How to Get BBQ Smoke Smell Out of Your Clothes

I am the designated grill guy at every family cookout. This means I come home smelling like a campfire. My […]

The Trick to Getting Sand Off Everything After the Beach

I found sand in my car three months after a beach trip. Under the back seat. Somehow. Sand is the […]

How to Keep Your Pets Cool During a Heat Wave

Last summer the AC died during a 102-degree week. By day two, my German Shepherd was lying flat on the […]

How to Store Holiday Decorations So You Do Not Hate Next December

Two years ago I pulled my Christmas decorations out of the attic and spent the first hour of the holiday […]

How to Keep Cut Flowers Fresh for Two Weeks

I bought my wife sunflowers for our anniversary. They were drooping by day three. The petals were falling onto the […]

Keep Your Pets Cool During a Heat Wave

Dogs cannot sweat the way we do. They pant. That is their whole cooling system. When the air temperature gets […]

The Winter Draft-Proofing Check You Should Do Before October

“Why is our heating bill four hundred dollars?” my wife asked, holding the envelope like it was evidence of a […]

The Spring Cleaning Checklist You Can Actually Finish

Every spring cleaning list I have ever seen is written by someone who apparently has seventy-two free hours, a staff […]

Spring Cleaning Schedule That Does Not Overwhelm You

Do not try to clean your entire house in one weekend. I did that two years ago. By Saturday afternoon […]

Protect Your Plants From Unexpected Frost Overnight

I lost an entire row of tomato plants to a single April cold snap. I checked the weather at 5 […]