Home Improvement for Women

There’s nothing more enticing than a pot of homemade spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove: the smell of garlic, fresh herbs and ripe tomatoes right off the vine. And there’s nothing more satisfying than harvesting these ingredients from your own vegetable garden — right in your apartment.

Urban farming means container gardening, and it works in any kind of space. It’s easy: No digging, tilling or weeding. It’s efficient: Watering and harvesting take only minutes. It’s inexpensive: You can get started with a few plastic containers. You’ll save time and money — all while enjoying organic, pesticide-free fruits and veggies.

Getting started The first thing you need to do is consider the space. Do you have a terrace or back-yard space? A sunny room? Spacious window ledges? Most gardening experts say to aim for six to eight hours per day of direct sunlight. If you don’t get that much sun in any one space, group your containers on rolling platforms and move your “garden” in search of sun! (Learn how to build a plant dolly at barbarasway.com.)

Choose your crops Buy seeds from catalogs or purchase seedlings from your local farmers’ market. If you’re planting indoors, you can grow crops year-round. If your garden will be in a sunny space (with four or more hours of strong, direct sunlight daily), think about planting cherry tomatoes, banana or chili peppers, cucumbers or strawberries. If your light is poor, try beans, root vegetables and leafy greens such as spinach, chard, rhubarb, broccoli, cabbage and kale. Some herbs, onions and garlic also do well in less light.

Choose your containers Use ready-made planters, old milk cartons, plastic buckets and even children’s wading pools. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom, and place a fine screen or fabric barrier over it so the soil can’t pass through. Or build simple wooden window boxes with instructions from the “Do It Yourself” projects section on my Web site.
Make sure the container has room for the roots to spread out. For tomatoes, cucumbers or carrots, choose containers starting at about a 15-quart capacity. Leave room at the top for future mulching.

* Prepare the land The hardest part of urban gardening is hauling the planting material up to your apartment, especially if you’re in a walkup! Even though you’re going to be “gardening” indoors, don’t use garden soil. It’s heavy and can harbor diseases and insects. Organic, lightweight potting soil mixes are best.

* Tending your crops Water your crops daily or at least every other day. Because frequent watering depletes nutrients from the soil, plan on using a balanced, organic fertilizer every two weeks.

* To grow more, go vertical If you’re placing containers against a wall or fence, the easiest (and cheapest) method of creating a trellis is to string twine or wire. Using screws, attach one end of the twine to the container and the other end to a screw sunk into the wall. (You can do this indoors, too.) Place the container about a quarter inch from the wall so there is room for plants to grow upward. Allow plants to climb on wire pyramid cages, or lash bamboo poles at the top and sink the ends into the container.

After your garden is thriving, you can dream even bigger. Consider hydroponic window systems (windowfarms.org), and look into kitchen composting.

Do it Barbara’s Way!

With a speedy commute, flexible hours, and lots of independence, working from home can be a great luxury, especially when your home office is comfortable and efficient. Here are 5 simple steps you can take to make your home office the most productive space in your house: 

1. Make the space work for you. Assess what you really need from your office. If you are transitioning from a job outside the home, consider what worked best about your old workspace. Was everything in one place? Do you like to spread out your papers to work? Are your files on your hard drive, in a filing cabinet, or on your Blackberry or iPhone? Do you expect to share the space with your family (for kids to do homework, or as a guestroom), or will your office be a place for you and you only? Don’t set up your office based on how you think you should work. Set it up based on how you are already working.

For example, because I have an office for my business, I don’t feel like I need a formal workspace at home. I can work in any space as long as there is an outlet for my laptop! I tend to gravitate toward serene spots, where I can be creative and think, which is why my desk is in my bedroom, rather than in a family area. 

2. Set your budget and think outside the box. Are you planning on building a new space for your office, or converting a garage or attic? If it’s a simple conversion of existing space, a general contractor should be able to give you an estimate. Get multiple estimates, and check all references from anyone you are thinking of hiring. If your budget is lean, you can still create a useful working space in your home. Get creative: do you have a guest room that rarely hosts guests? A playroom that your kids have outgrown?  Extra space in the kitchen? Designate office space using low-cost solutions like screens, bookcases, and modular storage units to preserve privacy and contain your work. 

3. Get wired. Once you’ve decided where your office will be located, lay out how the finished room will look. Take measurements and sketch how furniture will fit in the room. List the office equipment you will be using to determine where to place additional electrical outlets, reducing the need for extension cords. For me, one of the most crucial things in a workspace is lighting. I prefer both natural and overhead lighting. If your room lacks windows, make sure you have enough overheard and area fixtures. You’ll also want a desk lamp for adequate task lighting. Consider what other wiring you will need: Do you do all your business on a cell? Or do you need a landline, or two? Is the room hard-wired for high-speed Internet service? Or should you invest in a wireless router, providing Internet access to the whole household without needing to “plug-in”?  

4. Make yourself comfortable. I sometimes like to work on the floor in a big pile of pillows, near a sunny window. When I’m comfortable, I’m willing to stay where I am and focus on the task at hand. Your home office should be a place you look forward to going — not somewhere you are eager to escape! Arrange your work area in an L or U shape – this way you’ll have all your important items within easy reach. If you plan on spending lots of hours at your desk, make sure that you get a comfortable chair with adequate back support. Place your computer keyboard and monitor are at the proper height. Consider how you will heat and cool your space. Ceiling fans and programmable thermostats are proven energy savers. (Go to www.barbarasway.com for info on how to evaluate and install these proven money and energy savers!) 

5. Create a place for everything. You can install wall shelving (inexpensive and easy to construct), use free-standing shelves (I’ve got instructions on my website for how to build a nifty and functional shelving system on wheels), or invest in stackable modular storage pieces. My book, Room for Improvement offers more great ideas for do-it-yourselfers. Consider hiding your office equipment in a computer armoire. Bookshelves, or even fabric panels can double as room dividers, creating a separate area for client meetings.

Finally, remember that working at home is not just a lifestyle decision — it’s your business. Review your at-home productivity and profitability at six-month intervals and be prepared to make necessary adjustments. With a smoothly running home office, you can find a new job, launch a new business, or take your home-based career to the next level.