SCHINDLER JAMISON

Beat Cabin Fever With Winter Renovations

When the weather outside is frightful, homeowners and renters can turn their interior spaces into something delightful. Residents can banish feelings of cabin fever by using time spent inside to make subtle or even substantial improvements to their living areas.

Individuals may find that winter is a great time to tackle delayed or unfinished projects or to put plans for major renovations in motion. Homeowners may find that they have some extra time on their hands when weather and early evening darkness reduces how much time they can spend outdoors.

One of the easiest ways to transform the look of a room is with a fresh coat of paint. Painting a room or rooms is an inexpensive project that can be completed over the course of a single weekend. Painting in lighter colors can help illuminate dark spaces and make a home feel more vivid and inviting, especially during the winter. And painting need not be reserved for walls only. Homeowners may want to sand and paint furniture to give items a trendy arts-and-crafts feel.

Address drafts and other inefficiencies. Colder temperatures alert homeowners to drafts, leaks and even insect or rodent infiltration. Homeowners can scout out rooms and remedy situations. Organize the home. Rainy or snowy days are great moments to address organizational issues, such as messy mudrooms or cluttered kitchens. Get a jump-start on spring cleaning before the warm weather arrives.

Pathstone Corporation Is Offering Free Home Energy Improvements

The PathStone Weatherization Assistance Program is available for income-eligible households in Monroe County located outside of the city limits.

HEAP

Automatically Eligible Income guidelines are:

Family of 1: $34,224

Family of 2: $44,760

Family of 3: $55,296

Family of 4: $65,820

Funded by: NYS Homes and Community Renewal

Rooms Can Serve Double Duty

In 2015, 24 percent of employed people in the United States did some or all of their work at home, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bringing work home means men and women will need a space to work. In tight quarters, bedrooms may be the only available area. An armoirestyle desk will blend in with the decor and can hide paperwork and electronics behind doors. Otherwise, a makeup vanity can serve the dual purpose of providing a place to get ready for a night out and a ready space to housealaptopduringtheday.

By Fifi Rodriguez

1. ART: Where is the Prado Museum located?

2. GEOGRAPHY: What is the only country that the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn pass through?

3. LANGUAGE: What does the Latin phrase “tempus fugit” mean?

4. MATH: What is another name for the division sign?

5. MUSIC: How long did it take singer Bob Dylan to write the big hit “Blowin’ in the Wind”?

6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: How many times on average does a rubythroated hummingbird flap its wings in one second?

7. MOVIES: Which movie features the line, “Keep the change, ya filthy animal”?

8. LITERATURE: Which novel features four children named Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy?

9. TELEVISION: What is Joey’s famous line in the sitcom “Friends”?

10. ANATOMY: What is a common name for the pinna in human anatomy?

Planning Ahead Is Vital To A Successful Renovation

Determine your motivation for renovating: Renovation projects often involve balancing needs and wants, and determining if a project is a necessity or a luxury can set the timeline and course of the project. Is the roof leaking? If so, immediate action is necessary. Could the kitchen be a bit more functional? If the kitchen is still manageable, a homeowner may be able to wait a little bit to get better prices on appliances or contracting services.

Separating needs from wants helps homeowners map out a viable timeline that maximizes productivity and affordability.