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Consumers Feel Confident in January

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, which had increased in December, improved moderately in January. The Index now stands at 98.1 (1985=100), up from 96.3 in December. The Present Situation Index was unchanged at 116.4, while the Expectations Index increased from 83.0 to 85.9 in January. “Consumer confidence improved slightly in January, following an increase in […]
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Save Space by Compacting Clutter, Opening Walls

As trends in living space transition downward, it could proportionately compound the amount of clutter stacking up on shelves, and in closets, basements and attics. So we turned to Greg Dodge whose recent post at designbasics.com reviewed “5 Modern Ways to Reduce Wasted Space in Your Floor Plan.” A couple of suggestions Dodge provides are […]
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How to Create a Modern Homestead

Did you know that Hilary Swank raises her own chickens from eggs? She’s not the only celebrity getting into modern homesteading: Julia Roberts composts her kitchen scraps and chicken poop while Oprah has a 12-acre organic garden in Maui. Even the White House has a vegetable garden thanks to Michelle Obama! Anyone willing to give […]
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3 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Space

(TNS)—It’s easy to embrace all things new and fresh at the start of a year. Interiors are no different. While it might be tempting to start all over and go for an entire overhaul, you shouldn’t rule out the impact a few simple changes can make to refresh a room, says Dallas designer Sarah Pickard […]
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Three Foolproof Ways to Update Your Living Room

The living room is the room where most families spend the majority of their time. The TV is usually there, the comfy couches are there, and oftentimes the living room has the best view of the backyard. Sometimes, though, the living room needs some sprucing up. Here are three things you can do to instantly […]
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Your Place: Best to Tend to Pipes before They Freeze

(TNS)—Really cold weather waited for the new year to give us the shivers, a vivid reminder of this fact: In winter, outdoor temperatures can hover around freezing in the daylight hours and fall well below after dark. Combine that with the prolonged power outages that often result from major storms at this time of year, […]
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Friends Who Join Forces See Homeowner Dreams Come True

(TNS)—A group of longtime Seattle pals is going from renting together to buying houses together, like a real-life sequel to the television sitcom “Friends.” James Sutter, 31; his wife, Margo Arnold, 34; and another couple recently bought a new three-bedroom, three-story house in the city’s Columbia City neighborhood for $705,000. They chose the home partly […]
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7 Important Home Renovation Tips You Might’ve Missed

New year, new you, right? Sure! If you’re like most people, the new year is chock-full of health- and wellness-related resolutions—but why stop there? Your home could use some improvements in the new year too. If a major home improvement is on your list of resolutions, it pays to have your plans established before you […]
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What You Need to Know about Lead Poisoning

(TNS)—The recent news about high lead levels in the Flint, Mich., water supply has raised concerns about lead poisoning in general. Mayo Clinic experts say young children are at the greatest risk of health problems related to lead exposure, including serious brain and kidney damage. Lead poisoning happens when the metal builds up in the […]
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How Can You Fend Off the Flu at Work?

(TNS)—No matter what grandma might have warned, simple exposure to frosty winter air won’t lead to getting the flu. But going to the office might. Doctors suspect the workplace ranks among the biggest culprits in spreading the virus. Nausea and other symptoms force Americans to take nearly 111 million sick days a year, contributing to […]