In the world of home improvement, there are three words that often are used interchangeably, as if they all meant the same thing: remodel, renovate, restore. Well, spoiler alert, they’re not the same thing. For you to achieve the desired outcome at a price you find fair and reasonable, it’s important you understand how they…
How to Stay Cool During a Heat Wave
Do you ever find yourself counting down the days until fall arrives with its more moderate and bearable temperatures? Yet, as you wait, excessive heat and humidity still creeps it’s ugly head. Indoor air conditioning or not, you can’t stay inside 24/7. Our best advice? Be prepared vs. waiting to see how bad the weather…
How to Protect Yourself from the Sun
If you think slapping on some sunscreen is all you need before venturing out in the sun, all we can say is “Uh-uh!” think again. In fact, there’s quite a bit more to protecting yourself from harmful UV rays, including these nine steps. Consider your skincare routine. Certain skincare ingredients like retinol, alpha hydroxy acid,…
5 Natural Cures for Insomnia
If bedtime means long, restless hours of watching the clock and very little sleep, stop taking that laying down. Plus, you’re far from alone. About 33% of Americans have at least mild insomnia, and many of them struggle to find the magic wand that will break the spell. Here are several natural cures for insomnia…
The Mental Health Benefits of Cooking
Cooking vs. buying prepared meals or ordering take-out is one of life’s healthier alternatives. Less salt, more control over what’s fresh and what isn’t, and greater variety to suit your family’s personal favorite foods. But, as science has revealed, there are also very tangible mental health benefits to cooking, too. So, whether you’re a culinary…
How to Make Your Home More Kid-Friendly
Life with kids is exciting, joy-filled, and rewarding. It can also be a bit hectic, especially as parents juggle work, school, extra-curricular activities, and all the other responsibilities of domestic life. And yet, with a few simple steps, you can relieve some of the mayhem for added family fun. Here’s how: Play Table – Add…
How to Reduce Home Clutter
The longer you’ve lived in your home, the more “stuff” you’ve amassed. Most of the time you don’t notice it because it’s become your new norm. But then that fateful day arrives when you’re looking for something you haven’t used in months and no matter how hard you try it’s nowhere to be found. In…
Is an Open Floor Plan Really for You?
Tune into just about any home improvement show and you’re bound to hear the terms “open concept” or “open floorplan” at least half a dozen times. And although this design trend, which first appeared in the 1950s, continues to dominate the remodeling and new construction scene, more and more homeowners are starting to rethink open…
How to Minimize Clutter
It’s hard to throw away a gift, right? Even if you know it’s something you’ll never use. And even if you know the gift-giver would be none the wiser were the gift were to join the rest of this week’s trash. Still, you keep it anyway. But now, what to do with it? You have…
Home Safety Starts at the Front Door
Thoughts about home safety quickly turn to things we shouldn’t leave in plain sight – like valuables in the car, delivered packages on the doorstep, a week’s worth of mail in the mailbox, and bikes in the driveway. Doing so can make your home and possessions easy targets for the bad guys. And yet, did…