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Blowing out your sprinklers is the act of winterizing your outdoor or garden irrigation system. This involves turning off the main source of water, explains Brandon Haley, CGM, a landscape expert and grounds manager, and is considered an extremely important task—especially since homeowners want to avoid costly damage caused by frozen or burst pipes. Ahead, exactly how to blow out your sprinklers before the chill sets in. Gardening. Lawn sprinkler spraying water over grass....

tablesetting-silver-0170-d112411.jpg Credit: Kate Mathis Everyone enjoys a party, especially when the weather is warm. Whether you’re planning a summertime soirée, backyard barbeque, dinner party, or baby shower, you want your guests to enjoy the décor, the food, and the friendship. Much time and effort has gone into creating the perfect atmosphere for your party. At the end of the day, the cleanup should not ruin the merriment for you. Smaller parties might not leave behind as much of a mess as a larger get-together would, but any party that you plan is going to need some level of cleanup....

mudroom with stone floors and home library Credit: Haris Kenjar mudroom with stone floors and home library Credit: Haris Kenjar mudroom with stone floors and home library Credit: Haris Kenjar mudroom with stone floors and home library Credit: Haris Kenjar Reading a favorite book transports you to another place, but as you continue to build your collection of reads, creating a concrete place for them in your own home is essential....

Take a look in your catchall drawer, and it’s evidently clear: Loose items quickly become disorganized, hard to reach and find, and even lost. The solution we’ve come up with? Tackle boxes. You can tackle a lot more than lures with these sturdy boxes. The compartments that make them indispensable to fishermen will win over neatniks and collectors, too (especially the kind who thrill at sorting their stuff by color, shape, or job)....

Garages may be for our cars, but they can all too easily become a home’s dumping ground for clothes the kids have grown out of, empty paint cans, and things that are broken or that you just don’t want to deal with. But as spring cleaning rolls around, it’s finally time to give your garage a deep clean. A day (or two) dedicated to clearing out and organizing your garage will get you ready for all the warm-weather activities just around the corner....

jo-andrew-wedding-ireland-2450-2-s112147-bw.jpg Credit: KT Merry Your wedding day will be gorgeous and memorable, but it will also be over in a flash. Will you and your new husband be the last to leave the reception or the first? In the old days, guests usually gathered to see the couple off, giving the bride and groom the opportunity to make a formal exit ahead of their friends and family. But as traditions change and parties grow longer and longer, the newlyweds and their younger guests are often the last people on the dance floor....

oysters-a130522-01-8429-md110267.jpg Credit: John Kernick oysters-a130522-01-8429-md110267.jpg Credit: John Kernick oysters-a130522-01-8429-md110267.jpg Credit: John Kernick oysters-a130522-01-8429-md110267.jpg Credit: John Kernick “What is an oyster, if not the perfect food?” Anthony Bourdain wrote in the second chapter of his book A Cook’s Tour. We couldn’t agree more—but how do you feel about oysters? Do oysters conjure up a vacation, an outdoor table under an umbrella, glistening oysters on the half-shell, your worries far away? Or are they a memory of a visit to the grand old Oyster Bar in New York where you tasted oysters Rockefeller for the first time, creamy under a warm blanket of spinach and Hollandaise?...

opening heart shaped valentines day gift box Credit: agrobacter / Getty Images opening heart shaped valentines day gift box Credit: agrobacter / Getty Images opening heart shaped valentines day gift box Credit: agrobacter / Getty Images opening heart shaped valentines day gift box Credit: agrobacter / Getty Images There are a variety of different ways to show your loved ones how much you appreciate them on Valentine’s Day: From buying flowers and chocolates to taking that special someone out to dinner, there’s a good chance that you’re one of the many Americans who planw to spend money on the holiday....

` You’re Invited Franchise Logo View Series 6 Accidents to Expect at Your Summer Parties—and How to Avoid Them 16 Best Shatterproof, Durable Dish Sets for a Season of Outdoor Entertaining Our 14 Favorite Front Porch Decorations for the Fourth of July 3 Summer Hostess Mistakes to Avoid During All of Your Warm-Weather Soirées variety of lgbtqai pride flags Credit: Vladimir Vladimirov / Getty Images The range of flags that represents the LGBTQ+ community are a colorful, beautiful way for every group to show its pride....

domestic cat enjoying catnip at home Credit: Michele Pevide / Getty Images domestic cat enjoying catnip at home Credit: Michele Pevide / Getty Images domestic cat enjoying catnip at home Credit: Michele Pevide / Getty Images domestic cat enjoying catnip at home Credit: Michele Pevide / Getty Images Most cat caregivers have offered their cat a sniff or taste of catnip and watched as their feline friends enjoyed it—eating, smelling, rolling around in it, or simply lounging in a relaxed state—but what exactly is catnip and why do cats seemingly go crazy for it?...

pouring coffee into white mug with heart Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images pouring coffee into white mug with heart Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images pouring coffee into white mug with heart Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images pouring coffee into white mug with heart Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images Coffee is a morning staple, and if you enjoy the beverage regularly, then we’ve got some good news for you: According to recent research published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, those who consume coffee may be less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease (a type of dementia that causes gradual memory loss)....

On This Page Entryway Bathroom Guest Rooms Kitchen High-Touch Surfaces Flooring Whether you’re gearing up for a holiday or hosting loved ones from out of town, getting your house ready for entertaining friends and family can be stressful. “Your home is a reflection of you, so you want it to be clean and lovely to greet guests upon arrival and to set the tone for their stay,” says Jove Meyer, the owner and creative director of Jove Meyer Events....

Mushroom coffee alternative next to mushrooms Credit: Edalin / Getty Images Enjoying a deliciously brewed cup of coffee (or several) is a daily pleasure for many people, but some simply can’t tolerate coffee. If you find yourself jittery after consuming it, coffee upsets your stomach, or you simply want to cut back on your coffee intake, there are plenty of caffeine-free (and low-caffeine) alternatives, points out Dr. Jeffrey Bland, a biochemist and nutritional medicine specialist based in Seattle....

We’ve long associated summer with a period of sun-kissed skin, but these days, we know that any type of tan—even one attained while protected by SPF—is deleterious to the dermis. That’s where self-tanners come in: Many of us use these formulas all year long, starting in summer and continuing straight through fall to extend the longevity of our glow. Luckily, application isn’t complicated. When done correctly, and with the right products, you can lock in that radiance long-term....

woman painting wooden chair Credit: Morsa Images / Getty Images woman painting wooden chair Credit: Morsa Images / Getty Images woman painting wooden chair Credit: Morsa Images / Getty Images woman painting wooden chair Credit: Morsa Images / Getty Images On This Page Necessary Materials Preparation Tips How to Paint Whether it’s a dresser you’ve had for years or a unique chair you found in an antique shop, there are a handful of creative ways to breathe new life into worn-down furniture....

` Live Well Program Logo View Series The Best Oils to Use for Glowing Skin at Every Age, According to Dermatologists The Best Hobbies for Your Personality Type, According to Mental Health Experts How to Make Sure You Learn Something New Every Day (Plus, Why You Should) How to Recommit to a Hobby You Keep Dropping We often talking about stopping moisture from escaping our skin—preventative measures, if you will—but how do you restore hydration after it’s already been sapped?...

We live in a digital world with everything from smartphones to voice-activated home electronics as part of our daily lives—which means that these very devices could be getting a little personal since some can actually listen to us more than we realize. “Recordings from a diverse range of customers help devices work well for everyone,” explains Peter Lopez, the founder of Brooklyn Tech Guy. “With these settings enabled, your voice recordings could be reviewed to help improve services, used in the development of new features, and to improve transcription accuracy....

Woman loading the dishwasher Credit: GETTY IMAGES Woman loading the dishwasher Credit: GETTY IMAGES Woman loading the dishwasher Credit: GETTY IMAGES Woman loading the dishwasher Credit: GETTY IMAGES On This Page Dishwasher Detergents, Explained The Detergents' Ingredients When to Use Each Detergent After cooking and enjoying a meal with loved ones, staring at the stack of pots and dishes in the sink at the end of the night can zap some of your joy....

sofia-vergara-m07-white-bridal-gown-2-024v2-d112252-r1-vert-0815.jpg Credit: Walter Chin Do Take Your Time Getting Ready Give yourself enough time so you don’t feel rushed while getting ready for your walk down the aisle. “That feeling for a bride is awful. I think brides should take their time,” Vergara says. “If your hair is not doing what it was supposed to do that morning, you want to make sure you have time to be able to change it....

Plants like succulents and cacti have unique soil needs due to their shallow root structures and drought preferences. Putting these types of plants in the wrong kind of soil, therefore, can cause a host of issues, ranging from root rot to eventual death. But getting them into the right soil isn’t very complicated. Here’s exactly what you need to know about the soil your succulents and cacti need to thrive....