The New York Times - USA (2020-08-09)

2 RENJ THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2020

Roughly 80 percent of Americans say

they wear face masks when they ex-

pect to be within six feet of other peo-

ple, according to recent national sur-

veys. That’s a lot of face masks.

Disposable masks, of course, just get

thrown out. But many people prefer

more stylish permanent styles, which

has led to a variety of storage solutions

for keeping masks organized at home.

Basic racks with hooks offer a system

for keeping family members’ masks

separate and identifiable, and has

created a new cottage industry.

Cynthia Brodrick figured it was time

to get serious about mask organization

when an unruly pile had formed on her

front hall table. Her husband, Sean

Brodrick, 60, an editor, had plain black

ones he ordered early in the shut-

down; the flamingo and dice-themed

ones were made by a crafty friend;

and the “Rick and Morty” one he got

from an Etsy seller. Ms. Brodrick, a tax

accountant in West Palm Beach, Fla.,

had a matching flamingo version as

well as one that says VOTE across the

front.

“The need for masks was clearly

dragging on, and I knew I needed

more,” said Ms. Brodrick, 53. “So it

was time to get organized.”

In early July, she put up some utility

hooks by the front door, next to the

table where she and her husband keep

their keys and her purse. Now when

they walk into the house, they hang

their masks on the hooks and grab

Organizing Your Face Masks

them on the way out. “It’s cheap, effi-

cient and won’t damage the wall,” she

said. “I like having them on display. As

it’s become obvious that masks are

going to be part of our lifestyle for the

foreseeable future, it’s good to have

them front and center.”

Small businesses and sellers on Etsy

have started offering mask pouches,

hangers and hooks that easily fit on

walls or in drawers. Some can be per-

sonalized with family members’ names

so each person has a designated spot.

Entrepreneurs have even designed

mask hooks for vehicles. HQGen, an

online retail store, has created one that

hangs from window visors. Terry Ly,

29, the company’s founder, said he sold

over 300 in the first week in mid-July.

Natalie Sinish, 34, who works for a

process serving company in Lockport,

Ill., realized her masks were every-

where: in the car, in her purse, in the

laundry room. So she bought a $20

mask organizer from Tabletop Bean-

bag Games, which she found through a

local Facebook group.

Kim Schuch, the owner of Tabletop

Beanbag Games, said she designed a

mask organizer out of necessity. “My

masks were all over the place, and my

family was constantly scrambling to

grab a mask on their way out,” she

said.

Ms. Sinish has had her organizer for

a few weeks, but it already feels like

part of her home. “It has made my life

a lot easier just hanging the masks in

one place,” she said. “This is now the

new kind of norm.”

During the pandemic, Tabletop Beanbag Games expanded its inventory to include masks and mask holders.

KIM SCHUCH

By ALYSON KRUEGER

Sheltering

The rear windows of my apartment in a

Westchester co-op overlook a small outdoor

sitting area with views of woods, birds,

squirrels and chipmunks. Since spring, a

new resident as been grilling there, obliter-

ating the serenity of the space. After share-

holders complained, the board insisted he

move his grill 10 feet from the wall but

didn’t make any other demands. He’s still

out there daily with two grills, chairs and an

enormous toy car. He shouts and blasts his

music. When I complained to management, I

was told that he’s allowed to grill. But what

about my comfort and my rights to use the

space that he now dominates?

Co-op boards do not like to get in the mid-

dle of neighbor disputes, so you need to

make a strong case. Your board might think

that it adequately addressed the problem

when it told your neighbor to move the grill

to a safer area. The space is a common

area, and if grilling is permitted, the board

may not be terribly concerned. Families are

spending much more time at home, and

your neighbor may simply be looking for

ways to enjoy his summer.

But you are also home and are entitled to

the quiet enjoyment of your apartment. “If

this shareholder is suffering from some-

thing that is being done on the cooperative

property, the co-op has an obligation to

address the issue,” said Steven D. Sladkus,

a real estate lawyer and partner at the

Manhattan firm Schwartz Sladkus Reich

Greenberg Atlas.

Ask a board member, or a building em-

ployee, like the super, to come to your

apartment when your neighbor is outside

grilling so he or she can see and hear the

disturbance directly. Or show the board

that you are not the only aggrieved resi-

dent, as it will be more likely to take action

if this is a collective problem. You men-

tioned that other shareholders also com-

plained; ask if any would be willing to

jointly sign a letter about the issue.

You could also try to appeal to your

neighbor directly. Take a deep breath and

go outside during one of his grilling ses-

sions. Explain that you understand that he

is enjoying the weather, but you too want to

enjoy the space and the quiet of your home.

Appeal to him as a neighbor, not an adver-

sary, by requesting that he lower the vol-

ume so that you can all enjoy the space

during what is, for many people, a chal-

lenging summer.

RONDA KAYSEN

How Can I Get My Co-op to Intervene

In a Dispute With Another Resident?

NADIA PILLON

Ask Real EstateSerenity vs. Sizzle

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[email protected].

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