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Landscape Design for a Backyard Office Space

The Design Challenge

This homeowner renovated a small outbuilding to accommodate an office space on her Midwestern suburban property. The homeowner loved the short commute to work (just across the backyard!), but the entryway was not visually clear from the parking area at the front of the house, so her clients had a hard time finding her office door. Additionally, the homeowner wanted more separation between office landscape and private residential landscape, so that her clients would not accidentally miss the office door and wander around her backyard.

Before: The small backyard lacked definition and clear destinations.

  The Home Outside Solution

To help turn this utility building into an office, Home Outside developed a simple paved walkway framed by bushy, shade-tolerant plantings to help guide clients to the office door from the parking area. At the office door, a small paved patio area with bistro seating and window box plantings, framed by white picket fence, helped make this small building feel more like a cottage, rather than a utility structure.  Plantings and fencing physically divide the landscape into a backyard for the main house and a front yard for the office, to deter wandering clients. And finally, beautiful screening plantings block views of utilities such as the A/C unit.  ­

Get some design help from the Home Outside experts and start your own backyard makeover today!

  After: The Home Outside design makes the space feel surprisingly larger, with clear lines of access as well as spaces to sit and enjoy the beautiful plantings.

The post Landscape Design for a Backyard Office Space appeared first on Home Outside.

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Remodeling Your Bathroom for the New Year

The new year is a great time to take on new projects. Maybe your goal is to make it to the gym more, budget more responsibly, or take on new endeavors around the house. The new year is also a great time to start thinking about remodeling your bathroom. Here are some things to consider if you are thinking about remodeling in the new year:

A Great Seasonal Gift

The holidays are the perfect time for a bathroom remodel because they make a great gift. A brand new, luxury bathroom is the perfect present not just for yourself, but for your entire family. If you are looking for a last minute gift idea that everyone can enjoy, you should consider a bathroom remodel. Your family bathroom is a place that everybody benefits from. Whether it's relaxing in a long bath after a hard day at work or primping in front of a beautiful new vanity as you prepare to take on the day, your bathroom is a crucial part of your regular routine. A new bathroom will give your entire family a space to enjoy and will help to improve the overall aesthetics of your home.

Accommodate Your Family

As your family grows over the years and your kids start to get older, you are going to need more space and storage to accommodate everybody's schedules and needs. When you take the time to create a brand new bathroom in your home, you should account for every member of your household and customize your design around your family's needs.  Do your kids need more places for toiletries? Add some cabinets! Do you need a place to relax and unwind? Add a brand new luxury tub for soaking! When you do a bathroom remodel with Luxury Bath, you will be able to customize every detail of your space to make it work for you. You'll love having the extra space and accommodations, and your family will be so thankful that you made the change.

Increase Your Home Value

One of the benefits of adding in a brand new, luxury bathroom is that it can greatly increase the value of your home. Whether you are looking to sell in the near future or thinking about it a few years down the line, the addition of a beautiful bathroom space is a big selling point among potential buyers. A luxury bathroom is a great asset to have and is a wise investment that can pay off in the future.

It Only Takes One Day

One of the best parts of a bathroom remodel with your experts here at Luxury Bath is that it only takes one day. Yes, that's right. In just one day you can have a brand new bathroom. This means that you and your family will not be inconvenienced or cut off from your bathroom space for weeks at a time while renovations are being done. Our team of experts will help you map out exactly what you want for your space and execute the design and remodel quickly, neatly, and efficiently.  When you decide to upgrade with our company, we will have your brand new space ready in no time at all.

New Year, New Bathroom

One of the best parts about a bathroom remodel for the new year is that it gives you a brand new space and a fresh start. One of the best parts of New Year's is that you get a clean slate and a new beginning. This new space will add a fun spin and change of scenery to your home and is a great way to kick off the new year. This year, take the time to tackle new projects and start new endeavors to better yourself and your home.

If you are interested in a free, in-home estimate or simply want to learn more about your remodeling options, contact us today. We can help create a plan to get the bathroom that you have always wanted and can help you get a brand new space for the new year. Give us a call today at 614-475-7700.

The post Remodeling Your Bathroom for the New Year appeared first on Luxury Bathroom Remodeling - One Day Bath Remodels - Onyx Collection.

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Friday Flash: Dude…

“We are proud of the work we have done with Upstream to help them gain their footing and reach this next phase of their launch, and we are pleased that a new plan is being implemented that will propel them forward and help them become the tool we've always envisioned they would be for our members,” said NAR CEO Bob Goldberg.

“This project has been an amazing opportunity to drive innovation and conversation among our brokerage community and gain their input into building the tools they use every day in their business. As I've said since the beginning of my tenure as CEO, we are not in the business of inventing at NAR; we've supported Upstream to the extent that makes sense for both our strategic missions and now it is time for them to step out on their own.”

What's always made me mad about RPR isn't that it never should have existed in the first place.

It's the arrogance that gets me.

The quotes above, from this week's announcement that RPR is no longer Upstream's development partner, mark a multi-year, $13 million-dollar failure that's just the spoiled garnish on a plate of disaster.

RPR loses millions in member dues money and falls down on a commitment to brokers and NAR's CEO is “proud”?

This was an “amazing opportunity to drive innovation and conversation”?

Dude…

This is an affront to every hump-busting Realtor out there; every broker who bought into the vision of Upstream; everyone who believes, as I do, that there's more at stake here than face-saving.

More broadly, it's this type of stuff that makes one think that NAR is wholly unprepared to reckon with not just the future, but its own present.

And that's a problem you can't smooth over with a press release.

…

Of course, the question on everyone's mind is who is Upstream's new mystery partner? I don't know, but my guess is Moxiworks. They're broker-owned, free from significant MLS industry conflicts and know the space well.

…

If you want to see Apple-quality stagecraft in real estate, watch this video of a recent Compass event. Whether you love or loathe this company, it's a master class in knowing your audience. The pacing, sequence and modulation of emotion is tuned perfectly.

…

Homebot won the Realogy FWD startup pitch event a few weeks ago. I like this company a lot. They produce very detailed, very smart property analyses that real estate agents and loan officers send to homeowners. This includes what you might expect (a value estimate, estimated equity, etc.) but also much more (refi scenarios, a mortgage prepayment analysis – even estimated Airbnb rental earnings). It's all done very smoothly. Lots of data is tied together under the surface. And it's well designed.

Products like this have existed for a long time (CoreLogic's ePropertyWatch is the most widely used) but Homebot has surpassed them.

I have always said that whoever masters loyalty in real estate wins. This is a good tool to use if you agree with me.

…

I am starting to think that ibuyers are a hack to the real estate industry's peculiar structure, not a replacement. Because the incumbent business model is so durable, so diffuse and embedded, these new companies have needed to create a structure that doesn't eliminate it, but sits slightly above it like an elevated freeway spans a chaotic, congested cityscape.

People on the streets below flow on and off this new structure (agents help sell ibuyer listings, or refer out sellers to ibuyers) and user experience is generally improved (people get to where they want to go faster with less wear and tear).

Opendoor's recent adjustment to include agents in their listing process illustrates this.

This isn't without consequence for agents and brokers, of course. They stand, in some cases, like main street merchants, to make less money because of the freeway's existence. But I am not seeing this as a zero-sum sort of story.

This picture should get much clearer in the coming year.

Enjoy the weekend.

The post Friday Flash: Dude… appeared first on 1000watt.

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Coconut Curry Rice Bowl

Current recipe obsession: beans and rice anything. This speedy Coconut Curry Rice Bowl is a flavorful entree featuring fluffy jasmine rice and nutty skillet chickpeas. This recipe can easily be whipped up in just a few minutes. The flavors include coconut-curry, sweet potato, garlic, spinach and a touch of either lime or lemon juice to bring everything to life. Get the recipe...Read more » This is a summary, images and full post available on HHL website!

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February Black & White Calendar - Free Printable

Can you believe that we are almost half way through January? I'm here with another free printable! Don't forget, I share new printable calendars every month. I will be keeping with the black and white theme this year. I hope you enjoy it. Also if you have suggestions for next years calendar theme please feel free to leave them in the comments.

Read more »

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3 Important Reasons to Have Your Dryer Vent Professionally Cleaned

You rely on your dryer to make sure your family has clean clothes throughout the week, so when it comes to upkeep, you need to do more than simply throw away the lint in the lint trap.  Here is why professional dryer vent cleaning is an important part of caring for your appliance and protecting your home:

Save Money – When your dryer vent is clogged with lint, it runs inefficiently.  When it runs inefficiently, it costs you money. Routine appointments with a good professional dryer vent cleaning company will help to keep your dryer operating efficiently.

Protect your Investment – A dryer is a costly appliance.  Keep it in good shape by using it according to the manufacturer's instruction, calling on professionals to repair it when required, and ensuring the vents are clear and operating as they should.

Be Safe!  Lint buildup creates a fire hazard.  Clean out the lint trap after every load of laundry, and don't let lint build up in or around the dryer.  Don't keep flammable items near the dryer. And be sure to clean out the dryer vent thoroughly, from the inside of the house AND from the outside the house, in order to keep the vent from getting clogged with lint.  Better yet, call on dryer vent cleaning professionals who are trained to remove lint and buildup correctly.

At First Coast Home Pros, we are the cleaning experts, trusted by customers in Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra and along the Beaches, and across northeast Florida.  We specialize in dryer vent cleaning, and our technicians are trained to clean the vent thoroughly from the interior and exterior of the house. When the cleaning is complete, we even test the air flow to be sure the system is running exactly as it should be!  Keep your dryer in good shape and help minimize the risk of fire by scheduling regular cleaning appointments for your dryer vent.

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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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4 Weed Killer Mistakes a Lawn Care Service Will Help You Avoid in Lagrangeville, NY

Weeds are a common foe of many Lagrangeville, NY, homeowners. But their attempts to get rid of crabgrass or other types of weeds tend to result in weed overgrowth. You can bring life back to your patchy, unhealthy lawn and avoid weed killer mistakes by hiring a professional to take great care of your yard.

Mistake #1: Relying on One or Too Many Herbicides

Lots of factors go into properly handled weed control, such as timing and frequency of herbicide use, the types of herbicides used, and proper lawn fertilizing. One of the biggest mistakes by homeowners is relying solely on one or a mixture of too many herbicides to get the job done, not realizing that improper herbicide use is one of the easiest ways to damage the lawn and increase the number of new weeds.

Weed control requires knowledge and dedication to do it right. Weeds are resilient and difficult to control, so applying just a herbicide, especially when the weeds are too tall, doesn't even come close to solving this problem.

To tackle weed issues in your lawn, our team at Lehigh Lawns & Landscaping Inc. offers the Premium 5 Step Lawn Fertilization Program. This program will keep your lawn weed-free and healthy all year-round. It includes applications of organic fertilizer, weed control, and the prevention of crabgrass, dandelions, and grubs from finding a home in your lawn. It is a plan that ensures weeds are under control even before they have the chance to spread.

Related: When to Apply Weed Killers in Wappingers Falls, NY

Mistake #2: Not Investing in a Proper Weed Management Plan

Possibly the biggest mistake of homeowners regarding weed control is not undertaking a weed prevention plan. As a rule of thumb, it is easier-and more cost-effective-to prevent weed with a pre-emergent fertilizer program than to try to control them with a post-emergent one.

On top of it, homeowners usually lack the time to learn how to use a pre-emergent herbicide, how to apply it, how to choose the right one, what is the correct percentage of components, or how to fertilize properly. With our fertilization program, you can rest assured that the overall health of the lawn is in good hands. Contact us for a free estimate for getting your beautiful yard back.

Mistake #3: Overwatering and Frequent Mowing

Just like everything in nature, your lawn needs a specific amount of water to be healthy. Having too much of a good thing-in this case, water-can cause greater damage to the yard. Unfortunately, weeds like overwatering and are likely to thrive and take over the lawn when grass has a difficult time deepening their root system.

Related: How to Keep Pets Safe from Weed Killers in Fishkill, NY

You may think mowing the grass more often would be the answer. However, frequent mowing may uproot the nutrients the grass needs and allow weeds to grow more rapidly and thicker than before. Mowing about once a week will keep your lawn in top shape. Professional lawn services offer the knowledge and care your grass needs.

Mistake #4: Not Contacting a Professional Lawn Care Service

Applying low amounts of herbicides may damage your grass instead of killing the weeds you don't want. The best tip you can receive regarding weed control is to contact a professional lawn care service-especially when things are getting out of control. Lawn care service will save you from the nightmare of weeds.

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Organizing Thoughts and Tips for the New Year!

Hello friends!  I hope you've all had a great start to 2019!  My kids are going back to school tomorrow (today when you are reading this!) and we had such a nice break.  I'm really sad to see it end this year!  We spent Christmas at home, then went to Utah to visit family, came […]

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Why Is It Psychologically Difficult to Be Financially Responsible?

Financial success is a little bit like fitness - we all know what we should be doing, but for a lot of us, ramping up our retirement savings and jumping on the treadmill are two things that just don't happen.

Even though making the rational decision to save or exercise is in our best interests, it's awfully difficult to make the right long-term decision in our day-to-day lives. The question is, why? When we all know the right decisions to make, why is it so difficult to make it happen?

Psychologists and behavioral economists have some answers:

1. Delayed gratification is really tough for a lot of people.

Whether or not you are able to delay gratification may be hard-wired into your brain. The now famous Stanford “Marshmallow Experiment” studied the ability of pre-schoolers to hold off on eating a marshmallow - when they knew that they would get a second treat if they simply waited fifteen minutes.

Of the 600 test subjects, some ate the marshmallow as soon as possible, many tried to wait and found they couldn't make it the full 15 minutes, and some were able to distract themselves for the full time period.

Though this study was conducted in order to determine what age children began practicing self-control, it was the follow-up studies that have huge implications for adult behavior. When revisiting the same test subjects as they grew up, researchers found that those individuals who were able to delay gratification as a preschooler became successful adolescents and adults. They were simply wired to be able to distract themselves from in-the-moment temptations while keeping their bigger goal in mind.

Even if you're a “eat the marshmallow now” kind of person, you can still make good long-term decisions. The trick is to automate savings and plan ahead for times when you know you'll be faced with temptations so that you have a plan for how you will handle it.

Make good decisions before you're presented with the metaphorical marshmallow, and it will be much easier to stay on track.

2. You have a financial comfort zone-and it's difficult to break out of it.

According to financial psychologist Brad Klontz, a Financial Comfort Zone (FCZ) is “the socioeconomic level that feels the most familiar to you…[and] the boundaries of your FCZ are anchored by a core set of financial beliefs and behaviors.”

For example, your attitude toward people who are richer or poorer than you is part of your FCZ. If you have the unconscious belief that wealthy individuals must be greedy, that is not only a part of your comfort zone, but it is a belief that is holding you back.

If you've ever wondered why a recent lottery winner finds himself broke after a couple of years, or why a laid-off worker can't seem to slow his spending down, it's because of the nature of the FCZ. In both cases, changing one's money habits would involve a huge shift in thinking about money, as well as a change in relationships.

Though we may not like to discuss it, suddenly having more or less money than one's contemporaries will strain those relationships. This is part of the reason why it can be so difficult to break out of the FCZ.

Making certain that you examine your belief systems and your relationships to see if they align with your financial goals will help you to determine if your FCZ is holding you back.

The Bottom Line

Our relationship with money is a complicated beast, and allowing our habits and unconscious assumptions drive that relationship is no way to build wealth. Taking care of your finances, like taking care of your body, is something that you have to do despite the many excuses your mind can come up with.

David's Note: Developing the discipline to be responsible is tough, but it can be done. Look around you, and if you can't find inspiration, move further away and look harder.

This article originally appeared on MoneyNing.com. Let us know what you think (or read what others thought) here.

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New Year New Pine Forest Acrylic Painting

Hi everyone! Happy New Year! We closed the shop for the week between Christmas until just after the new year. I have to tell you, it was pretty amazing. I ate a ton of food. My family and I put together a brand new puzzle, only to discover it was missing one piece at the end (insert mad face here.), and just hung around. I did sneak out one day to the closed shop, to nurture my creative side, and work on a new pine forest acrylic painting.

Even though I love design, sculpture,ceramics, and just plain making stuff, paint has always played a part in all of those.  It's probably why when I got back into creating, I was painting furniture, and  murals. In the very beginning, I was making the most horrible looking mason jars, picture frames, and a few stuffed, felted snowmen ever.

Don't believe me? Here is a picture from one of my first craft shows :

Well, you gotta start somewhere, right? So, if you are reading this now, and you want to dive into creating something, but are worried its going to be bad… That's ok.  Just start making things. The more you make, the better you get. Remember: we all start at the beginning.

I really love putting paint to canvas, and working in acrylics and gouache. One of my main goals for this year is to dive back into canvas work, and start offering my paintings for sale again in the shop.

I decided to paint my pine forest acrylic painting over a simple picture I did for my holiday housewalk over my faux mantel. It was such a big canvas, I thought it was better to reuse it, rather than buy a new one.

I started by adding a layer of white acrylic paint over the top of the old painting. The hardest part is waiting for it to dry, so I can add more paint!

After I did a cover coat on the old painting, I did a quick layout painting over the top in my colors. I wanted to get my valley, and my tree positioning correct.  I know there is a whole rule of thirds, but as someone who was never formally trained in art, I just kind of go with what is pleasing to the eye for me. I I decided I wanted to use shades of black, green, blues and grays for my canvas to give it a wintery feel.

I used DecoArt Premium Acrylic Art paints for my canvas, but this is not a sponsored post.

After I did my initial layout, I added my pine trees using under-painting. It's a technique I use a lot. I like how it gives me a good, dark base to lay my lighter colors over. I feel like it enriches the colors painted over the top. This works well in acrylics, but not so much in other mediums like watercolor, or gouache. I don't work in oil paint, so I am not sure if it's used in that kind of painting at all. Maybe some of you more versed in oils would know?

I added snowy branches by using a round brush, touching the tip fill of white paint, and adding gentle pressure downwards. After the snow, I added some simple shading to the bottom of the trees.

I have a tutorial in this post on how to paint a winter scene, which includes a basic pine tree. You can also see how to paint a birch tree here, and an agate pattern here.

Once it was dry, I added it to my winter mantel decor. I kept my deer up, and my felt garland from Anthropologie, and added a few birch logs and candles.

The snowy canvas looks nice above our faux fireplace. It gave me such joy to take the time to really create! I hope to have a pillow or two of it available in the shop soon,  I just need to photograph it with my big girl camera, so I get a good resolution for prints!

The post New Year New Pine Forest Acrylic Painting appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

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2018 Roundup: Bee Saving Paper, Solar Dog Houses, Home and Garden Makeover, Bomb Detection by Plants, 3D Printed Flowers, Compostable Couture…

You let us know what some of your 2018 favorites were: Bee Saving Paper, Solar Dog Houses, Home and Garden Makeover, Bomb Detection by Plants, 3D Printed Flowers, Compostable Couture, and much, much, more. Here are 20 of 2018's most … Read More...

The post 2018 Roundup: Bee Saving Paper, Solar Dog Houses, Home and Garden Makeover, Bomb Detection by Plants, 3D Printed Flowers, Compostable Couture… appeared first on Urban Gardens.

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13 Useful Products You Can Get On Amazon For Under $5

When it comes to the true value of the products we buy, I've always believed that just because something is cheap doesn't mean it can't be useful. And sure, there are a lot of cheap, junky products out there that you're better off avoiding. But there are also plenty of inexpensive products on the market today that are well worth forking over a few dollars to get!

With that in mind, today I'll be sharing 13 useful products you can buy on Amazon for under $5 (including shipping!) These products come from a wide variety of categories, including organizers, kitchen tools, beauty products, laundry helpers, and more! Regardless of whether or not you actually need these products, I hope this list inspires you to keep your eyes peeled for hidden gems when you're faced with inexpensive products! :-)

13 Useful Products You Can Get On Amazon For Under $5

Click on the name of each product to view it on Amazon. All prices listed were accurate at the time this post was written, but prices change frequently on Amazon. Check the product pages for the most up-to-date pricing information. Also, keep in mind that many of these products aren't Prime eligible, meaning they may take a few weeks to be delivered.

1. Trash Bag Holder

Price: $0.29 + $2.99 shipping

This nifty bag holder can hook right onto your cupboard doors. Use it to keep a small trash bag handy while you're cooking or preparing food. You can also use it as a place to hang your dish towels!

2. Small Purse Organizer

Price: $2.20 + FREE shipping

This organizer bag has 13 compartments to help keep your stuff organized. Using an organizer like this makes it quick and easy to switch between different handbags!

3. Tea Infuser Strainers

Price: $4.99 (Prime eligible)

These stainless steel strainers are perfect for making loose leaf tea. You could also fill them with herbs and spices to infuse into recipes. And thanks to the hook on the end, you won't have to worry this strainer falling into your cup or pot!

4. 10-Piece Makeup Brush Set

Price: $4.99 (Prime eligible)

Have your makeup brushes seen better days? You can replace all of them for just under $5! This set has 10 fluffy brushes that will cover all your eyeshadow, foundation, blush, and bronzer application needs.

5. Utensil Stand

Price: $0.01 + $4.98 shipping

Regular spoon rests only fit one cooking utensil at a time. If you need more space, try this handy utensil stand! It has four slots and more than enough space to accommodate all of your various cooking utensils.

6. Silicone Whisk

Price: $0.49 + $2.69 shipping

This bright and cheery whisk is coated is silicone, which means it won't scratch up your non-sticks pans. It's also heat-resistant, so you can use it to whisk up sauces and soups while you're cooking.

7. Flower Drain Cover

Price: $0.49 + $1.99 shipping

This cute drain cover would make the perfect addition to any drain in your house! Use it in the kitchen to keep food bits out of your non-disposal drains. Or use on in the shower to trap hair and prevent clogging!

8. Egg Separator

Price: $2.00 + FREE shipping

Clip this handy little cup onto the edge of a bowl and crack an egg into it. The egg whites will slip out of the holes in the cup, and the yolk will stay put. It's a quick and easy way to separate eggs without getting your hands dirty!

9. Mesh Zippered Laundry Bag

Price: $0.69 + $1.99 shipping

This small zippered bag is perfect for protecting bras, lingerie, and other delicate clothing in the wash. The lid has a plastic stabilizer to keep the bag sturdy, but it can also collapse flat for easy storage when you're not using it.

10. Grocery Bag Container

Price: $0.99 + $2.99 shipping

This bag makes a great way to keep your plastic grocery bags organized and out of the way. Just push them in through the top, and pull them out one at a time through the hole in the bottom of the bag. The bag also has a handy loop so you can hang it in your pantry or inside a cupboard!

11. Mini Spatula Set

Price: $3.99 (Prime eligible)

I have rubber spatulas at home, but sometimes they're too big for certain tasks (like scooping the last bits out of a condiment jar, for instance). These 7″ silicone spatulas are perfect for those small jobs! You get two heat-resistant spatulas in this set.

12. Command Cord Bundlers

Price: $2.38 + FREE shipping as an Add-on Item

These cord bundlers from Command are my secret weapon for keeping my small kitchen appliances organized! Just stick one to the back of your toaster, blender, or Instant Pot to keep the power cord tucked away. Whether you keep your small appliances out on the counter or in a cupboard somewhere, you'll love how these cord bundlers keep all those cords out of the way.

13. Electronic Cleaning Brush

Price: $4.99 (Prime eligible)

Keeping your electronic devices clean is vital if you want them to last as long as possible. Dust, dirt, and debris can easily build up in all the tiny nooks and crannies of your devices! But a cleaning brush like this makes it easy to clear out all the dust and dirt and keep your expensive gadgets link new!

Related: Here Are 11 Of The Best Cleaning Products You Can Buy On Amazon

What's the best or most useful product you've ever bought for under $5?

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7 Trends in Kitchen Cabinet Painting

Keep it clean – White

Always being a popular choice with homeowners, white will remain a staple. According to our fashion forecasting friend at Fashion Snoops, Jaye Mize, white is here to stay and will always look good. A fresh and clean feeling is guaranteed with a white kitchen and will open up space!

Bria Hammel Interiors

Emerging – Green

Maybe due to eco-design, and maybe simply because it is soothing, green is everywhere! Mostly being seen in emerald shades, green hues are left, right, and all along Instagram and Pinterest feeds.

deVOL

The New Neutral – Navy

Practically the new neutral, navy is everywhere. Over the past year or so, navy has become common in freshly painted homes. No one seems to be scared of the color, and it offers a perfect base in a kitchen! Pairing perfectly with hardwood floors and wood countertops – also currently trending – navy seems to be the way to go.

Blakes London

Bold – Black

Another popular color emerging is black. In minimal kitchens and home spaces, black is the perfect canvas to then add your own twist to the rest of the space.

Franco Crea furniture

Get creative – Two colors

A new trend, people are opting to choose two colors rather than one. Whether in the same hue with different shades, or two completely different colors or materials, splitting the space is growing to be more common. With one color on the lower cabinets and another on the upper, your home can have more personality.

Alene Workman Interior Design

Gray – all shades

Light grays, smoky grays, pale and bold, gray is a basic everyone seems to be loving and gravitating towards.

Circle Design Studio

Quiet – Pale colors

For those not looking to paint neutrals anymore, but not wishing to jump to the boldness of darker and more intense shades, pale colors offer a soft creative outlet in your home.

Addison's Wonderland

The post 7 Trends in Kitchen Cabinet Painting appeared first on Denver Paint Contractor.

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Floor Cushion From 1 Yard of Fabric

I am in love with this line of fabric from HGTV !!

I was lucky enough to be one of the first to review this fabric and I could not be more exited to share this fun tutorial with you. The best part is... It uses only one yard of fabric!!

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Why Should You Consider Finishing Your Basement?

The basement is often one of the most underutilised spaces and most homeowners simply use them as large laundry rooms. Instead of letting the basement collect moisture and lint, you should think about basement finishing.

Affordable Solution for Adding More Usable Space

Denver basement finishing provides a cost-effective way to add more space to your home. Compared to the cost of an addition, basement finishing is relatively affordable and requires less structural work. In many cases, these projects can be completed quickly and efficiently, providing minimal disruption to your normal routine.

Basement Finishing May Increase Your Property Value

Finishing your basement adds an extra room, helping to boost the overall value of your home. Whether you use the finished space for a bedroom, office, or living room, the new room may count as another bedroom for property valuations and assessments.

Along with increasing the property value, basement finishing often provides a greater return on investment compared to other renovation projects. In fact, for every $1000 that you put into the project, you may increase the value of your home by up to $700.

Accommodate Your Growing Family with an Extra Room

With basement finishing in Denver, you may not need to move when the size of your family grows. You can add an extra room in the basement, ensuring that you have the space you need.

If you want to add more space to your home, consider the advantages of basement finishing in Denver, CO. It is affordable, is efficient, and may boost the value of your property.

The basement does not need to be a dark, damp place. With a finished basement, you can gain an extra bedroom, bathroom, home gym, or storage space.

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How Much Does Landscape Design Cost?

How Much Does Landscape Design Cost In Portland

Sample Landscape Design

Updated 12/18 to reflect the current cost of landscape design.

When you hire a landscape designer you are paying them to develop a plan for your property. This usually involves drawings that show your landscape from above. You can see placement and relative sizes of proposed elements. Plants are placed, lighting fixtures are specified- the irrigation system layout may even be involved. This design, once in hand, can be given to licensed landscape contractors to bid and install.

But what does it  actually cost to get a landscape design completed?

In general, a full landscape design will cost $500 - $5000. (Ross NW Watergardens usually charges between $1500 and $3000.) Some landscape designers charge an initial consultation fee, ranging from $100 - $250. (We have no initial consultation fee.) What factors affect price?

Modern Landscape Design by Ben Bowen of Ross NW Watergardens

The designer's credentials. Landscape designers can become accredited or certified through a number of organizations. These can be an indicator of experience and skill- they are definitely a cost, which probably gets reflected in their price. A landscape designer with a long career, good reputation, established network, and impressive portfolio is certainly going to cost more. And if your designer is actually a landscape architect, then expect to pay towards the high end of the range above.

Your property. Large properties require large amounts of time at the drafting table or computer and will cost more. Properties with a lot of slopes, existing mature landscapes, extra environmental concerns, or other challenges will push the price up.

Your desires. Sometimes clients call looking for a landscape design, but really just need a planting plan. Basic improvements can be easily worked out and are towards the lower end of the cost spectrum. If you want an outdoor kitchen, deck, water feature, lighting, shed, and whatever else? That's a lot of moving parts and the design fee will reflect that.

Landscape style. Purity is one of the most expensive things in design. An authentic English or Japanese garden takes a lot of knowledge, planning, and skill. A design that prioritizes modern lines, native plantings, wildlife, or low water use narrows options and challenges a designer. We enjoy these kinds of challenges- but they come at a cost.

There are obviously a lot of factors that effect what you pay for a landscape design. But, with the knowledge above you at least have an idea of what your design project could cost. The only way to find out for sure is to contact a local landscape designer and ask!