Size Does Matter

If you’re generally concerned about your energy consumption, and are looking to buy, build or rent a home, there’s just one thing that really matters if you want to do it green: size. You cannot buy, build, rent, or otherwise occupy a house that’s too big for your needs and be green. Period. A little history: The average size (in square feet) of today’s American home is roughly double that of a 1950s home. Double! And there are fewer people living in those homes, because there are fewer babies born to the people living in them. Based on census data, one study estimates that the average amount of space in a home, per person, used to be about 214 ft. It’s now around 770! This is an incredible, unnecessary explosion in the amount of space the average American takes up! That’s some context. Now here’s why you’ve got to buy, build or rent a place that’s the size you need and not what you want or think you need.

1. Big homes waste energy. You’re likely going to have to heat and cool the whole house most of the year, but you can only physically be in so many rooms at one time. It’s very likely that the more space you have, the more space you don’t regularly occupy. All that space wastes energy if it’s heated or cooled, or not hermetically sealed from the rest of the house!

2. Be competitive. New energy codes are popping up all over the country, with Washington state leading the way. Soon new rules take effect that tighten up energy codes over time. Beginning in 2013, all new construction in Washington will have to meet code that will, by 2031, be designed to make buildings 70% more efficient than today’s new buildings. If your home is right-sized when you go to sell, it will compete better with the other, new energy-conserving abodes on the market.

3. House or condo? Reconsider your desire for a stand-alone home. On average, people who live in a stand-alone house and drive a non-fuel efficient car consume three times more energy than those of us living in condos or apartments and driving smaller cars. Shared walls and roofs really cut down on energy use AND energy bills. Buying smaller puts money in your pocket for the duration of your ownership! (See Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees. 1996. Our Ecological Footprint. Philadelphia PA: New Society Publishers).

4. Get certified green! A smaller house makes LEED certification easier. LEED for Homes allows for a favorable score adjustment if you build a home that’s smaller than the American average.

5. A life of impact. Consider lifecycle costs, not just the first, monetary cost of buying. The smaller the dwelling, the lower its embodied energy, and the lower its impact on our environment and society. Embodied energy is all the energy that went into the building-from cutting down the trees for lumber, to the fuel used by the trucks transport materials, to the energy it took to create the paint. Procuring all that stuff does a lot of environmental harm. Well, those are some of the hard facts about home-sweet-home, folks. Be excited for your next move or home purchase, but remember, size matters

Good Vibrations

Consider good vibes, as well as clean air and water, as much of a priority in the home as great style. You can make simple adjustments, such as exerting and eating right, to feel and look better. Likewise, small changes to the home, from the colors you choose to the water you drink, can make a big difference. Think about the home in a whole – and – healthier way. In our quest for well being, our homes become places for restoration and rejuvenation.

Mind, Body, and Spirit

Color can have a profound effect on our emotional health. Bright, warm tones energize; soft, cool shades provide calm and balance. Also, our attitude towards particular rooms can influence well being. In bedrooms, clutter and televisions can make true rest and relaxation difficult. Instead, the bedrooms and bathrooms should be sanctuaries – free of things that remind us of responsibilities – and full of comforting textures and soothing scents. Consider other areas of the home, too; for example, innovative dishwashers and garage doors with silencing technology reduce household noise.

Purification

Clean air and water in the home will go a long way toward promoting a healthy family. Air and water purifiers – from small, at the source methods to whole home systems – are designed to fit any space or need. Some indoor plants actually clean the air by neutralizing toxins.

Environment

A healthy home is achieved by considering the whole environment. Energy – and water-efficient appliances are great for conserving natural resources and reducing utility bills – and providing peace of mind. Renewable flooring options, such as bamboo, cork and some hardwoods, offer sensible style while preserving resources.

10 Staging Tips to Help Your Home Sell

Want to sell your home? Get out the bucket, mop and Mr. Clean. The key to making a positive first impression is simple, said Sandra Rinomato, host of HGTV’s popular “Property Virgins” show.

“Get it clean, clean, clean,” said Rinomato. “If your house isn’t clean, it instantly sends up negative thoughts that the home is not well maintained. If your house is spotless, you’re ahead of the game,” she said.

But don’t stop there, advised Rinomato. To increase your chances of making a sale, “stage” the house to make it as attractive as possible. Until recently, “Staging meant pulling out all the stops—setting the dining table with your best china and crystal, arranging flowers, lighting candles,” she said. “Now we take the minimalist approach. Basically, you want to strip the house to its bare essentials, depersonalize it so potential buyers can superimpose themselves and their lifestyle on the house.”

Rinomato offered the following tips for staging a home:

1. Visit model homes and examine shelter magazines for inexpensive decorating ideas. Always keep in mind you are not decorating for yourself but for the general public.

2. Start with the outside. Give the house a fresh coat of paint, add shiny hardware to the front door and plant a few flowers to send a subliminal message the house is loved and well cared for.

3. Declutter every room to make it look larger. Get rid of family pictures, trophies and knickknacks. Closets and drawers should be no more than 30% full.

4. Invest in eco-friendly but bright lights. Open the drapes or remove them completely. “Light, bright rooms give the impression this is a happy place—and everyone wants to move into a happy place,” said Rinomato.

5. Feature only a few pieces of furniture with mainstream appeal. Pull pieces away from walls to make rooms look bigger.

6. Make sure a room’s primary use is obvious. A bedroom should look like a bedroom, not an office, hobby center or gym.

7. Bedrooms and kitchens are difficult to stage because they are in daily use, but make the effort. Clear everything off the counters and nightstands, roll up the rugs and hide the laundry hamper. Buff the cabinets with car wax and clean under the sinks. Invest in pristine white bed linens and towels.

8. Minimize the “pet effect.” Remove food bowls and litter boxes to the utility room. Deodorize thoroughly.

9. Organize the utility room and garage. Hang up the bicycles, roll up the hose. Renting a storage locker is worth the cost if it helps you sell faster and for a higher price.

10. Once your house is staged, invite your friends or Realtor over and walk them through to get an objective opinion.

Cost-Free Cleaning Tools and Tricks

The Value of Vinegar

Use this pantry product to wash windows, sanitize cutting boards, and clean toilets.

-Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar, and a splash of lemon juice to create a quick window washing solution.

-Use a few splashes of full-strength vinegar to sanitize wooden cutting boards.

-One cup of white vinegar with a few sprinkles of baking soda makes for an eco-friendly and totally cheap toilet bowl cleaner.

Baking Soda Basics

There are a myriad of uses for this magical product—from keeping the foods in your fridge fresh, to helping chocolate chip cookies rise.

-Use baking soda as a gentle scouring agent to scrub sinks, bathtubs, and tile.

-Just as it absorbs odors from food in the refrigerator, baking soda deodorizes garbage cans, litter boxes, and diaper pails.

Salt Sense

Use simple table salt—super cheap and widely available—to clean all sorts of surfaces in your home.

-Create a paste using salt and lemon juice to remove rust spots from clothing.

-Sprinkle salt onto half of a lemon (with the juice already squeezed out), to shine up tarnished brass and pewter. Rinse thoroughly, otherwise your precious metals could turn green.

For the Love of Lemons

This sweet citrus fruit adds subtle flavor to meals, is a great cleaning agent, and leaves a fresh scent in its path.

-Rub half of a lemon over a wooden cutting board to remove odors.

-Toss lemon peels and a few ice cubes down the garbage disposal to deodorize and sharpen its blades.

Trusted and Traditional

Traditional Corn Broom

Use this sturdy-bristled broom when sweeping up your porch or deck.

Tough and Tender

Push Broom

The oversized head with stiff inner fibers and soft outer fibers makes easy work of sweeping leaves, pine needles, and dirt off of sidewalks, driveways, or patio floors.

Inside Angles

Angled Broom

An angled broom with soft, synthetic bristles picks up more than traditional corn brooms, and its angled design gets into tight corners inside the house.

Degrease the Disposal

Greasy garbage disposal? “Turn on the hot water and then the disposal,” says Mary Thompson, president of the Mr. Rooter plumbing company. Squeeze a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid into the disposal and run it for 15 to 30 seconds with the hot water still flowing. Turn off the disposal, and leave the hot water on until all of the soap suds are gone.

Save Your Sponges

-Clean and disinfect sponges in the dishwasher by placing them in the utensil compartment.

-Launder sponges in hot water with the rest of your clothes, and then toss them in the dryer.

-Place DAMP sponges in the microwave on high for one minute. A dry sponge will catch on fire.

-Soak sponges in a solution of a cup of chlorine bleach and a gallon of water. Then rinse.

-When sponges start to fall apart or they develop a strong odor, it’s time to throw them out.

Work Smarter Not Harder

Do you end the day wishing for more hours? If this describe you, there are ways to get more from your day without having to need more hours.

Time management is a very important skill for anyone working in a flex-based environment. For mobile workers it can be the difference between sanity and insanity.

Creating and keeping a schedule will require some effort initially but once you get into this routine, it will become second nature to make plans and stay organized. You will need to breakdown your activities based upon Work and Home/Chores.

If you analyze the time spent doing various activities over a period of one or two weeks, you will see patterns developing. Those patterns are what you need to track. They will be either time wasters or maximum use of time.

Work

• Telephone calls and dealing with email can be two of the biggest time wasters we have.
• Keep all calls short and on topic. It’s not the time for socializing and catching up on gossip.
• Have separate email accounts for work and personal use. Leave reading the personal email until you are not on “the clock”.

Working in a remote environment it can be very easy to get side tracked and forget what your original purpose was.

• Make sure you stay focused and if you have to, use a timer.
• Set time limits for how long you have to work on a specific task.
• Don’t set unreasonable limits, as you will frustrate yourself.
• Keep favorite sites and search engines bookmarked. This will save valuable time. Save information in a text file that lists different sites and what information is found there.
• Save your reading/writing/training for times when you know that you will not have to worry about interruptions. Nothing is worse than trying to learn something new and having the phone ringing from co-workers asking questions or looking for information.

ChoresYour first priority, especially when working from your home office is your job. Save chores for after work hours or for break times. If you allow yourself to get caught up in household chores, you will not get any work done.Don’t forget you still need regular breaks and time to eat. It is too easy to get caught up in work and miss meals or not take a break and you will pay for that later. 

Organizing your day to include regular breaks and scheduling your work tasks will enable you to work much smarter and it will also be lesss stressful.

Back to School Tips for Parents

Well it’s back to school time and for all your parents, here are some back to school tips .

Congratulate yourself. Especially if you have teenagers and you have made it through the summer resisting the urge to hit them, very gently of course, over the head with a baseball bat.

Going back to school can make any child nervous. They may be worried about new classmates, more homework, even where they will sit in the cafeteria, Be sensitive to their concerns. This means that you should hide the calendar where you have
been marking off the days until they return to school, and at least act attentive when they share your concerns. Saying “Get over it.” or ” I’m free , I’m free at last “, is probably not a sensitive response.

When your child comes home from his or her first day of school, act like you have been worried about them all day. Do not mention the leisurely bath you took in the morning, the coffee and your favorite book, your lunch date with your best friend and your shopping spree at the Mall. Instead, pretend you were lying around all day, hoping they had a good day.  And you are lying!

When your neighbor, the teacher, comes dragging home resist the temptation to say, ” I had a great day!!! And how was yours? ”

Do not say to the bus driver, “You mean you bring them back EVERYDAY? ”

Aw shucks, you sure miss making the little tykes lunch, It so nice and peaceful around the … whoops, you meant to say, Gosh I miss the screaming and the fighting with her brother and the whining and the “Take me to ….” But it is SO nice and QUIET.

Do not write to the School Board suggesting they think about year-round school or extending the school day by – hmm – five hours. That would give you time for cocktails , whoops! Remember you miss the little tykes…

Remember school supplies do NOT include a bottle of wine and a note to the teacher that says THANK YOU, thank you very, very, very much.

Isn’t it nice to sit at work and not worry about them drowning the cat, flooding the basement for a swimming pool, setting each other on fire, And you DO miss the hourly calls. “Mom, I am SO bored’. Mom can you leave the car at home so I can drive to …, Mom, can
I get a tattoo. I am 13 and I think…, Mom – he is picking on me again. Mom, hmm, the window got broken, but it’s NOT MY fault….Mom, is it okay if I have a boy over and we take a nap, just a nap, I promise, a nap together? ”

You can actually talk to adults who don’t say, “Well, he started it.” Whoops , I mean, gosh you miss the little tykes.

And of course the kids have been sleeping late every morning and they have to get back on schedule. So it makes perfect sense to send them to bed at 8 p.m. the last two weeks before they go to school. After all, they do have to adjust to a new schedule and you have your husband have the candles and the wine and even the time!

Back to School Bargain Hunting

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Last year, backpacks for the back-to-school campaign at Staples Inc. were about brand names, styles and color. This year, the push is on price, including a buy-one-backpack offer that returns you the same amount in Staples rewards points for future purchases.

As the recession and unemployment pummel consumer spending, retailers are tooting the price horn more aggressively than ever to win sales in the industry’s second-biggest selling season.

Back-to-school sales gloom

Retailers are pulling out the stops to boost sales and avoid profit-crippling discounts later in the year.

“In this tight economy, consumers are looking for better prices and more for their money,” said Mike Miles, Staples president and chief operating officer, in an interview, adding the season represents the No. 1 U.S. office-supplies retailer’s biggest selling period. “Where we may be trumpeting fashion in the past, this year it’s all about value.”

While promotions and prices have always been a part of back-to-school campaigns, retailers such as Staples said what’s different this year is the breadth and emphasis on them. Absent a must-have fashion item, retailers are doing whatever they can — delivering products to stores more often, changing where and how early they promote items or offering a flash drive in the shape of a skateboard — to spur sales.

“Back to school is going to be tough,” said analyst Liz Dunn of Thomas Weisel Partners. “We are playing at the margin here. Everybody is looking for results just a little better than expectations, but we still got (comparable sales) down. We still got margins down. We are still in the midst of this recession.”

After at least five years of increases, back-to-school sales, including those for college students, are expected to drop this year. The National Retail Federation estimates sales will fall 7.5% to $47.5 billion. Four out of five Americans have changed their shopping plans this year, with more than half of them saying they are either hunting for sales more often or spending less overall.

“We are very conscious of the fact that people don’t have a lot of money these days and price is important to them,” said Pete Sadler, a district manager at J.C. Penney Co.

Getting them while the getting is good

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , the world’s largest retailer, is selling an exclusive $298 Compaq laptop, the first time it is selling a branded notebook computer with 3GB memory under $300. Wal-Mart also promotes $9 price tags on items from backpacks to eyeglass frames.

Wal-Mart’s discount rival Target Corp.  also isn’t letting up on price. On its Web site, it allows shoppers to select how they want to outfit their dorm rooms, whether it’s for kitchen supplies under $20 or vacuum cleaners and printers under $50.

“We are highlighting prices more,” said Target spokeswoman Jana O’Leary, adding the retailer has increased the number of coupons and offers throughout the season.

While there’s little evidence that back-to-school sales correlate with the end-of-the-year holiday performance, the No. 1 sales period for the retail industry, they serve as a key data point for Wall Street to gauge the health and recovery of consumer spending, analysts said.

“It gives you a direction of the mood,” said Stacy Janiak of Deloitte. “It’s a good indicator of where the consumer mindset is.”

Retailers such as Kohl’s Corp.  also are delivering products in smaller batches to respond more quickly to consumer demand, Thomas Weisel’s Dunn said. Previously, it may have shipped a full slate of items such as sweatshirts along with jeans in July when there’s still not a demand for the heavy-weight merchandise, she said.

Stores also are starting their promotions earlier and “breaking prices” as soon as merchandise is rolled out to stores instead of traditionally waiting for at least a week or two before they start to offer some discounts, she said.

“They are trying to be smarter about promotions and give people an incentive to buy early,” Dunn said. “You move through your volume early instead of holding the discount back and having to clear at the end of the season.”

All about how you put it together

Analysts said retailers also are focusing more on their loyal shoppers and top spenders, giving them exclusive or extra promotions. They also are displaying merchandise in a full ensemble to inspire additional purchases instead of simply scattering them throughout the stores, analysts said. There’s also more of a focus on accessories as shoppers curtail apparel spending, they said.

“We know that people are looking not to replace the entire wardrobe,” said Mike Gatti of the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association. “They say ‘Here are the accessories that can spruce up your wardrobe’ or ‘Here’s an example of what your dorm room could look like.'”

At No. 1 U.S. clothing chain Gap Inc. , its GapKids store window promoted Leader of the Packs, showcasing laptop cases, lunch boxes, bags and backpacks in plaids and other designs at 30% off. At regional accessories chain Afaze, the stores are putting more expensive items next to cheaper products to spur impulse purchases.

“People are usually going for the least expensive items,” said Afaze assistant store manager Cindy Rayo. “We design a whole outfit around something, so that a customer will see something that they want and maybe purchase something that matches it. Especially for items that are a little higher priced, we try to match that more.”

At Container Store, the company for the first time put its back-to-school products at the front of its stores, instead of just having them merchandised throughout the stores, and put signs such as “college bound” right in front of certain items to invite impulse purchases, said Casey Priest, vice president of marketing communications.

She added the retailer also has cut prices on at least a quarter of its products and introduced lower-priced items such as a $4.99 laundry hamper to complement its existing lineup that may be over $10 apiece, she said.

Flash drive in the shape of a skateboard

At Syms Corp., which owns Filene’s Basement in addition to its namesake off-price chain, the company is betting on teens’ continued desire for designer jeans and selling them at about half off of their original price of $150, said President and Chief Executive Marcy Syms.

“Premium denim for back to school has been an important part of juniors and teens’ back-to-school wardrobe,” Syms said, adding upscale jeans sales have outperformed moderate priced labels. “To the young people, it’s an investment.”

With jeans still expected to be a key back-to-school purchase, retailers such as American Eagle Outfitters Inc. Retailers are trying to score sales by offering a free limited-edition T-shirt with any purchase of jeans at full price.

“The recession is always in the conversation in our class,” said 23-year-old Anamika Bari, a Fashion Institute of Technology student. “I’m trying to see what I have and what I don’t have. I definitely look at the price and try to look for sale items. But if I see something that’s really nice, then I get it.”

Absent must-have new fashions, retailers also make sure they capitalize on any existing styles that may have resurfaced as a trend. Teen retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co.’s  Web site opened up to a picture of more than a dozen different shirts in plaid designs, a popular style this season.

The company, which has suffered from declining sales, also has added more sequins or beads to its tops and stocked items such as dresses and jumpsuits that it doesn’t typically carry in its stores to update its offerings, said analyst Amy Noblin of Pali Capital.

Office-supplies retailers also are jazzing up their merchandise to give shoppers a reason to buy. Staples is selling a flash drive that changes color from red to green and others in the shape of a surf board or a skate board. To tap into demand for environmentally-friendly products, it’s unveiling paper products made from sugarcane and a flash drive made of bamboo, Miles said.

August gardening checklist

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy — at least it can be for gardeners.

Aside from tasting, weeding and watering, essential gardening tasks are at a lull in August.

Never fear, gardening addicts: There’s always something to tend for those who are determined. But go easy on yourself and take advantage of the occasional cool day to work in comfort.

Annuals

• August is a relatively low-maintenance month for flowers, but regular watering isn’t the only task that will keep your garden in top shape.
• Keep deadheading flowers as they fade; not only will the plants look better, but if they’re allowed to produce and shed their seeds, they’re more likely to stop producing new blooms.
• In areas with mild winters and longer growing seasons, annuals should have another feeding of fertilizer in late summer.

Perennials

• Along with the tips below, water perennials weekly and deeply.
• To check on water levels, trowel into the soil and look for moisture to a depth of three or four inches, or deep enough to ensure that water is reaching roots.
• Deadhead spent blooms before they have a chance to seed.
• Dahlias are probably getting leggy right about now; if so, support them with stakes.
• Iris and other early-blooming perennials can still be divided this month and even into September. Choose a cool day or time of day, and give them a tall drink of water in their new locations.
• If you’re gardening in a mild climate, fertilize roses once again this month.

Lawns

• Since August is usually the hottest month of the year, watering is a top priority in lawn care.
• Water deeply once a week (more often during scorching dry spells) for an hour at a shot.
• Raise the cutting height on your mower to keep grass longer, conserving water and helping roots stay cool.
• If water is scarce, consider letting your lawn go dormant, and reduce watering to once a month. It may look a little scrappy, but that glowing green hue will return with fall rains.
• Wildflower seeds tend to be ripe by late summer, so if you have a meadow to mow, this is a good month to hop on the tractor.

Swimming Pool Opening Checklist

Summer is right around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about getting your swimming pool ready for another fun filled season. For those of us who don’t have warm weather all year long, 2010 was probably a pretty hard winter for you. We saw record snowfall in many areas so it’s important to check on your pool even earlier than you normally would to make sure your pool is ready to go. Hopefully, you’ve maintained your pool during the winter months so you don’t have as much work to do. If you’re new to swimming pools and never have opened a swimming pool before then you should definitely call a local pool professional to open the pool for you, at least for the first time. For those of you who have opened your own pool before, here is a checklist for getting your pool opened.

• Remove all debris from your swimming pool cover. If you have a solid cover, make sure to pump all excess water off. Once the cover is free of debris, remove cover and clean with a cover cleaner. Allow the cover to dry before folding and storing to prevent mildew. As long as you’ve maintained the pool properly while it was closed, your water should be fairly clear.
• Connect your pump, filter, and other equipment. If you have a DE or cartridge filter and have not cleaned the DE grids or cartridges then you should clean them now. Use a filter cleaner/degreaser to properly clean your grids and cartridges.
• Make sure to lubricate all seals.
• If large debris has gotten into the pool, use a leaf rake or a leaf bagger to remove all large debris.
• Remove all winter plugs and re-install all return fittings and skimmer baskets. Bring the water to the proper level in the pool. Make sure nothing is clogging up the suction lines.
• Prime the pool pump and turn on the power. Check the pressure gauge to make sure your system is running properly. Normal operating pressure will vary from one pool to another. If your pressure is not at the normal operating pressure then you know something may be wrong. Visually inspect your pool equipment for leaks. Walk around your pool to check for leaks by looking for air bubbles.
• Brush pool walls and floor thoroughly.
• Take a water sample from 18 inches below the waterline into your local pool store for testing. You can also test your water with the Aquachek 7 Way Pool test strips. Balance your pool accordingly and add sanitizing chemicals according to manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Check your pool chemical supplies to make sure none have expired.

This is your basic pool opening checklist. Some of you may have more complex systems and if you are not comfortable opening your pool on your own then you should seek out a local pool professional. Good swimming!

iPhone and iPod Touch Users Get an Easy Way to Estimate FICO Scores with myFICO App

FICO, the developer of the industry-standard FICO credit risk score, has introduced its myFICO App on the App Store.

The iPhone (News – Alert) and iPod touch users, through the newly launched application are able to have access to the FICO Score Estimator.

“This is a perfect time to give all iPhone and iPod touch users a cool, easy way to estimate their FICO scores and gain access to the wealth of free educational content and features on myFICO,” said Shon Dellinger, FICO’s vice president of the myFICO.com division. “FICO scores are more important than ever to lenders which means consumers who use any type of credit really should know their score. The iPhone app helps you be smart about your FICO score anywhere, anytime, and it’s fun to boot.”

The application was created by myFICO, for use by the millions of U.S. consumers who use either the iPhone or iPod touch. Users, when connected with the FICO Score Estimator, are asked a series of questions before receiving an estimated range of their current FICO score.

To access the free library of information about FICO scoring, the consumers can also use the application. The myFICO App is available for free from the App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch.

In related news, AllRegs, the premier publisher of guidelines for the mortgage industry, and FICO, have introduced a new FICO National Certification program: the Certified FICO Professional.