Jerry O’Connor is using the coronavirus quarantine to do yard work and rebuild his koi pond.
The retired Mundelein resident each year takes on the task of making his front and backyard beautiful, he said. But now that the shelter-in-place mandate is keeping him home nearly all the time, he’s able to dedicate even more man-hours to those projects.
Last week, O’Connor was in and out of a Home Depot store just as fast as he could walk, while wearing an N95 mask.
He knew to go straight to the aisles where the weed eradicator sprays, sprayers and potting mix he needed were located.
He didn’t linger.
“I limit my trips to the store to get materials,” O’Connor said. “I don’t go on weekends. They’re not the regular shopping trips I used to make.”
– Original Credit: News-Sun
Home improvement stores were deemed essential from the start of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s order in mid-March that inessential commerce be halted to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Since then, shelves have been wiped clear of specific items, such as cleaning supplies and things for DIY projects.
“We’re seeing shoppers come in to buy lots of paint because they’re painting rooms in their homes (and) needing plumbing tools for bigger projects, like changing out vanities,” said Dave Paulson, floor manager at a Waukegan Ace Hardware store.
Antioch resident, Kevin Stevens, is still busy with regular work, but fixing his home has been a continuous thought for some time, he said.
The house he bought in 2005 was new construction but not well-built, and after going back and forth for years about whether the family should stay or move, he and his wife finally decided on renovating.
Stevens is planning to do a full first-floor rehab, including replacing kitchen flooring and cabinetry work.
For the backyard, the plan is to build a patio with a pergola and a hot tub.
His wife will be happy with the new spa, he said.
Stevens doesn’t know what the future holds in terms of how the economy will recover and what life will be like when the pandemic is under control, as he’s working on his long-term and short-term home projects, but he’s content with his decision to put his handyman skills to work.
“The unknowns are so astounding, but I’m committed to doing it because now is the time,” Stevens said.
Paulson identified yet another shelter-in-place trend at the Ace Hardware store — lawn care.
As weather warms and people find being in their yard provides safe physical distance from others, while still getting them out of the house, many have turned to horticulture.
– Original Credit: News-Sun
Usually, those type of sales start in early May, Paulson said. But this year, shoppers started a month early.
Frank Ardito, a professor at the College of Lake County and author of books on wellness, said people are focusing on things they feel they can control, like planting seeds and watching them grow.
“Work lives have been significantly altered, and for many, it’s their work that defines them,” Ardito said. “Now there’s that void to be filled.”
Garden centers are seeing that enthusiasm for their services.
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“It’s usually Mother’s Day to Memorial Day when we start to get the crowds,” said Lauren Baird, store manager of the Country Bumpkin Garden Center in Hawthorn Woods.
Last week, Country Bumpkin was still offering mostly only pansies and vegetable plants that can take cooler temperatures.
Calls to find out when they’ll start selling flowering plants have been constant this month, Baird said. They’re figuring out how they’ll handle the rush.