Most people think a good plan is mainly about discipline. A tighter calendar, a stricter budget, a cleaner to-do list. But a good plan can also help reduce decision fatigue, the mental drain that can come from making too many choices throughout the day. The real magic of a good plan is quieter than that….
After months of sunshine, swimming, humidity and heat styling, your hair may look and feel very different when September arrives. A good fall hair care routine can help address some of the effects of summer, including dry ends, frizz, tangles, faded colour and increased breakage. Cooler temperatures and dry indoor air can create another challenge…
There is something especially inviting about settling into a comfortable chair on a cold winter evening with a good book. Add a warm drink, a soft blanket and an e-reader, and you have an easy way to enjoy a quiet night at home. E-readers have become increasingly sophisticated, but choosing one is not simply a…
Choosing firewood may seem as simple as picking up a bundle and bringing it home, but the type and condition of the wood can make a noticeable difference in how your fireplace performs. The right firewood can provide a longer-lasting fire, produce less smoke and help reduce the buildup of creosote in a wood-burning chimney….
A power outage can happen on an ordinary day, but severe weather can make a loss of electricity more likely. In Canada, freezing rain, high winds, winter storms, wildfires, extreme temperatures and other events can damage power lines or place additional strain on the electrical system. A short outage may be little more than an…
Winter driving comes with a problem that is easy to overlook: road salt. Salt and other de-icing materials help make winter roads safer, but repeated exposure to salty water, slush and road spray can contribute to corrosion. The underside of a vehicle can be particularly vulnerable because salt and moisture can collect in areas that…
Buying pumpkins early can make decorating for fall easier, but it also creates a problem: How do you keep those pumpkins looking fresh until Halloween? If you picked up your pumpkins in September or early October, you don’t necessarily need to worry. A healthy, uncarved pumpkin can remain in good condition for weeks when it…
There is nothing more frustrating than buying a new graphic T-shirt, washing it once, and discovering that the printed designs are sticking together when the laundry comes out of the dryer. I’ve dealt with this problem repeatedly with my daughters’ shirts. They can look perfectly normal going into the washing machine, but after a trip…
