Store Holiday Decorations So They Last for Years
My grandmother had Christmas ornaments from the 1960s that still looked new. My ornaments from 2019 looked like they had […]
DIY Halloween Decorations You Can Actually Make This Weekend
Last October, my kids informed me — on October 28th — that our house was “the boring one” on the […]
Water Your Lawn the Right Way During a Drought (What I Learned From My Brown Summer)
My lawn went brown in July two years ago. Not “a little dry” brown — crackly, crunchy, looks-like-hay brown. My […]
Start Seedlings Indoors Without Expensive Grow Lights or Equipment
My first attempt at starting seeds indoors was a disaster. I spent $80 on a grow light setup, heating mats, […]
Fire Pit Safety Tips Every Backyard Needs Before You Light That First Fire
My neighbor Dave lit his fire pit on a windy October evening. An ember landed on his cedar shake roof. […]
Keep Your Home Cool Without Cranking the AC
My first apartment had no AC. August was brutal. I tried everything — box fans, ice bowls in front of […]
Adjust to Daylight Saving Time Without Feeling Exhausted
I used to treat the spring time change like a surprise every year — as if it had not been […]
Start a Vegetable Garden Even If You Have a Black Thumb
I killed a cactus. A cactus. The plant that survives in deserts with zero attention died in my apartment. So […]
Super Bowl Party Food That Feeds a Crowd for Cheap
My first Super Bowl party I spent $140 on food for eight people. Wings, pizza, chips, dips, soda. Half of […]
Holiday Stress Management — Enjoy the Season Without Burnout
The year my sister hosted Thanksgiving, she spent the entire day in the kitchen. We ate at 4 p.m. She […]