mcintyree's Profile

It sounds like you should be considering this as a temporary solution until you're able to identify other childcare options. If you think you can be productive and professional while she's with you at work, then it sounds like a great opportunity. You might also bring up the possibility of starting off at a part-time status (like you had originally planned) until you can make childcare arrangements.

Since your new boss opened the door to the possibility, I think you should plan a few follow-up discussions with her to determine exactly how the two of you will manage the situation, should you decide to do it. Just off the top of my head, there are quite a few things to discuss: crying baby noise, distractions to coworkers, nursing/feeding, scheduling meetings/appointments, accounting for your time (i.e. how do you account for times when you're caring for your son instead of working), etc. Whatever you do, be sure that you both are on the same page before you start - this isn't a situation where you'd want to misinterpret things and get off to a bad start on a new job.

Big Lots, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls all carry inexpensive desk organizers and decorative items. Keep the accessories to a minimum, but add some color and comfort - I added a nice lamp, lumbar pillow (for my "guest chair"), desk organizers, and some framed wall art to my office for far less than $50.

Much like determining the proper attire for the office, take your cues from your coworkers - you don't want your cubicle to stand out for the wrong reasons.

Growing up, we'd come home with LOADS of candy because we lived in a compact and generous neighborhood. Seriously, we got pounds of candy. My parents would inspect everything before we were allowed to eat a single piece, but gave us full control over what we did with it. What happened - every single year - is that we'd do some swapping back and forth, eat our favorite stuff that first week, and promptly lose interest. The candy would sit in the pumpkin on the shelf and we'd occasionally think to get another piece, but we typically had to throw out the previous year's candy so we'd have a clean bucket for the next year's TOT! Same with Easter - we'd get a ton of candy and most would end up in the trash.

We were never restricted on candy or treats on a daily basis, so Halloween candy wasn't some "forbidden treasure" or anything all that exciting to us. Although we liked it, we simply weren't motivated by or focused on sugar. My cousins, by contrast, were very restricted in how much sugar they could consume - the result being that they binged when allowed to have it, bounced off the walls, and generally freaked out at the very thought of sugar or candy. Which reinforced the cycle.

Every kid will be different, but I'm definitely of the mindset that all things in moderation is a reasonable approach. When kids can't moderate for themselves, that's when parents need to step in and help them learn.

Without seeing a floor plan, its really tricky to know what to suggest! You could always get a gate-leg table that folds away when not in use for dining (which would maximize play space). Or get a rectangular table that sits lengthwise along one wall to leave more floor space for playing on the other side of the room.

Based on the (small) photo, I'd be concerned that the dark brown would be too much with your dark-wood vanity and accessories (shelves, mirror, shower curtain, etc). There won't be any contrast and the overall look will be very "heavy" even with bright pops of color. Now, if you were keeping the lighter tiles outside of the shower (or a lighter paint/wainscotting) and just painting the dark brown wall above it...that would keep the brown from overwhelming things.

You should also be careful that you don't have an ammonia/coolant leak in the condenser. We once had a small fridge that had a sharp "bad" smell even after being emptied and thoroughly cleaned with soap and water. My brother tried cleaning it with a bleach and water solution, only to end up with a massive headache. Turns out the bleach fumes were mixing with the leaking ammonia, which could have been deadly!

Also - make sure that local zoning and regulations would allow you to convert this into a permanent residence. You'll want to think about water and sewer/septic requirements too. The presence of a studio apartment doesn't mean that any of these issues were checked or resolved - do your homework before you find out that the project is technically feasible but illegal!

Don't fall in love with your first house - the odds are very high that it won't be your last house and getting emotionally attached can lead to poor decisions in the purchasing process. Be willing to walk away from the negotiations at any time if your needs aren't met and you won't be held hostage by the other party.

Its tempting to think that you're going to find the perfect house, but there are SO many examples of the perfect house slipping away (negotiation problems, outbidding, etc) and people always seem to find another or better perfect house later on.

Its also helpful to think about your ability to sell the house down the road - you might be willing to accept some quirks, but would a potential buyer 5 or 10 years from now? Don't even think about buying if you can't imagine staying there for at least that period of time, if not longer - the market simply doesn't offer the same flexibility and mobility that it used to.

As a landlord, I think your first two recommendations are simply poor assumptions.

Management companies may have systems, but they also have bureaucracy. Whether you rent directly from an owner or from a management company, you have to remember that you're dealing with a business entity. You want someone that conducts themselves professionally and follows through. Get recommendations from previous or current tenants. And look at the full range of properties they have available - that will give you an idea of the standards they've established for their properties.

And yes, its important to be persistent, but its important to remember what's truly important and how to appropriately request assistance. A broken door hinge is not an emergency unless the door won't close or latch safely! You will drive your landlord/management company insane if you're constantly bugging them for cosmetic or minor repairs. Put them in writing and negotiate a timeframe up front. Prioritize those things that must be fixed, those that you'd like to have fixed, and those that you can easily handle on your own with their written permission. Emergency repairs are those related only to health and safety (lack of plumbing, heating and cooling, etc) and that's where you should expect your landlord to immediately jump into action.

Most important for a good relationship - remember that it is their business or investment (they are trying to make a living from this) and be respectful of their time and property. We don't have to be friends, but it goes a long way when we know that our tenants respect our properties and don't have unrealistic expectations for what their rental should have.

I got a smaller steel bucket (similar idea) from my local HomeGoods store for about $12. So I'd check Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and other discount stores to see what they have. Can't make any guarantees on colors or patterns, but I've definitely seen them around - and don't forget to take a peek in different store sections. Gardening, laundry, storage, kitchen...not limited to the kids area.