Homestead 2020 by Missoulian

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2020 MISSOULA

HOUSING

REPORT

current knowledge, common wisdom: growing a missoula to treasure

Released March 2020 A community service provided by the Missoula Organization of REALTORS®

Homestead 2020

ReleasedMarch April 2020 Released 2020 community service service provided provided by AAcommunity by the Missoula Organization of REALTORS® the Missoula Organization of REALTORS®

2020 Missoula Housing Report

By Missoula Organization of REALTORS® We are pleased to present our “fifteenth annual Missoula Housing Report.” As in past reports, our intention is to provide a comprehensive, credible, and neutral picture of housing data for use by community members, businesses, nonprofits, and local government leaders serving the housing needs of Missoulians. Housing is a key topic for employers, prospective businesses, city/ state leaders, and local Montanans. Our intent is to provide data creating a more complete picture of our community, from affordability challenges to demographics, improvements over the years, and the issues requiring everyone’s attention in the years to come. The community’s continued interest and engagement through providing ongoing feedback is a critical

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Number of Homes Sold 1,600

1,200

800

400

0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

FIGURE 21

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Source: Montana Regional MLS Source: Montana Regional MLS

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part in the evolution of this annual report. Please let us know your thoughts on this report and how we might improve it (comments@ missoularealestate.com) Additional housing resources are listed on the Missoula Organization of REALTORSÂŽ website (MissoulaRealEstate.com).

Housing Sales

The Missoula real estate market trend of rising prices mixed with a decreasing supply of more affordable price points continued in 2019. The median price of a home increased 8.6 percent to $315,000 in 2019 (an increase of 57% in the last decade), with 1,504 homes sold (second-highest activity in the last decade).

Median Sales Price of Homes Sold $320,000

$240,000

$160,000

$80,000

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

FIGURE 20 8

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Source: Montana Regional MLS

Number of Sales According to Price Point PRICE RANGE

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

$0-$150K

131

174

188

196

156

145

110

$150,001-$200K

323

251

295

387

317

276

232

172

107

$200,001-$275K

247

258

304

406

414

513

470

604

484

379

$275,001-$350K

120

112

160

186

196

244

300

328

366

411

$350,001-$425K

104

148

178

220

255

$425,001-$500K

108

132

122

133

$500,001-$750K

113

150

$750,001+

903

877

1,068

1,322

1,265

1,390

1,392

1,543

1,482

1,504

total

TABLE 7

Source: Montana Regional MLS

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Home Sales by Neighborhood Grant creek

Rattlesnake E. Missoula / Clinton

2019

Dowtown / Northside

2017

2018

U-Area / Slant

Target Range

South Hills

Lolo

Lewis & Clark

Miller Creek

Central Missoula Mullan Road / Expressway 0

FIGURE 29 10

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100

200

300

400

Source: Montana MLS Source: Montana Regional Regional MLS

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STARTING AT $ 00 A tight supply, especially among the more affordable price points, means buyers often compete for the same property, driving up the sales price. For the last five years, homes have sold at over 98% of the original list price.

Comparative trends in home prices

Since 2014 the sales of homes under $200,000 have shrank and in 2017 there was a peak for $200,001 to $275,000 range (604 sales). All homes under $275,000 fell 19 percent in 2019. Sales between $200,001 to $350,000 represented 52.5 percent the total market. An emerging trend is sales over $500,001 grew from 8.4 percent of total sales in 2018 to 11.9 percent in 2019.

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Condominium and townhouses

Condominiums and townhouses sales in 2019 were down 8 percent from the peak in 2017, still outpaced sales from 2009 to 2016.

Housing Finance

A series of mortgage rate drops drove the 30-year conventional rate below 4 percent for the last seven months of 2019. However, with such a tight supply of homes at affordable price points many buyers found it challenging to purchase a home; despite the continued access to several down-payment assistance programs, as well as homebuyer and financial education. Foreclosures remained historically low in 2019.

�� months

10 9 � 7

normal range

� � � �

3.74

2.59

2.9

3.41

2.53

2 1 0 201�

FIGURE 32 12

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201�

2017

201�

2019

Source: Montana Regional MLS

Median Sales Price by Neighborhood Downtown/ Northside

2019

Central Missoula

2017

2018

Median Price Urban Area

E.Missoula/Clinton Mullan Rd./ Expressway South Hills

Lolo

Target Range

Lewis & Clark

U-Area/Slant

Miller Creek

Grant Creek

Rattlesnake

FIGURE 30

$125K

$250K

$375K

$500K

Montana Regional MLS Source:Source: Montana Regional MLS

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Condominium & Townhouse Sales $300,001+

400

$200,001-$300K $150,001-$200K

300

$0-$150K

200

100

0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

FIGURE 27 14

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Source: Montana Regional MLS Source: Montana Regional MLS

Rent prices increased in every single category in 2019. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in a multiplex in 2019 was $756 while average rent for a 3-bedroom house was $1,366. The annual vacancy rate fell to 3.1 percent in 2019 and is considered a tight rental market. Multiplexes saw a higher rate at 5.1 percent, and homes/duplexes was at 2 percent or less. In 2019, there was a change from anonymously reported numbers from the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) to a direct survey of the largest property managers in Missoula. In addition to the two different data sources, it appears the new inventory of rental housing had a base rental price above Missoulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic prices.

30-Year Conventional Mortgage Rates Interest Rate

Rental Housing

5,000

4,375

3,750

3,125 2017

2018

2019

2,500 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

FIGURE 37

Source: Source: Stockman Bank Stockman Bank

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Average Cost of Rent �� Bedroom

multiplexes

� Bedroom 2019

2 Bedroom

2018

1 Bedroom

2017

Studios �� Bedroom

duplexes

� Bedroom 2 Bedroom 1 Bedroom Studios �� Bedroom

houses

� Bedroom 2 Bedroom 1 Bedroom Studios ��

FIGURE 16 16

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��

�1��

Source: Rental Information Resources Resources Source: Rental Information

Annual Rental Vacancy Rates 5% 4%

4.1%

3.9% 2.9%

3.1%

3.0%

2% 1% 0%

2015

FIGURE 13 Rental Assistance Programs

Housing choice vouchers make private-market housing affordable for low-income families and individuals by paying a portion of the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rent. The Missoula Housing Authority (MHA) subsidized rent with 774 Section 8 vouchers in 2019, considerably below the de-

2016

2017

2018

2019

Source: Rental Information Resources

mand of 1,707 households on the waiting list. In the last two years, no new rent-restricted homes came online, but MHA and Homeword have plans in the works for new homes, including for those experiencing homelessness. MHA has 12 new units of permanent supportive housing for the

homeless under construction in 2020, plans on 200 units of affordable housing in 2021, with another 200 under design with a partnership with Homeword that will include 30 units of permanent supportive housing for the homeless in 2022. In addition, Housing Solutions plans to develop 39 units of senior housing. Homestead 2020

Conclusion and Outlook

Missoula continues to experience the strain of a growing population and under supply of housing. Median income and housing costs both increased in 2019. The median price of a Missoula home increased along with rent in every category.

• Renters had a median income of $37,538 (in 2018) •Rental Vacancy rate stayed between 2.3% and 3.7% • 48.2% of renters are cost-burdened, spending 30% of their income on housing • Homeowners had a median income of $75,368 (in 2018) • Median home price increased 8.6%, bringing the median home to $315,000 • New construction of a singlefamily home had a median price of $410,000 • Homes sold for 98% percent of their original list price • Buyers had mortgage rates between 3-4% • Residential lot price increased by 28.3% 18

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“Anyone reading this report, including myself, might see ongoing challenges in finding affordable housing for many. And yet we live and work in big sky country, meaning as Montanans we have capacity to look beyond the low supply of houses for a median household or the possibility of a virus wanting to relocate here, and instead focus on the significant projects underway.” stated Jim Bachand, CEO of Missoula Organization of REALTORS®. 2019 saw the launch of several projects throughout the community providing some insights to potential increases in the available supply in both the rental market and new homes. A few examples of growth: • Commercial Development; providing economic growth and ensuring increase demand for housing: New Library, Expansion and remodel of the airport, Convention Center (Triangle Project). • Infrastructure Efforts: Mullan Road Project (Infrastructure for future housing), Redesign of TEDs/ Subdivision regs/Zoning. • Housing Demand is addressing

community needs at varying income level. YWCA and MIC service Center and Family house project estimated at housing for 44 families. Homeword and Missoula Housing Authority have 412 new units of needs-based housing in the pipeline (nearly equal that of the last 10 years), 42 of these units would be dedicated to those experiencing chronic homelessness. There are several rent and residential development efforts recently announced; Grant Creek Project (960 units), Hellgate Meadows West (490 units), 4th Street West Project (30-40 units), Linda Vista Phases (81 units in 2020), 44 Ranch Phases (54 units). This brief list of projects highlights future growth, it doesn’t represent the numerous development efforts in the early planning stage. We at MOR look forward to working with all our partners on future Missoula growth and anticipate a continued momentum towards balancing supply and demand. MOR

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Small living, big ideas: Finding a place for downsized dwellings By J.D. Capelouto The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Nestled in a wooded RV park south of Atlanta, Larry Singleton’s home stands out. With its beige wooden siding, exterior shutters and a metal roof, it’s technically not an RV. This is a tiny home. Singleton lives his life in just 230 square feet, and at the forefront of what he sees as a growing real estate trend. “I absolutely love it,” said Singleton, 67. “I have everything I need here.” Construction is starting this month in Clarkston, Ga., on what developers said is the first “tiny home neighborhood” in the state: eight smaller-than-normal houses sharing a half-acre lot and surrounding a common yard area. In Missoula, a local developer is planning a 46room communal living project on the Westside described as “attainable housing.” The Ponderosa Village Project would consist of four large houses with communal kitchens and common living area, and units will be about 250 square feet. As of last summer, two new apartment complexes that include some 300- and 400-square-foot units opened in Missoula. ROAM Student Living and Sawyer Student Living are, as the names reflect, geared to students, but represent some 700 new units in downtown Missoula and the Old Sawmill District, respectively. The “tiny home movement” has

not become widespread since it began more than 10 years ago, but proponents are hoping the time is coming for the industry. “Everybody ran into the problem that I had, with finding a place to park it,” Singleton said, explaining why he ended up surrounded by campers. As home prices rise in metros across the country, some see downsizing as the answer. But analysts said developers will continue to face challenges as they navigate decadesold zoning laws written for large, single-family homes. At a recent meeting of the Missoula City Coun-

cil, Mayor John Engen described the city’s zoning code as “horrible” and said he would like to upgrade it. Tiny homes also tend to be more expensive per square foot than bigger ones. But even with all that, little home neighborhoods present a possible avenue for addressing soaring home prices that leave some out of ownership. “It’s going to become more popular. It’s going to be driving a lot,” said Will Johnston, the founder and executive director of the MicroLife Institute, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that promotes minimalism and tiny houses. “We can make new rules.”

Homestead 2020

Experts estimate tiny homes still account for a — well, tiny — percentage of U.S. home sales. 24

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Johnston’s organization is behind The Cottages on Vaughan tiny home project in Clarkston, which city officials approved last May. The homes range in size from 250 to 500 square feet, and could cost between $130,000 and $140,000, Johnston said. When it was given the green light, the MicroLife Institute said the development would be the first neighborhood of homes under 500 square feet to be sold in Georgia. The houses will have covered porches and a studio-like feel inside — one bedroom, one bathroom and an open space that includes a kitchen, dining area and living space. They also have storage space in a loft. Outside, the homes have lawns and a shared green space and fire pit.

And they’re in very high demand. Johnston said they have 800 people on a list of those interested in the homes, and some have already been pre-approved for the eight under construction. Weather permitting, developers hope to have the neighborhood open in the next six months. Similar neighborhoods have gotten approval in other parts of metro area, including Fayetteville and East Point. But some tiny home fans, like Singleton, choose to take matters into their own hands — literally. Over the course of two summers he built his home, which is on wheels but can be put on a foundation, designing it down to the half-inch. He had built and designed custom homes for 20 years, but

his business failed during the 2008 recession so he began teaching construction at a high school. Since moving into his tiny home in 2018, he now enjoys a fairly normal retirement, if on a smaller scale. He called his home a “labor of love” with a “man-cave-chic” design. The interior amenities include a washer and dryer, full-size refrigerator, television and pullout couch. He’s gotten so passionate about the shift toward downsizing that he now serves on the board of the MicroLife Institute. The “tiny house movement” began to gain mainstream momentum about 10 years ago and even inspired television shows like “Tiny House Nation” and “Tiny House Hunters.” But experts estimate tiny homes still account for a — well, tiny — percentage of U.S. home sales. The median size of a completed single-family house in the county was almost 2,400 square feet in 2018, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. One roadblock is the current state of zoning laws. Many local ordinances are geared toward larger, traditional houses, making it more difficult for developers who want to build unconventional tiny home projects like the one in Clarkston, Johnston said. In 2017, Clarkston passed a special zoning ordinance allowing for clusters of small homes. Over the last several years, Atlanta and Decatur, Ga., approved changes to their zoning laws allowing for “accessory dwelling units,” which are essentially small homes located on the same lot as a larger house. “I know some builders that have been trying to get rezoning and approval from various municipalities, but it’s been slow-going,” said Eugene James, the regional director for real estate analysis company Metrostudy. “They’re not sure how to handle it, so are the municipalities ready to tackle this issue? No, not in my opinion.” Meanwhile, home prices in the region have been steadily rising since 2012 and are expected to continue

increasing, according to real estate database Zillow. In Clarkston, where the median household income is about $64,500, the median home value is almost $190,000, more than the cost of the new tiny homes, according to Zillow. Across DeKalb County, the median price of listed homes is $275,000. While tiny homes and their lower prices offer more affordable entry into home ownership, the price per square foot can be more expensive than their more spacious counterparts. But James thinks there is “enough demand to support more of these tiny homes cottages or villages.” Since the Clarkston project was approved, Johnston has seen interest grow for similar projects. Last month, he said, 70 people from around the country attended a workshop where Johnston spoke about how to develop “pocket neighborhoods.” But even the biggest tiny home fans know that downsizing is not for everyone. “There need to be more options,” Johnston said. “We are not telling anybody … to live in a smaller box. We are trying to pave the way.”

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Lawn care

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By Rachel Crisp Philips Whether it’s immaculately trimmed to rival a golf course, or brimming with native grasses and gardens at every turn, the lawn and landscape of a property says a lot about the people who reside within. The first step to maintaining a lawn of any style or size is to keep it clean. Not only should the space be free of trash and other obvious refuse, it’s also important to keep the ground clear of fallen limbs and other debris. This kind of natural detritus can attract pests and spread illness among plants. Once things are spruced up, become familiar with the details of your space so further changes will be more noticeable. The sooner that a problem is investigated, the sooner it can be resolved and prevent further trouble down the road. Throughout the year, keep an eye out for changes in the lawn’s texture, color, and thatch level. Built-up thatch or compacted soil makes it more difficult for grass to grow, but these issues can be resolved by using a lawn aerator. As snow melts and mud dries, spring is a prime time to observe parts of the lawn or landscaping that need improvement or aid. Dead patches in a lawn can be caused by pests, disease, fungus, incorrect amounts of nutrients, or the wrong amount of water. Consult a lawn care company, or verified websites such as The Farmers’ Almanac, to seek help in identifying and eliminating the source of any problems. Spring is also the best time of year to overseed bare patches in the lawn, begin fertilizing, and to start seeds or move transplants. It’s never too early to start weeding, and work on keeping invasive plants at bay. If there are areas of

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the yard that have become problem spots year after year, consider having the soil pH levels professionally tested and consult with a lawn specialist for treatment. As the green things grow, so signals the time for a first mow. When mowing, consider practicing "grass-cycling," a method of leaving grass clippings on the lawn in order to recycle nutrients back into the ground. Many lawnmowers have a mulch feature or other option to reduce the size of clippings left behind. When summer brings those long, sunny days, the increased heat may stimulate the growing season but can put a lawn and other outdoor plants at risk. Monitor climbing temperatures and install shade cloth to protect sensitive plants when the sun is at its peak. Allow mowed grass to stay a little on the longer side, as the increased shade helps protect roots from direct sun damage. Look for indications of dehydration such as wilt, a bluish-green 28

Homestead 2020

tint, curled blades of grass, and footprints that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fade. Adjust watering schedules accordingly, about one inch of water each week, and plan to water early in the morning to reduce moisture lost to evaporation. When watering outdoors, keep conservation constantly in mind by controlling runoff and reducing waste. Take advantage of natural slopes and inclines to let gravity carry the weight of irrigating downhill. The inevitable shortening of days signals the transition into fall, and time to prepare the lawn and garden for a long winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rest. Regularly raking leaves not only keeps up appearances, and creates piles of fun to dive into, but maintaining a clear lawn also allows for muchneeded sunlight to reach the grass during these shorter months. Many of the same preparation tasks that make the to-do list in spring are also necessary in fall. Both seasons are good opportunities to fertilize, check for pests, aerate, mulch and transplant. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

also a perfect time to perform lawn mower maintenance, as well as seasonal cleaning and storage for all outdoor tools and machines. While winter may seem like downtime for lawn care, it can be the best time to dream and plan for the rest of the year. The lack of vegetation can make for more accurate measurements, and pruning can be done before trees and rose bushes bud in spring. Proper pruning should be gradual, and will encourage fuller growth and increased fruit production. If traditional lawn maintenance overall becomes too big a burden, xeriscaping is an option that requires little to no irrigation by taking advantage of low-water plants. Lawns that require less water, and less maintenance, are increasing in popularity as many homeowners look to more environmentally friendly options for landscaping. These low-water options often end up being more economical as well, resulting in a trickledown of savings.

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Review: ‘Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America,’ by Conor Dougherty Tribune Content Agency, LLC By Chris Serres Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (TNS) “Golden Gates” by Conor Dougherty; Penguin Press (269 pages, $28) ——— For much of the past two decades, the question of how to resolve America’s acute shortage of affordable housing has been strikingly absent from the dominant national discourse. Even after a trillion dollars in bad mortgages nearly blew up the nation’s financial system, presidential candidates in the 2012 and 2016 elections did not release detailed housing plans. The fact that America’s urban landscape was undergoing a radical shift — in which millions of young and middle-class Americans were being priced out of large cities because of runaway housing prices — was still overshadowed by more immediate concerns, like rising health care costs and the loss of factory jobs. That changed abruptly over the past year, as the consequences of the nation’s affordable housing crisis became too visible to ignore. Rents had jumped so high in some cities that firefighters and schoolteachers could no longer afford to live near their work. Large home30

Homestead 2020

less camps were sprouting up near the centers of once-affordable cities, from Austin, Texas, to Minneapolis to Seattle. Suddenly, housing was on the national agenda. In January, the median home sales price in Missoula jumped to a record high of $315,000 in 2019 from 2018;

since 2010, when it was at $200,500, Missoula’s median home sales price increased by 57.1%. A family would need an income of around $100,000 a year to afford a median-priced home in Missoula, according to housing

nonprofit Homeword. However, the median wage for a single person is $51,400, and for a family of four, it’s $73,300. Last year, the percentage of renters in Missoula who were costburdened and needed to spend more than 30% of their take-home pay on housing climbed from 41% to 49%, according to the Missoula Housing Authority. Anyone seeking a political remedy to the housing problem would do well to read Conor Dougherty’s “Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America,” a painstakingly researched and penetrating analysis of the economic and political forces behind America’s most dysfunctional housing market: San Francisco. Dougherty traces the dire scarcity of affordable housing to warped policies dating back to World War II, as well as to exclusionist ordinances closely intertwined with America’s obsession with single-family homeownership. Dougherty, an economics reporter at the New York Times, makes a persuasive case that America’s affordable housing shortage cannot be explained by market forces alone; rather it is, at its core, a problem of politics and power. A major culprit is the widespread use of exclusionary zoning — local government ordinances that designate entire communities solely for those who can afford

single-family homes, often with minimum lot sizes. The local restrictions have conspired to limit the supply of housing in large cities — the very places where jobs and economic opportunity have become increasingly concentrated, Dougherty writes. The results are soaring rents and an unconscionable housing gap: In America’s cities, there are only 37 affordable apartment units for every 100 low-income renters. Be¬tween 2011 and 2017, nearly 4 million low-cost units that rent for under $800 a month have vanished from the na¬tion’s housing stock, according to an annual report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. These nationwide trends have been magnified in California — where anti-growth movements and “Not-in-my-backyard”

(NIMBY) activism have been a fixture of the political landscape since the 1970s. But Dougherty avoids the tendency, common in books about economic hardship, to portray people as passive victims of forces beyond their control. Instead, he provides us with richly layered portraits of people seeking, in different ways, to correct the injustices caused by ruthless speculation and exclusionary housing policies. They include a young math teacher so frustrated by sky-high rents that she builds a national movement of pro-housing agitators, known as YIMBY (Yes-in-my-backyard); a Catholic nun who battles real estate speculators; and a city manager who quits his job rather than continue to support exclusionary zoning measures. Dougherty does not shy away from the complexity of his sub-

ject matter, and he illuminates the many contradictions of national and local housing policies. Lost in the debate on rent control, for instance, is the recognition that America has long sought to protect homeowners from wild swings in housing prices by subsidizing fixed-rate mortgages. Rent control, he notes, is little more than an attempt by tenants to get the same kind of protections as homeowners. Ultimately, Dougherty concludes, “There’s no way to rectify a housing shortage other than to build housing, and there’s no way to take care of people whom the private market won’t take care of other than subsidies or rent control, or both. The details are democracy.” The Missoulian contributed to this story.

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How to rightsize your household By Rachel Crisp Philips There can be many reasons for making the move to downsize your home. Perhaps the now-empty nest feels a bit too big, or maybe it’s the mortgage payment that’s oversized. Whatever the reasons, it’s a big decision that demands foresight and planning. If you’re on the fence, don’t wait too long to make the decision to downsize; the process will get harder the older you get. Heavy lifting becomes more difficult as energy levels decrease, but the amount of stuff will surely increase. It’s also wise to discuss downsizing plans with your children at any age. It might surprise you to learn what items or memories they feel sentimental about, and they may have some fresh ideas on how to move forward. One of the biggest mistakes people can make when preparing for a smaller space is to not allow for enough time to pack. When sizing down, it’s crucial to carefully plan which items will stay and what will go. Set aside at least a month where you can dedicate a few hours each day to organizing and packing. As you move forward in packing, try to attack one category at a time. For example, collect all the cloth-

ing in a large pile to sort through in one go. It may seem daunting, but this method can make it easier to downsize by laying everything out at once. Recognizing what you already have is the first step to determining what you no longer need. For each category, or room, set up three bins: to keep, to donate, and

even more to your to-do list. Get trash and donations out of the way as soon as possible in order to clear up space in both your home and head. By starting this purge well ahead of time, you can plan to drop off a few boxes each week and avoid having a large amount to transport to charity or the dump

to trash. If you’re the enterprising type, you can also set up a bin for items to resell. But be wary of sinking too much time into too little profit. Sometimes, it’s best to simply let things go instead of adding

at the end of the move. While it can be emotionally challenging to sift through sentimental items to decide what makes the cut, a wise compromise to both save space and cut down on clutter is to

Homestead 2020

digitize as much as possible. Many memories, such as cards, photos, certificates, ticket stubs, and other miscellanea can be scanned onto a computer and preserved with digital backups. Most financial and legal records can also be stored digitally, thus freeing up boxes and boxes of paperwork. Through it all, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try too hard to force old ways, and things, into the new space. There are times where an item may be too bulky, or too worn out, to be worth the move. Be aware

Homestead 2020

of space limitations, and opportunities to streamline and upgrade your furnishings. For example, moving to a smaller living room might justify buying a new loveseat rather than attempting to squeeze in an old, worn out sofa. Though downsizing typically involves getting rid of excess stuff, it can also mean acquiring something new that adds efficiency or replaces multiple items. Appliances are a perfect category for this application. For instance, consider replacing a

slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, and pressure cooker with an all-inone appliance that saves both space and time. As you settle into the new space, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to consider space and function with every new purchase in order to keep future clutter at bay. Before bringing something new into the home, think of where it "lives." If you cannot decide where or how it fits, then do not bring it home.

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