Use the Underside of your Stairs

How cool is this? This is space-efficiency at its finest, I must say!

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Decorate Your Winter Blues Away!

This time of year can be a bummer for some of us. The holidays are over, but it’s not quite spring yet, so where does that leave us? We have our eyes on the prize – warmer weather, sunny days, outdoor activities – but the weather is not ready to permit such activities. I understand the winter blues. If you too suffer from them, then I suggest you go with the flow and focus your energy on indoor decorating.
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Dips for Football Gameday

Easy recipes for finger food dips for football game day or any day!

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More Gameday Fun…

Or for camping, this is a great idea for instant starting charcoal!

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Football Fan Mat

Living in Northern California, I might just be partial to the team shown here…

Find fun ideas for Game Day with us on Pinterest! and…go Niners!

Makes me think of spring…

Too cute - great for a small hamper in the kids room or bathroom, or as a shopping/beach tote!

Find great ideas for kids and more with us - see what we're pinning!

Standing Workstation - DIY-style

I know, it looks silly, but don't laugh at me just yet! I've taken enough grief from co-workers over the years, anyway. But I prefer to stand up a few hours of my work day while on the computer. It may sound odd to some, but it's actually very comfortable, and not an unheard-of practice in the working world. I like to switch back to sitting after a while, though, as it's not good for the back to stand absolutely still for prolonged periods either. My solution is a workstation that can go both ways. As you can see in the picture, I use a file box, stepping stool and photo boxes to achieve the right height for monitor, keyboard and mouse. It takes me about 15 seconds to switch from one to the other. The benefits of standing while working are better alertness, reduced strain on the back and neck, and even enhanced functioning of the lymphatic system (really, look it up!) It also has completely eliminated that 3 o'clock dip in energy for me. If you use a notebook computer, this system is also easy to achieve with a height-adjustable laptop stand (this one goes up to 39").

Happy typing, worker bees!

Style Spotlight: A Punch of Color

We all get tired of seeing the same old decorating styles in our homes at some point. But instead of going for a whole re-design or room makeover, sometimes all a room needs is a little punch of color to liven things up! Here are five easy ways to add a little drama to your decor:

I love the green and the retro look of this chair. It's also a great choice for smaller rooms and areas in the home.
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Weekend DIY-er Tip - Reuse Old Paint!

Did you know you can re-tint old paint? If you have unused paint in your garage, call around to home improvement centers and you are sure to find one in your area that will re-tint the paint for a small fee - this saves you money and saves the planet from toxic waste! Be sure to stay in the same color zone (light or dark, etc).

Glass Frame Whiteboards

This would be great in the kitchen to organize the whole family's schedule.

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Out With the Old?

I found this slideshow from House Beautiful interesting. It's all of the decor ideas that people would like to see disappear in 2013. I hope stainless steel doesn't go out of style, as we just re-did our kitchen. But I could live without the antlers…

What do you think? Are there any design trends you'd like to see get the heave-ho this year?

15 Minutes a Day to a Clean House?

It's worth a try - I have to vacuum more frequently though and my floors take 1 hr to mop. Why is it always the floors?

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I Heart Maps…

This would make such a cute gift for a friend or loved one with whom you've traveled!

Find fun diy decorating tips with Stacks at pinterest!

Healthy and Refreshing Drink

Coconut Water, Pomegranate, Mineral Water.

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DIY Backsplash - Stencil those Boring Tiles!

More weekend DIY madness for me! White, boring tiles got you down? This looks so easy I will have to try it. You could do it anywhere in the house where you want to add a little style-pizzazz. For me that is the master bathroom. It is literally floor to ceiling beige tiles from the 80's'. Since I have no plans to re-tile the bathroom anytime soon, I think I will try this simple project from the DIY network. Plus it will give me a reason to scrub down those tiles for once.

What are you working on right now at home?

Prep Ahead for Spring

I know it's just the beginning of winter, but a girl can dream, right? You could prep all but the water and plants now…

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Here's To…

A Happy, Prosperous and Organized New Year!

Resolve to Get Organized…

One room at a time. (Or maybe just one room total this year?) Whatever small steps you can take to get organized at home, on the go and at work will do wonders for relieving stress in your life all-around. I always say the turn of the year is a great time to get organized, and not just because you are "starting new" or fresh.

Here I offer further justification as to why winter is a great time to organize the home:

1. The weather outside is lame. This is the time of year where we often find ourselves stuck indoors much of the time. Why not use some of that cooped-up time to accomplish something useful, like tackling that mess of a hall closet once and for all!
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New Year Celebrations around the Globe

This would be a fun reading for kids, from Parents magazine, all about the different ways people celebrate New Years around the world.

How Fun is This?

Would be great for kids and served grown-up style as well!

Find great ideas for Entertaining on New Years and more with us on Pinterest.

Bubbly Jello Drink

Would be great for a kids New Year's party too!

Sparkling Jello Delight 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin 2 cups cold white grape juice, divided 2 tablespoons sugar 2 cups sparkling cider 8 fresh strawberries, with top sliced off - beautiful and festive for new years #entertaining

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A Home Gym Just in Time for those Resolutions to Set in…

Everyone knows the typical New Year’s resolutions – stop smoking, eat healthier, be kinder to your family, lose those nagging 15 pounds – and year after year these are consistently the most broken resolutions as well. For those that decide this is the year they finally get healthy, one trip to the local gym will have you realizing that you are far from alone in resolving to fight the flab. Last year after the New Year, my gym was so packed full of people the wait to use a cardio machine was 20 minutes! This can be an added discouragement to actually getting active. Luckily there is an easy solution for this issue and the approaching holiday season is the perfect time to give or receive some home gym equipment!

For those that are just getting started in building a home-gym, a simple flat bench is the perfect first-step. Even though it may appear to be overly-simplistic a flat bench is the initial building block. This bench is perfect for presses, “box” jumps, sit-ups, angled push-ups and more!
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Pretty much sums it up…

Too Funny!

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Happy Holidays!

Cute Giftwrap Idea

Also nice if the stores are now closed and you are out of wrapping paper!

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Did You Water the Tree?

Too Cute

Still Haven't Found the Right Gift?

It's Sunday, just two days before Christmas, and maybe you still haven't found the right gift for your family, or perhaps you have a surprise addition to your guest list. A donation can make a wonderful gift for that person, and it requires little time (and no shipping time at all!) Make sure, before donating, that you it is an organization with a good reputation. There are dozens of ways to go, maybe you want to pick an organization that is near and dear to the heart of your gift recipient. Otherwise look locally or consider financing a micro-loan through an organization such as Kiva in the name of your recipient.

Share the love with the gift of a donation this Christmas!

Stopping By Grandma's After Christmas?

As every year comes and goes, and with it another holiday season, I feel more and more like I should be the ones giving my grandparents presents instead of them to me. Every winter as a child we would come home to a huge postage package full of presents from Grandma and Grandpa. But now as a college-graduate with a real-life job and more cash to spend on family during the holiday season, I get a sense that it is my turn to be the giver.
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Christmas Songs That Don’t Drive Me Crazy

I gave this post that title because it’s actually the name of a Christmas playlist I created for myself. Now, if you don’t mind hearing the same Christmas songs year after year and haven’t gotten sick them, I certainly don’t mean to offend you with my pessimism. But… I can’t stand to hear the standard versions “White Christmas” or “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” one more time! This year I just got tired of them and had to find new ways to enjoy Christmas music. After a little research, I found that there are alternative versions to these songs that you don’t hear in the stores every year, and they’re quite refreshing!
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And finally, for that Extra Special Someone

Check out these Over the Top gifts for that really special person in your life!

Oh man, wouldn't you just love to go there right now? Even if you can't, you can still create a backyard oasis of your own that will be ready for Spring and Summer when they roll around.

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