Author: Daniel Bortz

8 Things That Are Bound to Go Wrong When You’re Painting a Room

Posted in Realtor.comTagged , , ,

Painting is one of the cheapest and easiest home makeovers out there—no knocking down walls, no pricy appliances. Just you and a brush stand between you and a whole new look!

And yet: While painting may seem easy compared to a full kitchen overhaul or erecting a new half-bath, it’s not that easy. This may explain why many people attempt the DIY route with painting, but then quickly start grumbling that there’s a whole lot more to it than what they show on HGTV.

Think you’re ready to wield a brush and roller? First, consider these eight things that are bound to go wrong when you paint a room.

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4 easy DIY home improvement projects you can do in a day

Posted in The Washington PostTagged , , , ,

Think you don’t have the time to tackle a home improvement project? Good news: There are a number of easy renovations you can do in one day — without the help (or cost) of a handyman or contractor. Here are four that you can do with just a few basic tools.

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How to prepare your outdoor grill for its time to shine

Posted in The Washington PostTagged , , , , 1 Comment

No summer weekend is complete without an outdoor barbecue. But before you fire up the grill this season, you’ll want to give it a thorough cleaning and make sure it’s safe to use. After all, you don’t want a grimy, greasy grill ruining the flavor of your Kobe steaks — or, even worse, creating a fire hazard in your back yard.

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Can Blind Hiring Improve Workplace Diversity?

Posted in HR magazineTagged , , ,

As an HR department of one, Katherine McNamee, SHRM-CP, knew she didn’t have the resources or technology to implement a sophisticated blind recruiting platform that would strip identifying information—

such as a candidate’s name and college graduation date—from resumes. Yet the director of HR at the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), a nonprofit with 40 employees in Arlington, Va., was determined to take a fresh approach to reducing hiring bias when she was filling fellowship positions at AAM’s Center for the Future of Museums.

“There has been a lot of discussion about diversity in the museum field, and we wanted to experiment with blind hiring,” she says. “We felt we were attracting the right candidates, but we also wanted to broaden our applicant pool.”

So she took a simple step toward eliminating key data from resumes—by telling people not to include it in the first place.

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Moving without a job? Try these strategies

Posted in Monster.comTagged , , ,

Moving to a new city is exciting. job moveMoving to a new city without a job? Stressful—but  not unheard of.

Some folks move to be closer to family, some move to be in a city with more affordable housing, some move to simply start fresh—whatever the reason may be, it’s definitely doable to move to a new location without having a job lined up. The trick is to start your search before you arrive in your new hometown, not after.

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10 tools every new homeowner should own — and 3 they shouldn’t

Posted in The Washington PostTagged , , , ,

Ah, the joys — and burdens — of toolboxbecoming a homeowner.

Buying a home is an exciting milestone, but after you’ve completed the purchase and moved in, you’re responsible for maintenance. In other words, you no longer have a landlord to fix that running toilet or leaky faucet.

The upside? Having a few essentials in your toolbox can help you make some common repairs yourself. Being your own jack-of-all-trades can also help you save money, as repair people typically charge about $60 to $65 an hour, according to HomeAdvisor. But you don’t want to cheap out on tools, home improvement expert Bob Vila says.

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10 Apps You Need For Your Next Trip

Posted in Budget TravelTagged , , ,

If you sometimes feel as if your Mobile travel appssmartphone is becoming your travel BFF, you’re not alone. Consider that nearly half of all travelers have used a mobile device to plan or book a trip, a 2016 global survey from Apteligent found. Mobile apps have also enabled travelers to find hotel deals, dine with locals, and even overcome jet lag.

Ready to load up your smartphone for your next trip? These 10 apps will address many of your most pressing travel needs.

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How to set your budget for a big home improvement project

Posted in The Washington PostTagged , ,

No matter what we’re shopping for, home remodelingfew of us like sticking to a budget. But when you’re doing a major home remodeling project, knowing precisely how much money you have to spend and staying within that budget is crucial.

“As contractors, we design our projects to our clients’ budgets,” says J.P. Ward, architect and vice president of business development at Anthony Wilder Design/Build in Cabin John, Md. “Homeowners need to know what their budget is upfront and be realistic about what they can afford.”

Considering a big home renovation? Here’s how to set your priorities, establish a spending limit and stick to your budget.

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