While giving yourself a little grace is important (and necessary), you can also take some steps to be more productive, if only to keep your home- or work-life afloat until overall conditions improve. Sometimes, attention management can do the trick, or revisiting working from home tips can remind you what you need to do to focus. (We’re particular fans of the The Pomodoro Technique.) But sometimes you just need to reconsider your productivity process completely....

How to Beat Egg Whites to Stiff Peaks Step-by-Step Before we can get to the actual beating, we need to get our eggs ready. 1. Separate the Eggs Fun fact about eggs: They separate more easily when they’re cold, but you’ll achieve stiff egg whites more easily if you let them warm up a bit before beating. Use an egg separator ($7.99, Bed Bath & Beyond) to separate the eggs straight from the fridge....

Believe it or not, there’s a lot more to becoming a professional organizer than labeling and folding clothes. Creating a practical, neat, and organized home is a professional organizer’s number one priority but, as with any job, their day-to-day responsibilities require a slew of softer skills. These non-organizing skills can mean the difference between a so-so professional organizer and a great one. Curious to see if you have what it takes to organize for a living?...

Choose one of these solid flannel sets (from $17; target.com) in sophisticated colors, like indigo, white, and soft blush. And if you really can’t bear to part with cotton bedding, opt for twill sheets, like anelegant set from Brooklinen (from $189; brooklinen.com), which is woven from long-staple cotton but was made for cold winter nights. RELATED: How to Choose the Best Bed Sheets Also, consider the fill power, or the amount of space one ounce of down takes up....

Instead of just thinking about salary, think about your total compensation. We asked financial experts to explain why you need to know the value of your total compensation package. We’re also sharing how to calculate your total worth (so you can ask for a raise or additional benefits if you realize you’re underpaid). What Is Total Compensation? Total compensation is the combined value of your salary, bonuses, a 401(k) match, free office coffee, and more....

So we asked an art expert for actionable advice on picking a cohesive picture frame color and style. Jeffrey Feigenheimer is A.I. Friedman’s corporate framing director and has a ton of experience picking frames for iconic artwork. He shared a handful of simple design ideas for common artwork types you may have in your home. Natural Wood Shadow Box A shadow-box frame makes a poster (or an inexpensive online print) appear more like real art....

If you’ve noticed buildup along the barrel of your curling iron or the edges of your flat iron, it’s likely that your hairspray or leave-in conditioner (even your heat protection spray) is leaving a bit of a mess behind. With the heat from your tool, it makes for a stubborn film on your curling iron or hair straightener that can be difficult to scrape off or clean, so it’s in your best interest to learn how to clean a curling iron, stat....

Types of Hedge Trimmers Let’s start with some basics on hedge trimmers. There are three main types of trimmers: gas powered, electric, and battery-powered. Most often you’ll find gas powered trimmers used by commercial landscape companies, while electric and battery-powered trimmers for home use. Depending on the size of your yard, the thickness of the branches you’ll be cutting, and the amount of money you’re willing to put into a trimmer, you have many options to choose!...

Moving your work-from-home space outside can be a fresh way to help you feel excited about your 9-to-5 again, helping to break up the monotony of working from home and even brighten your mood. After all, how can the sound of birds in the trees, the sight of blooming flowers, and the scent of freshly cut grass not put you in a better mindset? “Whether it’s the rustling of the leaves in the wind or the calm after a rainstorm, I find that being outside offers a feeling of zen that’s helpful when getting into a creative zone,” shares Los Angeles–based interior designer Kelly Martin....

To make the process of getting dressed for the winter easier, we researched the best cold weather clothing tips and tapped the CDC for expert advice. Below, find all the tips you need to get adequately bundled up during the winter and stay safe amidst below-zero temperatures. Follow a Head-to-Toe Clothing Checklist Part of dressing safely for cold temperatures is being intentional in making sure that every part of your body is adequately covered and kept dry....

Dying Easter eggs with rice is one of our favorite easy kid’s Easter projects—just have an adult help with adding the dye. Once you’re done dyeing eggs with rice, display the finished eggs as part of a creative spring centerpiece or use them as part of your morning Easter egg hunt. How to Make Rice Dyed Easter Eggs Supplies Needed Ceramic eggs or hard-boiled eggsPlastic cupsDry riceFood coloring Step-by-Step Directions Follow these simple how-to instructions to color eggs with rice....

How to Make Infused Liquors You don’t have to be a mixologist to create a great infusion. In fact, it’s pretty simple. A good rule of thumb when infusing liquor at home is to add your sliced ingredients into the bottle and store it in a cool, dark place for a minimum for 24 hours.However, it’s also important to know how specific ingredients work with certain liquors. For instance, spirits like vodka and gin are way more versatile than whiskey and tequila....

While yellowing is impossible to prevent completely, there are some ways to stave off the inevitable. Learn the reasons why white sheets turn yellow and what you can do to address those causes, plus washday tips that will leave white sheets as clean and bright-white as possible. What Causes Yellowing in White Sheets? There are a number of reasons that white sheets go yellow, but most of the culpability rests with you—literally!...

Is there a difference between landscaping rock and stone? You might think of stone and rock as interchangeable words, but the two are actually very different things, says Barbara Pleasant, author of Garden Stone. “Technically a stone has been exposed to weather or water near the Earth’s surface for a long period of time, while rocks come freshly broken from a larger mass below ground, most typically by blasting them out at a quarry....

How to Make a Ring Toss Out of Bottles Making a ring toss is simple. Since so often 4th of July celebrations are held outdoors, I wanted to do a larger backyard version, larger than the small bottles in a crate ring toss games you normally see. Ring Toss Game DIY Supplies: Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider (5+ bottles) Paint Plastic rings or glow stick bracelets Ring Toss Game DIY Instructions: To make this ring toss game, start out by drinking five bottles of Martinelli’s sparkling cider....

While proper planning is always the best approach, it’s not always realistic when you need an avocado on the fly (emergency guacamole, anyone?). Luckily, there’s an easy trick for making avocados ripen faster, and all you need is a brown paper bag. Paper Bag Method If you haven’t tried expediting the ripening process before, prepare to have your mind blown. About two days before you want to enjoy an avocado, simply place it in a brown paper bag and fold the top over....

Tomato-based barbecue sauce is the most easily recognizable, and most accessible in grocery stores too, if you’re looking for a shortcut. The base of the sauce can be ketchup, tomato paste, or tomato purée, and it’s linked to Kansas City barbecue, although other regional styles like Texas and Memphis also embrace it. While tomato-based barbecue sauce tends to be thick and glossy, vinegar-based barbecue sauce is on the thinner side, and with a spicy kick to boot....

Los Angeles-based designer Lorena Cortez uses her passion for photography, film, and styling to promote her online pinup-inspired store, Ruby Rae Clothing, on Instagram. “I was intentional about the content I was putting out to be not only aesthetically pleasing to the eye but also promoting my brand. My favorite way to promote myself is through parallax-style videos that I shoot and edit myself,” says Cortez. So before you launch your business on Instagram, take some time to figure out the things you are interested in and how you want to showcase them....

Natural Dye Chart Leftover fruit and vegetable materials, such as peels and skins, are ideal for creating natural fabric dyes in a variety of colors. The intensity and shade may vary from plant to plant, but you can generally expect the following colors. Use this list of natural dye ingredients, but don’t hesitate to experiment with other items to create your own colors. Blue natural dyes: blueberries and blackberriesRed natural dyes: raspberries and beetsYellow and ochre dyes: lemon and orange peels, turmericGreen natural dye:spinach leavesOrange natural dye: onion skinsPurple natural dye: red cabbage leaves...

First, choose a large non-stick skillet or ceramic pan. The pros use heavy stainless steel skillets are many, but if you’re a beginner, it’s not worth the stress or the risk of tearing a pricey fillet on an imperfectly prepared pan. To be safe, just use a non-stick skillet. Set it on the stove and get it hot over medium-high heat. Next, choose vegetable oil or another neutral-flavored oil like canola, safflower, or grapeseed....