Category: Lifestyle
DIY Make Pretend Snow
Stay warm inside this winter and let your kids play with make pretend snow! A fun DIY for the kids and only two ingredients needed. Watch the video below to learn more!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YwSm4rhnIo?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
5 Tips for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions
Whether you decided to eat healthier or keep your home clean and organized, keeping a resolution can be challenging. Before you start getting frustrated or thinking about throwing in the towel, check out these helpful tips!
1- Make your goal very specific. Instead of saying “I’m going to be healthy in 2018” make your goal more specific by saying “I’m going to exercise three times per week in 2018.”
2- If you need someone keeping tabs on you to keep you honest, make your goals and resolutions public. Share your goals on your social media account or with a friend and share your progress.
3- Reward charts aren’t just for kids. Make a chart that you can check off to keep organized. List all of your household cleaning chores and check them off as you complete them. Reward yourself with something special when you’ve completed everything.
4- Make your goals progressive. Instead of making one big goal to reach by the end of the year, make smaller goals that you’ll hit each quarter to build up to the bigger goal.
5- Don’t be too hard on yourself. If you slip back into old habits it’s okay. Don’t give up – you can always jump right back into a new lifestyle without ruining your plans for the year.
5 Tips for Wrapping Holiday Gifts
It’s time to pull out the scissors, tape and ribbon and start wrapping those holiday gifts! If you’re feeling overwhelmed or uninspired, read these tips before you start cutting that wrapping paper!
1.If you prefer using gift bags over wrapping with paper, make sure you have enough. Count the items you have and measure their sizes before heading to the store to purchase your bags. Don’t forget the tissue paper!
2. Now is a good time to create a gift wrapping storage solution if you haven’t already. Plastic bins or even garment bags make for great storage. Put your paper, scissors, tape, tags, ribbon and a pen in the bin or bag so you know where everything is.
3. Rather than buy a bunch of different wrapping paper patterns, try using brown craft paper to wrap your gifts. Add color and patterns by choosing different colored ribbons to your brown packages.
4. Try adding some unique additions to your packages like bells or greens. Tie them onto your ribbon for a fancy and impressive touch on your packages.
5. If you purchased wrapping paper on rolls, put empty toilet paper or paper towel roll around your roll to avoid paper rolling open and getting ripped.
7 Tips for Setting A Thanksgiving Table
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and if you’re hosting you are probably busy with preparations! Your turkey is thawing, your vegetables are chopped, the house is clean….now it’s time to set the table! Read these tips before you start putting out your napkins and flatware…
- Iron your tablecloths and napkins the day before.
- Wash and set aside all of your flatware and glassware the night before. Make sure to dry everything so there aren’t any spots or watermarks.
- Consider using place cards. It makes things easier and it makes your dinner table much more personalized. Your guests will be happy that you’ve chosen a special place for them at your meal.
- Add some seasonal touches by putting centerpieces on your tables. Consider flowers, candles, pumpkins or faux leaves to give your table a festive look.
- Keep in mind that bread plates go on the left and drinks go on the right of each place setting.
- Wow your guests with a festive napkin fold! Try one of these ideas
- Make sure to have the guests water glasses filled before they sit down. Have a full water pitcher on hand in the fridge so you can easily refill.
DIY Waffle Cone Cornucopias
Want to send your Thanksgiving guests home with a fun, festive treat? Watch the video below to learn how to make your own waffle cone cornucopias with only 2 ingredients!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJts1Z4uLPo?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
5 Ways to Get Your Outerwear Ready for Winter
There is already talk of snow in the forecast in New England so it’s (finally) time to start pulling out the winter jackets, hats and boots! In order to keep things organized and to make sure your gear doesn’t take up too much space, follow these tips:
- Start by washing your winter coats, gloves and hats and scarves after you pull them out of storage.
- Make sure you have matched all of your gloves and mittens and fold or tie them together to keep them from separating.
- Shop for a shoe tray if you don’t already have one. Clean a spot by your front door to place it so you can take off your wet, snowy boots without making a mess.
- Have baskets laying around the house? Use one for your gloves, one for hats and one for scarves to keep things organized. Put the baskets on a shelf in your coat closet.
- Pull your lightweight jackets out of the closet to make room and put them in storage. Hang your winter coats underneath your baskets for your cold weather accessories.
6 Tips for Packing Away Summer Clothes
It felt like summer was planning to stick around forever this year (we’re not complaining) but the cooler temps are finally here! If you’re like us and still haven’t packed away your summer clothes now is the time. Follow these 6 steps to keep things as organized as possible.
- Wash and dry all of your clothes before packing them away so you can launder any stains.
- If you don’t have any, purchase some storage containers. Plastic bins or air tight bags are both great options for storing clothes.
- Choose your storage location. Whether it’s in your closet, your basement or under your bed, make sure the spot is cleaned and ready for your containers.
- Rolling your clothes will allow for more space in your containers and less wrinkles. Roll tightly and organize clothes by separating tops from bottoms.
- Top your clothes with some clean dryer sheets before sealing up the containers. Your clothes will smell fresh when you open them up next spring.
- Lastly, label your containers “summer clothes” so you can easily locate them when the weather turns warm again!
15 Items for Your College Packing Checklist
It’s about that time; time for college students to head back to school for a brand new year. Packing everything up for a new semester of school is no easy task since there’s so much to pack. When making your checklist, don’t forget to add these ten items you may not have thought to put in your suitcase!
- Batteries (in all standard sizes)
- A fan – dorm rooms can get hot!
- A shower caddy for all your toiletries
- Your health insurance card (keep it in your wallet)
- First aid kit
- Flip flops or shower shoes
- Spare sheets & a blanket
- Flashlight
- Extra ink for your printer
- Laundry detergent
- A laundry basket
- An umbrella
- A bathrobe
- Extension cord
- A power strip for your desk area
7 Tips For Packing Lunch for the Beach
We’re in the dog days of summer and that means we’re smack dab in the middle of beach season. Planning a trip this weekend? Try these tips for packing the best foods to enjoy while you’re sitting in the sand.
- Bring low maintenance fruits. Don’t bring anything that needs to be peeled as it leaves a mess and might leave you with sticky hands.
- If you’re packing a sandwich, think about making it a wrap. Wraps are easier to eat with one hand and can easily be kept in foil to avoid a mess.
- Bring a separate bag for your trash to avoid having wrappers blow away on the beach.
- Use ice packs instead of ice in your cooler to avoid a soggy mess at lunch time.
- Bring plenty of wet wipes for your hands to avoid getting sand on your finger foods.
- Prefer not to eat with your hands? Pack something in a plastic container that you can eat with a fork (think salads or burrito bowls – yum!)
- Make sure to have plenty of water to stay hydrated while you soak up the sun!
5 Things To Do Before Leaving on Vacation
Heading away for a summer trip? Here are some things you might want to consider doing besides packing your suitcase!
- Don’t announce when you’re leaving on social media. Friends aren’t always the only ones watching. Keep your home safe while you’re away by leaving your vacation plans offline.
- Ask a trusted neighbor to pickup your mail or packages. You don’t want to announce to everyone that you’re away by having fliers or packages building up!
- Make sure you’re not coming home to a big electric bill by unplugging all of your non-essential appliances.
- Empty out the fridge and the trash cans. There’s nothing worse than coming home to expired food and a full trash barrel in your home.
- Pay your bills! You don’t want to be relaxing on the beach only to remember you never paid your cable bill before you left. Make sure to organize payments and visit the post office before you head out.