaways:

66% of you said you set a resolution for 2018. That's higher than the 44% of people setting New Year's goals this year, according to an NPR/PBS/Marist poll.

Of those who did set a resolution, 44% said they achieved it.

36% said they didn't quite get there.

20% said they weren't really sure whether they met their goal or not.

The most popular areas where you set resolutions were:

Career (23%)

Money (21.6%)

Fitness (16%)

The most popular system used to hit goals:

Creating a schedule (56%)

Getting an accountability buddy (28.5%)

Setting up rewards for yourself (29%)

“Why wait until January 1 to start something new?”

33% of people say they didn't set a resolution last year. The biggest reason: viewing the first of the year as some be-all-end-all of goal-setting is pointless.

“If you want to do something you should start doing it,” one person said. “Why wait until January 1 to start something new?”

That's fair. There are 365 days in a year - proclaiming January 1 THE day to set goals because that's when advertisers break out their best “New Year, New You” banner ads is pretty arbitrary.

And if you missed the New Year's deadline this year and wait all the way until next year to set goals for yourself, all you've really done is cost yourself 364 days when you could be taking action.

Need help following through on your goals whenever you set them? Check out this post on how to motivate yourself.

The “Big 3” resolutions: Career, money, fitness

We asked the 66% of respondents who did set resolutions last year to tell us which category their resolution fell under, and the top three were:

Career (23%)

Money (21.6%)

Fitness (16%)

Those first two categories in particular are pillars of I Will Teach You To Be Rich. Here's more detail at the kinds of career, money, and fitness goals readers are setting - and the results they're getting.

Goal #1: Get out of a soul-sucking job

When it came to career-related resolutions, people talked a lot about wanting to advance in their career. And for most of them, moving up meant moving on.

So long, cubicle.

For some, that meant transitioning out of the corporate world to try their hand at freelancing. (Sound good to you? Learn how to start earning money on the side.):

“I resolved to quit my corporate job to freelance. I assessed my finances, secured some part-time income to supplement my savings early on, and made the leap. I made myself commit to leave by April of 2018. My last day in a cubicle was February 9, 2018.”

Another reader told us about hatching a career plan with a friend over Facebook Messenger that they called “The Escape”:

“Every time one of us would slack on something or show signs of laziness, we would say to each other 'What happened to escaping X company in a year?' … In just under a year, we both landed new jobs. He now works for a bank with a $20K raise, and I completely pivoted industries from finance to marketing at a large media agency.”

Sometimes setting a goal and not quite getting there can be better than not setting a goal at all, since you still wind up farther along than where you started.

One person told us about the work they put into boosting their salary from their current $65K toward a $105K goal:

“I read books and watched YouTube videos, and practiced negotiating skills. I networked and set myself up to be an ideal candidate for 8 different jobs that I wanted … I landed a job that paid $96K. I chose that one because it had the most opportunity for career growth and development in my field.”

Aiming for $105K and landing at $96K might sound like a failure on paper. But the important thing is: they set a goal, they made a plan, and then they TOOK ACTION. They took control of what they could control.

Plus, they're putting themselves in an even stronger position for 2019: “Next year, with my promotion, I am aiming for closer to $120K.”

If a pay raise is on your to-do list for 2019, check out our Ultimate Guide to Boosting Your Salary.

Goal #2: Break down money barriers and go after Big Wins

On the financial side of things, a big theme was taking control of financial situations on two fronts: getting out of debt, and boosting savings for retirement and other goals.

“I made a promise to myself to save a total of $10K by the end of the year between emergency fund and retirement contributions. I put $3,000 into an emergency fund before the end of last year. Now, my e-fund is at $6,500, and my IRA contributions YTD are at $3,500. $10K achieved! On top of that, I was able to pay off my car, double my student loan payments, and go on vacation, guilt-free. Thanks, Ramit!”

We love stories like this, because they're all about focusing on Big Wins. Not how many lattes you can cut or micro-managing your budget to within an inch of its life. Big Wins, like automating your finances and investing early, pay dividends for years after you start them - and they put you miles ahead of everyone else.

You can't print money. It's illegal. But you CAN take control of your finances by focusing on the Big Wins.

There's a limit to how much you can save, but there's no limit to what you can earn. If our survey responses are any indication, it's a lesson a lot of you have taken to heart.

One reader told us about their goal to add $100K to their net worth OUTSIDE their day job by the end of 2018:

“I finally decided it was time to get serious about making money. I set a goal of adding $100,000 to my net worth by the end of 2018 (outside my day job) and I'm on the brink of accomplishing it.”

On top of looking for ways to increase their earning potential, some respondents mentioned financial goals that involved changing their relationship to the money they already have.

For one person, that meant committing to a year of no shopping:

“I unsubscribed from emails from all the brands that I followed (makeup, yoga clothes, kitchen stuff, etc.), and throw out catalogs as soon as they come in the door,” she explains. “I haven't been 100% for the year, but I've determined that what some people call 'shopping' is, for me, 'looking for things to want.'”

Spending money, in and of itself, isn't the problem. The problem is when the way you're spending doesn't line up with what you value (i.e., your Money Dial), or what allows you to live your own personal definition of a Rich Life.

Goal #3: Putting that gym membership to use

On the fitness side of things, the big recurring theme was looking for systems and strategies that get you into the gym - even when every ounce of your energy is pulling you toward the couch.

Here's one respondent who was so determined to make fitness work for them, they picked up knife fighting. KNIFE FIGHTING!

“Fitness can be boring, so I committed to stick/knife fighting, which was lethally exciting enough to keep me engaged for a few months and build up some strength/endurance.”

She's talking about her workout routine, guys.

Somebody else shared how, after more than 10 years of making fitness their New Year's resolution - and falling short every time - they finally found a model that set them up for success:

“The cool thing about having failed to achieve my fitness goals is that I figured out what doesn't work for me … I schedule my sessions, three times a week, and I set them in stone on my calendar. I have had to move a couple sessions, but I have not missed a single workout since I started.”

The lesson here: If a goal is important to you, don't stop pushing because ONE strategy didn't work out. Regroup, rethink your approach - and then try again.

How to follow through: Set a schedule. Talk about it. Treat yourself.

Talk is cheap. There's setting New Year's resolutions - and then there's actually following through on them. According to our survey, 44% of resolution-setters said they succeeded with their 2018 goal.

Here's a rundown of the most popular ways respondents stayed on track to achieve their goals:

Created a schedule (56%)

Got an accountability buddy (28.5%)

Put a rewards system in place (16%)

Digging deeper, we found they're also the top three most effective at helping readers reach their goals:

Created a schedule (56% of successful people)

Got an accountability buddy (22% of successful people)

Put a rewards system in place (16% of successful people)

Put it in your calendar. Or … shower.

“Creating a schedule” isn't the sexiest strategy there is. But with more than half of the successful resolution-setters saying that setting schedules was a secret to their success - simpler can mean smarter.

One reader explained how the act of just committing to a schedule for their weight-lifting goal made it easier to follow through:

“People wanted to schedule things on Tuesday or Thursday night, I didn't have to think about it, I just knew the answer was 'no' because those were lifting nights.”

There are plenty of easy, user-friendly apps out there to help with scheduling. Our readers told us all about their favorites, from OmniFocus to OneNote to JotForm to Evernote.

Dr. Who has an app for that.

One person even told us that finding the right tech solution was the thing that convinced them they could make a resolution stick in the first place:

“I have learned to change my scripts from 'This habit isn't for me' to 'How can I make this habit for me?' And in that arena using tech is my usual go to.”

For others, good old-fashioned pen and paper (plus a laminator) is all it takes to get the job done:

“I had [my goals and targets for 2018] laminated and put it in my shower. The idea was to read it every morning and every night … Having the plan and seeing it daily kept me on track more than not having it at all.”

Hit your goal? Treat yourself.

Good old-fashioned bribery. It's simple, but it works - and many respondents said they put it to work to help them see their goals through.

One person told us how they built a reward system on their phone that transferred money into their bank account whenever they completed a positive behavior.

But rewards don't have to be monetary. For example, every time one respondent followed through on their goal to practice piano more regularly, they rewarded themselves with something simple, like a soda or a piece of candy.

And you can even get creative with this.

“In January, I used a random number generator to pick four numbers between 1 and 52 - I marked those weeks in my planner as 'reward' weeks,” said one respondent.

The randomized reward weeks added spontaneity and surprise along her path to reaching her goal.

Get your friends to ask you: “Hey, how's that goal coming?”

There's value in telling other people what you plan to do solo, according to our survey.

“I shared my goal with multiple friends who I knew weren't afraid to keep me accountable,” one person said. “After having a few of them check in with little to no progress made, it made me want to take a step in the direction of accomplishing the goal.”

Telling other people what you're trying to do doesn't have to mean putting pressure on them to keep you honest either.

“I made sure to tell people about my goal. Not that they would hold me accountable necessarily - but it made me feel like I owed it to them to keep my resolution.”

There's a caveat to having an accountability buddy: only 22% of readers who used this strategy actually succeeded in reaching their goal.

“My friend and I got gym memberships and agreed to start going 4 days per week,” said one person. “It started off well but then came scheduling conflicts and eventually he stopped coming. Guess what? Soon after I stopped going also.”

The takeaway: when you tap others to work toward goals together, things get complicated - you're only really as motivated as the least motivated person in your group. So don't depend on other people to BE your motivation. That's on you.

Learn how to create habits that stick for life

It's easy to be excited about new goals at the start of a new year, when everything is bright and shiny, and there are motivational posts coming at you from all sides amping you up.

But the real test is what you actually do in the boring, ordinary, unsexy everydays that come after.

And that's when things get tough.

One thing to remember - failing to create habits and meet goals is not about laziness. It's about not having the right systems in place to create your own success.

We've spent years studying the systems that set people up for success and put all of our best insights in our Ultimate Guide to Habits.

Enter your email below, and we'll send you the Ultimate Guide to Habits now.

19% of resolution-setters don't even know if they reached their goal last year is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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Investing Blog Roundup: How Important is Sequence of Returns Risk?

I recently encountered an article from the Early Retirement Now blog, discussing just how much sequence of returns risk matters in retirement. The article isn't new (May 2017). And it's pretty math-heavy. But it's worth a read.

One noteworthy finding: over a 30-year retirement, only 31% of the variation in safe withdrawal rates is explained by the average return earned by the portfolio over that 30-year period. 64%, however, is explained by the sequence of those returns.

If the math intimidates you, I would still encourage you to at least click over to the article and find the second table - the one with a column of green-highlighted cells. What these cells are showing you is how important each 5-year window of returns is in determining safe withdrawal rate.

It's quite striking how much less important each 5-year window of returns is, relative to the prior 5-year window. For example, years 0-5 explain more than 28% of the variation in safe withdrawal rate. Years 5-10 explain another 19%. Years 10-15 explain another 13%. And so on.

Key takeaway being: the returns that your portfolio earns in the first several years of retirement matter a lot.

More Thoughts on Sequence of Return Risk from Early Retirement Now

Other Recommended Reading

10 Ways Advisors Can Differentiate Their Practices from Allan Roth

How Scarcity Impacts Decision-Making from Meghaan Lurtz

When Is Guardianship Necessary? from Howard Krooks

Retirement Planning Lessons from 2018 from Dirk Cotton

How a New Kind of Community is Creating a Better Aging Experience from Joseph Coughlin

You Should Freeze Your Child's Credit. It's Not Hard. Here's How. from Ron Lieber

What Should You Do About a Falling Stock Market? Nothing from Neil Irwin

1 Woman, 12 Months, 52 Places from Jada Yuan

Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year!

What is the Best Age to Claim Social Security?

Read the answers to this question and several other Social Security questions in my latest book:

Social Security Made Simple: Social Security Retirement Benefits and Related Planning Topics Explained in 100 Pages or Less

Click here to see it on Amazon.

Disclaimer:Your subscription to this blog does not create a CPA-client or other professional services relationship between you and Mike Piper or between you and Simple Subjects, LLC. By subscribing, you explicitly agree not to hold Mike Piper or Simple Subjects, LLC liable in any way for damages arising from decisions you make based on the information available herein. Neither Mike Piper nor Simple Subjects, LLC makes any warranty as to the accuracy of any information contained in this communication. I am not a financial or investment advisor, and the information contained herein is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. On financial matters for which assistance is needed, I strongly urge you to meet with a professional advisor who (unlike me) has a professional relationship with you and who (again, unlike me) knows the relevant details of your situation.

You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of this email (or by removing this RSS feed from your feed reader if you have subscribed via a feed reader).

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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3 Commercial Property Tax Strategy Considerations for the Next Recession

Is a recession on the way in 2019? If you ask a CFO, there is nearly a coin-flip chance that the answer is yes. Ask a CFO if a recession will start by the end of 2020 and that number skyrockets to 82%, according to the latest Duke University/CFO Global Business Outlook survey.

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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PS: We now have a *weekly* newsletter!

What up what up!

Day #6 of daily blogging and we're still going strong!

You enjoying them so far? Like the change? Wish I'd go back to M,W,F posting?

Can't do that last one just yet as I'm having too much fun (!), but I did just create a *weekly* digest if you're getting these articles in email and prefer to not have your inbox exploded ;)

It'll be going out every *Friday* starting next week, and will come from my personal account where I'll be sharing non-financial stuff as well…

Here's what it'll contain each week:

Links to all the daily blog posts we publish here so you never miss any (and can choose to read only the ones that look most interesting to you! Like a “choose your own adventure!”)

Links to other articles/interviews I do around the blogosphere

Tools and resources I'm not able to fit in here during the week

Notes on life/love/business/overall self-improvement

Anything else that catches my eye I think you'll like :)

But really – it's just another fun way to stay connected.

You can sign up here if it's something you're interested in:

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/15/1720972515.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, "script", "aweber-wjs-bdei7viwj"));

(Sign-up form not showing up? Click here to access it directly.)

Hope this helps!! And the daily newsletter will still be going out too for anyone who wishes to stay with it and/or sign up. This is more for those who'd rather see *less* of me every week and/or wants to stay connected on a more personal level…

Questions/Comments/Concerns, drop me a note below! And this time around I won't shut it down after the first week like the last attempt at this ;)

PS: If you joined the last newsletter attempt, you're still signed up to it but feel free to cancel at any time if this new route doesn't excite you as much…

******** [For more $$$ nuggets, head over to Budgets Are Sexy!]

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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2019 Tax Deadline, Start Date, and Extension Dates (for 2018 Calendar Year)

This post has been updated for 2019 (the 2018 tax year). It's January and other than frigid cold temperatures and seasonal mood disorder, you know what that means – tax season has arrived. Someone at the IRS is apparently still working during the government shutdown, as they released a notice today that stated, “We are committed to ensuring that taxpayers receive their refunds notwithstanding the government shutdown. I appreciate the hard work of the employees and their commitment to the taxpayers during this period.” – IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. It remains to be seen if... [Read the rest of the story at 20somethingfinance.com]

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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House Tour :: This Belgian Home Is The Perfect Cozy, Clean Slate for Winter

Welcome to 2019, you guys!!! And thank you for sticking with me while I took a much needed break from the blog, emails, and even a bit less social media over the holidays. I forget how that quiet time – a time when I can actually reflect on the year and get back in touch with me – is really necessary in this crazy world. I definitely need to do it more often!

I had hoped to start this week off with a personal post about my intentions for 2019, but it's not quite finished yet, so instead, I'm leading things off with a small house tour that's very much reflecting my current desire for fresh, clean spaces that also manage to be cozy!

While my decorating style skews a bit more layered with pattern and a hint of color than this space, what I love about it is that this house is truly at home in every season. I tend to decorate with a lot of warm, light woods and linen. But, come winter… well it can feel a little strange to have a room that feels like summer when what you need is cozy! And this space does it so well.

The texture in the room is perfect for any time of year, while the addition of lots and lots of layered furs just helps warm things up a bit. It's an incredibly simple touch that goes a long way.

The house itself is a summer home – and a lovely one at at that. I wanted to show you the exterior because this home comes with one unique – and sometimes challenging – feature. Rounded windows. They're not so common here, but I know plenty of homes in San Francisco and elsewhere that have this, and it can be hard to design for! I love the way that architect-designer Peter Ivens has turned these corners into features.

Again, layers of furs fill this first rounded nook, and a simple seating area is all that's needed to highlight the architecture of the space. Adding a ledge and keeping things low is also a nice touch! It allows the view out the windows to be unobstructed, but provides space for items to be showcased and kept.

Another smart little spot is this built-in 'desk' area behind the sofa. While it appears to be more for display than work, I could definitely see myself popping my laptop on that ledge to tackle some emails with a view.

The kitchen is the space that first caught my attention with this house – I only wish there were more images of it to share!!!

The hunk of vintage cutting board built into the cabinetry is just genius – and gorgeous. The chunky marble countertop suits it so nicely! And I always love skylights in a kitchen!! The more natural light the better.

You can get an idea of how the kitchen flows into the casual dining room below – but sadly this photo is in black and white. (Whyyyyy!??). I emailed the designer to try and get it in color, but as of yet haven't heard back from them. I had to include it because I find the layout so unique! You can see there is a wood fire stove to cook in (amazing), and that the kitchen and dining room form this sort of 'T' shape that you don't see too often! It's such a perfect mix of rustic and modern, with the white brick in there.

Upstairs, we find the seconded rounded nook with the similar low-shelf feature in the bedroom. Choosing to float the bed to orient it to look out the windows is a fantastic move. Putting anything up against the windows would feel awkward. By floating the bed, and adding a solid 'headboard' as a divider, this allows the wardrobe storage to be behind the bed, as you can see below.

It really maximizes the use of space! And I love that, from bed, all you get is simple, quiet views. Not piles of clothes, ha!

Just beyond the closet, you can see open linen storage on the left, and of course the simple master bath.

For a summer house, a soaking tub and simple vanity seem just right.

If I manage to get my hands on the full-color versions of these images, you know I'll be updating this post! In the meantime… I hope this house feels as refreshing and cozy for you as it did for me today! Here's how to get the look:

The post House Tour :: This Belgian Home Is The Perfect Cozy, Clean Slate for Winter appeared first on coco kelley.

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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7 Hacks for Keeping Winter Pipes Warm

When the weather turns bitterly cold, many homeowners run the risk of their pipes freezing. And when pipes freeze, water expands inside the pipe, increasing pressure and leading to cracks and breaks. Which can amount to VERY costly repairs. The good news: these 7 relatively simple and mostly inexpensive hacks can help keep your pipes toasty all winter long.

7 ways to warm up your pipes this winter

Here's how you can save yourself a bunch of grief.

1. Drain outdoor supply lines

Outdoor pipes are especially vulnerable to freezing (think about exposed hose bibs, sprinkler lines, or even pool lines). Drain and store any hoses that you typically keep outdoors. And open any outside hose bibs and valves to allow any remaining pipe water to drain out.

2. Insulate unheated interior areas with newsprint

Areas of your home that are indoors, contain plumbing, and are generally unheated (like crawl spaces, basements, garages or even kitchen cabinets) would greatly benefit from extra insulation to help maintain non-freezing temps. Fiberglass or foam sleeves can be used to wrap a pipe. But for a cheaper, DIY-friendly insulation material to use around exposed pipes, try newspaper, which even in small amounts (say, ¼ of an inch) can provide significant protection.

3. Use heat tape on pipes

UL-listed heat tape can be wrapped around or alongside pipe to help keep it from freezing. You can find heat tape at an electrical supply store or your local hardware shop. To install, be sure to follow the listed manufacturer's instructions.

4. Seal up air leaks

Look for areas around pipes that may be letting in cold air from the outside (like dryer vents or gaps where pipes run through the floors and walls). Then seal them up with caulk or spray foam insulation.

5. Let faucets drip, drip, drip

It may seem counterintuitive (or potentially wasteful), but if you're worried about freezing pipes during a particularly icy spell, trickling warm water can help keep your pipes from freezing. But try not to leave your dripping faucet unattended - if you have to leave for a few days, you might return home to a big mess.

6. Leave kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open

When you shut your cabinet doors, you're also keeping the warmed air of your home from circulating around any exposed plumbing. Keeping these cabinet doors open will raise the temp around your pipes. Just be sure to first remove anything that could pose a risk to children, like toxic household cleaners.

7. Leave the thermostat on low when you travel

Taking a holiday? Avoid turning the heat off altogether. Keep it on a low setting to make sure your pipes stay warm. Set your thermostat for a temp above 55 degrees Fahrenheit (and leave open those bathroom and kitchen cabinet doors) until your return. If you're leaving a home for an extended period during the cold weather months, you might want to drain your pipes entirely.

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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M1 Finance Review: The Free Robo Advisor YOU Control

If you've been fascinated with the idea of robo-advisors, but still prefer to go the do-it-yourself route, you need to check out M1 Finance. It's a robo-advisor for sure, but one with a unique twist: you choose your own investments.

That's the self-directed part. But once you choose your investments, you get all the benefits of a robo-advisor. M1 Finance then manages your portfolio for you, including periodic rebalancing and dividend reinvesting. Your only responsibilities are to choose your investments and fund your account.

It doesn't fit neatly within the description of a robo-advisor, but it's really a hybrid between robo-advisors and self-directed investing. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it represents the best elements of both.

Interested?

How M1 Finance Works

M1 Finance is based in Dallas, Texas, and was launched in 2015. The service is built around what it refers to as “Pies”. These are individual portfolios that are comprised of a mix of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and individual stocks. ETFs are a staple of the robo-advisor universe. But individual stocks are offered by only a few providers, and when they are, they're usually selected by the robo-advisor.

The use of individual stocks–and your own ability to choose which stocks and ETFs go into your pies–is what sets M1 Finance apart. It gives you complete control over the investments you'll hold.

Another departure from typical robo-advisor practice is that M1 Finance does not have you complete a questionnaire to determine your risk tolerance. In this way, the platform is better for experienced investors, who are able to determine their own investment comfort level.

But still, another distinguishing factor is that you can create an unlimited number of pies. You can choose existing pie templates provided by M1 Finance, or create your own. For example, you can create a technology-based pie, a socially responsible investment pie, and an emerging market pie–all at the same time. And there's no limit on the number of pies.

M1 Finance then manages your portfolio using modern portfolio theory (MPT), just as other robo-advisors do.

In this way, M1 Finance is both an active and passive investment platform. It's active in the sense that you select your own investments, and can change them at any time. But it's passive in the way the pies are managed.

M1 Finance Investment Methodology

M1 Finance's investment methodology is really a discussion of the pie concept. Each pie can be made up of up to 100 individual “slices”, which are represented by ETFs and individual stocks. M1 Finance provides more than 60 pre-selected pies that you can choose from, or you can construct your own.

There is a limitation however in that you cannot include mutual funds in your pies. In addition, individual stocks must be selected either from the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ, or the BATS system. Which means you won't be able to invest in stocks that trade only on foreign exchanges.

Each pie will contain general asset allocations, which you can choose to fill with investments of your choice. M1 Finance will rebalance your pies consistent with that allocation. The allocations will also be maintained as you add additional funds to each pie.

You can create pies that are made up entirely of ETFs or of stocks or a combination of both. For example, you can choose a pie for FAANG stocks, that holds only positions in each of those five companies. But you can also adjust the mix. You can choose higher allocations for one or two stocks, and lower ones for the others.

This flexibility gives you complete control over how you will invest your money, but within the scope of a robo-advisor platform.

M1 Finance Tax Advantages

This area is a mixed bag. M1 Finance does offer a tax loss strategy, in which an algorithm determines which securities are sold when you withdraw funds from your account.

They do this by setting a selling priority that looks like this:

Losses that offset future gains.

Lots that result in long-term capital gains, to get the benefit of lower long-term capital gains tax rates.

Lots resulting in short-term capital gains, which are taxed at ordinary tax rates.

However, M1 Finance doesn't offer tax-loss harvesting, which is becoming an increasingly common feature of robo-advisors.

M1 Finance Features & Benefits

Available accounts. M1 Finance accommodates individual and joint taxable accounts, trusts, and traditional, Roth, SEP and rollover IRA accounts.

Minimum investment requirement. You can open an account with no money whatsoever. But you'll need a minimum of $100 to begin investing in a taxable account, and at least $500 in a retirement account.

Account custodian. Funds invested with M1 Finance are held with Apex Clearing Corporation. M1 Finance just manages your account. As a result, your account is protected by SIPC for up to $500,000 in cash and securities, including up to $250,000 in cash. This is of course protection against broker failure, and not against losses due to market factors.

M1 Finance Mobile App. The app is available for both Android (5.0 and up) and iOS (10.0 or later) devices and can be downloaded at The App Store or Google Play.

Exporting tax information. Your annual investment results can be exported directly to either TurboTax or H&R Block tax preparation software.

Dividend reinvestment. M1 Finance automatically reinvests your dividends once they reach $10.

M1 Borrow. You can borrow up to 35% of the value of your portfolio for any purpose, and without a credit check. Once borrowed, the money can be paid back on your own terms. The interest rate is 4.00% APR as of December 7, 2018.

Since the funds borrowed represent margin against your account, you may be subject to a maintenance call if your portfolio value falls below a certain threshold. A maintenance call normally happens when your account equity falls below 30%. However additional restrictions may be placed if your portfolio is deemed to be particularly high risk.

Referral program. If you refer a friend who signs up for an M1 Finance account, both you and your friend will receive $10 to invest in your respective accounts. You'll be given a unique link on the mobile app that you can share with friends by email, text, or even social media.

M1 Finance customer service. You can reach M1 Finance by either phone or email, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, Central Time.

Get started with M1 Finance today.

M1 Finance Pricing

This is one of the most compelling features about M1 Finance. There are no fees!

That means:

No annual advisory fee

No monthly fees

No trading fees

So how does M1 Finance make money if they don't charge fees to investors? After all, if they don't make any money, they won't be in business very long.

M1 Finance explains it this way:

”Brokerages make more money via lending securities they hold, interest on cash held in a brokerage account, extending credit through margin to customers, and getting paid for distributing certain funds or to transact on various exchanges. These revenue streams are more than enough to support a strong, vibrant company. This is also true at M1 Finance, and we will make more money from transactions and holding the assets than we would from our fee.”

So there you have it: a brokerage platform that admits to making its money on the back end, in favor of offering investment services to customers for free. You've gotta love the honesty, along with the fee-free service.

How to Sign up with M1 Finance

To open an account with M1 Finance, you'll need to:

be at least 18

be a US citizen or permanent resident with a “green card”

have a current US mailing address.

You'll begin by entering your email address and creating a unique password. You'll also need to provide your name, address, and phone number.

Once you open your account, you can dive right into creating your investment pies. As discussed earlier, you can either choose from one of more than 60 pre-selected templates or make your own custom pie.

The next step is to link your bank account to your M1 Finance account. From there, you can fund your account. But the link means you can also withdraw funds, as well as contribute additional money going forward.

M1 Finance can automatically link to a large number of banks, saving you time inputting information. But if your bank isn't one of the choices, you can add it. Just add the name of your bank, the type of account, your bank routing number, and personal account number, and you'll be ready to go.

Get started with M1 Finance today.

M1 Finance Pros & Cons

Pros:

M1 Finance has no fees of any kind.

There is no required initial deposit to open an account, and you can begin investing with as little as $100.

M1 Finance lets you choose the investments you'll hold in your account, and then automatically manages them for you.

Through the pie format, you can create any number of individual portfolios for your account.

Pies enable you to invest in individual stocks, as well as ETFs. You can even create a pie composed entirely of stocks.

You can change your investments at any time.

You can borrow up to 35% of the value of your account at just 4% APR, and repay on your own terms.

Cons:

M1 Finance is not a trading platform, so you won't be able to use it to trade individual securities. Stock purchases are only permitted in connection with the creation of pies.

There's no ability to include mutual funds in your pies.

M1 Finance doesn't offer tax-loss harvesting. That's not a problem with retirement accounts, but it's now being offered on taxable accounts by many competing robo-advisors.

Since M1 Finance doesn't determine your risk tolerance, you'll need to adjust your holdings to match your own investing temperament.

The DIY aspect of M1 Finance means you'll have to have at least some investment experience. The platform isn't suitable for inexperienced investors looking for a completely passive investment experience.

Why You Should Invest with M1 Finance

M1 Finance isn't for all investors. If you're completely inexperienced, the self-directed aspect of the service may leave you taking on more than you want. There are plenty of other robo-advisors that are very well suited to completely passive investing for beginners, including Betterment and Wealthfront.

But if you're an experienced investor, who prefers to go the do-it-yourself route, but doesn't want the hassles of day-to-day portfolio management, M1 Finance is the perfect robo-advisor for you. You can build your own portfolios and as many as you want. You can even select the stocks and ETFs included in your pies. But you won't have to concern yourself with rebalancing for reinvesting dividends.

And you've gotta love that you can invest completely free. Unlike most robo-advisors, there's no annual advisory fee. And unlike discount brokers, there are no trading fees. Plus, you can borrow up to 35% of the value of your account at below market rates, and pay it back at your leisure.

That's a powerful combination that's unmatched anywhere else in the investment universe.

If you'd like more information, or you'd like to start investing, check out the M1 Finance website.

The post M1 Finance Review: The Free Robo Advisor YOU Control appeared first on Part-Time Money.

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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This $5 Target Buy Will Be Your Home's New Best Friend

Keeping lots of small stuff organized is never easy. Luckily, we found a clever buy that can help you corral all sorts of tiny knick-knacks around your home-and that should only set you back a couple of bucks.

Believe it or not, plastic pill organizers, like this push-button style from Target, are actually pretty great for sorting and stashing an assortment of small items. Here are five clever ways to use them to upgrade your storage situation.

Target

Push Button Pill Planner

$4.79

Buy now

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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Spice Labels

Use our spice labels to add to your spice bottles. They are a great way to organize your kitchen spices and to make the bottles a pretty addition to your kitchen decor. SPICE LABELS Looking for some cute spice labels printables? You came to the right place! I just created some for my own kitchen ... Read More about Spice Labels

The post Spice Labels appeared first on The Idea Room.

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annaddendy-blog · 7 years ago

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How a Small Kitchen Can Work Best

When it comes to kitchen designs, smaller rooms are often ignored.

We don't always see how a small kitchen can work best the compared to large rooms that have enough space to include many different elements such as a kitchen island, large separate seating area and many other things too.

Bigger isn't always better!

While many people would prefer to have a bigger kitchen because it provides more options not just from a design point of view but from a practical aspect as well, a smaller room means you can be more selective with the features you have.

Just because your kitchen isn't that big doesn't mean you can't enjoy a practical, aesthetically pleasing and functional kitchen. In fact, having a small kitchen can have benefits such as ensuring that you don't have unnecessary clutter and you can be smarter with your design choices.

We've looked at ways in which you can design a small kitchen in the past and for our first post in 2019 here at the Kitchen Warehouse we are going to look at how a small kitchen can work best with some space saving tips and style ideas.

Space savings tips for a small kitchen

If you don't have loads of room then making the best use of space is vital. You can't afford to have too much clutter in your small kitchen because it will look even smaller.

In fact, many of the space saving ideas you can implement don't even come with a big price tag either.

#1 Remove upper cupboards and put in shelving

This is a technique that is more of a mind trick than anything else but it can be used to great effect in your small kitchen.

By removing your upper cupboards and instead using open shelving can give the illusion that the room is actually bigger. This kind of goes against the 'reducing clutter' advice because cupboards are a great way to get things out of sight in the kitchen. Simply put it into the cupboard and shut the door however in especially small rooms shelving can open the space up.

This is a great way to make galley kitchens appear bigger than they actually are and in any room design that feels a bit claustrophobic, removing the upper cupboards can really open it up and give the illusion of more space and remove to move.

#2 Add seating to spare counter space

Do you have a bit of spare space at the end of the counter with nothing on it? Why not add a couple of seats and provide an extra seating area?

Small kitchens generally suffer from a lack of places to sit. Even if you have a separate dining room or seating area, sometimes you just want somewhere to sit and have a casual coffee. A couple of kitchen stools at the end or the side of your kitchen worktop in a space that isn't really being used for anything else can add another dimension to your small kitchen.

If you have a small island in your kitchen then it can be worth adding seating there as well and doubling it up as a casual dining area with a place to prepare food and clean up too.

#3 Brighten it up

We'll have a quick look at some colour scheme that suit small kitchens below however to make the room seem bigger then using natural light and bright colours can have a big impact.

Even when it comes to things like your kitchen blinds you should aim to lighter colours instead of dark. Replacing your existing kitchen doors with lighter or even glossy colours have also brighten the room up and make it seem larger. We have an extensive range of light cupboards doors here at the Kitchen Warehouse that you can use to great effect.

The brighter your small kitchen is particular with natural light then the bigger it is going to seem.

#4 Install drawers instead of cupboards

Ok, so you will need a few cupboards in your kitchens but try and focus on drawers instead.

Why? Well, drawers provides easier access to a range of different items that would otherwise be stuck at the back of your kitchen cupboard. We all know the task of rummage through our cupboards to get that one item we haven't used in months but with drawers you get easier access. This means you can potentially store more things in the kitchen but it will reduce a lot of the clutter you have in your cupboards as well.

Drawers themselves can offer a cleaner and more organised look in the kitchen than cupboards even if the contents themselves are a bit of a mess.

#5 Get smaller appliances

Do you really need a massive kettle and toaster that toasts 8 pieces of bread at once when there are only 2 of you living there? What about a large oven that is better suited to a family of 6?

Investing in compact appliances can help save a lot of room and is one of the best ways as to how a small kitchen can work best. This really depends on how many people live there and are using the kitchen however if you can get away with it then small worktop appliances and white goods can go a long way to increasing the space you have available.

You don't need to have smaller everything but even just a few different compact appliances will open up more room for you.

Colour schemes for small kitchens

If you really want to know how small kitchens can work best then getting the colour scheme right is important.

Using neutral and bright colours can work wonders for a small kitchen. In fact, there are various methods you can use with paint which will improve how big your kitchen looks and feels. Eve things such as creating an accent wall can go a long way to achieving this as well.

Remember to avoid dull and darker colours in small spaces as even if you have a lot of natural light it will still feel cramped a very claustrophobic.

How a small kitchen can work best

Just because your kitchen isn't blessed with a massive amount of space doesn't mean that you can't make the most of it and have a beautiful designed room.

Smaller is often better particularly if there aren't that many people using the kitchen. I'm sure most of us would love a huge kitchen with endless possibilities but the reality is a bit different. If you have a small kitchen then these space saving tips and colour design schemes will really help you to not only physically open up the space you have but also give the impression that the room is larger too.

A small kitchen can work best in many instances and it is often the best choice for many people because it means less mess, less clean up and there are less things to think about from a design point of view too.

If you need any help in designing a small kitchen or want some advice how to make the most of the room you have available to you then don't hesitate to get in touch with our expert team.

The post How a Small Kitchen Can Work Best appeared first on Kitchen Blog | Kitchen Design, Style Tips & Ideas | Kitchen Warehouse UK.

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