Parents know all too well the strange phenomena of stuffed animals adding to their number magically overnight. Before long, kids’ plush pals have taken over their rooms, the living room, and any other space they can find, blanketing all surfaces and covering up space meant to be used in a more practical manner. This pushes parents to get online and search for stuffed animal storage ideas. The internet is awash with ideas for storing just about anything, but, before you get your heart set on one method, first tackle the overall issue says Megan Arthurs of H:OM Organizing....

The easiest way to create a simple canopy for your bed is to hang a piece of fabric over the top frame rails of a structured canopy bed. But if your bed doesn’t have a canopy frame, there are other ways to get the look of a canopy and to surround your bed in softness and color. Canopy Without the Frame You can achieve a very attractive canopy bed look by installing curtain rods to the ceiling, placing one over each end of the bed....

The Douglas fir is not a true fir tree. The genus name (Pseudotsuga) suggests that this is similar to hemlock trees. Pseudo- means false, and Tsuga is the genus for hemlocks. The species is menziesii. This tree is one of many conifers included in the Pinaceae family. Others are cedars, the deciduous conifers (Glyptostrobus, Larix, Metasequoia, Pseudolarix, and Taxodium), fir trees, pine trees, and spruce trees. The Douglas fir is monoecious and both male and female strobili are produced on the tree....

Dyson consistently ranks as one of the best household vacuum brands—no matter who you ask. The company’s cordless stick vacuums (and other household appliances) are notoriously well-designed and have all the latest features and futuristic tech advances. The Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute cordless stick vacuum cleaner is the perfect example of Dyson’s cutting-edge innovation and design. While it’s not the newest model in the Dyson Cyclone lineup (the Cyclone V11 launched in March 2019), it’s remained highly rated as a household must-have (as has the previous model, the Dyson V8)....

Here are 20 easy plants to grow in your garden. USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8 Color Varieties: Yellow, white, orange, pink, bicolor Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Loamy, moist, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9 Color Varieties: Pink, purple, white Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade Soil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11 Color Varieties: Red, pink, violet, coral, white, yellow Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade Soil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 8 Color Varieties: Yellow Sun Exposure: Full sun Soil Needs: Sandy or gravelly, dry to medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9 Color Varieties: White, blue, green, red, pink, purple Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Loamy, medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8 Color Varieties: Yellow-green Sun Exposure: Full sun Soil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 10 Color Varieties: White Sun Exposure: Full sun Soil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8 Color Varieties: Red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, pink, white Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8 Color Varieties: Pink-purple Sun Exposure: Full sun Soil Needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8 Color Varieties: Purplish-green Sun Exposure: Full sun Soil Needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9 Color Varieties: Yellow-green Sun Exposure: Part shade Soil Needs: Humusy, moist, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 10 Color Varieties: Lavender, white Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 6 to 9 Color Varieties: Pinkish white Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Humusy, moist, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 6 to 9 Color Varieties: White Sun Exposure: Full sun Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9 Color Varieties: Red Sun Exposure: Full sun Soil Needs: Loamy, medium moisture, slightly acidic, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7 Color Varieties: White Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8 Color Varieties: Lavender blue Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8 Color Varieties: Pink Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Rich, medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9 Color Varieties: Nonflowering Sun Exposure: Full sun Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-drained USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9 Color Varieties: Blue, pink, purple, white Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-drained

Eggshell paint sheen is popular for many good reasons. It is an attractive, one-size-fits-all paint sheen that draws out the best in a paint’s color. At the same time, eggshell is cleanable and somewhat resistant to wear and tear. What Eggshell Paint Is Eggshell is a paint sheen, or gloss, that looks and feels somewhat flat but with a slight gloss to it. Eggshell paint is between matte (or flat) and satin paint sheens....

If something is unsafe or improperly wired, of course, you should replace it. But if you just need to add a light here or an outlet there, it can pay to look for ways to streamline the process. So, you’ll find a number of ways to move or extend outlets or lights that aren’t all that hard. None of these electric remodel tips require an electrician, either. Electrical wiring runs inside the walls and can be accessed from either side....

As the elite athletes of nations from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe gather in Tokyo from July 23 to August 8 to go for the gold, the majority of the world will be watching from afar. And what better way to appreciate the communal competition and cheer for your country than to throw your own Olympics party? Here are some ideas to get you started, from decorations to delicious drinks and dishes and more....

It is hard to resist the urge to dive into this inviting, pillowy-soft bed covering by Feathered Friends. Down is one of the best and most luxurious bedding materials because of its warmth, natural temperature regulation, and cloudlike softness. However, all down comforters are not made the same. Their fill power, feather quality, and material of the cover make a big difference in their comfort and performance. We put the medium-weight Bavarian 700 to the test....

Here are some basic tips to know about feeding bees. Know the Best Times to Feed When bees have natural food sources—nectar and pollen—available, it’s best not to feed your colony. However, new colonies with no resources stored will benefit from feeding for a few weeks. Likewise, feeding your colony in the early spring before the flora is in bloom is ideal to give the bees a boost. Plus, if extreme weather causes flowering plants to go dormant when they should be in bloom, feeding your colony will help to prevent its honey supply from being depleted....

You might consider using push-fit fittings for a quick repair on PVC pipe. Push-fit fittings are an easy alternative to traditional solvent-glued fittings for use in PVC installations and repairs. While they can also be used for other types of plumbing pipes, including copper and CPVC, they are especially useful for PVC irrigation pipes and are now readily available in many hardware and home improvement stores. Some prefer poly pipe, but there are various advantages to using PVC push-fit fittings....

How mulch differs from compost Ideas for cheap or even free mulches When to apply mulch Garden Mulch vs. Compost A distinction must be drawn between mulch and compost. The two are not synonymous, nor do they serve the same function. Compost is a soil amendment and should be worked into the soil to make it more fertile. Mulch, by contrast, is spread atop the soil. Its job is to:...

Myths vs. Facts Popular myth says tomato juice will get rid of skunk spray. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really work. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, tomato juice seems to work because at high doses of skunk spray the human nose quits smelling the odor (olfactory fatigue). When this happens, the odor of tomato juice can easily be detected. Essentially, a person experiencing this fatigue will think the skunk odor was neutralized by the juice, but the truth is as soon as the smell of the tomato juice is gone - or one leaves the room - the skunk odor will return....

Decks can be connected to or detached from a house. Decking materials include softwoods, tropical hardwoods, synthetic woods, and pressure-treated lumber. Then there’s the type of deck you desire (e.g., wraparound or pool deck), along with shape, size, and even placement pattern of the wood. Furthermore, decks might require a blueprint and engineering, as well as a permit from your local building department. Here are 20 outdoor deck design ideas to help you get started....

A number of cultivars are on the market, offering variations in height. For example: J. effusus ‘Curly Wurly’ (up to 8 inches tall)J. effusus ‘Big Twister’ (up to 1 foot tall, but often stays shorter)J. effusus ‘Spiralis’ (12-18 inches tall)J. effusus ‘Quartz Creek’ (18-36 inches tall) Plant Description Crazily twisted stems spiral out of control from their clumps in ways that are sure to delight all who have an appreciation for whimsy in the landscape....

Electricity flows in from one of two 120-volt wires and backs out through a grounded neutral wire. Any flaw in the wire to and from these points will interrupt the current’s path and cause a fault in one of your circuits. Knowing how the power flows into your home, how it’s connected, and how it is distributed can help you isolate any problems that occur. Service Entrance The utility company’s overhead service lines feed the transformer to step down the voltage to feed your home....

In-ground pools rely on a basin dug from the ground with heavy equipment. By contrast, an above-ground swimming pool is a basin that rests on the ground, not in the ground. In some cases, this basin is supported by a metal or resin frame. In other cases, they are inflatable and self-supporting. With above-ground pool brands such as Doughboy, Intex, and Namco, these pools are far less expensive than in-ground swimming pools, especially since many can be installed by the homeowner....