Once you’ve gathered your supplies, it’s time to practice macramé knot techniques. By incorporating a variety of knots into your design, you can give your project interesting texture and added dimension. Below, we’ll walk you through some of the most common macramé knot types and how to do them. Once you have these methods mastered, mix and match the different types of knots to create your own distinctive designs. The possibilities are limitless!...

What Is Feng Shui? Feng shui, which translates literally to “wind and water,” was historically used to select favorable places and times for building homes, growing crops, and other life-sustaining activities, Santiago says. The philosophy is based around the elements of earth, metal, water, wood, and fire, which can all be represented through various shapes, colors, and materials throughout a home. The right balance cultivates happy, organized spaces that support our well-being and daily lives....

Safety First Before you winterize your lawn mower, take a few safety precautions. Read your owner’s manual for instructions that are specific to your model. If you don’t think you can safely winterize your mower, contact a professional. Otherwise, Bob Glawe, product safety specialist for Troy-Bilt says to “move the mower to a flat, level surface; turn it off, remove the ignition key, and let the engine cool.” You don’t want it to start accidentally while you work on it, so for battery-powered and electric models, remove the battery or disconnect the negative battery cable....

The recipe was created by food blogger and Brooklyn-based cook Justine Doiron (aka @justine_snacks on Instagram) and consists of roasted butternut squash, three cheeses, and a plethora of warm, Thanksgiving-perfect herbs and spices. The Reel Doiron posted walking through how to make the dish has accumulated more than 70,000 likes, and she wrote on her website that it’s “by far the closest thing to the Trader Joe’s version.” Trader Joe’s describes its butternut squash mac and cheese as made with “mezzi rigatoni pasta—short, thick, ridged tubes that hold sauces with gusto” which is then “blended with an opulent sauce made with three cheeses (cheddar, gouda, and parmesan), a classic béchamel sauce, the perfect amount of butternut squash pureé, and a sprinkling of seasonal spices like nutmeg and sage....

½ small cantaloupe, cut up ¼ small honeydew melon, cut up 2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

Jennifer Kopf attended Drake University, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism & Mass Communications. She also studied Magazine Journalism and Publication Design.

Benefits of Keyhole Gardening A keyhole garden’s raised profile makes it ideal for places with subpar soil (bonus: There’s no digging or tilling required). The elevation also makes it easier for those with mobility challenges to plant, tend, and harvest. Plus, keyhole gardens are ecological and budget friendly. They can be created at a very low cost, using natural materials and things you may already have on hand. The compost basket provides a convenient, mess-free way to give plants much-needed nutrition without a separate compost bin....

Need-to-know tips for keeping your entire family organized. Editor’s Tip: When hanging rods for vertical storage, look for adjustable pieces that can be repositioned as your child grows. Learn the right way to install a wire closet system. Tip: Kid-friendly closet organization is all about ease, so choose baskets without a lid. They’ll have no excuse for leaving socks or dirty clothes on the floor. Tip: This unique kids’ closet idea will make the room appear larger if the curtain is hung at the very top of the wall and reaches down to the floor....

Why Type of Paint Matters Most paint types fall into one of four sheen categories—flat, satin, semigloss, and gloss. Manufacturers may choose descriptive names such as matte or eggshell, so avoid surprises by checking actual samples when comparing paints. Sheen affects not only the appearance of a painted surface but also its durability. The higher the sheen, the harder the paint. But don’t assume all glossy paints display the same reflectivity....

Landscape Lighting Basics How light is seen during the day is different from how it is seen at night, a particularly important distinction when it comes to lighting pathways and other outdoor spaces. However, certain principles about lighting remain true indoors and out. To begin, lighting has degrees of intensity, color, and different quantities are emitted. The color of a particular lightbulb can be found on the packaging; it is a number that ranges from 1800 K (kelvins), which is very red in tone, to 7500 K, which is a bluish-white....

She’s also an entrepreneur and savvy digital content creator. She is the founder and CEO of Tigar Types, a content strategy firm that helps medium-sized businesses grow their brand.

She has worked as a decor and home editor for Coastal Living, producing and styling content as well as art directing projects from start to finish. Liz is the founder of her eponymous company, Liz Strong Style, where she often collaborates with clients and publications, including Better Homes & Gardens, for editorial and advertorial features.