Category: Kind to Your Wallet

Cutting Your Energy Costs

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is National Cut Your Energy Costs Day! First established by the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance, it’s an annual day of awareness designed to help homeowners conserve home energy and save money. Did you know that homes account for 22% of the energy usage in the United States (according to Energy.gov)? Yet there are a few simple changes that can be made to help you cut excess waste.

  • Take shorter showers
  • Unplug unused appliances & chargers
  • Do laundry in cold water
  • Switch to LED lights
  • Weatherize your house to optimize insulation

 

Winter Veggies

Debbie Roney Smith on

Despite the cold nights, it’s not a bad time to plant certain herbs and vegetables. Some herbs thrive in the cold weather; consider planting parsley, dill, garlic, and cilantro. The list of cold-hardy vegetables is shorter but there are still some great choices: English pea, cabbage, radish, beet, and broccoli.

Now is also a good time to start planning your spring garden, especially if you would prefer to start from seed. Beginning now gives you the time to choose your plants, secure seeds, and start them indoors. Most vegetables are more successful if they are transplanted rather than sown directly in the garden. Some good warm-season crops to start inside are tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. 

GO Month

Debbie Roney Smith on

Happy New Year everyone, and welcome to the first day of Get Organized Month (GO Month)!

Resolutions often fail but getting organized can be an attainable goal for the month. The National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) created GO Month to help allow individuals and families to make daily life easier by organizing life’s chaos. See some tips and tricks for maximizing GO Month without burning yourself out. Remember: it’s okay to try something, find it doesn’t work, and try something else. No one can tell you how best to organize your life; find what works for you!

  • Rather than bite off more than you can chew by trying to organize your entire house, decide to give 10-15mins to organizing once a day or twice a week – however often you feel you can manage! 
  • If you like to-do lists, try keeping them short and to the point. Put 3-5 simplified tasks on an index card; this will help you feel more productive than never reaching the end of an ever-growing to-do list. You can also use a whiteboard to create focus tasks for the day; focus tasks are the handful of things you absolutely MUST do with perhaps 1-2 things you’d like to do. 
  • Stop holding on to insignificant items. Batteries you’re not sure work, charging cords to old phones, letters or cards that don’t hold emotional significance, dishes you never use but ‘might need to one day’, and more! 
    • Have items that hold emotional significance but don’t necessarily want to keep them? Try taking photos! This is great for everything from childhood trophies (do you really need your 3rd-place bowling trophy from 6th grade?) to letters from family members and more. This also keeps them safe from being destroyed in unexpected disasters. 
  • Get a ‘clutter-companion’ or body double. Invite a friend or family member to hang out with you while you de-clutter and organize. Cleaning out a kids’ bedroom is more fun with a friend, some music, and a glass of wine!
    • This can also be a chance to delegate and get your kids/roommates involved. If you share a living space, it can be very important to make sure everyone agrees when getting rid of things, changing how an area is organized, and more. Make it a day of fun by ordering take-out or doing 30 minutes of cleaning with 10mins of fun-time to break it up. 
  • Identify areas that aren’t working in your life. Maybe you use a hook for your car keys but often fail to hang them up because you set them down with your wallet. Get rid of the hook and invest in a catch-all bowl by the door; anytime you leave or come home, you can empty your pockets into the bowl. 

These are only a few of the thousands of suggestions you can find online to learn more about getting organized. So if none of these resonant or work for you, definitely look for organizing tips on your favorite browser or ask friends and family for their favorite tips-n-tricks. Good luck!

Altha Christmas Parade

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The Altha Parade will take place on December 16th. It will start at 6pm on Main Street. Highway 71 will be closed to ensure the safety of all those taking part in the parade or viewing it. After the Christmas Parade, there will be FREE hot dogs, cookies, and hot chocolate available at the Town Hall. 

6 Tips for Exceptional Real Estate Photos

Debbie Roney Smith on

Are you getting ready to put your home on the market? Already have an appointment set for your realtor to come take photos to add to your listing? Here’s a quick checklist of things to check before you get your photos taken; putting the best foot forward is important when it comes to digital listings. Complete these tasks to get your house in tip-top shape!

  1. Clear the driveway and yard of clutter or unsightly landscaping growth. This means everything from the dead shrub in your old holiday pot to rolling up your lawn hose.
  2. Use your garage for storage; typically, garages aren’t photographed so use it as a space for garbage cans, cars, or boxes of items ready to move.
  3. Clear every surface in the home of personal items. Don’t leave out phone cords, paperwork, makeup, etc. 
  4. Tidy the bathrooms; put down toilet seats, make sure mirrors have been cleaned, rugs aren’t out of place, etc. 
  5. Clean all your windows inside and out; leave them open for the photos. Natural light adds to the beauty of your photos. 
  6. Make plans for pets; please don’t expect a photographer/realtor to work around your pets. Try to have them out on a walk or with a friend/family member for the day. 

    Fall-Winter Ceiling Fan Settings

    Debbie Roney Smith on

    During the summer, the fan should be counterclockwise to help create a downdraft. This helps create a direct, cooling breeze. Now that the season is changing and the temperatures are cooling down, it’s time to consider changing the direction to clockwise. This helps create an updraft that will circulate warm air around the room. Recirculating the warm air and distributing it back into the living space helps keep the average room temperature up and your heater from overworking. Checking your ceiling fan settings is a good way to help cut down on unnecessary energy costs. 

    Covenant Care Presentation on Dementia & Alzheimer’s

    Debbie Roney Smith on

    Covenant Care is hosting an educational discussion on the Presentation, Progression, and Planning for someone with Dementia and/or Alzheimer’s Disease. The event is free to anyone in the community; they ask that you reserve your seat so they can properly prepare. The event will start with a Meet and Greet at 5:30pm and be followed by a Buffet Style Dinner starting at 5:45pm.

    The Presentaiton will begin promptly at 6pm. It will be led by Dr. Steven Spence, a member of the Internal Medicine Associates of Jackson Hospital and Medical Director of Covenant Care. The event will be held at the Rivertown Community Church in Marianna. For more information or to reserve your seat, please contact either:

    Jennifer Griffin; (850) 209-8008; jennifer.griffin@choosecovenant.org

    Chelsea Dickinson; (850) 209-7799; chelsea.dickson@choosecovenant.org

    National Beach Day

    Debbie Roney Smith on

    Enjoy a Florida summer beach day to celebrate National Beach Day today! National Beach Day was created in 2014 to raise public awareness of the beauty of beaches while also calling attention to keeping them clean and safe. To celebrate yet honor beaches, remember: enjoy the beach, leave nothing behind. See the list below for some suggestions of Pandhandle beaches you could visit:

    • Navarre Beach
    • Henderson Beach State Park
    • Pensacola Beach
    • St. Andrews State Park
    • Seagrove Beach
    • Grayton Beach State Park
    • Okaloosa Island

    Back to School Bash

    Debbie Roney Smith on

    Emerald Coast Hospice is hosting a Back to School Bash. There will be free school supplies for kids of all ages: pencils, crayons, backpacks, and more! The event will begin at 1pm and run until 3pm or while supplies last. Come to 3015 Jefferson Street in Marianna next Friday, July 21st, to participate.