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Super-Simple Fixes for Kitchen Clutter

September 20, 2016 by

Out of every room in your home, the kitchen seems to be the space that gets used the most—and it's also the space that's first to attract clutter! Sound like you? Follow these tips to help maintain order in your busy kitchen.

  • Go through your cabinets and donate or toss out the items that are not frequently used. Your main goal is to have only the items that you love and use.
  • Create groups or categories for your items. For example, sort all of your baking items together in one section and your cooking items in another.
  • Use clear containers to store items and place them inside your cabinets. This keeps everything from being scattered all over the place.
  • Place hooks underneath your cabinets to hold mugs or use a stemware rack in the same spot to hold wine glasses. You could also use adhesive hooks inside of your cabinets to hang measuring cups or oven mitts.
  • Use rotating trays in your cabinets to hold oils, vinegars, or spices. You can also use them in your refrigerator for beverages.
  • Use a small bar cart to store some silverware or your coffee pot and mugs.

Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets [Container Store]
10 Kitchen Organization Hacks To Keep Clutter Contained [The Stir]
10 Steps to an Orderly Kitchen [HGTV]

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Sagging, Scratching and Tearing — Oh My! Don’t Let These Common Problems Ruin Your Furniture

July 12, 2016 by

Whether you recently invested in a brand-new sofa or you've had your furniture for years, everyone wants to keep their furniture in top condition. Here are some smart tips that will prevent sags, tears, and other common furniture issues in your home.

  • Flip your cushions frequently. To keep your cushions from getting too flat, make sure that you flip them frequently. You can use this trick on chairs, sofas, and anything else with a removable cushion.
  • Turn your mattress. Prolong the lifespan of your mattress by flipping it every six months or so. This will help to keep the springs in place and avoid placing weight on the same spot every night.
  • Keep wood furniture away from heat and sunlight. Wood is very durable, but when it comes to sunlight, things can start fading fast. Try to arrange your hardwood furniture so that it's not in the path of direct sunlight, and avoid placing wooden pieces near a heater to prevent warping.
  • Take coasters seriously. You may think of coasters as a bit of an annoyance, but when it comes to preserving the life of your wooden tables, they're actually very important. Keep a few coasters on hand so that your cold beverages don't make rings on wood surfaces.
  • Only use oil soap for wooden furniture. Cleaning your wooden tables and chairs with any old cleaner may damage their surfaces. Instead, always clean these pieces with oil soap diluted with equal parts water.
  • Dust frequently. It may look harmless, but dust can damage the inside of your rugs, sofa cushions, and on top of wooden shelves and tables. Make sure to take cushions outside and give them a good beating to shake out the dust, and frequently dust wooden pieces using a gentle feather duster or an old rag.

Caring for Furniture [HGTV]

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Cheese, Please! How to Make a Memorable Cheese Plate

June 14, 2016 by

For the avid foodie, there are few things in life more beautiful than a good cheese plate. If you want to create a truly gourmet quality cheese plate for your next dinner party or holiday gathering at The Asher, use these simple tips for assembling the perfect spread.

  1. Consider the basics. Before beginning, consider how many people you’ll be serving and what other types of food you’ll have. This will help you to determine how much cheese to buy.
  2. Determine quantity. For an hors d’oeuvre, your cheese plate should include one to two ounces of cheese per person. If you plan on serving it after the main meal, pare it down to just one ounce per person.
  3. Choose the perfect serving platter. Invest in a sturdy cutting board, a marble cheese platter, or an attractive slate slab.
  4. Choose the cheeses. Lighter options, like goat cheese and fresh mozzarella, are great options for before dinner, while fuller bodied cheeses include cheddar, aged gouda and bleu cheese.
  5. Create a theme. If you’re still unsure of which cheeses to choose, create a theme. Pick cheeses from one specific region of the world, or opt for cheeses that are all made from goat’s milk.
  6. Organize. Spread your cheeses out on the platter for easy cutting, and be sure to offer a different knife with each kind. You’ll also want to serve complementary breads and crackers alongside.

The Perfect Cheese Platter [Real Simple]
How to Set Up a Cheese Platter [Food Network]
Creating the Perfect Cheese Plate [Food and Wine]

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Did You Know You Can Make Ice Cream With Just One Ingredient? It’s Bananas!

May 10, 2016 by

It may sound too good (and too easy) to be true, but you can make low-calorie, homemade ice cream with one simple ingredient: frozen bananas! Still unsure of how it works? Follow these simple steps to learn how to make this simple and healthy dessert after tonight’s dinner.

  1. Start with overripe bananas. While you can use yellow bananas, they won’t have the same sweet flavor and soft texture.
  2. Peel the bananas and cut them into slices. It doesn’t particularly matter if they’re all uniform.
  3. Place the banana slices into an air-tight container and freeze them in the freezer, preferably overnight or all day while you’re at work.
  4. Blend the now-frozen banana slices in a food processor. If you don’t have one, a traditional blender would also work, thought it may be a bit more difficult to remove the ice cream once it’s done.
  5. Blend until a soft-serve ice cream consistency is achieved. It may look a bit like frozen banana oatmeal at first, but after blending for five minutes or so, you’ll start to see the ice cream take shape.
  6. Eat your healthy homemade ice cream! Like any good ice cream, you can also top it with your favorite sauce, sprinkles, or even fresh fruit and nuts.

How To Make Creamy Ice Cream with Just One Ingredient! [The Kitchn]
One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream [Chop Chop]
5 Delicious Banana 'Ice Cream' Recipes [Women’s Health]

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Wallet-Friendly Ways to Revamp and Rejuvenate Your Rental’s Decor

April 12, 2016 by

Regardless of how on-trend your decor was when you initially adorned your apartment, it's only a matter of time before you feel like your surroundings are outdated. But when a home makeover isn't really in the budget, you might feel stuck with the interior design you've got. You aren't, though. There are tons of budget-friendly approaches to decorating that can spruce up your apartment. Here are just three of them to get the creative juices flowing.

  1. Upcycle existing embellishments. If your home-decorating instincts take you to Amazon, let your money-saving instincts lead you to Pinterest instead this time. Look for DIY ways that you can revamp that old coffee table or update worn throw pillows. It might be as easy as picking up a can of spray paint or some ribbon and fabric glue.
  2. Frame free pieces of "artwork." You don't have to break the bank on a piece of art in order for it to add something to your room. Prints or photos from magazines and books can have just as great an impact on the aesthetic of your bedroom or living room as expensive artwork. Just find a cheap frame at Target or the thrift store to complement your makeshift work of art.
  3. Break out the sewing machine. If you're handy with a needle and thread, there's a lot you can do in your apartment without spending much money. For example, you can easily create new curtains or pillowcases. These are both simple ways to spiff up your apartment that conserve both time and money.

Budget Decorator: 15 No-Cost Ways to Invigorate Your Space [Houzz]
15 Budget Decorating Secrets [HGTV]
The 10 Most Important Tips For Decorating On A Tight Budget [freshome]

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

March 22, 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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Where to Shop Unique Art and Wall Decor for Kids’ Rooms

March 8, 2016 by

Your kids' bedrooms should be the most fun rooms in the house when it comes to decorating, and that means that you likely want to keep them as colorful and creative as possible. If you’re looking for wall art designed especially for the little one that will add some flair to their bare walls, these are three great places to shop.

Minted
This hip wall art retailer has an entire section of its site devoted solely to art for kids. Expect to find minimal prints of cute quotes, personalized designs with your child’s name. and watercolor paintings of animals, crayons and other sweet scenes.

The Land of Nod
The Land of Nod is a favorite amongst stylish parents with a flair for all things mid-century modern, and its selection of kid-friendly art is just as adorable. It includes handmade weavings and tapestries in bright colors and soft neutrals, as well as framed prints, fun maps, Periodic Tables, and other educational prints.

Etsy
If you’re looking for something truly unique, Etsy has a number of sellers who create their own handmade art just for the little ones. Simply search for children’s art to discover the best the site has to offer.

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Beware of These Three Surprising Sources of High Fructose Corn Syrup

February 23, 2016 by

Avoiding high fructose corn syrup seems like it would be fairly easy if you read your labels and eat a plant-based diet. However, there are still ways in which this artificial sweetener can find its way into the food you eat. Here are three surprising sources of high fructose corn syrup that you might want to avoid:

  1. Salad dressing. Low-fat or not, many salad dressings contain high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient. Make your own with oil and vinegar dressing or buy organic to avoid this.
  2. Honey-roasted peanuts. There are only seven ingredients in this sweet snack, and corn syrup is one of them. Choose raw or oven-roasted nuts instead.
  3. Ketchup. It might be no surprise that ketchup includes sugar, but some brands contain exceedingly high amounts. Look for all-natural brands or use ketchup sparingly.

Corn Syrup in Unexpected Foods [Huffington Post]
Surprising Products That Contain High Fructose Corn Syrup [Divine Caroline]
(Not So) Sweet: Surprising Foods Containing High Fructose Corn Syrup [Babble]
6 Popular Foods with High-Fructose Corn Syrup [FitDay]

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Where (and How) to Shop for Groceries Online

February 9, 2016 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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6 Easy Ways to Deal With Difficult Coworkers

January 12, 2016 by

When you’re around the same people for eight hours every day, sometimes personalities can clash. Getting along with difficult coworkers may seem impossible, but these reliable tips will help you work together in harmony.

1. Choose your words wisely. By removing direct pronouns like “you” from your discussions, your coworker will feel less accused or targeted. Make your directions and criticisms about the project, not the person.
2. Talk face-to-face whenever possible. It’s easy to sound brash in an email, and speaking on the phone or in person can eliminate that worry (and your coworker’s resulting anger).
3. Minimize contact. If you frequently chat with a whiny or sullen coworker simply to be polite, start keeping things short and sweet. A simple "good morning" works in place of your usual "how are you," which often leads to unwanted conversation.
4. Be tactful about complaints. If you have to bring a problem to your boss, plan what you’ll say beforehand to avoid sounding angry or accusatory.
5. Avoid gossip. Respond with uninviting phrases like "Oh really?" when you’re faced with office gossip. If you act disinterested, gossip will likely start to pass you by in the future.
6. Just breathe. Take a deep breath when you feel yourself start to get angry and you may avoid a nasty altercation.

Tips on Managing Difficult People [Harvard Business Review]
20 Ways to Deal with Difficult Coworkers [iVillage]
Ten Tips for Dealing with Difficult Coworkers [All Business]
How to Deal with Difficult Coworkers [Forbes]

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