2009 Great Places to Shop & Home Improvement - Fall

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TriState Pennysaver News • Vermont News Guide Yankee Shopper • Berkshire Penny Saver

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2 Hersam Acorn Newspapers Great Places To Shop 2009

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TriState Pennysaver News • Vermont News Guide

Yankee Shopper • Berkshire Penny Saver

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A Hersam Acorn Newspapers Publication

Mary A. Garcia, cover designMelissa Miller, page design

TriState Pennysaver News109 South Street, Bennington, VT 05201

802-447-3381

Vermont News Guide99 Bonnet Street, Manchester, VT 05254

802-362-3535

Renee Tassone, General Manager

What’s Inside

Seeking Sustainable Goods .............................4

Fall Interior Design Ideas .................................6

Get Your Winter Shopping Done Now ..............8

Modern Styles ................................................10

How To Deal With Fallen Leaves ....................12

Home Improvement Section ...........................13

Homeowners Warm Up to Tax Credit .............14

Make Your Smaller Home More Livable .........15

Too Much Clutter? ..........................................17

Spice Up Your Shower ...................................18

Home Improvement Directory ...................21-23

Great Places To Shop 2009 Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3

(ARA) - The holi-day season is fast approaching and the economy con-tinues to put a dark cloud over holiday spending. While shoppers may be more optimistic about spending this holiday season compared to last, they will be tak-ing a more savvy approach, accord-ing to Information Resources, Inc. Planning ahead and being smart about

your purchases is the key to brightening your holiday shopping experi-ence. Here are a few tips to help you do just that.

Start planning early and create a budget

As recent research by IRI indicates, 77 percent of consumers are willing to treat themselves and others this holiday season even if the economy isn’t better. They are doing so by planning ahead and being savvier about spending money, and you can too. Since it’s easy to jump right in and start buying gifts, be sure to take a step back and create a plan when your head and your calendar are clear. Begin by taking the time to draft a list of everyone for whom you need to purchase a gift. Next, determine an overall budget and assign price limits to each member on the list. This will help you stay within your overall budget and ensure you purchase just the right gift for everyone on your list.

Take advantage of holiday sales

Over the course of the holiday shopping season, and especially during these hard economic times, retailers are doing anything in their power to lure customers into their stores by slashing prices and providing more shopping incentives. Two days in particular to be aware of when deal-hunting are Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There are many savings to take advantage of the day after Thanksgiving, so brave Black Friday. Retailers mark down everything from high-end electronics to jewelry to apparel. If battling the masses in brick and mortar stores on Black Friday doesn’t interest you, wait until the Monday following Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday, and take advantage of online sales. Items are often times only available while supplies last, so hot deals will go fast.

Spend smart on practical gifts

Items such as coffee and cold-weather gear make great gifts because you can feel confident they will be used and, therefore, your money will not go to waste. Purchase bulk coffee for the coffee lovers on your list and take advantage of specialty merchant deals such as “$5 off your $50

order” at CoffeeForLess.com. Buy cold-weather clothing, like gloves, for your frigid-climate friends and family. Incentives like “buy two pairs of gloves, get one pair free” can be found at retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Macy’s. Practical items can also accompany gifts, like batter-ies that pair well with many electronic items. Stock up on a value brand like Rayovac batteries, which last just as long as Duracell and Energizer but cost less. Finally, no one can say no to holiday candy and nuts which make great accompanying gifts, but can stand alone as well.

Shop online

Comparison shopping is a breeze online as you can search a multitude of stores to get the best price from the comfort of your own home. Sites like Amazon.com and ShopStyle.com allow you to comparison shop on one site in order to find the best price. Other sites, like ShopBop.com, always offer free shipping, while Kohls.com offers free shipping when you use your Kohl’s card. Also, utilizing online coupon sites helps you get special deals from free shipping to a percentage off your total bill.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Have A Savvy And Smart Holiday

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(ARA) - From plumbing to produce, companies are doing all they can to make their products greener. But, trying to pick the truly green products from the crowd can be an overwhelming decision for the average consumer.

According to the Web site ecolabelling.org, there are more than 300 green labels - featuring everything from cosmetics and seafood to bird-friendly coffee. If you’re new to the green scene, how can you distinguish between all of the different sustainability standards? By studying up on some of the pre-eminent certifications, you can make more educated decisions when it comes

to purchasing green goods.

“Some consumers believe that in order to ‘go green,’ they need to change every facet of their daily life,” says Jack Suvak, director of research for Moen. “But in reality, it’s much easier to take small steps and look for marks from key, recog-nized organizations and make responsible choices one at a time.”

Green scene in the kitchenThe kitchen has always been the social hub of the home - and now we’re spending even more time there surfing the Web, doing homework and wrap-ping gifts, not to mention cooking and eating. Since we live so much of our life here, it’s a natural spot to begin making more environmentally responsible decisions. Fortunately, some of the most tenured green certifications began in the kitchen and include:

USDA organic (www.ams.usda.gov) The Organic Foods Production Act and the National Organic Program are intended to assure consumers that the organic foods they purchase are pro-duced, processed and certified to consistent national organic standards. The labeling requirements apply to raw, fresh products and processed foods that contain organic ingredients. To use the term “organic,” a product must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients.

Fair Trade certified (www.transfairusa.org) The Fair Trade certified mark guarantees consumers that strict economic, social and environmental criteria were met in the production and trade of an agricultural product. It’s usually associated with “green products” because being kind to the earth and the earth’s people go hand-in-hand. It’s the notion of “consuming with a conscience.”

Going green in the bathroomThe bathroom is a great room to tackle next; as you’re probably already mak-ing green choices here without even thinking about it. Things like turning off the water while brushing your teeth, taking shorter showers and using green cleaning products are all easy ways to begin taking steps toward a healthier, more sustainable future. But if you’re looking for stamps of sustainability in the bathroom, begin by looking at the following certifications:

Labels To Look For When Seeking Sustainable Goods

Fina lavatory faucets from ShowHouse by Moen are certi-fied to meet WaterSense criteria.

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WaterSenseWaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, makes it easy for Americans to save water and pro-tect the environment. Currently, WaterSense certifies high-efficiency toilets and bathroom sink faucets.

All lavatory faucets produced by Moen - the No. 1 faucet brand in North America - are now certified to meet WaterSense labeling crite-ria. This certification applies to collections within both the Moen and ShowHouse by Moen brands, offering products with water-saving ben-efits along with the same great performance, style and reliability con-sumers have come to expect. The faucets feature a 1.5 gallon per minute (gpm) flow rate versus the industry standard of 2.2 gpm - resulting in water conservation of up to 32 percent.

ENERGY STAR (www.energystar.gov) ENERGY STAR is a joint pro-gram of the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy designed to help consumers save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.

In the bathroom, if you made the simple switch of using ENERGY STAR-qualified light bulbs, which use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs (and last up to 10 times longer!), you would save $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime. Plus, ENERGY STAR bulbs produce 75 percent less heat, so they’re safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.

“While there are literally hundreds of green certifications today, the good news is that it’s definitely becoming more ‘greenvenient’ to find environmentally responsible products for your home,” adds Suvak. “And consumers can make their decisions slowly and rest assured that a num-ber of organizations are seeking to create national standards moving forward ... to make it even easier to be green in the future.”


Eva lavatory faucets from Moen feature a 1.5 gallon per minute (gpm) flow rate versus the industry standard of 2.2 gpm – resulting in water conser-vation of up to 32 percent.

Labels To Look For When Seeking Sustainable Goodscontinued from page 4

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Stylish, Sustainable Fall Interior Design Ideas

(ARA) - When you think of the colors associated with fall, green doesn’t necessarily come to mind. Environmentally speaking, however, it should. There’s no better time than now to lessen your home’s impact on the environment and change the way you decorate and live. So, why not go green this fall? It’s not nearly as difficult to become earth-friendly as you might think.

“From products that contribute to good indoor air quality to ones that truly reflect the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ mantra, the number of affordable green interior decorating products has literally exploded within the past five years,” says Donna Schroeder, Dutch Boy color marketing and design manager.

These days, you can find stylish, eco-friendly design elements for every room in the house. And, contrary to popular belief, going green doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style for sustainability. The two can coexist quite effortlessly.

You can start simple by dressing your bed in luxurious sheets, throws and comforters made from fabrics such as rich, renewable bamboo or soft, organic cotton. Cover your floors with formaldehyde-free carpets constructed of recycled fibers or select a natural material, like stone, slate or even concrete. Then, hang energy-efficient window treatments with high insulation and shading properties.

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Corner of Church & John Streets Hoosick Falls, New York

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Don’t stop there. Spice up your tired sofa with a design-forward slip-cover and throw pillows crafted from 100 percent recycled materials. Add bright recycled glass plates and serving pieces to your china cabi-net. Buy furniture made from sustainably harvested wood or, better yet, visit local secondhand shops and repurpose. Or, look around your own home and see what you already have that can be adapted for a new use. You’d be surprised what a little creativity and some good old-fashioned elbow grease can do.

If you’re looking to add bold, fun color, paint fits perfectly into this over-all green scheme. It’s an inexpensive, effective and, most importantly, environmentally-minded way to change the look and feel of an entire room. Many paint manufacturers now offer coatings that contain few, if any, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or vapors that are released from paint as it dries.

Using paints formulated without VOCs, such as Dutch Boy’s new Refresh interior paint with exclusive odor-eliminating Arm & Hammer technology, takes your home one step closer to reducing your environ-mental impact while leaving your interior looking fresh, modern and filled with personality.

Many home improvement products, including Refresh, are also Indoor Air Quality certified by The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, a nonprofit, industry-independent organization that certifies indoor products that meet satisfactory indoor air emissions standards.

Keep in mind that greening your home, inside or out, doesn’t happen in a matter of minutes or even overnight. It’s an ongoing process. The limit to how green your home can be is up to how willing you are to adjust your lifestyle. The choice is yours. “It doesn’t take any grand gestures to start going green,” Schroeder says. “Tiny changes add up to make a big overall impact on the environment.”


Stylish, Sustainable Fall Interior Design Ideascontinued from page 6

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Get Your Winter Shopping Done While It’s Still Nice Out

(ARA) - The calendar pages are flipping quickly and in just a short time, Old Man Winter will be here. Is your household prepared for colder weather?

Here’s a quick shopping list of the items you may need to keep your fam-ily warm and your house nice and cozy this winter.

• Clothing.

Kids grow up so fast, and every year you have to take stock of what kinds of pants, boots, sweaters, slippers and winter jackets they can wear, and what needs to be replaced. It’s a good idea for the adults in your household to take inventory as well, because it’s hard to remember what shape some of last year’s items are in.

To save money on your winter clothing purchases this year, visit www.CouponHeaven.com to find deals at Kohl’s, Shoebuy, or the Gap - just to name a few. CouponHeaven negotiates directly with manufacturers to find you great coupon codes that are current and work. All coupons are free, and there is no log-in or registration required, which means you can use the site anonymously.

• Yard care.

Head out to the garage and review your supply of snow shovels, ice scrapers and sidewalk salt. Do it when the weather is still nice, because if you wait until the first snow or ice storm, it will be too late. Besides, who wants to run to the store in the middle of a storm?

Make sure your landscaping has been prepared for colder weather as well. Consider buying a snow fence to protect your driveway and house from winter’s blustery and snow-laden winds. And don’t forget to purchase stakes and burlap wrap to protect trees from high winds and cracking bark.

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• Window treatments.

If your house was a bit chilly last win-ter, why not put up some window treat-ments to keep out the cold this year? Go to CouponHeaven.com to search for online coupon codes for plastic wrap and caulk-ing materials from Home Depot or heavy curtain window hangings from a number of different department stores. The better sealed your windows are, the better your heating bill will be at the end of the month.

• Fireplace fuel.

Besides providing heat during the colder months, fireplaces are great for bringing families together while watching some TV, playing games or socializing. But a fireplace isn’t going to do you any good without fuel to burn, so make sure you have a pile of wood ready to go to last you through the winter months.

By getting your shopping list compiled and purchased before the first sign of cold weather arrives this year, you will have time to enjoy your busy fall months with your family.


Get Your Winter Shopping Done While It’s Still Nice Out

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Modern Styles Looking Fresh And Comfortable

(ARA) - The “modern” of the new millennium is taking a turn from the past. Extremist modern decorating - with angled edges, geometric shapes and cube-inspired items - has evolved. Today’s soft-modern is welcoming and easy to live in - with delicate designs, flowing lines and understated details. Up-to-date and unfussy, this new modern look is fresh and comfortable.

“Soft modern decorating is really the wave of the future,” says Judy Riley, vice president of design at Moen. “It bypasses all the fleeting trends and features a comfortable, confident look that still manages to be fresh and current. Plus, its style is truly timeless - with clean, simple lines and a spacious, uncluttered feel - the soft modern approach will look as good in 10 years as it does today.”

To begin integrating soft modern style cues in your home, try these tips:

• Light, fresh colors form the ideal backdrop for this decorating style. If you’re worried that neutral tones will show scuffs and dirt spots, don’t - paints like Porcelain from Pratt & Lambert are manufactured to be extremely durable. Porcelain actually allows you to scrub the walls without damaging the paint finish, so any accidental dirt marks or spills can easily be cleaned.

• If wallpaper is preferred, choose small patterns which will blend well with the muted paint scheme.

• Following the direction of the walls, flooring should be neutral, com-fortable to the foot and easy to maintain. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT), such as NAFCO by Tarkett, features attractive designs to fit any room of your house and closely mimics the classic, sophisticated looks of authentic tile, plank, stone, slate and other natural textures.

• When considering lighting, make the most of natural light from win-dows and skylights. For accent lighting, try small pendant lights and wall-mounted lights - which can disperse light throughout the room for a soft, romantic effect.

• Furniture should be relaxed and comfortable - think sectional, over-stuffed couches and chairs. Another trademark look of the soft modern style is that everything doesn’t have to match - an unmatched look is completely appropriate for this welcoming decorating trend.

Once you’ve initiated the overall soft modern decor style in your home, you can choose certain rooms in which to concentrate. A good rule of thumb is to start with the rooms you use most, such as the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

• In the kitchen, the focal point should be your dining table. Any shape will coordinate well with a soft modern flair. However a solid wood table is not only beautiful, but is also easy to care for and virtually lasts forever. Another nice option fitting of this design style is a glass-topped table. You can get the best of both worlds with Crate & Barrel’s Halo table, which features a beautiful glass top that’s perfectly flat on the surface but has a deep, light-refracting reverse bevel on the underside.

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A solid chestnut wood base echoes the halo with its own center top ring in a deep, rich cognac.

• In the bathroom, concentrate on the often-used sink area. Here, it’s the faucet that should take center stage. For a clean, uncluttered look to complement a stylish sink, try the new Fina single-handle lavatory faucet from ShowHouse by Moen. Featuring soft modern style cues, highlights of the faucet include its high-arc, marquise-shaped spout, lever handle and contemporary-shaped base. The beautifully designed faucet also features a flow-optimized aerator for water savings.

“We’re finding that homeowners are looking for softer, modern styles featuring smooth lines, curved surfaces and rounded features,” says Shawn Hardy, ShowHouse brand manager. “The Fina collec-tion offers a unique combination of modern styling with graceful, elegant details - and now provides homeowners additional design options with the single-handle faucet.”

Additionally, the Fina faucet has been certified to meet WaterSense criteria, meaning the fixture meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s guidelines as an envi-ronmentally responsible and effi-cient product. The faucet flows at 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm), versus the traditional flow of 2.2 gpm - providing consumers the sensational water experience they are accustomed to, while reducing water usage by up to 32 percent.

• Finally, in the bedroom, the center of attention should be the bed. Look for strong headboards which don’t overwhelm the room and add your personal flair to the style. Pottery Barn offers a number of styles which fit a soft modern design style - including the inno-vative Stratton Smart Technology headboard, which provides several built-in storage options as well as a centralized plug-in point for lamps, clocks, cell phones and more.

To add the finishing touch to your newly decorated home, place care-fully selected accessories in each room. But don’t ruin the soft modern style by cluttering things up with unnecessary accessories. A simple vase of flowers or bowl of fresh fruit might be all you need to add the perfect finishing touch to a room. Keep things relaxed, simple and comfortable - and you’ll enjoy the soft modern style today and for years to come.

For more information on the Fina lavatory faucet from ShowHouse, visit shfaucets.com or call (877) MOEN-SH1 for product information.

Modern Styles Looking Fresh And Comfortablecontinued from page 10

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Historic Route 7A, Arlington, Vermont

Just South of Manchester

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(ARA) - As Mother Nature adorns the trees in your yard with riotous reds, vibrant yellows and exotic oranges, you can easily get swept up in the romance of the season - until those leaves turn brown, drop from the branches and litter your lawn. Then you start to think of the hours of backbreaking raking work ahead of you.

This autumn, why not try working with Mother Nature by mulching those leaves instead of raking, bagging and condemning them to a landfill?

Leaf mulching is a time-saving, environmentally friendly way to deal with fallen leaves. Plus, if you live in a community that has cut back on collection services due to the economy, mulching can solve your dilemma of what to do with the leaves littering your lawn.

“It doesn’t make sense to rake leaves and bag them, just to have them end up decomposing in a landfill,” says Dr. Phil Dwyer, senior scientist at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. “Leaf mulching recycles a natural resource and enriches the soil of your lawn for free.”

Here’s how to recycle this fall’s crop of fallen leaves:

• Remove the grass catcher from your lawn mower. Mow over the leaves on your lawn. Repeat until they are reduced to dime-sized pieces.

• Mow until you see about half an inch of grass through the mulched leaf layer.

Any kind of rotary-action mower will do the job, and all kinds of leaves can be mulched. Throughout the season, you can chop up to 18 inches total of leaf clutter with several passes of the mower. Having a somewhat thick layer of mulched leaves is okay as long as you can still see the green grass blades poking through. As leaf bits settle into the ground, microbes and worms get to work recycling them.

Once you’ve enriched your soil with leaf mulching, don’t forget that fall is the best time to feed and seed your lawn. A few simple steps can help ensure that your lawn will be strong next season and beyond:

• After mulching, feed your lawn with Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard fall lawn fertilizer to help build strong, deep roots for a better foundation and a more robust lawn next year. The nitrogen in the fertilizer will also help the mulched leaves decompose faster. Be sure to sweep excess fertil-izer off hard surfaces like driveways and sidewalks.

• After feeding, spread seed where needed. To reseed your bare spots, dig up bare areas, mix in compost, sow your seeds and cover with more compost. If the weather is dry, keep the seeded soil moist until new grass begins to grow. Seeding autumn bare spots will thicken the lawn and make it more resistant to future bare spots.To learn more about leaf mulching and autumn lawn care, visit www.scotts.com.


Leaf Mulching And Fertilizer: A Back-saving, Soil-enriching Way To Deal With Fallen Leaves

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(ARA) - For warmth and beauty in the home, it’s hard to beat the ambience of a real wood-burning stove or fireplace. Homeowners now have another reason to warm up to one - they may qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $1,500 if they purchase and install a 75-percent efficient wood- or pellet-burning (biomass) stove in 2009 or 2010. Thirty-percent of the total cost, including the appliance, installation and pip-ing, can be claimed.

Also qualifying for the tax credit are wood- and pel-let-burning fireplace inserts, which when installed into existing inefficient fireplaces quickly transform them into energy-efficient home heaters.

The tax credit is part of the federal government’s efforts to encourage homeowners to choose green, energy-efficient prod-ucts for their homes. “The choice is good for the environment and homeowners’ wallets,” says Dan Henry, chief technical officer for Quadra-Fire and Harman Home Heating, which offer more than 30 products that qualify for the tax credit.

“Today’s wood- and pellet-burning units are considerably more efficient than dated models, producing more heat with less fuel to provide warmth and comfort for many hours,” says Henry. “They

are thermostatically controlled, easy to maintain and feature advanced burn technology that produces less ash and low out-side air particulate emissions. It is now more convenient than ever to heat your home with renewable fuels, save money

on heating bills and contribute to a greener Earth.”

There are sev-eral advantages to supplement-ing your home’s heat with a biomass stove or fireplace insert, including:

• Controlled heating costs, since prices for wood and pellets are much more predictable than prices for propane, oil and natural gas, which can fluctuate greatly.

• Contribute to less greenhouse gases by burning wood or pel-lets for heat, which is considered carbon neutral since only the carbon the tree or plant absorbed when growing is released into the air.

• Eligibility for the tax credit if you purchase and install a qualify-ing high-efficiency product.

After the purchase is made, the homeowner obtains an Official Manufacturer’s Certificate from the manufacturer’s Web site or the retailer. The certificate validates that the product qualifies for the tax credit and should be retained by the homeowner for tax purposes.

It’s now possible to live green and save some money while enjoy-ing the ambiance of a crackling fire in the comfort of your own home. Find qualifying products and visit a hearth dealer near you for details.


Homeowners Warm up to Tax Credit for Wood- and Pellet-fueled Heat

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(ARA) - Smaller homes are making a comeback. More families are hanging onto their existing homes and improving these smaller properties, instead of trading up.

Maximizing livable space is how the American Institute of Architects (AIA) describes this new trend, a by-product of a down new-housing and real estate market. Smaller remodel projects - finishing attics and basements - readily achieve that goal, making the home more enjoyable today while increasing its resale value tomorrow.

Nearly 130 million homes are currently in need of work, includ-ing adjustments to meet “changing preferences and lifestyles,” such as family members returning home to live, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.

As the owner of a smaller home, you should know that adding even a small bathroom is among the best investments you can make, typically returning 65 percent or more of the cost on resale. In the attic or the basement, you can save money on a bath addi-tion by using macerating plumbing, which requires no digging for under-floor drainage piping.

For this same reason, you can also convert an existing room or even a closet into a new small bathroom to better accommodate guests or even family members moving into your home. No dig-ging for drainage means a quicker, less messy and cheaper instal-lation experience. Macerating plumbing systems can handle the waste from a toilet as well as a sink and a tub/shower. As a result, you can create not just a powder room, but a full bath with all the decorative accessories.

Install an up toilet

Known as an up toilet or above-floor plumbing, macerating technology is the way to go, says East Taunton, Massachusetts, plumber Mike Sikorski, who installs Saniflo brand products. Plumbing waste and water are pumped through small-diameter piping, which can be located inside the wall, right into the sewer or septic tank. Sikorski estimates that this type of system saves his customers $1,000 on average, “and that’s on the low side,” he says.

Mike Vines of Lake Orion, Michigan, recently improved his home with a basement upgrade using an up-toilet system. “I couldn’t be happier,” he says of the half bath he added to the fam-ily home. “In these tough times, anything you can do to increase the value of your house, the better off you’re going to be.”

Saving money is key

Cost-saving projects like these are among the ways homeowners will most likely focus their future remodeling dollars, according to the 2009 Remodeling Market in Transition report prepared by the Joint Center.

Make Your Smaller Home More Livable With A New Bath


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“I believe that the struggling economy has actually helped the smaller profile repair/remodel market,” says Steve Norton, presi-dent of M & N Plumbing Supply in Denver. “People are staying the course, and macerating plumbing offers a lower-cost option to breaking up cement.”

If you’re staying put in your smaller home, but want to improve its livability and long-term value, consider adding a bathroom with macerating plumbing.

Tips for a better bath

Here are some tips to make the most of your bathroom addition, even if it’s a small one:

• Maximize space by placing a pedestal sink in the corner along with a mirrored medicine cabinet designed for in-corner instal-lation.

• Plan your new bath so the door won’t bump into anything when it is opened. The National Kitchen & Bath Association (www.nkba.org) is a good resource for planning dimensions.

• Must you have a tub, or will a shower suffice? Putting in an enclosed stall shower saves a lot of space.

• Install grab bars to prevent falls. They’re not just for the elderly. The Home Safety Council (www.homesafetycouncil.org) recom-mends grab bars in every bath.

• No window? Good lighting can make a room look and feel larger. Recessed lighting is a smart choice for small spaces. Task lighting over the sink is a welcome feature.

• Don’t forget the fan. Installing a fan can help prevent moisture problems, such as mold and mildew.

Learn more about low-cost, above-floor bathroom and grey water pumping systems by visiting www.saniflo.com or calling (800) 571-8191.


Make Your Smaller Home More Livable With A New Bathcontinued from page 15

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- Lisa Laberge

CLUTTER. We all have it. It is the stuff of life that doesn’t have a place and a way to defer a task for later – “I’ll deal with that pile on Saturday”. Each person has their own litmus test of how much clutter they are willing to stand. My own personal level is quite low – it makes me nervous and itchy to see too much stuff in a room. But that is me. I totally understand that there are people in this world that think clutter is kinda’ cozy and charm-ing. Only you can decide how much you can stand, but if you want to do something about it, here are some sure fire ways to deal with this subject.

Clutter is an outward manifestation of the absence of a conscious orga-nization system in place in your home. I hope I haven’t lost you yet. This is just fancy language for not giving stuff a second thought before now. What you need is a system that can be used again and again whenever and wherever clutter strikes.

Treat this approach in a business like manner as if you are The House Manager. This might take some of the sentimental stumbling blocks out of the way for you. All items can fit into one of 4 categories so I want you to collect 4 boxes and label them as follows:

TOSS – This is the most obvious category – any item that is broken, yesterday’s newspaper, old dated material - you get the idea.

PUT AWAY – Items that you have use of and want to keep. They may not have a place in your home yet but they will soon.

GIVE AWAY – Items that can be given to your local Thrift Store for the ultimate green solution of putting still useful stuff back into circulation again. You will feel good at getting rid of it and contributing to a local charity. A double whammy!

SELL – Items that are too good to give away and something that you may make some money on in a tag sale. This will only work if you are the type to actually have a yard sale. Otherwise, pack these items into the Give Away box. If you are planning a tag sale, I suggest finding a corner of a garage or basement to store these items temporarily, pricing them as you go along.

Okay, there is a fifth box but only use this if you absolutely need to. It is the MAYBE box – something that doesn’t fit into any one of the categories above, like the ugly teapot that Aunt Betty who visits once a year gave you. Date this box for 6 months and then review it again. I guarantee you will be able to cull it further the next time around.

Now you are probably saying to yourself this sounds workable but to do a whole house will take forever. This is the beauty of this particular system – you can apply it to a drawer, a corner of the room, the kitchen table, one bookshelf -- so that you are doing this in small bursts of energy, building confidence as you go along. Believe me when I say once you use this method, you are going to be hooked on the incredibly powerful feeling of control you will gain over clutter.

Quick fun tipsStopping clutter at its source – have you ever noticed the neat and tidy person in the post office very calmly flipping through their mail and wondered what they are doing? They are separating out the junk mail, right there in the post office, and throwing it away immediately. The stuff never even enters their house.

Everyone house needs a command center whether it is a desk, or a small home office, where the business of life can be dealt with – writing out

IS YOUR HOME TOO CLUTTERED and WHO’S ISN’T? Here is a fun and easy way to clear your home of stuff.


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(ARA) - Showering is about so much more than just getting clean. Especially in stressful economic times, the bathroom can be a sanctuary – the one private spot in the house where we are free to be totally our-selves, singing loudly and off-key in the shower and indulging ourselves with lather, rinse and repeat.

The average American adult spends 8 to 10 minutes in the shower every day, according to several surveys on the topic. Upgrading your shower can help elevate those minutes from soothing to sensational. Plus, bath-room improvements are a proven way to increase your home’s value.

So what are some hot trends and easy ways to make the most of your shower time? Here are a few ideas:

Showerhead secrets

If you’re still showering under the same old showerhead that provides only a mediocre spray and coverage, it’s time to try something new. From single- and multi-setting massaging showerheads to rainfall options and bodysprays that pour a soothing sprinkle overhead, today’s showerheads create a wide variety of experiences.

Check out your local home improvement store or kitchen and bath showroom to get an idea of the options available.

Adding a handshower – either to replace an old one or to enhance an existing shower – is another easy, cost-effective option for punching up your shower experience. Long valued for their flexibility – handshow-ers are a great way to keep kids, pets and the shower itself clean – the handshower is also getting a smart upgrade with products like Kohler’s new, affordable Flipside handshower.

While traditional handshowers have featured just one sprayface, the Flipside offers four sprayfaces that rotate. Each sprayface provides a dif-ferent experience in an easy-to-hold and use handshower, including a traditional spray for maximum water coverage, a denser and enveloping downpour, a drenching spray and an invigorating massage spray. Visit www.kohler.com to learn more.

Dress up doors

Most of us probably don’t think about our shower doors much until it’s time to clean them. If your shower door sports scratched acrylic, lime build up and dirty, corroded door tracks, you can boost the look of your shower – not to mention your mood – by installing a new door.

Simple Secrets To Spice Up Your Shower


IS YOUR HOME TOO CLUTTERED and WHO’S ISN’T?


checks, signing your kid’s permission slips, filing important papers away. Keeping all of this activity in one place makes the most sense.

Consider finding a spot to be designated a Creative Center where you will find markers, paper, ribbons and art items. This can be set up in a closet and can be quite colorful and fun – using the kindergarten method of placing like items together in clear plastic bins.

I want to leave you with thought – don’t try for perfection but instead focus on creating a more livable environment for you and your family. You will find that your life feels easier and less stressed and that everything seems to run smoother. Then, you will have more time and energy for the fun activities of life – time with your kids, spouse and friends and the good feeling of knowing that you are returning at the end of the day to a neater, more organized and comfortable home.

For further tips and information, check out my blog at www.lisalaber-geinteriors.com

Lisa Laberge is a local interior designer with a Design Studio located on Route 30 in Dorset. (802) 366-8138.

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Beauty and practicality are the watchwords of modern shower doors. Manufacturers like Sterling have given these necessary items a touch of class and elegance, blend-ed with a healthy dose of functionality. The manufacturer offers 17 different decorative shower doors, from frosted with a viewing portal to a style that evokes the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright. A quick way to add a finishing touch to your shower area, the doors include easy-to-clean features like CleanCoat, which helps the door shed dirt and soap buildup, and a unique bottom track system that features smooth tracks that lack the crevices where grime builds up in traditional shower door tracks. What’s more, some models, like Sterling’s Finesse line, install in as little as 15 minutes with just an Allen wrench. To learn more, visit www.SterlingPlumbing.com.

You’re surrounded

Finally, if you just can’t bear the chipped pink ceramic tile straight out of the 50s, or the rust-stained porcelain tub that was old when your

grandparents were young, a bath/shower surround can be a quick, easy way to put a fresh, modern face on your shower.

A bath/shower surround incorporates three walls, the bathtub and shower doors into a single, seamless unit that is easy to install and maintain. Installing a surround is frequently less costly and quicker than creating one piecemeal with separate tub, shower walls and doors.

For those really looking for ease of installation, consider the Sterling Accord bath/shower. It’s affordable and fast to install with an innovative click-together, caulkless wall system that saves time and money.



Simple Secrets To Spice Up Your Shower

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Date post:	16-Mar-2016
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2009 Great Places to Shop & Home Improvement - Fall

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