8 Storage Hacks Every Gardener Needs to Know

Looking forward to tending to your own homegrown flowers, plants, and vegetables? Get your tools and supplies in order to make growing season as long and as enjoyable as possible.

Hang up the small stuff

A narrow nook in a garage or garden shed offers enough space for a versatile pegboard. Use it to organize hand tools such as trowels and mini rakes. (Tip: Trace the outline of each tool on the pegboard with chalk so you know where to hang each one every time.) Include space for a gardening tote and watering cans too. In addition, a magnetic strip can organize tools that may not have a hook or handle.

Invest in the good stuff

One really good clipper with a comfortable grip will pay dividends after a long day of pruning plants. The same is true with an ergonomic rake—or any other gardening implement. If you have arthritis, use tools that are easy to grasp and that fit your ability.

Go horizontal with long-handled tools

Affordable organizational options at hardware stores are a worthwhile investment for rakes, shovels, hoes, and more. Keep a bucket of sand mixed with a little motor oil close by. You can dip in metal components of tools to quickly clean off dirt and grime.

Cover soil and mulch

Loose items (including potting soil, compost, and mulch) fit well into covered aluminum garbage pails. Keep oversized scoops nearby so you can easily measure out what you need, when you need it.

Include a writing surface

A chalkboard or dry erase board is a great spot to jot down to-dos or plant watering schedules.

Work surfaces are worth it

Even a very short stretch of inexpensive countertop placed on brackets or across two saw horses can help save your back and make gardening easier. If there’s room, tuck the garbage tins of soil and other material on rollers underneath the work surface.

Install shelves and locked storage

Heavy items can easily rest on the ground but lighter ones are a good match for open metal shelves. In addition, install a locked cabinet high and out of reach to store any bug sprays or other potentially hazardous items.

Save space for seasonal supplies

What you need for the garden and what you need to store during non-gardening months will change. Include items such as big hooks for hoses, small baskets for gloves, and sealable containers for seed packets in your storage plans so you’re not stressed when it comes time to stash them.

Find more gardening hacks here.

Get the most from your garden this season by staying healthy. Talk to your doctor about age-related exams to protect yourself from conditions like shingles that can interrupt your favorite hobbies.

Originally published by Better Homes and Gardens

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending May 12, 2018

Inventory and days on market both continue to skim along at historic lows, while buyer demand is creating competitive purchase offer situations that are increasing the number of homes sold for more than the asking price. This practice is nothing new in more popular areas, but higher offers are becoming normal outside of the hottest cities and neighborhoods. Affordability is a challenge for some potential buyers, yet prices still rise in an environment of economic confidence.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending May 12:
 • New Listings decreased at 2,073
 • Pending Sales decreased 5.5% to 1,466
 • Inventory decreased 23.9% to 9,446

For the month of April:
 • Median Sales Price increased 8.9% to $266,750
 • Days on Market decreased 10.2% to 53
 • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.7% to 99.8%
 • Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 20.8% to 1.9

Publish Date: May 21, 2018 • All comparisons are to 2017
All data from NorthstarMLS. Provided by the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS®. Report © 2018 ShowingTime

Coldwell Banker Burnet Waterfront Home Tour!

This Sunday, May 20th, Coldwell Banker Burnet will host is Annual Spring Waterfront Open House Tour and we have a gorgeous property on the shores of Lotus Lake available!

Don't miss this opportunity to own 228 feet of lakeshore on Lotus Lake! With 1.9 acres of northeast-facing shoreline, this property is the perfect place for your in-town cabin or provides a gorgeous building site for your dream home! Enjoy easy access to all the amenities of downtown Chanhassen and the charming Village of Excelsior. Students attend Carver County Schools. Property can be divided into two confirming lots or kept as one parcel.

7401 Frontier Trail, Chanhassen MN 55317

Eric and Sharla Stafford - 952-470-2575

Stafford Family Realtors

Info@StaffordFamilyRealtors.com

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending May 5, 2018

Year-over-year percentage changes for housing metrics like inventory, median sales price and days on market have sometimes looked dramatic over the past few years in most markets across the country not named Houston. But as faster sales and higher prices persist, another trend is beginning to emerge: reliability. Although more market balance is preferred, the current situation has proven to be surprisingly sustainable, at least for the time being.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending May 5:
• New Listings decreased 13.9% to 2,054
• Pending Sales decreased 10.0% to 1,456
• Inventory decreased 23.2% to 9,155

For the month of March:
• Median Sales Price increased 9.8% to $258,050
• Days on Market decreased 21.9% to 57
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.1% to 99.1%
• Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 22.7% to 1.7

Publish Date: May 14, 2018 • All comparisons are to 2017
All data from NorthstarMLS. Provided by the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS®. Report © 2018 ShowingTime.

Bathrooms Overtake Kitchens as Most Popular Remodeling Project

national home remodeling month

The kitchen is king among the spaces with the most impact on a home’s identity. But having a beautiful bathroom is just as, if not, more important for many home owners.

In fact, bathrooms overtook kitchens as the most popular remodeling project, according to a new NAHB survey. NAHB has released the results highlighting the most common remodeling projects to kick off National Home Remodeling Month in May.

“Small-scale renovations are slowly becoming just as popular as large-scale projects, as seen with bathroom remodeling becoming more common than kitchens,” said 2018 NAHB Remodelers Chair Joanne Theunissen, CPG, CGR, a remodeler from Mt. Pleasant, Mich. “Home owners are finding cost-effective and shorter-timeframe upgrades can also add comfort and value to their homes.”

In the survey, remodelers reported the most common projects in 2017:

• 81% did bathroom remodeling
• 78% did kitchen remodeling
• 49% did whole house remodeling
• 37% did room additions
• 30% did window/door replacements

While remodeling is commonly associated with kitchens and baths, demand for green upgrades continues to swell as home owners seek to save on utility costs, improve air quality and increase the value of their homes.

An additional survey by NAHB Remodelers showed that high-performing, low-emissivity (Low-E) windows are the most common green-building product installed by residential remodelers. Programmable thermostats and high-efficiency HVAC systems also ranked highly among the most common green products used.

National Home Remodeling Month is sponsored by Amerifirst, BuildDirect and Paslode.

For more information about remodeling, visit nahb.org/remodel. For a copy of the full survey, please contact Kristin LeMunyon.

Reposted from Coldwell Banker Burnet Bambu - 

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending April 28, 2018

As with last spring, the home-purchasing season will be competitive this year. Demand is still strong, especially in light of rising mortgage rates. Savvy consumers will want to get into a home before rates go up again. Amidst an environment of low inventory, buyers need to remain watchful of new listings and make their offers quickly.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending April 28:
 • New Listings decreased 7.2% to 1,761
 • Pending Sales decreased 9.5% to 1,389
 • Inventory decreased 23.5% to 9,051

For the month of March:
 • Median Sales Price increased 9.8% to $258,000
 • Days on Market decreased 21.9% to 57
 • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.1% to 99.1%
 • Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 22.7% to 1.7

All data from NorthstarMLS. Provided by the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS®. Report © 2018 ShowingTime

4 Things Smart Homeowners Always Know to Do in May

The lazy days of summer officially kick off Memorial Day weekend.

Giving your home a little extra love this month can save you time and money.

#1 Chill With a New Fridge 

Is yours leaking water, cooling less efficiently, or just too limited on storage space? May is the best month to buy a new refrigerator.

New models hit the sales floor in the summer, and stores need to clear out the old ones to make room. Need a stove instead? Best to wait until fall for other kitchen appliances. That’s when they go on sale.

#2 Punch Up Exterior Paint

Winter’s freezing temps and wet weather can be tough on your home’s exterior, making it look a little drab come May. But that’s more of an opportunity than a problem. Because the weather in May (in most regions) offers the optimum temperature range for painting your home’s exterior (50-80 degrees Fahrenheit).

While you’re repainting, also repair damage to trim and siding. You’ll not only have a satisfying sense of accomplishment, you’ll boost your curb appeal.

#3 Get a Deal on a Mattress

The older your mattress is, the more dust and mites you’ve got hiding in there. Eeewww. Ditch that yucky mattress for a new one in May when the industry clears the decks (or box springs? ha!) to make room for new merchandise.

You can find high-quality ones at deep discounts, saving hundreds of dollars.

#4 Deal With Overflowing Closets

Experts estimate we wear only 20% of our wardrobe. So why let that useless 80% take up so much storage space in your home?

Right-size your wardrobe now for tidier closets and faster dressing. Put the sentimental clothes you can’t bear to part with (your college sweatshirt that doesn’t fit anymore) and clothes you rarely use but still need (a suit, formalwear) in storage bins. Under-the-bed bins work.

Look for deals on storage items at Memorial Day sales.

Re-posted from an article published by Houselogic by KELLEY WALTERS