Not to mention, bringing your coffee and other drinks with you can be a boon to your bottom line, as that daily coffee shop run can start to add up. A travel mug (even if you get it filled up at Starbucks) can also help cut down on plastic and paper waste. As you’re shopping for the best travel coffee mug for your busy lifestyle, consider this detailed information from our testers....
According to a recent survey conducted by the home services website Angi, nearly 80% of homeowners make a mistake while attempting to tackle a project themselves, which can result in expensive property damage, serious injury, or even a home disaster. DIY projects are best done right the first time, and there are a few key steps you can take to avoid a costly and potentially dangerous error. Here are some of the biggest DIY mistakes homeowners make and how to avoid them....
To find the best bamboo sheets, we conducted a blind test at our testing lab in Des Moines, Iowa, with 16 sets of sheets. Testers used a predetermined methodology to evaluate each set in five categories: quality, texture, breathability, durability, and value. The final rating was determined by averaging each pick’s scores across categories. Overall, the best bamboo sheets are the Bampure Organic Bamboo Sheets. The sheets were cool-to-the-touch and breathable, and they washed well....
“The fabric, or combination of fabrics, in a well-made pillow or cover keeps you cool and dry,” says Mary Helen Rogers, vice president of marketing and communications at The Better Sleep Council. “It regulates temperature and prevents moisture from piling between your pillow and your face.” If you’re looking to replace your pillow, this list has plenty of options to keep you cool while sleeping. To come up with this list of the best cooling pillows, we researched the category and tested 28 pillows every night for two weeks, evaluating them for fill material, support, firmness, and cooling technology to inform our product recommendations....
Because so many juicers exist, we combed through dozens of them to create a list of the best juicers. We examined factors such as whether the juicer is masticating or centrifugal and the speeds, pitcher capacity, and more. We interviewed Brandon Jurewicz of JuiceRecipes.com for expert advice on selecting the best juicer. Among many other tips, Jurewicz shares, “Juicing is something that needs to work with you. If juicing takes too long or you have to clean a lot of parts, you’re not going to do it....
Whether you’re looking for a personal blender, a powerful model for ice and harder foods, a compact option to keep on your countertop, or a specific brand—like a NutriBullet or Ninja blender—you’ll find plenty of top-notch blenders for under $100. Price at time of publish: $100 This particular version comes in 11 color choices—including fun shades like rose gold—and convenient to-go cups so you can whip up a smoothie on your way out the door....
While shopping for vintage products or antiques can be considered buying secondhand, focusing solely on loving the piece you’re buying—rather than looking for pedigree, era, and more—is the real differentiator. “Regardless of budget, style, space, or vibe, secondhand allows you to surprise yourself with the unknown, grants a space soul and story, and enables you to responsibly buy anything under the sun,” says designer Marissa Whitley Tago of The Whitley Co....
The GooingTop LED Grow Light delivers full-spectrum lighting to your plants without needing to be placed outside. It uses both red and white LED lights to mimic sunlight around midday. This is when the sun is at its highest and its rays are at their peak, which is why shoppers confirm that this grow light has helped them grow everything from seedlings to cacti. Designed specifically for indoor plants, the grow lamp is made with two heads and can be customized to your plants’ needs with five levels of brightness that you control with the attached remote controller....
What Is a Saltbox House? Built during the 17th and 18th centuries, American saltbox houses were named after commonly used wooden salt containers from the colonial period. Historic saltbox houses are easily identified by their signature one-sided sloped rooflines and simple colonial facades. They often include a symmetrical brick chimney, too. The style originated as a quick, economical way to add living space to the back of an existing two-story home....
“Now more than ever, we are seeing a return to cozy and warm interiors. Think beautifully layered spaces, a mix of prints, patterns, and colors, delicious wallpapers, textures, pleated and patterned lampshades as well as bespoke textiles,” says Roxy Owens, founder and creative director at Society Social, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based furniture company. But keeping updated on furniture trends doesn’t mean forsaking the classics. Instead, it’s quite the opposite. One only needs to look at today’s top materials, including rattan, grass cloth, and wicker, to see this point in action....
1. Create an Addition As your family grows, why shouldn’t your home? Consider building an addition to add major value to your home and increase square footage. Maximize your investment by selecting the perfect materials and details to enhance your home’s value and character. “Any kind of physical expansion—whether it’s a new bedroom, an extension of a living room, or whatever space you desire—has a huge impact,” says Joe Rand, managing partner and general counsel at Better Homes & Gardens Rand Realty....
The commute between the house and the kids’ school and extracurricular activities proved a burden for the family, though, even with a house that fulfilled their needs. So the Taylors dismissed the idea of finding a similar house and built their dream house again, this time in Sandy. “My goal was consistency,” Hillary says. “There was no reimagining design schemes and colors.” She did make a few practical adjustments, though....
To carve: Cut a circle in the bottom of the pumpkin and clean out the interior. Next, scrape the pumpkin flesh thinnest where you’re planning to carve; we recommend no more than 1" thickness. Attach the printed stencil to the pumpkin with tape. Use a pin to make tightly spaced pricks along the stencil lines, piercing through the paper into the surface of the pumpkin. Remove the paper stencil from the pumpkin, but keep it nearby for reference....
Plant List for Creating the No-Fuss Shade Garden Plan 3 Deadnettle (Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’), Zones 4-8 2 Barrenwort (Epimedium × youngianum ‘Niveum’), Zones 4-8 3 Japanese painted fern (Athyrium ‘Ursula’s Red’), Zones 5-8 2 Chinese astilbe (Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions in Pink’), Zones 4-8 3 Foamy bells (x Heucherella ‘Golden Zebra’), Zones 4-9 2 Hosta (Hosta ‘Patriot’), Zones 3-8 2 Hellebore (Helleborus ‘Golden Sunrise’), Zones 4-9 2 Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis ‘Gold Heart’), Zones 3-9 2 Hosta (Hosta ‘Sagae’), Zones 3-8...
The pantry was large, but it was underperforming and needed a specific organizational system. When full, the shelves were messy and visually overwhelming. A U-shaped layout created wasted space in the corners. The pantry’s most notable feature was its potential. Kokaliares cleared out everything, so she could give the existing shelves a fresh coat of paint before beginning to organize. First, she found a personality-packed wallpaper to jazz up the space....
Plants for Creating the Spring Vegetable Garden Plan 16 Carrot 8 Leaf lettuce 8 Butterhead lettuce 4 Spinach 16 Radish 2 Broccoli 1 Cabbage 12 Snow pea 2 Parsley 8 Onion Each of these crops comes in all sorts of varieties. Feel free to choose your favorites, or experiment with new-to-you cultivars. Get the Free Spring Vegetable Garden Plan The garden plan for this design includes an illustrated version of the planted garden, a detailed layout diagram, a list of plants for the garden as shown, and complete instructions for installing the garden....
The finishes help a mix of thrifty finds feel fresh. The decor in the home is scoured from garage sales, thrift stores, and antique shops for earthy, tactile, affordable finds. Natalie describes herself as someone drawn to rustic vintage elements and a mighty good deal rather than as a collector. Check out how she made her home into a farmhouse dream on a small budget. Natalie persuaded an antique shop owner to part with a not-for-sale church pew for $175 that now resides in her entry....
½ cup whipping cream 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate pieces
