Tag: Home Improvement
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At Home: 12 ways to add graciousness to your gatherings
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou As I write this, my daughter’s wedding is just days away. Soon, dozens of guests will be arriving from out of town. Being the host, I feel…
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Get your home ready for fall but don’t rush
As a girl, whenever I was impatiently looking forward to a special day, such as the end of school, the start of vacation or my birthday, my mom would always say, “Don’t wish your life away.” Decades later, I’ve finally figured out what she meant. She wasn’t trying to dampen my excitement; rather, she was…
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At Home: ‘Starfish’ couple solves housing problem one family at a time
For seven years, Leticia and Maynor Aldana and their two children lived in a rundown apartment in Northfield, Minn. Raw sewage from the apartment above dripped into their kitchen. The basement had standing water and mold. Their landlord was not helpful. For this, they paid $1,200 a month in rent. The Aldanas, who immigrated here…
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At Home: Hold onto the past — selectively
I get a bad rap for being the Stuff Police, the one who gets between you and the things you love. While it’s true that I harp on those who have too much (including myself) and urge them to purge, edit, donate, toss, sell, clear out, hand down and throw away, occasionally, as you’ll see…
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At Home: When love is in the air, so is money
Love comes at a price. How well I know. This October, I will host my third wedding in eight years. Not all mine, thank goodness. The first was mine, a lovely, curated affair for 50 guests. Two years ago, my older daughter got married in Jackson Hole, Wyo., at the groom’s parents’ home. Coordinating a…
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At Home: Stuck in neutral? New colorful book can help
Tell me if you’ve ever had this conversation with yourself: Self: “I don’t know what color to paint my walls.” “I’ll go with a neutral white or beige to play it safe,” you decide. Self: “Then what color sofa should I get?” “Better be safe and get off white,” you reason. Self: “And the area…
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At Home: Good design keeps up with the times
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save We are all a little house blind. That is, we put off seeing what needs refreshing, replacing, updating or upgrading for as long as we can. It’s self-protective. If we don’t see that the drapes…
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At Home: Tired of your cabinets? Here’s when to replace, reface or repaint
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save When my husband and I bought a beach vacation condo last fall, we knew the place needed work. But because our goal was to rent it out to cover the carrying costs and occasionally enjoy…
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At Home: Advice to reader who cries ‘Help! I want my house back’
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Occasionally, I get a call from a reader whose situation has all the markings of a class action suit — that is, one person acting on behalf of many (maybe you). Maureen Rabazinski’s email was…
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At Home: Shipping solution makes getting used furniture, heirlooms easier
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Like many green, budget-minded consumers, Fayre Makeig furnishes her home only with secondhand furniture. “I can’t imagine buying a new piece of furniture,” said the wife and mother of two. “I wouldn’t want to pay…