During the summer, many of us tend to waste more electricity, water, and plastic materials than we do during any other part of the year. To compensate for high temperatures outside, we blast the air conditioning to stay cool. We fill water balloons, top off the pool, guzzle cold water bottles, and take more showers. 

As a result, we spend a lot on our utilities, and we waste a lot. There are several steps you can take to make your home more eco-friendly over these next few months. Here are five ways you can embrace “green” practices while also reaping the financial benefits of avoiding waste.  

1. Invest in a Programmable or Smart Thermostat 

A programmable thermostat can save you at least twenty percent on energy costs. Smart thermostats can save you even more by giving you the capability to change the temperature when you’re not at home. Not only will this lower your utility bills, but it will also prevent you from being wasteful with your AC during the summer. You can get yourself up to speed with an air conditioning guide on the best practices. Additionally, a programmable or smart thermostat makes your home more comfortable. You can be precise about your temperatures while you’re at home, at work, or on vacation. The last thing you want to do is pour tons of money into your air conditioning while you’re not even using it. 

2. Hang Drapes or Install Curtains Over Your Windows

During the summer, about seventy-six percent of the sunlight that comes through your windows turns into heat. Don’t underestimate the powerful protection of a simple window covering. Whether you install blinds or black-out curtains, blocking the sunlight can drastically lower your waste of energy. Plus, you want to protect your home and furnishings from the harsh sunlight that streams inside. 

3. Be Careful About Your Water Usage

When temperatures rise outside, water use often does, too. You’re watering your lawn frequently, taking more showers, and filling pools. Be conscious of how much of this water you’re actually wasting. 

Now is the perfect time to compare your current amount of water usage to your usage during the winter. If you notice that your water bill is skyrocketing, it may be due to a leak, waste, wind, evaporation, or runoff from over-watering. 

4. Begin Recycling, Even if Your Neighborhood Doesn’t 

Think about all of the plastic you use during the summer – those plates at your cookouts, the frozen drinks that come in convenient one-use bottles, all of the empty sunscreen bottles littering your backyard. These are just some of the things you could be recycling in an effort to make your home more eco-friendly. Although many apartment complexes and neighborhoods don’t offer a recycling service, you can always start one yourself. 

5. Install Lights That Automatically Turn Off 

Did you know that the IDA estimates that we waste at least thirty percent of our outdoor lighting? There’s no need to leave your porch light on all night, even when you’re out late during the summer. Instead, install an automatic light that turns on whenever you approach. 

Automatic lights are a great idea for your indoor rooms, too. By only using lights when you’re actually home, and automatically turning them off when you leave the room, you’ll help prevent the overproduction of carbon dioxide. Plus, you’ll save more on your electricity bill. No more worries about leaving the lights off when you go to work or leave for a summer getaway.

In Conclusion 

These five steps might not seem like big acts, but every little bit counts when it comes to making our homes eco-friendly. Whether you live in an apartment or a house, you can use these tips to save money and protect nature. Even though summer is here, it’s not too late! Start implementing these changes now to reap the benefits during the rest of the season.

Welcome back!

Hello everyone! We hope you had a great start to your month last weekend with some fun events. We've got great things going on this weekend too!

Wednesday, June 9, 6 - 8 PM

Beer Bingo

This is not your typical game of bingo! Instead of calling numbers, they give you glasses of beer! Mark the spot which you think is the BEER you are drinking and drink your way to winning! Only 32 players will be allowed. There is a $12 participation fee and reservations can be made and paid over the phone or in person. Call 386-676-5181 to reserve your spot! All players must be 21+. For more information about this event, you can click here.

Saturday, June 12, 9 - 10:15 AM

Beach Yoga

Join Melissa Byram of Meditation Mama Yoga, for an hour of beach yoga bliss! Open to beginners and seasoned Yogis alike! People are required to pre-register + prepay for beach classes by June 11 at 8 PM at MeditationMamaYoga.com. Tickets are $10. A minimum of at LEAST 5 Yogis will be required for beach classes to occur. If the minimum is not reached, pre-purchased tickets will be rolled over into upcoming event, or can be refunded if requested.

Saturday, June 12, 10 AM - 2 PM

Father's Day Market

Come to the Father's Day Market at Coconut Barrell in St. Augustine to celebrate the Dads with an outdoor market, food trucks, games, and more!  Bring your Dad or come to shop for unique, handmade gifts for your Dad. For more information, you can click here!

Saturday, June 12, 10 AM - 2 PM

Second Saturday Plant Sale

On the Second Saturday of every month, Washington Oaks Gardens State Park hosts a Plant Sale. The park offers a variety of rare and beautiful plants for sale, as well as an activity at 11:00 a.m. Guests can view the beauty of the state park while also enjoying the sale.  The event is hosted by the Friends of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, a community-based not-for-profit organization whose mission is to preserve, protect, promote, and provide interpretation at Washington Oaks Gardens and Faver-Dykes State Park. Admission to this event is free. However, regular park entrance fees apply $5 per vehicle with up to eight people, $4 for a single-occupant vehicle, and $2 for pedestrians/bicyclists. 

Sunday, June 13, 9 AM - 12 PM

Classic Car Cruz-In and Breakfast

Cruise-in by Palm Coast Cruisers at the VFW in Palm Coast. Open to all cars, trucks and motorcycles. Great camaraderie, breakfast, and 50/50 raffle to benefit the VFW. DJ Dan will be spinning the Tunes, 50/50 raffle, and Judged Car Show. Judged cars are $10.00 each.

We hope we'll see you around. Have a great weekend!

386-506-8008 | Oceanside@RealtyExecutives.com |  |  |   @REOceanside

It’s never easy to accept that your little one is growing up. But something fun that happens when they do start to become a little bit taller and stronger is moving them from a nursery into their very own big boy or big girl room full of their blossoming personality. Let’s go through five tips to help you transform that nursery into a kid’s dream room!

The Big Kid Bed

The biggest change when converting your child’s nursery into their long-term big kid room is going to be saying goodbye to the crib and introducing a toddler or full size bed. This transition may be a little hard at first since your child is most likely going to want to get out of bed now that they aren’t surrounded by the crib bars, but it’s also something to be celebrated! Your kiddo will be so excited to have a big bed of their own and you can make it even more fun by adding a cozy comforter and placing their favorite blanket or stuffed animal on top. You can find plenty of different bed frames for various prices that will fit your style and/or theme.

Play Area

When you design your family nursery you often don’t think about a big play area since you often have the baby with you in the larger rooms of the home so you can keep your eye on them or have a designated pop-up playpen. But as your child grows, so does their toy collection and love of play space! Setting up a play rug for them to set up their dollhouse or racetrack, placing a small table and chairs for building Legos or an easel for arts and crafts, are all great ways to give your child their own private area to play and be creative that is still safe and easy to clean up.

Decor

The nursery decor and theme is completely up to you before the little one arrives but when making it into the room of your child’s dream, it’s important to ask for their input! They have now started to show off their own personality, likes and dislikes so they will be much more excited about the new room if they have a say in some things. Have them pick three theme options and see what you think would work best. Then have them pick out a special painting, picture or other piece of decor that they for sure want to have in their space. Giving them a special project will allow you to decorate the room with what you and your child want seamlessly!

Make Room for More

Like we mentioned before, the older your child grows, the more stuff they accumulate. From clothes, toys, school books to larger furniture, it’s a given that you will need to do a little reorganizing to their previous nursery. Try to find storage pieces that are easy to clean and easy to open to make your life much easier. You can also find plenty of creative ways to make extra room in their closet by adding shelves or cabinets (if space permits). Lastly, getting rid of baby toys and clothes can be hard because of the emotional attachment they hold, but it’s essential to only keep the important things and donate the unnecessary items to make room for a growing boy or girl.

Invest in the Future

Remodeling isn’t cheap and redoing a nursery is no exception. You can find plenty of affordable decorations, or DIY makeover tips but you may want to consider splurging a bit on the big furniture purchases. Investing in items that can be used throughout not only their toddler years but into their pre-teen ages will save you money and time in the long end. The best way to do this is by creating a budget with different categories. Designate the least amount for decor or “knick-knacks”, then add in for paint or flooring if necessary, next assess what furniture you need to buy and then look online to see what pieces go for what price. After you know the range of pricing, you’re able to decide what is most important to you and what makes the most sense to splurge on.

Just remember to have fun, ask for help from your little one and invest in quality or quantity and your big kid will have the best room on the block!

386-506-8008 | Oceanside@RealtyExecutives.com |  |  |   @REOceanside

Hello June!

Welcome everyone! We hope you're as excited about the start of a new month as we are! With school ending, we know there will be a lot of kids with a whole bunch of extra time. So if you're looking for something to keep the kids occupied, fun with the whole family, or just some alone time, whatever it may be, this is the place for you.

Thursday, June 3, 5 - 8 PM

Coconut Barrel Farmer's Market

Enjoy fresh food, live music, and craft shopping at the Coconut Barrel Farmer’s Market. Thursday evenings from 5:00pm-8:00pm. Stop by, come join the fun! For more information, you can visit the event Facebook page here!

Friday, June 4, 3 - 8 PM, & Saturday, June 5, 11 AM - 7 PM

Greek Festival

St. Augustine's Greek Festival celebrates the cultural and historical importance of Greek influence in the nation's oldest city. Hosted by the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, the popular festival annually recreates a Greek village and offers three days of traditional Greek dance, music, cuisine, and culture, giving visitors and residents alike a chance to enjoy a real taste of the islands, mountains and villages of Greece. This year, the festival will feature a "to go" menu, so Greek food lovers can still enjoy the tastes of the region although social distancing and safety protocols prohibit a full- fledged festival. Menu items include moussaka, dolmades, souvlaki, spanakopita, pastitsio and baklava, among others. The online menu features combination platters, dinners, à la carte dishes, grilled favorites, desserts and panned specialties. To participate in the "to go" festival, pre-order your favorite Greek dishes and desserts and pick them up from the drive-through at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. For more information and to pre-order dishes, visit here.

When: 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 4, 2021 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 5, 2021

Where: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is located at 2940 County Road 214 in St. Augustine, FL 32084.

Saturday, June 5, 6 AM - 3 PM

Kayak Tournament I

Come on out to the Kayak Tournament! Fishing begins at 6 AM and you can fish from anywhere. To sign up and find out more information about this event, you can click here!

Saturday, June 5 & Sunday, June 6, 9 - 11 AM

Disaster Preparedness Distribution Guide

Join the Palm Coast Professional Firefighters Local 4807, Palm Coast Fire Department & Flagler County Emergency Management with the distribution of Disaster Preparedness Guide Books. They will be stationed at Home Depot & Lowes on Saturday, June 5 & Sunday, June 6, 2021 between 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. If you can not visit in person, you can pick up your virtual copy by clicking here! If you want more information on this event, you can click here!

Saturday, June 5, 9 AM - 2 PM

First Saturday Creative Bazaar Arts and Crafts Market

Starts at 9:00 am (for shoppers); vendors can set up at 8:00 am The Palm Coast Arts Foundation Presents First Saturday Creative Bazaar Arts & Crafts Flea Market. For more information, you can visit the event website here!

We hope we'll see you around at some of these amazing events. Have a great weekend!

386-506-8008 | Oceanside@RealtyExecutives.com |  |  |   @REOceanside