During a good season, a backyard garden can produce a surplus of food. You can give some to friends, family and neighbors. You can even bring a basket of tomatoes to work. But if you want to make your garden goodies last, preservation is the way to go. How to preserve the food grown in your garden will depend on the type of food and your intended use. Here is everything you’ll need to keep eating fresh all year....
Inadequate Lighting Getting enough light in certain rooms of your home can be a struggle, especially if that room lacks overhead lighting. A few common small space design mistakes can exacerbate the problem. Blocking natural light, exclusively using floor lamps and buying the wrong light bulbs will all make a lighting situation worse. On This Page To bring better lighting to your home, Maureen Stevens of Maureen Stevens Styling and Design suggests “adding light features, whether it be a table lamp, wall sconce, recessed lighting or a pendant....
I went to the paint store the other day to pick up paint for the bathroom, and the salesperson asked what sheen I wanted. I’m painting woodwork and the walls. Even though I thought I knew the answer, I asked what the choices were. In order of sheen, from least glossy to most, here’s what he said: flat, flat enamel, eggshell enamel, satin enamel, semigloss enamel and high-gloss enamel. Well, in the first place, the term “enamel,” in my opinion, has lost its original meaning....
Teresa Odland Which Paint Should You Choose? Chalk paint, milk paint, mineral fusion paint and latex paint all have different qualities that make them easy to use, but some work better than others, depending on your project. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the different paints using a trim board, sanded and tested for durability and scratch resistance. Chalk Paint Occasionally needs light sanding prep for best adhesion Thick, 1-coat coverage Wide range of colors, some can be custom-tinted Versatile for distressing, layering and glazing Porous, needs a finish coat for ultimate durability Milk Paint Powder form, mixed with water Range opacity from solid to stain Must mix thoroughly or lumps and bubbles persist No primer, but needs bonding agent for some surfaces Environmentally friendly, contains no VOCs Chippy, textured look Porous, needs a finish coat for ultimate durability Mineral Paint No prep needed Built-in topcoat Self-leveling, smooth finish Low VOCs, low odor Must distress before completely dry Acrylic resin as base, non-porous Latex Paint Prep and primer needed Thick, smooth coverage Infinite tintable colors Variety of finishes from matte to high gloss Chips or peels without proper priming Acrylic base, does not need topcoat Comparison Chart Use this chart when considering your options....
This may be the last season of Game of Thrones, but that doesn’t mean your die-hard fandom should dwindle. Spend every Sunday evening curled up on your couch while your feline friend curls up on their very own throne to watch the suspenseful show right beside you. Here are four Game of Thrones cat beds we love: Via Etsy Iron Throne Cat Bed This large and cozy throne for your cat is made of fleece, plastic, silver tissue and polyester filling and is adorned with decorative swords....
One of the things I liked about living in Japan 20 years ago was the on-demand water heater that supplied the kitchen sink. Turn it on, and you had instant hot water for doing dishes, cooking, washing, etc. On-demand kitchen water heaters were common household fixtures and even considered necessary appliances. If you want that kind of convenience in North America, you can definitely have it, but it’ll probably be different than the one I had....
Log homes have come a long way since the days when pioneer trailblazers made simple shelters out of rough-hewn timbers. Now, trailblazers of a different sort—people looking for distinctive styling, cutting-edge features and natural energy efficiency—seek out log homes for their warm, romantic beauty. Before we consider the options, let’s dispense with a myth about log-home designs. Many people think of log homes as basic, single-room square boxes, but that couldn’t be further from the truth....
Having a steady stream of business is a massive relief for any contractor. By working with property managers, who sometimes manage up to a hundred properties, contractors can significantly increase their volume of business. When a tenant has a plumbing issue, electrical problem or any other home-related complaint, they reach out to property managers who compile a list of contractors to fix them. Establishing a relationship with property managers is one of the easiest ways to gain more business and increase your revenue....
Reusable grocery bags are a great way to go green, and they’re often your only option in states and cities that banned plastic bags. Yet many people neglect to properly wash them often enough, or at all! Here’s everything you need to know about how to clean reusable grocery bags. Why Clean Reusable Grocery Bags? A University of Arizona study revealed that reusable grocery bags can harbor some pretty nasty stuff, like E....
When I was growing up, if someone had asked me what mistletoe was, I would have pointed to the ball of plastic leaves and berries that my mom hung in the doorway every year at Christmas. I had no idea at the time that real mistletoe is steeped in myths and legends. Oh, and it’s poisonous! What Is Mistletoe? There are two common types of mistletoe harvested for use at Christmastime....
Turns out you don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving for Black Friday savings. Black Friday, springtime edition, is here! Overstock is offering a Spring Black Friday Blowout, and the savings on home décor and furniture are crazy good. It’s the perfect time to refresh your home inside and out. Some items are 70 percent off! You’ll also get up to 40 percent off patio furniture and 50 percent off spring décor (give us all the colorful rugs!...
All plant parents, whether seasoned or amateur, recognize that plants speak their own language. Their color, positioning and leaf texture all carry specific messages. And learning to respond to these messages can help you save a houseplant on the brink. Recently, aspiring green thumbs have been asking about one particular symptom: water droplets on the leaves of their indoor plants. Don’t worry—your plant isn’t crying! With a little help decoding this behavior and one simple adjustment, your leafy buddy will be back to normal in no time....
Usually when we think of wildfires burning down houses, we think of cabins in the woods. But suburbs and urban areas are increasingly at risk. The December 2021 Marshall Fire in Colorado burned more than 1,000 houses, apartments and businesses, sweeping across big-box store parking lots and a six-lane highway. The Marshall Fire sparked nationwide headlines about “urban firestorms.” That term may not be scientifically accurate, but it describes the feeling on the ground that day when tens of thousands of people had only minutes to evacuate from thick smoke and fast-spreading flames....
Whenever I’m on a jobsite, there are few things you can never have too much of. I’m not talking about the tools and hardware to complete the project. I’m talking more basic items like shop rags, garbage bags, charged tool batteries and lights. Light is a funny thing. It’s often overlooked as something you’ll need, and at the same time something you can never have enough of. When I came across the Nebo Omni 2k Work Light, I was instantly drawn towards its touted compact size and rechargeable long-lasting battery....
Bryce Gruber for Family Handyman When I built a new deck last summer, I wanted to create a backyard oasis. I used durable poly-deck boards, and filled the space with Trex patio furniture and plastic-based pieces supposedly tough enough to stand up to weather. One year later, I found something I didn’t expect — mildew and grime on my outdoor furniture. So I was eager to try 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner, a popular product on social media....
Brought to you by When you buy your first house, you have a lot going on with moving in, perhaps buying some furniture, hosting your first party at the house, and getting used to those mortgage payments. With all that excitement, it’s easy to overlook routine home maintenance, especially when you’ve never had to tackle these tasks before. To keep things from getting overwhelming, we’ve created this home maintenance guide for first-time owners....
laksena/Shutterstock Multi-legged creatures lurking around your feet might be enough to make you run for the hills. It’s easy to come across a centipede, for example, especially if you’re the outdoorsy type. They’re often found in soil and leaf litter, under stones and dead wood and inside logs. But should you be worried about getting up close and personal with them? Here’s your ultimate guide to getting rid of the creepiest bugs for good....
Why Wash Your Pillows? Everybody (hopefully) knows that they should wash their pillowcases about every two to three weeks. Less well-known, though, is that your pillows themselves require the same treatment—just not as frequently. The reasons behind washing your pillowcases and your pillows themselves are pretty much the same. The places where we sleep are essentially traps for millions of tiny particles that float off of and around our bodies, turning our bedding into breeding grounds for some unwelcome house guests....
Dogs take sleep seriously. So seriously, in fact, that they spend up to 14 hours a day doing it, says Rain Jordan, a canine behavior specialist and certified dog trainer. This is quite a contrast to humans — according to the American Sleep Association, many of us get significantly less than the recommended eight hours of sleep per night. And unlike cats, who will curl up and nap just about anywhere soft and/or warm, dogs tend to sleep much better in a dedicated space to snooze....
If you’ve lived without a garbage disposal, getting one can seem like a miracle. You mean I don’t have to scrape that chunky spaghetti sauce into the trash, crossing my fingers that the bag won’t rip on the way to the curb? I can just pour it down the drain? Yes— for the most part. Garbage disposals keep food waste out of landfills and prevent your kitchen trash bin from smelling like rotting food....
