Home and Garden

Cleaning the bathroom ranks right up there with tax prep for most of us. And somehow the shower head—small as it is—manages to be both annoying and weirdly important. When it’s clogged, your “ahh” becomes a “meh.” Good news: my nana had a fix that takes about three minutes of actual work. The rest is hands-off. Tea-break level easy. What’s actually clogging your shower If you live with hard water, you’re in big company. The Water Quality Association estimates something like 85% of U.S. homes deal with it. Hard water leaves mineral deposits—mostly calcium and magnesium—inside and around those tiny …

If you’ve spent a Saturday making piles, labeling bins, and somehow ending with the same mess—maybe a new, cuter mess—you’re not alone. Decluttering can feel like a magic show where things disappear and then, poof, reappear two weeks later. The problem isn’t you. It’s a handful of habits that look helpful but quietly waste time. Let’s sort out the myths, keep what actually works, and leave the rest at the curb. 1) The “maybe” pile that never decides A “maybe” pile sounds reasonable. Except it becomes a permanent resident. Every decision gets kicked down the road, which means two rounds …

If you’ve ever watched someone you love polish a ring like they’re waking up a small star, you’ll get this. My nana would sit by the kitchen window with a chipped bowl, a drop of soap, and a soft brush. Five minutes later, dull earrings caught the light again. No machines. No mystery. Just a routine she trusted. Where the trick came from—and why she kept it Nana grew up in a time when you stretched what you had. Money was tight, but care was steady. Her mother taught her the same little method, and she never strayed far from …

If the house only gets quiet after 8, you’re not alone. Kids tucked in. Dog finally flopped on the rug. That’s when the kitchen starts whispering. A bowl of cereal sounds friendly. A couple of cookies? Even friendlier. I get it. Late meals do happen. But there’s a reason so many people feel better when they stop eating a bit earlier. It isn’t a magic time. It’s about rhythm. Is 7 pm a hard line? Not really. Think of it as a guide that keeps your body on a cycle. If your day starts later—or you work nights—shift the window. …

You know that heart-sink moment when you spot the red wine crescent on the living room rug? Or the muddy paw parade that shows up the instant you mop? Same. I could blame my dog, my kids, or my clumsiness, but let’s be honest: life is a high-traffic event. That’s why I keep reaching for my nana’s fast, no-scrub trick. It’s a passed-down move that fits a Tuesday night when dinner’s late and bedtime is later. Two minutes. Almost no effort. No fancy machine humming in the background. Does it sound too simple? I thought so too—until I tried it …

You know, every December I look forward to two things: homemade fudge and the explosion of fuchsia-pink blooms from my old Christmas Cactus. It’s been sitting on my windowsill for years — passed down from my Aunt Lou, bless her heart — but one year, it just… stopped blooming. Nothing but green, limp stems and a whole lotta disappointment. I almost gave up on it. But with a little patience and some unexpected tricks (thank you, internet rabbit holes), my Christmas Cactus is blooming like it’s on parade again. If yours is looking more “houseplant in distress” than “holiday showstopper,” …

You know, I used to yank purslane out of my garden beds without a second thought — just another stubborn little weed trying to steal space from my tomatoes and herbs. But one summer, during a brutal dry spell, I noticed something: that tough little plant wasn’t just surviving…it was thriving. While my lettuce wilted and my cucumbers sulked, that thick-leaved plant kept growing, cheerful as ever. Turns out, I was tossing out one of the most underrated garden gems — purslane. And if you’ve been doing the same, it might be time for a change of heart. Why You’ll …

A few summers back, I found myself standing in front of a small patch of backyard dirt, holding a pack of cucumber seeds and thinking, “How am I gonna make this work?” The tomatoes were already spoken for, the herbs had claimed their corner, and I’d promised myself I wouldn’t let the cucumbers sprawl out like last year. (They took over everything. It was like a vine apocalypse.) So I did what any resourceful gardener would do — I looked up. And honey, I haven’t looked back since. Growing cucumbers vertically not only saved my sanity — it made harvesting …

There’s something timeless about irises. Their delicate, ruffled petals dancing in shades of purple, yellow, white, and even deep burgundy—it’s like nature’s own little fashion show every spring. I remember the first time I planted a row of them along the back fence. I was chasing that “cottage garden” look from a magazine spread (you know the one—where everything is magically blooming at once and nothing ever wilts?). Well, it didn’t quite turn out like the picture, but those irises? They showed up and showed out. But like anything in the garden—and life, really—they need a little TLC to keep …

You know, I used to think pruning fruit trees was a spring-only affair — like it had to happen right after the snow melted and before the garden went wild with zucchini. But years ago, an older gentleman at our local nursery gave me a tip that changed everything. He said, “Prune in August, and your trees will thank you come spring.” And boy, was he right. Ever since then, August has become my favorite month to slip on my garden gloves, grab those pruners, and give my fruit trees a little TLC. It’s warm, the trees are semi-dormant, and …