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While we love to welcome guests into our home during the summer, I think we can all agree that insects and critters aren’t a part of the list. With the weather warming up, it’s likely that some of these pests will decide to find a new home inside of your home or garden this summer. This Trulia article by Meaghan O’Neill provides 18 natural pest control tips to help you take care of these uninvited guests this summer.
Be Tidy
If you don’t want pests in your home, start by eliminating things that attract them. That means keeping food in tightly closed bins, cleaning up food scraps and crumbs promptly, and keeping lids on garbage cans and emptying them frequently. Moisture will also attract many pests, so fix any leaks and use a dehumidifier. Outdoors, don’t allow water to pool, which provides a breeding ground for some bugs, like mosquitoes.
Use borax to deter ants
To create a nontoxic ant trap, mix ⅓ cup of borax, ⅓ cup of sugar, and 1 cup of water in a jar. Add a wad of toilet paper, then poke a few holes in the jar’s lid before fastening it on. Trapping ants won’t affect their colony, though. To attack them at the source, sprinkle borax along their pathways, where they’ll pick it up, bring it back to home base, and share. One caveat: Keep borax away from curious pets and kids.
Lure fruit flies with vinegar
Who says you’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar? Fill a small jar with apple cider vinegar, then affix plastic wrap over the opening with a rubber band, poke a few holes in it, and wait.
Deter flies with a basil cocktail
Keep fruit flies away by soaking a pint of packed basil leaves in water overnight. Pour the infusion into a spray bottle, then douse infested areas.
Sniff out houseflies
Houseflies can’t stand a host of great-smelling plants, including basil, lavender, sweet woodruff, lemon verbena, mint, thyme, rosemary, bay, and chamomile, according to Annie Berthold-Bond, author of Better Basics for the Home. Plant these near doorways or keep potted specimens on windowsills.
Go garlicky with garden bugs
Sometimes it’s possible to handpick bugs off garden plants. When it’s not, try this all-purpose concoction from Berthold-Bond: Peel and mash one head of garlic, then place it in a Mason jar. Cover with boiling water; allow it to sit overnight. Strain, empty the liquid into a spray bottle, and spray on affected areas.
Blow away mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are known to dislike citronella and lemon balm, but that won’t always do the trick. One friend found that adding an oscillating fan to her arsenal gave the scents extra power and blew the bugs away.
Plant companions
Many plants — such as nasturtiums, chrysanthemums, and marigolds — can be planted alongside others to act as natural protectors. Known as companion planting, it helps repel unwanted bugs. Native plantings also tend to be more resistant to local critters; it’s just how they evolved.
Read the full article here.
Hillsboro, OR – July 2016 – Lennar’s newest community to the Hillsboro area, Laurel Oaks, is attempting to lower their use of resources by providing solar systems with all of their new homes. By converting sunlight into energy through the use of solar panels, homeowners are able to lower their utility costs each month by receiving credits for the extra energy produced and not consumed — that energy gets transferred back onto the grid.
“We are really excited to begin offering solar homes,” said Sia Howe, Marketing Manager for Lennar Portland. “Times have changed and we know that green living practices are a huge priority among our homeowners.”
The solar packages are composed of a state-of-the-art solar panel system with micro-inverter technology by SunStreet Energy Group. Their micro-inverter technology allows each panel to operate independently and produce more energy than traditional central-inverter based systems.
In addition to including solar packages, Lennar Portland includes other green building techniques to create homes that function with energy and water efficiency.
Creating a truly energy-efficient home starts during the construction process. Improved insulation techniques and a tightly sealed duct system also help control indoor airspace by eliminating any spaces or gaps for heat or cool air to escape from, or through.
All new Lennar homes use low VOC paint, which stands for low volatile organic compounds. These paints have a less harmful chemical makeup, which improves air quality both indoors and out. Double paned low emissivity windows, commonly referred to as low-E, have protective coatings to help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. Programmable thermostats allow for the utmost control over the indoor air environment.
The new homes at Laurel Oaks come in nine distinct and modern open floorplans, with sizes ranging from approximately 2,111 to 2,892 square feet up to five bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. Many of the homes feature garages set to the rear of the home, providing beautiful curbside appeal.
Laurel Oaks’ Welcome Home Center is located at 5292 Lone Oak Street. For more information on this community, visit http://www.lennar.com/new-homes/oregon/portland/hillsboro/laurel-oaks.
For more information on new homes in the Portland area, visit http://www.lennar.com/new-homes/oregon/portland
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders and proudly remains steadfast in their commitment toward quality, value and integrity. Lennar has a longstanding history of building exceptional homes in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
Have you ever dropped a small item on your floor and made a failed attempt to search for it or heard the crackling sound of it being swept up in the vacuum cleaner? We found a solution that is easy and will help these unfortunate events from happening in the future. All you need are two household items: a vacuum cleaner with a detachable hose and a pair of stockings. Wrap one leg of the stockings around the vacuum hose and vacuum the area where the item was dropped. Before turning off the vacuum, make sure to remove the item from the hose to avoid it falling to the ground again. Watch this How to U video to see it in action!
Do you have a great home tip to share? Simply tag it with #HowToU on Twitter or Instagram and your tip could turn into a future video!
If you’re saving up for a new home or just simply trying to set a financial goal for yourself, budgeting your money can seem a little overwhelming at first. This recent Forbes article explains what the 50-20-30 rule is and how it can help you build your own budget.
What is the 50-20-30 Rule?
The 50-20-30 Rule helps you build a budget by using three spending categories:
Keep in mind that the percentages for essentials and flexible spending are the maximum you should spend. Falling under those guidelines can leave more money for other financial goals.
How to start a 50-20-30 budget
Figure out what’s currently happening with your finances. First, look at your pay stubs to determine exactly how much money you bring home each month. That’s your income and what you’ll base your 50-20-30 split on. (If you’re self-employed, be careful to track your earnings and understand your average income per month so you can budget accordingly.)
Next, track your spending. Yes, that means keeping up with every last cent, from the big stuff such as rent to the coffee that you grab on the way to work. Then divide your spending into one of the three categories: essentials, financial goals, and flexible spending. From here, adjust your spending to ensure you’re falling into the 50-20-30 parameters. If you’re overspending on stuff you want but don’t need, it’s time to cut back to save more.
Why the 50-20-30 Rule works
It keeps your personal finances simple so you can pay your bills, add to your savings, and have the freedom to use some money just for fun. It’s also a good starting point for the budgeting novice. There’s no uncertainty, your action steps are clear, and it even provides for savings, investments, and other financial goals. This makes it much more likely that you’ll stay the course over time, ultimately reaching your desired financial stability.
The 50-20-30 Rule also offers some flexibility. You can bend it a bit by altering the percentages to make it work better for you. “It’s not about the exact percentage breakdown, because all budgets will be slightly different,” says Eric Roberge, a financial planner who specializes in helping professionals and entrepreneurs at Beyond Your Hammock. “The key is to take action and use a system to help you stay consistent in managing your money every month, and making sure you’re covering your expenses, being responsible by saving for tomorrow, and giving yourself some room to enjoy life today.”
[Read the full article: New to budgeting? why you should try the 50-20-30 rule]
Whether or not you planned for a staycation this summer, you should consider the benefits that it can have for both you and your home. While your staycation may consist of relaxation and enjoying the beautiful outdoors, it’s also a great time to give your home a little TLC. For all the to-do lists you may have not quite completed or the projects you never had time to start, your staycation is the perfect opportunity to complete them. Zillow Porchlight has shared 5 home projects you can squeeze into your to-do list this summer.
Painting interior trim
While the weather is nice enough to air out paint fumes through open windows, breathe life into spaces that have grown stale with fresh color.
One way to get a whole-room update for a fraction of the effort: Zero in on the trim. Painting baseboards, chair rail, window trim, and crown molding in either complementary or contrasting tones to your walls really wakes up ordinary rooms and hallways.
Building a backyard fire pit
A landscaping addition that extends outdoor hours by offering light and heat well into the evening is one you won’t regret — especially when it’s too easy to skip.
Your backyard fire pit doesn’t have to be a large, lavish model picked from a catalog to be entertaining. In fact, you can assemble an attractive one in just a day from a kit with no-cut blocks from your home improvement store.
Resurfacing the concrete driveway
Concrete driveways are known for their durability, but years of use and exposure to the elements can leave them looking worse for all that wear.
If your driveway flakes or shows fine cracks, one sunny, 80-degree weekend spent resurfacing may help you avoid the cost and labor of completely replacing the hardscaping.
The most time-consuming part is the preparation, which includes a thorough pressure-washing and patching large cracks and holes.
Afterward, you’ll mix a resurfacing product to a semi-liquid form, apply with large squeegees, and then brush it for a consistent finish. Containing a polymer-based cement, a resurfacer forms a strong bond with the existing driveway and adds a layer of protection against future damage.
Just 24 hours later, you can pull cars back into your now like-new driveway.
Organizing the garage
If you can’t pull your car into the garage without bumping into lawn chairs and recycling bins, it’s time to create order out of chaos. Fortunately, these storage strategies take only a day to establish.
Replacing worn window screens
A soft breeze through the bedroom window can be most refreshing on a cool summer night — but not if mosquitoes buzz in with it. Confidently keep out unwanted insects without sealing yourself off from the best of summer weather by ensuring all windows, doors, and porches are free of ripped and sagging screens.
As long as the screen frames still in good shape, you can simply swap out worn or snagged mesh material. Remove the old rubber spline holding the screen in place, position new fiberglass screen fabric over the frame, and tuck a new rubber spline into the crevice using a special screen roller tool.
If you’re replacing screens on windows that face south or west, consider an upgrade while you’re at it: Choosing solar screen fabric filters out the sun’s rays, controlling heat and glare as well as providing UV protection.
Read the full article here.
Clovis, Calif. – July 2016 – Lennar Central Valley introduced Bright White Kitchens as a new standard in their all-new collection of homes, the Savannah Series in Clovis. This new and fresh collection includes five homes inspired by the quaintness of Southern-style exterior detailing and the popularity of open, free-flowing interior spaces. The new Savannah Series is now selling at Lennar’s Ellingsworth community in Clovis, with four furnished models set to open early this fall.
“We are so excited to unveil the all-new Savannah Series at Ellingsworth,” Vice President of Sales and Marketing Susan Wilke said. “These gorgeous homes answer the growing need for fresh and bright kitchens, offering the best new floorplan designs and cutting-edge smart home technology.”
Savannah at Ellingsworth will feature five never-before-seen floorplans, ranging in size from approximately 1,450 to 2,223 square feet. Homes will offer two to four bedrooms, two to two-and-a-half bathrooms and two-bay garages, making these floorplans perfect for families of all sizes, including first-time buyers, empty nesters and those wishing to live in the award-winning Clovis Unified School District. Take a peek at doll-house views of the five floorplans to get a feel for the space and design by visiting Lennar Central Valley’s Facebook page.
The Savannah Series’ Everything’s Included® package has modern details like plank tile flooring with stylish faux wood finish, white quartz countertops and European-inspired white shaker cabinetry – all designer upgraded features at no extra cost. These homes also feature the latest in smart home automation, including Wi-Fi enabled thermostats and garage doors, whole-home Wi-Fi, SchlageSense smart door locks with Bluetooth® technology and much more.
To learn more about these brand new designs, call 559-994-6567 and find out how these homes meet your family needs.
Take a peek at doll-house views of the five floorplans to get a feel for the space and design by visiting Lennar Central Valley’s Facebook page.
To request more information on this community visit http://www.lennar.com/new-homes/california/fresno-central-valley/clovis/ellingsworth-savannah-series.
For more information on Lennar’s communities in the Fresno area, visit www.lennar.com/fresno.
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders and proudly remains steadfast in their commitment toward quality, value and integrity. Lennar has a longstanding history of building exceptional homes in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
