Switch Off During Your Next Vacation

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Now that the holiday rush is completely behind us, wouldn’t it be great to get away for awhile? Planning a trip with family, or even on your own, can be a great way to decompress before you settle into a long winter of work and social engagements. Though planning a trip can have it’s own set of frustrations and trials, you don’t need to succumb to stress while you’re trying to relax.

Relaxing on the beach (or wherever you see yourself escaping) should be your reward for the hard work you’ve put into entertaining, not another source of turmoil. These great tips from apartmenttherapy.com will help you to break away from the daily grind and slip into a restful state of mind. Keep reading to get the most out of your trip.

Limit Your Technology

This tip is perhaps the most important, the most obvious, and the most difficult to actually achieve. But seriously: tuning out distractions in the form of technology is a huge part of being able to relax while you're away from home.

Turn off data roaming and/or push notifications on your phone. Don't check your email (or, if that's as unreasonable for you as it is for me, check it once a day at a predetermined time only). Purposely stay somewhere without a TV or radio — seriously, if something big happens in the world, you'll find out sooner or later anyway.

(Maybe) Don't Bring A Camera

As someone who is known among friends for near-obnoxious levels of Instagramming when on vacation, I definitely understand the instinct to capture all the exciting sights around you for posterity. Sometimes, however, we get so focused on capturing what's happening around us that we forget to fully experienceit; hardly a recipe for relaxation. Photos get damaged, deleted or lost in the archives of Facebook, but memories last forever. Make sure yours are made with all your senses, not just your viewfinder.

Don't Over-Schedule Yourself

When I'm planning for a holiday, I want to do all of the research, see all of the sights, eat in all of the restaurants, have all of the fun… I think you can see where I'm going with this. Traveling as a Type A planner can get real old, real fast. You only have so much time in any given place, and by prioritizing what you want to see and do, you'll buy yourself more time to actually enjoy it.

In fact, scheduling time to relax might be just the ticket. I'm heading to Rome with a friend in a couple weeks' time, and I'm trying a new travel tactic. Since the city is going to be hot as Hades during the day, and since I'm not exactly a fan of soaring temperatures, we've only (loosely) planned our morning and evening activities, while the afternoons will be solely devoted to lounging poolside at our rental property (chosen specifically for this reason, naturally). If we don't get to see everything we'd like to? Well, I'm pretty sure Rome will still be there next time.

Choose Like-minded Travel Mates

Some people, no matter how much love lies between them, were just not made to travel together. Finding a travel partner who enjoys a similar pace as you, whether it's that of an Energizer Bunny or a turtle, is key to avoiding disagreements that can lead to stressful situations.

For a really relaxing holiday, consider ditching the companions altogether and going it alone. Last month, a bout of gastroenteritis turned my planned girlfriends-in-Paris weekend into a solo venture, and, aside from feeling a tad guilty about my sick friend, I had an terrific time. When you travel alone, you're free to do exactly as you like on your schedule, whether that's a full day of museum-hopping or sleeping in until noon, followed by a leisurely stroll along the Seine.

Consider a Staycation

Apparently studies have shown that we sleep fewer hours per night while traveling, whether due to jet lag, busy sightseeing schedules, or just being in an unfamiliar setting. Sleep deprivation is hardly relaxing, so taking the holiday to your own home (and bed) could be a way to beat this.

Keep in mind, however, that in order to be truly relaxing, a staycation should still be a vacation, of sorts. No making endless lists of home improvements or using this time to "catch up" on work or even social engagements. Sleep in. See a movie. Try that new restaurant...

Go Somewhere You Know Well

If you're not quite ready to holiday at home, consider traveling somewhere you've enjoyed before. Familiarity breeds tranquility, and when you know a place well, you're less likely to overextend yourself or become flustered by day-to-day travel problems. My most relaxing holiday destination? Perhaps ironically, it's New York City: after having visited my best friends there for nearly seven years, I no longer feel the need to sightsee compulsively, so it's all leisurely brunches, walks around town and picnics in Central Park.

Buffer Your Vacation

Let's be honest: flying home from paradise on a Sunday evening and showing up to work at 9am the next morning is pretty much the Worst. If you possibly can, try taking an extra day off before and/or after your holiday to be at home. This gives you time to do all those un-fun, post-holiday tasks like laundry, grocery shopping, and finishing the book you started on the return flight.

So, over to you: do you find it hard to really relax on holiday? What tips and tricks do you use to switch off?

A Cheerful Kitchen Is A Happy Kitchen

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After a long day at work it’s nice to come home and cook a nice, warm meal to make yourself feel better. The smell of your dinner cooking should be enough to lift your spirits, but if the inside of your kitchen is plain it can quickly put a damper on your spirits.

Thankfully, there are a few quick, easy changes you can make to the interior of your kitchen to put a little fun back into your food prep. This article from blog.blinds.com outlines easy mood-boosting updates your kitchen is craving. Keep reading for a few new ideas for your kitchen decor.

1. Paint Your Cabinets Sea Glass Green- Although Emerald is the darling of the design world right now, it’s softer cousin, Sea Glass, is sweeping the fashion community with it’s throwback feel. Where Emerald energizes, Sea Glass brings serenity. On cabinets, this jadeite hue will give your kitchen nostalgic charm, and will calm even the most hectic meals.

2. Create an Herb Garden With Old Tea Tins – Caring for plants has been proven to reduce stress. Seeing something green in your life, especially during a dreary winter, will give you a mood boosting connection to nature. Save money at the grocery store by starting an herb garden on your kitchen windowsill. Basil, parsley, rosemary and chives are easy for beginners to grow indoors. Use old tea tins for a charming mini container garden and a happier kitchen is on it’s way!

3. Bring In A Bright Fridge – Retro-style colorful fridges are coming back on the market via brands like the Italian appliance manufacturer Smeg. One of these babies nestled in between your cabinets will make even a tiny kitchen stand out from the pack.

4. Shake up Your Table with Bold Salt and Pepper – S + P are the spices you use the most, so why not find shakers that you’ll be glad to leave out on the table? Bright beauties like these can be found in antique stores, but many modern designers like Jonathan Adler are coming out with whimsical shapes that won’t fail to delight.

It’s Chilly- Let’s Watch A Movie!

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We’re in the dead of winter and conditions outside are just generally not as inviting as during the spring and summer months. If you’re like us, we know you’re not venturing outside nearly as often, so what to do until then?

A movie party is a great way to spend time with friends and wait for the spring thaw. This article from renters.apartments.com has a great list of movies for you to get lost in during your next movie night, so grab the popcorn, find the comfiest spot on the couch and get ready for some excellent films.

1. The Holiday: This movie never gets old to me, I love the dual story line of Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet as they swap houses and lives during — you guessed it, the holidays. What’s the best thing to do along with this movie? Aside from tea and crumpets, get inspired to surf for home rental inspiration for your next vacation, I found an amazing rental this way in Positano, Italy.

2. Sideways: This movie has it all, humor, drama, satire, and a heck of a lot of wine. Obviously the best accompanying activity is to have a wine tasting night along with it. Provide notepads for everyone to write down their thoughts on the wines so you’ll remember everyone’s favorites.

3. Under the Tuscan Sun: this is a pretty girly movie so bare with me if you’re not a girl. This movie however not only inspires one to eat her heart out but also to get busy with some DIY. And so the best activity for this one is to cook a meal worthy of a big Italian family and to read up on DIY tips — where else but here?

4. Along Came Polly: Really quite a ridiculous film from Alec Baldwin’s scene with Ben Stiller in the men’s bathroom to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s amazing performance and quotes—it never fails to make me laugh. Best activity for this one is to cook a spicy curry dinner. If you’re not sure why this makes sense then you need to watch the movie!

5. Shawshank Redemption: This is a classic that makes everyone feel good as they get behind the protagonist and cheer him on toward freedom. Play Monopoly with this one and hope for a Get Out of Jail Free card.

6. Rear Window: Only Hitchcock could pull off such mastery, suspense and drama with such a limited set. After watching this why don’t you spy on your own neighbors and come up with stories for them…

7. Amélie: Another feel-good movie this colorful French film with its beautiful soundtrack goes well with making a list of do-good activities you wish to accomplish just as did Amélie.

Fresh Cut Flowers 101

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Fresh cut flowers can be a great addition to your home decor by introducing a pop of color and a light fragrance. During the winter, it’s nice to have something green and blossoming around to lighten the mood and remind us that winter won’t be here forever.

Adding fresh cut flowers to your decor, though pretty, can get expensive after awhile - it only takes a few days for them to begin wilting. We all know that fresh flowers aren’t going to live forever, but there are ways to increase the time before they begin wilting. This article from renters.apartments.com walks you through the best ways to perserve your fresh cut flowers. Keep reading to learn more:

Give the water an added ingredient

There are several additives that can bolster the staying power of your flowers. According to ApartmentTherapy.com, just 1/4 tsp each of aspirin, sugar and vinegar can help your flowers last longer. The vinegar works as an antibacterial agent that slows the growth of organisms that speed up the decay of your flowers. In place of vinegar, a little bleach and even vodka can be used.

Cut stems at an angle

Cutting each flower's stem at a 45-degree angle makes it easier for the stem to take in water and any other nutrients present in the water. To maintain this absorbing power, re-cut the stems every day -- the fresh opening will do a better job of transporting water up through the stem and nourishing the flower itself.

Add a penny to the water

Pennies are made of copper and nickel. When placed in water, the copper acts as a natural fungicide and slows fungal growth throughout the vase's water.

Keep flowers away from bad influences

Flowers need to be kept away from a few different objects commonly found in homes. Fruit and other plants can accelerate a flower's wilting and decay because of a gas known as ethylene. The farther flowers are kept from these plants, the less ethylene they will encounter, which will preserve their longevity. Other heat-producing devices, including computers, televisions, toasters and heating implements, can dry out flowers and force them to wilt early. Keep flowers at room temperature and be mindful of their exposure to heat -- including even direct sunlight.

Give it some hairspray

Hairspray is great for protecting your hairstyle and keeping your hair in its proper place. A similar effect is had on flowers, according to Reader's Digest. When you apply a thin layer of hairspray onto flower blossoms, the hair spray will help them maintain their form and fresh appearance. Just make sure you don't overwhelm the flowers -- apply hairspray just on the underside of the petals, and from at least one foot away.

Remove soaking leaves and dead flowers

One bad seed can quickly ruin the rest of your flowers. Cut away any leaves that become soaked or submerged in the water, and clip off any flowers that are dying or dead -- these can release ethylene to their neighboring blossoms.

By using just a few of these tricks, you should be able to extend the life of your flowers and preserve their beautiful appearance for days. Just make sure you enjoy them while you last.

Step-By-Step Guide To Smart Grocery Shopping

(Image courtesy of Jennifer Kumar)

We all have that friend that goes to the grocery store and with 50 boxes of Pop Tarts that they got for one dollar, but no actual food. Everyone is looking for little tricks to be frugal when trying to stock their kitchen, but extreme couponing may not always be the way to go. If you decide that you’d rather avoid the hunt for great coupons and the papercuts when you finally start clipping them, there are other options for you to consider. With proper planning, your trips to the grocery store can be both inexpensive and practical.

Before your next shopping trip, put down the stack of clipped coupons. This article from apartmentguide.com walks us through some of the most important considerations to take when hitting the grocery store. Keep reading to learn how to keep your kitchen stocked without going crazy in the checkout aisle.

Purchase produce in season. Asparagus is always more expensive in the fall and at its cheapest in the spring, and blueberries are cheapest in the late spring and early summer. Get to know what’s at its peak when by reading up on seasonal produce, and freeze what you can or go without

Make a list. Arrange your list of meal ingredients in order of where items are in the grocery store so you’re not wandering around, making impulse purchases. Try to stay on the perimeter of the store, where the less processed foods are.

Read the fine print. When most stores advertise “buy one, get one free” deals, it typically means the item is really 50 percent off. In other words, if you just need one, only purchase one, which means the store brand isn’t necessarily the cheapest version of something. Also, compare toilet paper and paper towel savings by noting the total square feet of the product in the fine print on the front of the package, toward the bottom. More square feet equals a better deal.

Shop at multiple stores. Visiting three grocery stores may seem like a hassle but is worth it if you save money in the long run. Shop at your local farmers market or an Asian grocery store for produce, fish and meat and visit a bulk goods store for pantry staples like canned tomatoes, rice and dry beans. Over time, you may learn the store’s sale patterns, which means if you need a certain item often, you can wait until it’s on sale and stock up. Shop for home staples like detergent, cleaning supplies and baby needs at discount department stores, dollar stores or through Amazon.com’s Subscribe and Save subscription program for the household items you buy all the time.

Buy foods in their whole, uncut form. Skip convenient, yet marked-up pre-cut, pre-cooked meats, cheeses and produce, purchase foods whole and cut or prep them yourself at home. Don’t purchase processed foods and meals, such as frozen lasagna, pizza and lunch entrees, as they’re typically priced higher than when you make the exact same meal yourself, and they’re loaded with salt, fillers and sometimes sugar. Even quick-cooking rice and oats are more expensive than their whole, less processed counterparts.

Prep foods on the weekends and portion them yourself. For example, make an entire bag of dry beans in the slow cooker on the weekend and individually bag can-sized (14-ounce) portions. Steam brown rice once a week and store it in the refrigerator to use throughout the week. Peel, seed and chop fresh tomatoes, simmer them for five minutes on the stove and freeze them in 14-ounce portions for homemade canned, diced tomatoes.