If you are one of the lucky people that have four days off to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday then you may have time to purge all those items that you don’t need or use anymore.  I can’t think of a better way to help yourself and others by giving the things you no longer have use of away to those who have less or are struggling with purchasing Christmas for their families; especially those for children.

It’s also a great time to rethink your storage whether it is in the home, attic, garage or onsite/offsite storage shed.  Think about it this way; do you have to empty the entire area to get to those Christmas decorations?  If so, you may need to redo your storage space and make it easier to get in and out to retrieve the things you need during a given year.  After all, it gives you something to do with those three other days!

For all of you in the US, have a Happy Thanksgiving!! Try not to work and just enjoy.

Everybody knows how great the shelf is and all the places they can be placed to help you with your storage needs.  However, what gets overlooked is the simple drawer.  Why should you put drawers in your storage area?  For one thing, they hold all those pieces that are too small to fit into jars yet not really big enough to sit on a shelf.

Drawers are also great places to put items that you would like to protect from dust or anything else that might spill and ruin the item.  Drawers are the perfect place to put rags and chammies as well as small electrical items that do better in a dust free environment.  When planning your workshop don’t forget to incorporate the drawers.

Get ready.  With Christmas right around the corner it won’t be long before you will, once again, have more stuff than you know what to do with.  At this point you will need to know what to do with it all.  Well, let me help you get ready before it happens so you will be prepared for this great day.

Years ago I realized that Thanksgiving was a signal to me to look around and find everything we have not touched in the past year and donate it to a charity, church or community organization.  It works out every year that what we give away each year makes room for what we get.  I’m not sure why it works out that way; it just does.  You get the satisfaction of giving to those who have less than you as well as cleaning out items that you just don’t use or use anymore.  Try it and let me know how it makes you feel.

Raised beds are one of the most versatile things you can use whether you are creating an entirely new landscaping theme or just making the one you have better.  The main reason is that you can use these beds almost anywhere and if you are building them, they can be built rather easily on sloping lawns.  You can also put them on your patios and throughout your lawn and gardens.

However, they’re not just versatile because they can be placed just about anywhere but also because there is not much you can’t grow out of them.  They are perfect for herbs gardens, salad gardens (tomatoes, lettuce and onions) and any number of vegetables and flowers you can think of.  You can also use them around trees, walks and patios to set them apart for the rest of your yard.  These wonderful little beds are something you might want to think about.

All Gardeners owe a lot to a little known Dutch guy by the name of Jan van der Heiden.  Mr. Heiden was the one who invented the first water hose and nozzle.  Though his invention was for fighting fires, he solved the problem of hauling water in buckets to water plants and gardens as well.  Though the hoses have changed through the years from the original sewn-linen to PVC and rubber, nothing else has replaced the basic idea of delivering water from a spout to the waiting plants and yard.

The biggest choices you will make are about the nozzles.  You can purchase a number of different kinds for whatever the job.  Some are more specific to gardening and provide different configurations of water for the intended delivery; be it a mist, stream or droplets.  They also give you the ability to shut off the water with the nozzle so you don’t have to go back to the spigot and give you control and flexibility over your watering.  It was a great day, back in 1672 for us all.

If you find yourself a little short on funds these days, it might be wise to look at ways to save money when you want to tackle any project either by yourself or one you would like to hire out to a contractor.  The one place you don’t want to skimp on is the materials as you need to have good solid materials to build anything you do so it will stand up over the test of time.

Another option is to purchase either a kit of some kind that has different sizes to choose from where you can simple put it together or install it to get what you are looking for.  There are some very good kits for garages, sheds, greenhouses, pergolas, closest and garage storage, arbors, fences and many others that can come in handy if you cannot afford a custom made item.  If you want to get something done bad enough you will find a way.

I’ve been looking at a ton of different garden structures lately just to see what is out there in the universe in case I decide I need to add to my yard this next year.  You may think that looking this fall is crazy but I think it’s the perfect time.  Once late winter, early fall hits I am always so busy with those projects that come up that I seem to forget to go see what is available to me.  I end up doing the same ole thing every year.  This next year I want to try some different things.

I honestly have no idea what I am going to choose but I have found some interesting things to consider.  One is to add post caps to my deck posts.  For very little money I can make my deck pop and totally change the current look.  I like that.  Another thing I am considering is changing out my patio set to include some deep seating.  I want to utilize my deck more this next year and would like some comfortable furniture if I plan on being outside more.  I’m looking at some water features and structures and considering if I want to go that direction or not this next season.  The main thing is I am thinking about what I want to do now so it doesn’t sneak up on me like it has in the past.

One of the easiest, cheapest and fun things to do to change any room in your home or office is to paint it; and you can do it in a day!  By using some new paint techniques that include a product called Frog Tape you can create straight lines without the bleeding that you get with your typical masking and blue painter tape.

A great way to see what you can do is to take a trip to your local hardware or paint shop and look at all the different kinds of rollers and texture tools that are available for today’s one day designer.  You can easily design and create unusual patterns that are fun and striking.  The only limitation you have is your imagination.  So plan a weekend to get painting and change that room that’s been bugging you for awhile now.  You can do it for under $100.00 in most situations; a couple of cans of paint, a brush and a roller.

Every once in a while there is an idea that is so crazy you have to pay attention.  Driving golf carts to run errands that are close to home is such an idea.  Before you decide this is out of the question, think about how many times you travel within a couple of miles of your home to run those short trips to the grocery store, to eat a quick meal or visit that friend around the corner.  Every time you drive your vehicle you could be driving a golf cart and saving gas.

There are a couple of things you will need to check on before you start.  Do you live in one of twenty-six states that allow low speed electric and gas powered vehicles on local roads?  If so, you need to also check on what your cart will need in terms of lights, turn signals and horns as these will be a necessary addition to most of the vehicles.  Using a warning flag is always a great idea as well whether it is required or not because, believe it or not, there has been a rise in golf cart accidents over the last few years.