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Clear the Air With These Air-Purifying Houseplants

June 16, 2016 by

You might think that, in order to breathe truly clean air inside, you'll have to invest in an expensive air purification system, but that's not so. There are many houseplants that eradicate airborne toxins, and you can pick them up at any major home improvement store. Here are just four of them.

  1. English ivy. According to the scientists at NASA, there's no plant better at purifying the air than English ivy. It helps soak up any formaldehyde that could be floating around in your air, and you definitely don't want to be inhaling the stuff. Plus, it's almost impossible to kill them.
  2. Peace lily. The peace lily may be beautiful, but beauty can be deceiving. Don't fall for its game; this is actually a powerful plant. Harmful chemicals like xylene, ammonia, formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene will all decrease in your air when a peace lily blooms nearby.
  3. Red-Edged Dracaena. Named for the strips of bright red that run along the edges of its thin, long leaves, the Red-edged Dracaena is more than just a pretty plant. It also gets rid of xylene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde when you feed it enough sunlight.
  4. Golden pothos. If you really want to make a statement with your new houseplant, consider buying a hanging pot for the golden pothos. When positioned properly, its leaves will snake their way down to the floor in beautiful vines.

7 Plants That Purify Indoor Air [Rodale's Organic Life]
This Graphic Shows the Best Air-Cleaning Plants, According to NASA [Lifehacker]
10 Best Houseplants To De-Stress Your Home And Purify The Air [HuffPost Home]

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How to Style and Organize a Bookcase

May 19, 2016 by

Sure, bookcases are meant to hold your book collection, but that doesn’t mean that yours should look like a jumbled mess. Turn your overstuffed bookcase into a focal point in your home with these simple, designer-worthy decorating tips.

  1. Organize all of your books in an attractive way. Whether you organize them by color to create a rainbow effect or by height for a unique pattern, you should consider book placement before anything else—it is a bookshelf, after all!
  2. Add knickknacks. While knickknacks may make you think of a cluttered grandmother’s house, modern versions will add an artistic flair to your shelves. Hunt for vintage brass or ceramic objects at local thrift stores, pick up small sculptures on your travels, or simply place green plants throughout.
  3. Fill it with frames. For a personal touch, frame photos of your friends or family and place them upright on the shelves. Or, if you want to create a more unique effect, attach the frame with a small nail to the front of the bookshelf where a corner meets.
  4. Step back and admire your work. To ensure that your bookshelf looks as good from afar as it does up close, frequently back up and reconsider the placement of each item.

How to Decorate a Bookshelf [Decoist]
How-to Beautify Your Bookcase [Coastal Living]
22 Ways to Arrange Your Shelves [Real Simple]
Flip for Decorating: The Bookcase [House Beautiful]

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How to Design Your Own Floral Arrangement

April 21, 2016 by

Think that you have to visit a professional florist to find a magazine-worthy arrangement? Think again! With these simple tips for designing your own floral arrangements at home, you can fill your space at Avana South Shore with gorgeous flowers or even give them as affordable gifts to friends.

  1. Choose the perfect vase. Choose a vase that will fit the flowers that you have on hand, or if you don’t have a designated vase, use something like a mason jar, pitcher, or other household vessel.
  2. Using florist’s tape, create a grid across the top opening of the vase. Leave approximately one-inch squares in between the tape to keep the flowers separated and evenly spaced.
  3. Mix up textures by using a wide variety of different types of flowers. Contrast delicate baby’s breath with big, leafy blooms and eucalyptus branches.
  4. If you’re feeling a bit intimidated by the idea of mixing and matching, make a statement by using a large quantity of just one type of flower. Whether it’s classic red roses or purple hydrangeas, all flowers look beautiful when trimmed into layered lengths that eventually create a rounded arrangement in a short vase.

Flower Arranging 101 [Martha Stewart]
Elegant, Exquisite, Easy Flower Arrangements [Real Simple]
How to create perfect floral arrangements [Sunset]

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Basic Tips to Keep in Mind on Laundry Day

February 18, 2016 by

Laundry day is likely your least favorite day of the week, but it doesn’t have to be quite so difficult. By attacking your piles of laundry with a bit of pre-planning, you can make laundry day much more manageable. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

  1. Separate lights and darks ahead of time. To avoid the tedious task of separating lights from darks, separate them as soon as you toss your dirty clothes in the hamper. Invest in a double-sided hamper that does the separating for you.
  2. Invest in good detergent. Using the wrong detergent (or a cheap brand) can make your clothes come out dull and dingy. Instead, choose one detergent designed for washing dark clothes in cold water, one for keeping colors bright, and a separate stain treatment to put on spots.
  3. Treat stains as soon as they happen. The most important thing you can do to remove a stain is catch it as soon as it happens. You can even rub in a stain treatment and toss your clothes in the laundry, leaving the stain to deal with on laundry day.
  4. Turn clothes inside out. Avoid fading and shrinking by turning your clothes inside out before washing them.
  5. Fold right away. To eliminate the need for ironing, prevent wrinkles by folding your clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer.

Laundry 911: Color care basics [She Knows]
How to Care for Your Clothes [How Stuff Works]
Laundry Basics – Sorting it Out [For Better Living]

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Chemical-Free Ways to Clean Your Oven at Avana South Shore

January 7, 2016 by

You’re always on the hunt for chemical-free ways to clean your home, but when it comes to really heavy duty cleaning in areas like the oven, it may seem almost impossible. Luckily, it is possible to clean your oven without using chemicals—it just takes a bit of ingenuity and a few smart tips from the pros.

  1. Take out the oven racks and let them soak in a tub of hot water.
  2. Make a paste of ¼ cup of baking soda, 2 tablespoons of coarse salt and just enough warm water to create a thick consistency.
  3. Using a durable sponge, scrub the paste into the stained parts in your oven. Concentrate on areas that see a lot of spills and drips, such as the bottoms and around the racks.
  4. Let the past sit on the stains for an hour or two, depending on their severity.
  5. Using the same sponge rinsed out with clean water, wipe away the paste and give it a second good scrub. You may also want to use a finer grade steel wool for difficult stains.
  6. For extra cleaning power, spray the entire oven with a spray bottle filled with white vinegar, then wipe it away with a clean cloth.
  7. Before replacing the oven racks, scrub them using simple steel wool and an all-natural dishwasher detergent to break down grease.

How To Clean an Oven Without Harsh Chemicals [Apartment Therapy]
Natural Oven Cleaning Recipe [Wellness Mama]
How To Clean an Oven With Baking Soda & Vinegar [The Kitchn]

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Where to Design Your Own Holiday Cards Online

December 17, 2015 by

Instead of sending out impersonal, store-bought holiday greeting cards this year, get creative by designing your own cards online. Whether you want to create a silly photo card or a card adorned with artistic typography, these three sites have everything that you need to make your holiday correspondence dreams a reality.

Shutterfly
This hip printing site enables you to upload one or more photos to add to its wide selection of holiday cards in all styles and sizes. The card templates range from rustic and traditional to chic and trendy, and many of them feature hand lettering, calligraphy and other popular design elements. Include a personalized message to make your cards even more unique.

Snapfish
if you’re searching for a simple card creation site that is entirely customizable, Snapfish is one of the best online options. First, the site asks you to choose the size of your cards, from traditional folding squares to more modern long, rectangular shapes. Next, the site offers a number of colorful pre-made templates that feature spaces for your family photos, and they’re worlds away from the traditional sentiments from years past.

Tinyprints
If you prefer a more minimal greeting card, Tinyprints offers a number of sleek and stylish options to choose from. The site also enables you to create a customized holiday newsletter that updates loved ones about your family’s past year.

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Hosting a Party at Avana South Shore? Check Out These Handy Portion Planning Guides!

November 19, 2015 by

One of the hardest parts about planning a party is deciding how much food to prepare. It’s every host’s fear to imagine running out of appetizers, but it’s just as frustrating when you’re left with way too many leftovers! Before your next gathering, check out these helpful tips for portion planning and avoid these entertaining mishaps.

  • Consider this: on average, a guest will drink between three and four drinks every four hours or so. You might also want to keep in mind that a standard bottle of wine equals four to six glasses, while a two-liter of soda equals about 10 glasses.
  • For appetizers, imagine that each person will eat approximately five per hour. If you’re serving only appetizers and hors d’oeuvres, add two or three to that number.
  • For your main course, choose things like meat and vegetables to make it easy to dole out portions. If you’re serving something like stir-fry or pasta, imagine that the average person will eat approximately a four-ounce serving.
  • Once you get to dessert, it’s safe to assume that each person will have only one piece — although it’s always smart to get a few extras just in case.

How to Estimate the Food You Need for Your Memorial Day Picnic, Barbecue, or Pool Party [Delish]
How to Calculate the Amount of Food You Need for a Party [Livestrong]
Food & Beverage Quantities to Order [Planning Helper]

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Job Hunting? Here’s How to Ace That Interview!

September 3, 2015 by

It's natural to feel nervous about a job interview! After all, you want to appear modest but confident, eager but not desperate, and you certainly want to stand apart from the other candidates. Here are a few tips that will help you to master these key traits and ace that upcoming interview.

  1. Do meaningful research. Instead of simply researching the company’s earnings and the name of its founder, dive a little deeper. Read the company blog or even check out articles about the company in different media or magazines.
  2. Interview earlier in the week. If you get to schedule your own interview, aim for earlier in the week. That way, your interviewer will feel fresh and open to new candidates (although you might want to avoid the dreaded Monday morning).
  3. Be firm about your salary. While you may feel like you’ll make yourself seem greedy if you ask for more money, a bit of polite negotiation proves that you know your worth.
  4. Ask your own questions. Most interviews end with the interviewer asking the interviewee if he or she has any questions, which is a great opportunity for you to really shine. Ask well thought-out questions about the work atmosphere, goals for the company, or even what a day at the office usually entails.

12 Surprising Job Interview Tips [Forbes]
Interview Tips [Career Center]
6 Interview Tips and Tricks for 2014 [Business News Daily]

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Don’t Have a Green Thumb? Read These Tips for Growing Cacti and Succulents!

July 23, 2015 by

Don't have a green thumb? Try growing cacti and succulents! These low-maintenance plants are used to living in dry desert environments, which means they require little watering. Use these simple tips for keeping your succulents happy and healthy.

  1. Keep them in a sunny spot. Because both cacti and succulents like a lot of sunlight, try to position them in the sunniest spot in your home.
  2. Use well-draining soil. These plants are very sensitive when it comes to watering, so use well-draining soil and a pot with a drainage system in the bottom to help prevent root rot.
  3. Rotate frequently. To ensure that each side of your succulent gets an equal amount of sunlight, rotate the plant once a week or so.
  4. Water according to the soil. Instead of watering them on a set schedule, water your succulents only when their soil is bone dry. Soak them completely by letting the pot sit underneath the showerhead for a good ten minutes.
  5. Promote dormancy in the winter. While your cactus should be watered frequently in warmer months, allow the soil to go almost completely dry in the cold winter months to help the plant go dormant.

Cacti And Succulents Inside Your Home [Gardening Know-How]
Cultivating Cacti and Succulent Plants [HGTV]
Growing Guide – Cactus [Cactus Land]

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Job Hunting? Check Out These Cover Letter Writing Tips!

May 21, 2015 by

A cover letter isn’t always required when applying for a job, but it might just be the thing that sets you apart from equally qualified candidates. Here are a few smart ways to make yourself sound capable and well rounded in your cover letter.

  1. Think of a cover letter as its own entity. A cover letter is separate from your resume, so avoid repeating the same points that you’ve already made in your resume. Instead, focus on showcasing your unique voice, expressing your interest in the field, and highlighting your talents.
  2. Be succinct. A cover letter should be no longer than three paragraphs long and should take up approximately half of a page. Anything longer than that puts you at risk of losing the reader’s interest.
  3. Address no one. You should attempt to begin your letter with “Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],” but if you don’t know the name of the person reading, simply jump right into the first paragraph to avoid sounding vague and impersonal.
  4. Include a strong closing sentence. Oftentimes, applicants find it very difficult to end a cover letter, so be sure to focus most of your energy on this part. Explain how your unique skills and experience make you a good candidate for the job, then quickly sign off to avoid rambling.

6 Secrets To Writing A Great Cover Letter [Forbes]
Top 10 Cover Letter Writing Tips [About Careers]
Expert Advice: 8 Tips for Writing a Standout Cover Letter [Nerd Wallet]

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