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New Parent Must-Haves for Building the Ultimate Baby Registry

2022-01-31T09:01:00

(BPT) – Looking to build the ultimate baby registry? Skip Hop, the trusted resource for baby and toddler must-haves made better, offers a wide assortment of items designed with quality in mind that are perfect for expecting parents to add to their baby registry.

From bath time to mealtime to bedtime, Skip Hop’s grow-with-baby designs make parenting easy and fun from the start and will add joy to everyday parenting routines.

“Our design team knows building a baby registry can be overwhelming, so at Skip Hop we strive to be the go-to for parenting must-haves at the start of their journey by offering quality innovation at great value,” says Matt Lauderbach at Skip Hop. “Our smart solutions with modern design help support parents from baby’s first bath to the first play date and all of the fun moments in between.”

Here are some baby registry must-haves for expecting parents:

Nursery Gear

Change diapers like a pro and elevate your baby’s nursery with smart solutions for bedtime from Skip Hop that fit right into modern home décor.

Nursery Style Wipe-Clean Changing Pad Light Up Diaper Caddy

Cozy-Up 2-In-1 Bedside Sleeper & Bassinet Terra Cry-Activated Soother

Bathtime Essentials

Keep bathtime easy and fun for little ones with Skip Hop’s versatile bath tubs and essentials that grow with the baby in multiple stages.

Moby Smart Sling 3-Stage Tub Moby Bathtime Essentials Kit Zoo Stack & Pour Buckets

Mealtime Must-Haves

Make mealtime fun and serve-up fresh baby food with must-have items for infant feeding.

EON 4-In-1 High Chair Easy-Pack Travel Feeding Set Infant Feeding Easy Prep & Store Kit

On-The-Go Accessories

Take your little one on-the-go with Skip Hop’s baby gear that is designed for travel and will have parents covered during family outings.

Pronto Signature Changing Station Stroll & Go Car Seat Cover

Evermore 6-In-1 Diaper Backpack Stroll & Go Portable Baby Soother

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Expert Series: How the latest technology can help keep your child safer using a cell phone

2022-01-31T12:01:00

(BPT) – By Tony Mokry, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at Cricket Wireless

We have been living in a digital world for years, but since the pandemic began, having a cell phone has become even more necessary for everyday life. Cell phones and tablets allow us to work from anywhere and study remotely. They help us manage the comings and goings of our busy families — helping to ensure that no child is left at soccer practice, cheerleading tryouts, or other life events that require us to stay connected throughout the day. We also use cell phones to capture, share and preserve precious moments, as well as to keep us entertained and informed while we’re on the go. Now more than ever, cell phones allow us to maintain old friendships and secure new ones — through texts, phone calls or a simple swipe to the right.

Owning a cell phone has also become a rite of passage for young people. Today, it’s not a question of if your kids will get a cell phone, but when — and if they are prepared to have one. Understandably, parents may have concerns about their children’s safety when using cell phones.

In fact in 2021, Bark Technologies analyzed over 3.4 billion online activities and found that 68.97% of tweens and 90.73% of teens encountered nudity or content of a sexual nature, 43.09% of tweens and 74.61% of teens were involved in a self-harm/suicidal situation, and 72.09% of tweens and 85% of teens experienced bullying. And these problems have only been exacerbated over the last two years. Earlier studies from Bark also show that in the first three months of 2021, there was a 143% increase in alerts for self-harm and suicidal ideation among children ages 12-18, as compared to the first three months of 2020. Unfortunately, suicide attempts, sexting, hate speech and cyberbullying have also been trending upwards among young people.

But parents don’t have to feel helpless in the face of these disturbing trends. Just as new drivers are required to pass a driving test before getting behind the wheel of a car, it makes sense to equip your child with the right tools and information to ensure that their cell phone journey is a safe one.

One such tool is Bark — an award-winning, online safety and parental control service that helps families safely navigate the digital world. Bark provides content blocking and screen time management, covering over 30 of today’s most popular social media platforms plus texts, chat and email. Bark is committed to educating families about online safety and empowering parents to raise happy, healthy digital citizens.

With so many families using wireless devices as their primary way to connect and communicate, Cricket Wireless wants to help kids use their phones in a safe, positive way, and so has collaborated with Bark Technologies to help parents and families safely navigate the digital world. Through this collaboration with Bark, Cricket is arming young people with the tools to protect themselves online — as well as empowering parents to help their children stay safer. Knowing how to use these tools will allow families to enjoy the best features that today’s technology offers, while reducing the worry parents have about any potential harm.

How parents can help protect kids using cell phones

To take advantage of this collaboration, Cricket customers can visit Bark.US/CricketWireless. Customers can sign up for Bark Jr. for FREE or subscribe to Bark Premium at the discounted rate of $9.99 per month — for new Bark customers only. After 12 months, Bark Premium renews at the prevailing rate (currently $14 per month) unless you cancel.

Parents can choose from two options:

  • Bark Jr: Free to Cricket customers and perfect for younger kids. Parents and guardians can manage screen time and filter websites to ensure that children are accessing appropriate content. The app also gives parents and guardians a tool to keep up with kids via location check-ins.
  • Bark Premium: This service comes with all the features of Bark Jr., plus the ability to monitor activities in emails, browsers, text messages and 30+ apps and social platforms. Parents will receive alerts for issues like cyberbullying, online predators, suicidal ideation, and more.

Further Resources

For parents who have other concerns about their kids or who just want to better understand the digital world their children are navigating every day, Bark and Cricket have created additional resources to educate parents on protecting their children online and raising responsible digital citizens.

These resources include:

  • Themed online and printed materials on topics including digital citizenship, cyberbullying, sexting, online predators, teen slang, emojis, speaking Gen Z and more.
  • Printed quick-start guide, “Navigating The Digital World,” at participating Cricket stores.

This Bark/Cricket Wireless initiative aligns with Cricket’s commitment to educating young people on digital citizenship and helping them to build healthy, human connections by encouraging healthy mobile habits, and providing tools to navigate these challenging times. With that in mind, Cricket also shares resources from the Bark collaboration with non-profit organizations it works with nationwide.

The truth is, digital threats exist for every cell phone user, regardless of age, so it’s vital for every member of your family to be aware of these threats — and what they can do to avoid them.

For more information and to take advantage of this offer, please visit Sponsorships.CricketWireless.com/ParentalControls.

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How pet owners can make a difference when it comes to recycling

2022-01-31T08:01:00

(BPT) – While most Americans may say they’re environmentally conscious and care about recycling, their daily habits haven’t caught up with their good intentions. In fact, the EPA reports that the recycling rate is currently only at about 32%. Part of this is due to confusion about what and how to recycle. If you’re one of the growing number of people with a pet at home, your recycling habits may be even more complex by adding pet product packaging into the mix. With so much packaging produced today, your choice between the recycling bin and the trash can feel inconsequential in the grand scheme. But the truth is, every day consumers play a crucial role in reducing waste.

In an ideal world, we would operate in a “circular economy,” where the materials we now consider waste instead serve a secondary purpose. Some companies are committing to the environment by switching to more sustainable manufacturing processes and using recyclable — and recycled — materials in their packaging. But it takes more than just what companies can do alone; businesses rely on consumers to recycle correctly, fueling the supply of materials used to produce more environmentally friendly packaging.

“Many consumers engage in ‘wish recycling’ — dropping an item in the bin and hoping it will be recycled,” said Nida Bockert, senior director, Portfolio Innovation, Optimization and Sustainability at Purina. “At Purina, which makes some of the most popular pet care products, not only are we focused on empowering pet owners to choose the recycling bin instead of the trash, but we’re also working to educate people on engaging in thoughtful recycling that avoids contaminating the waste stream.”

What one company is doing to improve their packaging

Over 80% of Purina packaging is already made with materials that can be recycled. Aluminum, which can be endlessly recycled, makes up a large part of the brand’s product packaging and is accepted in single-stream recycling which is picked up at your curb. However, only a fraction of the aluminum cans manufactured are made of recycled material, due to lack of supply. This is where consumers play an important role in closing the loop. When consumers rinse and recycle aluminum pet food cans, this creates a supply of second-life aluminum that’s repurposed from scrap metal which generates far less greenhouse emissions than new aluminum. By creating a system that reuses existing resources instead of following a single-use method, it’s possible to significantly reduce the harm done to the planet through consumerism and manufacturing.

What you can do

First, support environmentally conscious brands when shopping. Purina is also making progress in recyclability beyond aluminum. The company is hard at work to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

Unsure about what can be recycled when it comes to pet product packaging, and how to recycle it? First, check with your local recycling facility to be sure you’re following their guidelines.

Here are some basic tips to prepare pet product packaging for recycling:

  • Metal cans: Rinse and drop into your single-stream recycling bin.
  • Plastic tubs: Rinse and drop into your single-stream recycling bin.
  • Tidy Cats containers: Empty and drop into your single-stream recycling bin.
  • Cardboard from variety packs: Drop into your single-stream recycling bin.
  • Shrink wrap from variety packs: Drop off at your local grocery store where available. To search your area, visit plasticfilmrecycling.org.

You can also always look for the “How2Recycle” label on any Purina brand package for help with recycling. If the package doesn’t include that label, it’s safe to say the product is not recyclable.

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3 ways to take care of your scalp and prevent hair loss

2022-01-31T05:31:00

(BPT) – Hair loss is stressful. Some try to embrace it as an unavoidable aspect of aging, but most people would prefer their hair stayed on their head. An increase in shed strands caught in a brush or shower drain can be particularly disheartening for people who know hair loss runs in their family. While it’s tempting to throw in the towel, there are preventive measures you can take to mitigate hair loss by investing in scalp care.

Healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp. As skin that remains mostly hidden (until hair loss issues arise), the scalp tends to get less care and attention. However, a study by the L’Oréal Professional Academy showed scalp skin ages up to 12 times faster than other body skin. So, if you want healthy hair — start at the root.

Below are three ways you can take care of your scalp and help your head shed less hair.

1. Shampoo gently

Not all shampoos support a healthy scalp. According to Healthline, you should avoid products with sulfates, which strip away natural hair oils and can cause scalp dryness and irritation. While scalp irritation and dryness do not directly cause hair loss, the itchiness makes it more likely that people will scratch their scalp, causing damage to the hair follicles.

Choose shampoos that will clean and nourish your scalp, ridding it of dead skin cells. As you shampoo, gently massage your scalp using your fingertips. Giving yourself a scalp massage feels good and increases blood flow to your hair follicles, encouraging growth. You can also buy a scalp brush to help you gently apply shampoo and massage your scalp.

2. Try a topical serum

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common form of hair loss. It is triggered by high levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an androgen hormone present in men and women. This hereditary type of pattern hair loss can begin as early as your late teens or early 20s. However, many people don’t seek help until thinning progresses to a significant loss in density or a visibly receding hairline.

Prevention is key. Start with an anti-DHT shampoo or better yet, a topical hair serum. Revivogen Scalp Therapy addresses follicle miniaturization caused by DHT and works to extend hair growth cycles. Using a daily topical scalp formula can provide added protection for those predisposed to androgenetic alopecia before the onset of excess shedding and thinning.

If you’re already experiencing hair loss, you may need to be more aggressive about scalp and follicle care. There are prescription treatments on the market, such as finasteride and minoxidil, but many people are looking for more natural, drug-free alternatives. Revivogen is a clinically proven, plant-based hair care system that has zero systemic side effects because it only impacts DHT topically on the scalp.

Like other hair loss products, Revivogen can retroactively address some thinning and follicle damage by rejuvenating recently dormant follicles and reducing shedding. Even better — it works to promote thicker, healthier growth for all hair types and prevent future DHT-triggered hair loss.

Both Revivogen MD and Revivogen Pro Essentials enhance scalp health, inhibit DHT from adhering to follicles and promote healthy hair growth. These 3-step hair care routines are dermatologist-formulated and safe for use by both men and women.

3. Feed your scalp with supplements

Your nutrition impacts your hair’s health. Even with a balanced, nutritious diet, you may be missing some important nutrients vital to maintaining healthy hair and scalp.

Vitamins and nutrients that impact scalp and hair health include:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin B
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin E
  • Iron
  • Zinc
  • Protein

Taking a daily multivitamin or hair supplement can help you nourish your scalp and follicles from the inside out. Check with your doctor to ensure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals to support a healthy head of hair.

While there is no magic cure for hair loss, every little bit of help can decrease the amount of hair you lose. By following these three tips you can improve your scalp’s health and help reduce hair loss as you age.

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5 ways to keep you and your dog healthy in 2022

2022-01-31T02:01:00

(BPT) – The beginning of the year is a popular time to build good habits and work on life goals. If you’re making plans to improve your life in 2022, think about setting health goals for your dog as well. Dr. Brian Zanghi, research nutritionist at Purina, shares five ways below that you can invest in your dog’s health this year and strengthen your bond with your furry friend.

1. Create a daily exercise routine

Daily exercise is essential to maintaining your canine companion’s physical and behavioral health. Beyond the obvious health benefits of weight management, daily exercise will help curb destructive behavior from excess energy.

How much exercise is suitable for your dog? Factors like age, size and health can help you determine the appropriate activity level for your pup. “Ideally, a dog should get 30 minutes of mild to moderate activity three times per week,” said Zanghi. “For most dogs, this can be accomplished by a comfortably paced walk.” A leisurely walk is ideal if you have an older dog, while a puppy or younger dog will need longer and rigorous workouts to burn off their energy.

Creating an exercise routine for your dog is also beneficial for you. According to The New York Times, most dog owners spend 300 minutes each week walking their pets, about 200 minutes more than people without dogs.

If it’s been a while since you’ve regularly exercised your dog, begin with short periods of activity at slow speeds and gradually increase the time, speed and distance. At your pet’s annual checkup, ask your vet about appropriate exercise routines for your dog.

2. Incorporate supplements

Once you’ve incorporated exercise into your pet’s daily routine, add in supplements to help ease joints that are stiff due to normal daily activity and exercise. Even dogs as young as a year old can experience joint stiffness. Products like EverRoot Dog Hip and Joint supplements deliver omega-3 fatty acids from wild-caught Alaskan salmon and cod that help support healthy joint mobility at any age. These supplements are also made with organic peanut butter, making this a tasty daily supplement for your dog.

Many different supplements support several aspects of canine health. For example, EverRoot Dog Skin and Coat supplements are a proactive way to provide support for dogs with sensitive skin.

If you’re curious about dog supplements but don’t know where to start, you can obtain some personalized suggestions from a supplement recommendation tool based on your pet’s information and your preferences to help you determine what supplements may help your furry friend.

3. Make time to bond

Bonding with your pet is good for your relationship and positively impacts their holistic health. For example, playing with your dog builds their social skills, and it’s beneficial for your pet’s mental stimulation, which may improve their mood and behavior.

It can be as simple as grabbing a ball and playing fetch or, if your dog needs more mental stimulation, you can teach your pet new tricks. If your pup has a knack for retrieving, place some objects around the house and teach them to bring them to you. For a food-motivated canine, you can hide treats in their kennel or other areas indoors and outdoors.

Don’t forget that physical affection is an essential aspect of their well-being. Physical touch helps increase your dog’s release of oxytocin, the “love hormone” found in humans and dogs that reduces stress, promotes relaxation and creates feelings of trust. A recent Purina study found that 15 minutes of petting significantly reduced stress in shelter dogs. Make sure to block out some time every day to cuddle your pup.

4. Prioritize dental health

Just like you, your dog needs daily dental hygiene. To make teeth brushing a positive experience for your pooch, introduce dog-specific toothpaste with your finger and progress to a toothbrush once your pet becomes comfortable.

Brushing a dog’s teeth daily isn’t feasible for everyone, but you can still prioritize your dog’s dental hygiene with functional chews. Products like DentaLife ActivFresh chews have an active-ingredient blend of honey and natural spirulina that fights bad breath at the source.

When you brush your teeth in the morning, give your dog a dental chew so you can take care of your teeth together.

5. Evaluate diet

Last, but not least. The beginning of the year is a great time to make sure your dog is getting the proper nutrition and enjoying their food. This is especially important if your pet is entering a new life stage that could affect their diet.

Keep an eye on your puppy’s development. Puppy food is formulated to support a young dog’s rapid growth, development and high energy. If you continue to feed your dog puppy food past the point of maturity, it could result in weight gain, which can lead to other health issues. Once your dog has reached adulthood, you can transition to an adult food that meets their nutritional and caloric needs.

Regularly check your dog’s body condition to help you know when to adjust your pet’s food portion size, if needed. Three easy ways to assess your dog’s body condition and bond at the same time are described. For an ideal body condition, 1) feel the ribs as you pet them, you should be able to feel each individually and depending on their hair coat, you should be able to slightly see the ribs when they breathe, 2) their body should have an hourglass shape when viewed from directly above and curving in at the belly, and 3) when viewed from the side, their belly should have a slight tuck and curve up compared to the bottom of their rib cage. These physical signs are a good indication that your dog has an ideal body condition, and is getting an appropriate daily portion of food to meet their life stage and physical activity needs. Consult your veterinarian for additional information on how to assess your pet’s body condition and any recommendations to gradually make changes to their food portion, if needed, to get them to a more ideal body condition.

Many dog owners are unaware that a 7-year-old dog is considered a senior. As dogs age, their needs change, so make sure to consider a diet that helps keep dogs active and energized in their senior years.

Start 2022 on a positive note by investing in your dog’s holistic health. Whether you start by engaging in a more rigorous exercise routine, spending more time cuddling, promoting dental and joint health or switching diets, every change counts. Start small and build on these healthy habits for lifelong benefits for you and your pet.

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Studies show that Kundalini Yoga can lower blood pressure and slow heart rate

2022-01-30T14:01:00

(BPT) – Most people who picture hearts in February think: Valentine’s Day. But if you ask a cardiologist, you may get a different answer. February is National American Heart Health Month.

When President Lyndon B. Johnson announced February 1964 as the first American Heart Month, he had a singular mission: unite Americans to fight the scourge of heart disease. He died, nine years later, of a heart attack.

We’ve made a lot of progress since then. But not enough.

According to the American College of Cardiology, one of every four deaths in the United States every year is due to cardiovascular disease and many of these are preventable.

Feel that? Your heart going pitter patter? That’s stress. A lot of us cope with stress in ways that might not be beneficial to our ticker: we drink, we escape into TV shows, we snack.

We all know yoga is good for us. In fact, it’s been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure and heart rate, among other benefits. But did you know that it can also cultivate physical and emotional changes that promote heart health?

According to a recent issue of the Harvard Medical School Harvard Health Letter, yoga can help prevent or improve a host of health conditions linked to heart health, including insomnia, depression and obesity. Yoga also encourages slow, deep breathing, which helps lower blood pressure. This can train your nervous system over time to be less reactive to stress.

Kundalini Yoga, a yoga practice centered on meditation and breathing practices, offers these benefits while also being accessible and gentle enough for almost everyone.

No matter who you are, it’s never too early (or too late) to start.

3HO, an organization that promotes Kundalini Yoga and meditation worldwide, offers simple sets of practices for beginners, including this one:

Posture: Sit up straight in a comfortable position.

Hands: Bring your palms together at the center of your chest. Touch your pinkie finger and thumb of one hand to the pinkie finger and thumb of the other hand. Straighten and spread open your other fingers. The effect is intended to look like a lotus in bloom.

Eyes: Focus your eyes on the tip of your nose.

Mantra: Chant this mantra: Humee Hum Brahm Hum. (You may feel silly. That’s OK. No one’s watching. Chanting a mantra is just breathing, but with training wheels.)

Time: Continue for a few minutes, gradually working your way up to 31 minutes. Don’t judge yourself. Just do what you can.

When you’re done, suspend the breath, and exhale. Repeat 2 more times. Sit absolutely still for one minute. Sense everything. Then move your shoulders and arms and relax.

Interested in more information on Kundalini Yoga and other kriyas? Visit 3HO.org.

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Small but important tips to help make your home more high-end

2022-01-28T19:41:00

(BPT) – As many establish their goals for 2022, including traveling to bucket list destinations or living healthier lives through exercise or dieting, we’re faced with yet another year of staying at home rather than traveling the world or socializing in large groups. For those tired of spending all their time in a dull home, put transforming your home interior as a top priority to refresh your space and your new year. For those with little to no experience of interior decorating who just don’t know where to start, read on for some small but essential tips that could otherwise be easily overlooked.

Let your home appliances set the mood.

Take a moment to examine your living space; notice any large home appliances or devices? Our TVs are getting bigger and our refrigerators now come in sizes from expansive 4-door models capable of storing everything you need for months, to mini-fridges perfect for a quick bedroom snack. We can’t imagine life without them, and even more appliances are crossing the line from luxury to essential, like the air purifiers, steam wardrobes and professional-standard coffee machines we use daily. With so many appliances taking up precious living space, our home appliances are quickly becoming a part of furniture and thus are playing a more important role in the décor. To blend seamlessly with every furnishing and interior style, the best large appliances come in a minimalist design that takes nothing away from the design of the space.

LG SIGNATURE Rollable OLED R, the world’s first and only rollable TV, provides the most complete TV experience with its 3 viewing modes — Full view, Line view, and Zero view. With the rollable TV, you’re able to adjust the height of the screen at the push of a button to match your mood, completely redefining the value and meaning of space. And its exclusive Zero view mode — when the entire screen is rolled into its elegant stand — introduces a whole new kind of beauty to the space by bringing a completely open view that’s impossible to be recreated with any conventional TV. The groundbreaking rollable TV’s unprecedented user experience and sleek design have been made possible by LG’s latest technologies, creating a viewing solution that leads the challenge against bulky black rectangular boxes incapable of fully harmonizing with the room.

With many people getting re-acquainted with their kitchen as they spend more time at home, the cooking and sharing of stories with family and friends across the kitchen island of old is returning. That’s why the place we cook all our family meals must never be overlooked when trying to achieve the high-end interior of dreams. The Textured Steel™ Finish of LG SIGNATURE Refrigerator and Wine Cellar introduces the epitome of minimalist design to the kitchen. Such premium materials not only provide an eye-catching exterior, they also bring outstanding durability and performance to the appliances that store all the food and beverage items you’ll need. From now on, try thinking of your appliances in the same way as furniture that take style to the next level by also offering cutting-edge technologies that make life better.

Play with textures and colors.

Most would agree that how we feel about almost everything we touch and see largely depends on texture and color — from the fashion items we wear to the electronic devices we use daily. Likewise, it’s easy to create high-end interior design by simply using new decorative items with unique textures and colors if large-scale renovation doesn’t fit your budget or schedule.

Every season has a perfect match when it comes to textures and colors, which makes taking care of your home fabrics — sofa slipcovers, cushion covers, bedspreads, rugs and lampshades — the difference between a worn-out interior and one full of elegance. In winter, silk, velvet, fur and wool add warmth and coziness and maximize the luxuriousness of any interior. During a cool summertime, linen is the perfect choice since bedding made of linen provides the most comfortably cool feeling ever. Think of linen as the fine jewelry of bedding with harvesting and production a more arduous task than most other materials. Another good choice during summer is rattan, as its flexibility lets it be shaped into intricately designed furniture and interior items despite it being strong and durable wood. From rattan armchairs to rattan lampshades, such elegant, carefully crafted items add elements of style that otherwise wouldn’t exist with dull woods.

What’s more, color can equally transform a normal home into a high-end paradise. To discover your colors for 2022, check out the Pantone Color of the Year and explore earthy colors which have dominated luxurious homes the last few years. If you don’t have time to take on a home painting project, there are other easier ways to transform your home, like covering shelf or drawer surfaces with tile/wall stickers or replacing small home accessories such as handles or baskets with high-quality substitutes sporting more up-to-date colors.

Use only the freshest and most diverse plants.

Plants not only lift everyone’s mood, they help lift the whole atmosphere of the room. Flowers and greenery brighten up a home, add life to the space, and can be beautifully linked with the seasonal changes throughout the year. But be careful, because leaving withered plants around the home can be detrimental to achieving that higher-end interior you deserve. And although shopping for plants is an idyllic and indulgent experience, it’s not always an option for people strapped for time or not close by a florist or a home gardener.

These days, there are a lot of businesses offering flower or potted greenery subscription services that deliver beautiful arrangements perfectly matching your home and preferences right to your door. But keep in mind that each one has a different style and different plants of every imaginable color and shape, so choose one that best fits your personality or the moment. Once you have your supplier, select a variety of plant arrangements, and make sure they’re delivered from a sustainable plant farm where maximum freshness for your exclusive home interior is guaranteed.

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These 3 big-impact home improvements will transform your home in 2022

2022-01-28T15:15:00

(BPT) – Are you ready for a home refresh? The new year is an ideal time to set goals and optimize your home, whether you’re tackling important maintenance tasks, adding comforting elements to cozy up your space, or getting organized.

This year, home improvements that provide long-term benefits are top of mind for homeowners. Here are a few ways to keep your home in tip-top shape and bring you peace of mind.

Minimize clutter and increase safety

People are multitasking at home more than ever, which can often lead to increased clutter. Disorganization can be more than just unsightly mess; it can be a safety hazard. Thoughtful organization improves functionality, saves space and keeps areas clutter-free to reduce the chance of injury. Spaces where organization can have a huge impact include closets, mudrooms, the garage, the home office, pantry and laundry room.

“Having a dedicated space to store and contain your items will help you stay organized and improve order and efficiency,” said Andrew Hall, Home Depot Interiors Program Merchant.

By utilizing high-quality installed organization systems, you can reclaim control of your office, keep things tidy and efficient in your laundry room, and easily spot missing ingredients in your new kitchen pantry. According to the National Association of Home Builders, a walk-in pantry is the most-wanted kitchen feature, with 81% of home buyers identifying a walk-in pantry as an essential/must-have (34%) or desirable item (47%).

Decluttering and organizing your home can also help to reduce stress and allow you to streamline daily tasks. For a custom solution that meets all your storage needs and maintains your design aesthetic, consider professional organization. The Home Depot Home Services is available to help you design and build your own custom closet or storage solution with ease and convenience.

Cut energy costs and your carbon footprint

The foundation of home comfort starts with proper heating and cooling. HVAC services include anything related to heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and are key to feeling comfortable at home year-round, no matter the temperature outside.

“Crossing routine maintenance tasks off your to-do list sooner rather than later not only enhances comfort, safety and functionality of your home, but it can also increase the value of your home, reduce your energy consumption and save you money,” said Viviane Essex, HVAC Install Merchant with The Home Depot’s Home Services team.

Each spring and fall before you start using your air conditioner, furnace or other heating and cooling systems, you should get a tune-up to prepare your HVAC system for the seasons. By investing in a spring AC tune up and fall furnace tune-up each year, you can save a lot in energy bills by keeping your system operating at peak efficiency. You also can avoid costly repairs by identifying and fixing minor problems before they turn into big ones. While some homes might be due for a new replacement high efficiency furnace or air conditioner, others may simply need maintenance to keep everything operating as it should.

Consult a HVAC service provider from The Home Depot Home Services who can evaluate and take measurements on critical system components, check the performance and safety of the system cleanings, and make necessary repairs. Air circulation is also important to prevent temperature fluctuations throughout a home and save money while reducing energy costs. Your tune-up technician can check for duct leakage which can cause hot/cold spots and waste energy — duct sealing can help with this. In addition, installing ceiling fans and mounting a programmable thermostat in place of an older model can all help reduce your utility bills and keep you feeling more comfortable at home.

Get prepared to stay ahead of unexpected expenses

For most people, their home is their biggest investment. A proactive approach to maintenance and repairs helps protect this investment and provides peace of mind. Consider keeping a monthly and annual checklist of maintenance to-do’s and schedule any necessary repairs as soon as possible.

Common monthly home maintenance to-do’s include checking pipes for leaks, verifying air flow and temperature accuracy, changing furnace filters, checking fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, and cleaning gutters and walkways of debris. Annual maintenance should include HVAC maintenance, checking window and door seals, verifying fence and deck integrity, updating lighting indoors and out, and landscape maintenance such as trimming trees.

If you want help to reach your 2022 home improvement goals, start with the professionals at The Home Depot Home Services. The Home Depot Home Services provides homeowners with free in-person or virtual consultations depending on project type and client needs for 400 home improvement projects, partnering with top professionals in your community to help you make your upgrades and repairs a reality. If you decide to move forward with your project, you can feel confident that all certified service providers are local, licensed, insured and background checked. Learn more at homedepot.com/licensenumbers.

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How to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your home [Infographic]

2022-01-28T09:41:00

(BPT) – If someone in your house is sick, it’s important to understand how you can limit the spread of the virus. Disinfection plays an important role in killing germs that might remain on surfaces. Clorox shares some simple steps you can take to help prevent infection in household members who are still testing negative as well as those coming into the home after illness.