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How to Squeeze Every Inch Out of Your Apartment’s Square Footage

January 21, 2016 by

Use these smart, simple tips for squeezing every inch out of your apartment’s floor plan and you’ll be amazed at how much extra space you'll find!

  • Choose multifunctional pieces. Get rid of all of the furniture in your home that doesn’t play double-duty as something else. Choose sofas with built-in storage, a bed with hidden drawers, and a television credenza with a bookshelf to minimize the wasted space that comes from having too much furniture.
  • Arrange… and rearrange. Arrange your furniture as many times as it takes to find a perfect flow. You’ll want to be able to comfortably walk from room to room without bumping into things, which takes some trial and error. If something doesn’t fit, it likely means that you don’t have use for it.
  • Think vertically, not just horizontally. Many people forget about the horizontal space that they’re missing when furnishing a room. Add stacks of shelves on every wall, hanging organizers on the backs of doors, or new, custom storage systems from floor to ceiling in the closet.
  • Maximize natural light. Finally, replace dark drapes with sheer curtains to allow in as much light as possible and make your space feel brighter.

How to Maximize Space in a Small Apartment [Freshome]
Ten Apartment Organization Tips to Maximize Space [Forbes]
How to Maximize Your Apartment Space [For Rent]

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What Are Sliding Puzzles? Find Out Here!

December 26, 2015 by

If you love puzzles, you’re likely always looking for new styles to challenge your mind. Sliding puzzles are great options for anyone who wants to improve his or her special reasoning and logic skills, and there are countless different ways to play.

Sliding puzzles involve moving flat pieces along certain routes.
The end game of most sliding puzzles is to reach a certain configuration, which makes it important to consider your next move with each current move you make.

Sliding puzzles can use a variety of different pieces.
Many sliding puzzles use marbles enclosed in a board, while others use blocks, tokens, or even digital game boards to play online.

Players are not permitted to lift pieces off of the board.
This is the main difference between sliding puzzles and other types of rearrangement puzzles. Because you are unable to lift the pieces to move them, it’s important to clear a space for future moves.

Sliding puzzles are fairly common and easy to find.
Some popular sliding puzzles are the original Fifteen Puzzle, Inakube, Klotski, Minus Cube, and Jumbly.

Sliding Puzzles [Wikipedia]

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Holiday Crafts the Whole Family Can Make

December 18, 2015 by

While you’ll likely be doing a lot of shopping during the holidays, you can balance out all that spending with some homemade crafts that the whole family can make together. Here are four great ideas for your next holiday-themed craft night.

No-Sew Holiday Aprons [marthastewart.com]
Create pretty and protective aprons just in time to decorate cookies with this fun DIY project. New sewing is required to make these cute aprons, which makes this project ideal for tiny hands and delicate fingers. You can even make them in larger sizes to give to Grandma as a gift!

String Tree [bhg.com]
Display all of those holiday cards in style with this modern craft idea. Simply stretch multicolored string in the shape of a Christmas tree across a sturdy cork board, then tuck the cards under the string as they start rolling in.

Thanksgiving Menu [realsimple.com]
Get your crafting started early with this cute DIY Thanksgiving menu in the shape of a pumpkin pie. All it takes is some standard construction paper and seasonal decorations like wheat or berries to go around the edges. Have the little ones write the names of each dish on the center and this craft will even play double duty as a writing assignment.

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Holiday Tree Trimming Tips From the Pros

December 17, 2015 by

There’s nothing more fun during the holidays than decorating the tree with the whole family, but you may want to make this year’s tree a bit more stylish. Instead of haphazardly placing ornaments all over its branches, check out these tips for decorating a truly chic and elegant holiday tree.

  1. Real or artificial? First, you must decide if you want to invest in a real tree or stick with an artificial option. While a real tree is a bit more rustic and will make your house smell divine, an artificial tree is much easier to manage.
  2. Choose a color scheme. One of the easiest ways to make your tree look more professional is by setting a color scheme. Reds and greens are always a great choice, but all-over gold or sparkling silver are also beautiful when accented by the twinkling lights.
  3. Hang small lights first. To create a base for your tree’s decorations, first hang small, white lights evenly all over.
  4. Add solid colored ball ornaments. Next, invest in multipacks of ball ornaments in your chosen color. Hang them all over the tree, leaving even amounts of space in between each one.
  5. Add personal ornaments last. To display more personal or keepsake ornaments without them looking too cluttered, add them in the empty spaces once all of the other ornaments are already in place. Voila—the perfect holiday tree.

How to Decorate a Christmas Tree Elegantly [WikiHow]
15 Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas [HGTV]
How to Decorate a Christmas Tree [Better Homes & Gardens]

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Elegant Appetizer Recipes for Your Holiday Party

December 3, 2015 by

Just because you’re throwing a holiday party at home doesn’t mean that it has to be plain and casual. Add a bit of class to this year’s soiree by serving elegant appetizers that are just as artistic as they are tasty. Here are three great ideas that are so delicious, your guests will think you had the party catered.

Baked Prosciutto and Brie with Apple Butter [Cooking Channel TV]
The salty taste of prosciutto, the gooey texture of brie, and the sweet tang of apple butter all mingle seamlessly in these appetizer toasts. Best of all, there’s no cooking involved in the preparation, so you can throw these together right before your guests arrive.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Tartlets [Food Network]
Phyllo dough is a very popular base for many types of appetizers because it’s so versatile and easy to work with, and these tartlets are a great example. The dough forms a small cup that’s filled with goat cheese, spinach, and a number of herbs and spices that’s perfectly light and cheesy.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail [My Recipes]
Instead of the usual creamy shrimp dip, make this cool, refreshing alternative with an adventurous Mexican fare flavor. Serve it with tortilla chips and a freshly ground pepper garnish.

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Tips for a Dinner Party Your Guests Won’t Soon Forget

November 20, 2015 by

Dinner parties are fun ways to get all of your friends together to bond over tasty foods, but it can be a bit difficult to plan a menu for that many people. Whether you’re hosting a formal sit-down dinner or a casual taco night, these simple tips will show you how to plan a dinner party that no one will forget.

  1. Stick with the basics. While it may seem fun to experiment with a new recipe, this isn’t the best idea when you’re cooking for a group. Stick with something that you already know how to cook, or practice a new recipe at least once or twice beforehand.
  2. Choose a theme. If you’re unsure of what to make for dinner, choose a culinary theme, like Italian or childhood favorites. This will make it easier to choose dishes that go together.
  3. Don’t forget the appetizers. To buy yourself a bit of time in the kitchen, set out simple appetizers that guests can snack on while you put the finishing touches on the meal.
  4. Do some prep work. Prep as much of the food as possible the day before so that you’ll have ample time to visit with guests once the party begins.
  5. Consider seating. Most people don’t have a large, formal dining room, but you should still consider where your guests can sit comfortably.

Top 10 dinner party tips [Good Food]
25 Dinner Party Do's and Don'ts for a Host or Hostess [Bon Appetit]
The Dos and Don'ts of Hosting a Dinner Party [My Domaine]

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Four Fascinating Facts About Humans in Space

November 19, 2015 by

Are you fascinated by space exploration? Do you dream of joining the 12 people in history who've walked on the moon? Before you don your space suit, check out these interesting facts about humans in space!

1) Before you can even think about becoming an astronaut, you must log at least 1,000 hours of flying in a jet aircraft. This will prepare you, at least somewhat, to go from zero to 17,000 miles per hour in less than nine minutes on the Space Shuttle.

2) Once you've been launched into space, astronauts receive 3.8 pounds of food a day. Most of the food is precooked and processed so that it doesn't require refrigeration. Some fresh fruits and vegetables are on board, but they must be consumed within the first couple days. Astronauts can season their meals with ketchup, mustard, and taco sauce, among other condiments provided on the Space Shuttle.

3) The food consumed during Apollo 11 included bacon squares, sugar cookie cubes, beef stew, and fruit cake. The astronauts quenched their thirst with coffee, fruit juice, and orange drink.

4) On Earth, space suits weigh a whopping 280 pounds. It takes the better part of an hour to put on a space suit, and each astronaut wears special undergarments.

For more interesting space facts, check out NASA's website.

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How to Get the Most Storage Space Out of Your Freezer

November 6, 2015 by

If you’re looking for a way to add extra storage space to your current freezer, these smart tips may be of service.

  1. Know what to freeze. Start streamlining what you freeze in the first place by knowing what will last and what won’t. In general, leafy vegetables, dairy products, and fried foods are not meant to freeze.
  2. Separate items into portions. If you’re freezing something that would otherwise stick together after freezing, such as chicken breasts or soup, separate it into serving-sized portions so that you can easily thaw only the part that you need.
  3. Use containers. Instead of piling all of your food into one large pile in the freezer, invest in freezer-safe storage containers from the local home goods store.
  4. Use labels. Label everything in the freezer, from individual food items (unless they’re still in the original packaging) to your storage containers.
  5. Mind the door. The door of the freezer is the warmest part, so don’t store things that can easily melt on its shelves. Save this space for less delicate foods, such as nuts, alcohol, or frozen fruits.

Fridge and Freezer Organization [The Container Store]
The Best Way to Organize Your Freezer [The Kitchn]
8 Better Ways to Keep Your Freezer Super-Organized [Good Housekeeping]

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Bring Fall Indoors With These Festive Wreath Tutorials

October 23, 2015 by

Who says that a wreath has to hang outside? There are a number of fun and creative ways to make DIY wreaths that bring the beauty of fall indoors, and many of them don’t cost a dime to make. Here are three great wreath tutorials for you to try this weekend at BLVD l Loudoun Station.

DIY Apple Wreath [thewoodgraincottage.com]
While an actual apple wreath would likely be too heavy to hang, this one uses faux apples from the craft store to achieve the same effect. All it takes is some hot glue, a Styrofoam wreath mold and some burlap to hang it.

Glitter Wreath [homemadebyjill.blogspot.com]
If you’re looking for a fun wreath project that the kids can do, too, this one is a great choice. They’ll enjoy cutting out the small leaves from heavy cardstock, and they’ll enjoy it even more once it’s time to sprinkle glitter all over.

Fall Wheat Sheave Wreath [bhg.com]
If you prefer something with a more natural look (and a quicker preparation), this tutorial is one of the simplest you’ll find. Simply gather some dried wheat and tie it together with a piece of oversized ribbon in a fall color, then attach the whole thing to your door (or anywhere else that can use a bit of decoration).

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Where (and How) to Shop for Groceries Online

October 22, 2015 by

You shop for clothes, shoes and books online… but what about your groceries? If you hate battling the crowds at the grocery store (or simply can’t find the time to make it there), online grocery shopping may be the answer to your problems. Here are a few great places to shop for groceries online!

Peapod
Whether you want to pick up your groceries on the way home from work without ever leaving your car or simply have them delivered straight to your door, Peapod offers custom options for all types of anti-grocery shoppers. Browse the site’s large selection of organic produce, high-quality meats and seafood items, and fully prepared meals, and be sure to take advantage of its frequent sales and coupons.

Amazon
Your favorite place to shop for electronics may also become your go-to place to shop for groceries. By using the Prime Pantry option, you can fill a box with your favorite snacks, spices and fresh groceries—all for a flat shipping rate of $5.99.

Fresh Direct
Fresh Direct offers one of the largest selections of grocery items of any site, including deli meats and cheeses, bakery items, baby foods, and even wines and spirits. There are new products being added daily, as well as frequent sales just like the ones at the traditional grocery store.

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