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Spring Into Shape With These Outdoor Exercise Tips

March 17, 2016 by

The dreary winter cold can leave you in a bit of an exercise rut, but the springtime sun makes everyone more motivated to get outdoors and get in shape. These exercise tips will help you get in your best shape ever—all while experiencing the great outdoors.

Buddy up.
There are a number of different reasons why working out with another person is helpful, but the number one reason is because it’s more fun! You’ll look forward to working out much more if you have a friend by your side, and being outdoors will be that much more motivation.

Improve your gear.
It’s beneficial to have the proper shoes and workout attire, especially when you’re exercising outdoors. Warm thermal shirts are important for the days when it’s not quite springtime weather, and breezy, breathable fabrics help once the temperature reaches its full potential. Having the proper outdoor running shoes can also prevent injuries and make you feel more comfortable on the pavement.

Experiment with exercises you haven’t tried before.
You probably haven’t jumped rope since gym class, but this fun and simple outdoor activity burns up to 208 calories in just 20 minutes. Swimming is another fun outdoor activity, and starting slow with a few leisurely laps makes it much less intimidating.

Spring Training Fitness Tips [Shape]
Great Spring Exercise Ideas [Fitness.com]

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Large Houseplants That Make a Major Statement in Your Home at BLVD l Loudoun Station

March 11, 2016 by

Adding houseplants to your home adds a pop of green color and a feeling of freshness, but they can also make a decorative statement. Instead of the usual small ferns and succulents, try adding these large-scale houseplants to a bare room in your home at BLVD l Loudoun Station.

  1. Dracaenas. This inexpensive plant comes in many sizes, but its cane form is the largest and most impactful. It features long, curved leaves that extend all the way up the length of the cane, creating a lush look that’s perfect for bare corners of a room.
  2. Palms. If you prefer a tropical look, palm plants are a great choice. These come in a variety of styles, though if you’re worried about how it will hold up, purchasing a higher quality palm is recommended.
  3. Fiddle Leaf Fig. For renters with lots of sunlight, the fiddle leaf fig tree works well in many spaces. This type of tree contains large, green leaves that grow tall and wide to fill those empty spaces.
  4. Norfolk Pine. If you love the smell of pine trees during the holiday season, you can have that in your home all year round with a Norfolk pine. This needle-covered tree grows well in bright or indirect sunlight, and it can even grow to be up to 20 feet tall!

The 15 easiest indoor house plants that won't die on you [Today]
5 Tall Indoor Plants [Ambius]
Large House Plants [Guide to Houseplants]

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Reduce Neck Cramps and Other Workday Ailments With These Ergonomic Furniture Ideas for Your Home Office

March 4, 2016 by

Do you feel stiff and sore after a long day spent in front of the computer? Even telecommuters struggle with an achy neck and shoulders, but luckily, working from home makes it so that you can set up your workspace in a way that feels comfortable. Here are desk and chair ideas to make your home office more ergonomic.

  • The standing desk. If you start to feel stiff and cramped after 8 hours sitting at your desk, eliminate the sitting entirely with a modern standing desk. These high desks are proven to reduce the user’s risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease, and they also keep you feeling alert and focused.
  • The saddle stool. Instead of slumping forward in your traditional desk chair all day, try switching it up with a saddle-style stool with casters on the bottom. This type of “active seating” encourages the user to sit up straight, improving your posture and allowing for easy movement around the room.
  • The ball chair. You may look a little silly sitting on one of these ball-shaped chairs, but they’ll sure make the workday more fun. Perch on top of the ball and you’ll engage your core while you work.
  • The laptop riser. If you can’t afford to invest in a whole new desk, try adding a simple laptop stand. This raises your laptop up to eye level, eliminating that arch in your neck that leads to cramping and stiffness.

These Active Desk Chairs Want To Transform The Way You Sit [Huffington Post]
Five Health Benefits of Standing Desks [Smithsonian.com]
Ditch Your Office Chair for a New 'Standing Desk' [Wired]

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How to Add a Pop of Color to Your Existing Decor

March 3, 2016 by

While a nice, neutral color palette is a great way to make your home feel chic and polished, things can also feel a bit drab without any color. If you’re looking for a way to add a pop of color to your home at BLVD l Loudoun Station without going overboard, these tips will help.

  1. Add a throw pillow. Even if you already have throw pillows on your furniture, adding just one more in a bright, complementary color may be all that you need. Try one bold shade and keep the others simple by using textures or patterns in neutral hues.
  2. Freshen up your window treatments. Replace your blinds or shades with sheer curtains in a fresh color. If you don’t want to commit to one color, try curtains in a repetitive pattern with an accent color throughout.
  3. Add some bright artwork. If your walls are looking a bit bare, try framing some colorful prints that are much brighter than the rest of your decor. This is a great way to maintain your existing style while still brightening things up a bit.
  4. Add colorful chairs. Update a home office or your kitchen table by swapping out the matching chairs with something in a contrasting shade. You may even want to paint your current chair in a bold turquoise or rich red!

Top 10 Tips for Adding Color to Your Space [HGTV]
10 Surprising Ways to Add Color to Your Home [House Beautiful]
Five Ways To Add Color to Your Home This Week [Apartment Therapy]

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Turn Your Home at BLVD l Loudoun Station Into a Workout Studio With These Simple Tips

February 26, 2016 by

Want to break a sweat without hitting up the gym? These simple workout ideas will show you how to create a space for exercise in your own apartment at BLVD l Loudoun Station.

  1. Do yoga. With so many online yoga classes and free tutorials, you can get in a complete yoga class right at home. Clear away clutter and extra furniture, dim the lights, and even light a few candles to create that yoga studio atmosphere (even if you’re just in your living room).
  2. Sweat it out with cardio. Start by clearing the furniture out from the center of your living space, and then pop in an instructional workout DVD. If you’re worried about the sound disturbing your neighbors downstairs, do your workout on a thick area rug or a non-slip exercise mat.
  3. Do some strength training. Invest in small-scale strength training equipment to build muscle even without pumping iron. Things like exercise bands, hand weights, and kettlebells are perfect for toning your biceps even in your apartment.
  4. Create a circuit. Many trainers agree that circuit training is one of the most effective types of exercise. Create your own at-home circuit by working with your apartment’s furniture, including step-ups onto a chair, crunches with your feet under the sofa, and sprints up and down stairs.

How to Build a Home Gym Anywhere [Men's Fitness]
Fitness Pros Weigh In: Essentials of a "No Frills" Home Gym [Apartment Therapy]
10 Small-Space Home Gym Hacks for Your Tiny Apartment [Brit + Co]

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How to Clean Your Microwave Without Harsh Chemicals

February 19, 2016 by

From reheating leftovers to warming up bowls of canned soup, your microwave sees a whole lot of messes from its various daily tasks. You may think that you need to use a store-bought cleanser to get out those tough, caked-on stains, but if you want to avoid those harsh chemicals, you can actually make your own cleanser at home. Follow these steps for cleaning your microwave in an all-natural way.

  1. Pour one cup of vinegar into a microwave-safe bowl, and then add one cup of hot water and stir the two together.
  2. Place the bowl with its vinegar solution in the center of the microwave and turn it on. Let it run on average power for 10 minutes.
  3. Keep an eye on the bowl and remove it from the microwave when you notice it starting to boil (likely somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes). Note: Be sure to use an oven mitt, as the bowl will be very hot.
  4. Wet a rag with lukewarm water and give the inside a good wipe-down to remove the now-loosened debris inside.
  5. Once all of the debris is steam cleaned away, create a simple solution of lemon juice and water. Dip another rag into the homemade cleanser and give the microwave another wipe-down to freshen things up.

How to Clean Your Microwave Naturally With Just a Lemon [The Kitchn]
How to Clean and Shine Your Microwave Without Cleaner [One Good Thing]
Use a Lemon to Make Cleaning the Microwave Easy [Lifehacker]

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How to Create a Chic and Stylish Bar Cart

February 18, 2016 by

Bar carts are the types of finishing touches that add a major pop of designer flair to any room in the home. From the living room to the dining room, adding a well-curated bar cart will really give your home the type of 1950s style that is right on trend. Here are just a few tips for creating a truly chic bar cart.

  1. Start with the perfect cart. Scour flea markets and thrift stores for an authentic vintage bar cart. If you can’t find one there, try purchasing one at an affordable furniture store or even using a small three-tiered bookshelf.
  2. Choose your spirits. The types of spirits that you add to your cart really depend on your personal preferences. Investing in three or four bottles of common spirits like vodka, gin, and bourbon is a good place to start.
  3. Add your glassware. Next, invest in new or secondhand sets of wine glasses, low tumblers and martini glasses. You may even want to add decanters to fill with mixers or to trade out unattractive liquor bottles.
  4. Add the accessories. Fill a glass jar with stirrers, add a small cutting board for slicing lemons and limes and even add stacks of mixology books for the finishing touches.

How to Style a Bar Cart [The DIY Playbook]
How To: Create and Stylize the Perfect Bar Cart [Guest of a Guest]
Assembling the Perfect Bar Cart [Primer Magazine]
How to Style the Perfect Bar Cart for Any Party [HGTV]

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Clear Clutter from Everywhere in the Bathroom With These 4 Tips

February 12, 2016 by

If you’re short on space in your bathroom, it can be difficult to keep things neat and organized. Since many renters share their bathroom with guests, however, you’re likely always looking for ways to clean it up quickly. These 4 tips make it easy to banish clutter from the bathroom—and keep it clean for good.

  • Consider the essentials. Most renters store much more than they actually use every day in their bathrooms. Go through the contents of your medicine cabinets and under-sink storage areas and get rid of all of those specialty products and expired items (or at least find somewhere else to store them).
  • Add additional storage where it’s needed. If you can’t find enough storage in your bathroom after you purge your essentials, it may be time to create your own. Add wall shelves, a storage unit over the toilet or even just a few baskets under the sink.
  • Invest in matching sets. If your bathroom is often filled with mismatched towels, get rid of the ones you don’t use and attempt to create a matching set. By replacing those old, faded towels with bright, fluffy new ones (and cutting down on the amount of towels in general), you’ll reduce unnecessary clutter.
  • Add over-door storage. Hang an additional towel rack over the back of the door to give wet towels ample room to dry.

Decluttering the Bathroom [HGTV]
Small Bathroom Ideas: 5 Effective Decluttering Tips for a Tidier Space [Apartment Therapy]
Cut Clutter in the Bathroom: Easy as A-B-C! [Organized Home]

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Where to Shop Host and Hostess Gifts Online

February 5, 2016 by

Going to a party in the near future? It’s polite to bring a gift for the host or hostess, but it may be difficult to decide what to give. Luckily, there are a number of fun and affordable websites are packed full of great ideas that anyone will love. Here are three of the best places to shop for host and hostess gifts online.

Uncommon Goods
This foodie-friendly website is filled with gift ideas perfect for any avid entertainer. From self-chilling wine glasses to sets of unique salts and pizza cutters in silly shapes, these unique items make great host or hostess gifts.

Mark & Graham
If you’re looking for a gift that’s a bit more personal, Mark & Graham offers many items that can be customized with the recipient’s initials. Add etched initials to the side of a set of goblets, a copper ice bucket, or even trendy Moscow mule mugs, or create your own complete set of stylish barware.

Terrain
For the host with more romantic tastes, Terrain’s selection of pressed flower sachets, bottleneck vases, and enamel candlesticks are truly a delight. You’ll also find decorative candies and bottled cordials that are a bit more affordable for those on a budget.

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3 Clever Uses for Coffee

January 29, 2016 by

Aside from its magical powers in the morning, coffee also has a number of other uses that you might not even know about. Here are a few clever, new uses for coffee.

  • Use coffee grounds as a deodorizer. Simply fill an open bowl with the grounds and let them absorb bad smells in the kitchen, an older car, or even in the refrigerator. Likewise, you can also scrub your hands with coffee grounds to remove smells after cutting onions or working with motor oil.
  • Create an all-natural dye. Steep coffee grounds in hot water, then use the liquid to add color to clothing, craft projects, and paper.
  • Make your own facial scrub. Many top-name beauty brands are already adding grounds to their exfoliating products, as the moist grinds are said to help remove impurities and brighten the complexion.

Top 10 Uses For Used Coffee Grounds [Curbly]
13 Surprising Uses for Coffee [Reader’s Digest]
16 Genius Uses for Coffee [All You]

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