“Look for a tool that’s heat-resistant—rather than brass, which was originally meant for coal fireplaces. Choose steel, cast iron, or wrought iron, and make sure it has a durable grip that feels comfortable to you,” says Mallory Micetich, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Angi and an expert in consumer protection and small home living. We researched dozens of fireplace tools and accessories, evaluating them on their material, ease of use, durability, and tool length....

“The percale weave is a basic over-under weave,” says Anna Brakefield, co-founder of Red Land Cotton. “It’s woven tightly but the nature of the over-under is going to allow for more airflow.” She adds that other weave styles, such as a sateen finish, do not allow for as much airflow because there are more fibers on the top of the weave, which also results in a higher thread count. We researched and tested percale sheets from all the top brands, evaluating quality, texture, breathability, and value....

To help you find the best options for your space, we consulted experts at leading kitchen fixture brands Moen and Kohler and researched and judged models on voice and app control, touch operation, ease of installation, and overall design. After all the considerations, the Kohler Sensate K-72218-WB Kitchen Faucet with Kohler Konnect is our best overall pick, thanks to its full-featured smart functionality and elegant design. Here are the best smart faucets to add to your home....

With so many options on the market, we researched and tested the baby dolls, evaluating lifelike features, interactive elements, durability, and included doll accessories. We chose the Adora Playtime “Little Prince” doll as the best overall pick for its realistic features—like a weighted bottom and ability to suck its thumb—skin tone variation, and high quality feel. Here are the best baby dolls on the market. The Adora PlayTime Baby Doll has a weighted bottom allows your child to position the baby doll in a seated position or carry it tucked under their arm....

We sent organic sheets from the most popular bedding brands to our team of product testers, who washed, ironed, and slept on them for over three weeks. Our favorite set, the Avocado Suvin Organic Cotton Sheets, are GOTS certified—made with 100 percent organic Indian Suvin cotton—and offer a unique, luxury feel. The sheet set is available in two thread counts: 600 or 1,000. The extra-long staple cotton sheets have a sateen finish and they’re extremely soft, silky, and durable....

The fundamental principle of feng shui is a connection with the natural world. The term feng shui comes from a poem, and it translates to “wind” and “water.” These are two elements of nature that we need in order to survive. Our bodies need wind (breath) and water to function. Many of us live lives that are disconnected from nature, and feng shui allows us to bring natural energies back into our homes....

The production company Blanco is known as a leader in granite, granite-like, and composite sinks. They have been in business for over 30 years and have manufactured millions of sinks. There are seven exclusive patents on the Silgranit material, making it the only one of its kind on the market. Scratch and Stain Resistant Blanco Silgranit sinks are scratch and stain-resistant. This may not sound like the biggest deal ever, but imagine paying a lot of money for a beautiful sink and finding a large gash in it days after installation because one of your family members put their dishes in the sink haphazardly....

From Home Depot and Lowe’s to Best Buy, Wayfair, and AJ Madison, we rounded up several standout products with sweet discounts. Looking for a sleek side-by-side bundle, a smart set with cutting-edge technology, a front-load washer, an energy-efficient gas dryer, or a simple stacked laundry center? We’re here to save you time from looking through all of those online sites to bring you the products we love the most. High efficiency meets tech with this washer....

Running short on the know-how? Ask the pros! Whether you’re working with a small room, a shared room, or with no room at all, this list of professional decorating dos and don’ts will help you transform your tiny nursery into a seemingly roomy and totally workable space. Dos Do choose a light color palette. Dark hues absorb light and can easily overwhelm a small room. Light colors, on the other hand, make a room feel bigger and brighter....

It’s those pesky little hairs that somehow seem to actually weave themselves into the fabric of my furniture that really get me and not much seems to work when it comes to getting them out—aside from me sitting there and manually plucking them (which I may have done before). So when I saw this metal lint remover all over TikTok, I knew I had to try it. I mean, I’m willing to try anything at this point....

What often happens is you spend countless hours trying to get doors to fit into door frames. Sometimes, it is virtually impossible, because the door frame gets out of square when the house’s foundation subsides. So, it is not your fault at all if the door doesn’t fit well. Exacerbating the problem: previous owners may have gradually adjusted the door to fit that ever-changing door frame. Bottoms get shaved off; sides get planed, hinges get tweaked....

The answer is, yes, seeds will eventually go bad and no longer germinate, but it can take quite a long time. There is a good chance that those old seed packets will have a high percentage of seeds that will germinate just fine. Most seeds, though not all, will keep for at least three years while maintaining a decent percentage of germination. And even a group of very old seeds may have 10 or 20 percent that still sprouts....

General-Use Tips No matter what the specific application, there are some general tips to follow when using a portable steamer around the house: Use the steamer only for what it is designed to do—cleaning. Always wear shoes when operating any kind of electrical steaming device. Buy only certified electrical appliances that carry approval ratings from an official certification agency, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Use a portable steamer only on surfaces and materials that are sealed and can take high heat and moisture....

The ultimate goal is to live in peace and harmony, and even though that’s not always possible, you can at least do whatever it takes to prevent hostilities and long-lasting hard feelings. Follow these tips on how to be a good neighbor. Noise No one expects you to be quiet as a mouse, but you should also respect certain rules when it comes to making too much noise. A lot depends on where you live, what type of dwelling you occupy, and the habits of your neighbors....

The first place to start is to learn the basics of ironing including the correct iron temperature for different fabrics and proper techniques. After that, it’s time to acquire the correct equipment. Heating PerformanceSteam CapacitySoleplate SurfaceCord Length and Weight Most pressing cloths are made from 100 percent white cotton to withstand heat and prevent dye transfer to the item being pressed. A pressing cloth can—and should—be used with both a dry or steam iron....

From a charming roaming cottage to the first B&B on wheels, we found five of the best school bus houses—so get ready to hit the road—these traveling homes just might inspire you to ditch your rooted dwelling. Notice the driver’s seat on the left? It was recovered to match the IKEA FRIHETEN sofa cushions on the right. The couple stores all of their outdoorsy stuff from mountain bikes to climbing gear in the tiny garage....

Turquoise stones have many meanings that go above and beyond the beauty of the blue color they provide. Explore the restorative energy of turquoise to enhance the feng shui of your home. Properties of Turquoise There is not one rare or best turquoise stone. But there are many rare types of turquoise with unusual colors. There are rare specimens of turquoise with blue-violet colorations and highly valuable transparent or translucent turquoise crystals that come from Virginia, for example....

The Biology Plants absorb light energy and turn it into energy through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is performed in special cells called chloroplasts. Plants that can handle higher light levels have higher levels of chloroplasts. Chloroplasts also help plants respond to changing light levels by altering their concentrations.  When plants are exposed to reduced light, they line up more chloroplasts to catch the lesser amount of light. This process is called acclimatization and helps explain why your shade-loving plants can sometimes be “trained” to accept higher light conditions....

As with all symbols, touch into your own connection. What do elephants mean to you? Bring together your intuition with ancient wisdom to use the symbol of the elephant to invite positive energies into your home and life. In much of Buddhist and Hindu iconography, deities ride on elephants and are considered honored vehicles for transmitting spiritual teachings. In the Vedic systems, Ganesha is one of the most popular and loved deities....