Michigan

19 Mistakes People Make With Houseplants

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Experts share common missteps in “plant parenting” and how to get it right.

By Caroline Bologna | 08/16/2021 06:00pm EDT | Updated August 17, 2021 | Huffpost.com

If you follow interior design influencers or otherwise keep up with trends in home decor, you’ve likely noticed the mania around houseplants. Indeed, over the past few years, millennials, in particular, have developed a love affair with all things green.

But as newcomers to the indoor plant world quickly learn, keeping your indoor flora alive can be challenging. The leaves may turn brown, wilt away, develop spots or otherwise fail to thrive. Still, there’s no need to despair!

“Plant parents of all skill levels have trouble with houseplants at one time or another, so don’t worry or be afraid to try, try again!” Liam Heeks, manager of Tula Plants & Design, told HuffPost.

To help new and aspiring plant parents, we asked experts to share the biggest mistakes they see people make with their houseplants. Read on for 19 approaches to avoid (and their advice for getting it right).

Choosing Houseplants For The Wrong Reasons

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When Disaster Strikes: What to Put in Your Medication Go Bag

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Atlantic hurricane season is a good reminder that everyone should prepare this potentially lifesaving kit

By Consumer Reports Last updated: July 05, 2021

A well-stocked Medication Go Bag can be used to soothe a cut or burn—or to save your life during a hurricane, flood, fire, or other emergencies.  

But it’s important not to wait until you’re faced with the need to leave your home in a hurry to assemble your medication go bag, says Geoffrey C. Wall, Pharm.D., a professor of pharmacy practice at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Whether you buy a kit from a drugstore or build it yourself, Wall recommends that all households keep a medication go bag on hand. It should contain the essentials, including: 

  • At least seven days’ worth of over-the-counter and prescription medications you take on a regular basis. Label the containers clearly, and include a printed-out list of everything you take and the regimen for each medication, plus a copy of your health insurance card (in case you need medical care while you’re away from your home).
  • An antihistamine for allergic reactions, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl Allergy and generic) or loratadine (Claritin and generic).
  • Pain relievers, including acetaminophen (Tylenol and generic), aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and generic), or naproxen (Aleve and generic).
  • Stomach and antidiarrheal remedies, including loperamide (Imodium and generic) and bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol, and generic).
  • An antacid for heartburn, such as Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids, Tums, or generic.
  • Antiseptic wipes; an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin, Bacitracin Plus, Curad, or generic (use only for infected wounds); and bandages, gauze, and tape, for treating burns, cuts, and wounds.
  • Mosquito repellent to prevent bites, and aloe gel, hydrocortisone cream, or calamine lotion to soothe bites and skin irritation.
  • An eyewash solution for flushing out eye irritants.
  • Water-purification tablets.
  • Scissors.
  • Thermometer.
  • Tweezers.

If you and your family have special medical needs, you can build a more sophisticated medication go bag—for example, one that contains hearing aids with extra batteries, an epinephrine auto-injector, glasses, contact lenses, or syringes.

Fill Prescriptions in Advance

For prescriptions, you and your family members take, consider asking your doctor for 60- or 90-day refills rather than a month’s worth. That way, you’re more likely to have extras on hand for your medication go bag. (This can also save you money.)

Always fill prescriptions on the first day you become eligible for a refill, rather than waiting until the day you run out. If you are able to obtain an emergency supply, establish a plan for rotating your go-bag supply so that it remains up to date. And remember to check medications periodically to ensure that they have not expired.

“During an emergency, some states allow pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of medications without doctor authorization,” Wall says. But, he adds, “certainly if a known potential disaster, such as a hurricane, is predicted, make sure you have prescription meds and supplies before it hits.”

You might also ask your health insurance company to assist you in obtaining enough medication and supplies to have on hand.

Storing and Maintaining Your Kit

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How to Get Rid of Ants

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By: Francisco Guzman | Updated: Aug 13, 2021 | How Stuff Works

Ants invade homes for one reason: food. Whether you left crumbs on the kitchen table or forgot to take the trash out, where there’s food, there are ants. Ants aren’t all bad. They help to clean up dead animals and naturally create topsoil as they burrow into the ground. But they can also pose a danger to you and your home.

Ant bites aren’t only annoying, they can trigger an allergic reaction in some people. A typical ant bite can cause pain and discomfort, but bites from a fire ant can lead to difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, nausea, and dizziness. While fire ants pack a big sting, other ants can do different types of damage.

Carpenter ants, similar to termites, can cause damage to your home’s walls, decks, doorframes, and other wooden materials. These ants create nests in wooden areas that are moist and starting to decay and cause damage by tunneling through the wood.

But if your home has become infested with ants, don’t worry. Getting rid of them is fast, easy, and cheap. Most of our suggestions below use ingredients that are safe to use around babies and pets. Here are some home remedies to quickly and successfully rid your house of ants.

How to Get Rid of Ants

  • White vinegar: Mix a solution of one part white vinegar to one part water or just use straight vinegar. Wipe your counters, tables, appliances, and jars with the solution to kill ants and prevent them from returning. Although you won’t be able to smell the scent after a while, ants will.
  • Hand soap: Spray a soapy water solution into holes and crevices that may be the entry point for ants in your home. Soap is an effective remedy for preventing ants from entering your home because it removes the scent of ant pheromones, which ants use to communicate with each other.

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When is Labor Day 2021? Why We Celebrate Summer’s Last Holiday

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CountryLiving.com

Who doesn’t love a long weekend? Luckily, we can always count on Labor Day to give us that extra day of relaxation, barbecue, and the perfect excuse to enjoy some fun under the summer sun. Of course, the holiday is a lot more than meets the eye. We could always use a little refresher on why we celebrate and what makes Labor Day more than summer’s last hurrah.

First things first—when is Labor Day in 2021?

Mark those calendars for Monday, September 6, 2021. Labor Day always falls on the first Monday of September. Although the calendar date tends to change each year, you can always count on showing off those grilling skills during the first weekend of September.

Just based on the name alone, you can probably guess that Labor Day has something to do with work. And you’d be completely right! But, did you know the holiday has a captivating history that dates all the way back to the late 1800s?

Labor Day honors the important social and economic contributions of U.S. workers. What better way to do that than with a three-day weekend to squeeze those last-minute summer activities that you’ve added to your to-do list? It’s important to remember that the history behind Labor Day wasn’t always as dandy as enjoying local parades and scoring some of the year’s best shopping deals.RELATED STORYWhich Stores Are Open on Labor Day?

Labor Day was born out of U.S. workers’ experiences and struggles to improve poor working conditions. When the Industrial Revolution was at its peak, employees of large manufacturing companies often endured 12+ hour workdays for seven days a week. Not to mention, their facilities were far from safe or sanitary. In response, workers began to protest because obviously there were some serious changes that needed to be made. Now that we know a bit more about the holiday, it’s time to make the most of our last moments this summer 2021.

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Does getting pre-approved for a mortgage guarantee you’ll get a loan?

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Maurie Backman | USA Today – The Motley Fool | mortgage guarantee

There are certain steps it pays to take when you embark on a home search. You should spend some time interviewing real estate agents, make a wish list of the home features you’re looking for, and get pre-approved for a mortgage. Some buyers, however, don’t take that final step, either because they don’t know about it or because they don’t understand how it works. Here are a few things you should know about mortgage pre-approval.

1. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage doesn’t guarantee you a home loan

You might assume that if a mortgage lender pre-approves you for a home loan, you’re automatically guaranteed that mortgage once you’re ready to sign it. But that’s not the case. Mortgage pre-approval is not the same as getting an actual mortgage, and if your financial circumstances change between the time you’re pre-approved and the time you want to apply for a home loan, you may be denied.

Still, getting pre-approved is a step in the right direction. And if nothing changes for the worse, financially speaking, then there’s a strong chance you will get a mortgage once you want one.

2. It can make for a more efficient home search

When you go through the pre-approval process, a lender gives you a specific amount that you can borrow based on your income and the funds you have available for a down payment. Having that number is important because it can help you avoid looking at homes that are outside of your price range.

3. It could help you beat out another buyer in a bidding war

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5 trends disrupting the wholesale industry: digitization, and more:

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Wholesale Industry | Shield Insurance Blog | Start A Quote Today!

For decades, wholesale distributors have been the primary source of inventory to retailers. Over the past decade, however, technology, e-commerce, and shifting customer expectations have altered the wholesale landscape. Today’s distributors are evolving their business models—and fast.

In this article, we’re diving into five trends disrupting the wholesale industry, from navigating competition like e-commerce giants to embracing technological innovation.

1. Digitization and the wholesale industry

With access to a massive catalog of products that they can ship quicker than most competitors, digital giants like Amazon and Alibaba have sent shockwaves through the traditional wholesale industry. This threat is particularly serious when it comes to commoditized products like printing supplies and paper. The problem? Businesses are looking for the fastest, easiest, and most affordable way to obtain these products—and traditional wholesalers often struggle to keep up with their digital competitors.  

In 2017, 92 percent of wholesale distributors cited Amazon as a competitor—and for good reason. According to a recent report from the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), Bank of America/Merrill Lynch estimates that Amazon Business, the tech giant’s wholesale branch, will reach $34 billion in gross merchandise sales by 2023, and $125 to $245 billion by 2029. And Amazon and Alibaba aren’t the only competitors in the digital space—new business models are constantly emerging, including eBay Business & Industrial, Digi-Key, and Zoro. With all these businesses competing for the same pool of customers, their profits will likely come at the expense of traditional distributors.

2. Disintermediation

As digitization continues to connect more people and systems, it creates an opportunity for manufacturers and retailers to skip traditional wholesalers and work directly together, blurring the line between wholesale, retail, and manufacturing. As a result, disintermediation has become more common in the marketplace. The number of direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands is projected to grow by almost 20 percent in 2021, with many manufacturers leveraging e-commerce platforms to bypass wholesalers entirely. For example, Boeing invested heavily in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce and acquired a leading aerospace parts distributor, helping increase its share of the replacement aerospace parts market by 7 percent. Many companies find that they can also improve shipping speeds and customer service by cutting out the middleman role that wholesalers traditionally play.

3. Evolving customer demand

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The US has 10 million job openings

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This is a first: The US has 10 million job openings

CNN | Job Openings |

New York (CNN Business) It’s a hallmark sign of this strange pandemic labor market: America had a record 10.1 million jobs available in June, as businesses struggled to hire enough staff to support the full reopening of the economy. That mismatch between worker demand and supply has been a defining characteristic of the pandemic recovery. Hiring is rampant across industries, as businesses are still rebuilding the capacity lost during last year’s lock-downs. Professional and business services, retail, hotels, and restaurants added the most job openings, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Monday.

But many jobless workers are facing complexities. Some continue to struggle with finding child care, while others are concerned about the risk of contracting the virus at work.

“If we want to sustain our economic recovery, we have to get serious about removing barriers to filling these open jobs,” said Neil Bradley, executive vice president, and chief policy officer of the US Chamber of Commerce.

Specifically, Bradley added, “that includes addressing childcare needs, rightsizing unemployment programs, skills training, and increasing legal immigration.”

Economists expect that at least the child care aspect will be addressed when schools reopen in person after the summer. But the rampant spread of the Covid-19 Delta variant is adding exposure risk. Meanwhile, the generous pandemic-era unemployment benefits that have already ceased in multiple states will run out in September, which could affect the rate of hiring as well.

Hires, layoffs and voluntary quits

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Sparta Hay Bale Decorating Shield Insurance Agency Blog

Decorating a Hay Bale in Sparta Michigan

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Sparta Hay Bale Decorating Contest!

TO DECORATE:

Email chamber@spartami.org to register to decorate a bale! A location will be randomly selected for you, the hay bale decorating must be completed by Sept. 12

DISPLAY:

The decorated bales will be on display from Sept. 13-Sept. 26

TO VOTE:

Voting will be done TWO ways: 1, we will have a “like” contest on a Facebook post (that will be posted with a photo of each bale, this will be posted September 14!) AND voting will take place IN PERSON during Michigan Apple Fest in the Sparta Chamber Offices! The combination of both votes will be the placing of 1st, 2nd, 3rd places!

PRIZES:

The top 3 places will be awarded $100 in SPARTA BUCKS!

RULES: The hay bale must stay upright as you find it. Add decor, paint, pics, etc. into the hay bale, the items must be removed by Sept. 26 or the items will be thrown away. Photos of your bale will be taken on Monday, September 13 for voting.

We are getting so excited, we wanted to pull up some photos from last year for some inspiration!!

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How does my home deductible work?

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Safeco Insurance & Liberty Mutual Small Commercia

A home insurance deductible is what you pay out of pocket to repair your home if you have a claim. For example, if you have a $500 deductible and $2,000 in repair costs, you’ll pay $500 and Safeco will pay the remaining $1,500. You have a choice of deductible amounts; choosing a higher deductible lowers your insurance rate but requires greater out-of-pocket expenses should you have an accident. Connect with your Safeco independent agent today to get the details and determine the deductible options for your home.

Disclaimer: Subject to policy terms, conditions, and limitations. Discounts and savings available where state laws and regulations allow and may vary by state. State insurance requirements apply. Insurance offered by Safeco Insurance Company of America and affiliates, Boston, MA

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How to Get Rid of Stuff at Home

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Our decluttering tips will help you figure out what you no longer need

By Kevin Doyle | August 05, 2021 | Consumer Reports | Get rid of Stuff | Home Insurance

Sealed in a plastic bag in the back of Kris Schwartz’s bedroom closet is the student nurse’s uniform that her mother wore 80 years ago, complete with pinafore and removable cuffs. Her mother’s nursing cape hangs in a downstairs closet, and a journal her mother-in-law kept is safely stashed in the desk drawer of a home office. These relics are just a metaphorical speck in the “tsunami of stuff” Schwartz says she and her husband have accumulated in their Maine home over the decades.

“I have loads of books, mementos, baby clothes, and letters from people I’ve forgotten about stuffed in my closets and my cellar,” Schwartz says. “The garage is so full it’s sometimes hard to get a car into. Most of it serves no purpose or function, but I can’t get rid of it.”

Marie Kondo’s approach to tidying up may have inspired her fans to fold their underwear like origami, but it took a pandemic for many Americans to start to deal with their surfeit of stuff. “A lot of people suddenly needed to find space for two home offices as well as schooling at home,” says Cindy Sullivan, president of the nonprofit Institute for Challenging Disorganization. “The pandemic definitely contributed to a lot of decluttering.” Many secondhand and resale stores, hauling companies, and professional organizers have reported an uptick in business.

Rule 1: Get Ready to Let Go

For Dawn Castagna, a health industry executive in New York, getting started is the hardest part. “Analysis paralysis definitely applies to me,” she admits. “My wife says, ‘We haven’t used it, so it’s going.’ But I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t know. Who would be the right person to give it to? Should we sell it?’ And when I’m not sure about the right way to get rid of something, I just stop.” If you’re facing similar struggles, these three questions can help jump-start the process:

1. Do you really need it? Anything you don’t use or have multiples of can probably go. “Nobody needs 18 spatulas,” Ferrari says.

2. Can you easily replace it? Amanda Scudder, MSW, a professional organizer in Richmond, Va., recommends the $20/20-minute rule: Anything that would cost $20 or less and take 20 minutes or less to acquire again can probably go without creating much regret.

3. If you’re not using it now, will you want it in five or 10 years? “If it’s already in storage, ask yourself why you need to keep it,” says Amy Tokos, president of the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals.

You also want to start small. Instead of tackling the garage, start with clothes. “Once you see how much lighter and more energized you feel after decluttering your wardrobe,” Scudder says, “you can take that energy into tougher categories.”

Ferrari recommends not handling anything you’re considering getting rid of. “It’s better to have a friend or professional organizer hold it up for you,” he says. “Once you touch it, you’re more likely to keep it.”

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