Life in a studio is all fine and cozy until you want to have a guest - or, heaven forbid, more than one - over. All of the sudden, the wide-open floor plan and lack of dividing walls can make things awkward, especially when it comes to obscuring your sleeping space. The ...

The holiday season officially kicks off next week with Thanksgiving, a holiday that’s all about togetherness and gratitude. When everything comes together, at the risk of sounding corny, you will feel the much-touted warmth of family and friends gathered together “as the fates allow.” This is a time when ...

If you are a fur-mommy or -daddy, your pet is more than just a companion. They are part of the family. When you are moving to a new place, especially one far away, it can be traumatic to all members of your tribe, but especially for your kitty or pup ...

Autumn is coming, my friends. The wind is cooling down, the first leaves are changing, and there’s that indescribable hint of “fall” in the air. For those of you Northern Virginians with swimming pools, this can be a frustrating part of the year. Your beloved swimming pool, which you can ...

Very few people like bugs, and of those who do, I doubt that they want the creepy-crawlies running free in their homes. Here in Northern Virginia, we don’t have to deal with the palmetto bugs (cockroaches’ bigger, uglier cousins) that we had in my native Florida, but we do have ...

If you are contemplating becoming a nurse, good for you! You have chosen a career that is not only rewarding and pays a livable wage, but is one that is held in high regard in our society. The only downside to nursing school is that entrance is competitive. Only scholars ...

I should start by saying that this post is not intended to make you feel good about going through foreclosure, because I don’t think that any amount of words could do that. If you are in the midst of having your home repossessed for non-payment, it’s probably the most demoralizing ...

Moving is stressful enough, let alone when you have a pet. Pet relocation is very challenging, between figuring out the logistics of how you will get your furbaby to its new home and worrying about your cat’s or dog’s stress level. Plus, there’s all the paperwork and hassles of proving ...

There is nothing that can torpedo your day so quickly as expecting a piping-hot shower and getting blasted by a spray of freezing water instead. Such is life when you have a traditional hot water heater and lots of residents under your roof. Most newer hot water heaters have extended ...

It’s nesting season for most domestic birds in the United States. It’s hard not to “awww” when one thinks of momma birds sitting on eggs, twiggy nests, and baby birds being born. Unfortunately, birds are looking for certain criteria in a nesting spot, and many of those items can be ...