Everyone has a few house rules that help keep their home running smoothlyand feeling like, well, home.

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The authors of Love Your Home Again say its OK to keep sentimental items. Most contemporary organizing guidance is clear: If it’s not immediately practical, get rid of it. “But you do need to be intentional about what you’re keeping.” Credit: Design: Better Homes & Gardens; Photos: Courtesy of Chronicle Books Be Intentional A key component of the Done & Done philosophy is the concept of Owning Well. It boils down to keeping and purchasing items with intention....

“They eat the sweet potato vine out of our hanging pots,” she says. Jenn immediately envisioned the house with a deep porch, “almost Southern deep,” she says. She sold her vision to husband John and snapped pictures of the front so she could trace designs. Jenn and John Gubler’s ranch home before the renovation.Credit: Courtesy of Jenn and John Gubler I kept drawing it different ways," she says. Architect Greg Brown eventually suggested two roof pitches....

They left with a souvenir: a $33,000 derelict cabin. “A squatter had lived there for a year, and the cabin had been foreclosed. There were pipes sticking out of the wall. Credit:Kim Cornelison The drain lines had rotted out. And it wasn’t connected to the septic system,” Brian says. They wanted to remake the house quickly and creatively for their own use and as a rental property. Credit:Kim Cornelison Now they host 120 adventure-seeking visitors each year....

When you let nature do the work, you’ll end up with a healthier garden. In January 2021, I moved to a new home with my family. Fortunately, the house itself was move-in ready. Credit: Courtesy of West Cliff Creative Unfortunately, however, the yard had years of deferred maintenance. As a result, weeds and an abandoned lawn grew in soil that could be best compared to concrete. Here’s how it works and why you should try it in your yard....

Edwin Fotheringham Clothes tell the stories of our lives. A double-breasted, ankle-length camel coat from one of my annual fall shopping excursions with my Grandma Lenora. I dont like goodbyes, and I wasnt good at parting with clothes. Credit:Edwin Fotheringham What if that style comes back? (It happens!) I wasnt sure how to turn this into a neat, color-coordinated space. Rachel took all my clothes out of my closet and held up each piece for me to decide “keep or “toss....

A statement ceilingpainted, molded, or wallpaperedis a dramatic way to make the most of the fifth wall. Elizabeth Rees is the founder of the wallpaper brand, Chasing Paper. What Is a Statement Ceiling? Credit: Annie Schlechter So, statement ceilings feel like the next step in that trend. In fact, a statement ceiling can actually have the opposite effect. The easiest way to attempt a statement ceiling iswith paint. Credit: Annie Schlecther...

Plus, there are some special considerations for buying a property with an ADU. But these experts also have much to say about ensuring your ADU real estate addition complies with local ordinances. She specializes in guides on building, renovating, or purchasing small, affordable homes. Credit: Robert Cardillo Dalas Doddis the founder and CEO ofDalas Dodd Designand the former Manager atSundaea marketplace for selling homes off-market. What Is an ADU? “A lot of people confuse small homes or ADUs withtiny houses,” Koones says....

They used the ceiling slant to their advantage, building in a bar unit that’s a perfect fit. The wine rack shelves were tricky, Andrew admits. “Each shelf ended up being a slightly different shape and size to fit into the space.” Credit: Brie Williams Their math skills and diligence paid off. The couple bought the base cabinet at a home center and adapted it to accommodate the beverage cooler. They made a countertop andfloating shelvesfrom pine boards they burned with a plumbers torch to accent the grain....

A thin, yellowing lawn might be lacking sulfur. The right fertilizer and care can get your grass growing again. Fertilizing your lawn is a little likemaking a cakeingredients and accurate measurements are critical to success. Credit:Max Kim-Bee Make a cake with salt instead of sugar and the result is inedible. Fertilizer containing sulfur can help or hinder your lawn depending on themake up of your soil. Each nutrient has specific functions in a plant....

Find out when to cut back hostas and how to help these plants overwinter well. Many hostas weather a brief frost well, remaining upright and thriving. Resist the urge to get a jump start on fall cleanup. Credit:John Granen Hostas are actively growing if their foliage is alive. Nematodes and a variety of viruses commonly plague hostas. Cut back and discard foliage after a hard freeze in fall to prevent these microscopic pests from multiplying....

Pinch and cut back mums at the right times to get the most flowers. Chrysanthemums purchased in fall for decoration wont need any pruning this season to be beautiful. The grower already did that for you months ago. Credit:Dean Schoeppner Nor will your mums need cutting back for winter. These same tips will help youkeep mums growing in your gardenlooking their best too. Old, spent flowers should be removed to clean up appearances and encourage more flowering....