We wish you and your loved ones all a very happy and safe holiday season.

Pamper yourself at Trellis Spa at The Houstonian. This hotel spa offers an array of relaxing and rejuvenating services, from facials and waxing to massages and body wraps. Customers love the ambiance with soothing decor and fresh flower arrangements. Large windows look out onto the Houstonian’s 18-acre grounds.

Arrive early for your service and lounge about in a soft, oversized robe and snack on cookies and tea. Guests are encouraged to take advantage of the amenities, which include an indoor float pool, jacuzzi tubs, steam rooms, and a tranquility room with a fireplace.

Plan on spending a whole afternoon at Trellis.

Trellis Spa at The Houstonian
111 N. Post Oak Lane
Houston, TX 77024
(713) 680-2626
www.houstonian.com/TheSpa.aspx
www.yelp.com/biz/the-houstonian-hotel-club-and-spa-houston

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Karl Cossio

You love the fresh, clean feeling of having all of your laundry done, but getting there is a whole different story. Laundry day may be time-consuming, but there are ways to make it easier. Here are a few tips to help you organize your laundry and get it done in half the time.

1. Sort laundry without even trying. It takes a lot of time to sort through your mountain of dirty clothes and separate the lights from the darks. Invest in a three-compartment hamper to do the sorting for you.
2. Bleach more effectively. Bleaching seems like a fool-proof way to remove stains from white clothing, but it doesn’t always work as effectively as you’d like. The proper way to bleach clothes is by first letting the clothing soak in a pool of water. Add one cup of bleach and one cup of dishwashing detergent and let it soak for about half an hour. Finally, dump the whole thing into the washing machine and wash as you normally would.
3. Prevent damage. To reduce fading, turn dark colored items inside out before washing. Use the cold water setting to prevent clothes from shrinking, and then hang them to dry instead of using the dryer. Also, only wash delicates, like bras and underwear, in a lingerie bag on the delicate cycle.
4. Invest in a drying rack. Rather than tossing delicate items over the shower curtain rod or rigging some other kind of makeshift drying rack, invest in the real deal. They're usually inexpensive, and they fold into a flat shape to tuck away when not in use.

10 Tips and Tricks for Easier Laundry Days [Yahoo!]
Easy Laundry Tips [The Nest]
How to Do Laundry More Effectively [Babble]
13 Ways to Make Laundry Day Easier [BHG]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Wicker Paradise