Ms. San Francisco Real Estate (Janice Lee)

How best to use baskets for home decor and storage Over the years, I have written about some arguably pretty minor topics — white paint, yard boulders and computer disposal among them. Somehow, while dwelling on all sorts of fascinating-no-point-is-too-small minutiae, I have neglected to write about a common domestic workhorse, an item most of us use. Every. Single. Day. So today, as we approach the season of gratefulness, I am giving long-overdue homage to the humble, honorable basket. An art form that began in antiquity, baskets have transcended every age, culture and civilization. Weavers have used whatever was plentiful and free – grasses, reeds, palm branches, seagrass — to fashion into everything from bowls and bins to birdcages. They’ve woven containers tight enough to hold water and loose enough to catch fish. Like the wheel, baskets are hard to improve upon. They just work. “Although baskets date back to ancient times, we still use them in the same way...

Financial sacrifices bigger for younger Bay Area home buyers Some millennial home buyers admit to dropping health insurance for a downpayment Buying a home involves sacrifices, but younger workers are pinching budgets tighter to get into a home than their predecessors. About 7 in 10 millennial and Generation Z homebuyers say they cut spending on everything from entertainment to health care to afford a down payment, while just 3 in 10 baby boomers admitted trimming expenses, according to a national Zillow survey. The survey highlights the growing gap between the cost of housing for young Bay Area residents and families compared to earlier generations. Millennials, generally between the ages of 22 and 38, are finding it necessary to take more drastic steps to cut expenses. “It’s not very affordable for young buyers,” said Zillow economist Kathryn Coursolle, adding that family help is important, too. “Generation Z and millennials are more likely to get help on their dow...