Citizen Upgrade

29/07/2023

Another blog post from July... follow these tips to avoid exposure to PFAS chemicals!

PFAS, or per/polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of chemicals that have been used in a wide variety of man-made products since the 1940s. They are known as 'forever chemicals' because they do not easily break down in the environment and in the human body. This means that they can build up over t...

26/07/2023

Blog post from earlier this month... give your home an interior design REFRESH!

Your home is the place where you should feel comfortable and relaxed. But if your space is disorganized, outdated, or poorly decorated, it might be time for an upgrade. For both renters and homeowners, there are a lot of things you can do to upgrade your home decor without spending a lot of money. I...

07/06/2023

It's housewarming party season! Check out this blog post for some gift ideas for all budgets (free to $50+)...

Spring is moving season! For your friends and family purchasing their first starter home, moving to a new city, up-sizing, or down-sizing, a housewarming gift is a great way to show your support. In this post, we've rounded up the best housewarming gifts for new homeowners, from practical items to t...

10/05/2023

Some home upgrade and staging tips for those of you entering the real estate market!

Are you thinking of selling your home or rental property over the coming months? If so, repairs, upgrades, and staging are critical steps to ensure you capitalize your property’s potential value! Whether you’re selling in a hot or cold real estate market, more eyes on your property listing leads...

01/05/2023

Upgrade your life and home with a dash of "wabi-sabi." ⛩

Wabi Sabi is a Japanese aesthetic concept involving the beauty of transience, imperfection, and simplicity. Its meaning eludes direct direct English translation, but it is a combination of the words wabi and sabi . Wabi meaning isolation, humble, or dignity, while sabi can be translated as worn-in,....

04/03/2023

Learned something new this year about tax deadlines! Check out our latest blog post for more:

Unless you’re expecting a tax refund, it’s generally a bad thing to receive a piece of mail from the IRS. A few months ago, we received a letter notifying us of a $630 fine related to our 2021 tax filing. This came as a surprise since the Citizen Upgrade founders are no strangers to LLC’s and ...

12/02/2023

Sharing or latest blog post: What are your plans for post retirement?

While I haven’t retired early just yet, I have spent a lot of time exploring what I want to do with my spare time. I’ve also observed how friends and family transitioned into retirement, and my key takeaway is to plan ahead to avoid disappointment, boredom, and regret. What one can do post-retir...

27/01/2023

Who's in the mood for Chocolate Cake?!

Here's one of our favorites from our cookbook: Cooking For Grownups. Works well with gluten free and dairy free substitutions.

There’s nothing better on a cold winter night than a slice of warm chocolate cake and glass of milk! Here’s our take on the classic that is relatively simple and works well with substitutions needed for dietary restrictions.

18/01/2023

Our latest blog post with a few more winter home DIY project suggestions... this one focusing on smart home upgrades! Smart home upgrades add conveniences, functionality, cost savings, and security to your home. For me, the smart home thermostat and video enabled doorbell have been gamechangers and worth the effort associated with installation.

In this month's article we share five smart home upgrades you can install over a weekend project. The upgrades are ranked from easiest to most difficult, though all are relatively simple for someone with basic DIY skills.

If you’re looking for your next home or rental property do-it-yourself (DIY) project, look no further than the five smart technology upgrades listed below! Smart home upgrades add conveniences, functionality, cost savings, and security to your home. For me, the smart home thermostat and video enab...

20/12/2022

Tired of that unsightly crack in your drywall? Here's a approach to fix it!

Once you discover a crack in your wall or ceiling it’s often hard to see anything else in that room! For real estate investors, unsightly cracks can also impact your sale price or potential rental income. In this article, we share a method for repairing drywall cracks that works well on both walls...

12/12/2022

We launched a new digital product! Here's how we're doing 1 week in on the Gumroad platform with a digital travel planning spreadsheet:

Tutorial and results 1 week into this lucrative, no-inventory, online side hustle. We decided to explore Gumroad, an online platform designed specifically for digital products. We only started learning about this platform via twitter and other social media sites over the past year, but the site has....

07/12/2022

Travelogue for Valencia, Spain! Bonus link to a recipe from our book:

https://citizenupgrade.com/posts/valencia/
Cooking for grownups link here for those of you holiday shopping! https://amzn.to/3oLuxTz

I recently visited Valencia, Spain’s third largest city. Below I’ll share a few highlights, notes on the Spanish dining out experience, and link to a recipe so you can enjoy a taste of the Spain travel experience from the comfort of your own kitchen!

05/12/2022

Sharing a savory recipe from our book: Cooking for Grownups. Link to the book here for those of you holiday shopping! https://amzn.to/3oLuxTz

Ready for a weekend brunch? Here’s a savory recipe that offers a change in pace from your standard eggs and bacon. Just because it has eggs doesn’t mean you can’t have the dish for lunch or dinner, and this also tastes great when served cold!

23/11/2022

Temperatures are dropping fast... is your home or rental property ready for winter? Check out our latest blog post for more!

With temperatures dropping, now is the time for homeowners and real estate investors to prepare their properties for the winter months ahead. Below, we share six essential projects to winterize a home to prepare for the cold weather.

15/11/2022

Interested in some timeless advice from 1926? Look no further than our latest blog post!

For those who prefer their personal finance advice in the form of parables, look no further than George Classon’s 1926 book The Richest Man in Babylon. Recounted as a series of interrelated short stories set in ancient Babylon, the book follows the life of a young scribe who expands his wealth and...

01/11/2022

Just in time for Fall leaf peeping!! 🤓🍂🍁

Top Day Trips from Washington, DC
https://citizenupgrade.com/posts/dcdaytrips/

Below we list our top day trip destinations from Washington, DC, and the mileage noted by each location is calculated from the city. Please note that these are author preferences, not compiled from other lists, so may reflect our personal tastes. Safe Travels!

09/10/2022

What's your favorite autumn cocktail? Ours is the Old Fashioned! Check out this free recipe from our book (Cooking For Grownups) via our blog. 🥃🥃🥃

Recipe: https://citizenupgrade.com/posts/oldfashioned/
Cookbook: https://amzn.to/3oLuxTz

02/10/2022

Latest blog post: Top Day Trips From Denver... 9 Weekend Getaways in Colorado! 🚗🏔

Here we list our top day trip destinations for Colorado, and the mileage noted by each location is calculated from Denver. Please note that these are author preferences, not compiled from other lists, so may reflect our personal tastes. Safe Travels!

16/08/2022

Update from two of our top articles... anyone looking for a late summer project?

Building a garden planter box: https://citizenupgrade.com/posts/planterbox/
Building terraced garden steps: https://citizenupgrade.com/posts/terracedsteps/

04/08/2022

New blog post live: Have you ever considered an indoor worm compost bin?

Worm composting, also known as vermicomposting, is one of the most extraordinary ways to practice zero waste. A healthy worm bin can divert pounds of food scraps each week from landfills, and instead, turn that “waste” into a nutrient-rich soil amendment known as 'black gold.' Composting — bot...

09/07/2022

Latest blog post! Trying to sell your old car to take advantage of the hot used vehicle market? Here are some tips on how to photograph your vehicle:

https://www.citizenupgrade.com/posts/carphotography/

The price of both new and used cars has skyrocketed in recent months. This is the result of supply chain disruptions and record gas prices sparking demand for vehicles with improved gas mileage. If you have a used vehicle to sell, now might be the perfect time to put it on the market. But before you...

12/06/2022

https://citizenupgrade.com/posts/airconcoilclean/
Just in time for spring home maintenance tasks! Our latest blog post walks you through a DIY project cleaning your AC unit's condenser coils. This can cost over $300 if you hire this job out to an HVAC company, or the DIY option takes about 2 hours, a screwdriver, and $6 can of coil spray.

Having trouble tracking all the property maintenance tasks on your plate? Join the Citizen Upgrade mailing list (via the "join" tab of our website) and your welcome email will include a link to a google document template home maintenance log. You can also get a paper copy of the log book (via the "books" tab of our website). The template and paper log book include an extensive checklist of maintenance tasks to consider, which you can edit down to suit the needs of your property. Staying on top of preventive maintenance will save you time and money in the future!

Summer is almost upon us, and when the heat and humidity sets in you will be thankful for your trusty home air conditioner unit! Property owners have several annual maintenance tasks that come due in the Spring, including several related to AC units. These include clearing away plants that have spro...

08/06/2022

Our review and takeaways from Ethan Hawke's book: "Rules for a Knight."

In 2015, acclaimed actor Ethan Hawke authored "Rules for a Knight," a guide for purposeful living. The content is crafted as a series of letters from a fictional knight from the age of chivalry, Sir Thomas Lemuel Hawke, to his children. While at first the plot implies a teen audience, imparting wisdom as they transition to adulthood, this entertaining book will satisfy seekers of all ages striving to untangle life’s meaning and purpose.

After a brief introduction, the book presents twenty themes to navigate towards fulfillment and harmony. Each chapter begins with a brief summary of its theme, which is then followed by a parable to illustrate it. The lessons draw from both Western and Eastern philosophical traditions, including Zen Buddhism and Stoicism.

In our blog post (link below) we share six of our favorite rules for all Knights of the Realm, and those who aspire to be one.
https://citizenupgrade.com/posts/rulesforaknight/

26/05/2022

Our top travel hacks for your spring & summer trips!
https://www.citizenupgrade.com/posts/travelhacks/

Many of us have deferred travel over the past two years, leading to surging demand for flights, hotels, and tours as we emerge from the pandemic. Now is the perfect time to optimize your travel game with a few travel hacks. The Citizen Upgrade team travels frequently for work and pleasure, and sever...

15/03/2022

Wondering what you can do to support Ukraine? See our latest post with a roundup of reputable charities, information on the National Bank of Ukraine's fundraising efforts, and more: 🇺🇦

https://www.citizenupgrade.com/posts/ukrainesupport/

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Europe. At the time of this blog’s publication, the conflict continues across the country with significant civilian casualties. Here are a few ways you can support Ukraine today:

12/03/2022

Latest blog post live on our website... just in time for tax season!

https://www.citizenupgrade.com/posts/freelancertax/

It’s that time of year again, when the air begins to warm and flowers begin to bloom. You guessed it, it’s tax season! For 9 to 5 workers who receive a W-2 form from their employers, filing a tax return is usually a simple matter. Your taxes are usually deducted from your paycheck, and if you’...

24/02/2022

We've made a math worksheet generator! Here's an app to create random worksheets for kids to practice on. You can set it up for simple addition all the way through larger sums, subtraction, division, and multiplication.

I've been using this multiple times a week to help my kindergartener practice her "sums up to 5" that they take timed tests on to help her get more practice and less worried about a timed test. Next it looks like she'll be taking timed subtraction tests, so we'll use it for that as well.

Set up and generate random worksheets in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division at your level.

05/02/2022

The trending art of personal sustainability... everyday ways to Reduce / Reuse / and Recycle! Latest guest post live on our blog:
https://www.citizenupgrade.com/posts/personalsustainability/

Sustainability is cool. Especially in big city metropolises where personal style meets personal values, and where conversations return to concern over climate and the environment. But distinguishing between impactful behaviors and greenwashing, consumerism-driven trends is the true test of sustainab...

31/01/2022

Life lessons from the classic film Citizen Kane:
1. Seek challenges, not comfort
2. Set goals, then work to achieve them
3. On friendship- quality beats quantity
4. Principles are more valuable than possessions

Read more in our latest blog post! (link below)
https://www.citizenupgrade.com/posts/lifelessonscitizenkane/

I recently rewatched the classic film Citizen Kane and was surprised by how well its themes still resonate over 80 years after it was first released. While Citizen Kane pioneered several innovative film-making techniques, its true legacy lies in the poignant script that traverses themes of life, lov...

18/01/2022

Roundup of our top stories of 2021!

https://www.citizenupgrade.com/posts/bestof2021/

Over the past year we’ve witnessed significant scientific innovation to counter the COVID-19 pandemic. While the long-term effects of the pandemic are still unknown, in the near-term more people have been working from home, retiring early, or leaving the traditional workforce. The very meaning of ...