Monthly Archives: July 2016

10 Ways to Save Money on Your Energy Bill This Summer

“When the heat reaches it’s peak, it’s always good to have a few ideas of how to conserve energy, while still staying cool.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
It’s Summertime, and the living is easy. Until your see your energy bill. Save money on your electric and utility bills using these energy conservation methods.

Summer is supposed to be a relaxing, low-key time, but it’s hard to unwind when you’re worried about your home’s high energy costs. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help minimize the energy your household uses during warm weather months. If you’d rather spend your budget on fun-in-the-sun activities than on utility bills, make note of these amazing energy conservation tips.

1. Use ceiling fans to help cool your room

Raise your thermostat a few degrees and use ceiling fans to cool rooms as much as possible. Ceiling fans use less electricity than air conditioners and are comfortable ways to keep air moving in your home. If you received a tax refund this year, you might want to consider using it to purchase ceiling fans for your living spaces and bedrooms to help minimize the energy that you need to keep your home a comfortable temperature during hotter months. Ceiling fans come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and styles to match virtually any décor. Be sure to look for ceiling fans with the ENERGY STAR certification.

2. Use off peak energy on your appliances

Use off peak energy as much as possible for tasks like running the dishwasher and washing and drying clothes. Check with your local utility company to see if they offer discounted rates for off peak hours and when those rates apply.

Christmas Treevia Real Simple

3. Plan no cook dinners for hot days

Plan to have no-cook dinners several times a week. In addition to saving the energy that your stove or oven will use, you’ll also avoid heating up the kitchen and making your air conditioner work harder. There are many easy, nutritional dinners that don’t require cooking. All of which are great choices:

• Green salads
• pasta salads
• sandwiches
• fruit plates

Even some chicken and meat dishes are good served cold. Who wants to eat a big, heavy meal when it’s hot outside anyway?

4. Use a thermostat-controlled attic fan

If you have an attic, consider installing a thermostat-controlled attic fan to help keep your entire house cooler. With sunlight beating down on the roof and heat rising from below, the temperature in attics can rise very quickly in the summer. An attic fan can help cool the space as well as the rooms below.

5. Maintain your air conditioning unit

For peak efficiency, it’s important to keep your exterior air conditioning unitwell maintained. Remove any leaves, twigs, or debris from around the unit, and clean the coils regularly. Change your air conditioning system filters per manufacturer’s instructions to keep energy use to a minimum.

Save Energy on Electric Bill

6. Clean your freezer coils

If you have a freezer, remember that it has to work harder during warm weather months to maintain the correct temperature for frozen foods. Keep the coils clean to help it run efficiently, and check the gaskets to make sure the seal is maintained and the unit isn’t leaking cold air. Also, check to see if there is sufficient clearance room around the freezer for air to properly circulate.

7. Take energy conservation measurements before leaving the house

Before you leave on vacation, take some steps to conserve energy use while you are gone.

• Raise your thermostat, and unplug any appliances or electronics that won’t be in use while you’re away.
• Even small appliances and electronics like microwaves and television sets may continue to draw energy if they remain plugged in although they are turned off.
• Remember to set your water heater to “low” or to turn down the temperature while you are away as well.
• Put lamps and lights on timers instead of leaving them on the entire time.
• Close curtains and blinds to keep the warm sunlight out.

8. Use your bathrooms ventilating fan

When you take a shower or a bath in the summer, turn on the bathroom ventilating fan to remove heat and humidity and to help save on cooling costs.

Save Energy Clothes Line

9. Line dry your clothing

Take advantage of the warm weather to line dry clothes and linens instead of using energy to run the clothes dryer. In addition to saving electricity, you’ll save dryer wear and tear on the fabrics.

10. Learn alternative eco-friendly methods to reduce energy costs

Look into alternative ways to cool your home, such as geothermal cooling and evaporative cooling systems. Use your tax refund for window shadinghome improvements, such as installing patio covers, awnings, and solar window screens and films. Strategically placed landscaping can also help provide shade and minimize cooling costs.

You can also keep cool this summer with some old-fashioned methods that don’t require a lot of electricity or energy. Mix up a pitcher of ice-cold lemonade, or make some homemade ice cream using the hand-cranked method instead of an electric machine. Hang a hammock in the shade, and enjoy a good book. Invite the neighbors over for a cook-out instead of heating up your oven and stove. For dessert, enjoy the best summer treat of all that doesn’t even require any energy to prepare – slice open a ripe, red watermelon.

7 Ways to Rethink the Shrub

“If you have any type of yard to maintain, shrubs are a great option.  But why not get a little creative for a change and do something interesting.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Shrubs are ubiquitous throughout our landscapes, many times making up a significant bulk of greenery in the garden. Often used as low-maintenance and long-term plantings around a home’s foundation or as a low walkway edge, these woody plants can do so much more.

Whether you utilize their unusual characteristics, prune them into tight forms or design with them for wildlife, you can get creative with shrubs for a more interesting and unusual garden. Here are ideas for rethinking the basic shrub.

Eclectic Landscape by Westover Landscape Design, Inc.
Westover Landscape Design, Inc.
Save Photo

Variegated Ivory Halo dogwood grows in a garden in New York.

1. Use variegated cultivars. Variegation can make a ho-hum shrub more visually interesting because it adds a white or creamy yellow coloration to the leaves. Variegated leaves can be highly contrasting, and the whiteness brings splashes of light to a dark shade garden.

Example species: Variegated Tatarian dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’, USDA zones 2 to 8; find your zone), Ivory Halo dogwood (C. a. ‘Bailhalo’, zones 3 to 7) andvariegated wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana ‘Variegatum’, zones 4 to 8)

Landscape by Paintbox Garden
Paintbox Garden

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata, zones 3 to 9) sports bright red berries in winter.

2. Create bird habitat. Many bird species love shrubs because the birds can hunt for bugs and lizards in them while hiding from predators. Smaller birds will nest in woody shrubs, and many shrubs produce berries that are delectable to birds. (But not to other animals; be aware of plants that are toxic to kids or pets.)

The idea of using shrubs for bird habitat isn’t new, but you may want to ask yourself how you can specifically design with shrubs to create a robust habitat for birds. Look for ways to plant near water sources, and pair shrubs with other plants that support wildlife.

See 13 North American native birds and how to attract them to your yard

Contemporary Landscape by Charlotte Rowe Garden Design
Charlotte Rowe Garden Design

3. Group together different sizes. Shown here is a grouping of the same species of small broadleaf evergreen shrubs planted at different sizes and pruned into spheres. Yes, this planting is higher-maintenance because it requires a regular pruning schedule. However, it makes for a fun and whimsical look in the garden, with textures and spheres set into a modern paving design with clean lines.

Example species: Littleleaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla, zones 5 to 9) and ‘Golden Gem’ Japanese holly (Ilex crenata ‘Golden Gem’, zones 5 to 8)

Traditional Landscape by The Todd Group
The Todd Group

4. Channel the French parterre. A parterre garden features flowers growing in patterns and often a low shaped hedge. The parterre is useful in garden design because it creates a formal, finished look while allowing for other more loosely planted flowering or edible plants to be included.

The traditional French potager garden often uses the idea of the parterre, but with edible plants. You can also use the parterre as a border for annuals that change seasonally.

Scandinavian Landscape by Urban Angles
Urban Angles

5. Create symmetry. Shrubs can be particularly useful for adding symmetrical elements to a rectilinear space. They can be minimalist, as in this example with low clipped boxwoods, or they can be looser.

Create symmetry with plantings that fit the space well by precisely planning out the spacing and pruning requirements. You can do this yourself with some simple measurements. It’s also helpful to place the shrubs while they are still in their containers. Move them around, making sure you have the spacing and alignment perfect.

Traditional Landscape by Mary-Liz Campbell Landscape Design
Mary-Liz Campbell Landscape Design

6. Mix it up. On the other end of the pruning, shaping and symmetrical spectrum is a wilder-looking garden, with flowing perennials flanked by woody shrubs. Woody plants are an important element of the perennial and meadow garden because they provide structure and interest year-round. Additionally, there are many understory and woodland shrubs that can grow with a spreading form to create a naturalistic planting design.

Learn about the reasons for bringing shrubs into the flower garden

Traditional Landscape by Proven Winners
Proven Winners
7. Offer seasonal interest. Shrubs, like trees, can provide structure to the garden design — especially in winter. Shown here is the very popular redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea, zones 2 to 7), with bright red twigs in stark contrast to the white snow. Some deciduous shrubs have a flaming red or bright yellow autumn color as well.

10 Small-Scale Agaves Just Right for Containers

“Small containers and only a little watering, what’s not to love about this idea?”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
There are more than 200 species of agave, ranging in size from 6 inches to more than 12 feet wide. Due to their modest size and compact root systems, smaller agave species make an excellent choice for growing in containers. They require only infrequent watering and do well in summer, even in the heat. Their spiky shapes add dramatic interest to many garden spaces, big or small, along with patios, poolsides and entryways and as outdoor table centerpieces.

Here are 10 agave species that are perfect for smaller areas, with varying cold tolerances, exposure requirements and sizes to ensure there is one right for you.

by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Save Photo
1. ‘Compacta’ Queen Victoria Agave
(Agave victoria-reginae ‘Compacta’)
Native to Mexico

This smaller version of the slow-growing Queen Victoria agave barely reaches 12 inches wide. The dark green leaves with bright white margins make this species highly desirable. This miniature native of Mexico doesn’t produce offsets (volunteers) like many other species of agave do, and it looks great when planted in groups of three or five.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (USDA Zone 8; find your zone)
Light requirement: Full sun is best, but it can handle filtered shade for a few hours a day
Mature size: Up to 8 inches to 1 foot tall and wide

Beach Style Landscape by Curtis Horticulture, Inc.
Curtis Horticulture, Inc.
2. ‘Blue Glow’ Agave
(Agave ‘Blue Glow’)
Hybrid of Agave attenuata and Agave ocahui

Every few years there is a new plant arrival that takes the gardening world by storm. In the succulent world, ‘Blue Glow’ agave has done just that. While it doesn’t resemble its parents, the mixing of their genes created an agave that has dark blue-green leaves with yellow and red margins that seemingly glow when backlit by the sun.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (Zone 9)
Light requirement: Full sun is best, but it can handle filtered shade for a few hours a day; filtered sun is best in low-desert zones
Mature size: 2 feet tall and wide

by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Totem pole cactus (Pachycereus schottii var. monstrosus) adds height behind a globular golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) and a spiky rosette of black-spined agave

3. Black-Spined Agave
(Agave macroacantha)
Native to southern Mexico, including Oaxaca

Black-spined agave’s powder-blue leaves and maroon tips provide great color contrast in the garden. This agave produces numerous offsets, creating a clumping appearance. Its narrow leaves and open rosette growth habit add welcome texture in containers.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 3.9 degrees Celsius (Zone 9)
Light requirement: Full sun to filtered shade
Mature size: 10 to 16 inches tall and wide

Modern Landscape by BuenoLuna Landscape Design
BuenoLuna Landscape Design
4. Agave Schidigera
(Agave schidigera)
Native to Mexico, including Chihuahua and south through central Mexico

The curly white fibers that grace this small agave’s bright green leaf edges capture the attention of passersby. White markings on the leaves increase Agave schidigera’s visual appeal.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun or light shade; filtered or afternoon shade is recommended in low-desert gardens
Mature size: 1 foot tall and 1 foot to 2 feet wide

Landscape by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
5. King Ferdinand Agave
(Agave nickelsiae syn. Agave ferdinandi regis)
Native to Coahuila, Mexico

The resemblance of this agave to Queen Victoria agave is unmistakable, as both have dark green leaves, similar white margins and sharp terminal tips. At one point, it was thought that King Ferdinand agave was a naturally occurring hybrid ofAgave victoria-reginae; however, this is no longer considered to be true. Its unusual shape and open rosette form make it look great planted singly in containers.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 1 foot to 2 feet tall and wide

Landscape by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Agave lophantha ‘Quadricolor’ growing alongside totem pole cactus (Pachycereus schottii var.monstrosus), ‘Blue Elf’ aloe (Aloe‘Blue Elf’) and golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii).

6. Agave Lophantha
(Agave lophantha)
Native to the Rio Grande area of Texas and adjoining Veracruz, Mexico

The leaves of this succulent are a lush green color, with curved maroon teeth along the edges. The center of the leaves often has a lighter stripe that runs the length. There are several varieties of Agave lophantha,including ‘Quadricolor’, which has yellow margins on bright green leaves. Plant it with other succulents for maximum effect.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 1 foot to 2 feet tall and wide

Landscape by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
7. Artichoke Agave
(Agave parryi var. truncata)
Native to central Mexico, including Durango

Wide blue-gray leaves with maroon spines bear a striking resemblance to artichoke leaves, hence this Mexican native’s common name. Prized by many for its beauty, artichoke agave is a popular choice for container gardening, whether used in rows of three in a long, narrow container or singly in a modern pot. It does produce a few offsets, which can be used elsewhere in the garden or given to friends.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun or filtered shade
Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide

by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
8. Twin-Flowered Agave
(Agave geminiflora)
Native to Nayarit, Mexico

The finely textured leaves of this bright green agave set it apart from most other species. Twin-flowered agave tolerates a range of exposures, from full reflected sun all the way to full shade, which makes it an asset in most situations.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full reflected sun to full shade
Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide

Landscape by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
9. Mescal Ceniza
(Agave colorata)
Native to Sonora, Mexico

The decorative leaves of this midsize agave species are loaded with interesting features, including well-defined imprinted patterns and deeply toothed edges, which add a wavy texture to the landscape. Mescal ceniza’s blue-gray color adds a visually cooling element to hot outdoor spaces.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 feet tall and wide

by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
10. Queen Victoria Agave
(Agave victoria-reginae)
Native to the Chihuahuan Desert region of Mexico

Often described as the most beautiful agave, this one, named after Queen Victoria, lives up to its queenly name with dark green coloring and vibrant white markings. The tight rosette shape and smooth leaf edges that terminate into a single spike add to Queen Victoria’s visual appeal.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 18 inches tall and wide

See how to grow Queen Victoria agave

Agave growing tips:

  • First select a pot, with a drainage hole, that is a little larger than the root ball, as agaves do better when their roots are slightly crowded. No saucer is needed, and is in fact discouraged, as sitting water can lead to overly moist soil.
  • All agaves require well-drained soil, which can be created using one part compost, one part sand and one part perlite or pumice.
  • Water when the top two-thirds of the soil has dried out. Water deeply, until water runs out the bottom. Watering should be done weekly in summer when temperatures are above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and very little in winter.
  • Fertilize once a month during the growing season, which is typically late spring and summer.
  • Repot every three years or so once the roots have little soil left to grow in.

Originally published on HOUZZ by Noelle Johnson

The Polite House: How to Deal With Noisy Neighbors

“With so of us people living in closer proximity to our neighbors than ever before, unwanted noise can be a problem.  Take some tips from here on how to keep your cool and best deal with the situation.”  
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

First and foremost, when dealing with neighbors, safety is your priority. If your neighbor isn’t someone you feel comfortable confronting, then don’t. Use neighborhood associations, or even (if necessary) the police, to manage someone you feel unsafe around or unsure of.

But whether it’s a barking dog, a lawn mower, a crying baby, a kid with a basketball or a loud sound system, unwanted noise is one of the most frustrating aspects of living near others. We want things quiet when we want to sleep or concentrate or enjoy some peace, but we also don’t want to be challenged when we are the ones who may be making noise.

To help you decide whether you can feel good about lodging a complaint or whether you should shake it off and move on, here are some things to think about when it comes to noise in your neighborhood:

Try to determine if the noise is intentional and avoidable. Who is making the noise and how much control do they have over it? Before I let myself get bent out of shape or start thinking nasty thoughts about my inconsiderate neighbor — thoughts that will only amplify the whole situation in my head — I try to identify who is making the noise and if they have any control over it.

A crying baby in a neighboring apartment — sure it’s not fun to listen to, and the crying happens at very inconvenient hours, but there isn’t much that parents can do about it. Clearly they would rather have a happy baby too, so I know it’s not intentional; I know it’s temporary, and knowing this helps calm me down.

by Zansitis Painting Inc
Zansitis Painting Inc

Think about duration and tolerance. How long does the noise last and how much does it disturb you? There is a kid who dribbles a basketball on his way to school each day, and his walk time is the last hour of my sleep time in the morning. In that sweet month or two when I don’t need my window air conditioner on and can sleep with the windows open (heaven in my book!), I realize I’m going to hear him and it’s going to last about three minutes. That’s enough time to wake me up and make me realize I’m awake, but I also recognize it’s short enough that I’m going to be able to get back to sleep. It’s something I can tolerate.

Can you tolerate an hour of trumpet practice? What about an afternoon of wood shop noises? Sometimes just knowing that the noise will end is enough to make it tolerable. You can always say, “Hi, Nancy. I was wondering if you could tell me how long Nate plans to practice his trumpet.”

One of the first steps toward finding a solution may just be finding out how much of a problem this noise is really going to be.

Modern Shed by Lowe's Home Improvement
Lowe’s Home Improvement
Modern Exterior Backyard

Be understanding and ask about or offer solutions. If it’s my neighbor’s lawn mower at 6:30 a.m. or son’s trumpet practice at 10 p.m. that’s disturbing the peace, well that’s something that might lead me (depending on who the neighbor is and my relationship with that person) to go over and ask if it’s possible for lawn mowing or practicing to happen at a different hour. “Hi, Jim, I was just wondering if it would work with your schedule to mow the lawn later in the morning or even afternoon or evening?”

It never hurts to ask, or at least to let your neighbor know that the activity is affecting others. Jim might respond, “Oh, I like to get it out of the way so that my day is free.” You can reply, “I totally get that; it’s just that it’s waking me up each morning long before my alarm, and I was hoping there was a solution that might work for both of us.” This can at least get the conversation rolling.

This covers the basics of dealing with unwanted noise in your building or neighborhood. With most amicable neighbors, you should feel confident discussing this issue.

And remember that you can always proactively check in with your neighbor. “Hey, Mike, I just wanted to let you know I’m working on a new project, and the chipper shredder is going to be making a lot of noise. Let me know if you need a break from it. I know it can be intense sometimes.” I bet Mike will think you’re a very considerate neighbor, and it may inspire him to return the kindness in the future.

Originally Published on HOUZZ by Lizzie Post

10 Stress Management Secrets for Your Home

“With our lives so filled with things we think we need to do, it’s easy to become stressed.  Take some time to relax and enjoy life sometimes with these tips”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Relieve stress with our Home Matters experts 10 ways to combat stress. Reduce stress by exercising, being present & practicing serene stress management techniques.

It’s no secret that life can be stressful. However, many of the ways to combat stress do seem like secrets. A life filled with stress due to agitation and anxiety could be the root for an array of other problems circulating in your home. You deserve to lead a tranquil and stress-free lifestyle. And believe it or not, you can actually take the steps to beginning your journey to a stress-free life in the confines of your home with expert stress management techniques.

Below, we have uncovered 10 secret ways to cope with stress all within the comfort of your home.

Indoor plants in glass containers

1.Bring the Outside In

The great outdoors have long been hailed as man’s most rewarding escape from the demands of urban living. A long walk through a lively forest, tending a crackling fire under a starry sky, or enjoying a simple picnic atop a sea of rolling green hills are just a few ways in which we use Mother Nature’s welcoming embrace to detox from our everyday lives. So, it only makes sense that bringing a little bit of that natural remedy indoors will help add a sense of ease and beauty to our homes while reducing stress. If you find you’re combating stress on a regular basis, try adding some foliage to one or multiple rooms in your home. Here are a few peaceful plants to help get you started decorating:

• Aloe Plants
• Peace Lily
• Bamboo Palm

Indoor plants in glass containers

2.Put Down the Devices

That’s right. As difficult as it sounds, powering down will in fact help you calm down. Our mobile devices are great tools for achieving daily goals, entertainment, and connecting with others, but when it comes time for “you” time it’s best to disconnect. There are numerous studies that correlate increased use of digital devices with increased levels of anxiety and stress. As we become dependent on these devices, we begin to expect instantaneous results and confirmations, which in turn makes us more prone to dissatisfaction with minor events, like not receiving an email at the moment you expect it.

Man listening to music with eyes closes

3.Tune Out

Now this one’s pretty obvious. If you’re feeling particularly stressed it’s always good to resort to your favorite tunes for solace and comfort. Scientific studies have found that listening to music slows heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and releases your body’s natural feel-good neurochemical, dopamine. So find your comfy spot, cue up your favorite song, sit back, relax and let the melodies soothe your soul.

Man listening to music with eyes closes

4.Start Exercising for Greater Stress-Relief

Here’s one you can pair with listening to your favorite tunes: exercising.Yes, exercising can have a tremendous effect on your mood. Although exercising itself can at times be pretty challenging, the natural high you experience once you’ve finished a routine is well worth the strain. Plus, you can complete a full-body routine within minutes, all in the comfort of your own home. Here are a few quick exercise routines to help get you started:

• How to do power Pushups
• How to do bodyweight Squats
• How to do jumping jacks
• How to do crunches

Man listening to music with eyes closes

5. Deep Clean Therapy

We all try our best to avoid it, but cleaning your home can actually be quite the stress reducer. Think about it, experiencing unwanted irregularities in our daily lives often causes stress. When our homes are dirty, full of clutter, and out of order, they’re not fulfilling their duty as a place to wind down from a long day. Instead, it’s just adding to the tension. So get out that mop, get out that dustpan, and get down to business.

Grocery store basket

6. Restock Your Kitchen with Healthy Food Choices

Stress comes in many shapes and sizes. And sometimes all of that stress adds to our shape and size. One great way to reduce stress is to drop the fast food and pick up a habit of paying close attention to what you put in your body. A great way to start is by thinning out your pantry and refrigerator. Get rid of any unhealthy choices and leave behind only that which is healthy for you. If you notice there’s not much left, then you might want to consider changing your grocery list.

Bubble bath

7. Take a Relaxing Bubble Bath and Detox the Day

When was the last time you drew a bath? Most of us can’t remember the last time we stripped our troubles away and slipped into a warm, soothing bath. It’s such an easy in-home escape from stress that it’s a surprise so many baths go underutilized each and every day. But to really make it an experience light some scented candles, put on some ambient music, and add some detoxing minerals or other soothing organic material to the water. Here are some natural additives to consider for making it a true detoxing experience:

• Sea Salt
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Magnetic Clay
• Apple Cider Vinegar

Woman in seated yoga position

8. Focus on Your Breathe by Breathing In and Out

Now this little trick you can do anywhere in your home. All you need is yourself and the air around you. Simply take a break from whatever it is you’re doing and take some long, deep breaths. You can stand, sit in a chair, or go full yogi on the ground (Hopefully you’ve finished a deep clean session before trying the latter). Taking deep breaths helps reduce your blood pressure, increase oxygen flow throughout the entire body and reduce your heartbeat.

Friends enjoying meal outdoors

9. Get Social. Invite Your Friends Over.

One way to quickly de-stress or at least curb your stress for the time being is to socialize with others. The presence of friends and family can naturally calm our unease by reminding us what’s most important in life. Try making it an event. The process of planning and preparing a social event at your home will help keep you busy and your mind off of whatever it may be that’s causing you to stress. Here are some ideas for a social event to host:

• Host a party for the next big game
• Invite people over for a backyard BBQ
• Throw a small cocktail party
• Get to know the neighbors with a friendly meet & greet

Group of friends laughing

10. Laugh Off the Day

To cap it off, here’s a really out there approach to stress relief that can be done at home – laughter yoga. Yeah, you heard right. Laughter yoga is a type of yoga made popular by a doctor from India named Dr. Madan Kataria. This revolutionary technique spread across the world in the early 2000’s and is still making headlines today because of its’ effectiveness. You may be thinking, “okay, so you just stand around and laugh uncontrollably like a crazy person?” Well, not exactly, but that is a good place to start. It becomes a bit more of an involved process, and believe it or not, there are actually many different ways to laugh. You can begin practicing this great stress management strategy by learning ‘how to do laughter yoga’ at home while practicing it in your living room.

How Much Paint Do You Need?

“We are always involved in painting projects with our clients and these tips make perfect sense.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
My husband and I are avid DIYers, and whenever we start a new project we joke about the number of trips to the home-improvement store it’s going to take to complete the task. A “one-trip job” is considered a smashing success. The unfortunately more common “five-trip job” tends to feel slightly less triumphant.
Traditional Staircase by Lisa Teague Design Studios
Lisa Teague Design Studios
I would argue that running out of paint midproject is especially frustrating. Dashing out to the store is the last thing you want to have to do while deep in the throes of painting. But you also don’t want to overbuy either, because custom-tinted paint is not returnable.

Fortunately underbuying or overbuying is easily avoidable. It just requires a bit of measuring and some basic math before you head out to purchase the paint. Here’s how you can answer the question, “How much paint do I need?”

Modern Bathroom by Min | Day Architects
Min | Day Architects
Depending on the manufacturer, a gallon of paint will cover 300 to 400 square feet. Check with your paint vendor, or on the paint manufacturer’s website, to find the estimated coverage.

Once you know the coverage rate of your chosen paint, you need to calculate the square footage of the walls or ceilings to be painted. To get this figure, simply multiply the width by the height (for walls) or the length by the width (for ceilings). You then need to subtract the area of anything within the plane that is not being painted, such as windows and doors.

Contemporary Dining Room by sophie loubaton / photographe
sophie loubaton / photographe
Save Photo
For example, let’s say you want to paint an accent wall that measures 25 feet wide by 10 feet high, which has a door opening within it that measures 3 feet wide by 7 feet high.

1. Multiply the width and height of the wall:
25 x 10 = 250 square feet

2. Multiply the width and height of the door:
3 x 7 = 21 square feet

3. Subtract the door opening from the area of the wall:
250 square feet – 21 square feet = 229 square feet

4. Divide this figure by the estimated square footage coverage amount of your paint. In this example, let’s say the coverage is 350 square feet per gallon:
229 ÷ 350 = 0.65

5. Round up to the nearest whole number to get the number of gallons needed. In this example, you’d round up to 1 gallon, to apply one coat of paint.

Note: If you need to apply two coats, you simply double the square footage to be painted and then divide by the coverage:
458 ÷ 350 = 1.31
(Here, you’d round up to 2, so 2 gallons of paint would be needed to apply two coats.)

Traditional Dining Room by Alden Miller Interiors
Alden Miller Interiors
Painting multiple walls in a room? Here are the steps to calculate the square footage of a sample room that measures 12 feet by 20 feet with 8-foot ceilings and door openings that measure 6 feet wide by 7 feet high:

1. Add together the width of each wall to be painted:
12 + 20 + 12 + 20 = 64 feet

2. Multiply this sum by the height of the walls:
64 x 8 = 512 square feet

3. Multiply the width and height of the door:
6 x 7 = 42 square feet

4. Subtract the door openings from the area of the wall:
512 square feet – 42 square feet = 470 square feet

5. Divide this figure by the estimated square footage coverage of our paint. Again, in this example, we are going with 350 square feet per gallon:
470 ÷ 350 = 1.34

6. Round up to the nearest whole number, in this case 2. You would need 2 gallons to paint one coat.

Note: Again, for two coats of paint, you double the square footage to be painted:
470 + 470 = 940

Then divide by the coverage per gallon:
940 ÷ 350 = 2.69
(Round up to 3. You would need 3 gallons of paint to apply two coats.)

Kitchen by Benjamin Moore
Benjamin Moore
Math not your strong suit? No sweat. Most paint manufacturers offer a calculator on their website that does the math for you. You still need to measure your space and plug in the square footage, but the calculator does all the rest, based on the paint you plan to use.
Traditional Bedroom by Sherwin-Williams
Sherwin-Williams
Of course, there are a few other factors to take into consideration when calculating how much paint you need. Darker colors, especially red hues, require more coats than lighter hues. If you are going with a deeper, darker color, talk to your paint vendor about prepping with a tinted primer before applying paint.
Contemporary Bathroom by PPG Pittsburgh Paints
PPG Pittsburgh Paints
Also, take into account the surface you are painting. Rougher surfaces as well as more absorbent surfaces will require more paint than smooth surfaces. And if you are painting a lighter color over an existing dark hue, you will likely need extra coats. A tinted primer might also be useful here, depending on the existing and new hues.

The quality of your paint will also affect the amount you need. Higher quality paint tends to offer better coverage, requiring fewer coats, whereas a lower-cost paint may be thinner and therefore require more coats for proper coverage.

Contemporary Living Room by LOOKA DECO
LOOKA DECO
Finally, a few tips I’ve learned the hard way: There can be subtle differences in hue and sheen between two different cans of the same paint brand, finish and color. So try to stick to one single can of paint for the top coat of each wall or ceiling. You likely won’t notice a slight hue or sheen difference from wall to wall, but within the same plane it could be apparent.

Also, it’s a good idea to keep a record of the paint brand, colors and sheens you used, so if you need to touch anything up down the road you know exactly what you need.

Originally posted on HOUZZ.com by Jennifer Ott