The Shop Cop - Jennifer Litwin

If you have ever walked into a furniture store and then into a clothing store, you’ll begin to see recurrent color themes.  Our eyes begin adjust to these colors, and that’s how trends are born. Though I’ve vowed to never follow trends in color or fashion, (my friends would agree), I am interested in trying out small additions of the latest colors trends.  It is easy to become stale in your sense of design and fashion, and adding a pop of a hot color doesn’t have to make you look trendy, just updated–there’s a difference.  The Pantone group carefully selects after doing a lot of research on environmental and consumer trends, news, new technology and other noteworthy events, and their research paves the wave of the future, in how we see the world, our homes and closet.  Selecting some key colors can make all the difference in the world when you are selling a house or just refreshing your look.

In my own home, I have decided to reupholster some furniture in my living room and office.  Though I am careful to not go overboard in buying the hottest trends in fabrics, I am selecting fabrics that reflect a slightly updated look.

2013 PANTONE COLORS

This year’s hottest colors are emerald green and pale purple.  Here are examples to whet your appetite:

 WAYS TO INCORPORATE 2013 PANTONE COLORS QUICKLY AND AFFORDABLY

1.  Paint a wall–this is easy and an affordable way to bring life into your home and freshen things up a bit

2.  Paint a baseboard or molding a different color–why not take advantage of the 2013 color trends without making a long term investment?

3.  Add a blanket or pillow with your favorite hot new color—maybe add a small geometric–your home will instantly look updated and fresh

4.  Get an inexpensive poster, new or old, frame it in a Pantone 2013 color

5.  Buy a kitchen appliance, small or large, in a hot new color—who says you have to take your kitchen appliances off the counter?   Keep your favorite, or most frequently used appliance out.  You’ll be surprised at how your family and friends will notice and compliment you on it.

6.  Buy new knobs for your desk drawers—knobs usually run $5-20, but give a little burst of life and color that can modernize your office space

WHAT KIND OF STATEMENT ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE WITH YOUR NEW HOME?  DOES YOUR HOME TRULY REFLECT YOUR OWN TASTE, OR SOMEONE ELSE’S?

Through all uncertainties of the real estate market and the economy you might say that home decor has changed for most homeowners.  Stodgy, impractical and stuffy furniture of the 70′s and 80′s, the look of our parents’ generation, has given way to more functional, comfortable and affordable fashions.   Picking up the basics at places like Costco and fashionable, urban, flea markets, have become the norm.

MY FAVORITE FREE RESOURCES  TO HELP  GET IDEAS ABOUT FURNISHING YOUR HOUSE EXACTLY TO YOUR LIKING

MAGAZINES

1. Dwell( ideas for a more efficient house, soup to nuts)
2. Reader’s Digest (decluttering ideas–fresh and new ideas that will make your life a lot easier)
3. Oprah Home (multiple choices displayed for every piece of furniture you will need)
4. Martha Stewart Home (smart, fashionable choices for each room in your house)

WEBSITES/BLOGS

1. Homeportfolio.com (lists thousands of choices of products and design ideas, and links to the sites where you can buy them–saves huge amount of time)
2. Lesliehindman.com (great Chicago-based auction house that offers monthly auction in a wide variety of styles, periods and prices–take advantage of the great auction prices right now)
3. Designspongeonline.com (perfect place to get ideas that are well thought out and executed-no need to hire a designer if you go to this site–artistic, creative, easy to use and fun!)
4. Decor8blog.com (special finds and secrets from around the world, for all the little details of your house, with links to the nation’s best stores, all in one site)
5. Freshome.com (displays latest design and function characteristics for every piece of furniture you buy)
6. Trendir.com (the latest in materials, colors, textiles, trim)
7. Homedesignfind.com (beautiful layouts of entire room designs–great place for room design ideas)
8. www.houzz.com (best ideas for rooms, places to shop, color schemes)

History repeats itself.  Studies have shown that over time, people tend to make the same bad choices the second time around, and most of us are guilty of shopping at the same awful stores that we vowed we would never step foot in again.

I have also been in this rut.  I vowed when the stock market crashed last year that I would explore new retailers, and new ways of shopping; I’ve been surprisingly happy with the results I came up with.

GET OUT OF YOUR SHOPPING RUT

After recently shopping at Costco (and renewing my membership for a whopping $50) I realized why I signed up in the first place.  My son likes their chocolate cake.  That’s it.  That’s the only reason.  And I paid $50 for that privilege to buy that one cake, one time.

In a recent radio show I hosted with the Miserly Mom, Jonni McCoy, listeners learned why Costco isn’t the price leader for many household products we assume must be cheaper because of their massive bundled quantities.  You don’t need to be a repeat shopper.  There may be other better ways to shop.  You don’t need to pay anymore to belong to a “club”.  Save your money.

Continue reading »

MY SUMMER SPENT TRAVELING, ON THE REQUEST OF MY KIDS

Because I’ve spent the past many years traveling for work, I haven’t had much time or desire for leisurely travel.  And traveling with little kids wasn’t always the easiest.  But this past summer was different.  My son, Edward, told me last year that he wanted to travel, to see the world.  Planning the trips wasn’t easy, as I wasn’t sure which hotels to stay in, which places offered the best values, and best times and ways to book our trips.

RECENT TRIP TO THE REGENCY HOTEL IN NY WAS AN EYE OPENER

My brother and sister-in-law recently took my nephew, Justin, to NY for a weekend.  They were so proud of the amazing rate they were able to get through Orbitz.  For somewhere in the low $200′s, they were able to get a room at one of my favorite hotels, the Loew’s Regency in NY.  I couldn’t believe the rate–a rate that I hadn’t been able to secure in years, since right after 9/11.

THE ARTIFICIALLY LOW HOTEL RATE QUOTED BY ORBITZ

Orbitz said in fine print that upgrades may be available upon arrival, but that they couldn’t guarantee the room you get when you book through them.  Unfortunately, when my brother, sister-in-law and nephew got to the famed Regency Hotel, they discovered they would be sleeping in a room with 2 twin beds—something unacceptable for the 3 of them.  So they went to the front desk, spoke with a reservations clerk and were able to upgrade to a room with 2 doubles—for an extra $100, of course.

PROBLEMS WITH ORBITZ, EXPEDIA, PRICELINE AND OTHER ONLINE TRAVEL COMPANIES

We’ve all had the same complaints when booking trips with the online travel companies, as Consumer Affairs reports:

1) The rate you are promised promises you nothing—wait til you see your room.  No online or in-person guarantees of a room type or that your view won’t be the parking lot!

2) When you need to change your travel plans, good luck finding someone who picks up the phone to help you.

3) Changing your travel plans will require you to spend a hefty change fee, with no added benefits.

4) With online travel agencies you won’t usually be allowed to take advantage of all the freebies, miles, rewards and other ways the travel industry is extending to nearly every human being on Earth right now.

5) Travel websites are hard to use and are inefficient when you need to change your plans.

CONSIDER USING A WORLD-CLASS TRAVEL AGENT

I recently asked my friend, Erin, how she always plans the best trips, and how she keeps her kids so happy on vacation, even when traveling great distances.  Erin was excited to share her little travel secret with me.  As Erin travels all over the world to spend time with her husband and children, as her husband travels a lot for work, she has found that having the right travel agent is key to happy travels.  Erin referred me Paul Klein Travel, in Chicago, a corporate travel agency, where I turned over my business and headaches.  Through using Paul Klein Travel, I have been able to secure the best seats, best rooms, best hotels, best upgrades and packages, and yes, best prices.  I have tried to comparison shop the trips I have taken using Paul Klein, in almost 100% of the cases, Paul Klein Travel has beat everyone.

CORPORATE TRAVEL AGENTS’ VOLUME BUSINESS GOOD NEWS FOR VACATIONING FAMILIES

The beauty of traveling with a corporate travel agency is that you can book great vacations at well-known hotel chains and resorts, and take advantage of the corporate travel agency’s great rates.  Paul Klein, as it turns out, is one of only 80 travel agencies that “partners” with hotel chains like the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton, among many other great chains–chains that are often expensive and have little in the way of a rewards program.  Through Paul Klein, we were able to stay in some great spots and take advantage of the opportunities to see different places we may not otherwise know about.

BENEFITS OF USING A CORPORATE TRAVEL AGENT–WHAT YOU SHOULD ASK FOR

1) Alerts if prices drop or are about to go up so you can secure the best air/hotel packages

2) Resort credits that average between $100-300 per trip—credits that may include meals or spa packages; even high tea and room service breakfasts—free with your travel agent relationship.

3) Instant phone calls made to the manager of a hotel to request a room change or upgrade on your behalf–something you may not be able to secure on your own.

Recently, I did a segment for ABC in Minneapolis about melting your gold and selling it because you could get more money for gold than a few years ago. Recessions work that way. Gold holds its value during a recession. But someone whose parent had recently died asked me if now was also a good time to sell an old wedding band, made up of several diamonds.  Her jeweler suggested making an eternity ring, or using the small diamonds to make something for her daughters.

BAD NEWS: PRICES FOR DIAMONDS HAVE GONE UP

If you own diamonds and want to sell them right now the good news is you will be able to sell them for a little more than you could have in 2009, by about 5%.  The reason is because manufacturers of diamonds are slowing production of their supply, which is causing prices to go up.  It is unclear how long this upward trend will continue, but since January prices have been going up a little each month.

SHOULD YOU BUY DIAMONDS NOW?

There is no question that in the past three years diamond prices plummeted 30%.  That is the question of the day.  The diamond industry now has a set price marker, called the IDEX.  This pricing index should be a good judge of what a diamond should sell for.

FIND OUT THE VALUE OF THE DIAMONDS

1. Go to your local jeweler for an appraisal
2. Compare venues across the board to see where you may be able to get the highest price (auction, jeweler, web)
3. Consider buying inexpensive little diamond(s) and turning them into something else for your children.  The prices have not gone up steadily for a few years, and you may want to hold out.

ARE YOU ONLY GETTING SECOND BEST, AT BEST?  IF NOT THOUGHT OUT PROPERLY, YOUR NEW HOME CAN BECOME A DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN THE REPAIR BILLS APPEAR

Retailers bank on the fact that people are too busy these days to shop for their homes just one piece at a time, and just want their houses done.  Period.  Well, if you fall into the rut getting everything at once, you will regret your purchases.  Each piece you buy should represent a purchase you made because of your everyday living needs .  If not thought out carefully you will risk overpaying and creating a generic-looking space that really doesn’t reflect who you are, your taste or current daily lifestyle.

RUSHING TO CREATE THE PERFECT HOME CAN BE A DISAPPOINTMENT

We’ve all felt the pressure to have the perfect house, whether it be for an upcoming party, the holidays or to simply blend in with the neighbors.

CONSIDER SHOPPING AT AN AUCTION RIGHT NOW

After buying my first home, I realized how empty it looked.  I went to auctions at the time, and felt the urge to bid on dozens of inexpensive items, hoping to be the “lucky” winner of all of them.  I overbid on things I never even loved—the prices seemed too low to overlook, and I had a house to furnish.    I wound up with over twenty pieces of junk for my home, and after putting everything inside, I realized I didn’t like half of the pieces, and would have no real use for them.  Several of the pieces later required a considerable amount of work; something I never considered budgeting for.

START OUT SMALL, HAVE PATIENCE, AND WAIT TO BUY YOUR FAVORITE PIECES, BUT DON’T SETTLE JUST TO GET YOUR HOME FULLY FURNISHED

FLEA MARKETS: My best advice for someone with refined taste, who wants an elegant, interesting home is to start out small.  For that reason, flea markets are the best way to get your feet wet.  In Chicago, I love the Randolph Street Market, a flea market that has an urban flair mixed with country charm.  Dealers rent stalls, and I’ve picked up pieces from $5-$2,000 at flea markets.  The trick is buying only what you love, one piece at a time, mixing new with old, and only buying pieces you have a use for.  Learning these skills takes time and a trained eye.

AUCTION: Auction is another great way to furnish a great big house, or even a city apartment.  I especially love shopping at local auctions for artwork, and especially love that I don’t have to pay for shipping.  Thanks to my big car.  My favorite auction houses for the great values are: Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago, Neal Auction in New Orleans, and occasionally Sotheby’s more reasonably priced auctions.  You can’t go wrong.  Especially if you put in a silent bid and agree only to a maximum price you would be willing to pay.  Becoming emotional about a piece will not serve you well.  Avoid auctions or brokerage firms that charge an astronomical amount to sellers or buyers, like 1stdibs.  These places are not the best about warrantying the products they are selling.

BECOME YOUR OWN INTERIOR DESIGNER

The fastest way to date your house is to make everything look perfectly coordinated.  The perfectly coordinated look is outdated and always has been.  Your home will express more about you and your personality when you acquire one piece at a time.  Designers will also want to save themselves time, and earn the most amount of money possible by trying to create an entire ”look” for you and your family.  I’ve especially seen this when they are working with big families and know that people don’t have a lot of time to deal with all the details.

Take your time, and you, too, will have the house you love for a lifetime.

Homesessive on AOL.com

One of my favorite things to do in the Fall is to take my kids to the apple orchard.  We each have our own favorite kinds of apples.  My favorite is the Honeycrisp, a man-made apple variety.  If you go to the orchard, you need to know when the different apples will be ready for picking.  The span is 3 months for most varieties in the midwest.

Radke Orchards is located in Northwest Indiana, just across the border from Illinois.  It takes about an hour to get there from Chicago.  Radke Orchards is more reasonably priced than comparable orchards nearby.  Radke doesn’t have much in their tiny store, but their trees are all tagged well, your kids can take an open truck ride through the orchards, and there are ladders for easy access.  I also love the homemade caramel, coming in every variety—watch out for kids with braces!

BEST VARIETIES FOR FALL APPLE PICKING IN THE MIDWEST (FROM RADKE ORCHARDS, WHO ALSO HAS OTHER APPLE VARIETIES)

Cameo

· Sweet-tart flavor, firm apple
· Excellent for salads, pies, sauces, and baking
· Good for eating also
· Harvest time: mid-October

Cortland

· Sweet with a hint of tartness
· Juicy
· Tender, snow white flesh
· Excellent for eating, salads, sauce, pies and baking
· Good for freezing
· Cortland apples do not turn brown quickly when cut.
· Harvest time: mid-September

Crispin/ Mutsu

· Sweet yet very refreshing
· Very juicy
· Super crisp
· Excellent for eating, sauce, baking and freezing
· Good for salads and pies
· Crispin favorite roast.
· Try Crispins for roasting whole apples or thick slices.
· Harvest time: mid-October

Empire

· A wonderful blend of sweet and tart
· Juicy
· Very crisp, creamy white flesh
· Excellent for eating and salads
· Good for sauce, baking, pies and freezing
· Small Empires are great for school lunches.
· Harvest time: early October

Fuji

· Very mild sweet flavor
· Popular for desserts because of sweet flavor and good texture
· Store well
· Harvest time: late September

Gala

· Mild sweet flavor
· Juicy
· Crisp, creamy yellow flesh
· Excellent for eating and salads
· Gala’s size, mellow flavor and thin skin make them a perfect choice for kids
· Harvest time: early September

Golden Delicious

· Mild sweet flavor
· Juicy
· Crisp, light yellow flesh
· Excellent for eating, salads and sauce
· Good for pies, baking and freezing
· You can cut down the sugar in pies and sauces made from Golden Delicious apples.
· Harvest time: late September

Granny Smith

· Pleasantly tart flavor
· Firm, crisp flesh
· Good for eating, baking, salads, pies and freezing.
· Keeps shape when cooked
· Harvest time: late October

Honeycrisp

· Complex sweet-tart flavor
· Super crisp yellow flesh
· Excellent for eating and salads
· Good for sauce, baking & pies
· This ultra crisp apple is a great way to encourage healthy snacking by children.
· Harvest time: early September

Idared

· Sweetly tart
· Juicy
· Firm pale yellow-green flesh, sometimes tinted rosy pink
· Excellent for sauce, cooking, baking and pies
· Good for eating, salads and freezing
· Idareds are good for making a beautiful pink applesauce.
· Harvest time: mid-October

Jonagold

· Honey sweet with a hint of tartness
· Juicy
· Crisp, creamy yellow flesh
· Excellent for eating, salads, sauce and baking
· Good for pies and freezing
· Jonagolds make great fried apples. Simply sauté in a little butter and add a little cinnamon.
· Harvest time: early October

Jonathan

· Crisp and juicy, tart flavor
· Excellent for eating and baking
· Good for salads, sauces, and pies
· Harvest time: mid-September

McIntosh

· Sweet with a tart tang
· Very juicy
· Tender, white flesh
· Excellent for eating and sauce
· Good for salads and pies
· McIntosh’s tender flesh cooks down quickly. Add a thickener if making a pie.
· Harvest time: early September

Red Delicious

· Sweet
· Juicy
· Crisp, yellow flesh
· Excellent for eating and salads
· Red Delicious apples look great for a long time and are the favored choice for holiday centerpieces.
· Harvest time: late September

GREAT APPLE RECIPES

1) RADKE’S APPLESAUCE

This is our method of producing applesauce. You can make as little or as much as you like.

We wash and quarter the apples, taking out the seeds but leaving the skin. The skin contains the natural pectin that will thicken the sauce. We use our seconds for sauce so we do take out any bad spots from the apples. Place the apples in a saucepan and add a very little amount of water. Cook the apples, stirring as necessary to prevent sticking. We put the mixture through a food mill to remove the skins and any seeds. Wait until the sauce cools before deciding if any extra sugar is needed. We don’t add any extra sugar to our sauce.  We often use a mixture of apples. Golden Delicious apples used alone makes a lighter colored sauce.  We prefer freezing the sauce using canning jars that are freezer safe. We have canned sauce using the hot water bath method.

2)  RADKE’S APPLE CRISP

• 6 cups sliced, peeled apples
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place apples in 8×8 baking pan. Mix remaining ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.

Melt 1/3 cup butter and drizzle on apple mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. This recipe comes from the St. Paul Lutheran Cookbook, Otis, IN through Bonnie Martin’s Aunt, Lois Burge.

Radke Orchard traditions – I’ve seen my mother-in-law, Gladys Radke, sprinkle a little vanilla and/or cinnamon over the apples before she adds the crust mixture. She adds the cinnamon before the crust because the cinnamon on top makes the crust a darker brown. She adds the vanilla because her mother-in-law, Jessie Radke, always added vanilla to enhance the apple flavor. When doubling this recipe, sometimes more crust mixture is necessary. We prefer Ida Red apples, although Golden Delicious work well also. Mutzu makes a crisper crisp, as those apples remain crisp when baked. A soft apple, such as McIntosh, makes a softer crisp. We use enough apples to generously fill the baking dish.

SHOPPING FOR APPLIANCES FOR A NEW HOME?  DON’T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF BELIEVING THAT ONLY THE IMPORTED APPLIANCES ARE THE BEST

We all want to know we’ve made the right buying decisions on everything we buy; especially on big ticket items for the home.  While you are shopping for the major appliances; washers/dryers, dishwashers, etc., make sure you really do your research and talk to people who have recently shopped for the same appliances.  Just because you bought your last appliance at a store doesn’t mean you should buy your new appliances at the same store, especially if you now have a big house you need to fill with appliances. Now may be the time to do your own research instead of relying on your salesperson.

APPLIANCE SALESPEOPLE TEND TO PUSH PRODUCTS THAT WILL MAKE THEIR STORE AND/OR THEM THE MOST MONEY

This is true.  Many products are sold at only the retail price, as I was told Miele and Bosch adhere to.  On these more “high-end” products you will be forced to pay retail and may only get discounts on shipping or installation.  Consumers often feel safer with products they don’t have to negotiate for–retail pricing diminishes the fear associated with bargaining, or with discovering you may have paid the wrong price.

WHY I CHOSE 2 MIELE DISHWASHERS

After spending more than 20 years shopping for appliances at Abt Electronics in Chicago, I moved into my current home in Chicago, and spent the next several years living with my 15-year old appliances.  They actually worked really well, so I decided not to switch them out.  We had more expensive, important projects that needed more immediate attention.  During the few years that he used our old washing machine and dishwasher, except for the loud noises, the appliances washed thoroughly and with little problem.

Eventually the old Maytag dishwasher and washing machine died.  I began to look for newer, more state-of-the-art appliances.  Every store I went to I was hearing about Miele and Bosch.  I decided on a Miele dishwasher and Bosch washing machine, just to switch things up.

MY FIRST MIELE DISHWASHER LASTED ONLY 5 YEARS

Miele was a no-brainer for me in making my selection for the dishwasher.  Miele offered a virtually silent wash and had a great utensil drawer.  The best part was that my salesman told me I wouldn’t need much detergent or water to get the dishes extremely clean, and that the hot water would sanitize my dishes.  That part I loved.  However, about a year into owning the machine, I began having problems.  Problems that included my dishes not get particularly clean, and repairmen telling me that I need to greatly reduce the amount of detergent and frequently clean out the arm.  Cleaning out the arm was virtually impossible to do, because you couldn’t open it.  Other than trying to clean it out with a knife, and under water, I couldn’t do anything really besides calling the repairman to come over and try to fix it.

What I have noticed with both Miele and Bosch is that when they work, they work beautifully.  They are both quiet, the water gets really hot and the dishes come out sparkling.  But that is only about 2/10 times.  The rest of the time I can’t seem to get it right.

The first Miele ultimately broke down, and I was told I would need to replace it…after only 5 years.  Yes, you’d think with all the problems I had with the Miele I would switch back to Maytag, or to some other old-standing, reputable company.  But no, I was again led to believe that Miele was the way to go.  So again, I had a beautiful new stainless dishwasher installed.  This time, I was told I was getting the top of the line…the Advanta.

MY SECOND MIELE DISHWASHER DISASTER

That was 3 years ago.  But today, I am still having the same problems that my first Miele posed.  The dishes are not consistently getting clean; not even close.  And if I want to run a big load I actually have to break the load into smaller loads, or else the dishes won’t get clean.

MIELE HAS PERSUASIVELY TRAINED ELECTRONIC STORE SERVICE PEOPLE  THE CONSUMER TO TELL THE CUSTOMER THAT THEY ARE THE ONES WHO SHOULD KNOW HOW TO FIX THEIR MACHINES, AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE RECURRING MIELE PROBLEMS AND THEMES

Though I have continually battled the same service issues, Abt has promised me that the manufacturer will come out to inspect the unit.  That visit has yet to happen.  If you buy Miele and Bosch, the warranty period is so short that by the time you realize you are having a problem your warranty has run out.

THE BOSCH WASHING MACHINE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE MIELE

The washing machine story is virtually the same as with the Miele dishwasher.  When I bought my Bosch, the washing machine was newly introduced into the US.  The Bosch cost about 50% more than the US brands, but I was told again that the Bosch will run extremely quietly and require very little water and detergent to clean my clothes.

WHY THE LITTLE WATER/LITTLE WATER THEORY BY BOSCH DOESN’T WORK, IN REALITY

I have had problems for the past several years with my Bosch.  With as little water as the unit uses, the washer never seems to drain all the way.   So by the time I get to the clothes they are soaking wet.  Abt repairmen have told me that the reason why this happens is because I need to run a temperature boost cycle several times, and add bleach, or vinegar, to make sure the clothes get clean; of course, when the washer is empty, thereby using more water.  I don’t get it.

MY NEW BOSCH MOTOR HASN’T CORRECTED THE RINSE CYCLE PROBLEM

After having the service man out several times, over many years, Abt said that Bosch would replace the motor.  Finally, a new motor.  What a great idea.  But the new motor hasn’t fixed the problems.  After my last service call, I was instructed again to use only HE (high efficiency) detergent.  But I had been using Tide HE for years.  So we are back to square one, and Bosch isn’t doing anything about it.  I have been told that the unit needs to be replaced, yet again.