Friday, February 28, 2014

Use it (fix it, share it) or Lose it

Have you watched home improvement shows and noticed so many homes are totally cluttered? Entire basements, spare rooms, garages, even living rooms piled so high you can't safely walk in the space. It's hard to see the house or space around all the stuff. 

      

Some homeowners want to leave their over-crammed pads forever. They tour houses, many neatly staged by professionals, and visualize everything calm and orderly in the space. Others want to rehab their way out of chaos and stay put. Some renters think owning their own place will make everything better. 

But, no matter what, they still have to deal with all their stuff. And all that stuff is often what's really stressing them out and making them dislike their current space. 

Instead of "Love it or List it" idea, how about "Use it or lose it." We all have lots of things lying around: clothes with missing buttons or broken zippers, multiple pairs of tennis shoes from the last dozen years, artwork that was never hung up, things with tags still attached, appliances, outdated or extra games, gadgets or electronics, old books and toys, and so on.

I'm doing a room-by-room review to find forgotten, abandoned or broken things, and all the stuff that's not currently being used. I'll start with BIG items first, since they take up the most space. My goal is to decide for each item whether to fix, share, return, donate or recycle it - and then do it, ASAP.

Some stuff can be fixed or repaired and it's just a matter of getting it done. We may know people with the skills and tools to fix stuff - and maybe they're looking for an excuse to dust off their belt sander, power tools or sewing machine! 

When my bike fell apart last summer, my friend, a super-talented bike repair guy, found a replacement fork when my local bike shop couldn't even order one - and fixed my bike. I helped re-assemble it , and my bike is better, stronger and faster than ever (well, maybe not faster). I was also thrilled I didn't have to "fork" over the money for a new bike!

If you don't know anyone handy, maybe Community Glue Workshop can help. This group organizes monthly gatherings to fix things with the goal of keeping stuff out of landfills. Common items repaired include: toys, furniture, jewelry, clothing and appliances.

Maybe suggest a project exchange with a friend or family member - and help one another clean out your basement or garage, reorganize your closet or de-clutter other rooms in your home. It's much easier with another set of hands - and a set of objective eyes to help decide what to keep or what's best to get rid of straight away. 

In our basement, there are 6 big items: a box spring, an air conditioner, a pedestal sink, a freezer, old kitchen cabinets and a bicycle. In our living room we have a flat screen TV. I'll tackle these one by one and see what can be done. 

First, the queen-sized box spring is in perfect condition, but it won't fit up the narrow staircase to our 3rd floor guest room. Luckily, it was wrapped in plastic by the moving company last year, so it's clean and dry. Who needs a box spring?

A box spring goes with a mattress, usually as a set, and most charities won't take beds, at all. But when I got to the Salvation Army site,  I saw that they accept box springs (with or without mattresses), plus small appliances, clothing, and household items,. Also, they pick up, for free, and pickups in Chicago can be scheduled on the site. Bingo!!

The SA site has a donation guide with approximate dollar amounts for different items, based on how they price items to sell; this is handy for tax purposes. We have a room air conditioner in the basement that was left by the previous owners - and SA accepts them too, woo hoo!

Although I haven't gone through all of our closets yet, I estimated a bag/box of women's clothes, men's clothes, bedding and winter coats/hats. I could easily take these smaller items to the SA store in my car, but the scheduled pick up gives me extra incentive to clear things out, makes it worth the organization's time to pick it all up - and gives me a deadline.

Now what to do with that pedestal sink? I go downstairs to inspect the sink, also left by the previous homeowners. It's in good condition, and has no cracks or chips. I wipe out the dust and take a picture so I can figure out who might want it. 

Online, I saw a pedestal sink re-purposed as a planter. We have an old claw foot tub turned into a water lily pond in our backyard garden (from previous owners). So, this would complete our set, and be better than just having the sink collect dust in the basement.

I think this sink can find its true purpose so I keep looking online. The planter idea is my "plan b."

I checked a few architectural and antique shops but this sink has no real design or historical value - so that's a strike. I remembered a workshop I attended at the Rebuilding ExchangeI was surprised at the variety of things for sale there: doors, crates,cabinets,  windows, bathtubs and, yes, sinks. I checked their donation page and then emailed a note with a picture of the pedestal sink.

A few hours later, I got a response from the RX Donations Department. Yes, they'll gladly accept this sink as a donation, if I can get it to their location during business hours. I plan to drop it off as soon as I can safely get it into my car - and hope this sink can find a new home.

Then there is the upright freezer, another gift from the previous owners. It came in handy when we rehabbed our kitchen last year but now it's unplugged and collecting dust and rust in our basement. I already know what to do with this one, because I've already cleared out an old refrigerator that was here last year with ComEd's Refrigerator Recycling program. Set up an appointment and they'll pick up the old fridge or freezer, haul it away and properly recycle it - and send you a check for $50, to boot! Woot woot!

We put 5 of our old kitchen cabinets in the basement when we rehabbed our kitchen last year because we didn't want to just toss them in a landfill. We've decided to re-purpose 2 of the cabinets with drawers to store and organize tools and painting supplies. The other 3 cabinets we'll give to my parents to use in the basement they are refinishing at their new house. 

Re-using is better than recycling, unless the item is a bicycle, which means we can do both! This brings us to my old Huffy 10-speed, which has been sidelined since I got a new bike several years ago. I thought friends or family members would use it, when they visited, but that hasn't happened. Also, we joined Divvy bike sharing, and with bikes available all over the city, we don't need to keep this old one any longer. 

This bike should be on the road somewhere, instead of collecting dust in our basement. And that's just what Working Bikes believes: that bikes should be shared and used. The organization accepts donated bikes at their site or at many locations in Chicago. They fix and donate the bikes to local people and send them to under-developed countries. Their site says they donate 6,000 bicycles each year! 

That leaves the flat screen TV, which gave up the ghost in the final scenes of The Terminator a few weeks ago when the streaky colored screen went black. Our research suggests this is a common problem with this brand and we'd like to at least try to fix it. A friend recommended local repair place 20th Century TV & Stereo so we're going to see what they can do. 

After I sort out the BIG items in our house, I'll tackle the next phase of Use it or Lose it, which will include electronics, gadgets, cell phones, gardening materials, and whatever else I find while I'm digging around. In between episodes of HGTV, of course!


Thursday, February 20, 2014

Front Yard Design

My husband and I knew we had a lot to learn about our newly-purchased and over 100-year-old home, and many decisions to make as we settled into it. We looked forward to the peace and quiet of our own inside space, with no more footsteps or other sounds above us, and to having our very own outdoor space as well.

With a dozen years of practice at our condo building under my belt, I was ready to dig into my very own garden, with gusto. I knew the previous owners of our house had worked in the yard and put time and attention into it. I looked forward to building on their efforts.

We moved in late December and could only recall or see a few plants in the yard: a large lilac bush, some kind of thorny rose, many hostas, and IVY. It grew thick from the corner house, through the fence and filled the strip along our front sidewalk. 

In the spring, we waited to see what would show up. As the days got longer and warmer, new sprouts peeked up all over the place. Every day was a discovery as another plant lifted its head through the healthy soil to say hello. This is what it looked like in late March of 2013: 



What we didn't see until late spring were HUNDREDS of colorful bulbs planted the previous fall, from early crocuses to hyacinth, tulips and daffodils of various colors, sizes, shapes and bloom times. What a sweet gift to welcome us to our new home and garden!

As the warm months continued, perennials popped up and many bloomed into fall. I added garden beds along the front and side fences, where grass and ivy had been before. I split plants that were overgrown and moved them around the yard, including hostas, sedum, Solomon seal and bleeding hearts.

This is what it looked like in June:
I put annuals in pots for height and pops of color, and planted small pansies along the fence. I switched the large pots at the bottom of the steps from spring bulbs to a summer display, and later a winter one when I returned the bulbs to the big pots last fall. 

But I waited to tackle the full front yard space until I'd lived with it for a full year. And with that year nearly up, I'm ready to plan for the front yard and garden. This way, I'll be ready to roll when the weather breaks.  

This month, I started reading articles for shade gardens, since my front yard is shady due to nearby trees and buildings. It's kind of a relief, as it helps narrow down options for plants. 

I made a list of plants I want to add in the front yard: more coral bells, corydalis and hydrangea, new Virginia bluebells, cardinal flowers, and Japanese forest grass or Japanese tassel ferns. I'm sure I'll be able to find most, if not all, of these plants at my local plant store, Gethsemane, when the weather warms up and I'm back out in the yard.

Then I thought about the things I'd like to change or fix in the yard. 

It turns out my idea to identify problems first was a good one, according to Jeff True of Hursthouse Landscaping, in a front yard design class at the Chicago Botanic Garden this week. Once you know the issues, you can find creative solutions to solve them.

Before you go pick out plants, Jeff True said, you need to consider the house and property, and use that as a guide in your design process. And it is a process, he reminded us, and will have multiple stages and steps along the way. In fact, he suggested doing projects in phases to help break it down into more manageable steps, and spread out the costs.

To get started, get a broad view of the house and front yard, he said, including the fences, building, driveway and sidewalks. Each of these will affect the design and function of the home and garden. Also consider your own personal style and how you want to use the space itself, as it will be a reflection of the gardener when it's all done.

 A few design elements to keep in mind for the overall space: 

* Consider a greeting area for family, friends and guests, i.e. a landing, porch or patio.
* Think about lighting in the space and consider adding solar or LED lights.
* Screen areas for more privacy where desired, using trellises or other items.
* Check the views from inside the home as well to keep sight lines clear out windows.
* Keep front door visible from all access points to the house, if possible. 
* Use the same materials for patio, landings and planters as on the house to unify it.

For the garden itself, these are some design elements to consider:

* Make a list of favorite or new plants; experiment and have fun with them.
* Keep plants below the line of the window sill so they don't block or crowd windows.
* Balance evergreen, deciduous and broadleaf plants in the design.
* Anchor corners of property with shrubs or trees to delineate space from neighbors.
* Generally put shorter plants in front and go taller toward the back.
* Consider form, texture and color when choosing plants for eye appeal.
* Generally plant shrubs and larger plants at least 3 feet from the home's foundation.

Considering the overall space first, I will definitely use these design ideas as I start making plans for my garden this year. I look outside and it is raining, but it's okay because it makes me think that maybe, just maybe, spring is not too far away after all. 

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

We're For Water

One of my goals is to conserve water - and I started by having a free water meter installed in our home last month. Each time I’m about to turn on the faucet, take a shower or wash clothes, I think about – and appreciate - the water I can so easily access each day in my Chicago home.

My behavior has also changed. I take shorter showers and turn off the faucet while I’m doing other tasks. I use a soft, handled brush in the kitchen to clean and scrape plates and pots, instead of the water sprayer on the faucet. The brush also keeps my hands clean so I don’t have to wash my hands as often.

For drinking, I take a refillable aluminum bottle to yoga and make sure I drink all the water and don’t pour any out after class. I fill a glass bottle with filtered water for me and guests – and use the same glasses used for other drinks so fewer dishes need to be washed.

When I do laundry, I put clean clothes on drying racks to humidify rooms as the clothes dry, which also gives people, pets and plants much-needed moisture on these cold winter days and uses less energy and water than a humidifier.

For my car, I grab clean snow, which we’ve had no shortage of this winter, and wipe off windows, side mirrors and head- and tail-lights so the car needs fewer trips to the carwash.

As a gardener, this year I’ll use TWO rain barrels and our existing compost bin. We’ll install a 2nd rain barrel in the front yard, which we’re getting free for joining the city’s Meter Save program. Using a compost bin means fewer food scraps in the disposal – and we make new soil from yard waste and veggie peels!

When I add to the garden, I’ll get native plants that need less water. As a bonus, I can get rebates on some native plants, as well as trees, shrubs, compost bins - and rain barrels - through the city’s ongoing program, Sustainable Backyards.

Haven’t heard of a rain barrel? They come in many designs, basic to fancy, and can be purchased at hardware, home improvement and garden stores during the warmer months. Each rain barrel can save 1,300 gallons of water during peak summer months, according to the EPA. This can reduce water use in warm weather months, when outdoor use accounts for as much as 40% of water use.

To take it to the next level inside my home, I signed a “We’re For Water” pledge on the U.S. EPA’s site. Here are the pledge’s first 3 steps:

1)     Check toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If the color appears in the bowl before flushing, there may be a leak.

2)     Tighten pipe connections to prevent dripping.
Even better: Install faucet aerators or showerheads.

3)     Replace fixtures, as needed– check for WaterSense labels.

Aerators are the small screens screwed to the end of faucets and can (usually) be taken off easily to clean out gunk or residue. Old aerators use generally 2 to 3 gallons per minute (or gpm), whereas a new aerator can cut water use down to 1.5 gallons per minute.

Showering accounts for about 17% of water use in the U.S., and showerheads are now being designed to use less water – and still provide a quality shower. According to the EPA, the average American family could save 2,300 gallons of water by switching to more efficient showerheads. Utility bills will also be lower as less energy is needed to heat (less) water for sinks and showers.

As I searched for rebates, I saw forms for water heaters and furnaces and, sure, that makes sense as they’re big ticket items that use a lot of energy. However, I was surprised to see other items pictured on the site, including programmable thermostats, pipe insulation and compact fluorescent lightbulbs.

“This could take a while,” I thought, expecting different forms for each item on the Home Energy Jumpstart  site, which is a joint program between People’s Gas and ComEd to get customers to conserve energy – and, consequently, water.

Unless my eyes deceived me, all the items listed were available for FREE?! To confirm, I read the People’s Gas site again:
Get energy-saving products installed in your home for free through the Home Energy Jumpstart Program, offered in partnership with ComEd.
The program is available to owners of single-family homes, two-flats and individually-metered condos and townhomes. Renters are also eligible, with permission from their landlord.
In addition to the free items below, you also can receive a $250 bonus rebate on top of the standard rebates from the Peoples Gas Home Energy Rebate Program when you install a qualifying high-efficiency furnace, boiler or water heater.

Call 855-849-8928 to get started. Please have your Peoples Gas and ComEd account numbers handy when you call.

I grabbed my latest gas bill and called the number. Within 3 rings, I was on line with a representative and within 2 minutes, I had an appointment for, get this, FREE products AND installation of ALL ITEMS on the site: programmable thermostat, aerators, showerheads, CFL’s and pipe insulation. I hit the jackpot!!! 

The representative said the crew will have all the materials to install including multiple aerators and showerheads for the kitchen and bathrooms, so I guess I can recycle that list I started for the home improvement store. And I just need to wait until my appointment on March 5. 

Ready, set, jumpstart!! (Stay tuned for an update after March 5). 

Monday, February 10, 2014

Hello Mister!

With a new plant manual and renewed determination to do right by my house plants, I've made some progress since a recent visit to my local plant store, Gethsemane.

First, I took inventory. With my Anthurium, I have 30 house plants right now. The bright red flowers and big shiny leaves of our "new guy" were just the ticket to brighten up our house during this long, cold winter. Isn't he handsome? 


 
Anthurium andreanum

This guy was selected after a long conversation in the Gethsemane greenhouse, with a helpful and patient staffperson (though I have been known to talk to my plants, too). So far, he's acclimating well, hasn't been harassed by my two cats and even has a new flower coming up and starting to uncurl. We're off to a good start in our relationship. 

After setting up the new guy in a pretty pot holder with drainage holes in indirect light, I set out to get to know my other house plants better. I went room by room and plant by plant with my plant manual to learn the names and habits of my silent housemates.

Reed palm
The plant manual lists 'secrets of success' for each plant type, which can be hard to figure out as the book lists them alphabetically by name. So, if you don't know the name of the plant, you've got some digging to do. Luckily, there are pictures and descriptions to help decide who is what. 

The plant 'success' list includes temperature, light, water AND air humidity.  Who knew, right? 

Apparently, many plants I own would like more humidity and the manual recommends to "mist leaves regularly."  


Dieffenbachia
Mist-lovers include: stripe-leafed calathea (in maranta group), large-leafed dieffenbachia, dracaena (aka 'false palm'), palms, pink-stem philodendron, climbing pothos (scindapsus), even easy-going schefflera

With exception of my fussy tropical crotons, these house plants have missed out on misting so far. 

My reed palm has been beautiful for years and has adapted beautifully to our new home; my large-leafed dieffenbachia grows and grows, with a few turns of the pot to grow evenly; my two schefflera (left) with their cute baby leaflets like stars are the easiest plants I own, except the nearly indestructible 'snake plants' (sansevieria) that grow in nearly any conditions, even in offices under neon lights. 

This winter in Chicago has been brutally cold and with it comes extremely dry air, so I figured this would be a good time to test out a mister - and see if my plants like it.                                                                                                        

Mist-loving house plants' best friend: a spray bottle.  




Some plants LOVE the new misting practice and the extra air humidity from drying racks in the room (bonus: clothes dry overnight, like magic!). 

The dracaena has just one brown leaf left and new bright green growth on top. The philodendron, calathea and crotons are digging the extra moisture - and it shows in the brighter leaf colors, smooth and supple texture and overall health of the plants. 

Other plants seem neutral to misting, including schefflera, dieffenbachia and pothos. I now keep a spray bottle near the mist-loving plants so I can easily mist them. If the air is really dry or other plants look dry or dirty, I give them a quick spritz too. A tiny bit of soap in the water helps deter bugs and keep the leaves clean and shiny.

Armed with my misting spray bottle and my plant manual, my house plants should all make it through this record-breaking cold winter. I hope I am as lucky.