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Beautify Your Bathroom With These Easy Tips

July 23, 2015 by

Did you know that by adding a few homey touches, you can make your bathroom feel much more luxurious? Here are a few ways to transform your rental bath into a spa-quality retreat.

  • Add fluffy towels. Investing in a new set of thick, plush bath towels is one of the best things that you can do for your bathroom. If you don’t have a set color scheme, classic hotel white always looks great.
  • Incorporate baskets. Add attractive wicker baskets or wooden crates to clear away clutter and add a soft, rustic effect.
  • Add fresh flowers. Don’t overlook the bathroom when it comes to greenery. Add a vase of fresh flowers or a low-light plant to help clean the air.
  • Add floating shelves. If you still need additional storage, add small floating shelves along a bare wall.
  • Light candles. Finally, light some great smelling candles along the bathtub or toilet and settle in for a relaxing bubble bath.

10 Ways to Give Your Bathroom a Quick Facelift [Oprah]
50 Cheap and Chic Ways to Perk Up Your Bathroom [Style at Home]
Freshen Your Bathroom with Low-Cost Updates [Better Homes & Gardens]

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Happy Father’s Day

June 21, 2015 by

To all the wonderful dads have a great special day!

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How to Help Make Your Rental Home Your ‘Happy Place’

June 18, 2015 by

As the saying goes, "There's no place like home!" Your home is your retreat, your sanctuary, your oasis — your happy place! Here are a few tips to help you make your space even more inviting.

  1. Add potted plants. One of the easiest — and most fun — ways to bring a bit of life into your home is by adding potted plants. Many lush houseplants help to clean the air in your home, while low-maintenance succulents are great for the renter lacking a green thumb.
  2. Switch up the lighting. Add removable stick-on lighting underneath kitchen cabinets or inside of closets, incorporate shaded lamps into your furniture, and even switch the bulbs in the bathroom to something a bit less fluorescent.
  3. Add textiles. A surefire way to add a cozy, homey feeling to any room is by adding rich textiles. Hang curtains, add a plush rug, or even toss a throw blanket over a chair for an instant designer-inspired look.
  4. Incorporate a color scheme. Tie a room together in an instant by using a set color scheme throughout. Choose a sunny yellow for a dark kitchen, or rely on chic grays and whites to make your bedroom relaxing.

7 Reasons Your House Is Making You Cranky [Woman’s Day]
10 Ways to Make Your Home Happier [House Beautiful]
5 Lovely Ideas for Adding Ambiance & Cheer To Your Life [The Inspired Room]

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How to Add Texture to Your Decor

May 21, 2015 by

Even if you have all of the essential furniture, a room can still feel "off" without the warm, cozy textures that really make a house a home. Here are a few smart tips for adding designer-inspired textures to any space!

  1. Toss in some throw pillows. If your sofa (or your bed) is looking a bit bare, dress it up using a mishmash of throw pillows in varying textures. Luxurious silks, faux furs, and simple cottons are all great options, and don’t be afraid to combine colors and patterns, as well.
  2. Add a blanket. One way to make your room look magazine-worthy is by draping a blanket across a bare surface. Think the arm of a chair, the back of the sofa or the foot of your bed.
  3. Add woodgrain to the walls. Even if you live in a rental, you can add the rustic look of woodgrain to any room in your home by creating a large-scale art piece made of recycled wood.
  4. DIY a tile backsplash. If your lease permits it, adding a tile backsplash is a great way to add texture in the kitchen. There are a number of temporary options that can even be removed when you move out.
  5. Hang curtains. Any interior designer will tell you that no room is complete without some type of window treatment. Make a room feel cozier with elegant curtains hung a bit higher than the window frames.

Make an Impact with Texture [Better Homes and Gardens]
Ten Ways to Add Texture to a Room [Apartment Therapy]
Home Décor: 10 Tips to Add Texture [Right @ Home]

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Simple Ways to Add Color to Your Kitchen

May 7, 2015 by

Your kitchen is the heart of your home, so you want to make it feel as bright and cheerful as possible. Turn your kitchen into a happy, welcoming gathering space by following these easy decorating tips:

  • Add a large, graphic art print. People often overlook the kitchen when it comes to adding art to their home, but it’s actually the perfect place for a large statement piece. Choose something with bright splashes of color in a large, simple frame.
  • Tie in the linens. Instead of using mismatched towels and a stained tablecloth, update your linens to something chic and modern. Choose options with lots of texture, and don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns.
  • Use plants. The kitchen is the perfect place for houseplants, since it often gets a lot of natural light. Add lush greens to the top of the refrigerator, a bare windowsill, or even hanging from the ceiling in retro-style macramé hangers.
  • Cover the cabinets. Give your cabinets an instant makeover by covering them in a temporary wallpaper in a fun color or pattern.
  • Add a rug. Place a multicolored area rug just in front of the kitchen sink, and if you have an eat-in kitchen, add another underneath the dining table, as well.

5 Ways To Bring Color To Your Kitchen Without Painting [The Kitchn]
15 Ways To Bring Color To the Kitchen [Elle Décor]
10 Unexpected Ways to Add Color to Your Kitchen [House Beautiful]

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These Tips Can Help You Enjoy Fruits and Veggies on a Budget

April 16, 2015 by

If you think that you have to increase your grocery budget in order to begin a healthier diet plan, think again. There’s no reason why a meal plan filled with fresh fruits and veggies should cost more than one filled with snacks and sweets, and these helpful tips will show you how to do it — even on a tight budget.

  1. Buy in-season produce. You’ll often find better deals on fresh produce when it’s in season, so consider stocking up on large quantities of, say, apples in the fall or berries in the summertime. If you buy more than you can consume, freeze the fruit for future use.
  2. Plan meals in advance. One of the best ways to make the most of what’s in season (and avoid throwing away produce that has gone bad) is by planning a week’s worth of meals in advance. You can even make a few meals over the weekend and freeze them to eat on busy weekdays.
  3. Use sales to get adventurous. If you purchase only fruits and veggies that are on sale at the grocery store, it won’t just save you money, it will also give you an excuse to experiment with new foods that you wouldn’t normally try. Rhubarb, anyone?
  4. Store produce properly. If you get frustrated about how quickly your fresh produce goes bad, create a more organized storage system to maximize its lifespan. Keep vegetables separate from fruits, as many fruits emit a gas that causes veggies to spoil more quickly.

Fruits and Vegetables on a Budget [Fruits and Vegetables More Matters]
10 Smart Tips for Eating Healthy on a Super Tight Budget [The Kitchn]

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Easy Ways to Get More Exercise Every Day

April 2, 2015 by

No matter how busy your schedule, it's important to make time for physical activity every day. Here are some smart, time-efficient ways that you can squeeze more exercise into your daily routine — sometimes without even realizing it!

  1. Start with five minutes. Everyone has five minutes to spare, even on the busiest workdays. Take five to walk around the block, do a few jumping jacks, or even drop down and do a short yoga sequence.
  2. Make the most of your favorite shows. If you have a television show that you wait for each week, multitask by working out as you watch. Do some pushups and crunches during commercial breaks, or head to the gym and watch right from the treadmill.
  3. Change up your commute. Instead of driving or taking the subway, try walking or biking to work.
  4. Work out with a coworker. If you and a coworker plan on working out together on your lunch breaks — or even taking a weekly meeting out for a walk — you can squeeze in exercise even as you work.
  5. Bring the whole family. If your kids are standing between you and your fitness routine, make them a part of it! Go for a jog with the stroller, bring the little ones on a bike ride, or become members at a family-friendly gym.

4 Ways to Squeeze In That Workout [Women’s Health]
25 Ways to Make Time for Fitness [Experience Life]
10 Ways to Sneak In a Workout [Fitness Magazine]

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Four Fascinating Facts About Humans in Space

March 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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These Apps Can Help You Stick to Your Diet Plan

February 19, 2015 by

You went into your weight loss plan with high hopes and determination, but somewhere along the way you started feeling pretty worn out. If your diet feels more frustrating than it’s worth, you may need a bit of help. These handy weight loss apps will help you to manage the foods you eat and count calories without taking the enjoyment out of eating.

MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal is one of the most popular diet tracking apps available today, and for very good reason. The app’s expansive database includes the nutrition information for just about any food imaginable, enabling you to enter each meal that you consume into the log and watch your calories without stress. You can deduct calories each time you work out, and there’s even a feature that scans the barcodes on packaged foods to make adding them even more convenient.

My Diet Coach
If you need a bit of motivation to get your diet back on track, My Diet Coach is the app for you. Just like a personal nutritionist, this app gives you helpful reminders about your nutrition goals and offers advice, such as to drink more water or fill half of your plate with vegetables at each meal. You can even record motivational photos to visualize your weight loss along the way.

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Eight Weird and Wacky U.S. Laws

February 5, 2015 by

While the vast majority of United States laws are in place to preserve safety and order among citizens, there are a number of laws whose purpose is a little more confounding. Here are eight laws — some archaic, some still enforced — that will leave you scratching your head.

1. In Texas, it's against the law to sell your eyeball.

2. In Denver, Colorado, it's considered illegal to loan your next door neighbor your vacuum.

3. If you're a resident of Florida who also happens to own an elephant, make note: If you leave your elephant left tied to a parking meter, then you have to pay the meter.

4. Do you enjoy walking backwards after sunset? You'd be well-advised to steer clear of Devon, Connecticut, where it's illegal to do so.

5. In Gainesville, Georgia, you must eat fried chicken with your hands. Using utensils is against the law!

6. If you happen to cross paths with Bigfoot while hiking in Washington state, don't attempt to harass the creature. Doing so could land you in jail.

7. Love the combo of pretzels and beer? Bad news if you live in North Dakota: It's illegal for beer and pretzels to be served at the same time in any bar or restaurant.

8. In Alabama, it's against the law to drive a vehicle while blindfolded.

Bizarre Regional Laws In the U.S. Are Even Weirder Than You Thought [Gizmodo]
Weird U.S.A Laws [Information Central]
United States Weird Laws [Law Guru]

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