Justin R. McNeill

Happy Monday! Quick question for you: have you watched this video on my YouTube channel yet? It's the one where I take you room by room through our house talking through all of our very favorite secondhand furniture finds. In keeping with the tradition set by my #ThriftStoreScore series here on the blog (the first of which went live all the way back in 2012 !), I instinctively called the furniture throughout my video "thrifted." While most people in the comments let my careless wording slide, a few did call me out for naming some of our more expensive antique finds "thrifty." And, honestly, they were so right! The $500 dining room table we funded thanks to a generous wedding gift, for example, can hardly be placed in the same category as some of the retro tables that you guys score for just a handful of bucks at your own local charity shops. So, essentially, I wanted to make sure I started this post with the tiny disclaimer that our latest #ThriftStoreScore is...

The landscape drainage plan shown in this rendering brings excess rainwater to an infiltration trench at the front right side yard where it can seep back into the ground The first questions I ask when I stand on a new site are: where is the water coming from, where is it going to go, and what's going to happen when it gets there? Howard Cohen, Landscape Architect Landscape drainage is a critical factor in the success of any landscape design project. And most Northern Virginia properties have pre-existing drainage problems that must be addressed within the scope of a landscape design project. The first step for your landscape architect is to conduct a thorough  site analysis and evaluation taking note of the existing slopes and elevation changes on the property, surface and groundwater (wet and dry areas), and soil composition. We want to be sure that rainwater is not puddling on hard surfaces but is directed to run off and sink into the ground. We want soil around plants and trees...

Happy Monday! Quick question for you: have you watched this video on my YouTube channel yet? It's the one where I take you room by room through our house talking through all of our very favorite secondhand furniture finds. In keeping with the tradition set by my #ThriftStoreScore series here on the blog (the first of which went live all the way back in 2012 !), I instinctively called the furniture throughout my video "thrifted." While most people in the comments let my careless wording slide, a few did call me out for naming some of our more expensive antique finds "thrifty." And, honestly, they were so right! The $500 dining room table we funded thanks to a generous wedding gift, for example, can hardly be placed in the same category as some of the retro tables that you guys score for just a handful of bucks at your own local charity shops. So, essentially, I wanted to make sure I started this post with the tiny disclaimer that our latest #ThriftStoreScore is...

Happy Monday! Quick question for you: have you watched this video on my YouTube channel yet? It's the one where I take you room by room through our house talking through all of our very favorite secondhand furniture finds. In keeping with the tradition set by my #ThriftStoreScore series here on the blog (the first of which went live all the way back in 2012 !), I instinctively called the furniture throughout my video "thrifted." While most people in the comments let my careless wording slide, a few did call me out for naming some of our more expensive antique finds "thrifty." And, honestly, they were so right! The $500 dining room table we funded thanks to a generous wedding gift, for example, can hardly be placed in the same category as some of the retro tables that you guys score for just a handful of bucks at your own local charity shops. So, essentially, I wanted to make sure I started this post with the tiny disclaimer that our latest #ThriftStoreScore is...

The landscape drainage plan shown in this rendering brings excess rainwater to an infiltration trench at the front right side yard where it can seep back into the ground The first questions I ask when I stand on a new site are: where is the water coming from, where is it going to go, and what's going to happen when it gets there? Howard Cohen, Landscape Architect Landscape drainage is a critical factor in the success of any landscape design project. And most Northern Virginia properties have pre-existing drainage problems that must be addressed within the scope of a landscape design project. The first step for your landscape architect is to conduct a thorough  site analysis and evaluation taking note of the existing slopes and elevation changes on the property, surface and groundwater (wet and dry areas), and soil composition. We want to be sure that rainwater is not puddling on hard surfaces but is directed to run off and sink into the ground. We want soil around plants and trees...

A Car Emergency Fund is savings set aside specifically for any unexpected event related to owning a vehicle. Since it's more likely than not owning a car will come with a few surprise expenses, having a Car Emergency Fund is essential to good personal financial management! Why you need a car emergency fund No matter [...] The post The Importance of a Car Emergency Fund appeared first on Money After Graduation .

A Car Emergency Fund is savings set aside specifically for any unexpected event related to owning a vehicle. Since it's more likely than not owning a car will come with a few surprise expenses, having a Car Emergency Fund is essential to good personal financial management! Why you need a car emergency fund No matter [...] The post The Importance of a Car Emergency Fund appeared first on Money After Graduation .

Ask a co-worker what parts of the office they think are the filthiest and most will bring up office keyboards or perhaps the bathroom door handle. However, there are are other parts of the office that are teeming with germs that you may be oblivious to. Failure to properly clean an office can lead to health issues and loss of productivity, as many workers will call in sick. Below, are some of the dirtiest places in your office and how you can sterilize them without breaking the bank…or your back. The Start Button on Your Photocopier Machine A study conducted by Hloom-a prestigious template maker-found that the average photocopier start button had 1.2 billion colony forming units per square inch ; this is in stark comparison to a typical toilet seat at a school, which only has 3,200 colony forming units. As can be seen, the start button of your photocopier machine is one of the most germ-ridden spots in the office. The good news is you can clean it by using a high-quality disinfectant ...

A Car Emergency Fund is savings set aside specifically for any unexpected event related to owning a vehicle. Since it's more likely than not owning a car will come with a few surprise expenses, having a Car Emergency Fund is essential to good personal financial management! Why you need a car emergency fund No matter [...] The post The Importance of a Car Emergency Fund appeared first on Money After Graduation .

Ask a co-worker what parts of the office they think are the filthiest and most will bring up office keyboards or perhaps the bathroom door handle. However, there are are other parts of the office that are teeming with germs that you may be oblivious to. Failure to properly clean an office can lead to health issues and loss of productivity, as many workers will call in sick. Below, are some of the dirtiest places in your office and how you can sterilize them without breaking the bank…or your back. The Start Button on Your Photocopier Machine A study conducted by Hloom-a prestigious template maker-found that the average photocopier start button had 1.2 billion colony forming units per square inch ; this is in stark comparison to a typical toilet seat at a school, which only has 3,200 colony forming units. As can be seen, the start button of your photocopier machine is one of the most germ-ridden spots in the office. The good news is you can clean it by using a high-quality disinfectant ...

Ask a co-worker what parts of the office they think are the filthiest and most will bring up office keyboards or perhaps the bathroom door handle. However, there are are other parts of the office that are teeming with germs that you may be oblivious to. Failure to properly clean an office can lead to health issues and loss of productivity, as many workers will call in sick. Below, are some of the dirtiest places in your office and how you can sterilize them without breaking the bank…or your back. The Start Button on Your Photocopier Machine A study conducted by Hloom-a prestigious template maker-found that the average photocopier start button had 1.2 billion colony forming units per square inch ; this is in stark comparison to a typical toilet seat at a school, which only has 3,200 colony forming units. As can be seen, the start button of your photocopier machine is one of the most germ-ridden spots in the office. The good news is you can clean it by using a high-quality disinfectant ...

We went out last night to pick up a tree. The kids were bundled and the packing blanket was in the back to protect the roof. This is the first year both of the kids are super jazzed about the holidays. Curran (4.5) is excited for new toys and allllll the colorful, tacky decor. I am told every day that the white lights we have on the house are NOT festive AT ALL. Cleo is excited about whatever Curran is excited about lately, so anytime we see lights (trees, wreaths, fake reindeer, whatever) squealing ensues. It was cute at first, and now it's just… loud. But truly, I love it. The first few years of parenting are so much work, with few of those personal connections where you actually get to see your children as a people. The more I get to know them, the more I like them. Even the complicated, emotional parts. Anyway, their excitement is infectious, and their Scrouge McWhite-Christmas-Light-Preferring mother is even considerin...

We went out last night to pick up a tree. The kids were bundled and the packing blanket was in the back to protect the roof. This is the first year both of the kids are super jazzed about the holidays. Curran (4.5) is excited for new toys and allllll the colorful, tacky decor. I am told every day that the white lights we have on the house are NOT festive AT ALL. Cleo is excited about whatever Curran is excited about lately, so anytime we see lights (trees, wreaths, fake reindeer, whatever) squealing ensues. It was cute at first, and now it's just… loud. But truly, I love it. The first few years of parenting are so much work, with few of those personal connections where you actually get to see your children as a people. The more I get to know them, the more I like them. Even the complicated, emotional parts. Anyway, their excitement is infectious, and their Scrouge McWhite-Christmas-Light-Preferring mother is even considerin...

We went out last night to pick up a tree. The kids were bundled and the packing blanket was in the back to protect the roof. This is the first year both of the kids are super jazzed about the holidays. Curran (4.5) is excited for new toys and allllll the colorful, tacky decor. I am told every day that the white lights we have on the house are NOT festive AT ALL. Cleo is excited about whatever Curran is excited about lately, so anytime we see lights (trees, wreaths, fake reindeer, whatever) squealing ensues. It was cute at first, and now it's just… loud. But truly, I love it. The first few years of parenting are so much work, with few of those personal connections where you actually get to see your children as a people. The more I get to know them, the more I like them. Even the complicated, emotional parts. Anyway, their excitement is infectious, and their Scrouge McWhite-Christmas-Light-Preferring mother is even considerin...