Life

It's natural for your heart to hurt on days like this, whether your father has died, or you feel disconnected or estranged from him.

Attention all doggie mums and dads: FUNBOY and BARK have teamed up to create the ultimate summertime accessory for you and your furry companion. The luxury floatie brand has introduced a dog-sized version of their most popular floats—the retro pink convertible and the yacht—available on barkshop.com and funboy.com. HEY YOU, DOG PERSON! Wanna win a Pimp My Float Bundle and a whole bunch of BarkShop toys to cruise around with? Just mosey on over to the link in bio to enter!

Have you be searching the market for a new home? Maybe you want a summer vacation home or maybe you’re on the lookout for something new. If you have a spare $9 million, Ben Affleck has put his home on the market. The ˆactor recently listed his 87-acre Hampton Island Preserve. It is right off the coast of Georgia and considered to be one of the crown jewels off the coast. It overlooks the North Newport River and honestly, that view is unbeatable.

“How was your day?” Every couple sharing an evening meal together has asked this question. It’s a fine question; you care about each other, after all, and are genuinely interested in what happened that day! But sometimes, especially for couples who’ve been together a long time, dinner conversations can settle into the same grooves night after night — work talk, complaining about the subway, what’s new with the kids.

Fixer Upper fans, it is time to rejoice! While our favorite HGTV is no more, that doesn’t mean our favorite Texas family is done fixing up houses. There is only so long that the Gaines family can stay away from projects that need a lot of work. Even though Joanna Gaines is due to give birth this summer, the design master has revealed that there is a new project for the Gaines family.

Going on vacation is supposed to be relaxing and fun. But 9/10, everyone always feels like they need a vacation from their vacation. There is always so much to worry about before you leave. You need to check your luggage to make sure you packed everything you meant to. When you’re actually on vacation, you are worrying about your house and your pets, hoping that they are being good for the sitter. How many times have you stressed about turning the stove off before you left the house?

Have you ever thought of using your time off from work for a staycation? This is when you don’t actually go anywhere on vacation, but you instead take time off and enjoy your city/area. Staycations are gaining popularity in recent years. As expected, some cities are much better than others for staycations. If your city doesn’t have much to offer, then that probably isn’t going to be the best city to staycation in.

Have you ever wondered where your money disappears to each month? You work hard; you know you make it—yet it seems as though you never have any, or at least not as much as you think you should after you pay your bills (and Uncle Sam takes his portion). It’s like it goes into some giant universal dryer that only spits out part of what you put in—obviously stashing the rest of it away in that secret place where the matches to all of your socks are sent.

This might be the homebody in me talking, but I happen to think date night at home is better than date night out in nearly every way. The drinks are cheaper. The clothes are comfier. And, if you have the right game, it can be a really fun night for you and your love to get competitive and cuddly all at once. Based on recommendations from Amazon, Board Game Geek, Reddit’s /r/boardgames and my own experience, here are some of the best two-player games for couples to play on their own.

Though Michelle Obama spent eight years in one of the biggest houses in the country, she didn’t always live such a spacious lifestyle. In promoting her new book, Becoming (out November 13), Michelle shared a sweet photo of her with her parents on Instagram, reminiscing about her “cramped apartment on the South Side of Chicago.

Springtime relief from winter weather is often, sadly, overshadowed by the suffering that comes from seasonal allergies. But you may not be as helpless against them as you think. Here are some sneaky little mistakes you might be making that, once remedied, could help give you some much-needed relief so you can actually enjoy the flowers and warm air and bird songs. Typically, air filters should be changed every three months. However, if you have pets, you’ll need to change them more often.

If you were one of the folks—like me—hoping bullet journals would be a flash-in-the-pan lifestyle trend, I have to report that we’re wrong. Bullet journals are here to stay. Why did I write off bullet journals for so long? (Pun absolutely intended.) Well to me, they seemed like they existed as a sort of vanity project—an Instagram-worthy journal where perfect people can showcase the elements of their perfect life in perfect handwriting.

Move over, Himalayan salt lamps. There’s a new trend in town. Himalayan salt lamps, known for their orange glow and dubious air-cleansing properties, have had their time to in the spotlight, but it looks like these accent pieces are about to be dethroned by the latest addition to the well-decor scene: selenite lamps. Bonus: These new crystal-based mood boosters are already one step ahead in the looks department. Selenite lamps are made out of a naturally semi-translucent form of gypsum.

Booking a vacation is supposed to be relaxing, right? You go away for the sole purpose of escaping your day-to-day life for a week. But the actual process of planning that vacation can be a hassle. You can search multiple different sites to find the best deal and still feel like you totally missed out. If you are trying to book a flight, KAYAK is a great place to look. But what about where to stay? Hotels can be pricey, even at “discounted” rates.

When it comes to grocery shopping and my food budget, the worst thing that can happen isn’t running out of food (although that’s pretty close) — it’s discovering that half of the precious produce I bought just two or three days ago has already gone bad. It’s no fun finding mushy apples or a wilted head of lettuce that I so carefully wrapped and stored in the crisper.

Renovations came come in all shapes and sizes. Most often, we see homes transformed. But sometimes, very unique renos happen, where a building that formerly hosted one activity becomes something entirely different. Just look at this former Dutch church that was made into a library and museum. Have you ever traveled to a major city, like New York or Paris, and noticed beautiful 19th-century architecture?

What’s not to love about CVS? Not only is it brimming with affordable beauty products and home essentials, it’s by far one of the easiest drug stores to save money at while shopping. Don’t believe us? We did our research and dug up nine awesome money-saving secrets for shopping at CVS that you probably didn’t know about. Read ahead to find out how to score even better deals next time you raid the local drugstore.

Channel your inner Chip and Joanna Gaines. This Mississippi Victorian mansion truly needs every ounce of Fixer Upper spirit that there is in the world. If you love historic homes and big renovation projects, you’re going to want to pull out your checkbook and buy this house ASAP. From a first look, this crumbling Mississippi mansion might be off-putting. Who wants to spend thousands of their hard-earned money on something that is falling apart?

Have you ever wanted to live like you were rich and famous? If you said no, why are you lying? Maybe you don’t want the fast and dangerous lifestyle that might come with wealth, but everyone dreams of having a lot of money, at least once in their lifetime. John D. Rockefeller sure had that dream and he accomplished it ten times over. The oil industry business magnate became cemented in the history books when he became the first U.S. billionaire.

Lagom is a Swedish lifestyle trend that just won’t quit. Defined loosely as “everything in moderation,” the concept of lagom (pronounced law-gum) is all about finding balance in your everyday life. To help us better understand the concept of lagom, we called on Niki Brantmark, creator of My Scandinavian Home and author of Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life, to break it down.

The architectural community is abuzz with the news that the first stateside IKEA hotel could be coming soon. Reportedly, the Swedish home goods giant has plans to expand its stake in the hospitality industry by converting the Pirelli Tire Building in New Haven, Connecticut into lodging.

Life is better in Finland. Proof? A recent report from the United Nations finds that the Nordic nation’s inhabitants are the world’s happiest, as Finland ranks highest in top indicators of well-being, like income, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, trust and generosity. (Norway, Denmark and Iceland take the next three spots, so clearly we should be taking these Nordic countries out for coffee and politely asking them to tell us everything).

Reboots can either be the absolute worst, or they’re the best thing to happen to TV. It’s frustrating that some showrunners just won’t let a series end. But then there are instances where they know what’s best and bring back the show we really needed – thank god Trading Spaces is back! In a world where HGTV reigns supreme with 20 different house-flipping shows, the Trading Spaces reboot is a breath of fresh air on TLC.

Feeling nostalgic for those Wonder Years neighborhood vibes, or the cozy camaraderie of Friends-esque living situations? Or maybe you just don’t know what to do about all those other people who also happen to live on your street.

Friendship is an amazing, incredible, frustrating, annoying, and beautiful thing. Each friendship that you have is different from the other. You might have one friend you’ve known since you were five that knows every embarrassing childhood story possible. But then you can have a best friend that just knows you on every single level, even though you’ve only known each other for a year.

Grocery shopping isn’t always easy. Along with the crowds, screaming kids, and long lines, you have to successfully secure a week’s worth of foodstuff, most likely while on a budget. That’s why it pays to plan for your trip to the grocery store ahead of time, so you can avoid draining searches and high prices as much as possible. Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can hack your grocery list to work for you.

Amazon is trying to become the coolest place in the world. They bought Whole Foods. You can have things delivered to your house in an hour. You can watch TV from basically anywhere using Amazon Prime. Honestly, is there anything bad about Amazon? Well, if you think it is great to be an Amazon customer, it sounds like being an employee is even better. The Amazon headquarters are even more pet-friendly than any other office in the world What could make any workday better? A dog, obviously.

Airbnb is awesome – until it’s not. Ten years in, face it, it’s still a leap of faith as a traveler to go stay in a stranger’s home. You roll the dice and could land in a place that makes all your dreams come true — I’ve found some absolute treasures like that. Or maybe it’s not horrible but it’s a boring corporate rental.

Some are long retired, but some are still there on the shelves for you to take them home right now. Make sure you're ready for the commitment!

How many times did your mom tell you to “never judge a book by its cover” when you were growing up? Well, as silly as that might have sounded when you were a kid, it is 100% true and this vacation home in Arizona is proof of that. This bunker might seem plain on the outside, but it is gorgeous on the inside. In Arizona’s San Rafael Valley sits Casa Caldera, an off-the-grid, self-sustaining home.

Spring is a time of renewal, so we feel like there’s no better moment than now to pick up a new habit or try out a new idea. Even better if that idea inspires some good ‘ness — you know… happiness, coziness, wellness or just all around better living at home.

Apparently, catching a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis isn’t the easiest exploratory feat to check off your travel bucket list. But one surefire way of increasing the odds of witnessing the shimmery cosmic phenomenon up close and in person is to spend a few nights in the Panorama Glass Lodge, a family-owned seaside retreat in Iceland that grants guests full access to remote relaxation and plenty of aurora-viewing opportunities throughout the duration of their stay.

You might know Kate Walsh from her roles on Shondaland series staples Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice, but did you know she has her own fragrance line? Called Boyfriend, the scent has recently expanded to candles, and we chatted with the star about her home projects, embracing coziness, and how she prefers to relax. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

A good resume should be clear and concise. As a rule of thumb, hiring managers typically take fewer than 10 seconds to scan an entire resume, so it’s important that yours conveys only the most relevant information to your audience. And since it’s crucial that your resume be quick and easy to read through, it’s important to know what information should be omitted.

It’s been a minute since Jennifer Garner’s Alias and 13 Going On 30 days, but the star is hardly finding it tough to stay relevant. Her amazing response to the GIF of her realization at the Oscars notwithstanding, the actress has a truly wonderful Instagram series where she reads children’s books to her golden retriever, Birdie.

It’s not just the sex of Chip and Joanna Gaines’s new baby that’s causing quite the discussion. Now that the Waco duo has revealed their baby’s gender, the world is plotting away trying to determine what the little boy’s name will be. As any Fixer Upper superfan would know, the Gaines family already has two boys: Drake, 12, and Duke, 9. (There are also two little girls, Ella, 11, and Emmie Kay, 7.

In honor of International Women’s Day, Mattel just announced that they will be releasing a run of new Barbie dolls modeled after inspiring women. Along with adding dolls to their Shero collection, Amelia Earhart, Frida Kahlo and Katherine Johnson have all been given the Barbie treatment for the new Inspiring Women series. I am truly honoured to be part of the Barbie family, celebrating International Women’s Day.

Slip into some sweet silk sheets and get ready to drift away, mystic mermies. For most of this month, the Sun is in touchy-feely Pisces, and the prescription is pure surrender and shell-colored shades of allowing. Think of the possibility of simply “melting” into every area of your life. No hard focuses. No musts or shoulds. Just a sense of moving with and alongside the tidal shifts exactly as they are.

When it comes to the average hiking enthusiast, not even unfavorable weather conditions could keep the intentional wanderers from setting out on foot for a mind-clearing, calorie-burning jaunt. However, a park guide in Brazil recently captured footage of an underwater hiking trail that would stop even the most persistent walker in their tracks.

(Image credit: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com) From Kitchn → Former Employees Dish on What You Don’t Know About Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Trader Joe’s null

(Image credit: Esteban Cortez) From Kitchn → Our 10 Favorite Kitchen Towel Hooks for $20 or Less null

If you’re feeling burnt out by your career, sleep deprived and stressed about the future, or even insecure about how your life looks on Instagram, then it’s time to start practicing self-care. It’s a simple lifestyle change that encourages you to prioritize your mental health without taking up an expensive new habit or learning how to become an advanced meditator.

It’s something we do every day, but who knew it could be so controversial? This week, Twitter got into a debate on toothbrushing habits, and we want to know where you stand. According to Mashable, it all started with one tweet asking whether people put the toothpaste on first or wet the brush first. Let’s just say that no matter which pattern people follow, they are very convinced that they are in the right, and everyone else is wrong.

Crunching numbers quickly can give you answers to pressing real-life questions such as, "Is this shirt a good deal?" or "How much should I tip my Uber driver?"

Oh, the joys of online shopping. Not only can you bypass crazy long checkout lines and cramped dressing rooms, you get all the stuff you ordered delivered straight to your front door. The only drawback: Returning items that don’t work for you can be trickier when the post office gets involved. That’s why it pays to know ahead of time which stores have stellar return policies, so you can have a totally worry-free online shopping experience.

Even if you aren’t a self-proclaimed “morning person,” creating a solid AM routine can set the tone for your day. If right now that “routine” includes 30 minutes struggling with the snooze button, followed by guzzling coffee while simultaneously blow drying your hair and responding to your email, you might be ready to switch things up. Who better to borrow some inspiration from than some of the healthiest people out there?

I asked a woman out to dinner, to a place I’d been wanting to try. As is often the case with New York dates, we began talking logistics. The IKEA closest to me is a trek from my apartment. Hopping in a cab feels unadventurous when the Brooklyn behemoth painstakingly made sure it’s accessible by ferry. Without knowing this woman long enough to tempt a Gilligan’s Island-level fate, we chose the next best option: riding our bikes.

“There’s a pot pie in the oven made by a guy named Cookie Puss, who works at the hardware store. It’s 7 degrees outside. We have plastic hanging over the kitchen doorway to block the dust from the sander. There’s beer, and Kid Rock on the radio. We make Pigpen look clean. It’s our Detroit Valentine’s day.

(Image credit: Marisa Vitale) From Kitchn → 7 Eye-Opening Coffee Bars You’ll Want In Your Own Kitchen null

(Image credit: Kim Lucian) From Kitchn → Proof You Don’t Have to Clean Before People Come Over null

I’ve always been in love with the idea of hosting dinner parties. My mother used to host game nights at our house when I was a kid, and she’d also throw parties for milestones throughout the year. As a 20-something adult, I’ve loved venturing into the playful, well-appointed world of hosting. But working with a tight budget, mismatched flatware (I know we have another fork somewhere around here), and small spaces means the way you go about it looks a little differently.

(Image credit: Peyton Frank) From Kitchn → This Is the Best Chocolate for Your Zodiac Sign null

(Image credit: Diana Liang) From Kitchn → 7 Cleaning Supplies Amazon Reviewers Can’t Get Enough Of null

If you’ve ever considered going into business with family, look no further for role models than Jonathan and Drew Scott. Having found fame as hosts of the hit HGTV reality series Property Brothers, the pair really brings home the bacon. And by bacon, we mean money. And by money, we mean a combined net worth in the millions. Property Brothers Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott have flipped their way to a combined net worth of $20 million according to CelebrityNetWorth.com.

Every year the impending arrival of the Super Bowl incites a parallel culinary sport: churning out lighter takes on wings, healthier spins on classic dips, and “fresh” appetizer ideas beginning (but not ending) with kale chips. But you know what? Just like Thanksgiving, there’s no call to go off-script with the Super Bowl. Just like you want marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, I want seven-layer dip and hot wings.

(Image credit: Sarah Rae Smith) From Kitchn → How To Polish a Stainless Steel Sink with Flour (Really!) null

If you look forward to busting out Scrabble or Monopoly as often as possible, we have good news. Every night is game night at this board game themed Airbnb in Claremont, Florida, outside of Orlando. Looks like Disney World and Universal Studios aren’t the only central Florida attractions. Dubbed Great Escape Lakeside, the 13 bedroom house sleeps a whopping 43 people and is basically a theme park in its own right. And with each room comes a different theme.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From Kitchn → The Brilliant Dishwasher Hack for Your Plastic Containers null

The biggest fight I ever had with my husband in a public setting was over a TV. We’d decided to put a television in our living room after a few years of hiding the object in our bedroom and were at Target to pick one out. Facing off in the electronics department, we had an epic showdown over whether we’d buy a big, black box, smart TV or the super cute retro-style little Crosley number that would fit in scale and style with the room it was bound for.

Booking a stay at a traditional hotel is fine and dandy, unless you’re ready for accommodations that move you in a different direction – literally. Capitalizing off the architectural design theme of movement, Guntû is an upscale floating hotel that travels along the shores of Japan’s Seto inland sea. Japanese architect Yasushi Horibe created this unique vacation-themed vessel, which seems like the easiest way to kick up your heels and get your sea legs at the same time.

When the White House requested to borrow a Vincent van Gogh painting from the Guggenheim, the New York museum had a crappy counteroffer: a used gold toilet. In a September email published by the Washington Post, the White House’s Office of the Curator requested to borrow the post-Impressionist work, entitled Landscape with Snow, for the official residence (which, the Post notes, is a common practice).

Aiming to escape your responsibilities by “getting lost” in the wilderness? Well, you might as well do it in style. This charming “Lost Cottage“, located in the lush hills of southwestern Ireland, is the perfect place to wander aimlessly and take in your surroundings for a bit. Situated on 85 acres, the sweet escape is now available as a vacation rental.

My parents own an internet famous cat named Pompous Albert. With more than 140,000 followers on Instagram, appearances on People Magazine, Inside Edition, The Dodo, and BuzzFeed, (not to mention commercial deals with Honda), he has quickly risen to fame. Meanwhile, I’m a grownup with a college degree and full-time job just trying to survive adulthood. Pompous Albert and I both had a normal childhood.

We’re not sure why everything is just plain cuter in miniature, but one thing is for certain: a complete scale model of your own home, both interior and exterior, made entirely out of LEGO, just might be the sweetest thing ever. Inspired by her twins and a lifetime love affair with building miniature homes, Shari Austrian recently launched Little Brick Lane — an Etsy shop that will turn photos and plans of your house into scale models built from LEGO.

Today was the one year anniversary of Donald Trump’s inauguration—and one year minus a day since more than two million people around the world marched in what was likely the largest single-day demonstration in recorded U.S. history. Both events kicked off a turbulent year marked by protest: days later, for instance, demonstrations erupted across airports following the ban of visitors and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries.

We love Costco — and its famously generous return policy — but is there a point at which consumers abuse their rights to, well, always be right? Does a woman in California returning her dead Christmas tree in January fall into the category of shameless retail returns that should not be refunded?

If you fly a lot, it makes sense to get a credit card with airline rewards. Now, if moderately priced Swedish furnishings are your thing, IKEA just released a card for you. The retailer announced back in January their plans to launch a branded credit card in the United States that will also provide additional financing options for “major home projects,” as initially reported by trade publication Chain Store Age.

Welcome to dystopia. Here, magazine ads contain both coupons and pregnancy tests. Yes, you can now pee on an IKEA ad to see if a) you qualify for a discount, and b) you’re pregnant. This very real ad will tell you if you’re with child and if you are (mazel tov, by the way), you’ll receive a coupon for cribs. According to a story in AdWeek, Swedish advertising agency Åkestam Holst created this, um, innovative ad to run in Swedish women’s magazine, Amelia.

Did you have Polly Pockets as a kid? I sure did. Those tiny little choking hazards lived in minuscule worlds tucked inside jewel-toned compacts. And like many things I wish I still had even decades after they got passed on to cousins or thrift stores, I often contemplate hunting some down on eBay. And apparently, I’m not alone. Well it turns out, if you’re stricken with the nostalgia bug, it could cost you.

We’ve talked a bit about ASMR here in the hallowed Apartment Therapy halls, with this Oddly IKEA video and this post about ASMR improving one writer’s sleep life, but haven’t fully investigated this internet phenomena. Well, now there’s a series of ASMR videos that incorporate none other than Harry Potter.

We probably wouldn’t have pegged the Queen of England as one of those holiday decor stragglers, but it turns out that Elizabeth II is a February type of gal. According to Architectural Digest, the Queen and Prince Philip keep their halls decked until February 6th every year. That means they’ve got tinsel and candy canes kicking around until almost Valentine’s Day!

Anyone who’s searched for a way to save more money has probably heard of the 52 Week Challenge. It’s a way to slowly build up your savings throughout the year—you start by putting aside $1 on week one, $2 on week 2, and so on until you reach week 52, putting aside $52 that week. In total, if you follow the 52 Week Challenge, you’ll save $1,378 by the end of the year. Easy enough, right? While it sounds like a great idea (and if it works for you, keep it up!