About Home: Take the Chore Out of Summer Chores

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Home From Diane Schmidt, your About Home Editor I know it's summer. I know everyone wants to be on holiday. But just like every other season, household chores still need to get done. And with younger family members at home, the summer is the perfect time to set a chore schedule and have everyone stick to it. Chores teach children responsibility and instill strong work habits that will serve them well throughout their lifetime. And the bonus? A clean and organized home. A Clean, Clutter Free Home: The Easy Way The place to start with any household cleaning is to turn to a guide on how to get rid of stuff so you feel like you can breathe again. Clearing out the clutter will ensure you have less to clean and less to clean-around, which means your weekly cleaning schedule will take a lot less time and effort. Gotta' love that! See More About:  feng shui tips  feng shui clutter clearing  feng shui home Chore Chart Tips For Success Once you've de-cluttered your home, it's time to get little ones involved. Setting up a chore chart is a great way to have the household tasks scheduled and organized while providing you the chance to praise small hands for helping out. Find out how to create a successful chore chart with these easy-to-follow tips. See More About:  chore charts  cleaning schedules  cleaning responsibilities Keep Your Home Office Organized Now that you have the rest of the family organized, it's time to tackle your own personal space. If you're like me, your home office is the only room where a closed door means do not disturb. However, recently, the closed door to my office is a way to hide the mess. But this week I'm determined to get a handle on it with this guide to keeping my home office organized. How to Buy a Marine Aquarium For a Child or Teen Speaking of teaching kids responsibility through chores and household tasks, another way to instil this is through the caring of pets. Pets are a great way to introduce kids to the wonder of the animal world while teaching them to respect and cherish other living beings. A marine aquarium will give your child that and so much more. See More About:  setting up an aquarium  fish compatibility  aquarium maintenance Home Ads Chore Chart Kids Chore Charts Kids Chore Chart In House Cleaning Kids Chores Chart Featured Articles Easy Knitting Patterns How do Foreclosures Work? Create the Style of Provence in Your Home How Much Will Your New House Cost? How to Improve Your Soil Take a House Tour Online   More from About.com Free Children's Books How would you like to have access to a free online public library of books from around the world for kids 3 to 13? Read more...> Best Water Parks Better pack your bathing suit -- here are our recommendations for the funnest, wettest, splashiest water parks around. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement

About Home: How Does Your Garden Grow?

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Home From Diane Schmidt, your About Home Editor July is an exciting month in the garden with berries, veggies and flowers starting to peak. While gardens are productive during these hot, summer months, they also require a lot more hands-on work to ensure they remain at their peak. This week, we're offering essential guides to keep your garden healthy and happy so that you can enjoy the fruits (literally) of your labor in the upcoming weeks. Vegetable Gardening in a Small Space I've lived in small spaces most of my life. Our house now has a decent-sized backyard, but because I want both a flower and veggie garden, I was worried that it all wouldn't fit. So, I opted to take the advice offered in this article that suggests...well, you're just going to have to read it yourself. See More About:  vegetable gardening  container gardening  small space gardeing How to Design a Herb Garden Nothing says summer like fresh herbs from the garden. Often, though, at least in my case, I'm not really sure where to plant them and how to keep them happy and productive throughout the hot summer months. This article guides even the most novice gardener through the process of growing and enjoying their own herbs. See More About:  herb garden design  diy herb gardens  herbal gardening Be More Productive While Avoiding Gardening Injuries My mother always said: "There are lots of ways to do things, but there's only one way to do it right." Her logic applies to gardening for sure and is the perfect summary for this article on how to prevent gardening injuries while getting more done. See More About:  user experience  ergonomic gardening/landscaping tools  gardening ergonomics Feng Shui Your Garden A lot of us are familiar with feng shui in our homes and work places, but I hadn't thought of incorporating its practices into my garden. But it makes a lot of sense. After all, if you can create a pleasing and attractive outdoor space, all that good energy is sure to make its way inside. See More About:  garden feng shui  feng shui colors  feng shui tips Home Ads Vegetable Garden Seeds Garden House and Garden Garden Design Ideas Garden Tools Featured Articles Heat Stroke First Aid for Puppies Keep Pests Our of Your Home Learn Wood Turning Silver Jewelry Price Guide Save Energy and Money Home Office Organizers   More from About.com Bake Sale Bestsellers Make your next bake sale a profitable one with these irresistible recipes. More> Real Recipes app Download our highly-rated app for free recipes and kitchen tools, for iPhone and iPod Touch. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement

About House & Home: Outdoor Living at its Best

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House & Home From Diane Schmidt, your About House & Home Editor My husband and I are hosting an outdoor party in two weeks, but because of our hectic work schedules neither of us have had time to figure out what we might need. So we thought we'd start with the basics - making our outdoor area into a functional, comfortable and somewhat pretty space that will provide the perfect backdrop for a relaxing and fun night. And everything we need to do that is right here. Furniture for Outdoor Living and Entertaining We thought we should start with furniture. Having the right chairs and seating space is essential for a comfortable night. This guide is just what you need to create a functional, yet beautiful conversational space. See More About:  outdoor living  patio furniture  fire pit Clean the Backyard Before an Outdoor Party Just like the inside space, outdoor areas need a thorough cleaning before any party. This video is the perfect place to start with tips that will take your outdoors from drab to fab in no time at all. Create Outdoor Spaces with Candles If you're hosting an evening party and you want to make it extra-special, then check out this list of tips on how to use candles to create a space that's warm and inviting and will have your guests lingering well into the night. See More About:  outdoor candles  candle making projects  decorating with candles How to Fix An Ugly Container Garden I have an ugly container garden that I thought would be the centerpiece of my back deck. While it does attract attention, it's not the kind of attention I want. To fix it before the guests arrive, I turned to this article that will take me through the transformation step-by-step. See More About:  common mistakes  container gallery  fall container gardens House & Home Ads Outdoor Fun Outdoor Furniture Outdoor Fire Pit Outdoor Patio Outdoor Landscaping Featured Articles Feng Shui Color Guide Stay Cool in Your Apartment Keep Your Horse Cool in the Heat How Does Air Conditioning Work? How to Install A Yard Water Hydrant The Biggest Lawn Care Mistake   More from About.com Bake Sale Bestsellers Make your next bake sale a profitable one with these irresistible recipes. More> Real Recipes app Download our highly-rated app for free recipes and kitchen tools, for iPhone and iPod Touch. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com House & Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement

About House & Home: Kick-start Your Summertime Fun

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House & Home From Diane Schmidt, your About House & Home Editor Not only is today's holiday a celebration of America's independence, but it also marks the official start to summertime fun. This week, we're offering some cool ways to kick-start the season, including suggestions for kid-friendly outings and activities, ways to save money on road trips, and a quieter-indoor pursuit that will keep little ones occupied on those rare rainy days. Visit a Public Aquarium If you're scrambling to find things for the kids to do, a good place to start is at your local aquarium. This article will help guide you through your visit with tips on how to plan your trip and what to see and learn once you're there. See More About:  fish photos  fish profiles  first fish Get Your Kids to Grow Their Own Veggies Gardening is such a fun way for kids to get a little dirty, yet be able to experience how their veggies grow. And knowing how veggies grow, along with their help in planting and harvesting, will have them asking for a second helping of carrots, beans and peas at dinnertime. See More About:  vegetable garden  growing vegetables  growing vegetables from seed 10 Ways to Improve Your Gas Mileage If you're planning a long road trip this summer, or even if you're thinking of a Sunday drive, you should find out how to save gas (and money) before you turn the ignition key. These tips are easy to follow, yet they'll benefit both your pocketbook and the environment. See More About:  green travel  energy use  green travel products Join the Summer Scrapbook Challenge Even though we long for hot, sunny days, summer also brings with it cozy thunderstorms and rainy afternoons that are perfect for some indoor fun. Like scrapbooking your summer holidays with these free pages and ideas that will spark your child's imagination and creativity. See More About:  scrapbook page sketches  beach scrapbook pages  scrapbook page ideas House & Home Ads Summer Fun for Kids Fun Recipes for Kids Family Fun Fun Kids Activities Activities for Kids Featured Articles Discover New Bedroom Design Ideas How to Install a Washing Machine Fourth of July Furniture Sale Trash to Treasure Makeovers How to Grow a Polka Dot Plant 10 Herbs that Taste Great in Salads   More from About.com Bake Sale Bestsellers Make your next bake sale a profitable one with these irresistible recipes. More> Real Recipes app Download our highly-rated app for free recipes and kitchen tools, for iPhone and iPod Touch. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com House & Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement