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While some conditions are out of our control, there are proven ways to combat personal sleeplessness, including a few tips and tricks to prompt faster sleep onset, starting tonight. First, practice good pre-bedtime habits. Even before that moment of lying in bed willing yourself to go to sleep; be disciplined about carving out time to chill out in the evenings. According to Janet Kennedy, PhD, a clinical psychologist and sleep expert, being able to fall asleep quickly once you’re lying in bed starts several hours before tucking in....

Like some other succulents, this one blossoms once a year for a few months—but to reap this colorful reward, you’ll need to take good care of your kalanchoe plants. Here’s what you need to know about how to grow and care for kalanchoe, according to plant experts. Kalanchoe Care There are many different types of kalanchoe, but the ones you bring home from a home improvement store or nursery typically require the same kind of care....

The allure of a murder mystery party? It’s all about the drama. Guests get to dress up and pretend to be someone else in an alternate world for a few hours. The easiest way to organize a murder mystery is to hire someone who does it for a living. So we asked two such professionals how to go about using their services. Here’s how to host an unforgettable night with loved ones....

“Your hair reverts to its natural state when it comes in contact with moisture,” explains Joseph Maine, celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of Trademark Beauty. “Since humidity is high levels of moisture in the air, you will see any wave or texture begin to coil up. We often refer to it as frizz because the humidity will primarily affect those little fine hairs or shorter pieces that have less weight to combat the moisture....

When to Call an Electrician While basic wiring is suitable for many DIYers, it can be dangerous and calls for extreme caution. If you’re uncertain of your ability to safely and properly wire a porch light, call an electrician or handyman to wire the fixture before placing yourself and others at risk. Installing vs. Replacing a Porch Light If you already have a porch light but are looking to upgrade, the process is similar to the steps below, only easier....

When crafted out of paper mache—the classic process of dipping newsprint into a glue-like mixture of flour and water—homemade pumpkins can be summoned from storage and used as decorations year after year. To set these handmade masterpieces apart from the common pumpkin-patch variety, we decoupaged ours with paper napkins in iconic patterns. (You can also use no-carve pumpkin ideas on your decorative pumpkins.) When topped off with a twisted craft paper stem and a couple of gilded crepe paper leaves, these paper pumpkins start to come alive....

You might think making cookies like that should be reserved for professional pastry chefs. While the process takes a bit of time and patience, you can learn how to make macarons at home. Follow our tutorial for making French macarons step-by-step to nail down the delicate cookie-making basics. Soon you’ll be on your way to creating all sorts of French macaron flavors for your friends and family. How to Make Macarons A tiny French cookie that requires several steps might seem intimidating, but trust us, you’ll quickly get the hang of making macarons....

How to Make Pho How to Make Pho Broth To make Instant Pot pho broth, select the ‘sauté’ setting on your Instant Pot and allow it to preheat for about five minutes before placing in the onion (halved) with the cut side down. Next, add the ginger and allow it to cook along with the onion for about 10 minutes. Add coriander, seeds, cloves, and star anise and stir consistently for about a minute....

To go beyond the basics of getting your 401(k) or enrolling in healthcare, you’ll need to do a bit of sleuthing and have a touch of gumption. Financial planning experts—Tennessee-based certified financial planner Brenton Harrison and accredited financial planner Tiffany Grant, MBA—agree that the long-term wins are worth the extra studying or the awkward conversation with your boss, human resources officer, or employee benefits manager. Employee perks can truly be life-changing when you know how to use them....

If you have diet plans, store your tighter clothes elsewhere and bring them back after you reach your goals. The act of swapping out larger sizes for smaller ones might even make you feel more accomplished. To store those aspirational pieces you’ll soon be wearing, pick up a few durable storage containers like the MISSLO Oxford three-piece set. Its durable design—with metal zipper and airtight closures—means no dust, dirt, or mold can enter while your goods are stored....

The answer? American ingenuity. Enter microwaved “baked” apples, a simple, no-frills, convenient, and healthier take on a dessert flavor that’s—despite originating from the faraway mountains of Kazakhstan—quintessentially home. Cooking apples in the microwave is an amazing hack to capture that rich, buttery, cinnamon-y flavor without the fuss of making a pie crust, committing to a big portion, or waiting in front of the oven. Microwaving baked apples is more energy-efficient, too, than waiting for a cavernous oven to heat up and letting it run for an hour....

All parts of lantana plants are toxic to children, pets, and livestock. They should not be planted where children and pets come into contact with them. Where to Plant Lantana In warm southern climates of USDA zones 8 to 11, lantana is perennial and can grow 10 feet tall. However, in other climates, it’s treated as an annual and reaches almost 3 feet tall in one growing season. How and When to Plant Lantana Wait a couple of weeks after the danger of frost has passed to plant lantanas....

These spring-blooming bulbs can be planted anytime in autumn until the ground freezes. They need several weeks of cold temperatures to grow correctly, so if you live where it stays warm year-round, buy pre-chilled bulbs and don’t expect them to return after they bloom. These simple guidelines for how to plant spring bulbs will help you create a beautiful garden to enjoy next year. How to Plant Single Bulbs A good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs three times as deep as the bulb is tall....

Post-holiday shopping debt (often, credit card debt) is a reality every year as people spend beyond their means to give loved ones the gifts and holiday celebrations they deserve. This year, though, when layoffs, business closures, and overall financial struggles have put a strain on nearly everyone’s finances, that lingering credit card balance or depleted checking account can feel even more stressful. 2020 may have been an unusual year, but there are very usual solutions to your post-holiday debt—or, dare we say, debt hangover....

So how can you remove them safely? If the icicles are less than 1 foot long and 1 inch wide, they can be removed with a telescoping roof rake (like Snow Joe rake, $49.99; amazon.com), says Don Mandeville, a Home Depot district manager in Flint, Michigan. (Call a contractor for help with larger ones to prevent roof damage.) Wear safety goggles and gloves (icicles can hurt), extend the rake from a distance, and gently push the base of the icicles to free them....

Before you begin removing water stains from wood surfaces, examine the color of the water ring. White water stains appear when moisture is trapped in the wood’s finish. Our cleaning methods work best for these types of stains. If the water rings are dark, the liquid has likely reached the wood itself, and you may need to refinish the surface entirely. It’s also important to note that some tough water stains may be best treated with a combination of cleaning techniques; experiment with each method as needed....

How to Find the Best Orchid Potting Mix In the wild, rather than sinking their roots into the soil, most orchids normally grow in trees, perched high above the rainforest floor. You can replicate that environment with a special orchid bark mix that’s available at garden centers. It provides the quick drainage and plentiful pockets for air that orchid roots require. Mostly, though, it helps anchor plants in pots so they can grow upward....

“It’s safe to have gatherings this summer, but they won’t look like gatherings you have had in summers past,” says Dr. Natterson, who also recently created the OOMASK to help protect kids and stop the spread of disease. Forget your “everyone’s invited” mentality from summers past: exclusivity is the key. After all, getting together with friends isn’t without risk. “There is always risk associated with having gatherings of friends, family, or others from outside your household,” says Dr....

That’s not to say I’m any kind of angel when it comes to housework. I rarely take out the compost bin. I tend to clean out the lint catcher after doing a load of laundry—and promptly leave the wad of lint on top of the dryer rather than throw it in the wastebasket that’s mere feet away. And I act like an entitled, grumpy teen when I think the lion’s share of the household chores is falling on my shoulders, even though I haven’t explicitly communicated that I want help....

But with each new feature rollout comes yet another notification, privacy concern, or straight-up inconvenience—and you don’t have to grin and bear it. From pesky ad notifications to cringe-worthy memories you’d prefer to keep in the past, here’s how to tailor your Facebook experience to be exactly how you want it. “On This Day” Memories Some memories belong in the past. You can control whether you see any On This Day or other Memory posts—and you can even go as far as to list a specific person and date you do not want to be reminded of (which is helpful for exes)....