We’re already in August…can you believe it? It always seems like the summer flies by and we don’t get a chance to enjoy the warmth and everything this season brings. Before September hits, try checking these things off your list to get the most out of August!

<strong>1. Pick your own fruit!</strong> Many local farm stands offer pick your own options and now is the time to take advantage before cold weather hits! You can pick your own blueberries, raspberries and strawberries for a delicious, fresh fruit salad!

<strong>2. Put your toes in the ocean!</strong> If you haven’t had a chance to hit the beach yet this summer, now is the time to start planning! You don’t want the end of September to hit and you realized you never got to feel the salty water and sand on your feet!

<strong>3. Visit your local farmer’s market!</strong> Many towns have farmer’s markets weekly throughout the summer but they close up shop once the fall hits. Take advantage now and buy some fresh produce, plants and other goodies from your local vendors.

<strong>4. Relax by the pool!</strong> There’s nothing like putting your feet up and reading a good book while sitting by the pool. Make sure you get in all the pool time you can in the next several weeks before yours gets covered up.

<strong>5. Go to an outdoor concert!</strong> Concerts in the summer are always a great time! Whether you purchase tickets online for a famous act or attend a free show locally, get out there after work and listen to some music in the company of great friends!

We’re all guilty of letting our closet get out of control every once in a while. To save yourself from making a mess and drowning in clothes and shoes in your closet, keep reading for our closet organization tips!
<strong>1. Get rid of what you don’t wear!</strong> Rather than letting old items take up space, clean out your closet at the end of every season and make a pile of clothes/items that can be donated.

<strong>2. Use baskets and hooks!</strong> Baskets on the shelves in your closet can hold smaller items like hats, gloves and purses. Hooks can be used to hold items like belts and scarves to keep them out of the way.

<strong>3. Get a shoe organizer!</strong> If you are someone who has a lot of shoes, try investing in a shoe organizer that hangs over the door to your closet to free up all of the space on the floor.

<strong>4. Avoid piles!</strong> If you fold clothes and start piling them on the shelves in your closet you’ll quickly start losing space! Pretty soon your pile will grow and become the home for items you don’t know where to store.

<strong>5. Use vacuum-sealed bags for storage!</strong> If you are normally keeping your winter clothes in the back of your closet during summer, consider investing in vacuum storage bags! You can store all of your sweaters and coats in the bags and then shrink the bags down and store on the shelves or on the floor to make space.

When we come home at night we want to kick off our shoes and relax in a place that is warm and comfortable. Does your home currently feel cold and uninviting? Try out these ideas for making your home a bit more cozy.

1. Invest in a soft throw rug. If your home has hardwood or tile floor, try adding a rug in the sitting area to make the surface softer and more comfortable to walk on.

2. Buy comfortable throw pillows. Sure those pretty pillows covered in sequins look nice but are they practical? Add some soft, fluffy throw pillows to your couch to maximize comfort.

3. Add a blanket. Whether it’s on the back of the couch or you have a basket full of them, make sure there are soft blankets available whether you or a guest want to curl up.

4. Think about scents. What smell makes you most relaxed? Is it lavender or sandalwood? Maybe it’s the smell of fresh baking apple pie. Add some scents using plug-in air fresheners or oil warmers to give your home a signature smell.

4. Low lighting is key. Try adding 3-way bulbs to your living room lamps so you can dim the lighting when needed. Low-lit rooms are more relaxing and cozy than bright, fluorescent ones!

Sometimes our homes can get cluttered and the mess can give us added stress that we don’t need! When living in a smaller space like an apartment, it’s important to keep things well-organized so you don’t feel over-crowded. Here are 5 tips for staying clutter-free in your apartment.

<strong>1. Invest in a file cabinet and shredder</strong>- Have lots of bills, old insurance documents and junk mail laying around? Instead of letting a pile accumulate on the kitchen table, shred what you don’t need and file the important documents in a well-organized file cabinet!

<strong>2. Keep your sink dish-free</strong> – Sometimes dishes can get the best of us (especially after cooking a large meal) but to keep food odors away, spend five minutes after eating cleaning the dishes and filling up the dishwasher.

<strong>3. Have specified laundry days</strong> – Dirty laundry can really pile up making your bedroom feel smaller and smaller! Invest in a good size hamper to hide the dirty clothes and schedule designated days to get the laundry done. When the laundry is finished drying, fold it and put it away before it sits around and becomes wrinkled.

<strong>4. Make use of the space under your bed</strong> – Our beds take up a lot of room in our bedrooms. If your bed frame allows, start using that space for storage! Purchase air-tight plastic bags to store winter clothes during the summer or full a large plastic container with your blankets and shoes. Don’t waste the space just because you can’t see it!

<strong>5. Purchase baskets or bins for closet storage</strong> – Rather than throwing all of your toiletries and towels on shelves, try organizing your items by putting them in baskets! Hats and gloves can go in a basket in your coat closet and purses and accessories can go in baskets in your bedroom closet. Having designated spaces for items makes your home look and feel more organized.

By now the kids are all out of school and summer vacation is in full swing! Some days it’s too hot to play outside and some days the rain interrupts our plans. Here are ten ideas for activities you and the kids can try to stay entertained until school starts up again!
1. Visit your local library! A lot of libraries offer summer activities for children like story time or sing alongs. Take the kids and register them for a library card if you haven’t already. While there they can rent a few books to read over vacation!

2. Play mini golf! Mini golf is a fun activity for both kids and adults. Many establishments offer other fun activities like ice cream, bumper boats and live music too.

3. Visit a zoo! Whether it’s a small petting zoo or a large zoo full of wildlife, the kids will be sure to enjoy seeing animals in their natural habitats.

4. See a matinee! On a day when the weather isn’t cooperating, take the kids to see a movie during the day. Lots of local theaters serve a variety of lunch foods too so you can have lunch AND a show all in one!

5. Check out an indoor or outdoor playground! Depending on the weather there are both options! Maybe even call some friends and have their kids meet you so a group of you can all play together.

6. Plan a day at an amusement park! What kids don’t love rides, arcade games and delicious food? An amusement park has a little something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

7. Enjoy a pool day! Whether you live in one of our apartment communities that has a pool or your town has a local one, sitting poolside is always a fun summer time activity.

8. Create some art! Whether you do this at home or head to a local paint shop or pottery making class, the kids will enjoy unleashing their inner artist during their time away from school.

9. Visit a museum! Keep their minds moving over summer vacation by taking the kids to a local museum. Lowell has lots of textile museums and there are children’s museums in Boston and Acton, MA!

10. Check out the aquarium! Sharks, fish, turtles and penguins! There’s plenty to see at your local aquarium. Some places even have shows you can attend once you get there so you can see penguins getting trained and fish being fed!

Hurricane Arthur may be on his way but that isn’t going to stop us from celebrating the 4th of July up here in New England! Whether you are celebrating on the 4th or the weekend after, there will be plenty of cookouts and parties to attend! Want to bring a festive dessert with you? Check out these 5 Patriotic recipes!

<strong>1. July Fourth Flag Cake</strong> (<a href=”http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/flag-cake-recipe.html”>recipe here</a>)

<img src=”{filedir_2}flagcake.jpg” alt=”” height=”225″ width=”300″ />
2. <strong>Red White and Blue Trifle</strong> (<a href=”http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/red-white-and-blueberry-trifle-recipe.html”>recipe here</a>)

<img src=”{filedir_2}trifle.jpg” alt=”” height=”263″ width=”350″ />
3. <strong>Rice Krispie Treat Cheesecake bars</strong> (<a href=”http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/crispy-treat-cheesecake-bars.html”>recipe here</a>)

<img src=”{filedir_2}bars.jpg” alt=”” height=”263″ width=”350″ />
4. <strong>Blue Velvet Cupcakes</strong> (<a href=”http://traceysculinaryadventures.com/2013/07/blue-velvet-cupcakes-with-easy-vanilla-buttercream.html#.Udq29z7F3nI”>recipe here</a>)

<img src=”{filedir_2}bluevelvet.jpg” alt=”” height=”365″ width=”300″ />
5. <strong>Patriotic Whoopie Pies</strong> (<a href=”http://www.bakingbeauty.net/red-white-blue-whoopie-pie-recipe/”>recipe here</a>)

<img src=”{filedir_2}Patriotic-Whoopie-Pies-1-682×1024.jpg” alt=”” height=”525″ width=”350″ />

Did you know you could organize your entire home in 20 days? Sometimes when we think about the amount of cleaning and organizing that needs to be done at home it can be overwhelming. The best way to handle your organization is to tackle it one area at a time! If you designate one day (or even just a couple hours in that day) to one area you can have an organized and revitalized home in no time! Here’s our 20 day organization challenge list! Feel free to tweak it based upon your own needs. Remember…you don’t have to tackle these projects on consecutive days. Cross them off as you go and when you’re all done sit back and relish in the cleanliness:)

Day 1: Medicine cabinets
Day 2: Coat closet
Day 3: Under beds
Day 4: Laundry area
Day 5: Under sinks
Day 6: Fridge and freezer
Day 7: Kitchen cabinets
Day 8: Bedroom closets
Day 9: Desk or office
Day 10: Garage
Day 11: Patio or balcony
Day 12: Linen closet
Day 13: Kids toys
Day 14: Living room
Day 15: Car
Day 16: Bedroom dresser
Day 17: Nightstands
Day 18: Handbags or backpacks
Day 19: Pet areas
Day 20: Pantry

Watch the video below to learn a fun and easy DIY project your kids will love for the 4th of July!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRMDaVa5iPQ&w=560&h=315]

Warm weather brings sunshine and outdoor fun but unfortunately is also brings another pesky nuisance….mosquitoes! Sprays and lotions will work to an extent but you can also give these other home remedies a try to give yourself some extra protection.

1. Citronella- This one is pretty well-known! Light some citronella candles in your yard when you’re sitting outside after dark. They even sell citronella for tiki torches if you have them.

2. Garlic – Are you a fan of garlic in your food? Well guess who ISN’T a fan of the smell….mosquitoes! If you have garlic in your system it will naturally repel the pesky little guys.

3. Lavender- Another smell mosquitoes can’t stand…lavender! When lavender is in an oil form mosquitoes will stay away. Try purchasing a lavender essential oil to rub on your skin before heading outside.

4. Dryer sheets – Throw a dryer sheet in your pocket if you are hiking or near the woods after dark. You can also rub it on your arms and legs for extra protection.

5. Catnip – It will make your cats wild and the mosquitoes run for the hills! Try planting some in your yard or in a pot on your deck and mosquitoes will steer clear!

The hot summer is just beginning which means we will have many warm nights in our future! Rather than sweating it out, here are some tips for staying cool while you sleep that don’t include cranking the air conditioning!

1. Keep the sun out! Rather than open your shades first thing in the morning on a hot day, keep them closed in your bedroom! Keeping your room dark will help keep the temperature down all day.

2. Eat lighter meals! Remember this….the larger the meal you eat, the more metabolic heat you will generate. When the weather is hot outside, try eating a lighter fare for dinner like salads and fresh fruit.

3. Keep your head cool! Smaller firmer pillows won’t trap as much heat while you sleep as big, fluffy ones will! Make sure your pillowcases are made of a breathable fabric too – not a heavy flannel.

4. Circulate a fan! About an hour before you’re ready to hit the sheets, start circulating a fan around your bedroom and close the door.

5. Freeze your sheets! It may sound a little crazy, but throw your top sheet in the freezer for several minutes before you’re ready to call it a night. This won’t keep you cool ALL night, but it will allow some quick relief on sweltering days.

6. Cool your pressure points! Take an icepack or ice cube and place it on your pulse points for a few seconds. These include your wrists, your neck, behind your knees and your ankles.