How often should you change water filters? 

According to First American Home Warranty 

Many home systems and appliances rely on the quality of water to help ensure their performance. A faucet water filter, for example, can help remove unwanted impurities, giving you a better tasting glass of water. Learn how these five appliances or systems in your home can benefit from a water filter and when you should replace each one. 

1. Refrigerator Water Filters 

Does your refrigerator have a water dispenser or an icemaker? If it does, it will have a water filter to remove contaminants. Impurities in water can leave an odor or unpleasant taste. You should change your refrigerator’s water filter cartridge twice per year or as the manufacturer recommends keeping the quality and taste first rate. Check the manufacturer’s manual for the kind of cartridge your refrigerator needs and how often it should be replaced. 

2. Faucet-Mounted Water Filters 

You should replace your faucet-mounted filter every two to three months, or as recommended by the manufacturer. Keep in mind that busier households and your home’s water quality can decrease the life of a filter. 

Here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing a faucet-mounted filter: 

• Make sure it filters out the pollutants you are most concerned about
• Look for a system with a long-lasting filter to reduce how often you need to replace it

3. Pitcher Cartridge 

Water pitchers are as convenient as they are cheap to maintain. They filter impurities in tap water by removing chlorine, zinc, copper, cadmium, mercury, and sometimes the metallic taste you just cannot seem to shake. The only downside to these water filters is that you must change them frequently. Your water pitcher should signal when its filter should be replaced. A change in taste or odor is also a good indicator that a new filter is needed. 

4. Shower Filters 

Shower filters reduce the amount of chlorine, heavy metals, and harsh sediment that come into contact with our skin. If you or anyone in your family has sensitive skin, one way to reduce irritation is to purchase a shower head with an integrated filter or attach a shower filter to your current one. How often you should replace a shower filter depends on how much water you use. On average, it should last six months or about every 10,000 gallons of water usage. However, this varies because the amount of water used differs from household to household. This article includes helpful information on average shower water use.

5. Whole House Water Filter 

A whole house water filter provides clean water throughout your home. It is installed on the main supply line, delivering clean water to every faucet. Though it costs more to install a whole house water filter, you won’t have to think twice about the water quality throughout your home. A whole house water filter should be changed every three to six months. Learn more about when to change your whole house water filter

5 Fresh Ideas for Organizing Gardening Supplies 

by JoJo Mrgich 

Expert tips for organizing and labeling outdoors Spring has sprung, and that means we all want more time in the garden. Spend more time cultivating and less time combating clutter. Specifically with tips that make it easy to organize your gardening supplies (and keep them that way). We’ve got new organizing tips, updates that improve on classics, and how to make sure your labels last outdoors. Above all, we’ll show you how to add your own personal style to all of your garden organization projects. 

1) Next-level hack: how to organize your seed packets Seed packets are one of the most difficult things to organize. It’s so easy to fall into the seed-drawer or seed-box trap. That is to say, accumulating tons of tiny packets because you can’t see what you already have. Not to mention the mess if the packets get spilled. Sheet protectors originally designed for photos, trading cards, and business cards have tiny pockets. For this reason, they’re a genius way to get all your garden seeds in one accessible place. All the packets are easy to see so you can avoid buying repeat varieties. You can also add dividers or use tabs to organize by planting season or type of plant. Additionally, your seed binder is also the perfect place to keep a gardening calendar with planting dates. Put it in a sheet protector or just slip it in the binder cover and you’re good to go. If you’re feeling extra ambitious you can turn your seed binder into a garden journal by adding extra pages at the back for garden planning and making daily entries. 

2) Update your aesthetic with simple and cute garden markers Channel your inner artist for a fun afternoon project that’s creative and relaxing but not too involved. Use simple paint stir sticks and permanent markers to create your own unique garden markers. You can usually find paint stir sticks for free at your local hardware store. Jumbo wooden craft sticks also work. Ultra-fine permanent markers are awesome for drawing delicate finishing details. 

3) Upgrade to waterproof labels for organizing garden supplies Working outdoors can be messy and paper labels are not designed for standing up to water, dirt, and other outdoor elements. Instead, use waterproof film labels to organize gardening supplies. Avery film labels come in several different varieties, but the best for gardening are waterproof rather than water-resistant. Avery waterproof labels are also resistant to oils and common household chemicals. In other words, you can take containers out in the sunny damp garden, get messy and wipe them down afterward, no problem. 

4) How to label and organize your DIY insecticides and sprays One way to store spray bottles for the garden is on pegboard hooks or hanging on a simple towel rack. Both options are super easy to install and can keep your DIY garden sprays safely out of reach of pets and kids. Furthermore, it’s always a good idea to label homemade insecticides and garden sprays so they don’t get sprayed somewhere they shouldn’t. A label on the back is ideal for noting the ingredients and concentration as well as handy information in case of an accident. Industrial labels designed for labeling chemical containers are actually the perfect label for using on DIY garden spray bottles. Especially to avoid bottles of “mystery chemicals.” The labels are engineered to last in extreme marine environments, so basically anything your garden can throw at them, they can take. 

Pro tip: If you want to make sure the ink doesn’t smudge or smear on your waterproof labels, always make sure you’re using the right kind of label for your printer. 

5) Make use of vertical space for gardening tools and equipment Pegboard and spring-grip wall mounts are perfect for maximizing garden storage by using vertical space. We’ll walk you through how to organize tools of various shapes and sizes while keeping like items together and making sure there’s room for everything. First, take inventory of everything you have and make a list. Use your list to create make labels for each item. Our printable waterproof labels are not only going to hold up well in the garage or garden shed, but you can personalize them too. Next, sort everything by size into two groups: large tools and small tools. Wall mount storage is best for large tools, for example, hoes, shovels, and rakes. Pegboard is best for small items like trowels, weeders, and gloves. Then, experiment with the layout by laying the items out on the floor. This will give you a good idea of where to put your wall mounts and pegboard hooks. Finally, when you have everything puzzled together for the most efficient layout, install your mounts and hooks. Finish by labeling where each item belongs so that it’s easy to keep organized. 

Get organized and spend more time in the garden They say home organization is a practice, not a project… but that’s only true to an extent. You have to have a good system in place so that it’s easy to put items away and you don’t have to waste time constantly reorganizing. 

Getting your gardening supplies organized is no different. Whether it’s storing your seed packets so they’re easy to see or making sure your gardening labels last. Enjoying the look of your freshly organized garden supplies doesn’t hurt either. Loving the aesthetic of your space is a powerful motivator to keep it organized.