Seafood Festivals Galore

Tis the month of seafood festivals! So get ready to eat some great food and enjoy all the festivities!

Head out to Safety Harbor Marina this weekend for a three-day festival with seafood and other food vendors from around the county. Plus live entertainment, arts and crafts and children's actives. It is a weekend the whole family is sure to enjoy. Entrance to the festival is free but you'll have to pay for any food and drinks you want to try.

The Safety Harbor Seafood Festival will be open from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Friday; 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Sunday. To see all the entertainment that will be preforming and the schedule check out the Safety Harbor Events page.

One weekend not enough for you? St. Petersburg is starting a new tradition and having their first Seafood and Music Festival on March 25 & 26. The event will have seafood plates from top restaurants in the St. Pete area. There will also be live entertainment and a selection of arts, crafts and fine products by artists and vendors. Come out to North Straub Park between 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. on March 25 & 26 to have a great weekend full of seafood, art and music.

Tickets can be purchased on the Seafood & Music Festival's webpage. Get your tickets in advance for $3 or $5 at the gate. There are also VIP tickets for $50 if you want to get really fancy at the festival.

This is the month to get all your seafood kicks! Make sure you check out all the live entertainment and activities at each. After you go, let Bin There Dump That Tampa Bay know what seafood creation was your favorite; we'd love to see your pictures! And remember that Bin There Dump That is here for all your rental dumpster needs including dumpster rentals in St. Petersburg and Safety Harbor.

DIY Home Renovation Trends

            This is an exciting year for home improvement do-it-yourselfers. There are more materials, products, youtube videos and websites than ever before to browse for ideas, instructions and video guides. Tile that looks like wood is gaining popularity for flooring, along with spa-like bathrooms, streams and ponds in backyards and hardscaping from which to enjoy those water features.

            The home handyman or the highly motivated not-yet handyman - or woman - can develop a plan and a budget one weekend and potentially start and finish a home project the next. The savings, increased property value and self-satisfaction are worth the effort. It may take a little blood, sweat and tears before completion, but the idea is mostly just the sweat [equity].

            Before you go hog wild on your project, arrange with Bin There Dump That to have a dumpster rental delivered the day you want it and picked up when you specify. They'll put boards under the dumpster for driveway protection, and they are friendly, professional and happy to help. Some trends making headlines are:

            Bold colors - from ceilings to accent walls and tile to little dressers and benches, daring colors enliven any space.

            Lighting - colored ginger jar bases with drum shades reminiscent of the 1950s are showing up on nightstands, end tables and desks in home offices. Pendants replace recessed lights over kitchen islands (an easy DIY switch-a-roo) and outdoor spotlights illuminate gardens, trees and Old Glory after dark.

            Open shelving - accessibility is trending for the dishes in the kitchen and towels in the bathroom. Open shelves are holding plates, pitchers, baskets and all sorts of platters and pottery.

           

            Spa bathrooms - taking cues from luxury hotels, bathrooms are moving from utilitarian to spa-like zones for relaxation. Wainscoting, wallpaper, vessel sinks, soft lighting, deep soaking tubs, plush towels rolled in a basket or open shelf, flameless candles, bubble bath, heated towel racks and TV, radio and music are part of the spa experience at home.

            Rural touches - natural wood doors, rustic benches and weathered flea market finds can add some farm feel and country cozy to every room in the house. If you find a piece that's too distressed, whitewash or streak it with your favorite color for interest.

            Water features - in a weekend, you can create a pond, a stream, a fountain or some soothing water feature with a few pond plants, maybe some fish (they are good for ecological balance, though koi eat snails) and a frog or two - real or ceramic.

            Hardscaping - retaining walls, paver patios or just a slate base for a bench in a far corner in the shade, fire pits and outdoor fireplaces encourage more time and relaxation outside.

            Browse these websites for ideas for every home improvement, including some you may have not thought of or considered. There's something for every budget and every lifestyle, and don't forget the fine folks over at Bin There Dump That before you starting tearing up your yard or house.

Ø  DIY Network

Ø  Ron Hazelton

Ø  HGTV

Ø  Better Homes and Gardens

Ø  Home Wizards

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You'll wish that summer could always be here.

            The song peaked on the billboard in the top 10 in 1963, but the words sung by Nat King Cole, written by Charles Tobias, have stuck with every generation. We are once again in the throes of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.

            The beaches beckon, golf courses are in full swing and families are flocking to the whole state for camping, swimming, windsurfing, fishing, Disney-ing, cruising and watching the sun set into the glorious horizon throughout the Tampa Bay region. It's hot outside most days, so:

v drink plenty of water

v wear lightweight, loose-fitting, cotton clothes

v always wear a hat

v put on sunglasses

v eat light

v take showers and baths for cooling

v seek out shady outdoor venues or A/C indoor ones

v use sunscreen

            However, the long days and warm temps also are perfect for home renovation or spruce up projects. Your first stop should be Bin There Dump That for a dumpster rental. Even if you are simply power washing your house, you'll likely find some broken gutters or downspouts, branches, leaves and debris that have rested on your property from somewhere else. Summer is great for painting, roofing, staining decks, screening a porch or adding a sunroom.

            It is wise to have your air conditioning unit checked annually, and the beginning of summer, when it's likely to run the most, is the best time. A heat pump can use up to 50% more energy when it's not in optimum condition. Change your filters, switch ceiling fan rotation and check all your screens for those nights when you can sleep with fresh air wafting around inside.

            Remember that you don't need to be a tourist from afar to enjoy your own hometown. If there's a museum you haven't been to recently, a beach full of memories you haven't walked on years or a bucket list fishing excursion you always want to go on, summer break is the perfect time. Be a little lazy, hazy and crazy yourself.

Honey, I Shrunk the Household

           

With the wild popularity of the "tiny house movement" and "living tiny," people of all ages are downsizing. Many are shunning boatloads of possessions and big houses for cozy, small square footage and a lifestyle not defined by largess. Older folks on the other side of raising family also find, at some point, that they have too much house. Longing to reduce expenses, maintenance, stuff and time spent on upkeep, they seek to downsize. Remember the definition of "stuff" ~ something that has weight and takes up space.

            The "tiny house movement" is synonymous with "small house movement" and is attracting much attention across generations. Roughly speaking, a tiny house is less than 400 square feet, and a small home has 400 to 1,700 square feet. Most people who move to smaller digs find it quite appealing to live in less space, do less maintenance, spend less money and live more efficiently. Some opt for outdoor deck and patio living instead of maintaining a formal yard of grass, shrubs, mulch, trees, etc.

            With more than 130 senior living 55+ community lifestyle options in the Tampa Bay area and some tiny and small homes on the market as well, it's not hard to find something that suits your style and budget. If you cannot quite embrace the tiny ones, low maintenance bungalows and ranch homes abound in the Tampa Bay-Clearwater-St. Petersburg region. Townhouses, lofts and condos benefit homeowners by sharing walls, exterior maintenance costs and common spaces. Homeowner dues cover parking lots, trash pickup, roofing, exterior building maintenance and landscaping. Many singles, couples and families report a renewed closeness, not just in proximity, but emotionally, when they downsize.

            As with any project, it takes planning to pull off a successful downsize, and one can begin well before signing a contract on the new place.

• List items that you think you cannot live without. Check off how many times you use each one over a month or two months. Be realistic.
• If you opt for condo living or a neighborhood where a homeowner association handles landscaping, pass along your lawn mower, weed eater, hedge trimmers and garden tools.
• Sort through clothes, shoes, linens, excess furnishings and drastically reduce the collections, keeping only what you need, use and love.
• Envision smaller rooms similar to what you have now. Your new living room might be the size of your guest bedroom. Move furniture in there the way you want your new space to function.
• Trade exercise equipment for a good pair of walking shoes. 
• Measure furniture and figure room space and square footage on graph paper or an app.
• Use this as a great opportunity to bless others with things they may want or can use in their big houses.
• Consider closet and storage systems which maximize space utility.
• Look into Murphy beds and clever conversion furniture.
• If you've lived a long time in your home and/or have accumulated things that have been water damaged or become moldy, piles of newspapers or broken items, you may as well order a Bin There Dump That dumpster. It will save you all the hassle of dump or landfill trips and fees and make the whole downsizing adventure run more smoothly.

Water Water Everywhere ~ or in a Pond

A water feature cannot only transform your landscape, but also provide hours of enjoyment and relaxation, along with increased property value. Across the country, homeowners are installing ponds and streams where none used to be, although you are near the ocean everywhere in the Tampa Bay region, those waves do not (thankfully) crash in your backyard.

Water has a soothing, tranquil effect and can provide an emotional lift and reducing stress. Installing any water feature in your yard has a good impact on the environment by attracting birds, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs and small critters. Keeping some fish brings more entertainment and contributes positively to the cleanliness and ecological balance of a pond. Snails will help decompose organic matter that can collect on the bottom of any pond. However, Koi fish eat snails, so do your homework on which fish are best for your little water world.

More and more landscaping companies are branching into water feature designs and construction. If you are highly motivated and understand pumps and filters, it can be a do-it-yourself project. Many of the large home improvement stores have everything you need and you can browse for information, supplies and equipment at websites like:

• Ron Hazelton Water Feature Projects
• DIY Network Planning a Pond Video
• Backyard Water Features
• The Pond Guy
• HGTV Pools & Water Features

If you are not into digging up your yard for another project to build and maintain, consider a container water garden or small fountain in a large tub or corner of your patio. It doesn't have to travel 40 feet in a stream and spill into some gigantic pond to be soothing and attractive. It can be small, sweet and special. Even a birdbath is a water feature.

One great advantage in Florida is that your pipes, pumps and filters are not likely to freeze in winter. When doing all of this, even if it’s not a DIY project you will need to have a place to dump all the junk. Get in touch with Bin There Dump That for a dumpster rental throughout your water project. You need a dumpster for the debris, dirt and gunk you will pull out of your yard to make space for the water feature, and these guys are experts at protecting your driveway and yard and honoring your timetable for delivery and pick-up.

The dumpster for all your spring cleaning projects

Can you smell that…? April showers mean spring has arrived. It might be cold and even snowing in other parts of the country but here in the Sunshine State the most we have to worry about is if we need to bring an umbrella when we step outside. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, April Showers mean it could be beautiful and sunny one day and then snowing or sleeting the next.

Spring brings about longer nights, days at the beach and time road tripping to and from the Keys yet, it also means the sometimes-tedious task of spring-cleaning. In addition to the 20 Things You Should Deep Clean This Spring, you can’t forget to clean your attic, basement, garage and other storage areas. For all the bigger items you’re throwing away you shouldn’t have to go through the hassle of hauling them to the dump, just call your local Tampa Bay Bin There Dump That.

Got a small spring-cleaning project, our 4-yard dumpster will be perfect for you! Cleaning out your mom’s attic and aunt’s shed, try going up a size and order one of our 6-yard bins. Our website has pictures, prices and can answer any questions you may have. Need some more information than what is on our website, give us a call. Our office staff is extremely knowledgeable and is happy to help with any questions you might have.

So no matter how many cleaning projects this spring brings, make sure you make your life a little easier and give Bin There Dump That a call. We’ll drop off a dumpster then haul away all the old. Because you know what they say… “Out with the old, In with the new.”

April Fools

Ha! Ha! Ha! April Fools!

            Widely accepted as the annual date to play jokes and pranks on people, April 1 used to be akin to New Year's Eve, according to one theory on the origin of April Fool's Day. Many people in Europe exchanged gifts and celebrated the New Year on April 2.  In the year 1582, the Gregorian calendar was introduced and New Year's Day moved to January 1. Without rapid communications like today, many people were slow to discover the change or adopt it, and people in the know would make fun of and play jokes on those who forgot or simply did not accept it. Others speculate is has something to do with the change of seasons.
            Though not a public holiday anywhere in the world, the day has taken on a life of its own and grown in popularity. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer references the first known recorded association between foolishness and April 1. Radio, television, newspapers and even websites are in on the action. Some of the memorable hoaxes on the public include:

Ø  1957, BBC broadcast a film of Swiss farmers picking fresh spaghetti in a Swiss Spaghetti Harvest. They were inundated with calls from people wanting to know where and how to buy a spaghetti plant. BBC Spaghetti prank

Ø  1962, Sweden's one black-and-white television station's alleged technical expert, Kjell Stensson, showed viewers how to change their picture from black and white to color by covering the screen with a nylon stocking. Transcript of broadcast

Ø  1989, Londoners reported an alien spaceship landing on the outskirts of the city. Sir Richard Branson had the hot air balloon crafted to look like a spaceship he planned to set down on April 1 in London's Hyde Park. The wind current took him off course and forced him to land one day early. One policeman ran away when the door opened and the silver-suited Branson emerged. UFO over London

Ø  2004, DJs on a Portland, Ore., radio station convinced some gullible listeners they could be fined up to $150 for not having dogs, cats or ferrets buckled in seat belts. Radio pet prank

Ø  2009, Swiss Tourism Board released a video about the Association of Swiss Mountain Cleaners that kept the Alps looking pristine day after day. Some 30,000 people went online to take the qualifying test to become a mountain cleaner. Association of Swiss Mountain Cleaners

Ø  2012, On the Medieval Manuscripts Blog, the British Library published that it found a long-lost medieval cookbook with a recipe for how to cook a unicorn. "Taketh one unicorne," began the instructions, and then marinade it in cloves and garlic before finally roasting it on a griddle. Unicorn cookbook

            And there is the ... no joke ... health benefit and stress reducer of laughter. Belly laughs and general playfulness are good for people, yet others find the day creepy, hoping they don't fall for something and be laughed at or made into a joke. In a 1950s study, folklore researchers Iona and Peter Opie found the British version of pulling pranks on others to end at mid-day or noon, and the person playing a joke in the afternoon or evening became the fool.
            There's no shortage of fools on April Fool's or All Fool's Day and some go on "fool errands" having received an invitation to a non-existent party or event. The fine folks at Bin There Dump That won't make fools of you, however. They are honest, professional, helpful and downright fun to work with when you have a serious clean-out or clean-up project. Keep that in mind as spring cleaning rounds the bend.