Posts with tag 'Home Improvement'

Fire pits are hot these days-- literally and figuratively. They form a focal point for outdoor socializing and can extend your outdoor time with the warmth they provide in the evenings. Plus, let's not forget the joy of making s'mores in the backyard!

You can purchase a pre-made kit or have one professionally installed, but a DIY fire pit is a relatively simple project for a long weekend, and if you'd like to create a fire pit of your own, read on. 

Safety First 

Examine the area where you'd like to build your fire pit. The best spots for fire pits have a non-flammable material such as dirt or stone, and are free of overhanging or nearby branches, and are well away from other potential fuel. Your fire pit should be at least ten feet away from the house or o...

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These common items in your home need to be cleaned regularly. Now, more than ever, it's important to clean and sanitize these easy-to-forget items.

By Lindsay Listanski, Coldwell Banker Blue Matter

Did you know there are 10 MILLION bacteria per square inch of a kitchen sponge? (dailymail.co.uk) What about the fact that your pillow is as germy as a TOILET SEAT! (

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Now that spring is finally here, it's time to work on starting a garden at your Boise home. While it's still too early to put many plants in the ground, you can plan, prepare, and start some plants indoors to transplant when it gets warmer.

Our REALTORS® share the following guide to starting a garden in Boise:

The Basics of Gardening in our Area 

If you're starting a garden in Boise, your frost-free growing season will start, on average, on May 7. This date will help you start and transplant your seeds at the right time. 

It's also important to use the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which helps you learn the plants that are likely to grow well in your area. The map's zones are determined by the average annual minimum winter temperature in every area of the country, and Boise is in zone 6. So, if you read a plant label or look up information about it online, check to see if it's recommended for zone 6. It's no guarantee, of course, but the plant's chances of thriving in this area will be good. 

The Boise area has a relatively short growing season, so many plants will need to be started indoors and then transplanted when there's no longer any danger of frost.

Growing Veggies

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COVID-19 is a new reality that is now affecting our homes and the way we live. It's more important than ever to clean and sanitize your home. We've combined a spring-cleaning checklist with tips from the CDC to help you protect your home. Here are some best practices to keep your home clean and virus-free.

Disinfecting Your Home

• This article from the CDC provides a great overview of how to clean & disinfect your home!
  
  
• The CDC recommends disinfecting high-touch areas at least once daily.
  
  
• Cleaning & disinfecting are very different things!  Clean surfaces first to remov...

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