The BLOG

Spring is here! For many homeowners, the season means trips to the home improvement store to begin those projects you've been putting off all winter. Home improvement projects can be tiring, messy and expensive. Consider yourself forewarned and fore-armed (four arms, now that would be handy for hanging sheetrock!) with these five “Murphy's Law” type observations about home improvements.

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1. Tasks will take twice as much time and three times as much money as you expect.

Despite your best budgeting and estimates, tasks typically take more time and money than even your projected worst-case scenario. There's no way to budget for this. Just accept it because worrying about it wastes energy and fussing about it takes even more time.

2. You can trade time for money, and vice versa.

If you're willing to spend a little more, your job will go a little faster. If budget is your bigger concern, you can eliminate shortcuts that often cost more money. A good example is using paint and primer in one, which can reduce your painting time by half, but will cost more than regular paint. The extreme example is throwing your hands up in surrender and hiring a contractor to complete your renovations. You can save time … or you can save money. But not both.

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Watching the news coverage and reading the stories of tornado survivors in Moore, Oklahoma brings back the stomach-churning feeling I had after the Newtown tragedy and the Boston Marathon bombing, which hit frighteningly close to home. So many deaths and injuries. So much senseless destruction. Yet this time the villain was Mother Nature, and her wrath was astounding.

Situated in Tornado Alley, Moore has seen this show before—in 1999, 36 were killed by a tornado; they’ve had four in 14 years. What could have helped save the two dozen lost, many of whom were children? Experts are saying safe rooms. Above or below ground, safe rooms are credited for saving many lives during this tornado, but regretfully the elementary schools destroyed by the tornado did not have such shelters. Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis, as reported yesterday on CNN.com, is calling for a new law that would require safe rooms or storm shelters in new homes. “Anyone that lives in any tornado area should have [a safe room], but it’s just a matter of the cost,” he said.

RELATED: Get a Home Security Quote Today

If you spend any time at all looking at various lists of “Great Place to Live” or “Swell Small Cities in the U.S.,” you’re bound to come across the city of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. It’s currently sitting pretty at number three of CNN Money’s Best Places to Live list for 2013, and we can see why. Loaded with acres of greenery, lakes and ponds, Eden Prairie seems like its name: verdant, yet still squarely situated in southern Minnesota prairie country. Its proximity to Minneapolis-St. Paul makes it a desirable suburb of the Twin Cities, and every year, Eden Prairie conducts a Quality of Life Survey, which polls the public on just how great things are in the area. Based on Eden Prairie’s current quality of life rating of 99 percent, we’d say things are just fine there.

RELATED: Best Places to Live Part I: Newton, Mass.

Many people say they never see their neighbors because everyone is so busy working nine to five. But spring and summer represents the perfect time to get outdoors and meet your neighbors. Guess what? You're not going to meet anyone hanging out in your backyard. (Unless you host an open house barbecue, but we'll get to that in a bit!)

Here are some ideas to get more social in your 'hood if you've just moved in—or even if you've been living there for years and think it's finally time to get to know people!

1. Beautify your front yard. Sometimes I think I'd never see my neighbor with three girls under six if she didn't have a beautiful front yard flower bed garden. When I'm coming home from running errands, she's often gardening or watering, which gives us more time to chat. Otherwise, a friendly nod hello would be all we have time to offer each other every morning as we're piling the kids into our cars for school.

RELATED: 5 Things to Do Now to Get to Know Your New Neighborhood

2. Get a dog. A dog that requires walking is the perfect way to get to know your 'hood. But if you just moved in to a house, you might not want to add, “Scoop dog poop” to your to-do list. Even if you don't get a dog, you can reap the benefits of a nightly walk. Experiment with different times: after dinner, when people are coming home from work, right after school, to find the best time to run in to other walkers (with or without pets) and say hello.

A new home and a new start. As you settle into your new house and begin the ritual of unpacking, refurbishing and setting up house, you should be sure to consider one home upgrade in particular: residential VoIP phone service.

Once your Internet service is set up, it’s easy to install a home VoIP system. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is another name for Internet telephone service, and calls are made and received over the Internet instead of landlines. Landline telephony is pricy since users have to pay for upkeep fees for the wires; VoIP runs off the Internet, so users do not have to pay these extra fees.

RELATED: Compare TV. Phone and INternet Service in Your Area

It’s easy to set up with a residential VoIP provider, following a few simple steps.

Step 1: Calculate Your Price

Unlimited nationwide calling is so cheap with VoIP that it’s usually worth it to choose unlimited service (as opposed to pay-by-the-minute plans), unless you really only expect to make and receive a few calls in a month. Some of the cheapest unlimited nationwide calling plans cost around $6/month per line, and the highest average rates aren’t much more, at around $10/month per line. 

Some providers also offer virtual numbers, which are phone numbers a customer can buy in any area code of their choosing. All calls to and from that area code become cheap local calls for both the user and the local callers. This is perfect for users who have loved ones living out-of-area or out-of-state. If you left lots of family and friends when you moved, this may be a great option for staying in touch.

Image Courtesy of Nicole Elizabeth of Sent-Well.com

While it's certainly not mandatory or expected, dropping by with a housewarming gift for your new neighbors is a great way to introduce yourself. Getting to know your neighbors has several benefits:

• It helps teach your children to develop a strong sense of community.
• You know there is someone close by who can help you in a pinch, whether it's getting your mail while you're on vacation or something more serious.
• Neighbors will look after your house when you go away.
• Having great neighbors simply makes life more fun!

Set the Tone of a Neighborly Relationship
Your housewarming gift doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, it's better if it isn't. Relationship and etiquette expert April Masinni notes that the housewarming gift you select can set the tone of the relationship. “You're going to be having a relationship with your new neighbor, even if you don't want one,” she says. “Depending on the 'new neighbor welcome' you choose, you're setting the tone for 'warm and fuzzy' or 'cordial and cooler.'”

RELATED: Get to Know Your Neighbors with Our Checklist

As I pulled the PC manual that came with our long dead 1995 computer from a drawer, I silently cursed my pack rat ex. Well, truthfully, it wasn’t silent. In April, I decided my house needed a major purge to make it feel more manageable. I had avoided this since getting divorced; it was not a priority. But it all started with “T-Rex,” the 500-lb., prefab computer desk that had staked out a huge part of my office. Every morning when I walked into my office, I had to look at its hulking frame. Why we even moved it from the old house remains a mystery, but now it had to go.

My project was jump-started by young friends volunteering to take T-Rex and other items from my home. They had the space in their apartment for the basement fridge, a 90’s-era entertainment center, an extra dresser, end table, etc., and would rent a truck, enlist some muscle and take it away. But in order to schedule Big Purge Move Day, I had to do some pre-purge purging—empty everything out of these pieces. That’s when I discovered what the pack rat had left behind. I emptied T-Rex and my office shelving unit and carted the stuff to the studio. Adding to the pile from that room, I filled six huge garbage bags full of junk.

RELATED: Too Much Clutter? Get a Storage Facility Today

This project and the artifacts I dug up made me wonder how a pack rat and neat freak can cohabitate. Now, I’m not a neat freak, but I do value organization and get rid of things I no longer use or need. My former cohabitant was not a total pack rat. But he was an indiscriminant saver and if I tossed things, he was convinced there was something of inestimable value that I’d overlooked and carelessly discarded.

Your belongings are all packed away in boxes. You’ve emptied out the refrigerator. You’ve donated or discarded all that won’t make the trip. But no matter how much you destock and pack away for a cross-country move, we’re guessing there’s still room for your Kindle to ride shotgun. And that’s why we’re excited to now have our No-Nonsense Guide to Cross-Country Moving available for download via Amazon. Everything you need to know about planning and executing a cross-country move, now conveniently available on your tablet for easy reference while planning, packing, traveling and settling into your new home.

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Did you know that May is National Barbecue Month? May is undoubtedly one of (if not the) best months of the year. It’s the heart of spring, the gateway to summer and most importantly the best month to kick off the grilling season!  Although I like to grill all year long, Memorial Day weekend (May 25^th – 27^th  this year) is my favorite grilling occasion. Invite your friends, family and neighbors over for a good old-fashioned Memorial Day barbecue, and make my favorite: kabobs.

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Sure, you could do burgers, hot dogs, ribs, chicken or veggie patties for the vegetarians, but my go-to grilling food is steak kabobs. They’re quick and easy to make and no two kabobs are alike. There are an infinite number of variations, which is one of the reasons I love making them. Here is my “base recipe,” but trying new combinations is highly recommended. If you find one you like, work on improving it through trial and error. Good luck!

Wow, I can’t believe the three-day weekend to kick off the summer is only a couple days away. And what will Memorial Day be without close friends, BBQ grilling, and good food at your new home? Don’t worry− we have the deals for you to help you save this weekend and to kick off summer in your new home!

Target: Memorial Day Prep Event – Save Up to 20% on Grilling, Gardening, Lighting

From big patio accessories to small lawn & garden tools, Target is your one stop-shop for everything you need to decorate your outdoor space for Memorial Day. BBQ Tools Accessory Kit in Case drops from $43.29 to $34.63 and the Threshold™ Madaga 10' x 10' Replacement Gazebo drops from $74.00 to $59.00. Free shipping on everything over $50. Hurry and shop now! Sale ends 5/25/13.