Wow seeing all those ideas itltrot I realized I have more stuff than just what's in my basement. I too have pillows stored in closets and cubes and hat boxes with decor stuff in them too. Even two pattern cabinets I purchased when a fabric store I worked at closed. I also have a number of the plastic stacked drawers. Now I want to go through it all and get rid of most of it. I just don't need all that stuff that has been collected for numerous home the past 31 years of marriage and my teen years. Not sure I have anything beyond that unless you count things that were my Mom's. Many great ideas though. Thanks!

Foxes Pad, I don't go to home stores often (usually antique stores) but when I dare to step inside one everything is greige or beige. I. Am. So. Tired. Of. That. Look. Please, for the love of everything decorating-holy, move on! My father was a designer and had furniture stores since before I was born until 1980ish, and his father before him had a furniture factory until it burned down. The stores were set up as Pal described, but changed often (with the exception of draperies). People could buy off the floor (all floors) or custom order. He went to market twice a year and ordered whatever whenever in between to keep inventory. The last store carried a high price point, but also a variety of price points below so almost anyone could find something. He retired after discovering he could rent the building to another furniture store and make the same money without having to put on a suit daily. So he went from retail to commercial real estate overnight and never looked back. Now, one locally owned furniture store in our area is mostly full of gaudy ornate pieces that look like they belong in Vegas or a bordello. Sad times for those looking to buy modern or traditional pieces. The other carries the greige phase. Actually a new store opened about six months ago and I finally went in at DH's insistence - more greige! Even the accessories in the last two stores are monochromatic with no appeal to me whatsoever. None of my friends buy this and neither do our three adult children, so I'm not sure what age group is buying the bulk of it. The internet has changed the way we shop --> seek, compare, order. Granted you're taking chances if ordering a sofa you haven't sat upon before clicking the button. But isn't it easier to explore the 15,000 lighting options from the comfort of your chain while wearing pajamas and no make-up?! I don't really read blogs. I do look at one a friend writes now and then (she's currently remodeling a house) and I like to read Atticmag, which is really not a blog. I also avoid Apartment Therapy (nothing new there) and recently unfollowed House Beautiful on Facebook (articles I clicked through to read taught me nothing). As someone raised in a furniture store, it is quite depressing.

Malls are definitely not on their way out around me, in suburban DC/Baltimore. Where I live, in a large tourist town, we have our downtown/Main Street shopping district with its touristy shops, boutiques and restaurants. Unfortunately high rents and parking issues mean lots of turnover and some businesses fleeing to our huge mall a few miles away, as well as a Towne Center (funny it's called that b/c it's not the center of town!) just down the road from the mall and an additional large strip mall another few blocks from there. Our mall has been around since my childhood and has expanded several times in the last 30 years. The anchor stores are Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, JCP, Macy's and Sears. It also includes Crate and Barrel and all three Pottery Barns. I almost never go to the mall though my teenagers do. Not to hang out - my dd17 loves to shop and ds16 will meet friends for a movie. Our Towne Center is huge as well with a high rise high end condo complex as well as Whole Foods, Target and stores like lulu lemon, and Anthropologie and numerous restaurants. Kohl's is a stand alone store across the road from there, then TJ MAXX is at another strip mall across from the Towne Center. A couple of blocks from these shopping areas is yet another large strip mall with Nordstrom Rack, Barnes and Noble, Fresh Market and a movie theater as its anchor stores. I used to love shopping but since having kids, it's more of a burden. When I do shop, I tend to hit the strip malls rather than the huge mall b/c I typically just want to go to one or two stores and then flee. ;). I rarely buy shoes or clothes online b/c I need to try them on first. I will if I already have the item and just want a replacement, or it's something where I know the fit won't be an issue. I do often buy my kids clothes online, esp my boys. I do use Amazon Prime but not really for clothes or shoes. I also try to buy from locally owned stores as much as I can. But all that said, I don't see our mall going belly up anytime soon. Our anchor stores never seem to be the ones to close when retailers announce they are closing some of their locations.

Well, I knew this would happen, I found some of the answers to my questions. Noting them here for anyone with the same questions. Al (talpa) on the subject of fertilizing after repotting, and whether to water with or without fertilizer first. Link here. "You can fertilize when you see signs of new growth or after a couple of weeks. What will you be using for fertilizer? The only time I moisten the soil before I fertilize with soluble fertilizer is if the plant is obviously very dry. Even then, if I'm using reduced dosages and fertilizing often, I might fertilize a plant I suspect is dry. It's always better to err on the side of caution, though, so your plan to water first and then fertilize a few minutes later is the safe bet."