money
Recession gardening tips
Steve Jacobs, president of San Diego-based Nature Designs Landscaping (naturedesigns.net), has these suggestions for saving money while planting and managing your yard.
Plant perennials. Annuals are short-lived, use excessive water and must be replaced.
Eliminate lawn where you can. Lawns are one of the most maintenance-intensive and water-consuming plants in a landscape.
Don’t bag lawn clippings. They contain water and nutrients that can benefit your lawn.
Prune naturally instead of formally. When you prune for the natural growth habit of the plant, you will reduce the amount of pruning needed per year.
Cut back on water. Use the bare minimum to keep the yard and garden healthy. Overwatering causes excessive growth and other issues.
space
Making the most of it
These ideas for getting and staying organized at home come from The Container Store (containerstore.com).
Start small by organizing just one area at a time. Perhaps it is the area that gives you the biggest headache or the area that guests easily see. Tackling the entire house is daunting.
Don’t expect change overnight. Schedule time each day for the chore.
Use the two-year rule: If you haven’t worn it or used it in two years, it’s time to say goodbye.
Look for unused space. Prime examples include the space over doors and underneath beds.
Think vertical. The more shelves, the better.
