Household Rules - Then v. Now

(Image courtesy of David K)

We all remember those rules from our childhoods that seemed to always stop us from having the maximum amount of fun - “No jumping on the bed!” “Don’t lay on the couch!” “Inside voices!” among others. Though at the time we may not have understood the reason for such austere behavior (I think we can all admit we broke them from time to time,) now those rules seem to make a little more sense. 

Writer Dabney Frake from Apartment Therapy takes a moment to break down a few of the more popular rules from our childhoods that we may not have understood at the time - but definitely understand now. Keep reading for a quick trip down memory lane. 

1. Making Your Bed

Then: Why bother? I’m just going to use it again tonight!

Now: Making your bed every morning correlates with better productivity. It has also been suggested that making your bed boosts happiness.

2. No Wearing Shoes in the House

Then: But I’m going back outside in 10 minutes!

Now: Once you think of the dirt that gets tracked in with every footfall, you also think of all the time you spend vacuuming the floor. Multiply that by all your family members’ shoes, and slippers or bare feet sound like a much better idea.

3. No Television After 10pm

Then: But Mom!?! Fantasy Island is on!

Now: Today, it’s not just TV but phones, iPads, video games and computers. Taking time to detox from tech, especially right before bed, reduces anxiety and helps you sleep better.

4. Turning Off Lights

Then: What’s the big deal?

Now: It’s the little things that add up, and turning off lights when you don’t need them is the first baby step to saving money and energy. It’s a new world of consumption, we have a new mindset about wasting energy.

5. No Elbows on the Table

Then: But it’s more comfortable to sit that way!

Now: Originally, elbows off the table prevented diners from hogging space and minimized the effects of bad hygiene (think stinky medieval times, before regular bathing was a thing). Now, it’s all about sight lines and letting people on either side of you talk without have to lean way, way back in their chairs. Plus, many still think it’s rude, so why offend your fellow guests at a fancy party?

6. Hanging Up Your Jacket

Then: Sorry, I forgot!

Now: A day’s worth of jackets on the backs of chairs, and shoes on the floor, accumulate quickly, which can rapidly turn to a house disaster zone. And, if the mess and clutter don’t stay in check, you can’t focus on the million other things you have to do. Today it makes sense to take a second to hang up your outerwear, and ask others to do the same.

Did your family have any rules you hated, but understand now?

Read more »

Recipe: Sunshine Smoothie with Coconut, Clementine and Turmeric

Leave your blues behind with this tasty smoothie, check out "Recipe: Sunshine Smoothie with Coconut, Clementine and Turmeric" and get a summer vibe going on!

Sunshine Smoothie with Coconut, Clementine and Turmeric

Serves 1

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup chilled unsweetened coconut water
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
Fresh or frozen segments from 2 clementines (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2-inch fresh turmeric, peeled and roughly chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon ground), more if desired
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar (optional)
1 tablespoon maca powder (optional)

Place the oatmeal in a blender and process until finely ground. Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and process until smooth. For a thicker smoothie, let it stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

(Image credits: Emily Ho)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-sunshine-smoothie-with-coconut-clementine-and-turmeric-recipes-from-the-kitchn-199347

Read more »

Recipe: Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups

Look good to you? Grab a baking dish and get ready for some tasty food. Check out "Recipe: Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups"!

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

Makes 4 2-roll servings

8 lasagna noodles
2 cups finely chopped baby spinach, from about 3 ounces
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2/3 cup shredded cheese, such as mozzarella, Romano, or a blend, divided
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup spaghetti sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.

Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of salted boiling water according to package directions. Remove when they are al dente and lay out on a clean towel to dry and cool.

Mix the spinach, cottage cheese, 1/3 cup shredded cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and a generous quantity of black pepper.

Divide the spinach and cheese mixture evenly between the noodles, spreading the mixture over the entire length of each noodle. Roll up the noodles from bottom to top, and place in pan, side by side, touching. Pour the tomato sauce over the rolls, and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup shredded cheese over top.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through and the sauce is bubbling.

(Image credits: Faith Durand)



Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/spinach-lasagna-roll-ups-recipes-from-the-kitchn-96780

Read more »

Put Down the Paintbrush: 10 Ways to Add Color Without Painting

When painting is not an option, there's still ways to add some color to your living space. Check out "Put Down the Paintbrush: 10 Ways to Add Color Without Painting"'

1. Go for big, colorful art. An oversized piece (like the one in the bedroom above, from Okologi, or the living room pictured up top, from Sköna Hem, via Design Milk) instantly brightens a room.

2. Hang a colorful tapestry on the wall. 
Like this one from Beatrice & Ramsey's Cultured Echo Park Casa.

3. Use colorful pillows and throws. 
As seen in Christina's Comfortable, Collected Austin Abode.

4. Eschew neutrals and go for curtains in a crazy color.
Or two crazy colors, like these from vintage Domino via the Paris Apartment.

Or shades in a crazy color, like these malachite ones in a Belgian home spotted on Elle Decor.

5. Invest in a colorful couch. 
The red couch in Katie's Hillside Bungalow makes the room.

6. Or a colorful rug. 
Like the Turkish kilim in Natalie and Kevin's Perfect Parkdale Perch.

→ Real Room Inspiration: Adding Color With Rugs

7. Upholster a set of dining chairs in a vibrant rainbow of colors. 
Image from Nuevo Estilo, via Apartment Therapy.

Or just paint them, as in this interior by Ilse Crawford (via Lauren's Style Library).

→ Painted Furniture for When You Just Can't Paint Your Walls

8. Fill your home with plants. 
Like Adam and Ashley did. Green is a color.

9. Cover the back of your bookcases with colorful paper.
Sure, this isn't a traditional bookcase (it's a stack of IKEA boxes), but you get the idea. Photo from Marie Mersier.

10. Combine any of the above strategies for maximum color. 
Bonus points go to Alex and Alina for pairing a colorful rug and colorful art in different shades of blue.

Bonus points also go to the creators of this interior (photoraphed by Logan Photography for Period Living), who have combined colorful textiles and pillows and accessories and furniture into a room that, despite being white, is bursting with color.

(Image credits: Sköna Hem; Okologi; Pablo Enriquez; Adrienne Breaux; Domino; Elle Decor; Katie's Hillside Bungalow; Abby Cook; Nuevo Estilo; Ilse Crawford; Jaclyn Campanaro; Marie Mersier; Nicole Crowder; Period Living)

Read more »

Home Sweet Home

Loving your apartment isn't just about the things that you put into it. To transform your new abode from a simple apartment to a home you enjoy spending time in you only need to add a few things. These tips courtesy of Apartment Therapy will help you learn to love your space even more than you already do!

Letting Go: It's possible to focus so much on decor, design, and picking the perfect furniture to reflect your personality and interests that can turn your house into a place of stress. How about taking a quick breather and switching gears for a sec and not allowing that stress to enter your home? Trust it will all eventually come together and just let it all happen when it does. Try cherishing your home in all its different quirky stages. Your mind and wallet will thank you for it in the end.

Make It a Refuge: Do you have a place you go to in your mind that's a no-stress zone? A place that you sneak away to that just calms you down and clears your mind? For me it's when I step into a yoga studio — the outside world just seems to melt away. Now wouldn't it be incredible if that place was your home? How can you make that happen for you? Maybe try taking a few deep breaths before you open the door, or leaving all the negativity outside on the front steps. What can you do to eliminate stress and worry from your house and make it a peaceful, happy place?

Spend Time There: This seems like a no-brainer, right? But it's not all that easy. How much time do you just spend in your home enjoying it? Do you hang out there and get to know it better? Or do you run out every chance you get? The more time you actually spend in your house, the more you may grow to love it. Even if it's not your ideal space, you can start to appreciate it and make it work for you.

Share It: Do you share your home with others you love? Do you have friends over often for dinner or a movie? Or do you very rarely invite guests over because your house isn't perfect? The more happiness and laughter that enters your house, the more it is going to feel like a home.

Make Memories: This is a direct result of the previous tip. If you fill your home with people and laughter, you will be making memories all along the way. Filling your house with memories will quickly turn it from a mere dwelling into a home. You may not look back and remember this house for its amazing picture windows, or french doors, or balcony to the pool, but you will remember the birthday party where your best friend baked their first three layer cake and then the dog promptly knocked it off the table resulting in impromptu ice cream cookie sandwiches with candles stuck in them.

Read more »

Steve Soria's 5 Tips for the Very Best Banana Pancakes

Who doesn't love pancakes? Especially banana pancakes!? We know we do, but sometimes making pancakes with a little something extra can be a challenge, so check out "Steve Soria's 5 Tips for the Very Best Banana Pancakes"!

Steven's 5 Tips for Perfect Banana Pancakes

1. Add a splash of bubbly water to your pancake mix. Steven uses whatever pancake mix he has available and makes it to the spec with one additional ingredient: a splash of bubbly water to add lightness and air!
2. Don't over-mix the batter. Over-mixing leads to tough pancakes because the gluten in the flour begins to develop as soon as liquid touches it, and the more you mix, the tougher the gluten becomes.
3. Make sure your bananas are perfectly ripe. They need to have just the right amount of brown spots — somewhere around 5%.
4. Have a very well-greased skillet. This is key for optimal cooking!
5. ALWAYS do a test run! There will have to be a pancake(s) sacrificed. It's inevitable. This is when you adjust the temperature up or down as needed. If your pancake is scorched on the outside and raw on the inside, turn down the heat. Note: Always make a little extra batter just in case you sacrifice too many cakes.

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/what-i-cook-steves-5-tips-for-perfect-banana-pancakes-kitchen-tour-201989

Read more »

Clean Up While You Green Up

(Image courtesy of Dan Brady)

Do you know what happens to the chemicals in your common household cleaners when you've rinsed them down the drain? Often times they end up in our water and soil effecting the environment around us. Who would've thought cleaning would leave such a mess!

You don't have to worry about threatening the earth in order to keep your home and clothes clean and smelling fresh with this one simple idea: instead of opting for store bought, chemical-laden cleaners, simply make your own at home. This article from apartmenttherapy.com has all the tips you need to get started!

1. Get all the ease of laundry pods with these DIY laundry bombs that include vinegar, epsom salts, and essential oils. From Savvy Sugar.
2. I haven't used dryer sheets in years, but I'm tempted to try this smart, inexpensive option from Radical Possibility.
3. If you're going to make your own spot remover, you may as well try a recipe created by the mom of a preschooler. From The Prairie Homestead.
4. Make your sheets smell especially nice with this floral-scented linen spray fromStyle Me Pretty.
5. Bleach is terrible for the environment; give it up and keep your whites white with this homemade solution instead. From Nourishing Joy.

Do you have a favorite DIY cleaning idea that we've missed? Leave us a comment and share it with us!

Read more »