At Home Daily

Whether we want to admit it, most parents have a favorite (and least favorite) child. Although all families are different, there are qualities that are more likely to make you the chosen one.

Chances are, most of the yards in your neighborhood have at least one tree. Trees are beautiful to look at, they boost your curb appeal, and they provide relief from the heat. In fact, the shade from just one tree can reduce surface temperatures by as much as 45°F, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In return for everything that our tall, leafy friends do for us, it's important for us to help keep them healthy.

Although no one wants to dwell on natural disasters, accidents, or fires that can potentially harm your home, planning for the worst can give you peace of mind.

If you have a neverending to-do list, a near-constant stream of work emails, and phone notifications that never stop, your days might feel pretty chaotic.

As you try to safely navigate the aisles while grocery shopping, you might notice the meat department looking a little bare. That's because several of the country's major meat processing plants are either closed or slowing production due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. This week, major meat producer, Tyson Foods, claimed the "food supply chain is breaking.” And according to the USDA's most recent livestock report, beef and pork production are down 25% and 15% respectively.

Wearing a face mask isn't especially comfortable for anyone, but for those who wear glasses, it can be an even bigger nuisance. When you breathe into a mask, warm air can escape and settle on your lenses, creating a foggy film of condensation. Although some commercial anti-fogging spray products might help, a few DIY tricks can solve the problem without putting harsh chemicals near your eyes.

On the grilling spectrum between the simplicity of burgers off the grill and the fancy factor of beef tenderloin, there’s a sweet spot: pork tenderloin. This cut of meat is affordable and simple to cook yet sure to bring on the “wows” that every cook loves to hear. Pork tenderloin is very customizable in that you can flavor it any way you like with marinades or rubs, and it's equally delicious served alongside grilled vegetables or grilled fruit.

With more than 89 million #interiordesign posts, Instagram is one of the best sources of inspiration for home decorating ideas. The huge variety of style-specific tags, such as #midcenturymodern or #industrialstyle, lets you explore your favorite design trend and gather ideas for your own room refreshes from homeowners and designers across the country (or the globe).

Whether you're staying at home or an essential worker, everyone's day-to-day lives are different right now due to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). However, there are still some things that are in your control, including your skincare routine and protecting your face. Even if you're spending more time inside than usual (or even all day, every day), you need to be applying sunscreen on your face.

Whether it's required in your city or just advised, wearing a face mask in public is one way you can help slow the spread of COVID-19. However, simply covering your mouth with a loose scarf or bandana isn't enough to filter germs and block virus-causing respiratory droplets from spreading to others. Although some sort of face-covering is better than nothing at all, you can increase the effectiveness of your homemade face mask with a few wear and care tips.

Marie Kondo has long dominated the organizing space with her joy-sparking KonMari method. However, a different type of cleaning and organizing method—one based on simple daily cleaning and organizing routines—is taking off: the FlyLady Technique. Between January 2019 and January 2020, Pinterest searches for "fly lady cleaning schedule" have surged 40%, while queries for "Marie Kondo" have plummeted 80%.

Stress-relief has been the name of the game for many of us over the last few weeks. When you feel overwhelmed by watching the news, try turning to an activity that keeps your mind busy but doesn’t require a huge amount of effort. Lately, one of our favorite way to wind down has been printing out a coloring page and sitting on the couch with a pile of colored pencils. And it turns out, it’s not just our imagination: Coloring can actually help you de-stress.

The coronavirus pandemic isn’t just impacting the way we shop for pantry staples and the demand for toilet paper. It’s also causing many farmers markets to adjust their formats and sales strategies to account for social distancing and additional safety measures. Hundreds of large regional markets have opted to close completely (which will lead to an expected $688.7 million decline in sales in the local economy, according to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition).

The arrival of spring is always a warm welcome as the winter blues are replaced with green grass, blooming flowers, and fresh air.

Many lives and communities have been upended due to the effects of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). Among those most affected are those in the restaurant industry and healthcare workers. Restaurants across the country have been forced to close and lay off employees. Healthcare workers are the heroes working endless hours on the front lines fighting the disease. Clearly, both could use whatever help they can get during this time, and that's exactly what Frontline Foods aims to do.

Morel mushroom season is in full swing right now, and if you’re looking for a new activity to keep you busy, it might be time to head out to the woods and start hunting for them yourself. Morels are a delicacy; these delicious mushrooms can easily cost more than $20 per pound when they’re fresh, and over $100 for a pound of dried morels. The main reason they’re so pricey at grocery stores and farmer’s markets is their rarity. They only appear in the U.S.

For the last decade or so, backyard chickens have become much more common. The reasons vary, it’s one way to practice eating hyper-locally, people have more time on their hands due to shelter-in-place orders, and some are seeking a consistent stock of eggs as grocery store supplies of many items are low. No matter the inspiration for trying it out, hatcheries are reporting that they’re busier than they've been in the past 50 years.

You already know how important it is to sanitize your home to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, but until recently that's meant using bleach. Recently, however, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added three household cleaners containing the ingredient "thymol" to their list of approved coronavirus-killing products: CleanWell Botanical Disinfectant All Purpose Cleaner; CleanWell Botanical Disinfectant Wipes; and Sol-U-Guard Botanical disinfectant.

Now that everyone is searching for seeds to start a garden this spring as a way to cope during the new coronavirus, many seed companies have been overwhelmed with orders so aren’t accepting new ones. But even if you haven’t had any luck ordering seeds online this year, you may be able to find what you’re looking for right in your community through a seed swap.

Growing food from scraps can help you cut down on kitchen waste, and it's a simple way to start growing your own vegetables, fruits, and herbs. These foods can regrow from the parts you might usually throw out, and some even grow in water alone, making them super easy to take care of, even for beginners. By regrowing your favorite produce, you'll spend a little less time in the produce aisle and a little more time in your kitchen and garden. As a bonus, you'll also save some cash in the long run.