9 Self-Care practises to survive the holidays

Laura Gaskill 

From travel to overbooked schedules to colds, the holiday season can become less than joyful. But with a few health and wellness self-care routines in place, you can regain your center and enjoy a peaceful, joy-filled season. Here are nine self-care ideas to try during the holidays. Add your own in the Comments.

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1. Find a sauna. Whether you choose to follow the Nordic tradition of alternating cold (sometimes a plunge in the icy sea) with hot, or stick with a more moderate approach, using a sauna in winter can feel wonderful. Seek out a sauna at a local spa or gym, and transport yourself away from your to-do list. And if you’re lucky enough to own a sauna in your own home, make a point of using it!

Urbanology Designs

2. Create a bedroom retreat. Having a soothing, clutter-free space where you can rest and unwind at the end of a long day can do wonders for relieving stress and promoting sleep. Leave the digital screens at the door and read from a real book or write down your thoughts in a journal before turning out the lights.

Le jardinet

3. Bundle up and get outdoors. Even if it’s cold where you live, going outdoors each day can be a real mood booster. And if you live near a nature area, getting out into the woods can be a wonderful way to decompress and regain your center in the middle of a busy holiday season.

Banda Property

4. Soothe the soul with an aromatic bath. Essential oils can completely transform a bath into a blissful sensory experience. Try a few drops of eucalyptus oil to open the lungs, or soothing lavender to relax before bedtime. Add the essential oils to your warm bath when it’s about half full, and the whole tub will be fragrant by the time you’re ready to get in.

Laura Collins Design

5. Try an unplugged evening. Simple pastimes like playing cards or games, or working on a puzzle, can provide a nice chance to catch up with family without everyone staring at their own screens. To boost the ambiance even more, turn off the overhead lights and play by the glow of candles and twinkle lights.

Siemasko + Verbridge

6. Warm up by the fire. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, now is the time to put it to use. Light a fire, pull a cozy throw over your lap, and settle in with a hot drink and a good book. It doesn’t get much more relaxing than this.

My Zen Home, LLC

7. Try meditation. If you’ve found meditation frustrating in the past, try exercising before you meditate. A bit of movement can help settle your body and prepare it to be still and focus. When you’re ready, find a comfortable sitting position, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. And remember, there is no one grading you. Even a minute of meditation can have a positive impact on your day.

Fotograf Camilla Ropers

8. Practice some mindful tidying. A bit of daily tidying can go a long way toward keeping a home that feels light, spacious and relaxing. If you find yourself resisting, try gently reminding yourself that by doing just a bit each day, you can savor your home even more.

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9. Take a cue from your furry friend. If you have a pet at home, you might want to consider it your resident Zen master. Take a cue from your lounging, care-free cat or happy-go-lucky pooch, and enjoy the present moment to the fullest. 

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To-Do List - December

Laura Gaskill - HOUZZ

With those in cold climates preparing for snow, plus holidays and social gatherings everywhere you turn, December is a notoriously busy month. But with a little preparation (and some extra time carved out for finding your Zen), you can savor the best of the season, from winter walks to hot cocoa. Check off these tasks for a less hectic, more harmonious month.

FORM - Design Studio

Get ready for winter storms. Check the condition of your snow shovels, gloves and window scrapers, and replace as needed. Store snowy weather supplies near the door where you can access them easily in a storm, and mark the sides of your driveway and other key places with reflective poles, to help the snowplowers see where to go. And even if it doesn’t snow where you live, keeping the pantry stocked with food, bottled water, candles and flashlights in case of power outages is always a good idea.

Disconnect hoses. If it freezes in winter where you live, now is the time to shut off the water supply to your outdoor faucets. After shutting off the water, turn on the faucets outside to allow any water left to drain out. Then disconnect garden hoses, drain the water and roll them up to store indoors until spring.

Park and Oak Design

Put up outdoor holiday decor. Dig out those Christmas lights early in the month so that you have ample time to test and replace nonworking strands before the holidays. Hang exterior lights and wreaths, being sure to use only exterior-rated lights, and plug them in safely to an outdoor outlet.

Park and Oak Design

Simplify your holiday. If you tend to feel overwhelmed at this time of year (who doesn’t?), take a timeout to set some intentions for your holiday season. Focus on a few meaningful activities that you really enjoy, and give yourself permission to say “no, thank you” to events or activities that stress you out. 

And if you will be hosting a major holiday event this year, do what you can to prepare in advance (and delegate some responsibilities to other family members) so that you can avoid last-minute stress.

Park and Oak Design

Make space for winter coats, boots and scarves. With winter weather comes bulky coats, boots, and all sorts of mittens and scarves that seem to multiply when you’re not looking. Clear out the closet nearest your main entrance to make room for those extra winter layers, or supplement a hall with coat hooks and a tray to corral mucky boots.

Update your emergency kit. Be prepared for power outages and other emergencies by making sure your house and car are outfitted with well-stocked emergency kits. The basics include bottled water, a hand-crank radio, a flashlight with extra batteries, a cellphone charger (crank or battery-powered is best), food, blankets and a first-aid kit. At home, keep your most essential documents in one easily accessible place.

DeGraw & DeHaan Architects

Carve out your own space to get Zen. What with family stress, packed social schedules and world events, it’s especially important for our well-being to carve out moments for calm and reflection during this busy season. Create a personal retreat at home by clearing space for yoga, meditation or relaxation. It certainly doesn’t have to be as grand as this one; it can be simply a corner of a room. Just make the time to use it.

Mosby Building Arts

Spruce up indoor play areas. If you have kids at home, harsh winter weather can mean more playtime indoors. Stave off the cries of “I’m bored!” with a spruced-up playspace. A bit of reorganizing and a few simple purchases (like a giant roll of paper and fresh markers) can make the same-old space feel like new.

Amelia Hallsworth Photography

Refresh the guest room. Be ready for overnight guests this holiday season by prepping your guest room in advance. Make the bed with fresh sheets, replace lightbulbs as needed, vacuum and dust — it’s amazing how many dust bunnies can congregate in an infrequently used space like the guest room.

Wood-Mode Fine Custom Cabinetry

Set up a gift-wrapping station.Stock up on wrapping papers, plain boxes, ribbon, gift tags and tape, and store everything in an easily accessed spot near a work surface. Having all your supplies ready to go will make it much more appealing to wrap gifts as soon as you buy them — instead of waiting until the last moment for a marathon wrapping session.

Park and Oak Design

Block drafts. If you feel a draft, don’t just reach for another throw — apply weatherstripping to the drafty area to warm up your house and save on your energy bill. If the cold air is getting in under a door, what you need is a door sweep. Usually made from hard plastic, a door sweep attaches to the bottom of your door, sealing off the gap that lets in cold air.

Copper Sky Renovations

Plan for holiday home safety. A few simple precautions — such as illuminating the area around your house, locking doors and windows, and trimming bushes — can go a long way toward keeping your home safe. And with night falling earlier this month, and many people headed out of town, it pays to be extra safety-conscious, whether or not you are going anywhere.

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The DO'S of Holiday Decorating when your Home is for Sale

Neila Deen

Selling your home through the holiday season can certainly come with a few challenges. Chilly, wet weather and falling leaves in November and December might mean more raking and shoveling to keep your home pristine. However, the damp weather and dark skies don’t have to squelch your holiday spirit. In fact, the holidays are a perfect time to showcase the warmth and character of your home to prospective buyers.

If you’ve already got the basics of staging under control — meaning you’ve pared down,freshened up and added a splash of color — you’re ready to follow these seven do’s to create an appropriately festive home for sale.

Marks & Spencer

1. Do choose appropriately sized holiday decorations. Be thoughtful about the size of decorations you use. A good question to ask yourself is whether the piece helps to positively showcase the space, light and charm of the room. Or does its large size detract from the best features? Your goal is to be festive while honoring the value of your home.

In Sight Designs Unlimted

For example, displaying a large multipiece holiday installation might be a family tradition for your living room, but doing so won’t highlight the value and space of that room. Perhaps find a new home for this piece on the front porch, or display only a smaller portion of the installation on a table.

Munger Interiors

Similarly, you might have to trade in that huge fresh evergreen tree that you look forward to every year for a slightly smaller version. Large trees and decorations, while festive, may make the room look smaller. Choose an oversized tree only if you have a reallylarge room.

Caroline Burke Designs & Associates, Inc.

2. Do mind the light. Be sure your holiday decorating efforts don’t block any natural light from windows and doors. Though this may be a common sense tip, it may not be as easy to adhere to as you’d think, since windows are one of the most common places to place holiday decor. Just think of what you see when driving through your neighborhood during the holidays: Many residents affix decorations directly to the windows, place large, brightly lighted trees directly in front of them or install candles or figurines on the windowsill. We just love to showcase our holiday spirit to the world.

Regina Gust Designs

For the selling season, try placing your holiday pride far from the window. You might put decor outside your front door or, if inside, in an unobtrusive corner. If you absolutely must locate decor near a window, then place it far enough away that the natural light still flows in.Otherwise, by reducing the natural light, you’ll detract from the value of the room.

Louise de Miranda

3. Do coordinate with the colors of the room. Maintaining a color-coordinated design scheme matters, even when all you want to do is deck the halls in red and green. Remember, every room of your home should be as appealing as possible to prospective buyers. So, if your favorite holiday decorations clash with the colors in your room, think twice about using those specific pieces. Fortunately, there are tons of creative ways to add holiday accents without throwing off your palette.

Rita from Design Megillah

Metallics are one nonintrusive way to add a little festive holiday flair. Gold, silver or copper holiday accents pair well with almost any color scheme. White is also a peaceful, festive, yet still neutral accent color for almost any holiday decorating effort. Try replacing multicolored tree lights with sparkling white lights to give your room a more elegant feel.

ATGStores

4. Do keep movements and sounds to a minimum. Moving parts, loud noises and even festive music will be a distraction for potential buyers. So please don’t welcome buyers with a singing toy soldier or dancing snowman. But if you must have those items on your mantel, then be sure to turn them off during showings. The same goes for flashing lights. Opt for simple white static lights that cast a beautiful glow, creating a neutral holiday feeling for many buyers.

Falken Reynolds Interiors

5. Do decorate to showcase your home’s architectural features. Holiday decorating can give you a brilliant opportunity to highlight your home’s most attractive architectural features. For example, you might wrap a tasteful garland around a beautiful curved staircase. You can showcase your fireplace with accents such as knitted stockings or a strand of lights.

SAJ Designs, LLC

Be mindful not to cover up any valuable structural details such as a beautiful wood floor or crown molding. Remember, less is more when staging, even when decorating for the holidays.

Mary Prince Photography

6. Do use exterior holiday decorations to add curb appeal.Holiday decorations are a fantastic way to spruce up the exterior of your home and add some color. Wreaths, thoughtfully lighted shrubs and the occasional ribbon or bow on a mailbox can be tasteful ways to deck the exterior for the holidays. These elements will certainly add curb appeal and pleasantly welcome your potential buyers.

GreenCraft Associates

While a frenzy of flashing lights and rooftop ornaments might be fun and playful, try not to embrace your inner Clark Griswold. ("National Lampoon” movie-fest, anyone?) Your goal is to sell your house, not distract or even turn off your buyer by creating a neighborhood spectacle.

Louise de Miranda

7. Do celebrate the holidays and create a warm, joyful feeling.There’s an advantage of offering your home for sale — and decorating it — during the holidays. If you strike the right balance, your residence will exude a positive energy and charm that can’t be felt at any other time of the year. Done well, your decorated home will offer the kind of warmth that appeals to potential buyers and helps them to imagine living there. So go ahead and celebrate what is likely your last holiday season in that home. Happy holidays!

How to keep your Washing Machine clean

Marianne Lipanovich

Just because you fill your washing machine with laundry detergent doesn’t mean you don’t need to clean the machine itself. It sounds counterintuitive, but while your machine is ridding your clothes of dirt, it doesn’t always rid itself of that same dirt or a buildup of detergent residue. 

In addition, the newer HE (high efficiency) machines are especially prone to developing mold and mildew, especially if you live in an area with high humidity levels, which can lead to an odor developing both in the machine itself and on your “clean” clothes. “We take our washing machines for granted,” says Taryn Brucia, a public relations director at LG Electronics. “They do some dirty jobs. We should give them some love.” With that in mind, here’s how to clean a washing machine.

Meriwether Inc

How Often? 

Most manufacturers recommend cleaning the machine once a month, although a quick internet search and survey of friends and family will confirm that the majority of us are still wrapping our heads around the idea of cleaning the machine. 

Others, though, clean theirs even more often. “I have a separate cleaning cycle as an option on my washing machine and run that cycle after I wash cleaning rags every week,” says Becky Rapinchuk of Clean Mama. Fortunately, the process is fairly painless, especially since the machine itself does most of the work.

Identify Your Machine and Select Your Cleanser

The type of washing machine you have will dictate which method you use to clean it. HE front loaders and top loaders need one approach; top-loading non-HE machines need a slightly different approach. 

Before you start, decide what type of cleanser you want to use: white vinegar, bleach or a commercial cleanser. Vinegar is nontoxic and readily available, making it a favorite for both Brucia and Rapinchuk, but some manufacturers recommend bleach or other chemical cleansers, so check the manual for your machine. If you are using a commercial product, follow the label’s instructions for the recommended amount. 

Caution: Choose only one cleanser. You never want to mix these products. 

For HE Washers (Front Loading or Top Loading)
A monthly cleaning is especially important if your HE machine has developed an odor. “Wiping down the interior of the washer with cleaner, using extra detergent or running everything on the longest, hottest cycle does nothing to help dissipate the scent,” Rapinchuk says, adding that doing this cleaning task will eliminate the odor and keep your washing machine “in tip-top condition.” Many newer machines have a clean cycle, which makes the process even simpler, but the basic procedure is the same whether you have that or not. 

Clean Mama

1. Choose the “clean” cycle. If your machine doesn’t have this, select the hottest water setting. In some cases, this may be the setting for whites or heavily stained clothes.

2. Choose the added rinse cycle if it’s available.

3. Fill the bleach dispenser with your cleanser choice.

4. Fill the tub to the highest level (this will probably be automatic with the clean cycle) and run the machine.

5. If you don’t have a second rinse cycle, run the rinse cycle again manually.

Clean Mama

Once the cycle has ended, use a microfiber cloth dipped in vinegar to clean the gasket that seals the door and the area around it. “Carefully pull it back and inspect to see if you have mold, mildew or socks (as is the case with mine) underneath,” Rapinchuk says. 

Don’t overlook cleaning the dispensers. Use vinegar or soapy water to wipe any detergent, bleach, fabric softeners or other laundry add-ins from the dispensers. “You can often just pop them out,” Brucia says. Wipe off all these areas with a cloth dipped in water and dry them with a microfiber cloth.

Finish by wiping down the controls and the outside of the machine with a microfiber cloth dipped in vinegar or an all-purpose spray. To make the exterior shine, dry with a microfiber cloth.

Mosby Building Arts

For Top-Loading Non-HE Washers
Although older machines don’t generally have a cycle for cleaning, you can easily create your own version. It involves a bit of a wait time between beginning the cycle and ending it, so use that time to clean other areas that won’t be reached by the water in the tub.

1. Choose the hot water setting and the longest cycle.

2. Fill the tub to the maximum level, then pause the machine.

3. Add 4 cups of white vinegar or 1 cup of bleach to the water and let the machine agitate for a minute or two. 

Nor-Son, Inc.

4. Pause the machine and let it sit for an hour. Dip a microfiber cloth into the soaking solution, wring it out and use it to clean the top of the drum and agitator (where the water doesn’t reach) and the inside of the lid. 

If you can remove the bleach and fabric softener dispensers, do so and clean the areas beneath them with the cloth and cleaning solution as well. If they are fixed in place, clean them and the area around them. “Using vinegar will help eliminate the detergent buildup,” Brucia says. 

Finally, clean the control panel and the outside of the machine with the cleaning solution or an all-purpose spray. Use a dry microfiber cloth to dry and polish the surfaces. 

5. Restart the machine and finish the cycle. “You won’t smell the vinegar, but if you do, simply add another rinse cycle,” Rapinchuk says. 

CTA Architects Engineers

Daily (or Almost Daily) Care
The experts also have some advice for preventing a buildup of dirt and odors between cleanings. If mold and mildew are a problem, leave the machine’s door or lid open after you finish a load of laundry so that the interior will dry out completely. Before you do this, make sure curious children and pets can’t get into the machine, especially if it’s a front-loading one. Some machines have latches designed to keep the door ajar without leaving it wide open. 
Brucia also recommends wiping down the door or lid to get rid of any condensation. Wiping and drying the gasket around the door every time you finish a load of laundry will help prevent a buildup of dirt in that area. As a final tip, be sure to use the correct amount of detergent for your loads.

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