If you’re headed off to college in the next few months and you want to add some plants into your space, but you’re worried about keeping them alive, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. We spoke to Matt Aulton, the head grower at Plant Proper, a grower and online plant seller. “Plants in a dorm room are a must! It is best to have a bit of nature in your room while you’re surrounded by concrete walls,” says Aulton....

We recently connected with Ryane Montañez, the senior director of marketing and creative at mDesign, who gave us some tips, tricks, and product suggestions for storing everything from your favorite Halloween wreath to your leftover Christmas gift wrapping. “Properly storing ornaments and other holiday décor items helps to prevent damage like breaking, rusting, and fading in color,” Montañez says. “This is especially important if you have any ornaments that have been passed down within the family and want to protect them to keep the tradition going....

Thankfully, there is an expert to help you: your dishwasher use and care guide, or “the manual.” If you can’t put your hands on it, you can usually find one online. But no matter the manufacturer of your dishwasher, here are some basic guidelines that apply to every machine. 6 Rules for Loading Every Dishwasher How to Load the Top Rack The top rack of the dishwasher is designed for cups, saucers, glasses, and smaller items....

Pumpkin container gardens also make great Halloween decorations. Use acrylic craft paint or draw a face on your pumpkin with a permanent marker. Plant grass, sage, or even a succulent in a pot to give your pumpkin planter personality and wild and crazy “hair.” You can use any size potted plant or pumpkin, just make sure that the diameter and height of the nursery pot aren’t larger than your pumpkin....

Lamps are a great way to achieve different lighting preferences in a simple, effective way. “The right light fixtures can instantly elevate the mood and vibe of a home. Selecting light fixtures is a fun way to express your personal style!” says Allison Ruda, an experienced interior designer. Depending on your needs and wants, there are different lamp styles to meet them. Doing a little research before purchasing the first lamp that catches your eye can help you choose an option that will meet both your style needs and your lighting needs....

Dust may seem innocuous, but within those particles are dust mites, tiny spider-like arachnids that feed off the dead skin cells we shed every day. It is the dust mites, allergists say, that cause approximately 30 percent of the population to suffer from one or more allergic disorders. If you or anyone in your household suffers from asthma or allergy symptoms, preventing dust from accumulating and removing items that harbor dust are worth the effort....

Well, there are some other factors to consider as well. How many feet from the electrical circuit breaker panel is the outlet that you are connecting to? It could be 50 feet away on the other side of the house. What is the size circuit breaker the circuit is connected to? What size is wiring actually feeding the outlet that you are about to plug into? As you can see, there are many factors to consider beyond the reality of the extension cord....

Signs No matter which herbs you plant, it is important to avoid overwatering your herb garden. Many herbs actually like a semi-dry soil, this is true for lavender, rosemary, thyme, and many herbs that are native to the Mediterranean or other dry climates. This is great for drought years because these plants can withstand extreme conditions. In general, if your plants are wilting and the soil is wet, you are probably overwatering....

Reasons to Turn off Your Automatic Ice Maker In addition to the energy savings issue, there are a few other reasons why you may want to turn off your ice maker. You need to defrost your fridge or the ice maker itself. You’re going to be away from home for a week or more and don’t want to come home to stale ice that’s been absorbing random odors in your fridge....

Microllam is the brand name for a type of engineered lumber made by Weyerhauser and used for heavy structural support. Each piece of this lumber is actually composed of smaller, micro-thin layers of wood that are glued together—or laminated. While costly, Microllam and other types of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) are today’s standard for areas of the home that need heavy support without the bulk associated with older construction techniques....

Follow these tips to learn how to launder cheer uniform pieces after every performance to remove stains and get them smelling their best. Know Your Uniform Material Most cheer uniform pieces are made from heavyweight, stretchable polyester knit. The fabric is durable, has stretch for ease of movement, and, is actually easier to care for than cotton because no ironing is required. However, excessively hot water and high dryer temperatures can ruin the fabric while oily stains on synthetics can be more difficult to remove....