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“I believe that the colors are part of our core memory, reflecting the essence of the sensorial experience,” says Sue Kim, color marketing manager at Valspar. “The colors we choose for our home reflect how we want to capture those positive moments and make them a lasting experience at home,” she explains. With 12 colors in total, the 2023 Valspar Colors of the Year palette ranges from familiar shades of creamy white to warm earth tones to reliable shades of blue....

For those who may have forgotten (aka blocked it out of your mind), there are both financial and health costs associated with commuting that you’ll want to be prepared for—and perhaps devise a plan to counteract. Here’s a closer look at those costs. Financial Costs The Rideshare Company, a non-profit organization focused not only on making it easier for people to get to and from work but also on saving them money, has helpfully developed a commute cost calculator....

Highlights: 10+ years of experience as a freelance lifestyle reporterTrained in SEO with over 5 years of experience in optimized content strategy Not only did Wendy complete multiple media internships in college while working toward her journalism degree, but she dabbled lightly in freelance writing. Upon graduation, she obtained a reporting job at an Indianapolis newspaper. Thirsty for travel—and not keen on writing about local pageants and petty crime—she ultimately decided to move to South Korea to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) where she simultaneously pursued freelance writing....

When you look around your dark home at night, you might see dozens of electronic devices idling, waiting to be used. Or they’re still plugged into chargers long after they’ve reached full power. The energy consumed by these devices as they remain on standby mode is called a phantom load, a standby load, or even “vampire power.” These gadgets use valuable energy when we’re not using them, and the expense can add up....

Watersprouts vs. Suckers—What’s the Difference? Woody stems that spring up from the roots of a tree are called suckers. Suckers are most common on trees that are grafted to different rootstock than the upper portion of the plant. If left in place, a sucker can grow into a second trunk and compete with the main tree. Because suckers usually develop from the rootstock of a grafted plant, the sucker will likely have a different leaf shape, growth habit, and size than the main tree....

What is convection? Activating the convection setting on your oven kicks on an interior fan and exhaust system that circulates hot air around your food. This causes the heat inside the oven to be drier and more evenly distributed, so dishes cooked with convection will cook about 25 percent faster than those on your oven’s conventional bake setting. In addition to saving time, this makes convection cooking slightly more energy-efficient. Also, for this reason, most appliance manufacturers recommend reducing a recipe’s temperature by 25 F when cooking with convection (check your oven’s manual) to avoid burning your food....

With dermatologist insight, we’re giving you the full DL on what sebum is, the major role it plays in our skin health, and how to find balance once and for all. What Is Sebum Anyway? Sebum is the oily substance produced by skin and, more specifically, by the sebaceous glands. “It is made up of fatty acids, waxes, and sugars that help protect your skin and keep it moisturized,” explains Marie Hayag, M....

If your cake didn’t rise or had a dense texture instead of the light and fluffy one you wanted, there are factors to keep in mind during your cake-baking adventures. Successful baking requires attention to every detail, and following these guidelines will help your cakes rise with a tender and airy crumb. Every time. What Makes a Cake Rise It’s essential to learn what makes a cake rise to prevent it from sinking (or rising and then deflating after cooling)....

Switching to a Natural Deodorant In terms of personal care, natural alternatives—from toothpaste and deodorant to shampoo and body lotion—seem to be everywhere. Where once it felt like you could only find Tom’s or Burt’s Bees tucked in a small section in CVS, the offerings have skyrocketed, both in stores and online. My choice to switch to natural deodorant was simple, but the transition didn’t go as well as I planned....

According to three experts on home services website Angie’s List, you should clean out your gutters twice a year—once in the spring, and again in the fall. If your house is surrounded by oak and pine trees, you may want to have them cleaned quarterly since they shed and can build up quickly. In 2018, The Home Improvement Research Institute found that homeowners, on average, spend $432 on home improvement projects related to gutters, like repairs, cleaning, renovation, and replacement....

But access to some of these events and destinations are expected to be limited to people who can show that they’ve been vaccinated, had a recent negative test, or are recovering from a recent bout of COVID. Enter the vaccine passport. Whether you choose to tote along your vaccine record or opt to upload your information to one (or more) of the vaccine apps that make it fast and easy to show that you have been vaccinated, you’ll need to have this info handy....

But hosting one of these shindigs can be hard on your wallet. Unless you employ the BYO policy for both food and beverage, the onus is on you to put out a respectable spread for your guests. And at some stores, just two bottles of wine and a few snacks could top $50 before you even think of adding a sweet or two. That’s not the case at Trader Joe’s....

“It’s a very good place to put retirement money as you prioritize savings accounts,” says Andy Leung, a private wealth advisor with Procyon Partners in Connecticut. Contributions to health savings accounts are made on either a pre-tax basis or are tax-deductible, depending on your employment situation. Earnings within the accounts and withdrawals for eligible healthcare expenses also are exempt from taxes. “It’s triple tax savings,” Leung says. And if you’re relatively healthy, money in an HSA can really add up over time....

Of course, forgoing sprinklers or turning off your irrigation system when the weather turns hot and dry in the summer will usually result in a brown, crispy lawn but that doesn’t mean your grass is dead or dying. “Turf grasses can withstand far more drought than we might think,” says Bob Mann, an agronomist with NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals). “Most grasses are well-adapted to drier conditions. It’s one of their evolutionary benefits,” he adds....

Step Up to the Snack Bar Mix Made with pub snack favorites such as honey mustard pretzel pieces, chili lemon corn sticks, honey roasted peanuts, and even the brand’s very own Trader Joe’s Cheddar Rocket Crackers, this snack mix is beloved for a reason. “This is a great example of something greater than the sum of its parts… everything is good,” Sloan gushed. Stepping It Up Spicy Snack Bar Mix If you like spice, you might want to purchase this snack mix (which comes in an apropos red canister) instead of the one mentioned above....

By going outside of our circadian rhythm, or disrupting it, we can potentially throw off our internal biological clock and therefore impact our physical and mental health. Here’s how it works, and all the sleep benefits you can lose by making a habit of heading to bed post-midnight. “The circadian rhythm uses sunlight that enters our eyes to keep us on a 24-hour schedule,” explains sleep specialist and neuroscientist Chelsie Rohrscheib, PhD....

Though pandemic safety restrictions are predicted to ease this summer, even seasoned travelers may feel uncomfortable taking a 12-hour redeye. That’s why a smaller, shorter trip to help rebuild confidence in traveling—or a toe-dip trip, as travel booking site Travelocity is calling it—is a smart way to warm up your nomadic legs. A small trip doesn’t have to mean a staycation a mile away from home. It’s more about being intentional about your goals, where you go, and how you can travel with ease, says Sara Nathan, the president and CEO of Amigos de las Américas, a company that provides cultural immersion experiences in Latin America....

From services that protect homeless LGBTQ+ youth to mental health services for queer and trans people, these nonprofits are fighting for change in many different areas. Consider donating your time or money to these important causes. Protect LGBTQ Youth The Trevor Project The Trevor Project is a national organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services—including a 24-hour hotline, chat, and texting—for LGBTQ+ youths under age 25. The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found a harrowing statistic: 45 percent of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year....

There is a big difference in how a $15 bra and a $50 bra will perform, even if they don’t look very different on the hanger. A good quality bra will fit more comfortably from the minute you put it on, provide all-day support and will hold its appearance over many wearings and washings. You may need new bras whenever your body goes through a change—gaining or losing five pounds or more, pregnancy, post-pregnancy, during and after nursing, or after breast surgeries or menopause....

Host a holiday potluck Potlucks are both fun and so much easier on the host. Create a shared sign-up sheet at least a week before your festivities so guests can plan and organize—and so you’re not stuck with seven sweet potato casseroles. Consider offering to make the turkey and fixings, and encourage guests to bring starters, sides, and dessert. This is a great opportunity for family members to whip up their renditions of traditional family recipes, or for friends to show off their own favorite holiday dishes....