Yes, it’s weird to talk tulips in summer – but early bulb planning will pay dividends come spring

There’s nothing cheerier than a tub of narcissi or tulips and now’s time to choose your colour scheme for next year

The Instagram ads started a few weeks ago. After some confusion, (“Why am I seeing a tulip … in August?”), I realised my cookies had caught up with more organised gardeners, and I should think about ordering bulbs.

Yes, spring bulbs: what people traditionally start planting in October, but the more hectic among us, myself included, don’t get around to until January. For what it’s worth, you can plant them in January, and they will still come up fine – I find it gives the squirrels less time to dig them up. But this week I want to talk about bulb ordering – even bulb planning – which may feel overzealous for August, but you’ll thank yourself come spring.

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Powder up: ‘old-school’ laundry detergents best bet for cleaner clothes, 2024 Choice test finds

Omo products take out top three spots for front loaders, but neither brand nor price can be indication of efficacy, expert warns

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Newer innovations in laundry detergent can’t beat plain powders and some detergents are hardly better than water, Choice testing has found.

After putting more than 90 laundry liquids, powders, pods and sheets through their paces in front and top loading washing machines, powder detergents came out on top for performance and value.

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Online shopping has never been easier. Why is returning so hard?

A complicated and wasteful system is leaving shoppers with piles of unwanted stuff and plenty of shame.

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It’s not too late to start a fall veggie garden

Plenty of edible crops will thrive in cooler temperatures — some well beyond the year’s first frost.

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Eggshell Seed Starters

Eggshell seed starters are perfect for a kids garden! Plant a sampling of seeds inside of eggshells and when the weather warms up plant the entire thing into your garden! A fun lesson on composting and reusing everyday products for a new purpose.

Vintage Seed Packet Planters

How to prepare soil for grass seed

Harvesting Your Own Vegetable Seeds

DIY Seed Bombs

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My quartz countertops are stained. How should I clean them?

Don’t use abrasives and other tips for cleaning and removing stains from quartz countertops.

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* This article was originally published here

My quartz countertops are stained. How should I clean them?

Don’t use abrasives and other tips for cleaning and removing stains from quartz countertops.

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The do’s and don’ts of shared laundry rooms

Is it ever okay to remove someone’s clothes from the dryer in a shared laundry space? Experts weigh in.

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The joy of an aboveground swimming pool

Detractors malign them as tacky eyesores. But for a growing group of devotees, summer just wouldn’t be the same without one.

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Is my rented garden an act of resistance to the precarity of my living situation? Possibly | Jaimee Frances Edwards

I know when I leave, no longer able to afford the increasing rent, it will be a record of my love, not for property or possession, but for tending and care

The second time my landlord asked me to remove something I had just planted, I decided it was time to reconsider my attitude to gardening.

Not that I had been getting gardening wrong. At the front of the rented apartment I live in with my children, I’ve planted two slender crepe myrtles, one pink, one white, transforming a strip of dust into something that passersby photograph and post on Instagram.

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The practical, impractical impulse to stockpile a ‘good bag’

Hoarding disposable bags is noble. But it’s okay to let go.

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Absolutely prefabulous: a vision of the future

An Italian architect teamed up with her father on the prototype of a very special project on the family hill in Lombardy, then they built 50 of them

When the 43-year-old Italian architect Valentina Moretti returned to Italy from living in Switzerland and the US to help her father, Vittorio, in his construction company, she seized the chance to work on the prototype of her vision for the future of prefabricated homes.

“After many years working with famous architects, I understood that I really wanted to bring architecture into normal life,” explains Moretti. “So, when I returned I started thinking about a new business model connecting an architecture office to a construction firm as one company, to build prefabricated houses and look after everything from start to finish.”

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Meet my accidental garden hero, the defiant but unassuming verbascum

These colourful biennials are loved by gardeners – and bees and caterpillars – for their ability to thrive and surprise

A friend tells a sweet story about her mother, whose London garden is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen. An émigré from Sri Lanka, she arrived in the English countryside barely out of her teens and carefully tended an unknown plant for weeks, patiently awaiting the day it would bloom. When it did, she was delighted by its bright yellow sunburst of a flower. In time she learned the name of it: dandelion.

We remember our first encounter with some plants, but others seep more slowly into our consciousness. Take verbascums: I have developed a creeping fondness for these flowers over the years, tickled by the way they turn up unannounced.

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* This article was originally published here

Meet my accidental garden hero, the defiant but unassuming verbascum

These colourful biennials are loved by gardeners – and bees and caterpillars – for their ability to thrive and surprise

A friend tells a sweet story about her mother, whose London garden is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen. An émigré from Sri Lanka, she arrived in the English countryside barely out of her teens and carefully tended an unknown plant for weeks, patiently awaiting the day it would bloom. When it did, she was delighted by its bright yellow sunburst of a flower. In time she learned the name of it: dandelion.

We remember our first encounter with some plants, but others seep more slowly into our consciousness. Take verbascums: I have developed a creeping fondness for these flowers over the years, tickled by the way they turn up unannounced.

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A canvas was damaged as I helped a friend move. She’s asked me for $1,200. Should I end the friendship?

I wouldn’t have thought you had to pay for this, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith, but it might be worth seeing if you can help her feel compensated in another way

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I helped a friend move house 18 months ago. We’ve known each other for more than a decade and helped each other out on numerous occasions, and this was no different. I was probably helping for 10 hours. She had a lot of pictures and art to move. She’d already hired removalists but these things hadn’t gone with them. So I loaded a lot of them into my station wagon laid flat.

Unfortunately, one of the canvases was damaged in transit. I’d actually forgotten about this until I was visiting her recently, when she told me that she got a quote to repair the canvas and that we could split it, paying $1,200 each. I asked her what the canvas was worth and she told me it was beside the point – this canvas belongs to her son, who lives in Germany, and it’s very special to him.

This letter has been edited for clarity and length

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Why your garden hose keeps breaking — and what to do about it

Avoid replacing your garden hose every year (or more) with this expert advice.

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15 Drop Down Desks You Can Make At Home To Save Space

 

Hey there! As someone who has been working from home for the past year, I know how important it is to have a functional and organized workspace. But with limited space, it can be challenging to create an area that’s both practical and aesthetically pleasing. That’s why I’m excited to share with you 15 Drop Down Murphy style desks you can make at home!

What’s a Drop Down Murphy-style desk, you might ask? Well, it’s a desk that can be folded up and out of the way when you’re not using it. This style of desk is perfect for those who don’t have a dedicated office space or want to save on space in their homes. Plus, they’re affordable to make and can be customized to fit your decor style.

The idea of a space-saving, foldable desk originated from the iconic Murphy bed. The first Murphy bed was designed by William Lawrence Murphy in the early 1900s. He lived in a small one-room apartment in San Francisco and wanted to find a way to maximize his space. His solution was to create a bed that could be folded up into a closet when not in use. The idea caught on quickly, and Murphy beds became a popular space-saving solution for urban living.

Nowadays, Murphy-style furniture has evolved beyond just beds. You can find foldable tables, chairs, and desks, like the ones we’re featuring today. These DIY projects range from simple to more complex, but all are designed to help you save space and create a functional workspace in your home.

Without further ado, let’s dive right into this list of tutorials so that you can begin saving some space.

DIY Murphy Desk – Shanty 2 Chic

DIY Kids Homework Hideaway Wall Desk – The Organized Mom 

Flip-top Reproduction School Desk for Child : 6 Steps – Instructables 

DIY Fold Down Wall Desk 

Murphy Desk – A Turtle’s Life for Me 

How To Build A Fold Down Wall Desk | DIY Murphy Desk

DIY Fold Down Wall Desk : 10 Steps (with Pictures) – Instructables 

DIY Fold-Away Desk from 2x4s – Houseful of Handmade

DIY Fold Down Desk – Stacy Risenmay

The wall-mounted folding desk: ideal for small rooms | Bosch DIY

How to Build a Fold-Out Closet Desk (DIY) | Family Handyman 

How to build a drop down desk | HowToSpecialist – How to Build, Step by Step DIY Plans

How to Make a Simple Wall-Mounted Fold-Down Desk – Berries & Barnacles 

There are several other ways to save space with furniture in a small home or apartment. Here are some ideas:

1. Multifunctional Furniture: Choose furniture that serves more than one purpose. For example, a sofa bed, storage ottoman, or a coffee table with built-in storage can all help save space.
2. Wall-Mounted Shelves and Cabinets: Wall-mounted shelves and cabinets can help you utilize vertical space and keep clutter off the floor. They can be used to store books, decorative items, kitchenware, and more.
3. Foldable Furniture: Foldable furniture such as collapsible dining tables, chairs, and bookcases can be easily stored away when not in use.
4. Sliding Doors: Sliding doors can save space by eliminating the need for doors that swing open and take up valuable floor space.
5. Floating Desks: Floating desks take up minimal floor space and can be mounted on the wall, creating a functional workspace without sacrificing valuable space.
6. Nesting Tables: Nesting tables are a set of tables that can be stacked together to save space when not in use.
7. Hanging Plants: Hanging plants can add a touch of greenery to your space without taking up floor space. They can be hung from the ceiling or mounted on the wall.
8. Bunk Beds: Bunk beds are a great option for kids’ rooms or shared living spaces, allowing you to accommodate more people without taking up extra floor space.

By incorporating some of these space-saving furniture ideas into your small home or apartment, you can create a more functional and comfortable living space.

Make Your Own Wooden Lap Desks Are you tired of working from your bed or couch? With this DIY project, you can create your very own wooden lap desk that’s perfect for working on your laptop or tablet. Follow these simple steps to make your work-from-home experience more comfortable and productive.

How to upcycle a flat table in to a Plank Table Want to give your old, flat table a new lease on life? Look no further than this DIY tutorial that shows you how to transform it into a beautiful, rustic plank table. With a few tools and materials, you can create a stunning piece of furniture that will impress all your guests.

Lemonade Stand from an Old Desk Do you have an old desk that’s taking up space in your home? Why not turn it into a fun and profitable lemonade stand for your kids? Follow this step-by-step guide to create a unique and colorful stand that will attract customers and provide hours of summer fun.

DIY Projects For Your Bathroom Vanity Looking to update your bathroom vanity without breaking the bank? With these easy and affordable DIY projects, you can add a personal touch to your space and make it more functional. From storage solutions to decorative accents, these ideas will help you create the perfect vanity for your home.

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Settle this household fight: What’s the best way to load a dishwasher?

Tines up? What belongs on the bottom shelf?

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Community, chores and colour – the best of summer on an allotment

Everything on the plot is bursting with life and there’s still more to come

The plot is in its high-summer pomp. Twin towers of heavily coloured and scented sweet peas. A wall of climbing beans in assorted colours. Six-foot-plus sunflowers about to burst. Everywhere there are bright orange flashes of calendula and Cosmos sulphureus.

Our new autumn beds are starting to open up. The crimson-flowered broad beans have been cropped and lifted, shared with Howard for perfect summer dinners. Assorted autumn salad leaves have been sown in their place (Italian chicories and mixed mizunas, pak choi and Purple Frills mustard). Plus, a slight scattering of Empress of India nasturtium for their colour and peppery garnish.

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Brick floors and white tiles revive an East London house

A 1970s home has been renovated with designs built to last

For Danish architect Johan Hybschmann, a modern house was key to how he wanted to live. “Victorian houses are nice to look at, but I don’t want to live in one,” he laughs. “The idea of home is dated in the UK, period features are considered quality, but modern homes from the 60s and 70s, deemed perhaps ugly, are more suited to modern living.”

We are standing in his immaculate kitchen with his wife, Anita Freeman, a clinical psychologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Their home was built in the 1970s and stands on a street in east London among a hodge-podge of Victorian houses and midcentury estates, built on bomb sites following the blitz of the Second World War.

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Want a cleaner kitchen floor? Don’t overlook a simple sweeping.

Sweeping daily can keep your kitchen floors looking tidy. Here’s how to do it well.

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Sponge vs. dishcloth: Which one is grosser?

Both can be breeding grounds for bacteria, but proper cleaning can mitigate the risks.

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How to arrange furniture like a professional home stager

Stagers and interior designers share the dos and don’ts of getting the layout of every room just right.

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Skip the pricey moisturizer. The cheaper stuff is often just as good.

Dermatologists explain why and recommend seven great options for about $25 or less.

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How to make a more meaningful furniture donation

It takes more effort than dumping your old stuff at the nearest donation center. But smaller, lesser known organizations can have a more immediate impact.

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8 tasks for your August home maintenance checklist

Tackle essential home maintenance tasks this August, including upgrading locks and fixing water leaks.

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