Gather up your friends and family and host a Labor Day cookout in your backyard! To ensure your summer bash is a hit, here are some ideas and tips to throw a terrific Labor Day party.
- Send out save the dates. Give your guests enough time to add your party into their busy summer schedules.
- Get your yard in shape. Trim the grass, set out flowerpots with colorful flowers, and clean the patio furniture.
- Keep it easy and plan ahead. Aim for an 80/20 mix of cold to hot food that you can prepare ahead of time to minimize last minute cooking. Remember that you don’t have to make everything, after all it’s Labor Day so the less labor the better! Adding in some premade dips or salads is a great option.
- Serve pre-made drinks. To allow more time to relax and socialize instead of bartending, prepare batches of cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks, such as lemonade to have available in beverage dispensers. Make sure to label the beverages and indicate if they have alcohol in them.
- Have fun in the sun and shade. Make sure there are enough shady spots for your guests to escape the sun. If your yard doesn’t have a lot of shade, consider setting up a canopy tent.
- Set up yard games for entertainment. A great way to entertain guests is to set up some yard games such as croquet, badminton, and horseshoes.
- Add festive lighting. Lighting is an easy way to add a charming sparkle to your party when the sun starts to set. Add some lanterns and tiki torches to brighten up your outdoor space.
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Whether your home office is for running a business, telecommuting, or just for paying bills and organizing personal papers, you deserve an inviting home office that you will want to work in instead of just having a desk shoved in the corner. Here are some great ways to create an appealing and practical home office.
- Hide the tangled mess of cords. Having your cords concealed or at least neat and tidy will make you feel more organized. Use paintable cord covers that can blend into your wall, add adhesive hooks to the back of your furniture that you can attach cords to and hide them, and put a power strip in a desk drawer for devices.
- Ensure you have adequate lighting. Sufficient lighting in your home office is a bright idea to boost energy and reduce eye strain. Opt for sheer window treatments instead of opaque for more natural lighting. Add a lamp to your desk for task lighting.
- Stimulate your senses. Instead of staring at a blank wall, give yourself something interesting to look at. Position your desk by a window or hang a painting above your desk. Scents such as peppermint or citrus can help energize and de-stress you. An oil burner is a great addition to your home office space.
- Conceal the clutter. Clutter can provoke you to feel overwhelmed and more stressed. Choose office furniture with drawers and cabinets to keep your papers and office supplies out of sight.
- Enhance the homey ambiance. Your home office can look professional but still incite a comfy and homey feel. Complement the space by adding a decorative pen holder, an attractive waste basket, and wrap your bulletin board in a sophisticated fabric.
- Add some house plants. Including some greenery into your home office can help purify the air and give off feel-good vibes.
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Over the last two months, the inventory of houses for sale in Wisconsin has expanded but the enduring seller’s market remains. The unbalanced real estate market is indicated by the available housing supply standing well below six months which is what signals a balanced market. The number of listings in July were up 3.4% compared to last July but the number of home sales were 3% lower over the same time period, according to the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association’s latest analysis of Wisconsin’s current home market.
The tight housing supply, especially in southeastern Wisconsin, has impelled housing prices to increase. It was revealed in the WRA’s latest analysis that the median sales price in July was up 7.5% compared to last July. The number of days on the market dropped in every region over the last twelve months, with the southeast region having the lowest in the state with an average of just 71 days. The WRA reported that in the last 12 months, mortgage rates were up a ½ percent but remained favorable at 4.53% in July. To be successful in today’s constrained housing market, the WRA recommends to have financing aligned, write clean offers without contingencies, and be prepared to act quickly when your realtor finds the right home for you.
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Source for information: “Wisconsin REALTORS® Association: July 2018 Home Sales Report.” WRA: Wisconsin REALTORS Association, www.wra.org/HSRJuly2018/.
