Try Houseplant and Container Forum for many, many Threads on Pachira aquatica. Pachira like well-draining soil, thorough watering, and lots of light. Mine is still outdoors, although it will be coming in soon....now that nights temps are dropping. Pachira is fairly easy to propagate from healthy cuttings. I just cut, and then stick the cutting in a container of bark-based potting mix. I have also propagated Pachira from the leaves. In fact, my Pachira was started from a leaf. Here she is today. Josh

I think when I looked into having my bathroom re-done, the quote I got was around 5,000 as well. This included demo, dumpster rental, "materials and labor" (excluding tile, grout, tub, sink and fixtures). Note: when I read that "materials and labor" excluding a bunch of materials - I had to ask wat materials were covered. Basically he covered mortar, any minor drywall work and backerboard for the tile -- the items whose cost was pretty much fixed and known. In any case, I opted to do the work myself (10'x8' bathroom). Tiling the floor was *very* easy. Tiling the ceiling above the tub was surprisingly easy as well (althought grouting was a bit messy). I did have a little trouble tiling the walls however. The tiling was a bit uneven on the first wall I did. Forutnately the grout hides a lot of the inconsistancies. In any case, if you want to save money, I'd recommend doing the demolition and tiling the floor yourself and then hiring someone to do the walls and ceiling.

I'm not sure I'll be much help on this subject since I'm just now decluttering and reorganizing my home. Here's a few little things I'm doing: Since I don't have a regular pantry (I'm going to make one somewhere, someday--lol) I keep all breakfast items in one drawer, like instant oatmeal, grits, hot chocolate, etc. So, I know in a glance what I need and don't buy extras. I just tear off the top of the pkg. and set the whole thing in the drawer. I also keep my ironing supplies on one drawer---irons, spray starch, etc. I actually had to buy a second iron because I couldn't find the first one---before I organized! I took all on my junky paper and cut it into note size, put it in my desk drawer. If I have pretty junky mail, or envelopes, I cut them up to use as gift tags or small note cards. I hate frying bacon, so I bake it now on a rack. It's healthier and I don't have to spend so much time at the stove. I actually baked a pkg. this morning, used it all at once---now, we have bacon for tomorrow. I don't have very many closets, so I'm using decorative tins and hatboxes (I went thru a hatbox-making phase a few years back) for storage of sewing and craft supplies, and anything else that I can't find a place for!!! LOL These things hold a lot, so I may not have to buy any shelves. In my foyer area, I have a narrow table with a mirrow above it. I just cleaned out that drawer in the table----I have a place for car keys (his & hers), gloves, hairbrush, and glasses. Since I wash my hands a zillion times a day, I keep either an old dish detergent bottle or shampoo bottle with soap, water (*and now hand lotion or baby oil mixed in) under the sink to wash hands with. I just saw a Dr. on Tv say that if you wash your hands too much and they're dried out, germs can enter your body thru the cracked dry skin EASIER!! They were talking about the flu viruses. He actually said that rubbing your hands back and forth, creating friction, would kill germs on your hands!! Rub your hands, rub your hands!!!!!!

Have you read all the great forums available here? You'll pick up great info on so many of these forums. That Home Site Forums