Compass Greater NY, LLC
Ann Marie Damashek, GRI, CBR, SRES, Compass Greater NY, LLCPhone: (917) 623-0624
Email: [email protected]

Garden Clean-Up: How to Build a Hose Container

by Ann Marie Damashek, GRI, CBR, SRES 06/13/2021

Image by Victoria Farr from Pixabay

With a little thought, creativity and some inexpensive odds and ends you can add charming accents to your home.  Weekend projects provide a fun way to spend a few hours and being able to look at your finished project with satisfaction is even better if it serves a useful purpose beautifying your property.  The majority of store-bought garden hose caddies aren’t particularly attractive, and of course neither is a loose hose, but all you really need is a container or hanger of the right size.  Keeping this in mind, lots of objects can work beautifully for this purpose, and you can design them yourself and incorporate touches that best complement your home.

Ceramic Planter Hose Caddy

The beautifully painted ceramic planters you’ve been eyeing in the gardening departments of stores can be transformed into more than just the statement piece for your garden.  Choose one large enough that it can neatly hold the coils of your given hose--the longer your hose, the taller or wider the planter should be.  Drill bits designed for ceramic tiles can easily be found at hardware stores so you’ll be able to make holes in the side of the planter as needed for the hose to enter the caddy from the spigot and to exit the caddy for use.  Be sure the diameter of your holes leaves excess room to allow the hose to easily slide through without kinking or cutting into it; you want to be able to slide it out easily for use.

If your planter is tall enough you might choose to leave it as is, but some planters come with lids so you can completely conceal the hose for storage.  Alternately you can buy a shallow bowl-shaped planter to fit into the top of your hose caddy and plant some flowers to hide the hose.

Rustic Wooden Hose Caddy

Pieces made from natural, textured materials like wood look at home nested in your garden or alongside your house.  Start by picking up a standard wood shipping-style crate for around $10 from superstores, craft stores or used from online shops, as well as a thin rectangular piece of similar wood about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.  You will also need a wooden dowel road about 1 inch in diameter.

Use a hole cutter attachment for your drill to cut 2 holes into boards on the size of your crate for your hose to lead in to the crate from the spigot and an outgoing hole to make use of the hose when needed.  Make these holes of ample size so as not to abrade or cut into your hose.  

A simple lid can be made by cutting the rectangular piece of wood to be even with the outer edge of the crate opening.  Next, cut 4 1/2 to 1 inch lengths of the dowel road.  On the underside of the lid you made, use wood glue or a slim nail to attach a 1/2 to 1 inch length of dowel just far enough away from the lid’s corners that they fit inside the crate’s opening and hold the lid in place.

If desired, stain the crate and lid.  You could also stencil ‘fragile’, location names or other travel-themed accents on the boards to denote the shipping crate theme, or use wood glue to attach prints of vintage advertising signs or crate labels, then add a coat of varnish.

About the Author
Author

Ann Marie Damashek, GRI, CBR, SRES

Ann Marie Damashek has always been a natural at helping people prepare their homes for sale. She started out with a successful business selling goods for people on eBay. "Nine times out of ten they were hiring me because they were down-sizing,” Ann Marie says. "So I decided to get my license. I said, ‘Might as well sell their house too.’” The transition was a smooth one and for nine years she’s had a thriving full-time real estate business that allows her to marry her entrepreneurial spirit with her passion for helping others. With an office in Larchmont, New York, she serves all of Lower Westchester County, with her primary market in the Sound Shore region. The majority of her business is "sphere of influence” with former clients referring her to friends and family. A gifted communicator, Ann Marie quickly builds trust and rapport with her clients by being both thoughtful and responsive; she understands that during the purchase or sale of a home, a quick response time is crucial. "I am very accessible,” Ann Marie says. "I always make time for my clients. They can call me, text me, email me up until 10 o’clock at night and I will respond. I’m available on weekends. I get back to people very promptly. I’m very customer service-oriented.” Her clients appreciate her professionalism, passion and enthusiasm and as a result her repeat and referral rate continues to grow each year. While selling real estate is serious business, Ann Marie knows that at times humor and a moment of levity can be a relief to clients. While she has a laidback and easygoing personality, she can be assertive when needed on her clients’ behalf. She loves being of service to them, and the continually changing nature of the work keeps her engaged and fulfilled. "It’s never boring,” Ann Marie enthuses. "Every day is different. That’s probably what I like most about it. But I also enjoy helping people sell or buy and educating them about the process. I love helping them achieve their goals.” This ethic of service has resulted in well-deserved recognition. Ann Marie has received the Westchester Magazine Five Star Real Estate Agent Rating four years running, in 2015 and 2016 she was the #1 agent in her office, and she’s a Zillow 5-Star Premier Agent. To keep in touch with former clients, Ann Marie sends cards to mark special occasions or reaches out via email. To market her listings, Ann Marie uses Multiple Listing Services (MLS), as well as Listingbook.com, a service that allows both agents and their clients access to MLS data. She also uses a Facebook business page and ads to boost new listings or promote upcoming open houses. "That drives a tremendous amount of traffic,” Ann Marie says. She also uses the most popular real estate websites such as Zillow and Trulia. A strong believer in giving back, Ann Marie sits on the Board of Trustees of her church and is involved in a variety of social justice projects. She’s affiliated with Furniture Sharehouse, a furniture bank for Westchester County, which collects and distributes gently used furniture free of charge to those in need. "I love it on so many levels because as a realtor, it’s helps my sellers downsize through charitable donations. I like the environmental aspect of it as well. And it helps people who truly need things.” She’s also involved in Impact 100, a women’s philanthropic giving organization. In her free time, Ann Marie enjoys gardening, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. For the future, Ann Marie wants to continue expanding her business and developing her brand, and she someday hopes to grow a strong team. But her main goal is to stay in the real estate business, helping her clients to achieve their dreams.