4 New Year's Resolutions You Can Keep!

2016 is drawing to a close, and it’s time to focus on how to make 2017 your best year ever! Skip the daunting, time-consuming resolutions this year and pick a few you can actually keep. Here are a few ideas for things you can do to enhance your life, increase your productivity, and boost your health, all without having to meet wildly unrealistic expectations.

You Do You- It’s easy to compare yourself to that acquaintance, family member, or friend who seems to have it all together. You know the one- everything seems to come easily to this individual, from the clean house to the well-dressed kids to the perfectly groomed hair and spectacular outfit. Do yourself a favor and make a list of things you like about YOU, not things you wish to change to be more like someone else. After all, who knows? The person you long to be more like may secretly wish he or she had YOUR life instead!

Just Say Yes- Instead of a knee-jerk “no” reaction to an invitation or opportunity you don’t think is for you, try to sprinkle a little “yes”into your life. A live jazz concert on a Wednesday night? A camping trip in a national park? Skydiving? Whatever life throws at you, try to answer with a “yes” more often than you normally would (as long as it’s legal) and you’ll be amazed where your adventure may take you!

Breathe- As anyone balancing work, kids, hobbies and everyday chores can tell you, life can get pretty hectic from time to time. And while it’s all well and good to talk about being mindful and appreciating the little things, you need to practice what you preach in order to reap the benefits of a calm, happy life. Start by just breathing- a few deep breaths in times of stress or anger can help trigger the much-needed, little-used “Pause” button on your life and help you assess what’s really important before you react.

Drink Your Veggies- Do you hate vegetables? It’s OK, lots of people do. Can’t find time to cook healthy, well-balanced meals? That’s still no excuse to eat unhealthy, fattening foods- all you need is some produce and a standard blender to make yourself a healthy, filling fruit and veggie smoothie that you can enjoy on your way to work. Not only can the delicious medley of fruits and vegetables give you a non-caffeinated morning boost of energy, but these low-cal smoothies eat like a meal and are perfect for on the go! You’ll be amazed at how tasty they can be (pro tip: add more bananas to mask that “green” flavor), and your body will love you for it!

What are your resolutions for 2017? Tell us in the Comments section.

Kitchen Trends for 2016

Transform Your Kitchen for 2016

A new year deserves a fresh new start. Why not give your kitchen a facelift by following some of these hot trends?

Invest in Smartglass-Creo’s new line of Smartglass bakeware is both beautiful and functional, not to mention versatile! Smartglass is microwave-, dishwasher-, oven-, fridge and freezer-safe, so it can be used for storage, cooking, baking- you name it. Available at most retail stores. Prices vary.

Custom Backsplash Tiles- In just one minute, you can digitally create your own tile design using Fireclay Tile’s Color-It! Tool. (https://www.fireclaytile.com/color-it/)  With over 100 options to choose from, you can make a unique statement in your kitchen without breaking the bank.

Rose Gold Rush- As you may have noticed in recent months, rose gold accents are starting to show up in electronic gadgets and hardware. The trend extends to appliances, where rose gold, as well as brass and copper, are beginning to emerge as popular finishes for cutlery, like the Skandia Forte 13-pc. Knife block set (pictured, $129.99 at Kohl’s), and other kitchen staples such as the iconic Kitchen-Aid mixer. ($599.95, Williams-Sonoma)

Full Steam (Ovens) Ahead!- One of the biggest things you will be hearing about this year in kitchen trends is the steam oven. This appliance gives cooks the ability to cook healthier meals while also intensifying flavor and reducing cooking times, all by using the benefit of steam. So far the only brand to offer steam and convection oven options is Thermador, who has three different steam oven designs to choose from this year.

Tech Integration- Because technology has such a presence in our daily lives, it only makes sense that kitchen design options are beginning to allow for the integration of tech in the most important room of the house. Many cabinets are beginning to include space for docking stations for smartphones and tablets, and it is possible to create a custom cabinet with a tablet rack over the range hood, so as to provide a spot for the device that is starting to replace cookbooks.

Are you planning to get your kitchen on point for the new year? Please share your design ideas below.

Use Your Appliances to Keep Those New Year’s Resolutions

In addition to providing our homes with all the modern comfort we desire, appliances are also a great way to keep your resolutions in check this year. For example…

Want to lose weight AND save money? Organize the fridge.  According to a statistic reported in the Washington Post, American families discard between 14 and 25 percent of the food and drinks they buy. This is commonly due to the foods reaching and surpassing their expiration dates before consumption. A good way to make sure your healthy veggies, low-fat cheeses and lean meats are eaten before their use-by dates, clear out the clutter in the refrigerator (thus eliminating the fatty junk food and unhealthy processed foods) and make sure to use the perishable items in time by moving them to the front of the fridge.

Utilize the freezer. One of the biggest roadblocks for any New Year’s resolution is our tendency to slip back into our old routines for convenience’s sake. After all, who wants to cook a healthy gourmet meal on a Wednesday evening when you’re exhausted from work? Before you grab that take-out menu, consider the benefits of pre-making and freezing delicious, healthy meals. If all you have to do is thaw and heat a pre-prepared meal from the freezer, you will not only be able to eat healthier without sacrificing ease of preparation, but you will also save money on the pricey bills incurred by take-out, delivery and fast food.

Launder clothes effectively. Many of us have a New Year’s resolution to cut unnecessary spending and save more money. A great way to do that is to care for our clothing properly, which eliminates the need for expensive clothing replacement.  Using your washing machine and clothes dryer as the manufacturer intended, cleaning your dryer regularly to boost performance and cut dry time, using special steam features on some dryer models to cut down on pressing and cleaners’ bills and learning quick laundry hacks for maintaining your clothing’s original color and shape can keep your clothes looking new without breaking the bank.