Published By: Hunker.com
Date: July 1, 2023

How to Attract Crows — and Why You’d Even Want to in the First Place

Crows are one of the most common birds in America and have an intelligence level on par with chimpanzees, according to Audubon, which makes them fascinating to watch and interact with. If you want to learn how to attract crows to your yard, “basically, provide them food and water,” says Dr. Kevin McGowan of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, who has been studying crows for 35 years. From there, consider the birds’ other needs, such as shelter and safety. Once you examine what they need to survive, you can start thinking about details, like what to feed crows and what they use to build a nest.

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Published By: Hunker.com
Date: July 1, 2023

Creeping Thyme Lawn: How to Grow Your Own (and Why You Should)

A creeping thyme lawn can make an excellent alternative to traditional turf if you can provide it with the right growing conditions. This plant requires plenty of sun and well-draining soil. Some varieties — not all — can hold up to foot traffic. Creeping thyme provides beautiful ground cover adorned with flowers in various colors, with minimal watering and maintenance necessary. We spoke with gardening expert Tony O’Neill about the benefits and drawbacks of creeping thyme and how to grow it in your own yard.

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Published By: Hunker.com
Date: April 22, 2023

Planning a Remodel This Year? These Projects Have the Worst Return Value

Your home is your home, and it makes sense to customize it to your own tastes and needs, but if you hope to sell in the next few years, consider the return on investment you’ll get after sinking money into a home renovation. While many home improvement projects will pay off big time when you sell your home, others may be personally rewarding but provide a terrible return on your investment (ROI). We talked to a variety of experts in the real estate, home design, and landscaping industries to find out what projects homeowners should avoid if hoping to recoup their money after they sell their home. Here are the worst renovations to do in terms of ROI.

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Published By: Hunker.com
Date: April 15, 2023

Planning a Remodel in 2023? Here Are the Home Improvement Projects That Have the Best ROI

Whether you are planning a total renovation of your house, or you simply want to spruce up a room, the first thing you’ll want to think about is a remodeling budget — and of course how much value the project will add to your home. With the median price of home remodeling projects exceeding $18,000, prudent homeowners need to focus their spending on projects that improve their comfort level ‌and‌ provide a good return on investment (ROI). The average ROI for home renovations is only 56 percent, though some projects provide much better returns.

At the same time, homebuyers can be fickle, and a home improvement project that may dramatically boost your home’s resale value one year may provide only a marginal increase the next. To determine which home renovations will give you the best ROI in 2023, we spoke with various experts, including real estate agents, interior designers, home flippers, inspectors, remodelers, and industry analysts.

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Published By: Hunker.com
Date: March 11, 2023

17 Items That Can Make Life Easier for Kids With Sensory Processing Disorders

Being the parent of a neurodivergent child can be a challenge, especially when they aren’t at their best because they are receiving too much or too little sensory input. Occupational therapy can help pinpoint your child’s sensory needs, but how can you better accommodate them in their home environment? We spoke to experts in the field to find the best solutions to help sensory-sensitive kiddos feel more comfortable in their home — especially in the dining room, bedroom, and bathroom.

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Published By: Hunker.com
Date: Janurary 9, 2023

How to Create the Best Sleep Environment for Your Child, According to Sleep Experts

Some kids sleep like angels from birth, but not all kids (or their parents) are so lucky. While you can’t force children to sleep, you can encourage them to drift off faster by providing them with the ideal sleep environment. We spoke to a variety of experts familiar with children’s sleep needs to find out how to make your child’s bedroom as zzz-inducing as possible. These tips can help any child rest easier, whether you’re trying to prepare a bedroom for an infant, a preschooler, a preteen, or a child with special needs.

Ready for the smallest residents in your house to get some good shuteye? Here’s how to create the coziest, dreamiest sleep space for your little ones.

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Published By: Mental Floss
Date: April 6, 2022

16 Quirky Kitchen Products to Make Eating at Home a Little More Exciting

Whether it’s because you’re trying to avoid take-out to save money or you just love mastering new recipes, home-cooked meals can be a great alternative to eating out at restaurants. That said, whipping up dishes all the time can also start to feel a little repetitive and unexciting. But with some useful (and quirky) gadgets and accessories in your kitchen, you’ll be able to spice things up again.

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Published By: Hunker.com
Date: March 18, 2022

Curtains vs. Drapes — What’s the Difference?

Installing new window treatments is an easy way to transform a room with minimal investment of time, money, and effort. But even before you decide on color, texture, and length of your window coverings, you’ll first need to choose: curtains or drapes?

Though these terms are often used interchangeably, there are actually distinct differences between the two. Ready to dress your windows, but not sure which type of treatment you need? Here’s how to tell drapes and curtains apart — and decide which ones are best for your room.

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Published By: Hunker.com
Date: January 5, 2022

Roof Types 101: A Complete Buyer’s Guide for Homeowners

Replacing a roof is a serious home improvement and a major investment. In fact, replacing your old roof will cost around $8,561 on average including materials and labor costs (and the average price range varies from $5,589 to $11,671).

A homeowner’s choice of roofing materials plays a dramatic role in the overall roof replacement cost as well as its appearance and life span. Similarly, while you can save some money on installation costs by going the DIY route, this is not an option for many materials, particularly slate, which requires not just any roofing company but a roofer who is experienced with this heavy material that is difficult to work with.

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Published By: Hunker.com
Date: October 22, 2021

The 6 Types of Drapery and Curtain Hardware — And How to Use Them

Draperies are multifunctional in a room — they offer privacy, light filtration, and style. But in order to get all three, you’ll need the right equipment. After you’ve purchased your drapery panels and curtain rods, you may find that you want additional hardware to get the look and light that you want in a room.

Not sure what pieces you need for your specific setup? Here are six types of drapery hardware, and advice on where and how to use them.

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