GET YOUR HOME SUMMER READY

Summertime is officially here, and we’re daydreaming of afternoons spent in the garden, and evenings entertaining al fresco. It’s not too late to get your yard, garden, and outdoor spaces ready. Here are five simple prep steps:

1. GREAT SOIL

The key to a thriving flower garden? Nutrient rich soil. It would be silly to spend time and money planting expensive plants into unworthy soil. Instead, investing in soil that will create a foundation for your plants to sink their roots into, will allow your garden to flourish. So what makes a good soil? A mix of organic matter, water, air, living organisms, and minerals which come from rocks below or nearby. You have great soil when these ingredients are present in the proper proportions. 

To assess the soil composition at your home, you can take a soil test. For a small fee, you can get a test kit through your local Cooperative Extension office—in Virginia, you can get a soil test through Virginia Tech for $10. In North Carolina, you can get a soil test through the North Carolina Cooperative Extension at no charge from April through November. In Tennessee, you get a soil text through the University of Tennessee for $15.

Each kit will include instructions for collection and submitting your soil samples. When you receive your results, follow along with the recommendations. This may include removing the grass or sod that is currently existing in the area, adding organic matter, and possibly a fertilizer.

2. TOOL CARE

To be able to easily work in your yard and garden all summer long, it’s worth the effort to clean and sharpen your yard tools. Start by cleaning out your garage or tool shed. As you pull out each item, set aside those that need to be cleaned or sharpened.

For your shovels, spades, and other digging tools, begin with a thorough cleaning. Soak the tools in a bucket of water, then use a brush to remove any caked on dirt. Rinse with a hose, and wipe dry with a rag. To prevent rust, you can apply a lightweight lubricating oil to the metal parts with a cotton sock or rag. For wood handles, lightly sand to remove any splinters, then coat with olive or linseed oil. Allow to dry before storing.

Sharpen your hand-held pruners regularly with a sharpening stone, being sure to only sharpen in one direction. Five or six swipes across the stone should be sufficient. Keep joints oiled with a lubricating oil, which can also be applied to a cotton rag to clean the blades of your pruners after each use. An oil like WD-40 will also remove any tree sap that gets onto the blades. Store the pruners with the blades open, relieving tension from the springs.

For your lawnmower, you’ll want to change the oil and replace the spark plug at the start of each season. Clean the air filter, or replace if it’s too dirty to clean. Sharpen the blade with a metal file, being sure to sharpen in the same direction with each pass. Tighten any loose bolts and fill with gas.

Keep your wheelbarrow happy by cleaning it after each use. Knock off any loose dirt with a wire brush. Rinse out the bucket with a hose, stand it up on its side, and allow it to dry before storing, especially if you have a metal barrow that could rust. As with your digging tools, keep the wooden handles smooth and oiled to prevent splinters. Keep the tires inflated and wheels oiled.

For serious machinery like chainsaws and tillers, be sure to follow the owner’s manual and maintenance guidelines. Proper prep for summer use and winter storage will aid in the longevity of these pricier tools.

3. PLAN AHEAD 

For a lush summer garden with vibrantly colored bulbs, you’ll need to plant some of the flowers in the spring. First, determine your plant hardiness zone by visiting the USDA zone map and entering your zip code, or viewing by state. North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia all range from 5 – 8. Oriental lilies, dahlias, gladiolus, and gayfeather should all work well in our region.  Keep in mind that soil composition, sun exposure, and drainage all play a part in the success of any flowers. Check with your local garden store to be sure you’re choosing the best options for your yard’s conditions.

4. SNEEZE-FREE GARDENS

For those of us with seasonal allergies, we can still have beautiful gardens! Here are some low-pollen, allergy friendly options:

Carolina Jessamine has pollen that’s deep inside so insects spread the pollen, rather than the wind. This vibrant vine can climb 10 to 20 feet tall on a wall or trellis.

Ferns have no pollen at all, and are great for adding texture to your garden. We love the delicate brake fern and sculptural maidenhair fern.

Hydrangeas have sticky pollen that doesn’t become airborne. This deciduous shrub comes in hundreds of varieties with big leaves and beautiful clusters of flowers that smell as amazing as they look.

Don’t forget about low-allergy trees! Magnolia, dogwood, cherry, pear, and crape myrtle are great options.

5. PRESSURE WASH

To get your outdoor spaces looking their best, pressure wash everything! Your patios, deck, outdoor furniture, and even siding will look better after a proper cleaning. For your siding and furniture, always work from the top down, and be sure to use safety glasses as debris may fly up. You can rent a pressure washer for around $75/day from your local hardware store.

Richmond gets cold, let’s do our best to stay cozy in the winter months!

History of Design: Constructing Coziness

CONSTRUCTING COZINESS THROUGH THE AGES

What does it mean to be cozy? When you’re cozy, you’re warm, safe, comfortable, relaxed—qualities we seek in our lives, and in our homes. How did people in the past achieve this coveted coziness? Read on to explore the history behind some of our favorite cozy home features.

PORCH PLEASURES

Is there anything better than kicking back on a porch? Before the days of air conditioning, comfortable outdoor spaces were essential for people living in warm climates. In cities like Wilmington, North Carolina, homes were built with extensive side porches positioned to catch cooling river breezes and make the hot weather more bearable. Today our porches are like outdoor living rooms; it’s fun to make them cozy with swings, cushy furniture, and bug-free screening.

TANTALIZING TAPESTRIES

Medieval castles were usually built for strength, not comfort. One way that castle dwellers made their austere stone fortresses more homey was by hanging tapestries. These woven fabric wall treatments kept heat from escaping, but they weren’t exclusively functional. Artists worked elaborate images and colors into tapestries, telling visual stories and creating beautiful, unique treasures that are still prized today by museums and private collectors.

SOAK UP THE SUN

The best source of warmth and light has always been the sun! Builders around the world have been capturing the sun’s energy through smart home design for thousands of years. The ancient Romans used clear glass to create airy interiors that locked in heat. Later architects created conservatories attached to grand homes for the cultivation of citrus trees, which evolved into sunrooms designed for entertaining and relaxing—all while basking in natural light.

BOOKS ARE FRIENDS

If the first thing that comes to mind when you think “cozy” is a delightful reading nook, you’re in good company. Since the advent of mass produced books in the 15th century, people have been finding creative and aesthetically stunning ways to bring literature into their homes. Whether your idea of cozy is a pillow-stuffed window seat or an elegant room packed to the rafters with interesting tomes, embrace the joy of a quiet reading day.

RETRO RELAXATION

When three Italian designers captured the spirit of the age and the wonders of new technology with the first bean bag chair in 1968, a cozy classic was born. Intended to fit the lifestyle of countercultural nonconformists, the bean bag chair does not dictate your relaxation—it goes with the flow! From college dorms and basements to classrooms and even offices, the bean bag chair has evolved and can’t help but inspire coziness.

GREENHOUSE GROWTH

Plants deserve a little coziness, too! If you live in a cooler climate and want to grow gorgeous plants all year long, a greenhouse is a must. Greenhouses as we know them exploded in popularity in the 1600s as increased trade brought exotic fruits, vegetables, and flowers from the tropics into European homes. Technological developments in the 1960s brought plastic sheeting onto the scene, which made simple home greenhouses accessible to plant enthusiasts everywhere.

Click here to peruse our full “History of Design” series. 

Goal Setting for you and our team.

We think goal setting is an extremely important part of life.  Now that the Holidays are over now it’s time to really get into the nitty gritty of the year and get those goals in motion.  

After reading countless books on the subject there are a few action items we can all use to get the most out of the year:

-Remember the weeks are long and the year is short.  If you focus on getting one thing done or better every day, that will add up far faster than a massive goal at the end.  

-Write down and publicly state your goals.  What do you think this article is about?? It holds you accountable to your peers and puts some needed pressure on you.  

-Reward yourself after each step! This is important because we all should celebrate the wins no matter how small.  

Here is what the team hopes to accomplish this year:

Scott: 10 million in production. Purchase 2 more rental properties.  Make US Ultimate Association’s Masters Nationals for the second time with a team from Richmond. Complete a half marathon. 

Take Becca to Portugal after she graduates from grad school at VCU. 

Jess: $7.5M in sales, complete broker’s license by the end of spring, read more books for fun, get more stamps in my passport this year, host more dinner parties, declutter and organize my closets and cabinets.

Brian:6.5 in sales.  16oz of water in the morning before coffee, 50 trail miles a week, stretch daily, cut out subscriptions, declutter personally and professionally,  no new bikes or bike parts. Read 10 pages of a book every day.

Sizing Up Your Home: How Much Space is Worth the Price?

BIGGER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR LIVING SPACE. SO HOW MUCH SPACE IS WORTH THE PRICE, AND WHAT ARE THE TRADEOFFS?

After a recent trip to Houston, I was shocked by the space the average family claims to need in the city.  Zero Lot Lines and an average of well over 3000 square feet per home made me question if it is always worth it to get a bigger home when you are looking for a new place to live. 

As we know, your “stuff” will continue to expand to fill your space. And the time and money you’ll invest in cleaning, maintenance, heating, and cooling also correspond directly to the square footage of your home. The extra costs of maintaining all that space add up quickly. More things to keep up with, larger yards, and more rooms to fill translate to more money and more effort over the course of the year.

Many reasons exist for seeking out a larger living space in today’s world, especially compared to the historical sizes of homes. If you have a big family, there’s no getting around the need for a house with enough room to give everyone the privacy that they need, and to keep from stepping on each other’s toes. Who among us doesn’t want a play room, a romp room, a den, a music room, a she-cave?

And now that more people are working from home, a comfortable office and flex spaces enter the equation. Some passions like art, music, and outdoor adventure require additional storage space, and saving on square footage might not be worth cramping your style.

But it pays to find some middle ground between too much and too little space. Use these tips on evaluating your needs to weigh the pros and cons of opting for a larger house.

HOW BIG IS THE AVERAGE HOME?

The average home size has increased by about 1,000 square feet over the past 50 years. The average home in the United States right now covers a little more than 2,000 square feet. That number varies depending on geographic location of course–living in the middle of New York City looks starkly different than in rural Mid Atlantic.

Our houses also dwarf those in other parts of the world: homes throughout the United Kingdom, for instance, come out to a mere 800 square feet on average.

With the modern American tendency to supersize anything we can get our hands on, it’s easy to equate size with value, so a bigger home seems like a better investment—at first. The added costs of maintaining a large home, though, easily eat away at that perceived value.

WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO HOUSING COSTS?

The monthly mortgage on a bigger home sits naturally higher than that of a smaller one. A larger home also means more rooms to fill, more walls to decorate, more messes to clean up, more vacuuming, cleaning supplies, more air to heat or cool, more yard to tend, more appliances to maintain, and more square footage subject to tax. The average property tax in the U.S. costs about 1.5% of the total home value.

Heating and cooling costs increase disproportionately with size. One study found that it costs upwards of 70% more to cool a 4,000 square foot home over the summer than a house just 2,500 square feet.

Personal finance experts at the Balance suggest that annual maintenance costs add up to at least 1% of your home’s value, or $1 per square foot, for everything from lawn care and potential plumbing problems, to roofing repairs and painting.

Not only does the money add up, but so does the time. That sweeping landscape out back won’t mow, weed, or maintain itself. Nor will those deep kitchen counters and spare bedrooms care for themselves. If you’re working hard to keep up with a higher mortgage, your time might already feel stretched thin.

HOW MUCH SPACE DO I REALLY NEED?

To figure out the right balance between space and cost for your individual situation, consider these questions:

 How big is your current family? How much space does each person need to feel comfortable? Will you need room to grow for each family member’s activities? 

Do you plan on increasing the size of your family during your time living in the home? This includes kids, pets, or elderly parents moving in for extra support.

How much space do your home activities require? Do you need a home office or a craft room?

How much storage do your activities outside of the home require? Do you need extra garage, basement, or closet space to keep everything safely stored when not in use?

Do you prefer to relax at home or be out and about? How and where do you spend your time at home?

Do you enjoy sharing your space with others? How often do you have people come visit, for the evening, or for days at a time?

What do you like or dislike about your current living space? What feels like too much, too little, or just enough room throughout your home?

Every home is as different as the people that live in them. But understanding the costs that accompany homes of varying sizes can help you make a more informed decision about how much space is worth the price for you.

We help our clients with these questions during the home buying process and typically have to remind them of a few things that we wish everyone remembered:

1. The average time in a home is less than 8 years.  So when you are going to buy, does it make sense to buy for 15 years from now? Or do you make sure you are happy with the next few years first?
2. Is it worth buying a slightly smaller house, knowing you can spend less and build onto the house later? After all, remember, you can move the house, but you can’t move the dirt under it.
3. Is the location you are choosing to live going to help you with your needs? If you live next to a ymca for example do you really need that in-home gym or pool?

Home Sweet RVA loves to help you answer these questions so please feel free to reach out when it is time to start upsizing or downsizing for your next home.