Here’s how to DIY your way to the best zzzs — and mood — ever.

We spend a third of our lives passed out, tucked between the covers, drooling all over the pillow. But when it comes to home improvements, most of our projects benefit our waking selves. (Hello, new kitchen.)

Good sleep is essential to living our best life. So why not invest in it?

“You’re going to be a better partner, have a better outlook, and be a kinder, happier person,” says Terry Cralle, R.N., a certified clinical sleep educator with the Better Sleep Council.

Sign us up. And rest easy; while optimizing your home for better ZZZs means more than scoping out an amazing new mattress (though we totally endorse that splurge), it doesn’t have to cost a huge chunk of change. Here are

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Find out the hottest fads surfacing on the photo-sharing social network.

November 2, 2020 Design Trends  

Submitted by Household Quotes.

Instagram is the place to keep your finger on the pulse of the latest decor trends. Overall styles like Boho and mid-century modern are certainly hot, but it’s the mini trends like #LineArt, #Houseplants, #WoodDecor, and #PatternMixing that really bring the details to life.

Household Quotes(link is external), a homeownership resource based in the U.K., recently analyzed more than 3 million Insta posts to find the fastest-rising interior trends.

Your kitchen needs countertops with looks and durability. See if quartz is right for you.

The kitchen tends to be the home’s gathering place, so it's only natural you want it to look and feel welcoming. But as the hub of your home, your kitchen needs durable countertops, especially if you have little ones helping with the cooking. Quartz countertops are a trendy choice for kitchens, but before you get in touch with your contractor, it's important to assess the pros and cons and review some alternatives. 

What Are the Pros and Cons of Quartz Countertops?

Pros of Quartz Kitchen Countertops

• Durable: Quartz countertops are highly durable, made from a mix of stones and stone-like materials bound together with resins. Makers of quartz

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Homes don’t clean themselves. But these easy-peasy rules (wake and make!) will make you feel like they do.

Here's a thing you may have noticed about houses: They don't clean themselves.

Which is unfortunate, because if houses cleaned themselves, you could spend less time cleaning yours and more time doing something more fun.

A few simple daily habits could make it seem like you've got a self-cleaning house.

Rules like . . .

#1 Dedicate 20 Minutes a Day Every Day

You don't need to set aside 20 hours one day to get things in order. You only need 20 minutes every day.

Focus on tackling clutter in just one room. You might only pare down a single drawer or shelf, but "it will make you feel accomplished at the end of the day. And at the end

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Storage tips that’ll make packing up jollier.

Decking the halls is good fun and all, but shuffling through piles of wreaths, lights, ornaments, dreidels, wrapping paper, and stockings is nothing to fa la la about. 

Cut back on the holiday overwhelm with these organization ideas for your festive gear.

#1 Make a Holiday Closet

Instead of doing a holiday-themed scavenger hunt each November, put all your holiday gear in a single closet. You'll keep it dust-free, together, and at your fingertips. Since this closet will be all holidays, all the time, leave some of your decorations out and use them to adorn the space. Easy to find and festive; it's a twofer.

If your closet is unfinished, use the space between the wall studs to store hanging items.

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Quick-and-easy tasks that’ll brighten up your interior.

December.

The year's coming to an end. Time to do four small tasks for a bright (and money-saving) new year.

#1 Clean Light Bulbs and Fixtures

Two great reasons to clean your light bulbs: You want as much light in your house as you can get as the days grow shorter, and, you'll save money.

Dirty bulbs apparently shed 30% less light than clean ones, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Wipe bulbs with a cloth dampened by a mix of 1 oz. dish soap, ¼ cup white vinegar, and 3 cups of water. Get to it Dec. 1 so you're ready for the curtain fall on the shortest day of this year: Dec. 21.

#2 Evaluate Homeowner's Insurance

The holidays. You love them, but they do seem to eat

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Quick-and-easy tasks that’ll brighten up your interior.

December.

The year’s coming to an end. Time to do four small tasks for a bright (and money-saving) new year.

#1 Clean Light Bulbs and Fixtures   

Two great reasons to clean your light bulbs: You want as much light in your house as you can get as the days grow shorter, and, you’ll save money.

Dirty bulbs apparently shed 30% less light than clean ones, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Wipe bulbs with a cloth dampened by a mix of 1 oz. dish soap, ¼ cup white vinegar, and 3 cups of water. Get to it December 1 so you’re ready for the curtain fall on the shortest day of this year: Thursday, December 21.

#2 Evaluate Homeowner's Insurance

The holidays. You love

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Cubbies, squeegees, and other easy ways to keep your house clean.

Home is literally the center of your universe right now, so make sure it’s a source of minimum stress. Here’s how to keep your house clean and orderly all the time.

1. Wake, and make your bed pronto. That’s one task down already.
2. Keep your kitchen sink empty for a soothingly clear sight line.
3. Clean a room a day. You know what they say about doing daunting tasks in small chunks, right?
4. Hang a squeegee. Take a few satisfying swipes after your shower, and presto!
5. Assign cubbies to each family member. Tidy is as tidy does.
6. Unload the dishwasher when clean. Then you're always prepped for habit #2.
7. Use it, wipe it. Especially high-touch surfaces.
8. Snap it, shred it.

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These 5 timeless ideas work because they’re both fun and functional.

Outdoor entertaining spaces aren't always equal when it comes to home value (think about that house with the falling-down above-ground pool with no curb appeal at all). Homes that get them right, though, have patios and backyards that blur inside and outside spaces.

And the best thing: These outdoor entertaining space ideas have been working for decades — and adapt to most any house today. Here are five reasons why they work (and why you may want to add to your home).

#1 They Function Like Indoor Spaces

The more outdoor entertaining spaces mimic their indoor equivalents, the more functional they are. And you'll get more than sunshine and memories: an outdoor kitchen will add

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Don’t open the windows. That spring breeze is no help at all.

Once there's even a glimmer of spring, you're ready to throw open your windows and let the breeze blow away the winter funk. Well, you might want to rethink that spring cleaning ritual this year.

If you're an allergy sufferer (and who isn't?), that's the last thing you want to do, says Dr. Neeta Ogden, a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. "It will allow pollen to settle in your home."

If you really can't skip that spring breeze, avoid opening windows in the morning, when pollen counts are highest. They decrease late in the day and at night.

That's not the only common spring-cleaning mistake homeowners make. Here are eight more to avoid:

#1

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