Dear Reader,
Happy summer! I hope it’s off to a fantastic start.
‘Tis the season of barbecues, patio gatherings, outdoor parties, summer festivals, ice cream cones, beaches, and parks. The warm weather tends to bring people outdoors, where they connect and catch up with friends and family, sharing stories, plans, hopes, and dreams.
While socializing, if you come across anyone who is thinking of buying or selling their home, I hope you will feel comfortable passing along my name. I’d be happy to provide a complimentary market analysis of their home to give them a clear idea of what they might expect to sell for in today’s market. Also, I can answer any real estate-related questions they may have. I am always appreciative of the referrals I get from loyal clients such as yourself.
Until next time, wishing you and your family a wonderful summer!
Odours Be Gone
It’s all too easy to become acclimatized to the smells of our home, even if they aren’t pleasant. The following are some tips to keep the bad odours out and the good ones in.
- Tackle moisture. For rooms with humidity above 60 percent, use a dehumidifier, replace sponges and towels regularly, hang bathmats to dry, and if you live in a humid climate, avoid rugs and carpets.
- Use an air purifier.
- Choose small trash bins so they are taken out more often and clean the inside of them frequently. Placing some kitty litter on the bottom of the trash can help absorb odours.
- Use potpourri, diffusers, candles, and room sprays.
- Choose houseplants with subtle scents like begonias, citrus trees, and lavender.
- Hang eucalyptus branches over your showerhead. The steam will help release the scent.
- Have a routine to often clean carpets, throw pillows, linens, and curtains.
- When possible, open the windows to let fresh air in.
- Clean drains at least monthly with equal parts vinegar and baking soda, and a pot of boiling water, and/or a drain snake
- Clean toilets often.
A pleasant-smelling home encourages deeper breathing and promotes relaxation.
Defending Against Garden Pests Naturally
Sometimes, uninvited guests show up in your garden, leaving your plants fighting to survive. For some chemical-free ways of fighting off these pests, let’s dig in.
Healthy soil precedes healthy plants, so mix in organic compost to fertilize your plants so they can better withstand pests.
Choose plants based on the amount of sunlight exposure to your garden, so they don’t weaken and become more vulnerable to pests. Plant strong-scented plants that repel pests such as marigolds, chives, thyme, mint, and lavender. These plants also attract pollinators which help to fertilize your garden. Plant a variety of plants so pests don’t concentrate in one area (e.g., alternate vegetable rows with pest-repelling plants). Another tip is to rotate your vegetable crops annually to confuse pests and keep the soil healthy.
If you detect pests early enough, remove the leaves of the infected plants. If the whole plant is infested, remove it from the garden to prevent the infestation from spreading. You can also include plants that attract the predators of the pests attacking your garden.
Another defence against pests is row covers, which let water and sunlight in, but keep pests out. Just be sure to lift them off for a few hours every morning to allow pollinators in.
Good luck, and may the pests avoid your garden!
The Ghost in Your Home: Eavesdropping Voice Assistants
Smart assistants such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant have become everyday staples in many homes thanks to their convenience. However, if you aren’t cautious, voice assistants may end up listening to conversations unintended for them. So, how can you prevent this from happening?
- Understand how the assistant is programmed to turn on (e.g., wake words like “Alexa, Ok Siri”) and how it’s turned off. Recordings are usually sent to the manufacturer’s servers, and employees may listen to them when managing quality assurance. It’s wise to check the settings on your device and opt out or limit the data sharing.
- Delete old recordings or check if there’s an auto-delete option.
- Read privacy policy updates.
- Have separate password-protected accounts for each person in your home if possible. Set a passcode for your email if you can, and for online shopping, turn off voice ordering when you are done.
- Create strong passwords (longer is better, as well as a mix of upper and lower case letters, symbols, and numbers). Another layer of protection is to use multi-factor authentication.
- Research how to better secure your router, such as by setting up a VPN.
Striking the balance between convenience and privacy requires using all the layers of protection you can. You can still have anomalies, so it’s wise to be mindful of sensitive conversations around voice assistants.
Notable, Quotable, Quotes!
“A life without love is like a year without summer.”
Swedish Proverb
“No sun outlasts its sunset, but it will rise again and bring the dawn.”
Maya Angelou
“Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.”
Nelson Mandela