6 New Home Trends Moms Will Love

As a mom, there are some things that some of us just need in our homes. Whether that’s privacy for the work from home (WFH) environment, order for things that are by nature, disorderly, or a creative outlet for your kids.

Talking with Keith from K.M. Cash Construction in Virginia Beach he discusses with me three trends in new home construction seen this past year, that frankly, I love and you will too:

1. Beach Lifestyle

Post Covid-19 Pandemic, there has been an increase in families moving away from apartment living in big, expensive cities. Redfin predicts that these results may be because people can now work from home which has allowed homeowners the option to build homes by the beach in Hampton Roads or on the golf course in Cape Charles at an affordable price. 

“A lot of our new homes are inspired by a seaside charm. It’s all about relaxation, family and home offices. Rooms now have the ability to be shut off with sliding doors so you can take that work call or close off the homeschooling room. People are spending more time at home and therefore they want to have flexibility in their new home. The home we build now needs to entertain, play, teach, work and relax”.  - Keith Cash 

During the first half of Covid I was working from home, and with two rowdy boys, the ability to close off areas to allow for our kids to play freely without being hushed, and for me and my husband to work quietly without being disrupted frequently would have been a game changer. 

It’s a critical aspect to new home construction and although open plan has been a widely appreciated home layout, since covid-19 we have been reminded of the importance of doors! 

2. Home Office

Yes, Covid-19 did make working from home the new standard for many employees and thus this is now appearing on new home construction designs. Neil still works from home, and his company will never go back to the in-person model, so an office is a necessity for him. 

3. Outdoor entertainment

Wow, has this boomed during Covid-19. People are realizing how underutilized their backyard has been. It’s all about adding sunrooms, pools, firepits and outdoor patios. Keith works very closely with his clients in Cape Charles and Hampton Roads to build an outdoor entertainment space that will be enjoyed for years to come. 

“It’s great that clients are now adding outdoor entertainment to their new home build. Usually this is forgotten, or cut from the plans. At K.M. Cash Construction we work closely with our clients to design and build an outdoor entertainment area for family and friends to enjoy”.-Keith Cash 

4. Herb Drawer

Let’s be honest, herbs and spices are always a challenge to store. I know I use them daily, and I can’t just tuck them away and forget about their storage issues. It needs a solution. 

Many parents are opting for built-in spice drawers in their new kitchen constructions. Some of these are quite creative and more importantly, solve the ever dreaded lifting up of every spice to read the label until I find the thyme.

When building your new home or renovating your kitchen Keith recommends a built-in sliding drawer with staggered raises. It’s a great solution to reading your herbs and spices, while looking clean and tidy. I love mine, and it was one of the things I knew I needed in my kitchen. 

5. Chalkboard walls

“When building homes for families with young children I often get asked to add creativity to their child’s bedroom. One popular addition is the chalkboard wall. Creating a fun environment for kids to express their creativity”. -Keith Cash

Agreed! Here’s the thing. Kids are going to create. We can give them a designated space to do it, or we can end up with marker on the walls. (Ask me about the red permanent marker on my mom’s yellow walls… Whoops.) 

I have one tucked away in the kitchen. I use it to write the kids' jobs, tasks and schedules there. It keeps them involved and active when they get to check off their jobs for the day. It’s also a handy place to write down items for the grocery list. 

6. Technology

We all love our gadgets and now it’s moving into our homes. The most popular new techs that I want and love:

1. Door locks to control access - yes when leaving the house with kids and a baby you don’t need to manually lock your door anymore. One less thing to worry about. 

2. Home lighting - get those kids to sleep by dimming the lights using your cell.

3. Security - forgot to set the alarm before going to sleep after a day of work and kids. Just use your cell to alarm the house

4. Heating and Cooling are all controlled by the phone. Kids wake up cold/hot? Now you don’t need to walk through the house at 2am to get to the thermometer - just grab that cell and open the app. 

5. Grocery ordering via the refrigerator - moms dream! This simply sells itself.  

K.M. Cash Construction

I asked Keith where he is currently building new homes and he mentioned one of my favorite places - Cape Charles. Yes, this place is booming with tourists and many new developments are being built near the water and golf course. Best of both worlds! Yes, living in Cape Charles brings a lot of silence, relaxation and tranquility. Keith mentioned that many people are moving out of big cities and looking for a more calming place to call home. To see the houses that are currently under construction and for sale click here.

To see the latest designs and new builds by K.M. Cash Construction follow them on Facebook and Instagram. 

Learn It To Earn It

This year more than any other, screen time is a hot button topic. Screens are not inherently bad or good, rather a tool that should be monitored. New on the app scene is Learn It To Earn It. For grades K-5, the app blocks out other apps and distractions on the device, and provides math and reading lessons. As kids answer questions and earn screen time for completing the lessons. children can make a choice to bank the time or to go to the time bank. In this early lesson in economics, children have to make economic choices on when and how to spend their time. 

I know personally, Youtube is a scary place. The best thing about the app is that it locks and unlocks the other apps on the device according to their time. This keeps kids from exiting out of their educational tool to visit other games or videos. Plus, a weekly progress report is delivered to the parent by email. 

The Kindergarten packet begins with simple picture additions and small reading packets. The math packet has 30 questions, while reading has a passage and ten questions. Kindergarten goes through addition and subtraction from one to ten. Science and Social studies concepts are built into the reading passages. 

Available in the Apple Store and on Google Play, the app runs for $9.99 a month or $89.00 for the year. Right now you can get a free trial here. If you are looking for a way to prevent the "Summer Slide" or just want to help your child get ahead after a year unlike any other, check it out! 

*This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own. 

Virginia Beach Speech Therapy on Why Your Baby Should Learn To Sign

So excited to welcome Andrea from Virginia Beach Speech Therapy to the blog today. She is an expert on all things signing and with the toddler tantrums starting for me, I reached out to her to get the details on baby signing! Thanks Andrea!

Why should I teach my baby sign language?

1. Because they can!

Babies are born ready to communicate! As infants, they stare at you and smile when you look at them. Their eyes light up and their legs start kicking- this is one of the earliest forms of communication a baby has. It's like they’re saying, “Hi, Mom! Thanks for looking at me! I’m so excited to see your face!” As they get a little older, they develop gestures. The arms go up for “pick me up!” They can point to things that are new and exciting, they wave “bye-bye” when Mama goes to work. Babies have the capacity to use movements and gestures to communicate long before verbal speech develops. 

2. Promote Language Development

Reinforce the powerful feeling of playing an active role in your relationship. Each time your baby signs “milk” and you acknowledge it (even if to say, “not now, milk will be later”), you’re giving them a voice.

3. Reduce frustration 

Toddlers are ready and capable of doing much more than they are able to tell you. You know, the strong-willed tot who will move a stool to reach the tallest cabinet where his favorite snack is, only to kick, scream, and throw himself to the floor when you put the stool back where it was. Tantrums are often the result of a toddler knowing what they want and being frustrated that you just don’t get it! Having sign language allows him to say “Cookie please!...Thank you, Mama!”

But, will teaching my baby sign language make her not want or need to speak?

Nope! But you’re not alone, this is the first question everyone asks. 

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that early sign language use inhibits speech development. In fact, research has consistently shown that teaching sign language facilitates speech and language development, and that children who have learned signs tend to start reading at an earlier age and have higher IQ scores. 

First signs you can teach your baby:

Milk - open and close your fist 

All done- hands turn in and out

More - touch your fingertips together

Andrea is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist and the owner of Virginia Beach Speech Therapy. She received her Master of Science in Communication Disorders from Emerson College in Boston, MA and has been practicing since 2015. She lives in Virginia Beach with her husband and two little girls, who have developed a love for signing as much as their mama. Virginia Beach Speech Therapy is proud to offer private, individualized speech therapy and baby sign classes in-home and via telehealth. Some insurances are accepted. For more information check out vbspeechtherapy.com!

10 Mom Tips for Cleaning Floors and More!

Kids are messy. Chocolate milk, spit up, crayons, paint, waffles, syrup, it all ends up on our floors. That doesn't even take into account the wear and tear from all of the fire trucks, Barbie mini vans, or the dogs running around. Mess gives me anxiety, so I'm constantly battling to try and keep it clean.

I spoke with Lee Anne at Caliber Flooring Inc., who gave me all the cleaning facts...and I learned a ton. 

CARPET

1. Carpets can be stain resistant.

Most luxury carpet now comes with a 15 year warranty and is stain resistant. That’s perfect for the growing family. Here's to hoping that by the time they are 15 they wont be spilling anymore.

2. Avoid Spray Cleaner on Carpet

Unless it is urine, you shouldn't actually be using a spray cleaner on the carpet. A white rag and warm water will do the trick. Also, it is important to have your carpets cleaned, but they say to only do it once a year, and to hold on to your receipts. More than that can void your warranty. 

3. Avoid the High Powered Vacuum Cleaner

This is the shocker - Caliber Flooring guidelines say we should not be using a high powered vacuum on our carpet. A tough beater bar on a vacuum is an absolute no go! The beater bar can pull on the fibers and cause excessive frizz or unraveling. She says to vacuum more often, rather than using a more high powered vacuum. This is particularly important if you have allergies.

 

LUXURY VINYL PLANKS

4. LVP = little to no work!

Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP) is so popular right now. It's waterproof, low maintenance and highly durable. A protective coating, also known as the wear layer, offers added protection to stand up against kids toys, the dog running around, and just the everyday wear and tear. Seems like this is the product us parents should be installing in our homes. 

5. Avoid the Steam Mop

While there isn't much care, Lee Anne did tell me that the protective coating on the floor can wear off. Be sure to get a thick one, and never, ever use a steam mop. I was shocked, as I thought steam mops were *the* trend last fall. Lee Anne says never use one because the heat from the steamers can delaminate the floors and remove the top protective layer. When that’s gone, vinyl has no protection and the quality deteriorates. Instead, stick to the faithful microfiber mops.

HARDWOOD

6. Warm Water and a Rag - That's it.

Hardwood needs to be swept and spot cleaned with warm water and a rag. Again, never a steam mop. Just like vinyl plank, a simple microfiber type mop works well for the high traffic areas that need a little more attention. Just make sure to wring out the excess water so that the mop is damp.

TILE AND GROUT

7. Grout has to be resealed annually

If you don't want to deal with this, Caliber can install an additive that will last way longer and help with spots. 

8. Avoid Bleach and Baking Soda

Yep, turns out the experts at Caliber Flooring, Inc recommend using a neutral ph cleaner that can be found on the shelves at just about any grocery or home improvement store. The key is to stay away from any acidic, waxy, oil based, or abrasive cleaners. 

9. Grays are on the out, naturals are back in!

Although I love my gray, deep browns as well as accent tiles with bright colors and patterns are trending. People are looking for natural, simple, comfortable, and functional. 

10. DIY it

If you're looking to do it yourself, floating floors are the easiest to install, but Lee Anne says to remember to leave a quarter of an inch expansion gap around the edges. She also reminded me that while the floor itself is waterproof, the subfloor that you have underneath isn't. The last tip she gave me was to ensure that the subfloor is a hundred percent flat before starting. 

Learn more about Caliber Flooring

Caliber Flooring is a local company based in Virginia Beach, that also has a mobile showroom and will come to you. Caliber will visit you, take measurements, and discuss the best fit for your home before giving you a FREE quote. Military discounts and financing are available. 

Check out Caliber Flooring here or follow them on social - Instagram / Facebook