Brought to you by Joel Hentges "Profit from my experience" Your referrals are greatly appreciated! 952-475-9541 joel@homesbyjoel.com check out my website... www.homesbyjoel.com Counselor Realty, Inc. 3622 Highway 101 S. Suite 100 Wayzata, MN 55391 Storage Solutions Most people, when asked what they have the least of, would answer one of three things: time, money and space. Now, you may not be able to find more of the first two, but with these storage solutions, you can discover plenty of space in your home. Here's how: Look for furniture that serves more than one purpose. For example, a coffee table with built-in drawers or bench seats with hidden storage compartments. There are many organizers available to make the most of your available closet space, including tiered hangers, shoe racks, dividers and more. You can also store out-of-season clothing in flat boxes beneath your bed or on upper, hard-to-reach shelves to create additional space. Don't overlook wall and ceiling space. Baskets attached to the wall can be attractive storage in the bedroom and a hanging pot rack can be an eye-catching display in the kitchen. Print This Article Also in this issue... Rules of Remodeling How to Keep Your Porcelain Clean Double Duty Space for the Whole Family Rules of Remodeling It would be awful to spend your time and money adding on a new deck, only to find that it violates code or crosses the line into your neighbor's property. Remodeling rules may seem confusing, but they help to ensure that the material costs and the labor you invest in your project yields a strong, long-lasting result. If you are planning a remodeling project, avoid delays, fines or other setbacks by first checking out the building codes and ordinances in your area. Here's some handy information to help you learn the basics of remodeling rules. Building codes - most communities base their construction regulations on the Uniform Building Code (UBC). Wiring codes are generally covered by the National Electric Code (NEC) and the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) sets the standards for plumbing. If your blueprints comply to these codes, then you will be issued building permits, which need to be obtained before construction can begin or any inspections can take place. Zoning laws cover four basic building issues - the maximum height of a building the allowable uses, including residential, commercial, industrial, etc. the width and depth of a building the number of units allowed per acre Sometimes an exception, called a variance, will be granted for special considerations, but this can take a significant amount of time and you may need to hire an attorney to prove that a variance is warranted and will have no negative impact. Setback requirements mandate the number of feet between the building area and your property line. For example, your new deck will likely need to be 10 to 15 feet from your neighbor's boundary. Easements also limit your building area because you cannot build in part of your property that has been set aside for right-of-way, utility lines or other public usage. Other limitations include deed restrictions, homeowners association agreements or if your house or neighborhood has been deemed to have historic significance.