Breathe Easy in a Clean Home

Unless you suffer from respiratory problems, you probably don't think about the cleanliness of the air in your home, but everyday habits can release tiny particles or vapors, which can aggravate allergies or make you feel fatigued.

The good news is that the following simple steps can help maintain high air quality inside your home:

Provide adequate ventilation throughout your home by opening windows and using fans. Make sure such appliances as your dryer and stove are properly vented.

Humidity can lead to stuffy air, as well as mold and mildew problems. Don’t let your home’s humidity level rise above 50 percent. If wood or carpets become wet, dry them completely and clean them, if necessary.

Check your dry cleaning. Smell your clothing as soon as you pick it up. If a chemical odor is detected, remove the plastic bags, and put the clothing outside so it can air out before you put it away.

Pollen and other outdoor elements can be tracked indoors by your pets or on the bottom of your shoes. Clean the house often and ventilate it well to help remove pollutants that may have found their way inside. Keep windows and doors closed, however, while mowing your lawn or treating your yard with chemicals.

Stress-Busting Solutions

Whether it's the demands of a hectic work week or maintaining a household and caring for the kids, the stresses of everyday life can quickly make you feel worn down. If you can't wait to fall into bed at night or have difficulty sleeping, suffer from frequent headaches or simply feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish all that's on your to-do list, you are probably overstressed. The good news is that you can relieve stress with these quick stress-busting tips:

Even if you can only spare 15 minutes, set aside time for yourself everyday. Read a magazine article or two, listen to some of your favorite tunes or sit outside in the sunshine and unwind.

Take a brisk walk. The exercise will relieve some of the physical attributes of stress and make you feel rejuvenated so you can tackle the rest of your tasks.

Eat something healthy. A piece of fruit, cup of yogurt or handful of nuts should give you an energy boost and keep you from munching on sugary snacks.

Allow yourself a few minutes alone to sit still and think about what it will feel like when your chores are done and you are enjoying time with your family. Visualizing yourself triumphing over your stressors is a powerful way to overcome them.

Hot Trends for a Cool Bathroom

The bathroom is becoming more just than a necessary room in your house; many homeowners are turning their bathrooms into elegant escapes. Not only can an upgraded bathroom be an oasis for you, it can also be a good investment and an attractive feature to prospective buyers if you decide to sell your home.

If this sounds appealing to you, consider the following trendy bathroom additions:

A soundless soaking tub – a Jacuzzi can make tired muscles feel great, but it can also be noisy. A Japanese-inspired soaking tub, on the other hand, may hold 250 gallons of water or more and can be adjusted from just a bit of soothing effervescence to full jet massage with very little noise. A soaking tub may also feature aromatherapy with your favorite scents or chromatherapy using colors to help you relax.

A roomier shower – when it comes to showers, it seems bigger is better. Forget the closet-like shower with a sliding glass door. The new trend is a large, airy shower with a hinged door and heavier glass for a lavish look. Multiple shower heads remain a favorite with homeowners.

A brighter bathroom – nothing makes a room feel more welcoming than natural sunlight and let’s face it, no one wants to shave or apply make-up in the dark. That’s why in addition to beautifully-crafted light fixtures, homeowners want a bathroom with lots of windows. Skylights are even becoming popular again. Adding windows and skylights, however, can be a long, expensive undertaking. Make the most of available sunlight, yet protect your privacy by using easy-to-apply window film. You can purchase window film in a variety of designs at most home improvement stores or online.

Warm towels and feet – imagine getting out of the shower and wrapping yourself in a warm, fluffy towel or walking across the tile floor in bare feet. These cozy options are possible with heated towel bars and radiant heat floors.

Standard upgrades – of course, such features as his-and-hers vanities, lots of storage space and energy-efficiency are still high priorities in many bathrooms. Classics like these will never go out of style.

Question and Answer

My family and I are trying to become more "green" around the house. Can you recommend some simple things we can do to help protect our planet?

What a wonderful goal to set for your family! Did you know that simply by turning off the water while you brush your teeth, you can save four gallons a minute? That can add up to 200 gallons of water per week for a family of four. Here are some other ways that you can conserve water in your home:

Make sure that all faucets are fitted with aerators with flow restrictors, and replace any leaky faucets. A faucet that drips at a rate of one drop per second can waste 2,700 gallons of water a year.

Use your garbage disposal sparingly; instead, turn fruit and vegetable peelings into compost to fertilize your yard.

If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, consider replacing it with a water-efficient showerhead.

Install low volume toilets.

Only use such appliances as your washing machine or dishwasher when you have a full load and set the water level accordingly.

A Place to Play

Looking for a fun way to encourage your children to have adventures in their own backyard? A play set offers the ideal solution. But as a parent, how can you be sure that your play set is sturdy enough for your children to play on without fearing that they may be injured?

While play sets can be developmental tools for young children, they are not babysitters. Adult supervision is key to backyard safety. Make sure that you designate an area for the play set where it is visible from the deck, garden, or wherever you spend your outdoor time. It’s also a good idea to place the play set in a shady area, so your children are not exposed to too much sun.

Before shopping for a play set, measure the space where you plan to place it. You need to allow at least six feet of open area on each side of the set for optimum safety.

If you have a toddler, your best bet is a plastic set. These are weatherproof, durable, and easy to install. If you prefer another material, keep in mind that wood sets are sturdier than metal, but make sure the wood is splinter-resistant. Recommended woods are cedar, redwood and pressure-treated pine.

After the set is up, don’t forget the importance of regular maintenance. You should inspect the entire set at least twice each year to make sure everything is secure.

By carefully selecting a play set and properly maintaining it, you can feel secure in the knowledge that you made the safest choice. And your kids can enjoy many safe days of play.