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How To Decorate Your Home On A Budget

May 30, 2013 by

For many home owners, one of the biggest challenges they face is sticking to a budget when decorating their home. Especially if you've just moved, it's hard not to rush out and buy all new furniture to fill your new space. It feels great to personalize your interior, and fill it with items that you find both beautiful and useful, but you'll end up regretting rushing into buying things if you don't have the money set aside to do so! The good news is decorating your home does not have to cost a ton of money. Read through the tips below for decorating on a budget:

Start Small
Start with a small yet important room, like the master bathroom. By working in a small space, you'll realize how simple touches, like hanging a new shower curtain with an attractive pattern, getting a new bath mat, or putting up framed art, can really change the look of the entire room.

Reuse
Instead of buying everything new, see what you can reuse. Try re-covering old dining room chairs or a dated upholstered bench. Reupholstering, repainting, and accessorizing pieces you already own is a great and cost-effective way to bring more style into your new place.

Color The Walls
Painting the walls is one of the simplest, cheapest things you can do to instantly transform the look of your space. Before you settle on a color, paint a patch of the wall with it, and see how it looks throughout the day. Remember, the color will appear to change in different lighting and at different times of day.

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5 Stylish Home Design Blogs

April 25, 2013 by

Are you looking for some design inspiration for your home? Instead of purchasing tons of design books and magazines, open up your laptop, and peruse the internet for ideas. Whether you're ready to rework your dining room, re-design your master bath, or infuse your living room with more style, these awesome design blogs will provide you with all the inspiration, tips, tricks, and techniques you could need to make your interior breathtakingly beautiful!

Making It Lovely

The Design Confidential 

Little Green Notebook

Style by Emily Henderson

Slim Paley

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4 Tricks That Will Extend The Life Of Your Mattress

April 11, 2013 by

Thanks to kids, work, stress, technology, and more, it can be challenging to get a good night's sleep. With all the obstacles that can get in the way of a restful night's sleep, your mattress should not be one of them! Read through these 4 tips that will serve to extend the life of your mattress, so that you can sleep well, all night long.

  • Deal with dust mites. It may seem a little gross, but the average mattress can house tens of thousands of dust mites. For most people, dust mites are not harmful, but for some, allergies and asthma can be exacerbated by these little critters. The simplest and most effective way to control dust mites is to vacuum your mattress, your pillows, and your furniture with a high-powered vacuum on a regular basis. Also, you can always invest in dust mite covers for your mattress, box springs, and pillows if you are very sensitive, and need extra protection.
  • Flip or rotate your mattress. To better distribute wear patterns, flip and rotate your mattress every 2 to 3 months. If you have a pillow top mattress, rotating is enough to ensure an even distribution of wear.
  • Change your sheets every week. Wash and dry your sheets using temperatures of at least 130° F to help control dust mites. This is the lowest temperature that will kill a dust mite.
  • Seek support. Support your mattress with a bed frame or box spring. A single mattress resting on the floor will lose its structural support much more quickly than a mattress that is supported by a bed frame or box spring.

 

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Cure Your Cooking Rut: 4 Ways To End Dinner Boredom

March 28, 2013 by

Do you feel like you prepare the same few dinners over and over again? Does cooking dinner often seem more like a chore than play? Are you tired of the food on your plate? It sounds like you're in a dinner rut! Read through the tips below to make your dinner plate exciting again. 

Experiment with new recipes.
You know all the recipes that you've saved, and cut out of cooking magazines? Make use of them! Try incorporating one new recipe per week, and hang on to the keepers in a folder or notebook. 

Try a new ingredient.
When you're grocery shopping, purchase new ingredient that you typically don't pick up. If you're not sure how to cook it, ask the seller, a foodie-friend, or simply Google it.

Eat out.
Instead of ordering the same thing off the menu at your favorite place, try a new dish. Or, even try a new restaurant all together. Keep in mind that restaurants that rotate their menus seasonally are always good sources of fresh, new ideas. As you enjoy your meal, take note of any flavors, textures, ingredients, or combinations that you enjoy, and try incorporating some of those when you cook at home. 

Keep a dinner journal.
When you prepare a meal that you and your family love, write it down! This will provide you with a great reference book or tasty dinner, and will also serve to expand your repertoire beyond the small number of meals you can remember offhand.

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Get The Grill Ready: Great Grilling Cookbooks

March 14, 2013 by

Spring is just a week away, and you know what that means — time to fire up the grill! Grilling is a flavorful, healthy way to prepare meat, vegetables, and more, and there's no better time of year to start brushing up on your grilling skills than early spring when the weather's turning warmer. No matter what level of grilling expertise you currently possess, you'll surely learn some great tips, techniques, and recipes from the cookbooks below. 

Marinades by Melanie Barnard
If you've done much grilling in the past, you know that a great marinade is often the key to delicious meat on the grill. This awesome reference book houses a huge selection of sauces from all over the world. 

Gas Grill Cookbook by Better Homes and Gardens 
If you use a gas grill, this is an all-purpose book that contains many different techniques and approaches to gas grilling. Plus, in addition to recipes, it has great tips on how to get the most out of your grill.

The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen 
Steven Raichlen is one of the world’s most notable barbecue masters, and in this book, he gives you everything you need to know to grill great meats and vegetables in an array of regional styles.

The New Vegetarian Grill by Andrea Chesman
Think great grilling is all about meat? Think again! This cookbook is one of the best guides available today for getting the most out of the fruits, vegetables, and grains that you put on your grill.

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5 Easy & Delicious Dinners For Two

February 28, 2013 by

Cooking a meal for two? Well, the next time you want to whip up something that looks and tastes like it took all day to prepare, look no further than one of these elegant, delicious recipes!

Red Thai Curry Mussels

30-Minute Coq Au Vin

Seared Bitter Greens Salad with Roasted Beets, Spiced Pecans & Bleu Cheese

Penne alla Vodka

Ravioli with Eggs & Wilted Greens

Bon appetit!

 

 

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Do-It-Yourself Projects For Your Bathroom

February 14, 2013 by

Whether it's you or your bathroom that needs a little TLC, we've got the remedies for you. This time of year brings with it fevers, chills, aches, and pains, so if you find yourself searching for pills and potions in your medicine cabinet to no avail, here are some home remedies that will have you feeling better — in more ways than one!

How to Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet: When it comes to bathroom organization, one of the best places to start is the medicine cabinet — because there's no bigger headache than looking for headache medicine only to have an avalanche of bottles, lotions, and bandages hit the floor.

How to Make a Soothing Bath Soak for Sick Days: Feeling under the weather? Try this low-energy project that could make you feel better in no time.

 

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Cleaning & Organizational Projects For Your Home

January 31, 2013 by

Now that the holidays are well behind us, and the new year is in full swing, you may be feeling like it's time to start tackling some home projects. During the holidays, cleaning and organization can get pushed by the wayside as you prep, prepare, and attend holiday gatherings. But, now that the dust has settled (more metaphorically and literally), it's a great time to give your home some much needed TLC, and tackle a few of those projects that have been on your to-do list since 2012! Check out these helpful posts below that will help you get your home spick-and-span, and well organized, without the headache!

How To Clean Your House in 20 Minutes a Day for 30 Days: This month-long cleaning schedule will whip your home into shape with little time, energy, or commitment.

How To Take On Closet Organization: These tips will help you let go of your perfectionist tendencies, and will give you ways to maintain an organized space without the stress!

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Fun Ways To Get Fit: ExerciseTrends for 2013

January 17, 2013 by

If you want to kick your workout routine up a notch this year, or if you're still searching for "your thing", check out these fun fitness trends that will have you sweating away the calories in no time! Whether you like to exercise at the gym, at home, or even at work, there is a trend out there worth trying.

TRX — TRX is a suspension training system that is extremely popular as of late. Check your local gym for classes, and get super sculpted as you work with suspended bands through body-weight exercises that are challenging for both your limbs and your core.

Streaming Workouts — As you likely know, gym membership can be expensive, and it’s sometimes hard to find the time to get to the gym for your workout, so they often go to waste. But, modern technology leaves you with no excuses for not working out. There are hundreds of great workout websites that let you stream exercise videos so you can get your groove on at home. Or just type your workout of choice into YouTube, and you’ll find tons of free options right at your finger tips. Plus, you can customize what you do, and for how long you do it!

Get The Whole Family Involved — Gyms, YMCAs, and many yoga studios offer “Mommy and Me” classes for parents to enjoy with their children. And if you’re disinclined to workout on your own, signing up with your little one could be a great motivator! Also, many workout places also offer family discounts if you sign-up the whole gang at once, and then you can all go and workout together!

Workout At Work — Many companies are beginning to embrace the idea of corporate wellness programs that are held during your lunch hour or immediately following the work day. Talk to your HR department to see if your company is (or would be interested in) offering on-site yoga, dance, or aerobics classes, or you could even start a lunch-hour walking club. Also, you can see if your place of work will reimburse you if you sign-up for a gym membership to show their support for your efforts.

Crossfit — If you like to train hard, this fitness franchise is for you! With their short, but super intense workouts, they take working out back to basics, and will have you feeling the burn quicker than you can say "handstand push-up". Box jumps, pushups, and dead lifts will leave you feeling pumped, and get you super strong!

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Keep Your Resolve in 2013

December 27, 2012 by

With the new year just around the corner, many of us are brainstorming what our resolutions will be for 2013. But often, despite our best intentions, our new year's resolutions fall by the wayside not long after the ball drops. If you want to make 2013 your best, healthiest year yet, keeping your momentum is key to creating lasting changes. So, if you're tackling a fitness goal in the new year, check out these helpful tips below that will have you feeling great and staying committed to your exercise program.

Be realistic with your goals. Consider your available time, your interests, and your current fitness level when mapping out your health goals. Be honest with yourself – taking on more than you can handle will only be discouraging if you fall short.

Try out a few different workouts. It's important to take your time finding a work out that you really like, as it will help you to stick with it. Be open-minded – you never know what might work for you until you try it.

Get specific. Have clear goals in mind, like dropping one dress size, losing 15 pounds, or committing to exercising 30 minutes, 3 days a week. Pick something that is challenging, but within reach, and then once you’ve achieved that goal, set a new one. Also, reward yourself each time you reach a goal — schedule a massage or buy a new outfit!

Make it routine. If you can, build exercise into your day, like walking or biking all or part of your commute to and from work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, every day. Work out while you’re watching TV, or go for a walk during your lunch break.

Work out buddies. If you can't stay committed when it's just you, recruit others to join in! Schedule a weekly walk, run, or gym date with friends. You’ll have more fun, and you will serve as each other’s motivation as you work toward your goals!

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