Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Mike Froome and Matt Boos of M&T Printing show just a few of the products that are keeping them busy in London during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mike Hensen/The London Free Press/Postmedia Network

Those decals on the floor at grocery stores, the plastic shields protecting workers and the endless stickers and signs warning us all to be healthy and careful amidst the pandemic? Theyve kept a London printing business busy.

M&T Printing Group has managed to keep some of its workers on the job, winning new business as a result of the COVID-19 shutdown and social isolation.

Were trying to stay ahead of the curve, to find out what the new normal will be so we can position ourselves, Mike Froome, vice-president at M&T, said.

The business lesson from the pandemic is that one has to diversify to survive, he added. M&T, in business in London for more than 50 years, offers a study in how to do just that.

Among its recent and different contracts, the printer is now preparing to make plastic shields to be installed at airline counters at London International Airport, which hopes to see flights returning this summer.

We have started to call people back, Froome said. Were busy wearing a lot of different hats.

M&T has about 50 workers now on the job and about 100 remaining on layoff. But the company is trying to keep as much business as it can to serve its approximately 200 clients.

It has even tried to carve a niche as a hospital bedmaker. It has manufactured an inexpensive bed out of heavy board material that can hold 500 pounds and be shipped to a hospital in a flat pack and snapped together on site, in case a hospital gets swamped by patients.

The business has also seen a return to old-school printing, with stickers and signs warning workers to remain six-feet apart and wash their hands, making up a large part of its business.

I find it interesting were falling back on traditional signage. Everything were doing now, all of it, is COVID-related, Froome said.

That includes the activity book it has printed for the Boys and Girls Club of London to send to youth so they can do puzzles, colouring and games at home. Or print material for the pin caddy, a device which means golfers dont have to reach into the hole or touch a ball once it has been putted into the cup.

The decal floor stickers popular at stores started out with retailers asking for simple lines and markers on the floor. But it evolved in days to be decals with foot prints, many of which are now branded with store and restaurant logos.

The COVID-related opportunities are fascinating, Froome said.

It has even been asked to make signs for school graduates. Since there are no graduation ceremonies, families are placing a sign in their home windows stating it is the home of a graduate, as a way of celebrating a milestone for youths.

These are Grade 8 and Grade 12 commencement signs, Froome said. Its happening everywhere. I think were going back to the sense of community as a village.

ndebono@postmedia.com

Read more here:
Floor decals, plastic shields and the 'fascinating' business demands of COVID-19 - The Province

A house fire is one of the most horrifying calamities a homeowner can experience. A blaze can cause catastrophic damage in a matter of minutes, destroy priceless mementos, and threaten the lives of any occupants.

Thankfully, many residential fires are preventable. By understanding the most common causes of these disasters and taking the necessary precautions, you can vastly reduce the chances of your property going up in smoke.

Cooking

According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking is the leading cause of house fires and injuries caused by these fires. Cooking fires typically occur when the kitchen is left unattended during meal preparation, and most cooking fires start on the stove. If a fire starts while you are out of the room, it can quickly spread before you can fight it on your own.

Hot grease is a common source of ignition. David Beaudrie, writing for the home design site The Spruce, says grease that reaches a temperature of about 600 degrees Fahrenheit can spontaneously combust. The NFPA says flames can easily spread if combustible materials like oven mitts and towels are kept too close to the stove.

Appliances can also sometimes lead to fires. Beaudrie says portable appliances like electric griddles might heat up enough to ignite nearby materials. House Beautiful says fire risk is also heightened if appliances are crowded too close together, allowing more heat to build up.

Never leave the kitchen unattended while cooking, particularly if you are making a dish where grease will be produced. The NFPA says you should turn off the stove even if you just need to leave for a short period of time. When baking, simmering, or otherwise making a meal that requires a longer preparation time, set a timer so you don't forget about the food.

Practice regular cleaning to cut down on combustible materials. Beaudrie says you should thoroughly clean your cookware to prevent grease from building up, and regularly clean potentially flammable materials out of your appliances such as crumbs in a toaster oven.

If a small fire occurs while cooking, it can often be smothered quickly. The NFPA says the easiest thing to do is to put a lid over a flaming pot and turn off the burner, or turn off the heat and keep the door closed if a fire occurs in the oven.

Since fires can often start in the kitchen, keep a fire extinguisher in the room in an easily accessible area. The Donegal Insurance Group of Marietta, Pa., says the extinguisher should be rated A-B-C to take on all types of blazes. Wolgast Restoration, a Michigan home restoration company, says materials such as salt, baking soda, or flour should not be used to douse a grease fire, since these can cause the flames to flare up.

Heating

Homeowners seeking to keep their homes at a comfortable temperature during the winter can inadvertently create a hazardous situation. The NFPA says heating equipment accounted for 15 percent of residential fires in the United States between 2012 and 2016, with half of these blazes occurring between December and February.

Keeping a heater too close to flammable materials is a common source of fires caused by heating systems. Beaudrie says space heaters and electric baseboard heaters can easily ignite nearby materials, while heaters that use fuel such as kerosene can catch fire or explode if they are not used properly.

If a fireplace is used for home heating, a layer of flammable creosote will build up on the inside of the chimney over time. This can eventually ignite, with a chimney fire potentially spreading to other parts of the home.

Make sure there's ample space around any home heaters. The NFPA recommends a three-foot buffer zone between any heating equipment, including fireplaces, space heaters, and furnaces.

Make sure fireplacesincluding pellet stoves and fireplace insertsare properly installed and have the necessary safeguards. Open fireplaces should have a screen to block sparks and embers, and ashes should be allowed to cool thoroughly before being removed to a metal container stored a safe distance from the home. The chimney should be professionally cleaned at least once a year.

Follow all instructions on portable space heaters, and look for a model with safety features such as an automatic shutoff that will be activated if the device tips over. Beaudrie says you should also inspect them regularly to see if they are in good condition.

Central heating equipment is rarely to blame for residential fires, but it never hurts to be cautious. Donna Boyle Schwartz, writing for the home improvement professional Bob Vila, says an annual inspection will ensure that the system is working properly.

Electrical

Faulty wiring is the third most common cause of house fires, according to the NFPA, though fires sparked by this source also caused the most substantial property damage. Beaudrie says electrical fires are commonly caused by short circuits that ignite building materials or overloaded circuits that cause wiring to get too hot.

Electrical fires can also be caused by an outdated electrical system or unsafe practices. House Beautiful says major appliances should be plugged into their own outlets, not a shared power strip. You should also never connect multiple extension cords or use frayed or otherwise damaged electrical cords. Wolgast Restoration says the risk of an electrical fire is heightened if you use an older appliance, run cords under rugs or other heavily trafficked areas, or plug too many devices into a single outlet.

Make sure your home's electrical system is up to date with the recommended safety features. The NFPA says these include arc-fault circuit interrupters to cut off electricity and prevent short circuits. Electrical work should be completed by a licensed professional.

Periodically inspect the cords on appliances and other devices to look for damage. Schwartz says any worn or damaged cords should immediately be replaced.

Be safe when using the outlets in your home. Never overload an outlet, and make sure the wattage of your light bulbs does not exceed the recommended wattage of the light fixture.

Look out for any warning signs of trouble with the wiring. Wolgast Restoration says these may include flickering lights, repeatedly tripping breakers, or a suspect odor. Have an electrician inspect the system if you notice any of these issues.

Open flames

Smoking materials such as cigarettes and cigars cause a small percentage of house fires, according to the NFPA, but are the leading cause of deaths caused by these incidents. Beaudrie says fires caused by smoking materials are often ignited when embers fall on a flammable item after the smoker falls asleep, resulting in the greater possibility of a fatality.

Smokers can reduce the risk of a house fire by using fire-safe cigarettes, only smoking outdoors, and keeping smoking materials out of the reach of children. If you do smoke indoors, use a deep ashtray, keep smoking materials away from any flammable items, and douse smoking materials in water before discarding them.

Caution should also be used when burning candles in the home. While they add a pleasant ambience to a room, candles can lead to disaster if they fall over or set fire to nearby materials.

The NFPA says candles should be kept in sturdy holders and placed on uncluttered surfaces, at least one foot away from anything that might burn. Don't leave candles unattended or use them in the bedroom, where an occupant might fall asleep without blowing out the flame.

Consider alternatives to candles. You should have a flashlight handy so you can use it instead of an open flame for lighting during a power outage. Beaudrie says there are also flameless battery-powered luminaries that provide the same effect as a candle without the danger.

If medical oxygen is stored in the home, refrain from smoking or using candles indoors.

Certain appliances, such as furnaces and water heaters, have pilot lights that could potentially start a fire. Wolgast Restoration recommends that any flammable materials be kept at least three feet away from these appliances.

Flammable materials

Several household materials are combustible, including gasoline used for lawn mowers, propane tanks for grills, paint thinners, and mineral spirits. These materials often pose a serious fire risk because they emit fumes that can travel a long distance and ignite when they encounter a furnace's pilot light or other ignition source.

Flammable lint can accumulate in and around a clothes dryer. Dust, dander, and other materials can create a combustible mass on vents and filters in the home's HVAC system.

Safe storage is key in preventing flammable materials from causing a fire. Schwartz says gasoline, propane, kerosene, and similar materials should be stored in proper containers and kept outside the home. Beaudrie says containers should be no more than 95 percent full to allow room for vapors to expand safely.

Store paint thinners and other hazardous materials in proper containers and keep them at least 50 feet away from potential ignition sources. The ideal storage location is a fireproof cabinet in a separate location from the main living space.

Never keep oil- or chemical-soaked rags stored together, as they can spontaneously combust. Spread the rags out in an outdoor location to allow fumes to disperse, at which point the rags can be cleaned and reused.

Regularly clean the dryer vent before running a load of laundry. Wolgast Restoration says you should also periodically clean out the dryer's exhaust vent, sweep lint away from surfaces around the dryer, and avoid piling up laundry on or around the appliance.

Seasonal dangers

Some fire risks are seasonal, as they are associated with activities that typically take place at a certain time of year. Outdoor grilling during warmer weather is one potential risk, as flare-ups or problems with the grill's heat source can start a blaze.

The NFPA says grills should be regularly cleaned to remove accumulated grease, and the grill should be kept a safe distance from the home, deck, overhanging branches, or anything else that might catch fire. Inspect gas grills for leaks each year, and don't light the grill if you smell gas. Never leave a grill unattended.

Summer is also a time for homeowners to light up their fire pits, which naturally pose a hazard to the property if they aren't used properly. The Donegal Group says fires should not be lit outside when the surrounding vegetation is dry or when there are strong winds. Don't leave the fire unattended, and keep a water source or other firefighting option handy.

Halloween brings jack-o-lanterns, which traditionally use candles. Keep them away from dry decorations such as cornstalks or crepe paper, and consider using battery-powered flame lights instead.

Sumptuous cooking is a hallmark of the winter holidays, but this is also associated with a higher risk of cooking fires. Christmas also has some unique fire hazards. Make sure you keep a natural Christmas tree from drying out, hang decorations so they are a safe distance from any ignition sources, and make sure your holiday lighting is safe.

Excerpt from:
Common causes of house fires and how to prevent them - theday.com

Moving can be such a stressful time. The checklist of things to do can feel a mile long. Between finding a new place, packing, and wrapping up loose ends in your old home, it may be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Its important to remember that moving doesnt have to be such a burden, once youve got a few tricks up your sleeves. If youre in the process of moving or just thinking about moving, here are four ways to take the worry out of what could be a chaotic situation and put your mind at ease.

In order to find a new home within your price range thats also in the neighborhood or school district of your choice, you may need to buy a fixer-upper. Fixer-uppers need a lot of love due to damage like water or mold. As long as you have the time, think about bringing in restoration services. If you live in the Chicagoland area, J.C. Restoration, Inc. can help you bring your new home back to its pre-loss condition. Whether the house needs big fixes like structural repairs and electrical work or smaller fixes like interior decorating and landscaping, youll be in great hands. J.C. Restoration, Inc. has successfully restored damaged properties for thousands of home and business owners. You can put your mind at ease knowing your restoration will be done right.

Moving into a new neighborhood is always stressful, because even if it appears nice, you never really know who youre living next to. Is it safe for your children to play in the front yard unattended? Is it wise for your children to go over and hang out at a new friends house? You can let go of some of that worry if you arm yourself with information. Introduce yourself to your neighbors, get their names, and then do a quick search of public records to see if there are arrest records or mug shots associated with each person. Go Look Up is an online information search engine that shows background checks and so much more. Youre sure to find the information you need to sleep easy.

Its so easy to think you can just do it all yourself, but thats a lot of additional pressure that you dont need. Hiring professional movers can save you some mental space and might even prevent you from injuring your back. If youre worried about getting the best price and hiring a company that will treat your furniture and possessions with respect, call around, read reviews, and dont be afraid to ask questions. With extra hands, your move will go faster, and youll get to move onto the fun partdesigning your new spacein record time.

When you start the moving process, the first thing that youll ignore in your daily routine is self-care. You can be so preoccupied with getting each facet of moving accomplished that you dont take time for yourself. You might think that youre gaining some extra time to complete each tiring task by skipping workouts or daily meditation sessions; however, its actually quite the opposite. Activities like working out and meditating help you to manage stress and put you in the right frame of mind to move forward. By removing that from your daily life, youre doing yourself a great disservice. You might find it harder to concentrate or problem solve. If youre really worried about time, shorten your workout or meditation, but try to keep some semblance of your regular routine.

See the original post:
Take the Burden Out of Moving: 4 Ways to Put Your Mind at Ease - NuWire Investor

Some of the major changes included opening up the views and bringing continuity to the spaces; raising the ceilings two feet toward the back of the house to build an extension with the kitchen (the focal point of the house) and living room; raising the floor of the master suite; installing a large steel and glass opening on the rear faade to let the light in; and adding three balconies.

Designed to be functional and fit the owners needs, the home features effortless style with its round and arched contours to balance out the hard lines in the steel doors.

The very cool suspended lighting device comes from Flos.

The scalloped plaster fireplace was done by Kamp Studios, and the art flanking it is by Matias Sanchez Martin.

It was built to complement our lifestyle, which is to have friends over for long dinners, good music, many candles, great cocktails and wine, and lots of laughs, Lindsay says. This house is to enjoy and celebrate life in the morning and at night, with no part of it overly precious.

Classic brownstone details are visible in the trims and molding throughout the house in off-white tones mixed with edgier touches like the matte black staircase. We stayed neutral throughout, but played with different textures and tones, incorporating decorative wall finishes like plaster and wallpaper, Jae says. We wanted to keep a sleek modern feel, while avoiding the bare and stark impressions associated with contemporary interiors.

BEFORE: This bedroom layout felt cramped and crowded.

AFTER: The master bedroom redo is all about clean lines and architectural details. The sculptures on display are by Jenny Min.

For the couple, the Brooklyn home is a study of equilibrium, where grids are balanced by curves, matte is juxtaposed with texture, and simple is only occasionally disrupted by grandeur. The house, according to the couple, is like Axel Vervoordt in the middle of a Kanye concert.

BEFORE: The master suite section had to be reconfigured entirely to make the space functional.

AFTER: The result was created with softness and serenity in mind. The scones in the bathroom are by Arne Jacobsen, and the faucets are by Waterworks.

AFTER: The master suite now boasts a grand master bathroom with a large freestanding tub and a custom vanity.

AFTER: Here, another bathroom was designed with a little more moody flair.

Although they invested a significant amount of energy, the couple enjoyed every part of the process. Renovations are very funnyyou feel like you end up with a Ph.D. in what not to do, Lindsay and Kayvan smile. A gut renovation on a townhouse is the most daunting, frightening, fiscally challenging, draining experience, but when you finally get the keys to your house, it becomes the foundation for your future memories that makes everything worth it.

The parlor floor gained a whole new chic living space after the expansion. The steel doors let in an incredible amount of light which brightens the entire floor. The big puzzle artwork is from M. Crow.

See the original post:
This Brooklyn Townhouse Gets a Refined Renovation - Architectural Digest

If the City Hall in Jersey City doesnt make you want to do home improvement projects, then nothing will. Well, thats certainly a sentence we never thought we would write. But its totally true because while the coronavirus pandemic was shutting down local businesses, keeping residents sheltering in place indoors, and forcing restaurants and eateries to transition to contactless options only, Jersey City began focusing on renovation projects that would otherwise disturb residents if they were done during normal life.

In a now-viral tweet, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop explained, We used COVID-19 shutdown to do projects that wouldve been inconvenient for residents regularly {street paving, park renovations, etc}. One project was ripping up the 1960s vinyl floor at City Hall. We thought wed find garbage, but instead we found the original from 100 years ago {sic}.The details on the gorgeous discovery.

{Photo credit: Twitter}

Move over, HGTV! We dont need your DIY home improvement channel when weve got City Hall!

City Halls surprise renovation didnt just impress the people of Jersey City. In fact, Mayor Fulops tweet gained national attention and went viral when it was picked up by Instagram meme account @kalesalad.

See More: 15 DIY Projects to Stay Busy and Productive at Home

While we are here why did every house cover hardwood floors with carpet in the 1960s @stevenfulopjc, the account @kalesalad wrote in the caption.

The reaction to the home improvement project has been overwhelmingly positive. One Instagram user wrote, Love when this happens. Like when a mosaic from a renowned artist was found in an NYC building entry during a reno.

Another chimed in, The old floor looks really pretty actually they should try and preserve that design!

All in all, the picture posted to @kalesalad garnered more than 330,000 likes and Mayor Fulops original tweet received 2.8K comments, 15.6K retweets, and 146.7K likes.

After the positive reaction to Fulops original tweet about the renovation, he began providing updates on other areas of the floor that have since been pulled up.

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Stephanie Osmanski writes honest things about health, the planet, and being a woman. Her words have appeared on Business Insider, Parade, Eat This Not That, Dogster, Scary Mommy, Green Matters, Parents, Seventeen, Life & Style, InTouch Weekly, and more. Her articles have been syndicated on World Economic Forum, MSN, MSN UK, and MSN Canada. In her free time, Stephanie and her registered therapy dog, Koda, volunteer at local hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities.

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If You Need Some DIY Inspo, Check Out the Floors of City Hall in Jersey City - hobokengirl.com

May 9, 2020

Posted: May 9, 2020

Updated: 1:16 PM

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) As of this week, over 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment. This economic upheaval is forcing many Americans, 45 million of which were slated to retire this year, to reevaluate their finances and navigate the new normal.

If you were planning on retiring this year or in the next few years and just got laid off due to the coronavirus, here are some tips from Steve Sexton, financial consultant and CEO of Sexton Advisory Group, on how to assess and improve your financial health:

Assess your financial situation if you recently got laid off and you were planning to retire soon, the first question I ask my clients is can you maintain your lifestyle without working? To figure this out, youll need to determine all sources of income, your source of health insurance until you qualify for Medicare, and any major expenses coming up, like a home renovation or a new car. Dont forget to take into account how inflation might impact your cash flow in the the next few years. Seek temporary employment If you cant maintain your lifestyle without working this means youll need to seek employment as soon as possible. Depending on your line of work, it may be a while until you get a full-time job in your industry and unemployment benefits only last for so long. In fact, assistance from the stimulus bill is expected to run out on July 31st, which means jobless workers would only get their state unemployment benefit after this date. This means youll need to look for temporary employment, even if it means considering jobs that are not in your skill set, but allow you to earn money now. Downsize and/or reduce your expenses Ive said this multiple times on previous segments, but its so important to eliminate any unnecessary spending right now. You can live with less, whether that means getting rid of your cable service, canceling that wine club membership, moving to a less expensive home or even choosing to share a car with your spouse especially since theres little need to drive over the next few months! Weigh your social security options most Americans cant rely on social security checks alone, but selecting the right benefits can make a big difference in the long run. There are 567 different ways to elect benefits, so make sure youre educated on which option will provide you with the highest income in your retirement. Consider low-risk investing theres no denying an astronomical amount of money has been lost in stocks in the past two months. If youre hoping to have a comfortable retirement, this means opting for low-risk investment options which may not offer big returns, but are safe. Work with a financial advisor to find out what options work best for you.

If youre looking for more guidance on what to do if youve recently been laid off, Im hosting a free webinar on Thursday, May 21st at 4 p.m. PST. For more info and/or to RSVP, go to RetireSmartMag.com.

More:
Coronavirus and your finances: What to do if you're laid off - - KUSI

While kitschy palm tree prints and seashell motifs are de rigueur in the Sunshine State, fashion blogger and designer Blair Eadie preferred a style that leaned more Palm Springs than Palm Beach for her 1920s Sarasota, Florida getaway. She and her husband Andrew snagged the cottage-style vacation home three years ago, and have since completely transformed its interiors.

Think graphic black and white patterns, pops of bold, saturated color, and midcentury moments mixed with contemporary elements, all layered atop what the couple calls good bones, a linear layout, and no shortage of character. And by character they mean the result of a series of previous renovations that left them with ceilings so low in parts of the home that six-foot-four Andrew could not even stand up. It had dangerous wiring within the walls, three different roofs layered on top of each other, plus a master bedroom with a door leading to the kitchen and the smallest bathroom in the house.

BEFORE: Changes afoot in Florida.

BEFORE: Construction begins to raise the roof.

No matter, though. Situated on a flag lot, the 1,900-square-foot home offered what felt like, for two Brooklyn-dwellers, an abundance of both privacy and space. And Blair and Andrew saw potential in the floor plan, opting to take on an extensive 18-month renovation that ultimately left them with four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, and, in some spots, a 5-foot-higher ceiling.

The resulting expanse of continuous white walls and concrete flooringthat felt old-meets-new and also kept the home coolleft the couple essentially with a blank canvas. Blair, known by 1.6 million Instagram followers for her instantly recognizable and highly curated fashion aesthetic, then enlisted the help of Havenly design and creative VP Shelby Girard to help translate her sartorial sensibilities for an interior environment.

The final design concept from Havenly.

The design had to be playful, unexpected, and full of personality, just like Blairs wardrobe, says Shelby. You can have more fun and take more risks with second homes, especially in a destination like Florida. There is a pervasive vacation mentality and mindset.

To bring warmth to the stark contrasts of concrete and white, Shelby added a Blue Ivy by Clare paint accent wall in the living room that draws the eye and helps separate the space from the dining and sitting areas. With the pool situated in the center of the home, accessible by four sets of French doors, the wall reflects a water-like hue, and two Rove Concepts Womb Chairs carry the tone into the sitting area.

Read the original here:
See How This Fashion Blogger Transformed a Florida Beach Home with Her Signature Style - Architectural Digest

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ Seton Hall University was granted an extension of the approval for an addition and renovation to the University Center; the action was taken at the May 4 South Orange Planning Board meeting. Seton Halls extension was granted for one year, and their attorney stated that it would be the final extension requested. The original approval wasgiven on July 6, 2016.

The meeting had three additional applications scheduled; however at request of applicants their applications were held over to the June 1 meeting.

Village Trustee Bob Zuckerman gave the Economic Development Committees report. He said that letters are going out to those residential and commercial properties who continue to have unrepaired code violations. Those who are in violation will receive a letter advising that after the State of Emergency they will be given consideration and time to remediate the items in violation.

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He noted that these are very challenging times to the food and retail sector. There could well be a 30 percent vacancy rate after the pandemic, he warned. He said Julie Doran, executive director of South Orange Village Center Alliance, is doing a great job with merchants and property owners, helping them get SBA and PPP loans. He suggested thatshopping local promotions and getting food to go as well as local gift cards are helping local businesses.

Every Saturday of May and June will be Small Business Saturdays, said Doran to the Board. She said many property owners are working with the tenants on rent issues. SOVCA continues itsstreet cleaning program to keep the town looking inviting and that local businesses are making delivery directly to homes daily. Doran noted that residents would get better service shopping locally than online, and there is very little that cant be gotten locally.

The draft of the Master Plan has been sent to Village Administrator Adam Loehner and Village President Sheena Collum, Board Planner/Zoning Official Greer Patras reported, and she said she will walk them through it. The document will then be reviewed by the committee and the Planning Board.

Patras said the updated Master Plan supports fast recovery coming out of COVID-19 quarantine, with flexible zoning offering more diversification for future development. She noted that South Orange is positioned to handle recovery better than other towns because of new zoning rules, as more housing diversity and office options are long-term better for the town. Doran concurred, and said flexible zoning will be important for recovery.

Read More:Go Fund Me For S.O. Resident's Funeral Expenses

Read More:South Orange May 7 Coronavirus Update

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Seton Hall University Gets Renovation Extension from South Orange Planning Board - TAPinto.net

I woke up on April 20 to an old calendar reminder that I should be packed and ready to board my flight to Barcelona, Spain, in about six hours. I had, of course, already canceled my trip and requested refunds two months ago, back when Spain shut down its cities to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The notification was just another reminder of the Before Times, when I had a nine-day vacation that wouldve provided a much-needed mental refresher from work. Instead, I opted to take a brief staycation in my own apartment.

Millions of Americans are currently under stay-at-home orders and many have postponed or entirely canceled their vacation plans for the current year. Since domestic and international travel has slowed to a virtual halt, people wont be traveling very far anytime soon. In the meantime, local staycations seem to be most peoples only option, unless you have a second vacation home or extra money to spend on a short-term rental or hotel room with limited human contact.

In the days when a flight seemed to be a safe luxury, a staycation was a code for chill vacation a short, sometimes local trip with limited planning and expenses. The goal of a staycation is to relax in a place that is close to home but still a novel environment. But now that most cities and states are on lockdown, how do you plan a fulfilling break in a space youve occupied every hour of the day for the past couple of months? What if you arent afforded a significant amount of time off?

Its possible that, due to the coronavirus, people with jobs might take even less time off work than they usually do whether they hold essential positions or are working from home. In 2018, about 55 percent of workers reported they didnt use their allotted time off, according to the latest data from the US Travel Association. That amounts to about $65.5 billion in lost benefits, a number that could easily climb in 2020 resulting from the economic slowdown and uncertainty as to when itll be safe to travel again.

For some, however, it can feel oddly wasteful to take vacation days just to spend time inside, especially when the economic downturn has led to massive unemployment. Many companies have reduced their budgets and implemented hiring freezes, so its likely that individual workload could increase. And even before the pandemic, more than half of US workers reported feeling guilty about taking vacation time, according to a 2019 survey of over 2,000 full-time workers. In this situation, many Americans could be working without meaningful time off for at least another couple of months.

Meanwhile in quarantine, people have reported higher levels of stress-induced fatigue: Essential workers are likely overworked, underpaid, and worried about the possibility of catching Covid-19; parents might be exhausted with around-the-clock child care; and in general, people could be emotionally fatigued due to the unprecedented and unpredictable nature of the pandemic.

You need a lot of physical energy for your cognitive work. Were doing so much worrying and rumination, Nancy Sin, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, told Vice. A mental and physical break, then, seems all the more necessary for employees, who are possibly on the verge of burnout as the pandemic wages on.

After more than a month of working from my tiny apartment, my weekends have started to blend into my weekdays. And while that helps with the passage of time, its much harder to differentiate between time spent indoors for relaxation and leisure, versus time spent indoors because, well, I sort of have to. For my staycation, I took two days off to give myself a four-day weekend, which I spent making cocktails, working on a short story, and watching old French films.

Dan Kieran, author of The Idle Traveller: The Art of Slow Travel, thinks that local staycations much like what I undertook will be the future of tourism and travel at least for the next year or two, as people emerge from the pandemic more cautious and hesitant to fly to far-off destinations. International travel will resume, but already, experts are predicting that many aspects of the industry, from medical screenings to personal hygiene, will change.

My favorite thing to do is walk out my front door in a different direction, Kieran says. Instead of giving yourself a specific amount of time to explore a place, reflect on where you are and try to get lost to achieve that travel feeling. He encourages people to take walks and explore their outdoor areas as if theyre a foreign traveler: They could walk along an unfamiliar street or choose to not use their GPS or phone, which would replicate that sense of adventurousness so many people crave.

Even indoors, a person could alter their environment by choosing to sleep in a different corner or room of their home or, if they have a backyard, camp outside for a night or two. It could seem silly, Kieran admits, but these activities are also family-friendly: You can bring your sleeping bag in the lounge, sleep with your kids, or camp in the garden. If you break down what you love most about travel, its actually quite easy to find equivalence that doesnt require you to be in a different geographical location, Kieran concludes.

Kieran has long been an advocate of slow travel, a decades-old movement that presents itself as the antidote to the fast-paced style of tourism most travelers are accustomed to. Its a mindset that rejects commercialized tourism and encourages travelers to venture off the beaten path to explore local cultures, foods, and transportation methods. This means a traveler could spend more time at a place than they originally planned, remaining open to itinerary changes. There are not a lot of rules to it. It only requires you to keep an open mind, Kieran says, which is why he believes the coronavirus could be a huge moment for slow travel.

People can practice slow travel even in their own cities, since the philosophy encourages close interaction with a local community that can be achieved through walking. When we travel, we go to different parts of the world to activate a different way about thinking about life, which pushes us in a different head space, Kieran says.

Travel is not really about your physical location. Slow travel is a mindset, Kieran tells me. Although new locations and environments help kickstart that mentality much faster than a staycation, he believes travel is about thinking differently about your own surroundings and being challenged by them, which is why hes encouraging people to get lost in their own town.

Marty Nemko, a career and personal adviser, has always been an advocate for staycations. He tells me that now, more than ever, its important for people to recognize how many leisurely activities they can partake in at home at no cost or hassle.

In my experience, staycations provide a much better pleasure to pain ratio than a regular vacation, Nemko says. Theres greater pleasure in doing whatever you want in your own home. (Kieran agrees. He tells me that the etymology of the word travel originates from travail, the French word for work, which is thought to stem from trepalium, the Latin term for a torture instrument. The word travel literally means torture, he says.)

While a staycation within a familiar space can initially appear limiting, Nemko encourages people to take on a small project, whether it be home renovation or learning how to cook a new cuisine over the course of two or three days. (He coined the term projation, or a project-vacation, in a recent Psychology Today article.)

You can write that screenplay youve been meaning to write or adopt a hobby that gives you a sense of purpose, Nemko adds. Even if you make a room more livable that youre living in, its the fact that you did something for yourself or the world.

Online, theres been a huge cultural debate about productivity in quarantine, primarily among creatives like me who are working home. With all this extra time, should you try to be productive or simply take a break? Nemko believes that people should strive to be purposeful and productive, while I personally believe in doing what ultimately feels good for my brain and body, productivity be damned. Even a brief staycation is unstructured time that youre allowed to enjoy however you want.

For people who are unable to get much time off work besides their weekends, Nemko suggests implementing micro-breaks or restructuring the workday so it fits your own personal needs if youre working from home.

At this moment, you can inject freedom in your work life since you dont have your boss breathing down your neck, he says. Youre the CEO of your own life. Get out of that chair whenever you want and take a walk or clean the bathroom. Nemko sprinkles his day with what he calls nano-breaks, gaps of time that are extremely short, to indulge in a funny Youtube video or a brief period of meditation. Even a minute when youre not thinking about work, that can be very refreshing. The trick is not letting a minute turn into 30.

When travel eventually resumes again, many experts expect travelers to gravitate to more rural locations with fewer people. Short-term rentals in remote places could be a vacation alternative for urbanites to escape the city. (Getaway House, a tiny house rental start-up, is operating in most cities even during the pandemic, and RVs are in demand.)

I think people are going to look closer to home or spaces that remind them of home, which is a powerful and positive thing, Kieran says. People might start to recognize that they dont need to go to a foreign place to be excited and invigorated.

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Original post:
How to vacation in the coronavirus pandemic under stay-at-home orders - Vox.com

Home Depot is reopening in Ontario this weekend, which is great news ifyou've fallen down the rabbit hole of a quarantine-inspired home renovation like many of us.

Restrictions surrounding retail stores are easing up to varying degrees across Canada, and Ontario is joining by allowing certain stores to re-open this weekend.

The province was the only one in Canada to order the closure of allgarden centres, nurseries, hardware stores, and safety supply stores on April 4, forcing stores like Home Depot to function via deliveries and curbside pick-ups only.

But Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced yesterday that they'll be able to reopen as early as Friday for in-store payments, as long as they follow the rules.

Like all the other essentialstores that have remained open in Ontario during this time, Home Depot says it's adopting the same social distancing measures to ensure the safety of their staff and customers.

According to Home Depot's director of corporate communications, Paul Berto, stores in Ontario will begin to limit the number of customers allowed at a time.

They've also implemented plexiglass screens, floor markers, and additional signage to help everyone maintain distance.

Essentially, they're the exact same precautions you've seen already implemented at grocery stores and pharmacies, meaning you'll finally be able to browse cans of paint in real life instead of on a web browser.

According to Berto, Home Depotgarden centres in Ontario will open Friday, and stores will follow suit on Saturday.

Link:
This is when Home Depot is reopening in Ontario and what the stores will look like - blogTO