Brittany Gasiorek - Crosstown Realtors

05/04/2026

05/04/2026

This is another beautiful story! This buyer just purchased this home where she was babysat as a child, for one of her other babysitters, so they could live right next to each other and take care of each other in their retirement! How awesome is that?!🥰

03/08/2026

“Packing is like playing Tetris… except when you lose, you cry.” 😅📦

Moving has a funny way of turning normal household items into puzzle pieces.

The couch suddenly won’t fit through the door.
The boxes multiply overnight.
And somehow the stairs get steeper every trip.

That’s where we come in.

Our crew handles the heavy lifting, the tight corners, and the real-life Tetris so your move gets packed securely, efficiently, and the right way the first time. 💪🚛

You handle the new chapter.
We’ll handle the puzzle.

📞 (815) 545-8623
🌐 www.ittakes2movingco.com

Labor-only movers serving Joliet and the surrounding Chicagoland area.

03/06/2026

The more you know 💡

The pot matters as much as the plant inside it.

Each container material breathes, drains, and retains heat differently. Match the pot to the plant's water needs and half the problems in container gardening disappear before they start.

Terracotta is the best match for rosemary, succulents, and lavender. The porous clay wicks moisture away from roots constantly — exactly what drought-adapted plants need. If you tend to overwater, terracotta corrects the habit for you.

Plastic suits lettuce, peppers, and annual flowers. It holds moisture evenly and keeps soil temperatures stable — important for shallow-rooted crops that wilt fast in summer heat. Light enough to move with the sun through the season.

Fabric grow bags belong under tomatoes, potatoes, and root vegetables. The breathable walls air-prune roots naturally instead of letting them circle the inside of the pot. Soil dries evenly from all sides, which prevents the soggy bottom that ruins container tomatoes by late summer.

Glazed ceramic is reserved for ferns, hostas, and tropical houseplants. The sealed surface locks in moisture for species that punish you the moment the soil dries. Heavy enough to anchor tall foliage plants that tip lightweight pots in the wind.

🌱 The rules that prevent most container problems:

- Every pot needs a drainage hole — no gravel-layer workarounds and no careful-watering substitutes
- Size up only one to two inches when repotting — too much empty soil holds water that roots can't reach
- Dark-colored containers absorb heat and cook roots in full sun — reserve them for shade spots or wrap with burlap in summer
- One material per plant type based on water needs, not aesthetics

One container matched to one plant. That's the difference between a pot that thrives and one you replace every season 🌿

01/30/2026

They can't dig. They just freeze. The "Shovel Trick." 🕊️❄️

Look at your feeder. The Chickadees are grabbing seeds and flying away. But look at the ground. The Mourning Doves are sitting in the snow, looking puffy and confused. They are in trouble.

Here is the science of the Dove Dilemma:

🦶 1. The Barefoot Walker Mourning Doves have fleshy, unfeathered feet designed for walking on warm dirt, not ice. They are prone to frostbite. Standing in snow to eat is like you standing barefoot in a slushy. They lose toes to necrosis every winter.

🚫 2. The "No-Dig" Flaw Sparrows hop and scratch to uncover buried seeds. Doves do not scratch. If the seed is covered by a half-inch of snow, the Dove can't find it. They will starve sitting right on top of a full pile of food.

🚜 3. The Solution: The 3x3 Patch The single best thing you can do during this is not filling the tube feeder. It’s grabbing a shovel. Clear a 3x3 foot patch of grass down to the ground. Scatter the seed directly on the dirt/grass.

It keeps their toes dry(er).

It makes the food visible.

It allows them to "fill the tank" fast and get back to the roost.

The Rule: Tube feeders are for the acrobats (Finches). The Shoveled Patch is for the grounders (Doves, Cardinals, Juncos). Be their ground crew today.



📌 Quick FAQ
Q: Can I put the seed on top of the snow? A: Better than nothing, but not ideal. 📉 The seeds sink into the snow as soon as the sun hits them, disappearing from the Dove's view. Plus, the bird still has to stand on ice. Clearing a patch is 10x more effective.

Q: My Doves are sitting on the feeder and not moving? A: They are warming their feet! ♨️ Sometimes Doves "camp out" on the perch of a feeder, blocking everyone else. They aren't being mean; they are tucking their frozen toes into their belly feathers to warm them up. Let them sit.

Q: What seed is best? A: White Proso Millet and Cracked Corn. 🌽 Doves love small, round seeds. They often ignore big sunflower seeds in shells because their beaks aren't strong enough to crack them easily. The cheap "ground mix" is actually their favorite!

01/18/2026

The world needs more people who see wildlife as neighbors, not nuisances.

Each one brings something to the ecosystem we depend on. Opossums control ticks that carry Lyme disease. Deer disperse seeds that regenerate forests. Foxes keep rodent populations balanced. Bears redistribute nutrients across miles of terrain.

When we see wildlife as problems to solve, we forget they're part of the solution. These animals aren't invading our space—we built our homes in theirs.

The scratching, the tracks, the occasional sighting—these are signs of a functioning ecosystem, not a failing neighborhood.

01/17/2026

Family-owned & operated and proudly serving Chicagoland for nearly 12 years, It Takes 2 Moving Co. is your go-to crew for reliable, stress-free moving. We’ve earned multiple local Top Moving Company awards by showing up, working hard, and treating every move like it matters — because it does.

🚚 You rent the truck, we bring the muscle
🏠 Residential & commercial moves
📦 Packing, loading & unloading

📞 (815) 545-8623
🌐 www.ittakes2movingco.com

Let us do the heavy lifting — you focus on the next chapter! 🙌📦

01/04/2026

In need of a new read? Shop at your local bookstore ♥️

Books range from bestsellers, lesser known titles and books by independent authors, alongside "bookish gifts."

11/01/2025

🎃👻 Happy Halloween from the whole crew! 🦝🐔🐾

Whether you’re hunting for treats, houses, or the perfect pumpkin, may your night be full of fun, frights, and maybe just a little real estate magic. ✨

Our chickens are clucking about new listings, the raccoons are on “treat patrol,” and Diesel’s guarding the candy bowl like it’s escrow. 😂

Stay spooky, stay cozy, and remember — even ghosts need a good home. 🏡💀

10/21/2025

Don't we all wish this was still a thing.. Can you imagine getting 160 acres of free land? 😊😍