A gingerbread person cut out of cardstock paper that guests can decorate with craft supplies and then bring to the party to show off their creationsA recipe card that reads something like: Recipe for a good time: A box of gumdrops or peppermint candies topped with a label that invites guests to bring them to the party to use at decorating timeA flyer or postcard printed with an image of a gingerbread man....

Whether it’s cinnamon and clove mixed with warm vanilla, or pine and fresh tree trimmings, there’s a distinct scent, and keeping that in mind can help you design your home with intention and holiday cheer this season. Here are some tips from the experts on getting that smell naturally (and easily) into your space. “Make your own odorous ornaments!” shares Aya Bradley, Home Design, Indoor Plant, and DIY Editor at The Golden....

Whether you’re storing fresh towels, swimsuits, sunblock, toys, floats, or other pool equipment, everything has its place—and there are plenty of creative ways to get everything organized. Make this storage tool even more helpful by hanging sturdy mesh bags from it. These bags are a great place to stow everything from flip flops to pool toys to noodles, and they’re particularly helpful for small items, such as diving rings and other toys....

Squirrel Decoys, Noisemakers, and Sprinklers Fierce resin owls and creepy black rubber snakes seem to populate the garden aisle every spring, giving gardeners the promise of scaring the squirrel out of his wits. Faux predators may have some limited effectiveness, but you must provide the animation they lack by moving them around every day, and even with that effort, the squirrels generally catch on. However, there are many plants that squirrels find distasteful....

Not Considering Conversation Areas No one should ever have to shout, lean forward, or crane their necks in order to have a regular conversation. When arranging furniture in your living room, keep in mind that sofas and chairs should face each other to some degree. In large spaces, this can seem difficult, but remember that you can create more than one conversation area in a single room. Pushing Furniture Against the Walls It may seem counterintuitive, but if you want your room to look bigger, pushing all the furniture up against the walls isn’t the way to do it....

With a little bit of effort and a few updates, we can easily create luxury in our homes—affordably, of course. Here are a few of our simple, not-bank-breaking tips and must-haves for creating a guest-ready bedroom. Does this mean you have to go out and purchase a bunch of new items? Not necessarily. But it does mean that you take time (before your guests arrive, of course) to put away items, dust, organize, and maybe even light a candle or turn on a diffuser to set the tone....

But what if your spring cleaning could actually make you money? Thanks to virtual marketplaces like Poshmark, you can upgrade your spring cleaning from an annoying chore to an actual side hustle—you just need to know the ins and outs, which is why we tapped experts on the subject to share the best ways to resell home items. “Selling home decor items and accessories on Poshmark is just as simple as selling your clothing,” Steven Tristan Young of Poshmark shares with The Spruce....

Basements have less natural light than do other parts of the home. Adding more artificial lighting retroactively is difficult and expensive. So, getting your basement lighting planned right is critical. Basic Basement Lighting Requirements As with other areas of the house, a basement’s lighting must first meet code. With code met, you are free to expand upon the lighting to suit your own needs. Code differentiates between uninhabited and habitable basements....

No matter whether your style leans boho, grandmillennial, or shabby chic, you’ll be able to find vintage pieces that speak to you thanks to our experts’ insight. Where to Get Started Vintage stores are often bursting with inventory, which can be both appreciated and overwhelming, depending where you are on your vintage shopping journey. Those who are new to the vintage world may wish to take a cue from rooms and professionals they admire to help determine the types of items that they appreciate most....

To design a more functional closet, first, you need to decide how you plan to use the space. Because Christine has a separate closet for hanging clothes, she wanted to be able to use this closet as a combo vanity and storage area to store clothing, shoes, and accessories, as well as fit a vanity table and house her makeup and perfume collection. To accommodate some of these needs, she decided she needed more drawer storage....

The Raven Loft is Geoff’s vacation retreat, so it’s loaded with necessities including an induction cook plate, composting toilet, a sink with its own water reservoir, and a mini-fridge. While it doesn’t have a shower or tub, there’s a pub nearby that rents showers for a buck per five minutes. When Geoff isn’t kicking back in his little nest, he rents it out on airbnb.com. To minimize building costs, the tree house and its platform were constructed using lumber in standard lengths....

The rounded leaves of the rosette structures are so perfect that these species are sometimes mistaken for artificial plants. These signature rosettes can be a solid color or variegated in white, yellow, red, and green. Small, star-like flowers grow in clusters from the center of the rosettes, but they are not particularly showy. Aeoniums can be planted in the garden at any time. These are rather slow-growing plants, and it may take as much as five years before they produce the little bunches of flowers from the center of the rosettes....

Fish Symbology The Chinese carp is a lot like the salmon in the sense that these species of fish are known for their perseverance as they swim against the current. Though it’s challenging to swim upstream, there is strength that is cultivated through this. The carp is a reminder that we are able to move through difficulties and receive great rewards. In Asia, there is a story of the carp that swam up the Yellow River and leapt through the dragon’s gate to transform into a powerful dragon....

The Asian giant hornet, also called Japanese giant hornet, is the world’s largest hornet. It is also referred to as “murder hornet” because it can destroy an entire honeybee colony within a couple of hours. The venom from its sting can also cause severe reactions in people sensitive to bee stings. That said, you can be reassured that it is currently highly unlikely that you will find an Asian giant hornet on a hike or in your yard....

in addition to the unfortunate waste of water, over-watering is bad for the lawn and will make it susceptible to outside pressures like drought, insects, weeds, and diseases. Know Your Sprinkler System Proper watering is knowing how to use your sprinkler system efficiently. When used properly, your sprinkler system will save you money while keeping your lawn beautiful and healthy. Most lawn sprinkler systems are not that complicated and should be fairly easy to figure out....

Craving a little vitamin sea? Why not bring the beach to you with a beautiful coastal-themed nursery! Whether you prefer vintage California cool, Palm Beach glam, or rustic New England charm, these gorgeous beach-themed nursery rooms are practically guaranteed to inspire your designs and delight your future beach baby.

If your teen is feeling too old for their room, get inspired for a makeover with these impressive before and after teen room transformations. 

Don’t give up, however. While achieving and keeping that dream lawn does require some year-round attention, a diligent approach in spring means you’ll spend more time enjoying your lawn and less time maintaining it through the summer and into fall. Types of Weed Killers The chemical weedkillers (herbicides) most commonly used on lawns can be formulated to kill broadleaf weeds like dandelions and chickweed, or they can be designed to kill other competing grass-like weeds, such as crabgrass, quackgrass, and nutgrass....