As most people are focused on traveling plans (we’re not travel agents) and/or cooking (we’re not chefs) for the Thanksgiving feast, we thought it would be fun to use this holiday as a dry run to make sure you’re prepared for the year end holidays that come soon after Thanksgiving.

Kitchens are for Cooking & Baking 

When searching for ideas for this month’s newsletter, we were amazed at how much focus there is on food, food and more food. We found 22 menu ideas, 102 best favorite side dishes and more, but my favorite was a Downsized Thanksgiving Dinner in the Denver post (click to see what it is).

So think about your Thanksgiving preparations and how much cooking you do daily, weekly or only once or twice a year. This should help you decide how well your existing kitchen fits your families lifestyle.

• Enough counter space to prepare small or large meals … or do you need to clear some clutter?
• Enough cabinet/pantry storage for utensils, dishes, pots and pans and dry foods? … or maybe it’s time to gift to others, the things you never really use.
• The right appliances to prepare meals depends on how much cooking you do? Refrigerator and freezer capacity should match how much fresh and frozen foods you use, to save on shopping trips.
• Can’t forget the dishwasher. You might not really need one if it takes you a week to fill it up because you shouldn’t run it half empty.

Kitchen Tables for Eating & Other Activities 

Once a meal is prepared, you’ve got to sit somewhere to eat. Most of the time we eat in the kitchen, around the island or at a table in a breakfast nook. Sometimes you’ve got to make trade-offs in how you use your kitchen space, because this room is the heart of every home.

• Does your eating space have enough room and seating for all family members who live in your home, plus 1 or 2 guests? … or a way to extend the table, and grab chairs from another room?
• Do you have nearby storage space for other kitchen activities like homework, arts and crafts, bill paying and more?
• Do you have a family command center in the kitchen, someplace with a calendar to track kids activities, display their artwork and help family members communicate with each other?

Today’s Kitchens are for Entertaining

Some people are eating out more than ever, while others are eating at home more so they can save for more important purchases. Besides saving money by staying home, families can spend more time together like the ones here sharing pizza and a movie at the end of a hectic week.

• How often do you host family gatherings? for how many people?
• Do you schedule lots of play dates for your children? or have the preferred gathering place for your teenagers and their friends?
• How many adult (or friends and family) parties do you hold each year? Do you hold them indoors or wait until the weather allows for outdoor gatherings?

Hopefully these 10 questions made you realize how much you use your kitchen, and how well it already meets the needs of your family. If you found a few holes, then you have a good idea of where you should make changes.

If your kitchen meets all your functional requirements, congratulations. You can start collecting kitchen ideas on Pinterest or Houzz, in preparation for a kitchen remodel. If you like your floor plan, then you can also update your kitchen in small, incremental steps.

Wishing you a Happy New Year and a great holiday season.

The post Thanksgiving, Kitchens & Entertaining appeared first on Don't look!.

When I read Myrl Jeffcoat’s blog post, Staying Neighborly with “Good Neighbor” Fences, I was intrigued. Myrl’s story made me realize that putting up a fence on (or very near) a property line is a complicated decision although her story had a happy ending. Mryl’s neighbor created a special window into his yard, so Kodi Bear could see that his friend was the one making noise on the other side of the fence (so he wouldn’t bark).

Here’s my story and why I’m glad we didn’t put up a fence that would have created huge problems for myself, or an unsuspecting future owner. My neighbor built a fence (6 ft stockade) around their backyard, on 2 sides. We explained that we’d prefer no fence or one that was partially open. Our neighbors agreed to hold off on the fence that would separate our property. For several years we discussed different fence styles and never found one we both liked … so we never installed the fence. You’re probably wondering where’s the problem?

The potential problem would have involved where the fence went. There was a beautiful tree on the property line, so our neighbors before we moved there had built a short (maybe 1 ft tall) stone fence between our respective yards. The problem was the fence was really on our property. When looking at the contour of the property, in order to keep the stone fence in tact, the new fence would go on our property.

After reading Myrl’s article and another one she referenced, I now realize that if we had agreed to the fence being installed on our property:

• We would become legally responsible for maintaining the fence.
• We would run the risk of the property line moving to the fence line, and reduce the legal size of our property.
• When both home owners agree, you can document the new “agreed to” boundary but that means time and money.
• If you don’t document the changed boundary, future owners might be surprised if they don’t get a survey during the purchase process.

The lesson learned is where fences are concerned, a survey is a useful tool. Surveying the property line can insure the fence is installed where you want it to go, and that each home owner understands their responsibilities.

There are many ways to give your kitchen a fresh new look. You might save up for a complete kitchen remodel, or you can make smaller changes incrementally as your budget permits. First we’ll give you ideas for updating the kitchen you have, and then we’ll share some of the most popular features for those who do a lot of entertaining at home.

When you’re not building a new house, or planning to remodel your entire kitchen, here are the different ways that you can give your kitchen a fresh look in time for the holidays.

• Paint your kitchen cabinets (tips on how from ThisOldHouse.com).
• Change the cabinet hardware for a fresh look.
• Replace countertops, which is very popular, with multiple materials gaining momentum.
• Add a backsplash that sizzles, especially with some of the new glass and metallic tiles.
• Replace light fixtures with something new and modern.
• Upgrade flooring to today’s most popular tile, cork or wood.

Features to Consider in a Kitchen for Entertaining

Whether you’re building a house or remodeling your kitchen, here are some features that are popular add-ons for homeowners that like to entertain a lot.

• Kitchen islands – are taking over the kitchen with 2 islands showing up in new houses. That let’s you keep one island for food prep while the other is for serving buffet style.
• Custom drink stations – are less expensive than a full fledged home bar. They may include a wine refrigerator, ice drawer or even an extra dishwasher, plus extra storage for more glasses and party gear.
• Butler pantries – are popping back up with more storage and prep space that can be hidden from guests.
• Bar sinks – are useful for making drinks, washing glasses and lots of other tasks.
• Restaurant style gadgets – include a rotisserie, built-in espresso machine or a wood-burning pizza oven.
• Integrated outdoor space – is great space for guests to gather, especially when you’ve got an outdoor fireplace.

Deciding What You Want in Your Kitchen

Whether you’re getting breakfast ready or a buffet for 20 people, your kitchen design must still focus on food – storage, prep, serving and clean up. The best way to decide what features fit your lifestyle is to list out all the activities that happen in your kitchen.

Next list all the features you’d love to have in your kitchen. Then comes the challenge of making trade-offs, so here are a few ways to assess which features you’ll use the most.

• Rank kitchen features by usage – For each kitchen activity, put a hatch mark next to all the features used. You’ll want to include features with the most hatch marks, based on all activities and frequency, e.g. if you bake several times a week.
• Rank kitchen features by importance – Create 3 columns and rate each feature high, medium or low priority. Review your kitchen activities, which might make you change your ratings and don’t forget to include things like enough storage for all your baking tools.
• Pick one focal point for entertaining – To perk up your kitchen for entertaining, pick one extra feature like a professional stove, pizza oven or a mini-bar. It should be something you’ll use frequently and add that to your family kitchen.

We hope you’re looking forward to the holidays. We’d love to help you make your kitchen the heart of your home and holiday traditions … this year and for years to come.

A closer look reveals that home automation has been around for many years, creating homes that help us with routine tasks like cooking and washing clothes. According to Wikipedia, home automation is “… automation of the home, housework or household activity …  to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.” Wikipedia also points out that the help provided by home automation makes it possible for seniors and the disabled to stay in their homes longer.

Home Automation without Computers

Like many advances in materials and design, automation began in commercial and industrial buildings before becoming commonplace in our homes.  We have become accustomed to these advances in home automation and the impact they have on the way we live.

• Temperature sensors turn our heating and air conditioning systems on and off.
• Dishwashers, washing machines and clothes dryers wash and dry for us. All we have to do is load and empty them.
• Motion sensors turn exterior lights on and off, and timers turn interior lights on and off.

Home Automation with Computers and the Internet

The popularity of smart phones has created a revolution in home automation. Remote control devices are no longer needed for most new home appliances. They have been replaced by Internet apps that let you control home appliances wherever you are.

For technology adventurers, multiple devices may already be connected in sophisticated systems which interact without human intervention. These systems provide a unified dashboard, but buying and installing them is complex and costly.

There is a downside to this convenience. If you can monitor and control devices and systems in your home from anywhere, you may be opening the door for others to do the same.

How would you feel if Google were to monitor your home activities, sell the gathered data to  advertisers and display ads on your home thermostat? It’s not such a far fetched possibility. Google bought the company that created the Nest thermostat  for $3.2 billion dollars.

According to the website, “the Nest Learning Thermostat learns your schedule, programs itself and can be controlled from your phone.”  If you are concerned about a thermostat which knows your schedule, or if you’re curious about home automation and data privacy, watch the online video featuring Deborah Hurley, a Harvard University privacy expert.

What Automation Strategy is Right for Your Home?

For most homeowners, the best way to start is slowly. Stay focused on the problem you want to solve and consider products with automation as you look for a solution. What value does the latest home gadget offer? Will it save time or make things easier? Will it conserve energy or water and save money?

Here are some home systems which have automation features:

• Heating and air conditioning – Smart thermostats like  the Nest Learning Thermostat, and smart heating “control systems” like Cosy, from the UK which features a wireless thermostat, changeable modes (Comfy and  Slumber or Hibernate) and protection from from freezing.
• Home security – Started out with motion sensors which notify homeowners/security companies of possible problems, added 24X7 surveillance camera monitoring, and now includes remote locking of exterior doors and windows.
• Home safety – Started with smoke detectors and now includes carbon monoxide detectors. Devices can monitor almost everything from water leaks and well pumps to swimming pools. Even seniors have personal medical alarms which call for help in case of an accident. Integrated dashboards provide one place to monitor everything.
• Lighting and shading – Automatic timers no longer needed. Smart phones turn lights on and off. Even the closing and opening of window shades and draperies can be automated to take advantage of natural light.
• Kitchen appliances – Help you shop and cook, like the new refrigerators with automation, which track what’s in the refrigerator and tell you how to cook it.
• Home offices, entertainment and family communications – Your digital devices can be integrated into a seamless communication system. Central storage of music allows you to listen from anywhere at home.
• Miscellaneous products – Automated systems water your plants and lawn, even feed your pet. Soon domestic robots Roomba, will do the chores you don’t like to do!

It’s so quick and easy to pile the clutter you’ve accumulated in the basement or garage when you’re cleaning up for company.  You close the door and, like magic, the clutter disappears.

Double the cost of a swing set to cover paying someone to set it up – does it fit your budget?

This approach gets the swing set assembled quickly and prevents the project from consuming all your free time over the course of several weeks. It’s a good idea to read Swing Sets: Research Before You Buy. And remember that giving your child their own space is the most important consideration, not a bigger swing set.

Get Creative and Share the Work

Most swing sets take more than a day to assemble, except for pre-assembled components where you are (knowingly or not) the last step in the manufacturing process. There are so many components and parts in today’s swing sets. They’re more like playgrounds, or the equivalent of several swing sets. So here are some ideas to help get you through the swing set install with your good humor intact:

• Call it a party and invite 1 or 2 friends (with the requisite skills and their own tools) to help set up the swing set. Start on Saturday morning, and decide at the end of the day, what help you’ll need on Sunday. Working at a reasonable pace will make it more fun and you can celebrate Sunday night.
• Accept you’re not going to get it done by yourself in one weekend. You can limit your hands-on experience to one weekend by scheduling a local handyman to complete the project if you’re not done by Sunday night.
• Get your children to help and explain what a big project it is. Let them know it will take several weeks to complete setting up the swing set.  Study the instructions and figure out how much you will tackle each weekend, so everyone knows what to expect. Your children will  learn a valuable lesson, that good things require you to work hard.

Handyman Tips to Avoid Problems Setting Up a Swing Set

Every year there are new swing set manufacturers and models.  If your goal is to minimize problems, purchase an established brand from a retailer who will support you through the installation. It’s a good idea to compare at least one US manufactured brand and one that comes partially assembled.

Here are the most common problems homeowners, and handymen too, run into.

• The site isn’t level. Swing sets need a minimum of  6 feet from potential hazards, with more room behind swings. Place stakes at the corners and attach string before you start, adding/removing dirt to make ALL strings level.
• The boxes are delivered when it’s raining, and the labels come off requiring hours to layout the 100′s of pieces and make new labels in support of a smooth assembly.
• Thousands of pieces of hardware are mixed in bags, requiring you to sort them before you can start. So we’ve learned to use plastic containers with lids (to store overnight).
• Yes, there are hundreds of pieces of wood which may or may not be labeled with many pieces similar in shape, so you’ll want to lay them out by size and shape, to find them easier.
• The actual assembly time is significantly greater than the manufacturer’s estimate for installation … but we covered that above, and wish you the best of luck.

Here are some more resources to help you create the right backyard space for your children, and it’s not always a swing set.

• Backyard Fun is More Than a Swing Set
• Playground Safety Handbook from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
• Swing Sets: Research Before You Buy

Everyone knows we’re getting lots more rain and snow than normal. Hopefully your house is watertight and none of the water has gotten inside your home. Because when water gets inside a house and doesn’t have a way to escape, you’re likely to get wood rot and that’s never good.

The worst part about wood rot is that it gets worse, year after year, so the sooner you find and make needed repairs, the less costly it will be.

So first you might want to understand how this happens. Wood rot is caused by wood destroying fungi that break down the wood cells which are its food source, and that’s what causes wood rot or decay. In order to repair wood rot, you must remove the fungi causing the damage, by replacing the wood that’s affected. Damage will continue until the fungi is gone and the source of the moisture is eliminated.

How to Look for Wood Rot On Your Home’s Exterior

We live inside our home and don’t always realize how much weather your home’s exterior is exposed to year round.  And many homeowners don’t realize that paint’s first job is to protect wood from water damage, and then to make your home look appealing.

So where do you find wood on the exterior of a house, and which wood is most vulnerable to wood rot. The wood trim that bumps out from your home is exposed to more weather, and therefore more vulnerable to wood rot. If you allow paint to peel and crack, water will find its way into the wood and wood eating fungi and carpenter ants will have a feast.

So here are the places you should inspect for possible wood rot.

• Wood trim just below the roof line, both the vertical fascia boards and the horizontal soffits.
• On the gable ends of a house, you find wood trim and gable vents.
• Corner boards that bump out from the house are a common home repair.
• Window trim and especially window sills are the #1 wood rot problem seen by handyman businesses.
• Wood trim around doors, and the door itself is another place where we see lots of wood rot.

Handyman tip: Remember when painting exterior doors, that they have 6 sides!

• Vertical board just below exterior doors rot because rain hits the step and splashes back up.
• Columns and other decorative trim around your home.
• Decks attached to a house using a ledger board, are another common home repair that’s very stressful for homeowners and your handyman. That’s because do-it-yourselfers who install their own decks, don’t understand how critical flashing is to keep water away from the house.

How to Repair Wood Rot Damage

We don’t want to scare you, or maybe we do? We want you to understand where potential wood rot problems occur, and how you can prevent them … and make repairs as soon as you realize you have a problem. There are many ways to repair wood rot so here are tips for making key decisions, e.g. to do repairs yourself or hire a professional with lots of experience.

• Do you have the right tools and experience to do the job?
• Can you reach the area to be repaired from the ground, or does the work need to be done from a ladder?
• What’s the potential impact to the structural integrity of a window, door or a load bearing wall that supports the weight of your house?

These repairs are serious, and unless you’re committed to doing the research so you can do it right, you are going to be better off hiring an experienced handyman.

Although there are lots of great videos on YouTube, it’s hard for the average homeowner to know which ones to trust or how to use the recommended tools. For example, so you know (own) what a sawzall is, or what window sill nosing looks like, to buy a replacement window sill?

We’ll start at the street the way visitors or prospective home buyers might view your house. That’s a good perspective to keep in mind when trying to decide which home improvements to make. Of course they should all be ones you’ll enjoy, but why not pick ones that will also pay off when it’s time to sell your house. So starting at the curb, and coming up the driveway, here’s what you might see:

• The mailbox – is functional but it can also be decorated to make a great first impression. The mailbox post might simply need a new coat of paint, or maybe you saw one at Lowe’s you really like. Maybe you love gardening so some nice shrubs and flowers around the mailbox, might be more fun?
• From the driveway, you might add a small picket fence and arbor, to show guests where to walk to reach the family door as very few of us use our front doors.
• Or maybe you’ve been wanting to put in a bluestone walkway, or that was last year’s project and this year you want to add lighting along the walkway?
• Well maybe it’s time to dress up the front of your house a little. Shutters are fairly popular but they’re expensive and everyone has them. A beautiful trellis can create visual interest at a more affordable price, even if it’s custom built.

• Have you always wanted a larger deck? One approach is to add a second deck level, above or below your existing deck … you just need to think outside the box. 
• Maybe you like the size of your deck or patio, and a few built-in seats or flower boxes would add the wow factor you’re looking for?

So of course there are way more ideas than we can include here, but we hope we’ve helped you start to dream about making your home’s outdoor living space more fun.

And to make sure it’s fun, we offer the following tips on picking low maintenance materials.

• Think about the colors you pick as white and light colors will show dirt faster, and need to be cleaned more often.
• Don’t get put off by composite materials that cost more than traditional, pressure treated wood. Compare the total cost over the life of a deck, say 20 years. If you have to stain and seal a wood deck every other year, add that cost times 10 … to get a more realistic price.
• Try to find home features that fill multiple roles, like seats on a deck that also take the place of railings (but don’t forget to check on building code requirements for safety).

And most of all, have a wonderful spring outdoors.

PS If you’re visual, visit Pinterest and/or Houzz for lots more ideas for your home and yard.