Entire Sacramento Region Real Estate
Russ Teague - Diez & Sigg Properties
Every woman deserves a shed of her own — somewhere to retreat for some solitude, to create or grow, to write or paint, or just to enjoy the view. I’ve already shared the Shedquarters (for work) and the Pub Shed (for play)…but this tops them both, and it goes by the name “She Shed’.
Backyard sheds are a dime a dozen. Most of them are useful for lawnmowers and tools. However, there’s a growing trend of pub-sheds that allow you to calm your nerves after a hard day’s work in style from your very own backyard.
If you’re like most people, as soon as the weather starts to warm up, and the mornings are bright and sunny, you start thinking about your garden, and what you can do to have the most successful growing season ever! Before you start your garden, though, here are a few tips to help you prepare, grow, and maintain your garden the best way possible starting right now!
A windy and rainy early spring day is the perfect time to get out the catalogues, and order your flower bulbs, and seeds. Every gardener has a few seed catalogues ready to offer inspiration and advice when picking just the right flowers and vegetables for your area. Keep in mind your sun/shade areas, your climate, and your soil when choosing bulbs and seeds.
Before you even begin planting, you’ll need to clean up and clear out those old beds and borders. Turn over the soil to prepare for new planting, and add in organic matter such as compost, seasoned manure, or old grass clippings. This will create the healthiest soil for your garden to grow.
It pays to rotate your planting areas when you are gardening vegetables. Grab a notebook and a pen, or use an online planner, to get an idea of where you’ll be planting your seeds to maximize the area you have to plant in. Take tips from seed catalogues regarding your growing period, and the zone you live in. Take into consideration how many hours of sunlight your garden will get on a daily basis. Good planning can make or break a successful vegetable garden.
If you’re a lucky gardener with a greenhouse, get out there and wash it down with a good disinfectant. Remember to wash down benches, trays, and pots, too, and keep it open over a couple of days to make sure it dries thoroughly.
Begin starting seeds inside that need a longer growing season. There are many flowers and vegetables that benefit from being started indoors, so do some research. Just about anything can be used as starter planters – even ice cube trays, pint milk cartons cut in half, yogurt cups, and/or toilet paper rolls cut in half and stood on end. The point is – start growing those seedlings!
Inspect your gardens carefully for any pests that have decided to over-winter there. The crowns of perennials are where many slugs, aphids, and snails take shelter over the winter. Clean out last year’s pots and if you see pests when you clean, consider purchasing parasitic nematodes as a protectant that won’t hurt your garden, only the pests.
Got a shrub or shrubs that you’d like to move? Now’s the time, while it’s still in its dormant stage. You’ll want to do this on a non-windy day so that the roots don’t dry out. Dig up as much of the root ball as possible, and this will mean digging a wide circle around the shrub. It’ll be able to establish itself much quicker if you do this. Don’t place them deeper than they were in their previous soil level, and when you’re done replanting them, give them a good drenching.
As soon as the weather warms enough, get outside and repair garden boxes, raised beds, fences, trellises, and gates. These tasks aren’t what you’ll be wanting to do when planting time comes, so get them out of the way earlier rather than later, so you can enjoy your summer gardening.
Clean them up with a disinfectant to stop the spread of disease from bacteria and fungus. You’ll enjoy your gardening more when you have clean, working tools to use.
If you don’t already have a compost area – create one! You can either buy or make a bin, and you’ll have an awesome place for garden and organic food waste. Add in grass clippings, paper, and wood. As the compost breaks down, turn it each month, and soon it’ll be a boon to your garden.
By prepping your garden sites now, and doing some advanced planning, you’ll be ready to go when it comes time to get those seeds (or seedlings) in the ground.
Due to COVID-19, more people are working from home than ever before. And if you’re working from home, it’s important to have a workspace that keeps you productive and engaged throughout the day—and the design of your home office can help make or break that.
Here are some essential design tips for creating an office that will keep you inspired and productive while working from home, including:
While it may be tough to carve out the perfect space for your home office, keeping these things in mind will help you stay focused, be more productive, and keep a positive vibe in what can be a stressful time.
In an effort to contain the outbreak of the new coronavirus, most of us are self-quarantining in the comfort and safety of our own homes. And while we are all doing our part to protect our family members, friends, and community, it’s safe to say that we may be feeling a bit stir-crazy.
That’s why we’ve put together some of our favorite ways to stay connected with friends and family, give back to our local community, and stay entertained (and yes sane) during this period of social distancing. Just remember that while we may feel alone at times, we are all in this together.
Wondering how you can give back to your community? Check out some of the ways that you can help those affected by this pandemic.
Foster a furry friend: Social distancing can be lonely but many Americans have found the perfect solution—fostering a pet in need. While some local organizations are reporting a rise in foster applications, many have been forced to shut down and are in dire need of fosters, donations and much-needed resources. Click here to find a shelter near you.
Donate masks and supplies: Due to the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), Sacramento County has started accepting donations from the community to give to health professionals and emergency responders.
The donation site is at 9680 Conservation Road in Sacramento. Donations are accepted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sutter Health, Kaiser Permanente, Dignity Health and UC Davis Medical Center are also accepting community PPE donations. Each hospital has a list of items needed from the community. Click on the above links to learn more.
Give the gift of blood: Now more than ever, blood centers are in need of life-saving blood supplies. Sacramento-area residents can donate blood through Vitalant by making an appointment online or calling 877-25-VITAL. The American Red Cross is also holding community blood drives throughout the greater-Sacramento area. To find a blood drive near you, visit the American Red Cross online.
Blood centers encourage donors to make appointments in advance so staff can prepare and ensure there is adequate space for social distancing. Trips to blood donation sites are generally permissible even in areas with “shelter in place” directives, as they are deemed medically necessary. The coronavirus does not pose any known risk to blood donors during the donation process, according to AABB, a national organization advancing transfusions and cellular therapies. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration has reiterated that there have been no reported or suspected cases of transfusion-transmitted coronavirus.
Have you been binge-watching Netflix a little too much lately? Below are some ideas to keep your mind, body, and home healthy during this time.
Read something new: Escape reality for a bit and enter into a world of action or adventure. Download a free eBook at manybooks.net or buy books, magazines and newspapers straight from your Nook, Kindle or iPad.
Take up an exercising regime: Feeling restless? There are plenty of virtual fitness programs and apps being offered right now. There are also lots of beautiful hiking and walking trails in the Sacramento area. Click here for some inspiration and be sure to practice social distancing.
Start prepping your garden: Soak in the sunshine and prep your garden for spring! Here are ten tips to get your garden in tip-top shape.
Do some spring cleaning: Being stuck at home means there’s no excuse to put off cleaning. Check out these five tips for spring cleaning this year.
Spruce up your walls with some fresh paint: Now that you’ve had more time to stare at your walls, you might be considering a fresh coat of paint. Check out this year’s most popular paint trends here.
Go Down the Pinterest rabbit hole: Check out the Pinterest “Stay Safe. Stay Inspired” Board where you will find 26 sections with delicious recipes, activities for kids, home teaching ideas, ways to organize your home, happy hour recipes and much more!
Visit a virtual museum: Thanks to technology, we can still visit a museum even if we can’t leave the house. Check out Travel and Leisure’s list of 12 museums that offer virtual tours. You can “visit” famous locations in the US or abroad in Seoul, Berlin, Florence and more. You can also get your art fix with the Google Arts and Culture app for iPhone and Android. The app lets you view paintings, read up on masterpieces, and find your famous painting doppelganger. The Georgia Aquarium and the Monterey Bay Aquarium have turned on webcams so you can still watch otters, fish, and penguins without the crowds. Last but certainly not least, be sure to check out this video of a puppy field trip at an Aquarium!
Host a Netflix viewing party: If you and your friends have a Netflix subscription, you can schedule a time to watch a movie or show synced together. A free Google Chrome extension called Netflix Party syncs video playback so you can play and pause at the same time. It also has a group chat feature so you can keep the conversation going while you watch.
Stream a virtual concert: As we adjust to this new norm, many artists are taking their shows online. Check out Billboard’s list of live streams and virtual concerts to watch here. Also be sure to visit Live Nation’s website for additional live concerts, streaming and virtual events.
Support your local restaurants and shops: If you’re not in the mood to cook, now is a great opportunity to support your local restaurants and shops. Many restaurants are offering takeout or no-contact delivery options.
Interested in learning more about the current real estate market? Contact me today!
With everything going on, you might be spending a lot more time at home. And as you spend more time at home, you are also going to be looking at your walls a lot more than usual…some of which might be in need of a fresh coat of paint. Grabbing some cans of paint, paintbrushes, and rollers may be the perfect way for you to pass some time, improve your mood, and improve your home, all at the same time.
But what colors should you explore if you want your house to feel fresh and on-trend? In a recent survey, home improvement-focused digital marketplace Fixr asked design experts for their thoughts on some of the top paint trends to watch in 2020. Those trends include:
The Takeaway: So, what does this mean for you? Changing the paint colors in your home can breathe new life into your space. And whether you add those paint colors for yourself (to make your time at home more enjoyable) or for potential buyers (if you’re planning on listing your home), it’s important to consider the colors that are going to be on-trend in 2020 — and beyond!
