Thanks to a partnership between Snelling Company and Lennox’s Feel the Love program, Bob Rymerson, a Marine Corps veteran from St. Paul, received a new furnace and air conditioner at the end of October.

Feel the Love’s aim is to provide heating and cooling equipment at no cost to community members “who consistently put others before themselves and need a helping hand,” according to the organization. Through the program, more than 2,300 heating and cooling systems have been installed around the country since its launch in 2009.

While Feel the Love will normally give a heating or cooling system to anyone who is in need, their regional partner, Snelling Company, wanted to offer the program only to veterans in the area, according to owner Phil Krinkie.

“We at the Snelling Company tried to narrow it down a little bit in the context of our local community and our veterans here in the Twin Cities,” Krinkie said.

Snelling Company has been partnered with Feel the Love for about a decade, and Krinkie said they have helped install at least half a dozen cooling and heating systems in that time.

Rymerson, who was in the Marines from 1987 to 1990, said the new furnace and air conditioner was a huge help for a multitude of reasons. Not only have him and his wife been trying to build up their credit for the past year, but damage from an August storm to their house that has been in Rymerson’s family for more than a century added financial stress.

The new furnace and air conditioner also symbolizes something larger for Rymerson. After legal problems and dealing with injuries from his time in the military, Rymerson had to “start from zero” and rebuild his life.

“You basically have to do all the leg work and put your life back together piece by piece,” Rymerson. “I think that that was very important for me to do at the time because if someone would have just given it to me, it would have been too easy and it wouldn’t have meant as much.”

Rymerson said programs like Feel the Love can be particularly impactful for veterans because it can be hard for them to ask for help when they need it. He said he hopes acts of kindness like the one Snelling Company and Feel the Love showed him can be used as inspiration for other veterans and those in need.

“It’s a little embarrassing and sobering, but in reality, it’s also … rewarding because it allows me to get some use out of those years that I thought were lost because that knowledge that I gained in those years might be able to help somebody else and to stay the course and to not give up,” Rymerson said.

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Which corner shower caddy is best?

If you like to have all your bath products close at hand, there’s no better option than a shower caddy. Shower caddies allow you to fit all your products into a small space without having to cram them into your shower at awkward angles—no more bending over backward just to reach your shampoo. Corner shower caddies are a particularly stable option, more so than hanging or over-the-door ones. One great corner shower caddy is the top choice ALLZONE Shower Caddy Organizer, an attractive option with a sturdy rod-style support that’s rust resistant and easy to set up.

What to know before you buy a corner shower caddy

Benefits

Shower caddies allow you to organize and arrange your shower as you see fit, even in a small space. Most showers don’t have built-in storage beyond the occasional soap dish, so it’s convenient to have a place to store your shampoo bottles and other bath products. A corner shower caddy can also free up space in other parts of the bathroom for a less cluttered look.

Types

Tension bars: Tension bars press against the ceiling and shower floor or tub edge to hold the caddy upright. They’re an exceptionally strong option for a corner shower caddy and can hold heavy objects with ease. They won’t work as well if you have a freestanding bathtub and can potentially damage the ceiling or shower if the tension rod is too tight.

Permanent attachment: These are a great, sturdy option for a corner shower caddy. These usually involve screwing or bolting the caddy to the wall. For long-term storage, there’s not a better, sturdier bet.

Suction cups: A great option for those with tile or plastic shower walls, suction cups stick tightly to a smooth surface and provide decent support. Most importantly, this is the easiest option to install or move. This is a good choice if you move frequently or occasionally need to take your caddy on the go.

Adhesive: Adhesive shower caddies can be a solid choice as long as the adhesive is of high quality. It will stick to most surfaces and hold plenty of weight. Be aware that some adhesives may damage the walls or the shower. This caddy style is a slightly more permanent option.

What to look for in a quality corner shower caddy

Materials

Most shower caddies are made primarily of metal—it’s durable and strong. However, metal can rust with constant exposure to humidity. Look for a shower caddy that’s made of a rust-resistant material, such as a coated or treated metal, or one that contains some plastic parts to avoid a rusty shower.

Adjustability

Many shower caddies have adjustable baskets. If you choose a shower caddy with a tension rod, look for these adjustable baskets to accommodate items of different shapes and sizes. These allow for more customizability of the shower space.

Finish

Many people want a shower caddy that matches well with the other hardware in their bathroom. Stainless steel shower caddies go well with traditional chrome fixtures. There are also many other common metal finishes for shower caddies, including brushed nickel and bronze. There are also non-metallic finishes like black and white that will also blend nicely with many styles and interiors.

How much you can expect to spend on a corner shower caddy

Shower caddies can range in price from $20 to over $100 for pricier options. Most midrange options are a good bet for quality for an affordable price.

Corner shower caddy FAQ

How do you clean a shower caddy?

A. Soap and water will go a long way. Most shower caddies can be cleaned with a mild cleanser, water, and some scrubbing, though lime scale and other build up might require a more heavy-handed approach. In these cases, remove the shower caddy from the shower before cleaning it to get access to all the nooks and crannies.

What can you put in a shower caddy?

A. Anything you need in the shower, as long as it fits. From the obvious, such as soaps, shampoos, cleansers, razors, and sponges, to less common items, such as plants or other decor. Many shower caddies also come with additional attachments like soap dishes or hooks for washcloths or shower caps.

What’s the best corner shower caddy to buy?

Top corner shower caddy

ALLZONE Shower Caddy Organizer

What you need to know: With a maximum height of 120 inches, this chic shower organizer fits into most spaces and looks great.

What you’ll love: It comes in either black or white with four no-rust plastic shelves that can hold even heavy bath products with ease.

What you should consider: It’s not a true tension rod, but rather an adjustable rod, which makes installation slightly more difficult.

Top corner shower caddy for the money

Nieifi Adhesive Corner Shower Caddy

What you need to know: This corner shower caddy uses an adhesive for a strong hold with easy removal.

What you’ll love: If a tension rod or permanent screw-in setup doesn’t work with your shower, these adhesive pads are the perfect choice.

What you should consider: Some reviewers wrote that the adhesive didn’t hold up under direct water pressure. It can also damage walls or the shower if not removed with care.

Worth checking out

Zenna Home Shower Tension Pole

What you need to know: A standard, heavy-duty tension rod-style shower caddy that fits spaces up to a maximum height of 96 inches.

What you’ll love: The L-shaped boxes drain easily, fit well into small spaces and it’s rust resistant.

What you should consider: Some reviewers had trouble with the tension rod, and the shape of the boxes means they won’t hold extremely large or odd-shaped items.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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