Around Portland

Top 10 Donation Spots in Portland

The holiday season often comes with an influx of new stuff, from decor and winter maintenance supplies to gifts and kitchen gear. If you find yourself feeling a little cluttered as a result, consider donating!

There are some awesome organizations around Portland that can give your unwanted possessions a second life. Maximize the good you do with what you have by following this simple guide, compiled with the assistance of SCRAP PDX’s handy website.

What to Do With…

High-quality art and design materials > Donate to SCRAP PDX

SCRAP’s website has a useful list of stuff they do and do not accept. The bottom line: they, like many other local creative reuse and recycling organizations in Portland, aren’t exactly hurting for donations. That means they are selective with what they accept. Keep this in mind when donating to any of the organizations on this list—quality matters. Consider SCRAP for your donations that fit the bill and support their efforts in environmental sustainability education and mission that revolves around access to creative expression for everyone.

New and lightly used clothes > Donate to a local homeless shelter

There are a lot of wonderful community organizations in Portland focused on ensuring the health and safety of people who’ve fallen on hard times. At this time of year, your donation of a warm winter coat can make a huge difference for someone in need. Organizations that accept donations of clean clothes in good condition include:

Portland Rescue Mission
Central City Concern
Transition Projects
Rose Haven (specializes in items for women and children)

Bedding, clothing and other fabrics > Call the Pioneer Wiping Cloth Company

It’s best not to donate bedding, clothes and other fabrics that aren’t in new or like-new condition. If you wouldn’t want to wear it or snuggle up in it, it probably isn’t suitable for donation. But that doesn’t mean it needs to go into the trash—the Pioneer Wiping Cloth Company might be able to recycle your old fabrics. Give them a call to find out!

Old electronics and tech > Donate to Free geek

Free Geek is a nonprofit focused on reusing tech equipment rather than sending these hazardous materials to landfills. When they refurbish tech, they grant what they’ve fixed to local community organizations. You can donate just about anything electronic to Free Geek, and they’ll either reuse or recycle it for you.

Household appliances, fixtures and building materials > Call the ReBuilding Center to inquire about a donation

If you’ve never been to the ReBuilding Center, you should plan a trip as soon as possible. This place is a playground of salvaged building materials you can use in DIY home improvement projects. They also accept donations, though you should call ahead if you have a lot of stuff on hand.

Furniture, lamps and other furnishings > Donate to Community Warehouse

We love the Community Warehouse—Wick is very involved with the organization, and we believe in what they do. They’re a furniture bank, meaning they function similarly to a food bank, but for furniture. If you have home furnishings in good condition that you just don’t need anymore, donate them to the Community Warehouse! Last year, the served 7,000 families.

Building supplies > Contact Habitat for Humanity Portland Metro East to inquire about a donation

You don’t have to pick up a hammer to help Habitat for Humanity build houses for low-income families. Habitat would love to reuse your building materials, and they’ll even come pick them up! If you’re planning a renovation in your kitchen, for example, Habitat may be able to arrange for a crew to come remove cabinetry that they’ll then use in a new home.

Office & school supplies > Donate to Schoolhouse Supplies

Schoolhouse Supplies is a great local organization that provides free school supplies to children in need. Any old boxes of pencils, pens, notebooks or markers can go to good use with this organization. Like SCRAP, Schoolhouse Supplies has a list of items they do and do not accept on their website. Give this a read before you bring stuff to them.

Anything plastic > Call Far West Recycling to see if they can recycle

Portlanders are getting wise to the fact that plastic is pretty terrible for the environment. If you’ve recently replaced a lot of plastic stuff with more sustainable materials, that’s great! Far West Recycling may be able to recycle your unwanted plastics.

Everything Else > Call the Metro Recycling Hotline

Unsure what to do with everything else, or with things that get rejected for donation? Call the Metro Recycling Hotline and they’ll help: 503.234.3000

VIDEO: Tips to Step Up Your Professional Wardrobe with Scarlet Chamberlin

Today is Scarlet’s tips! Style tips for every person. Scarlet has taught us a few tricks when it comes to organizing and caring for our clothes + accessories as well as how to build a professional wardrobe that makes sense for our lifestyle.

Wick: I know you guys think about home improvement all the time, but have you thought about how to step it up a notch in the fashion department? Scarlet’s joining us to elaborate! This is Fashion tips with Scarlet! Tip one: invest in the best you can afford. (Outfit #1)

Scarlet: Invest in one signature piece each season. Just like in your home, quality makes a big difference and is usually a more sustainable choice. Categories worth splurging on are a pair of handmade leather shoes, a densely woven cashmere sweater, a tailored wool coat or a slim fitting suit you can wear as separates.

Wick: Tip two: Mix high and low. (Outfit #2)

Scarlet: Too often I see people treat the more expensive things as precious leaving them to gather dust in the closet–don’t be afraid to wear those quality items you splurged on! Mix them with “low” which simply means less expensive or mass produced. For example, always have a pack of white t-shirts to pull from, they don’t have to be expensive but a fresh white t-shirt always looks smart next to a tailored pant and sneaks. This blend achieves the look of effortless style.

Wick: Tip three: Play with pattern and texture! (Outfit #3)

Scarlet: A little bit of pattern (think wallpaper) or texture (think rugs or pillows) can go a long way in your wardrobe (or in your home!). If you are new to pattern, pick something monochromatic in a color palette you are already comfortable with like dark grey houndstooth. If you are averse to pattern all together but want to mix it up, try a new texture like suede, angora, velvet or corduroy. This will add depth to your look without being flashy. Take a look at your industry. Is everyone dressing a certain way? Use these tips to step it up a notch. Stand out in a sea of black and you will get noticed. More importantly, you get dressed every single day, so have some fun with it!

Wick: Thanks for joining us! We hope you learned a few fashion tips from Scarlet. Thanks for your time today Scarlet!

Scarlet: Thank you!!

Ashley Realty Works Giving Guide

During the holidays we love showing our appreciation for loved ones and friends by getting into the gift-giving tradition. We also try to come up with ways to give that helps people in need of a little extra love. So we put together this giving guide to highlight some of our local Portland clients selling amazing products and services and share Wick’s top 5 gifts for homeowners, as well as ideas for giving the gift of experience and ways to give back to the community. Happy Giving!

GIVE A LOCAL GIFT
We promise that whenever you support one of these local businesses, someone does a little happy dance! Check Travel Portland’s event calendar to find all your local maker markets & events: https://calendar.travelportland.com/

Powell’s Books

As big as Powell’s name is being an icon of Portland and the world’s largest independent bookstore, it is a local business that needs our support. A book always makes a great gift – choose Powells instead of Amazon and support your local bookstore! https://www.powells.com/

Communion

Communion is an independently-owned men’s and women’s boutique on the corner of SE Hawthorne Blvd and 35th Place, offering labels from around the world along with plenty of local Portland favorites. Wick loves to shop here and always looks amazing in the clothing he has from the store. Many of my favorite pieces I wear over and over again come from Communion. – https://communionpdx.com/

Pledger Guitars

Custom made-to-order guitars for your favorite musician! Clayton is wonderful soul with an attention and care that is felt in every detail of his instruments. – https://www.pledgerguitars.com/

Moss & Mirror

Local jewelry with vintage whimsy and a touch of modern. Support this lovely local working stay at home mom! Irina is a ball of energy, fun and vibrant, and her creativity is constantly flowing in everything she touches. – https://www.mossandmirror.com/

Shelley Canvanaugh Jewelry

As a Portland, OR based goldsmith/ designer Shelley produces one-of-a kind & limited production jewelry. Shelley’s true passion comes from finding unique gems & turning them into gorgeous wearable treasures. Shelly’s earnestness and faithfulness to quality are second to none. Her passion for each piece and how it speaks to her is present as you touch and appreciate every detail. – https://www.shelleycavanaugh.com/

MadeHere PDX

Give the gift of local artisan products. It’s no secret that the Portland and Seattle markets represent a hotbed of creative culture, and are home to hundreds of industrious artisans who design, roast, stitch, bake, weld, brew and build some of the coolest stuff in the world. Made Here brings all these goods together in one place and is changing the way we shop. Your one-stop shop for holiday gifts, owned by one of our fabulous clients and friends, will ensure your family, friends, and clients get a quality gift where the artisan is part of the story and the gift itself. Revolutionizing the way we shop and buy. – https://madehereonline.com

One of our favorite things Made Here PDX carries – North Drinkware glasses featuring regional mountain ranges! Buy two glasses and small bottle of whiskey for that special person.

WICK’S TOP 5 GIFTS FOR HOMEOWNERS

What’s not to love about a practical gift? Here’s a list of Wick’s top five gifts for the homeowner.

1) Makita Impact Driver – What’s awesome about the impact driver is that there’s a clutch inside so you can’t strip screw heads and it stops automatically. There’s also a light to help shine on dark spots and to figure out where the screw head is. These are great for tightening hinges on doors, putting screws in the decks … anything screw related really. You can pick up a set of larger bits for bigger holes for drilling and you can get a set of smaller bits for smaller holes. And remember, don’t drink and drill!

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-18-Volt-LXT-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-Impact-Driver-Kit-with-1-Battery-3-0Ah-XDT131/301444914

2) Home Improvement 1-2-3 Book – Sick of always combing through YouTube Videos to figure out how to fix something? How about going “old school” and getting a book? This is our go to resource for home improvement – every homeowner should have a copy.

https://www.powells.com/book/-9780696213274

3) OxGard Telescoping Ladder

This ladder can fit in your car! Easy to use and very well built. I keep mine in my truck:)

https://www.homedepot.com/p/OxGord-Telescoping-Ladder-12-5-ft-Aluminum-Extension-Ladder-LDAL-TS02-12/303496400

4) Husky 15” Tool Tote

Ever wonder how to combine tool storage and sex appeal? Enter the Husky 15” Tool Tote:)

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-15-in-Tool-Tote-82042N12/203418586

5) Ring: Wireless Doorbell

See who’s knocking at your door by checking your phone. You can talk to the plumber while you’re in Barbados!

https://homedepot.com/p/Ring-Wireless-Video-Doorbell-88RG000FC100/206048897

… and this one is on Wick’s personal List!

One fell swoop and you could be tool outfitted for life! Comes with tunes too to help your next beer fueled remodel have more of a party vibe 🙂

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-18-Volt-3-0Ah-LXT-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Combo-Kit-7-Piece-XT704/301282660

GIVE AN EXPERIENCE

Gifts of experience will fill you up and nourish the soul, often leaving lasting memories way past those of traditional “thing” gifts. Here are a few we’ve tried and love.

Portland Center for the Arts Events

Go see a play downtown or spend an evening with “The Moth.” We especially love the arts & lecture series. – https://www.portland5.com/

Live Music Events

Our last birthday present to our daughter Violet was concert tickets for her and her friends – Frankie Cosmos at the Wonder Ballroom. No more trips to goodwill for this fickle girl who will often be tired of something very soon after she gets it. Give the gift of live music experiences! – https://www.wweek.com/calendar/cal?category=109

Dog Sledding Adventure

Oregon Trail of Dreams is owned and operated by Rachael Scdoris, her husband Nick, and her father Jerry Scdoris. Rachael is LEGALLY BLIND and can barely see yet she is a world-renowned athlete and had her first Iditarod finish in 2006 as a teenager. She fought to be included with her impairment. She was also an olympic athlete who competed in tandem cycling. She is AMAZING. This is a great gift for a teen or pre-teen. Start off reading Rachael Scdoris’ book then go on the adventure. – https://www.mtbachelor.com/events-activities/sled-dog-rides/

Rachel met with our book group and took us sledding. If you signed up but didn’t know her story you’d be missing out on knowing a real hero.

Scarlet Chamberlin Styling Company

Whether you’re looking for a gift for your partner (all genders warmly welcomed!), a group outing for your work crew or treat for yourself, Scarlet’s personal styling services are a fun way to refresh your look and your wardrobe. Try her signature Sort, Shop & Style or look into her Style Social for friend groups or professional teams – https://scarletchamberlin.com/

Fresh Faces RX

Fresh Faces Rx Boutique Aesthetic Medicine Practice is the premier medical spa in Portland offering exceptional skin care services. Dr. JoDee team is very supportive and will encourage you to pick what works best for you. – https://www.freshfacesrx.com/

Say Anything Game

This is our family’s current favorite game. Pre teens play it side-by-side with eighty year olds and everyone has a blast – Find it on Amazon

Workshops, Classes & Activities

Cooking- https://www.portlandsculinaryworkshop.com/ ( we’ve done a bunch of these)

Ceramics- https://www.georgies.com/ ( Wick used to be here weekly as a HS ceramics teacher)

Sewing- https://shop.moderndomesticpdx.com/classes/ ( amazing for kids & adults)

Knitting- https://closeknitportland.blogspot.com/p/close-knit-classes.html#2467741034243003522

Golf-Top Golf- https://topgolf.com/us/

PCC Community Classes- https://www.pcc.edu/community/

Print Making- https://www.multnomahartscenter.org/about-mac/classes/teen-adult-classes/printmaking/

Super Nature Adventures – Family Hike with other families –https://www.supernatureadventures.com/events.html

Knife Making classes-https://www.oaksbottomforge.com/pages/where-to-find-us

Music Lessons – https://locations.schoolofrock.com/portland

GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO COULD USE EXTRA LOVE

Act of Kindness Letter

One of the best gifts Wick and I ever gave each other was giving to someone else in each other’s names then writing a letter about it to read on Christmas Day. Practice an act of kindness in the name of someone you love this holiday season, then write a letter to them about the act of giving you did in their honor for them to read on Christmas.

Neighborhood Sock Canvas

A pair of clean, warm socks can make a real difference for someone living on the streets. Grab a friend or family member and take an afternoon to walk around an area with a large homeless population – Chinatown in Portland is a good option – and hand out socks. Bonus if you add personalized messages attached to the socks like “You Are Loved!” Gloves are also in high need.

Volunteer in Your Community

There are so many great organizations in Portland who could use an extra hand. Sign up for a service, roll up your sleeves, and engage in a meaningful way with your community – https://ashleyrealtyworks.com/ashley-realty-works/members/volunteer-opportunities/

Happy Holidays from the Ashley Realty Works Team!

Ho Ho Ho,

Karoline + Wick

Wick’s Tips – Planting Strips 101 in PDX

Hi All, Wick here.

Today’s topic is planting strips. I’ve heard a lot of controversy lately over what is allowed and not allowed for this area of land located between the sidewalk and the curb. The city’s overall viewpoint is safety and access. Safety in the ability to view traffic and access for car doors to open near the curb. As you probably already know, the city owns this portion of your front yard but you as the homeowner are required to maintain it. Let’s “dig in” a little into planting strips:)

1) The good news is: You are allowed to have planter boxes in the planting strip! But only certain dimensions:

they have to be 2 feet from curb

1 foot from sidewalk
No longer than 10 feet
At least 4 feet apart
No more than 18 inches tall (This means I could never have a planter box in front of my house because my planting strip is too narrow).

2) You need a permit to build a planter box. They cost about $360. Most people forego the permits and just build them but be warned. Planter boxes are complaint driven. So be sure to chat with your neighbors first before building one.

3) Tree Limbs hanging over the sidewalk can’t be lower than 7’1/2″ high. And limbs hanging over the street have to be at least 11′ high.

4) Here’s an interesting one. If you decide to put concrete or pavers or gravel into your planting strip you are heretofore required to comply with the trip hazard rule. Sidewalks have to have less than 1/2″ trip hazard. So the same rule applies between the sidewalk and the new surface you installed in the planting strip.

I hope this covers a lot of your planting strip questions! Please reach out to me if you have more. And as always if your friends or family need a hand buying or selling a home we would love to help them!

Portland Real Estate Market Action Report- May 2018

New listings made some gains this May in the Portland metro area. At 4,665, new listings outpaced May 2017 (4,388) by 6.3% and rose 16.9% from last month in April 2018 (3,990). This was the strongest May for new listings since 2008, when 5,182 were offered in the month. Closed sales (2,803) fell 3.2% short of the 2,896 closings recorded last year in May 2017 but showed a 11.1% increase from last month in April 2018 (2,523). Pending sales (3,201) fared similarly, decreasing 6.8% from May 2017 (3,435) but rising 6.4% from April 2018 (3,008). Inventory in the Portland metro area rose to 1.9 months in May. During the same time, total market time decreased by five days to end at 37 days.

Year to Date Summary Activity so far in 2018 is a little mixed compared to 2017. New listings (17,506) are up 4.9%. Closed sales (11,492) are down 0.2%, and pending sales (13,360) are down 0.8%. Average and Median Sale Prices Comparing 2018 to 2017 through May of each year, the average sale
price rose 5.9% from $423,800 to $448,600. In the same comparison,the median sale price rose 8.0% from $370,000 to $399,500.

Market Action Report- April 2018

Closed sales saw an upswing this April in the Portland metro area. There were 2,523 closings, a 13.7% increase over April 2017 (2,219) and a 6.4% increase over last month in March 2018 (2,371). New listings (3,990) saw gains as well, outpacing April 2017 (3,759) by 6.1% and March 2018 (3,648) by 9.4%. Pending sales, at 3,008 in April, fell 2.6% short of the 3,088 offers accepted last year in April 2017 but edged 3.9% over the 2,894 offers accepted last month in March 2018.

Inventory increased by a fraction of a month in the Portland metro area in April, ending at 1.8 months. During the same time, total market time decreased to 42 days. There were 4,469 active residential listings in the Portland metro area this April.

Comparing the average price of homes sold in the twelve months ending April 30th of this year ($436,000) with the average price of homes in the twelve months ending April 2017 ($406,400) shows an increase of 7.5%. In the same comparison, the median has increased 9.1% from $355,300 to $387,500.