Here are some November activities that are perfect for families. Thanksgiving Kids might still be counting their Halloween loot, but November is the time to look forward to Thanksgiving for many people. Raise thankful kids with a month-long lesson on Thanksgiving, its origin, and its true meaning. Also, show your kids you’re thankful for them with games and other activities you do as a family throughout the month. You also can enlist your kids in your Thanksgiving meal planning and decorating....

The best thing you can do for indoor plants is to learn something about their growing conditions and provide as close to those conditions as possible. If you see a problem developing, take action quickly. Here are some common houseplant care mistakes people make.

Finding a chair that is comfortable involves considering your height, weight, the way you sit, and your center of gravity. To be comfortable, a chair should be perfectly fitted to your size and shape. Remember Goldilocks? There is a reason she chose Baby Bear’s chair. Each part of the chair should fit you perfectly. The Chair Seat The chair seat is probably the most critical feature of an upholstered chair because it supports your weight....

If your birds have access to an outdoor run, give a minimum of 2 to 3 square feet per bird inside the coop and about 4 square feet per bird in the run. The bigger, the better. If your birds are cooped all winter (chickens don’t like snowy surfaces), allow for 5 to 10 square feet per chicken. For birds confined in a chicken tractor without an outdoor pen, make sure you have a minimum of 5 square feet per bird....

For 11 months out of the year, holiday decorations sit in storage collecting dust. In that time, if not stored properly, real damage can occur to some of your priceless holiday decorations. One holiday accessory you especially want to protect is your artificial Christmas tree, as it’s intended to be used over and over again. We tried out one of the more lavish storage options, TreeKeeper’s GreensKeeper Extra Large Christmas Tree Storage Bag....

All electrical switches have different labels stamped onto the metal strap (also called a yoke) or imprinted on the plastic body of the switch. These markings allow you to make sure that you are using the right switch for the circuit and application. Here are some of the markings you might see on a standard wall switch: UL Label A circled UL marking on the metal strap of the switch indicates that the device has been tested for safety by the Underwriters Laboratories, an independent testing agency....

With this type of coating, less oil is needed during cooking, so it’s a good choice for the health conscious. It could be argued that nonstick pans are more user-friendly than some other types of cookware and bakeware. In short, nonstick is a time-saver for the busy cook and baker, even given the amount of care they need, to keep the nonstick coating in good condition. There’s also a nice variety of sizes and styles of nonstick bakeware and cookware on the market....

Light Plant weeping cherry trees in full sun. Not only does abundant light help encourage prolific blooms, it also discourages fungal diseases. Plus, the sun filtering through the pretty pink blooms adds beauty to the garden. Soil Provide it with a good garden loam so that its soil will drain well. Weeping cherries need rich, well-drained soil and dislike soggy soil. Prevent root rot by amending the soil to ensure it drains well....

Votive candles are a great way to add a decorative touch and cozy ambiance to your home or table setting year-round. If you’re looking for a versatile candle that can be used in numerous ways around your home, look no further; this little candle is as versatile as they come. Usually made from paraffin, soy, or beeswax, votive candles are typically around two inches tall and burn for between eight and fifteen hours....

Parquet Tiles Parquet tiles come in a few common sizes: 9 by 9, 12 by 12, and 19 by 19 inches. The total thickness of tiles typically ranges from 5/16 inch to 3/4 inch. Parquet tiles usually include a mesh backing of paper, cloth, or plastic stitched with a thin metal or plastic skeleton. The hardwood top layer is most commonly oak but may also be maple, walnut, and other popular hardwood species....

Satin paint has long been a favorite gloss level for do-it-yourselfers because it is simple to apply and dries moderately quickly. Satin paint holds its own as an easy-to-clean, durable sheen that lets the paint’s color fully show through. This highly versatile paint gloss is used on both large surfaces like walls and on details like trim—keep reading to learn more about what satin paint is, where it’s best used, and more....

There are plenty of good reasons to consider a rooftop garden: They make use of unused or underused spaceA garden beautifies an empty spaceThey can provide privacyThey can be extremely environmentally friendlyThere is usually good sun exposureNo deer, rabbits, or other non-flying pests to worry about Options for Your Rooftop Garden There are a couple of directions to go in when considering a rooftop garden. Fully planted green roofs, where the roof is covered with soil and the plants are in the soil, make great environmental sense, but they are too difficult for homeowners to undertake on their own....

Unfortunately, with the exception of leather, upholstered furniture can depreciate greatly with use, and it can often be difficult to get rid of it, even when you’re not looking to make money. As it turns out, there are actually plenty of options for getting rid of an unwanted sofa before simply sending it to the landfill. Hold a Garage Sale While it is difficult to sell used upholstered furniture at a garage sale or yard sale, it is not impossible....

Here are many ways to make the best use of plastic storage containers and bins in your home. You can also use a plastic rolling cart to hold small items, such as hats, socks, jewelry, or makeup. A three-drawer rolling cart is mobile because it’s on wheels and can be quickly used in different spaces. The size also guarantees you won’t be weighing the container down to where it’s unsafe to ease it off a high shelf....

With more than 2.6 million views at the time of publication, the embroidery journal tutorial posted by TikTok user @thestircrazycrafter has captured some major attention, proving embroidery as a method of visually capturing your memories of the year is a great alternative to writing, particularly if you’re already handy with a needle and thread. We reached out to the woman behind the video, Sophie O’Neill, to get all her best tricks and tips for starting an embroidery journal in 2022, as well as other ideas for crafty 2022 journals....

Gather all of your shoes and boots in one spot.Divide footwear into seasons (summer, winter).Wear something comfortable you won’t trip over while trying on shoes. Now you’re ready to start. Here are four things to ask yourself when deciding whether to keep or toss your shoes, boots, and athletic footwear. Should They Be Fixed? Busted shoes can often be brought back to life by a shoemaker, so don’t despair if a favorite pair is a mess....

Richters has taken the Safe Seed Pledge, which means they do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. The website is also a wealth of information on herbs, offering up Q&As about culinary herbs, Chinese herbs, medicinal herbs, growing herbs, and more. All of the plants sold by Mountain Valley Growers are USDA-certified organic. The company offers a shipping guarantee, which means that your plants will be healthy and ready to grow when you get them, and they will either send a replacement or offer a refund....

Consider Balance Anytime you’re arranging furniture you have to think about balance. When too many visually heavy things are on one side of the room the entire space looks unbalanced. Since sofas tend to be large in scale they take up quite a bit of visual space, and they require something of equal weight across from them to balance out the room. This is why you often see two chairs placed directly across from a sofa....

What Is a T-Junction? A T-junction is a situation where there are two streets that meet in a T shape. Typically, it’s a smaller road that meets a busier one, and they meet at a perpendicular intersection. If your house is at the top of the T, then you have a T-junction home. Another way to think of it is when your house is located so that the headlights of cars shine straight at your home, like the eyes of a dragon....