FEATURED STORY
Gardening Season Has Begun
An unusually cold and rainy spring has finally given way to warm and sunny weather in most of the country. If you haven’t yet planted your summer #vegetable or #flower #garden, there is no time like the present. While starting seeds indoors is the #thriftiest option, you’ll likely need to turn to the local garden […]
TALES FROM THE CLOSET
Tales from the Closet brings you all the reading material you need to become and expert at organizing.
ORGANIZING WEBSITES
Use the list of resources below when its time to organize your things. No matter how big or small the job is, you’ll find any one of these websites helpful.
Hoarders Help
It's time to remove the emotional value from the items you never use and the ones that clutter up your home. Remove the clutter and get organizational advice.

Quick Tips
Honoring Veterans on Memorial Day
Lighten Up Your Interiors for Summer
Get Your Home Ready for Outdoor Living
Keep Cool While Saving Energy
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Honoring Veterans on Memorial Day
Established to honor those who lost their lives in service to the country, Memorial Day is a great time to honor living #veterans, too. Good Housekeeping suggests spending some of your long weekend shopping at a veteran-owned business or streaming one of the Storycorps oral histories presented by active-duty military members and veterans. You can also #donate to the #Vietnam Veterans of America and ClothingDonations.org, Building Homes for Heroes, and other nonprofits that help U.S. military veterans access food, housing, health care and other necessities every day of the year. #MemorialDay
Lighten Up Your Interiors for Summer
Just like you’d winterize your home by putting out extra blankets and burning scented candles, you can #summerize your space by bringing a #cooler, lighter touch to your furnishings, says L’Image Design Studio. First, eliminate excess #knickknacks that make your space feel #cluttered or constricting. Opt for lighter colors and swap out heavy, dark blankets and comforters for lighter ones. Give your houseplants some outdoor time. Wash the windows and replace heavy drapes with sheers. And finally, store any off-season items you won’t be using in labeled bins or donate them if you don’t foresee using them again.
Get Your Home Ready for Outdoor Living
One critical part of #summerizing a home is to make sure all of your outdoor spaces are inviting. Wash your outdoor furniture and deep-clean the grill, says Show Me Home. Wash the windows and sweep up leaves, branches and debris. Trim bushes and set your lawnmower’s blades to three inches or higher to encourage root growth and avoid a scorched lawn. Mulch the garden beds to help them retain moisture and inhibit weeds and insects. Add a few herbs or annuals to bare spots to lend color and foliage. “And finally, park yourself a lawn chair, grab a cold beverage and call it a day.”
Keep Cool While Saving Energy
To save energy while keeping #cool during the hot #summer months, follow the same principles you would in preparing for the cold winter months, experts told The Evening Tribune. Add insulation and seal up leaks to make your HVAC system operate more efficiently. Close the blinds on the south and west sides of your house to keep out the sun’s #heat, cook outdoors on a grill rather than using an indoor oven, and use the washer and dryer only after dark, when outdoor temperatures cool down. Finally, use fans even if you have air conditioning to help circulate that cool, dehumidified air.