Simple ways to save money on cooling costs this summer

Scorching. That’s the type of weather the folks at almanac.com say we can expect this summer. “On average, we’re predicting summer temperatures to be hotter than normal across most of the country, ranging from the Atlantic Corridor south to Florida, across to the West Coast, and almost everywhere in between.”

Add to that the very sad but real fact that in 2021, electricity rates rose faster than they have since 2008. Summer won’t be just hot, but expensive as well.

We scoured the internet for tips from experts on how we can all keep comfortable at home without breaking our budgets. Let’s take a look at a few of these tips.

Tune it up

Every year as we approach late spring, air conditioning contractors ramp up their advertising about the importance of annual maintenance.

They have a point.

“An air conditioner’s filters, coils, and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently throughout its years of service,” explain the experts at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

“Neglecting necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases.”

Researchers at homeadvisor.com suggest that you plan on spending between $75 to $200 for a “simple tune-up.”

Sounds crazy but …

Raise the thermostat on your AC system. “The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be,” claims our pro at the DOE.

Experiment with various temperature settings to find one that you can live comfortably with all summer. Seventy-eight degrees Fahrenheit while you are at home is what most of the pros recommend and 85 degrees if you’re leaving home and won’t return for at least four hours.

Need some incentive? You can realize a 1% to 3% savings on your energy bill for each degree higher that you set the AC system’s thermostat.

Wind chill in the summer?

Consider purchasing several circulating fans and using your ceiling fans. “These fans create a wind chill effect that will make you more comfortable in your home, even if it’s also cooled by natural ventilation or air conditioning,” say our friends at energy.gov.

Because they tend to amplify the feeling of cooler air, you may be able to bump that AC thermostat a notch or two higher.

In fact, the folks at energy.gov say that “If you use air conditioning to cool your home, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort.” That’s money saved, right there.

Additional tips

  • Turn off the AC and open the doors and windows when the air outside is cooler than that inside the home.
  • Do some gardening. Shrubs and trees in the landscape not only help raise the value of your home, but, if placed strategically, they will shade the home, cooling it off naturally.

Clean energy company Constellation offers a list of ways to cool your home with strategic landscaping. Surprisingly, they claim that “The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-sized air conditioners that operate 20 hours a day” and “Just three trees, properly placed around a house, can reduce energy use by up to 30%.”

  • Consider installing window film and block-out curtains to keep the summer sun from heating up your home. The curtains are available at many retailers, including bedbathandbeyond.com, target.com and amazon.com.

Check out heat-blocking window film at homedepot.com, amazon.com and lowes.com.

 

A new roof is expensive. Take care of the one you have

As a roof ages, problems with it are inevitable. Even new roofs, however, are susceptible to the forces of nature, whether they include high winds that send trees crashing down, ice dams or pelting hail.

Of course, these roof repair emergencies are unavoidable, but routine maintenance can help stop smaller problems from becoming catastrophic. The experts at HomeAdvisor.com suggest that most roof leaks stem from these common problems:

  • Inadequate roof pitch – low-slope or flat roofs are a bad choice in areas with lots of rain
  • Missing shingles – even heavy material can lift and blow away
  • Ice dams – Snow that melts and refreezes can build up, damming all the water behind it
  • Faulty step flashing – common in older roofs
  • Faulty pipe flashing – rain and snow can corrode the sealant, allowing moisture into the home
  • Valleys – these are the channels that carry rainwater and if they’re damaged, the water won’t flow

“Minor repairs range between $150 and $1,500,” according to Chauncey Crail and Lexie Pelchen at Forbes.com.

Bigger jobs, they go on to say, may cost anywhere from $1,500 and $7,000 and this cost doesn’t include that of any permits you may be required to obtain.

If the roof is beyond repair, plan on forking out “… between $5,434 and $11,151,” for a new one according to Meghan Wentland at Bobvilla.com.

Roof Emergency Prevention

No, you can’t prevent wicked weather, but take certain steps and you’ll prevent ancillary damage.

Roof maintenance is the “single most important factor (after proper installation) for determining the life span and cost of a roof system,” according to the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). William Good, the group’s executive vice president adds that “too often, roofs are ignored until they leak — and often, at that point, they have to be completely replaced.”

Professional roofers offer these maintenance tips:

  • Inspect your roof twice a year, in fall and spring. Look closely at the shingles to ensure none are buckled, curled, cracked or missing. These need to be replaced immediately.

Then, inspect the area around the chimney, pipes and anything else that is attached to and extends from the roof. Look for looseness or wear.

Finally, when you clean the gutters, look for large amounts of shingle granules that have been blown off or worn away from the shingles. These granules add weight to the shingles and finding large amounts in the gutters is a sign that some of the shingles may need to be replaced.

  • Inspect the ceiling in the attic, looking for signs of moisture intrusion. These include a musty odor, mold and damp insulation.
  • Cut back tree branches that extend to within 6 feet of your roof.
  • Routinely remove leaves that fall on the roof. These trap moisture and may rot the roofing material beneath them, according to Werner & Sons Roofing in Grand Haven, MI.

No, the inspection doesn’t sound like fun. But, trust us, it’s a lot more fun than writing a check for the cost of a new roof.

Why is my smoke detector making noise?

Did you know that your chance of dying in a home fire is cut by 55% if the home contains working smoke alarms? According to the National Fire Protection Agency, maintaining the smoke alarm in your home is critical.

Pay attention if the unit beeps or chirps for no apparent reason. Typically, the batteries are dead and need to be replaced. When it’s a hardwired alarm that’s driving you nuts with noises, you’ll need to investigate the cause.

How old is the smoke detector?

The average life span of a smoke alarm is 10 years. If yours is older, it may be chirping to let you know it’s time to replace the entire unit.

There should be a date stamped on it somewhere, sometimes on the back of the unit so you may need to remove it from the ceiling. If it’s older than 10 years, buy a new one.

Dirt and grime are the enemies

Smoke detectors require routine cleaning to remain reliably operable. As well, “Most people don’t realize that the batteries should be replaced TWICE a year,” according to the cleaning pros at maidbrigade.com.

They go on to suggest that an easy way to remind yourself to perform this task is to plan on doing it when “… we change to daylight savings time and daylight standard time.”

You’ll not only want to change the batteries, but clean and test the smoke detector unit as well.

If the detector’s sensor is covered in dust or grime, the noise it’s emitting may be trying to alert you that it needs to be cleaned.

The best way to do this, if it’s just a film of dust, is with compressed air such as that you use to clean your computer.

If it’s grime that is causing the problem, use a microfiber cloth to wipe it clean.

You’ll find a walkthrough of how to clean a smoke alarm online at kidde.com.

Power outage

Even a momentary power outage can cause the smoke detector to chirp. It may also be chirping in response to a power surge. A professional electrician is required to remedy this problem.

When your smoke detector begins chirping, don’t ignore it and don’t put off investigating the cause. The detector is an important safety feature in the home so its maintenance requires immediate attention. If you can’t determine the reason for the chirping, call the manufacturer for assistance.

Additional smoke detector considerations

Safety experts suggest (and some state laws demand) that homes have working smoke detectors on each level of the home and in each hallway and bedroom.

Ceiling mounted detectors should be placed 4 inches from the wall and, “If your alarms are on the wall, they should be 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling,” according to the experts at the Texas Department of Insurance.

They also caution against placement near windows and vents and in areas with lots of drafts.

It may be challenging to figure out why a smoke alarm is all of a sudden making noise. If all else fails, replace the alarm. They aren’t terribly expensive and the peace of mind it will provide is well-worth the price.

You’ll find more help in figuring out why your alarm is chirping online at bobvilla.com.

 

The 4 basics of spring cleaning

The Washington Post calls spring cleaning “the annual guilt trip.” The tradition traces its history to the days when homes were lit and heated with kerosene, wood, coal and oil. When the weather warmed and the sun shone, women would transfer the home’s entire contents to the outdoors and then attack the grime indoors.

Old habits die hard and the spring cleaning ritual is still very much alive. As with any process with multiple “moving parts,” this one is easiest when you break it down into its most basic components.

1. Dust

All those cozy, warm fires you enjoyed over the winter can leave fine dust and ash on most surfaces in the home, including the walls. Get out the duster and get to work, starting with the ceiling, and working your way down.

Don’t neglect the ceiling light and fan. Hardware stores typically carry either long-handled or extendable dusters which will keep you off the ladder and out from under the falling “gunk.”

You can find them online at Lowe’s, Home Depot and Amazon.com.

2. Windows

The wintry mix really takes its toll on our windows but a quick clean will allow all that glorious springtime sunshine to stream through.

Remove fabric window coverings and wash or dry-clean them. If you have blinds, give them a good dusting, then raise them to get at those windows and then remove the screens.

Use a solution of mild dishwashing soap and a strip applicator to wash the windows. Then, swipe a squeegee across them to remove the dirty water. The pros at This Old House offer a handy walkthrough of their easy and effective window-washing process online at thisoldhouse.com.

Once the windows are sparkling, all that’s left to do is to wipe down the sills, clean the tracks (give each a squirt of lubricant after cleaning) and attack those dirty screens. Use the same type of soap-and-water solution you did for the windows and a soft scrub brush on the latter.

3. Baseboards 

Even though they aren’t within our direct line of sight when we enter a room, clean baseboards can make the entire room feel fresh.

If there is still dust leftover from your dusting session, get rid of that first. A whiskbroom or even a paintbrush works well for this.

Home maintenance expert Bob Vila recommends using a solution of dishwashing soap and water on painted baseboards, but vinegar and water works as well. If your baseboards don’t require scrubbing, use a magic eraser product instead.

4. Floors 

Carpets

The flooring experts at Empire Today recommend a thorough and professional cleaning of the carpets in the home to set the stage for a healthy, happy spring.

Naturally you can DIY this project or, hire pros to do it for you.

Hardwood Floors

Avoid scratching your hardwood floor by getting rid of every last speck of dirt, dust and debris before cleaning it.

Then, use a cleaning solution recommended for the type of finish on your floor. If your hardwood flooring is relatively new, it’s most likely surface-sealed with polycrylic, polyurethane or urethane. Older floors are either not sealed, or finished with oil, lacquer, shellac or varnish.

Surface-sealed hardwood floors are the easiest to clean; just sweep or vacuum and then run a damp mop over them. Floors with other finishes take a bit more work to bring them up to epic spring-cleaning standards.

Depending on the beating the floor took over the winter, this may include stripping the old wax and applying fresh wax and then buffing it. Rent floor buffers at Lowe’s, Home Depot and other home improvement outlets.

Laminate Floors

Popular for their easy-care requirements, laminate floors typically respond well to a damp cleaning with a commercial laminate-floor cleaning product. The experts at Mohawk FloorCare recommend using a microfiber, terrycloth or cotton mop and to avoid wet-mopping (keep it damp) your laminate floor.

Use an acetone-based fingernail polish remover to carefully remove any stubborn stains. Wax or chewing gum will come up by rubbing them with an ice cube and then using (gently) a plastic-edged scraper.

Sure, there are a seemingly-endless number of things that will require a deep cleaning this spring, but focus on the basics first and the rest won’t seem so daunting.

Tips to find amazing used furniture deals online

The real estate industry likes to call homes for sale, if they’re not new-builds, “existing homes.”

In reality, they’re used homes, sometimes gently used and, sadly, other times they’re used and abused.

The same goes for cars and anything else that is on the resale market. Yes, there’s a lot of junk out there, but there are often amazing deals on items in as-new condition.

If you’re thinking of refurnishing a room or two this summer, don’t overlook used furniture and start your shopping online.

We’ve rounded up some tips to get you started and to keep you safe while making your purchases.

You’re not alone

Nearly half of Americans shopped for resale items during the pandemic last year, according to OfferUp.com’s Recommerce Report. The category producing the most growth was home goods.

“The average American saved $400 in 2020 by shopping for furniture and home goods on resale marketplaces, and just shy of one in ten saved over $1,000,” according to the report.

Although many Americans have reverted back to in-store shopping, others have stuck to their pandemic routine of shopping online and opting for curbside pickup or having items delivered.

Whether your goal is to save money or you’re looking for something that you can’t find in local furniture stores, online resale shopping is fun, convenient and thrifty.

Where to point your browser

To get the most bang for your buck, visit local platforms and apps that offer in-person transaction service. Even with the price of gas what it currently is, you’ll still pay less to pick up a piece of furniture from the seller’s home than to have it shipped from across the country.

Some of the resale platforms that offer local search include:

  • OfferUp.com (easiest way to shop is to download the app. Set search parameters to “Local pickup only”)
  • Facebook Marketplace
  • NextDoor.com
  • Craigslist.org
  • Ebay.com (click on the word “Advanced” next to the blue search button on the right side of the page. Scroll down the page to the “Location” box and set your parameters)

Other sites offer resale furnishings and accessories and, depending on the seller, you may get free shipping.

Tips for buying home furnishings online

Unfortunately, cybercrime is real. Fortunately, online shopping scams aren’t high on the list of crimes. Investment and romance scams take the top two spots.

It’s still important to protect yourself while shopping online. Look closely at the photos of any item you’re interested in. If you’d like additional photos, contact the seller. If you have questions, get them answered to your satisfaction before committing to the purchase.

When working with local sellers, be mindful of online buying etiquette and safety. Plan to meet in a busy, public spot.

Show up on time for your appointment. If you can’t make it, give the seller as much advanced notice as possible.

Shopping online for furniture and home décor accessories can save you a lot of money. Be smart, stay safe and happy decorating!

Meet 2022’s Plants of the Year

It’s that time of year when the National Garden Bureau (NGB) releases their “Year of the” plant list.

On this list you’ll find “… one annual, one perennial, one bulb crop, one edible, and one shrub,” according to the editors at the NGB.

How did the plants make this prestigious list? By being “… popular, easy-to-grow, widely adaptable, genetically diverse, and versatile.”

Today, we’ll take a look at 2022’s indoor plant, outdoor plant and edible plant of the year.

Year of the Peperomia

(Peperomia spp.)

The genus Peperomia offers a wide variety of choices for both indoor growing and outdoor (depending on climate). From the succulent, trailing string of turtles (Peperomia prostrata) to the spicy scent of the cilantro peperomia (Peperomia maculosa), choosing just one is challenging.

Their popularity extends far beyond scent and novelty, however. Native to tropical forest understories, peperomia doesn’t require a lot of light, so they make ideal office companions or to add a spot of life to a shady corner of the home.

In addition to the two previously mentioned, popular species include (Peperomia elongata), watermelon peperomia (Peperomia argyreia) and the baby rubber plant (Peperomia obtusifolia).

Species considered “rare” can be pricey but you’ll find less expensive peperomia online and at nurseries and gardening centers.

Although most commonly grown indoors in the U.S., some species are fine outdoors and hardy to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) zones 10 through 12.

Year of the Gladiolus

Plant the corms in spring and have gorgeous spikes of blooms by summer. What could be easier?

Along with their grandeur and beauty, however, glads have a lot to offer the landscape. The grandifloras (Gladiolus grandiflora), the most popular hybrid, can grow to 4-feet in height, “… 12 to 20 blossoms per stem,” according to the editors at the National Garden Bureau, online.

If you crave fresh flower bouquets, this is the plant for you.

These beauties are hardy to USDA zone 7.

Year of the Salad Greens

Ever feel particularly amorous after eating a salad? There’s a reason for that. Salads, at one time in history (the 1500s), were considered aphrodisiacs, according to the editors at the National Garden Bureau.

The editors’ choice of salad greens as their edible plant of the year, by the way, isn’t restricted to lettuce. The group also includes:

  • Arugula (Eruca vesicaria): Fast-grower. Plant in early fall or early spring.
  • Dandelion greens (Taraxacum officinale): Get to those leaves early because they develop bitterness once the plant flowers.
  • Endive (Cichorium endivia): This plant’s favorite temperature range is 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Kale is formally known as Brassica oleracea. This is one plant you won’t have to worry about in winter as the leaves actually become tastier after a cold snap.
  • Mustard greens (Brassica juncea; B. rapa): These plants grow quickly, so you’ll be populating your salads with them within four weeks of planting.
  • Radicchio (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum), also known as Italian chicory, offers a pop of deep, rich red to the vegetable garden. It thrives in the fall and spring garden.
  • Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a cool-season crop. From planting to harvest is typically within 45 days of planting.
  • Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is considered a cool-season crop but it’s easy to grow and you’ll have fresh salads all winter long.

To read the rest of the list, visit ngb.org.

Be a rebel and break those area rug “rules!”

Bob Vila claims that there are “9 rules of area rugs that everyone should know.” House renovator Jenell Beals at Houzz.com claims that there are 11 rug rules. We say “rules shmules,” and remind you that some rules were made to be broken.

Some of them just don’t fit when we’re attempting to put a personal stamp on decorating or updating the appearance of our homes. And, area rugs can add that personal stamp, even if you have to break the “rules” in choice, size and placement of them.

Let’s break some area rug rules

Rule #1: Scale Matters

Absolutely; this is true in almost all cases. Rugs often convey the overall size of a room.

But that doesn’t mean you can only choose carpet that covers the entire room. You can still look at smaller rugs that help to discern between the different activity spaces within a room or open plan space.

Rule #2: Furniture Legs Must Be on the Rug

It’s true that this often looks the best in a smaller room with carpet. But, it’s not a hard-and-fast requirement.

Consider just the front feet, or, just the front feet of the couch while the armchair legs are all on the area rug. Think of this as more of a guideline that helps you to choose the right size rug for a room.

Rule #3: Runners Are for Hallways

Yes, runners are perfect for hallways, but they can add depth to bedrooms when placed at the foot of the bed and in long, rectangular living spaces. In general, you will want to use larger runner rugs to get the right effect, but you can use runners in any room.

There are a few more rug rules you might want to break. Those include the use of patterns that contrast slightly with your furniture and window treatments, layering area rugs and adding rugs to rooms with wall-to-wall carpeting.

But there is one area rug rule you should never break: take measurements of your room before shopping for your area rugs. And don’t forget to take color swatches with you when you head out to the stores.

Get additional tips from area rug rulebreakers online at WilliamsonSource.com, ApartmentTherapy.com and PaulaBergDesign.com.

 

Grow avocado like a boss

If you’re a fan of avocado toast, guacamole or chunks of avocado stuffed into your fish tacos, have we got a treat for you!

When you decide to quit the store-bought varieties and grow your own avocado, you’ll wonder what took you so long.

If you live within the avocado’s USDA hardiness zones (8 through 11), the tree is a snap to grow. So, get to the nursery and pick out the healthiest avocado tree you can find and let’s get it planted and growing.

Scroll to the end of the post to learn more about avocadoes and how to choose the variety best for your growing zone (which you can find by entering your ZIP Code here).

How to plant an avocado tree

Choose a sheltered area to grow the avocado tree. Protect it from high winds and any area of your microclimate where temperatures dip to below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. It requires a warm location that receives sun all day.

Ensure that there’s plenty of room for the tree to grow – about 20 feet if you want it to be able to spread out.

As for timing, right now is ideal, but any time before about mid-June is fine.

If you don’t have a soil pH tester, now is the time to buy one. First, however, check with your local extension service. Many provide free soil testing. You’ll find a cooperative extension directory here.

  • Aerate the soil in the planting area by digging into it to a depth of 12 inches with a gardening fork and crushing large clumps of soil.
  • The avocado tree requires a soil pH of 6 to 6.5. To adjust your soil’s pH, you’ll need to add soil amendments. You’ll find an easy-to-follow explanation of these at the University of California Cooperative Extension’s website.
  • The charts, however, aren’t useable for the home gardener. The UC Vegetable Research and Information Center breaks down the quantities required. For instance, to raise the soil’s pH, you’ll want to apply finely ground limestone.
  • Naturally, the amount to apply depends on soil structure, but as a general rule of thumb, use 4 tablespoons of lime per square foot of garden space to raise the pH two points. Check out the charts on the UC website. They’re quite handy.
  • Add those amendments to your soil and mix them to a depth of 8 inches.
  • Dig a planting hole the same depth and twice the width of the pot in which the avocado is currently growing in the pot. Use the gardening fork to lightly scrape the sides of the hole to make it easier for the roots to penetrate.
  • Remove the avocado tree from its pot and place the roots in the planting hole. Cover the roots with soil and use your fingers to gently work it around and between the tree’s roots.
  • Fill the hole halfway with soil and then fill it with water. When the water drains, finish filling the planting hole with soil and lightly press it down around the base of the tree.
  • Water the newly planted avocado tree until the water puddles.
  • Pour a 3-inch layer of mulch on the soil and, keeping it 6 inches from the trunk, spread it in a 3-foot radius around the avocado tree.

 How to water your avocado tree

There are several ways to figure out when to water and how much water to give. Dig a hole, 10 inches deep, 5 inches from the tree’s trunk. Feel the soil at the bottom of the hole, if it is dry, water the tree, slowly, until the bottom of the hole is moist. Time how long it takes to deliver the water so you know how long to water in the future.

  • If you don’t have a drip irrigation system, purchase a soaker hose that is long enough to wind around the tree, set out as far as the tree’s dripline.
  • Run the soaker hose for 3 hours and then dig into the soil to see how far the water has penetrated. If it isn’t wet to a depth of 6 inches, run the hose for an hour longer. After a bit of trial and error you will know how long to run the soaker hose when watering.
  • Allow the soil to dry before watering again and then use the timing you figured out in the above step.
  • Depending upon the weather in your region, you may need to water once a week.
  • Stop watering the avocado tree one month before the first frost.

How to fertilize your avocado tree

Don’t fertilize the first-year avocado. During its second year, fertilize it monthly, from February until September. Use 8-3-9 fertilizer according to the amount specified on the label.

Growers in frost-prone areas may not have success with avocados and will need to offer the tree protection in the winter.

Last year, one avocado cost, on average, 78 cents. This year you will pay around $1.24 and expect that price to rise dramatically.

Grow your own and save money!

Your 6-step early spring lawn schedule

Serious gardeners have a lawn-care schedule, adhered to like clockwork each year. You can identify these folks by their lush, green landscapes.

Others use a hit and miss approach and, while the grass lives, it may not thrive. Prepping the lawn for the coming growing season is one way to have a healthy, green lawn.

Take advantage of the cooler weather in late winter or early spring to get outside and prep the lawn.

Here’s what you’ll need to get your lawn ready for spring

  • Leaf rake
  • Metal rake or dethatcher
  • Pre-emergent crabgrass herbicide
  • Rotary spreader
  • Fertilizer
  • Fertilizer spreader
  • Grass seed
  • Lawnmower
  1. Get the lawn ready for the spring season by raking up winter debris, such as branches, pine needles and leaves. Raking may also remove some of the thatch layer, allowing your lawn to ‘breath’ better and to more readily absorb water.
  2. Check for the lawn for how much thatch is left. This is leaf and stem debris that builds up between the grass blades and the soil. A small amount of thatch — 1/2 inch or less — is fine. Remove excess thatch with a thatch rake, allowing 1/2 inch to remain. View this quick walkthrough of the process at YouTube.com.
  3. Apply a pre-emergent crabgrass control product. Crabgrass seeds germinate in the spring as the soil begins to warm. The best way to apply the pre-emergent herbicide granules is with a rotary spreader, scattering it as you walk across the lawn. Water the lawn to a depth of 6 inches after application.
  4. Early spring lawn fertilizer is important so apply it to warm season grasses, such as Bermuda, zoysia and St. Augustine, immediately after green-up. Use the amount of fertilizer listed on the package and broadcast it evenly over a dry lawn. Cool season lawns, such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, should have been fertilized in February.
  5. While fall is the best time to over-seed a lawn, spring is the second best. The experts at Scott’s walk you through the process in this video. Wait a month after fertilizing to do it.

If you’ve applied a pre-emergent weed killer, you’ll need to wait the amount of time recommended on the weed killer’s label before over-seeding.

  1. Finally, mow the lawn to a height of 4 inches.

Now your lawn is ready for whatever spring and summer throws at it.

 

 

 

2022 Baby nursery trends

If you’re adding to your family this year, congratulations! It’s an exciting time with lots to look forward to.

As in other areas of the home, baby nursery décor preferences change and each year, it’s out with old and in with the new.

We’ve scoured the internet to learn from design experts what you can expect to see when you shop to outfit your baby’s room.

Going with a theme?

Look to the night sky for inspiration for a theme in the nursery. According to Rated People’s Nursery Trends Report, stars are all the rage in the 2022 nursery.

You’ll find star-themed nursery ideas on Pinterest.com.

Woodland-themed nurseries are popular this year as well, with “… rainbows, sunshine and forests” following close behind, according to the folks at ratedpeople.com.

Check out baby nursery color trends

Wall color sets the stage for the rest of your design choices when decorating any room. This year’s hottest trend is “bold monochromatic,” claim the pros at thebump.com.

“This trend allows you to play with multiple tones of a specific base hue to create depth and dimensions throughout the nursery,” Elizabeth Rees, founder of Chasing Paper, tells The Bump’s Nehal Aggarwal.

When considering which base hue to choose, how about blue? “This year’s scene stealer will be our girl, blue,” suggests Pam at Project Nursery.

“From dusty blue to midnight to just a little bit french [sic] country, we think the right blue can make a statement while also lending itself as a versatile neutral,” she concludes.

If your notion is that blue-is-for-boys and you’re expecting a little girl, consider Pantone’s color of the year for 2022, “Very Peri.” It’s a lovely “… periwinkle blue that tows the line between blue and violet perfectly,” according to the editors at babyaspen.com.

Furniture trends for the 2022 nursery

Parents will love shopping for the nursery’s furniture this year. Pinterest predicts that curvy furniture (in all parts of the home) will dominate in 2022. If this style appeals to you consider cane nursery furniture.

“Whether it’s cane nursery furnishings or small nursery accessories, they’ll have a modern edgier look . . .” than the 70s throw-backs and “. . . will fit right in to most nursery design styles with its rich texture and neutral color,” according to the designers at nurserydesignstudio.com.

Nursery safety

Whether you spend way too much time at Instagram or don’t even know what it is, the social media platform has it’s good points and those that are so wrong that they’re being called out for them.

Last summer, Today’s Parent wrote an article claiming that many Instagram influencers are posting images of nurseries that are “…actually dangerous for babies.”

Alana McGinn, goodnightsleepsite.com’s sleep consultant, agrees.

“We are forgoing safe sleep spaces and including obvious sleep hazards all for a pretty Instagram picture,” McGinn tells Melissa Greer at Today’s Parent.

In reality, infants require a flat surface free of everything other than a swaddle blanket wrapped securely around them.

Do yourself a favor and read the article at todaysparent.com.

Next on the list of safety concerns are all those toxic compounds emitted by paint, rugs, carpeting and new furniture.

Choose low VOC (volatile organic compound) paint. When it comes to deciding on flooring, many experts recommend anything but carpet.

New carpets go through a process known as “off-gassing,” with the largest release of gasses happening in the first 72 hours of installation.

Dr. Joseph Mercola, however, claims that the carpet will continue off-gassing, at lower levels, for up to five years of installation. The gasses released cause eye and respiratory tract problems and may also impact your baby’s central nervous system.

“The adhesive used to affix the carpet to the floor typically contains benzene and toluene, some of the most harmful VOCs,” Mercola cautions.

While other flooring choices aren’t as warm and cozy as carpet, with carefully-selected throw rugs you can get awfully close to that feeling.

Learn more about volatile organic compounds in the home from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.