Fast-Growing
Sport in U.S.
Comes to Bridgewater!

Published: 01-15-2021

The latest addition to the lifestyle-enhancing amenities at Bridgewater is the Pickleball courts. Considered to be the fasting growing sport in the US, many might wonder what exactly is Pickleball?

Zero, zero start, dinking, serving and kitchen are words that soon will be heard as Bridgewater residents get ready for our two new pickleball courts to open. Pickleball is a fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It typically is played as doubles but can be played as singles as well. It is played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes, similar to a whiffle ball. Pickleball is more about placement than power like loft service returns deep and dink softly. These are two skills in the game that will help you win. In Pickleball, the serve must be made underhand and hit diagonally crosscourt like tennis. The ball must bounce once before receiver can return and then the ball must bounce once on the serving side before returning. After that, the ball does not need to bounce before hitting.

When you look at the pickleball courts, you will see two service area boxes and a 7-foot section closest to the net. This section is the non-volley section referred to as the “kitchen.” You can only enter the kitchen if a ball lands in it, but you must immediately retreat from it before the ball is returned to you. You will want to stand close to that line to have the best strategy in returning the ball. When holding your paddle, keep it near your chest as your reaction time will be quicker. There are more rules and many tips that can be found on usapickleball.org – so, grab a paddle and ball and see you on the courts!

Winter Motivation –
Purging & Cleaning
After The Holidays!

Published: 01-15-2021

Everyone knows about and has heard of Spring Cleaning. You throw open the windows and let the fresh air in. Then you clean and purge your home as you welcome the season of new growth. But what about winter cleaning? You know, after the holidays and when you get ready to stay indoors for the next few months? Why not make sure you clean a few spaces that hold dust, dirt, and germs that you could be inhaling while you are nestled inside?

Here’s a winter cleaning checklist to guide you:

The dryer vent gathers lint that is highly flammable. To clean your dryer vent, unplug and then pull out the dryer as far as you can from the vent pipe. Disconnect it. Vacuum the dryer’s outlet hole and the vent pipe. Remove the dryer’s vent cover and vacuum as deeply as you can inside the vent.

Scrub out your trash cans, inside and out. Then use a disinfectant to kill any remaining germs. White vinegar mixed with equal parts of water works great.

HVAC filters are notorious dust grabbers. Remove and replace the old filters and clean the grates. This should be done every 60 days.

Move your refrigerator to get to the dust behind it. The fridge’s condenser coils will operate more efficiently without all the dirt and dust that can accumulate. Remember to unplug any appliance before cleaning!

Get “edgy”! Look at surfaces that might be missed during your regular cleaning. Give a good dusting to door frames and trim, wall décor, smoke and carbon dioxide detectors, light fixtures and bulbs, baseboards, switch plates, doorknobs, ceiling fans, bookshelves, televisions and computers, and above your kitchen cabinets.

Pull out and turn over your upholstered furniture. Vacuum the bottom and all cushions.

Take down and clean your curtains. This is a great time to change your window coverings to a seasonal color scheme.

Wash throw rugs and steam clean your area rugs and carpet.

Vacuum mattresses and box springs. Then flip the mattress, which should be done twice a year. Wash your bed pillows and linens in the linen closet.

Clean out your fireplace and around the hearth. Have your chimney inspected before using it for the season, to ensure there’s no harmful build-up that could spark a fire.

Basket with cleaning items on blurry background

Now… get cozy in your clean home. Snuggle in and enjoy a healthier environment!

New Year – New Challenge:
Declutter!

Published: 11-30-2020

So, you’ve just purchased your new abode from Chesapeake Homes. You’re excited, thrilled and over the moon to move into your beautiful brand-new home with fresh clean closets and cabinets! After moving all your possessions and getting settled in, you’ve come to the realization, you have too much “stuff.” Here are some tips to help you “declutter” and begin 2021 with a new attitude!

Ruthlessly purge, one room at a time. Amidst all that clutter are items that you don’t yet know you no longer need or want. They’ve fallen into the background, unnoticed, unused. Start with one room and two boxes: one for items to donate and another for things you want to store. Look objectively at the items that are filling the room—decorative accessories, furniture, seasonal décor, books, and other things that aren’t essential. Be brutal, reminding yourself of your quest to reduce clutter. As you try to determine whether to keep, store, or donate, ask yourself why you want to keep the item and then decide how strong a reason that is. Create a place in your basement, attic, or garage for “Home Décor” and, when you want to change the look in your home, just “shop” from those boxes
Creatively organize. There are many ways to organize the things in your home in an attractive and functional way. Home décor shops, craft stores, and retailers like The Container Store and Ikea are filled with ideas for turning clutter into home organization.
Keep things where they belong. Clutter can grow from disorganization. Simply putting away something when you’re done—keys, dishes, books, etc.—will help you maintain order in your home. Sort through your mail and organize it instead of letting it all pile up. Take the extra couple of seconds and save time later.
Make careful buying choices. Before you purchase anything, ask yourself if it’s something you need or just want. If it falls into the latter category, how long will it be desirable to you? Will you still love it in three months? Or is it going to become another “thing” cluttering your home?
Cancel junk mail. If you’re getting catalogs and magazines that you don’t read or want, make them stop. Cancel the subscriptions. Ask to be removed from mailing lists.
One in, two out. When you come home with something new, purge two other items so you’re not adding to your clutter. Feel the need to add more dishes? Which ones don’t you want any more? Tough to do, but you will thank yourself later.

The most important step in reducing clutter is to change your mindset. When you’re shopping, avoid the impulse to buy what you don’t need. Picture it as more clutter in an already cluttered space and your home organization will become easier.

Organizing A Bonus Room
That You’ll Want
To Spend Time In

Published: 10-27-2020

Be honest. Are you using a dining room table as an office space? Are you cramming school spaces into bedroom corners, or sectioning off areas in the living room for schoolwork? Learning and working from home can be challenging under the best circumstances. But when you don’t have a dedicated place for work or school, it can feel downright impossible to concentrate.

Take a deep breath. We’re here to help. We’ve organized a few easy, affordable steps you can take right now to create a home office or classroom you’ll actually want to spend time in. Let’s get started!

Commit to the Space

It might seem like a great idea to work from the comfort of your living room couch, but it’s not a good idea to blend work and personal life. If you have the space to create a dedicated office or classroom, commit to it! Don’t ask these spaces to pull double duty, or you’ll find your personal life bleeding into the workspace. And that usually means clutter. Use a spare room, an unused nook, or a guest bedroom corner and commit that space to be used solely for schoolwork or your home office.

Stock Up on Supplies (But Don’t Go Overboard!)

You might be tempted to go on a spending spree when you visit the office supplies aisle in-store or online. But don’t buy supplies you won’t use – that just creates unnecessary clutter. Stick with the basics:
A pen/pencil holder
A pack of sticky notes
A notebook
A calendar
Computer accessories (keyboard, mouse)

However, just because you’re “sticking with the basics” doesn’t mean you can’t opt for visually appealing supplies. Pick out fun, colorful, cute supplies that make you smile or help you focus. Remember, you’re creating a space you’ll enjoy spending time in. For school spaces, let your young student pick out exciting prints or notebooks with their favorite cartoon character.

Find a Home for All Your Devices

Work laptops, personal laptops, iPads, phones… Does it feel like you have a never-ending cache of devices? Don’t let them clutter your workspace or your child’s desktop. Find a place for all your electronic devices. Set up a docking station that can hold the devices you use every day and place it near an outlet so you can charge them overnight. Alternatively, you can use a desk organizer or even a plastic letter holder paired with a USB charging dock to do the job.

Add Shelving to Your Office

Shelves accomplish two goals: First, they’re handy places to store extra supplies or items you don’t need daily. Second, you can use them to create dynamic, beautiful accents to your office or school space. There are tons of shelving options to choose from, ranging from wall-mounted shelves to sturdy shelving units with built-in drawers. Look at your budget and pick an option that works the best for what you’ll need. If your work requires a laptop and little else, you can probably opt for shelves that will house plants and picture frames. If your home classroom needs art supplies, extra notebooks, or other materials, you’ll want to pick shelves that can accommodate them.

Go for Bins, Cubbies, or Cabinets

Yes, we just recommended shelving for storage. But bins, cubbies, and cabinets are all great options for storing the stuff you don’t necessarily want to see on shelves. If your goal is to reduce clutter (isn’t that true for all of us?), then it’s nice to tuck a stack of papers or rarely used cables out of sight.

You can use cubbies to display items or pictures as well as tuck items away in bins. You can decorate containers with labels to make it easy to find what you need (great for crafts!). And cabinets are great for organizing belongings – a great option if you have more than one student learning from home.

Don’t Make the Space Utilitarian

Your home office or classroom doesn’t have to be all business. In fact, creating a space you want to be in requires you to add some style and personality. Here are a few ways you can spruce up your space without creating more clutter or a distraction:

Paint the walls or add colorful wallpaper to one wall or section of the room.
Hang framed prints, photos, and posters on the walls.
Add a small lamp to your desk, so you can adjust lighting while you work.
Bring in fresh flowers or plants for a bit of natural color.

It’s possible to create a dedicated space in your home for work or school that you want to spend time in. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. Explore options for building a de-cluttered office or classroom that fit into your budget. You can find affordable ways to bring in color, excitement, and beauty to this place. And remember – separating your office means you can turn off work at the end of the day. That’s the type of work-life balance we all should aspire to have.

Chesapeake Homes offers many floorplans with a “Flex Room” that can be used as a dedicated office, school room or both!

Energy Efficiency
Comes Standard
At Chesapeake Homes

Published: 10-20-2020

Every homeowner knows that insulating a home is important for comfort and energy efficiency. But it’s equally important to understand how home insulation works so you ensure you’re taking the right steps to effectively prevent the swap of interior and exterior temperatures.

Insulation provides resistance to heat flow. Heat flow is the movement of warm or hot air to cooler air. The flow continues until there is a balance of temperatures. For example, hot air will continue to flow into your home on a hot day until the inside temperature is equal to the outside. On a pleasant spring or fall day, you might open up the windows to take advantage of the ideal temperature. When the weather is more extreme, however, you need to manage the heat flow.
When you buy a new home, insulation is installed to slow down the movement of heat. Now, heat flow moves in three ways:

1. Conduction: Heat moves through a material, like a metal pot absorbing heat.

2. Convection: Heat circulates through liquids and gases, and since hot air is lighter, it rises above cold air.

3. Radiation: Heat travels along a straight path and absorbs energy from anything along that route.

So, your home insulation is installed in any place with exposure to heat flow: exterior walls, around the foundation, and in the roof, to name a few. Without insulation, the heat will move through the walls, floors, and ceilings—up from the basement, down from the attic, and in through the walls, doors, and windows. The goal of insulation is to produce resistant to the natural flow of heat.

R-value: The resistance factor

Home insulation products are rated for their thermal resistance factor, commonly known as R-value. This measurement is determined by the insulation type, thickness, and density.

You’ve probably heard about radiant barriers. This reflective material doesn’t absorb heat, like insulation does. Instead, it reflects the heat. Radiant barriers are commonly installed on roofs to deflect the heat away from the roof (where it can be absorbed and potentially pass into the main part of the home). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a radiant barrier on a home in a sunny climate (e.g., Zones 1-3) can reduce cooling costs by 5% to 10%.

New homes generally incorporate the standards for home insulation. They also improve the comfort and energy efficiency in a new home by installing moisture control and air sealing.

The homes built at Bridgewater have R-15 Insulation in the walls and R-38 Insulation in the ceilings, and these are just a few of the many ways Chesapeake Homes includes Energy Efficiency as a standard feature.

Announcing Bridgewater’s
Veterans Memorial Club

Published: 10-20-2020

Several months ago, during a conversation between the developers at Bridgewater (Wakefield Development Company) and several Bridgewater residents who are veterans, an idea to incorporate a community memorial into the landscape came to light. Developers worked out a plan to reconfigure some of the current amenities to include a way to recognize and honor the current veterans that are residing in the Bridgewater. A veteran’s memorial was carefully thought out, and plans began to start constructing it.

Soon we will all be able to see and share the results of the hard work of the developer and the five Bridgewater veterans who volunteered their time to assist in the design and development of the memorial. The five veteran volunteers are an outstanding representation of our Bridgewater veteran’s community. They are all retired and former members of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Air Force, with collective service of 93 years. During their careers they achieved ranks of Navy Commander, Chief Warrant Officer Three, First Sergeant, Master Sergeant, and Sergeant First Class. They had various specialties such as Airborne Infantry Paratrooper; Military Law Enforcement; Logistics; Software Support. Collectively their service included personal security for the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Foreign Military Dignitaries; Drug Interdiction Operations; DOD Major Fraud Operations; software support to the Space Shuttle Program; Air Force Logistics Operations in support of Middle East conflicts; Naval Operations in the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and the Red Sea; and combat tours Urgent Fury in Granada; Just Cause in the Republic of Panama; and Desert Storm & Desert Shield. The five veterans formed a group to work with Wakefield Development Company in the design and creation of the memorial. After a few iterations, they selected a name for the veteran’s group as “Bridgewater Veterans Memorial Club (BVMC)” which will be a club within the Bridgewater HOA. The Developer and BVMC selected a name for the memorial as “Bridgewater Veterans Memorial.”

To be a member of the BVMC one must be a current resident at Bridgewater HOA, or an under-contract future resident of the Bridgewater and have your veteran’s status verified. Veterans may also elect to purchase a Brick of Honor to be placed at the Bridgewater Veterans Memorial. For the five veteran volunteers this project has been an enjoyable experience. Creating something for all our veterans in our community of all wars and conflicts, for those that returned home, and especially for those that made the ultimate sacrifice, this is a high honor.

The memorial construction is underway with the goal to have the memorial dedication on/or about Veterans Day 2020. The memorial will be located adjacent to the mail kiosk and the big lake. The memorial is open to all current residents, future residents, and visitors to Bridgewater. There is no charge to visit the memorial, we just ask for your good thoughts, well wishes, and thanks for dedicated service to our nation.

Hurricane Preparation Tips

Published: 09-03-2019

In preparation for Hurricane Dorian – Chesapeake Homes wants to ensure the safety of both your home and your loved ones. Here are five ways to prepare for the upcoming storm. We hope you stay safe!

1. Take Inventory | Before and After Pictures

The last thing you will want to do after your home just got destroyed by a hurricane is try to remember every single item that was in your home originally. A good way to avoid this is by taking a brief walk through of the home before the storm hits with your camera in hand so you are able to remember everything for insurance purposes.

2. Secure Windows and Doors

Entry points like doors and windows are the weakest yet most vulnerable parts of your home during a major storm. Boarding these up greatly reduce the likelihood of shattering. An open window opens opportunity for excess winds, rain, and debris to fly in therefore using plywood or shutters is a good idea. Don’t bother taping your windows, this is a false sense of security and allows for the opportunity for larger, deadlier pieces of glass to come into the home. Also having leaky windows and doors can let in water so making sure they are properly sealed will give you extra protection against the storm.

3. Keep Trees Trimmed | Secure Loose Objects in the Yard

Outdoor objects surrounding your home can become deadly when getting swept up by a hurricane’s strong winds causing damage to either you or your neighbor’s property. Consider trimming your trees and get rid of any weak branches that may break off in the storm along with picking up things around the yard including potted plants, yard furniture, and children’s toys.

4. Clear Your Gutters and Drains

Having clear gutters and drains can prevent water from collecting around your home. In the case of a severe storm, this can prevent instant flooding of your attack. Make sure that no water is collecting by having a clean, smooth drainage way.

5. Protect Home From Flooding

Flooding is the most common natural disaster. To prevent damage from flooding, park your vehicles on higher ground before water rises. Experts recommend piling up sandbags are home’s entrances at least 2 feet high as an effective barricade against the floodwaters. If sandbags are not acquirable, fill a few heavy-duty garbage bags one-third of the way with water and place them side by side. Also consider unplugging all electronics and appliances as well as shutting off electricity to prevent an electrical surge or potential electrocution.

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The Bridgewater Blog

News About Living The Good Life!

The Bridgewater Blog

News About Living The Good Life!

Bridgewater is the perfect location to live The Good Life!

Fast-Growing
Sport in U.S.
Comes to Bridgewater!

Winter Motivation –
Purging & Cleaning
After The Holidays!

Namaste-
Outdoor Yoga Class

New Year – New Challenge:
Declutter!

Operation Kindness
Team Volunteers

Bridgewater’s Holiday Bazaar
Arts & Craft Show

Contact Us!

The Bridgewater Blog

News About Living The Good Life!

The Bridgewater Blog

News About Living The Good Life!

Bridgewater is the perfect location to live The Good Life!

Fast-GrowingSport in U.S.Comes to Bridgewater!

Winter Motivation – Purging & CleaningAfter The Holidays!

Namaste-Outdoor Yoga Class

New Year – New Challenge:Declutter!

Operation KindnessTeam Volunteers

Bridgewater’s Holiday Bazaar Arts & Craft Show

Fast-Growing
Sport in U.S.
Comes to Bridgewater!

Winter Motivation –
Purging & Cleaning
After The Holidays!

Namaste-
Outdoor Yoga Class

New Year – New Challenge:
Declutter!

Operation Kindness
Team Volunteers

Bridgewater’s Holiday Bazaar
Arts & Craft Show