Ah, yes. It’s that time of the year again! Get out your cleaning supplies, ‘cause it’s time for that fall deep clean.   KITCHEN Dust ceiling corners, light fixtures, and top of fridge Wipe down ceiling Wipe down cabinets, top of fridge, and light switches Deep clean fridge Wipe down walls and backsplash Deep clean oven and stove Deep clean dishwasher Clean and shine sink Dust and wash baseboards Sweep and mop floor DINING NOOK Dust ceiling corners, curtain rods, light fixture Vacuum draperies and dust blinds Clean window sill Wipe down ceiling, walls, and light switches Clean windows Dust ..read more

I can hear you groaning in agony at the painful words: Apartment Laundry Room!!! I hear ya. First of all, can I have a show of hands of how many of you like to do laundry under any circumstances? Come on, don’t be bashful. I know there are one or two of you out there! Now, and this is getting fun (for me, anyway) can I get an “Amen!” from you on how much you love, love, love doing your laundry in the community laundry room in your apartment building? Seriously, I lost sleep over this one, pretty much on a weekly basis for years! Lugging a sizeable pile of dirty unmentionables down the hall or ..read more

The Midwest may have harsh winters, but at least it has got brutally hot and humid summers to make up for them. Even a short walk around the block this time of year can have the same effect as swimming through a pressure cooker filled with blackstrap molasses. Home ought to be your refuge from the perpetual bake outside, but why feed all of your money to your air conditioner when you could instead spend it on better things, such as all the superb goods and services offered by Shop.Dine.Live. Magazine’s generous advertisers? Here are just some of the ways you can stay frosty without turning you ..read more

Spring is rapidly approaching, and so too is the home renovation season. For Midwesterners who are starved for colors outside of our winter’s bleak white and brown palette, now is the perfect time to imbue with hue the rooms we’ve been cooped up in for so long. Painting may be an awful chore, with all the tedious taping and recalcitrant sheets of plastic you need to pull the thing off successfully, but at least picking new colors is fun. Here is a primer on colors you can choose from, and what they mean.   Red A bold, exhilarating, and slightly aggressive color, painting a room red is the ..read more

You can’t blame the raccoon for his antics. He sees your property, with its delicious vegetable garden and trash cans, and his mind starts racing. But you would rather not deliver an all-you-can-eat buffet to the bandit-masked imp, so you want to take measures to discourage his visits. Do these things and the raccoon may just decide to maraud your neighbor’s homestead instead.   Secure Your Trash That stale stub of coffee cake you threw in the trash? The raccoon wants it, and he’ll go through any lengths to get it. The feeble critter is no match for a bungee cord stretched across the lid ..read more

Spring is around the corner and it’s the right time to think about adding a little refresh your home after the long months of being cooped up indoors.  With a few simple changes, you’ll feel like you’re in a brand new space without breaking the bank. Once the weather permits and you’re no longer relying on your heater, it’s good practice to open a few windows for a few minutes before heading off to work for the day. Allowing fresh air into your home is not only invigorating and refreshing for you, but a great way to rid your home of the stale air of winter. Pillows and Throws: A simple an ..read more

From purging household items to packing your belongings, moving an entire household isn’t a simple process. Fortunately, with the help of these smart moving tips and tricks, it’s about to get a wee bit easier. Here are 21 oh-so-easy moving tips and tricks that anyone can use when moving to a new home. Best of luck and happy moving! • Find free moving boxes at recycling drop-off points Don’t fork over your hard-earned money for cardboard boxes. Instead, look for free moving boxes at your local recycling drop-off points. Chances are, you’ll be able to find plenty of cardboard boxes that have bee ..read more

Winter is a great time to do a little work on your house. The exercise can keep you from freezing your tootsies off, for starters. Maybe you’re having Uncle Mark and Aunt Lori over for Christmas nog and want to impress. Home improvement is also more affordable in the winter months as the off-season reduces the costs of materials and labor. If anything you’ll be stuck in there for long enough, so here are some affordable home improvement projects to keep your cabin pretty and your cabin fever at bay. Get a Head Start on Spring Lawn Care Remove all the toys, dog bones, furniture, sticks, and oth ..read more

According to a study from the American Pet Products Association, consumers in the United States spend nearly $60 billion per year on their pets. This averages out to about $1,641 per dog – that’s a lot of kibble! Fortunately, there are many different pet-related DIY projects that can be made with common household goods. For a little inspiration, check out our list of paw-some DIY natural dog products. Peanut Butter Banana Biscuits This super simple dog treat recipe will have your pup grinning from ear to ear – and it only needs three ingredients! Combine ½ cup peanut butter with one ..read more

Also known as cruel and unusual punishment. Blah. I’m so glad I’m not alone on that one. Even though I have (barely) survived nearly 30 very brutal Minnesota winters throughout my life, I still haven’t been able to decide what’s the worst thing about winter, other than it is just absolutely horrific. I can’t stand the snow, the ice, the cold… or the heat slowly escaping my humble little apartment. When it comes to dwelling in a rental home, you don’t always have the luxury of making permanent adjustments to help keep the heat in and the cold out, am I right? 10 Ways to Stay Warm … Like a Boss ..read more