HOME & GARDEN

By Feature Impact | ContributorGardening is a simple way to bring families together while simultaneously teaching kids hands-on lessons about nature, responsibility and healthy living. Whether you have a backyard garden, a few containers on the patio or are looking for a starting point, getting your children involved in planting and caring for plants can spark curiosity and create lasting memories.To get started, consider these family-friendly tips:Start SmallBegin with a manageable project, such as a few containers, a small garden bed or a single planter box. This helps keep the experience fun rather than overwhelming and allows children to see progress quickly.Let Kids Choose the PlantsGiving your children a say in what goes into the garden can help build excitement and a sense of owners...

By Family Features | ContributorGardening can be a simple way to beautify your yard, relieve stress and save money on your grocery bill, but like any hobby, you can get carried away buying necessary equipment.Fun, frugal and environmentally friendly, these tricks can help you create a cost-effective garden:Use a yardstick and permanent marker to mark inches and feet on the handle of your rake, shovel or hoe. The next time you plant, simply lay the marked handle along the row to create perfectly spaced holes for seeds.Line the bottom of a clay pot with a coffee filter to keep soil from leaking out the bottom.Use empty plastic water bottles or clear milk jugs to fill the bottom of large pots. They reduce the weight of the pot and require less soil to fill.To test your seeds to see if they’re...

By Best Pick Reports | ContributorSpring is the perfect time to clear out unused items and give forgotten corners a good scrub. However, setting out to clean your entire house can be a challenging task that requires patience and organization.To help you reach every nook and cranny, consider this handy checklist from the experts at Best Pick Reports.KitchenAs one of the most used rooms in the home, the kitchen builds up a lot of dirt and grime. If you cook regularly, your kitchen is ground zero for all sorts of messes. In addition to wayward crumbs that could attract pests, you have to contend with bacteria that can cause illness and accumulated grease.1. Service Major Appliances: Spring is an opportune time to deal with any issues you may have been putting off, including having major appli...

By Family Features | ContributorWhile winter weather puts outdoor gardening on pause in most parts of the country, the colder months offer a perfect opportunity to begin preparing for a lush garden come springtime.With a little creativity, and some extra time spent creating a plan, you can set yourself on a path toward success before the growing season even begins.Assess Your Space and Research IdeasEvaluate your current garden, taking note of what worked well last season and where improvements can be made. Use this downtime to sketch an updated layout, research companion plants and decide which fruits, vegetables or flowers you want to grow next based on what did (or didn’t) work last spring.Build an Updated BlueprintWinter is the ideal time to upgrade your garden design and make tweaks f...

By Family Features | ContributorAs days grow shorter and temperatures begin to dip, it’s the perfect reminder to begin preparing your home for winter. A little effort to winterize now can prevent costly repairs, improve energy efficiency and keep your family warm and comfortable all winter long.1. Service the HVAC SystemBefore you need to rely on your furnace or heat pump, schedule a professional inspection. A tune-up can extend your system’s life and lower energy bills. Also remember to replace filters and clean vents to ensure your system is running efficiently.2. Seal Doors and WindowsDrafty windows and doors are some of the most common culprits of heat loss. Check for gaps, cracks or worn weatherstripping and seal them with caulk or foam, if necessary. Adding thermal curtains or door s...

By Cheryl Maguire | ContributorI’m a frugal germaphobe so I’m always looking for new ways to save money buying cleaning products. Since I’m also a mom to three children, there is always a spill or mess to clean. A bonus is that many of these cost saving options are better for the environment.Make Your Own Cleaning ProductsOne of the easiest cleaning solutions to make is an all-purpose cleaning solution of ½ water and ½ vinegar. You can also use this solution as a dishwasher rinse agent (instead of Jet Dry) which is less costly. Vinegar is inexpensive and is both a disinfectant and a deodorizer. You can buy a gallon of it for only a few dollars. I like it because it is also non-toxic. You can make everything from an all-purpose cleaner to laundry detergent. Here is a list of 9 Homemade Clea...

By Sandi Schwartz | ContributorWe are all familiar with the old adage “stop and smell the roses.” It helps us remember to take a moment and appreciate what we have and the beauty of simple things like a bed of flowers in our neighborhood. This saying also points to the interesting fact that fragrances naturally occurring in our environment can help us to relax and boost our mood. Indeed, our sense of smell is one tool that we can easily tap into to reduce tension and stress.That is why there is a 72-billion-dollar perfume industry and an over one-billion-dollar aromatherapy industry. From massage oils to incense to trendy perfumes, there are tons of delicious smelling options to make us feel happier and calmer. We can easily purchase these fragrances to make us feel better, but it’s also f...

By Family Features | ContributorWhen it comes to sit-down family meals, one thing is for certain: It feels like you never have enough time. With your hectic schedule – full days at school and work, afternoon sports practices for the kiddos and plans with friends on the weekends – preparing a home cooked meal everyone will love can be daunting.However, that time together in the kitchen and at the table is valuable. It offers an opportunity to bond through shared meals and gives kids a chance to learn life skills, such as measuring ingredients, simple cooking methods and properly seasoning favorite dishes. Dining at home also promotes healthier eating habits like portion control.By rethinking your approach to home cooking, you can bring back family meals for those special moments together. C...

By CherylMaguire“Does this spark joy?” I asked myself.Cradling an apple spice candle in my hand, I sniffed the top of it.The scent is gone probably from sitting in the attic for 15 years, I thought. It definitely isn’t sparking any joy.I tossed it in the overflowing trash pile.The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Upby Marie Kondo had been a best seller for 86 weeks when I first discovered it. That discovery preempted a month-long marathon decluttering of my house. I emptied every drawer, closet and bin which resulted in eleven bags for donation and ten for the garbage.I consider myself a ‘neat freak’ yet if I wrote a book how I ‘clean up’ it would end up in the clearance bin. My three children get annoyed with my ‘neat freak’ ways. When they’re eating a meal, I’m right there wiping away the ...

By Family Features | ContributorGrowing your own produce is an all-around smart practice, from the money you’ll save at the grocery store to the contributions you can make toward a cleaner planet.Maintaining a garden takes some effort, but it’s a project even a beginner can tackle with ease. Consider these tips to start growing your at-home garden:Select a perfect spot.You’ll want to place your garden in an area where you see it often so you’re reminded to weed and care for it regularly. Find a flat area you can access easily, where erosion and other pitfalls (including hungry wildlife) won’t be a problem.Choose between ground and containers.There are pros and cons to gardening in containers vs. the ground, and there’s no universal right choice. Rather, the best garden depends on your goal...