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DIY Wardrobe - Day 2: Dresses, Skirts, Pants, and Shorts

Welcome to day two of the diy wardrobe series. Today I'm sharing some tutorials to make your own beautiful skirts, dresses, pants, and shorts. Get stated now so you can wear them this spring!

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30+ Favorite Decor Pieces Under $40

Once the holidays are over, it's time to decorate our homes with beautiful, seasonably-neutral decor that will last us all year.  Today I'm sharing 30 favorite decor pieces for $40 or less.  Each of these pieces are versatile in that they could work in any room, on any surface, and with any color scheme.  I focused on pieces that would look especially great on open shelving, tabletops, and mantels, but let your imagination run wild with all of the possibilities!

Every single one of these pieces are either from Target or World Market I stuck with those two retailers because they're economical price points, and the easy access that most of us have to these stores.  I stuck to neutral colors, metallic finishes, and soft greenery that would layer so beautifully together.

You can shop these items by clicking the affiliate links below!  Enjoy my 30 Favorite Decor Pieces Under $40

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If you'd like a little guidance on how to use pieces like this, check out my post on how to style open shelves.

The post 30+ Favorite Decor Pieces Under $40 appeared first on House by Hoff.

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The Landscape Revisited - My most valuable lessons of 2018

The 2018 growing season is coming to a close. Thanksgiving is behind us and the next holiday season is closing in. In Massachusetts, we've already had eight inches of snow dumped on us. At my company, as we're valiantly struggling to keep working through the snow, rain, frost, and mud, I realize the mixed blessing that garden making is for me, my staff and our clients. Full of ups and downs, successes and failures, working in the landscape and with nature is not a task that anyone should take on if they expect a predictable, repeatable work environment. That isn't a good description of the outside work life...at least not where I live.

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Lynda Reeves On Today's Hot Trend In Kitchen Furniture

This article originally appeared in the October 2018 issue of House & Home

When we think of kitchen furniture, what comes to mind is tables and chairs or counter stools and not much else. But, if you were a fashionable bride in Canada or the U.S. in the '20s or '30s, chances are you would have asked for a Hoosier cabinet for your first kitchen. This indispensable storage closet would become the centerpiece of the room along with your stove, kitchen table and chairs, fridge and the white enamel sink hung on a wall, hopefully under a window (below).

These pieces were part of the category of kitchen furniture common until the late 1950s. The Hoosier Manufacturing Co. of New Castle, Indiana, was one of the earliest and largest manufacturers of these cabinets, hence the affectionate name: Hoosier cabinet. The company sold millions and soon Hoosier cabinets were being made by furniture makers all over North America. You could even order them from the Sears or Eaton's catalogue. They could be basic or elaborate, made of wood and glass or enamelled metal. They were always up on legs to help keep food away from rodents and usually included a practical work surface.

Fast-forward to the '50s onward, when sleeker built-in kitchens became the new ideal in North America. New postwar suburban homes featured built-in lower cabinets with laminate counters and closed uppers. I remember my own modern home had counters with rounded edges, a built-in laminate dining table that swivelled and a pass-through with its own counter. I hated it. But not as much as what was to come: overbuilt reproduction wood kitchens with miles of carved wood doors, built-in islands and way too much granite.

The past two decades of sleek Euro-style kitchens and simple Shaker-style country kitchens have been so much better. But for me, they still lack the charm of the old unfitted kitchens of the prewar days. My own response has been to design custom kitchens with open work tables and cabinets that resemble freestanding furniture. But that is an expensive and often impractical solution.

A few fine, artisanal workshops like March, Henrybuilt and Bulthaup have for some time made exquisite kitchen furniture. We've featured them (April 2012 and September 2013) but knew that they were out of reach for many of us. Happily, for the first time, there are now fabulous options for kitchen furniture available in a wide range of prices.

Bulthaup dazzles with its new b Solitaire line (above). All the pieces have finely crafted, matte black aluminum frames, solid oak or glass tops and shelves that can include carved niches for special tools. There are dining tables and benches, shelving and small side tables.

From deVOL Kitchens comes an exciting new collection based on mid-century style called the Haberdasher's Kitchen. Just take a look at the island made of natural stained oak and glass, with copper ends. It has rounded corners and tapered legs and features glass-fronted drawers and cabinets and a marble or copper top. Also in the line is a marble sink with a fluted front made from a solid block of Carrara marble. This is kitchen furniture for the connoisseur.

Most exciting of all is a new line made here in Canada that offers clever kitchen furniture in modules that can be configured to fit your room. The company is Cuisines Steam, and the line is called coquo (above). Each component is available in natural white oak or dark espresso-stained oak. There are options for glass-fronted cabinets, marble or granite countertops, work tables, islands, sink units and vanities that work in both kitchens and bathrooms.

The designers of this Montreal company have filled a much-needed niche in a growing market by offering clean, modern design with the character of fine furniture, at price points that are reasonable. You can go online to cuisinesteam.ca and see the broad range of components and the dimensions of each.

Finally, consider mixing in freestanding units like the French Kitchen island from Crate & Barrel. I love the matte metal base and polished white marble top, reminiscent of an old French patisserie. Of course, if you really want to bring old world character into your kitchen, keep your eyes open for a vintage Hoosier cabinet - back in vogue after only 100 years, and just in time…

The post Lynda Reeves On Today's Hot Trend In Kitchen Furniture appeared first on House & Home.

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Pine Straw and Pests: What You Need to Know This Fall

Pine straw is a popular feature of outdoor autumn décor all around Alabama, and more people across the country are also beginning to use it as an eco-friendly, organic mulch. There are a lot of reasons to use pine straw, but before you start raking it up, keep one thing in mind. Bugs that are looking for somewhere warm to settle down for the winter also love pine straw.

That's right, insects like pine straw even more than avid gardeners. Here's why.

3 Reasons Insects Love Pine Straw in the Fall

Pine straw itself doesn't attract insects. Bugs don't eat dry pine straw, but other qualities draw in bugs including termites, centipedes and earwigs. Some of these insects help break the pine straw down, which is good for deterring weeds, but for the most part its best to keep critters away from your house.

Like other types of mulch, pine straw can serve as a hideout as well as a route for bugs to get in or near a home. As we mentioned in an earlier post, when the weather cools off bugs will be attracted to your warm home for hibernation and are looking for a way to get in. If pine straw is right up against the foundation, on the porch, etc., insects will see it as an invitation to venture further inside.

Even if they don't get inside, the pine straw acts as a ground insulator, which is another reason it attracts insects that are looking to stay warm. Homeowners use mulch to protect roots from freezing like a blanket. Just know that insects may also snuggle underneath.

Yet another double edge sword of pine straw is that it can hold in moisture. This is preferable for your plants, but it can also cause rot in wood, attracting different types of ants and other bugs in the early fall. The moisture also makes pine straw edible for a variety of insects, and termites need high moisture levels to survive.

But don't worry if you've already spent the time to collect a pile of pine needles and have covered your garden beds. When placed properly pine straw can be used to give you all the mulch benefits without the bugs.

Tips for Keeping Pine Straw from Causing Pest Problems

With pine straw it's all about placement and upkeep. Where you put it directly affects how many troublesome bugs start hanging around. Follow the tips below and you'll have a lot fewer pests to worry about this fall.

Don't put pine straw right up against the house. This makes it much easier for bugs to get inside where they don't belong. Instead, stop the mulch line at least a foot or two away from the foundation.

Create a barrier between the house and the pine straw. Just as with other types of mulch, it's best to put a barrier between any structures and the pine straw. Pea gravel is an excellent option to use as a barrier.

Only make it 2-3” deep. In Alabama and other areas with somewhat mild winters that's all it takes to keep root structures warm. It's also shallow enough so that the pine straw won't retain moisture and attract insects.

Keep pine straw mulch shallower in moist areas. If an area is typically moist (spots that are shaded all day or near the gutter outlet) the mulch needs to less than 2” deep.

Opt for long or standard length pine needles that are on the heavier side. Pine needles come in three lengths: 12”, 9” and 6”. The longer and heavier the needles are, the better they will interlock without compacting. This decreases the chances of the needles blowing out of place closer to the house when the first strong gust of wind comes along. Denser pine straw is also less likely to retain high levels of moisture.

Rake the pine needle mulch every now and then. Raking helps to aerate the pine needles so it's less likely to lock in moisture. This will also help prolong decomposing, which typically occurs within 2-4 months.

Skip natural pine straw decor. If you love the look of pine straw wreaths and house decorations, it's best to fake it. Synthetic pine straw decor won't attract insects and you can use it again next fall.

Even if you are careful when placing pine needles so that they don't encourage bugs to hang around, the safest bet is to schedule regular pest control treatments even when the weather cools off. The experienced techs at Vulcan Termite and Pest Control Inc. know where all the fall pests like to hide and can treat the pine needle mulch without harming your plants.

Give us a call for more tips on using pine straw in your yard or to make an appointment!

Original Source:  https://www.vulcantermite.com/garden-pest-control/pine-straw-pests-need-know-fall/

The post Pine Straw and Pests: What You Need to Know This Fall appeared first on Vulcan Termite & Pest Control.

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3 Laundry Room Resolutions For 2019

Maybe, after watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix, you decided you needed to overhaul your laundry situation ASAP. Or maybe “wall cabinets for laundry room” has been on your wish list for a while now and 2019 is the year you finally check it off! Either way, home organization is a common resolution and the best way to achieve it is by setting small, actionable steps you can actually accomplish. Here are three things you can do to spruce up your laundry room this year.

Avoid running out of supplies by keeping laundry detergent in large containers.

Laundry detergent is a bulky buy, so most homeowners only keep one in the house at a time and replace it when they run out. While storage savvy, this approach sometimes leaves us in a pinch. Like when we turn on the washer only to learn we're out of detergent. Oops!

To avoid running out of supplies right when you need it, store liquid detergent in a beverage dispenser - clearly labeled, of course. Whenever you want to find out how much detergent you have left, you can simply lift up the top and take a peak.

For powder detergent, use a clear jar with a wide brim. This will allow you to easily scoop the product out when doing a wash, and keep your eye out for low levels.

While storing detergent this way is convenient, it's also cute! If you want your laundry room to be more aesthetically pleasing, this is an easy swap that can really make the space more stylish.

Install cabinets in your laundry room.

When you have wall cabinets for laundry room essentials like soap and dryer sheets, it makes washing clothes a million times more enjoyable. You no longer have to use your appliances as shelves and can finally keep things in order.

You can also utilize the space in your laundry room cabinetry for any clothing related items, such as an iron and hand steamer. Having everything in one place really helps to streamline chores.

Storage hacks, like installing a fold out drying rack inside a cabinet, also help to make the most of your laundry room - even if the room is on the smaller side.

Use storage bins and caddies to organize laundry room items.

Having a very specific plan in place can help you keep your resolutions all year long. You need to make changes that can become routine. One way to do this in the laundry room is by designating a specific spot for like items.

Your laundry room is probably home to more than just laundry supplies, which is totally fine. Just make sure any miscellaneous items have a proper place. Use plastic storage bins and caddies to keep similar things together. For example, kitchen cleaning supplies in one bin and stain removers in another. When each thing belongs somewhere, you are more likely to return it there and maintain organization. You can even label your storage bins and caddies for added reinforcement!

At The RTA Store we help make your dream home a reality with RTA (Ready To Assemble) and Pre-Assembled cabinets and accessories. Whether it's your kitchen bathroom, laundry room, home office, bar room or TV room, we offer the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store, but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call and let us make your dreams come true with the help of our free room design tool!

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7 Tips for Getting the Best Deal on Your Next Cruise

So you're ready to book a cruise to enjoy some time on the water and exploring port cities. But when is the best time to book a cruise? What if prices drop after you've already paid for your trip? Are the onboard drinks and Wi-Fi packages really worth it? Christopher Festerman, a senior travel professional...

Reyna Gobel is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: travel@nerdwallet.com.

The article 7 Tips for Getting the Best Deal on Your Next Cruise originally appeared on NerdWallet.

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Hot Tips to Avoid Cold Water: 4 Types of Water Heaters to Consider

Imagine this: it's a chilly morning and you really don't want to get out of your warm bed to get ready for work, but let's face it you have to. The only thing you're looking forward to is stepping into that nice warm shower and standing under it for a few extra minutes to get your mind to wake up.

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Quick Fix: How to Make a Door Draft Blocker

Chilly winds can sneak into your house under your door. Not only do these drafts leave your toes cold, they may also waste energy because heat escapes through the opening, Energy.gov notes. This DIY draft blocker helps keeps the heat inside, so you can stay warm and toasty.

Step 1: Measure the Gap

Use a tape measure to determine the size of the gap between the bottom of your exterior door and the floor. The size of the gap under the door will determine what size of pipe insulation you'll buy, Digital Trends says. You may find that pipe insulation that fits a ½-inch pipe works well. This quick fix works best with a hard-surface floor, rather than carpeting, as it may be difficult to open or close the door if the insulation comes in contact with carpeting.

Step 2: Gather Supplies

In addition to the pipe insulation, grab work gloves, a utility knife and double-sided tape.

Step 3: Measure the Width

Measure the width of your door.

Step 4: Cut to Fit

While wearing work gloves, carefully cut a portion of pipe insulation to match the width of your door.

Step 5: Install the Insulation

Place the pipe insulation under the door to fill the gap. You may want to use double-sided tape to help secure the insulation, Engineer Your Space says. Consider affixing the tape to the bottom of the door to help prevent any visible damage when you remove the tape. The insulation should stay in place whether the door is open or closed, BobVila.com says.

The post Quick Fix: How to Make a Door Draft Blocker appeared first on The Allstate Blog.

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IS TERM INSURANCE PURE PROTECTION PLAN?

We live in a world filled with risks and uncertainties. People, their families, their properties and their assets are constantly at exposed to a variety of risks. Insurance plans are a vital part of every person's life for it acts as a safety net for when an individual is in need of monetary assistance due to certain circumstances. In the finance industry, there is a large assortment of insurance plans ranging from health, home, vehicle, travel and even life insurance that an individual can opt for to protect his assets better and be equipped to handle any unfortunate incident that were to occur concerning the particular insurance policy.

Before proceeding further, it is crucial to know what is term insurance and what is meant by pure protection plan.

What is term insurance? Term insurance or term life insurance is life insurance that provides coverage for payment at a particular allotted fixed rate for a certain period as agreed during the initiation of the policy. This fixed term is the relevant term. If the insured individual happens to pass away before the end of the tenure of the life policy, then the death benefit from the policy is paid to the beneficiary as per mentioned in the policy itself during its agreement.

Term insurance is generally the most effective and least expensive method of paying a substantial amount of death benefit

What is meant by pure protection plan?

Pure protection plans or pure term plan is plan that secure and protect you for a particular period in exchange for a regular fixed premium. Term insurances are by far the easiest and also the most monetarily effective method of providing future and continuous financial support and security for your dependants if you meet with any unforeseen tragedies.

  Term insurance as a pure protection plan

Term insurance is the purest form of insurance payment the pays a premeditated amount of money to those who are mentioned as your dependents for a specific period if the insured dies during that time. After the demise of the insured, the term insurance of the life insurance policy pays the face value of the policy itself to the beneficiary or nominated individual mentioned in the policy at the time of the agreement. The cost of insurance protection with no survival benefit is covered by all the premiums that are paid. The insurance coverage ends with the completion of the term of the policy until and unless it is renewed before the expiry of the policy. This is the greatest and the most advantageous way of providing financial support and security to your dependents if you happen to meet your unforeseen death

  Advantages of term insurance as a pure protection plan

A term insurance plan has some benefits that are suited to any insurer looking to provide security and protection to his or her nominees.

Financial Security: this benefit is most advantageous to those who are the chief earners of sustenance in a family or group. Term insurance provides financial security for those looking for a way out during times for monetary crunch. In the event of the death of the prime earner, the sum assured can be used by the dependant to clear of any outstanding loans, child education fees, carry on with daily household expenses and any other liabilities that need to be taken care of.

Customizability:  term insurances are customizable. This means that you as an insurer can select the coverage amount, the period of the term for the policy and even the chose whether the payout option will be a lump sum plan or an income replacement term plan. You can choose the payout option depending on your family condition. If your family cannot afford to make a lump sum payment in your absence, you can customize the term insurance so that the payout can be done via a term insurance plan for income replacement. Here the payout can be done concerning the family monthly earning over a period.

Paid sub-features: if you so desire, then the coverage can be widened with the help of paid and optional features under term insurance plan. These sub-features of term insurance are called term plan riders. There are various types of term insurance riders:- ~critical illness ~total and permanent disability ~accidental death benefit ~hospital cash ~waiver of premium Any of the above term insurance rider and be opted for by the insured to widen the coverage of his or her term insurance in general.

Tax Benefits: under Section10 ( 10 D ) of the Income Tax Act, the payout of the term insurance is tax-free and also under Section 80 C of the Income Tax Act, all premiums that are paid by the insured are also liable to tax deductions.

Simplicity:  term insurance is a simple and uncomplicated insurance product. There are not convoluted rules or schemes that need to be critically understood. It is a simple and easy process. This is not a frill-product. Simply by comparing and buying the term insurance that best suits you on an online platform is all that is required.

Reduced Premiums:  Best term insurance plans are relatively cheaper than most insurance products that are out there. As a pure protection plan, there is no investment component in term insurance. The only cover is of the untimely death of the insured. This means that the only premiums that are calculated are ones for mortality charge.

Higher assured sum: you can opt for lower and higher assured sums according to t your comfort zone. This will help assure you that your family will still be financially secure if you are not there anymore to support them. In such a case, the family of the insured will be left with a high corpus. This will help them achieve independency and will be able to make it through hard times more easily and comfortably.

Online Availability of term insurance

Being such a simple insurance product, one can look for and find a term life insurance online with ease. There, one can collect data and information about the various types of policies and the features of each policy. Being customizable, a potential insurance holder can customize their term insurance so that they may reap the maximum benefit out from it and in the event of the death of the insured, his or her family will be able to avoid a financial crisis. The most effective way to choose term insurance is to compare and contrast between policies online. Online availability allows one to compare different term insurance policies of different insurance companies and choose the one which best suits you. Once you have found the right term insurance for you, you can pay the premium online itself and save yourself a lot of hassles.

  Term insurance is a very viable and popular choice as a pure protection plan that will allow the dependants of the insured to be monetary viable even after his or her death.

There are but a few limitations of term insurance as a pure protection plan:

~ The premium amount for the policy tends to increase with age. This means that those who are young will have to pay less amount of premium than those who are comparatively older for the same amount of sum assured. A person who is of age 25 years will have to pay less amount of premium for an assured sum as whereas those above the age of 25 years will have to play a relatively higher amount of premium even if it is for the same amount of sum assured.

~This type of plan is not very suitable if the target is wealth generation. Term insurance primarily focuses on helping the family of the insured remain monetarily viable after the death his or her death during the term for the policy. And long term or short term goals like children's education or retirement is not applicable to this type of scheme.

~The age for the maturity of the policy is not according to the lifespan of the insured. To be able to make the most of the death benefit, the death of the policyholder must occur within the stipulated period. Only If the demise of the policyholder happens during the tenure of the policy, will the family of the insured be given the assured sum. If the policyholder dies after the completion of the period, no assured sum or death benefit can be claimed by the nominees or beneficiaries mentioned by the late policyholder.

~Finally, the maximum amount of coverage that can be acquired is limited. The annual income of the policyholder restricts the coverage of term insurance even with added term insurance riders.

  Bearing all this on the mind, Term insurance is a great and easy, pure protection plan that will allow you to ensure that even after your death, your family and loved ones will be able to continue and comfortably have the financial strength to sustain themselves.

The post IS TERM INSURANCE PURE PROTECTION PLAN? appeared first on Prairie Eco-Thrifter.

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Make Your Home Secure By Doing These Five Things

We all know to use the peephole before letting anyone in the front door, shut our windows and lock all our doors as some ways of being secure in our home, right? But, are there any other ways you can make your home that bit safer? Guess what, there are in fact several other ways you can make your home that little bit safer. Protecting your home from unwanted intruders is way easier than you may think. Below are 5 tips on how you can keep your home area safe as well as help prevent break-ins.

Locking Doors Even When At Home

Some of you may feel it unnecessary to ensure all your doors are locked even when you happen to be inside the house. Doing something small such as this can help prevent you from experiencing any nasty surprises, for instance, finding a stranger sitting on your living room couch as you come from the basement. This can also get your mind into the habit of always locking all your doors which means that when you're stepping out of the house you're less likely to forget. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Keeping Valuables And Electronics Out Of Sight

A lot of thieves window shop before they decide who to target. Sometimes, it only takes the view of a brand new laptop or a flat-screen TV to entice them into breaking in. Go outside and take a quick lap around your home. How much of your valuables can you see when you peek through your doors and windows? We understand that in some cases having to rearrange your house might not be convenient, but always try to ensure your curtains are closed whenever you leave home.

Do A Bit Of Landscaping

The shrubs and trees surrounding your doors and windows can act as perfect cover for thieves and burglars of all kinds. They can use these things as shelter to try and break in without being spotted. Try tidying up the larger plant vegetation found around the basement and 1st-floor doors and windows. This will help you minimize the coverage amount they'd potentially provide to intruders.

Investing In A Home Security System

Both company-monitored, as well as self-monitored security system plans, can help you enhance the security of your home. They can also help you catch and deter unwanted guests as well. It won't hurt to take some time and learn a thing or two about the different home security options available to you. Here, https://www.ddcountermeasures.com/best-security-camera-systems-for-small-business/ are a few examples of how safe some security systems can make you feel. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "handymtips03-20"; amzn_assoc_search_bar_position = "bottom"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "search"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "Shop Home Security Systems"; amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = "home security system"; amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "35df7101fed4d1d6f9cff691a2ea0202";

Ensuring Your Home Always Looks Lived-In

Whenever you intend to take a trip out of town, even though it may be for just a couple of days, there are a few things you can do to make your house look like it's being lived-in. For starters, you can set timers designed to turn both your outdoor and indoor lights as you normally would each evening.

These are just but a few of the ways you can make your home a little bit safer. It really isn't rocket science, don't you think? Hopefully, this article has now gotten you pointed in the right direction. That is, of course, if you weren't already. Start making your home safe today. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

The post Make Your Home Secure By Doing These Five Things appeared first on Handyman tips.

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Come Fly Away in This $3.9M Fort Myers Mansion in Private Aviation Community

realtor.com

If you've always desired to take flight for your daily commute, this is the home for you. It's an opportunity to live in a private aviation community known as Pine Shadows Airpark in North Fort Myers, FL, for $3.9 million.

The property, which the listing boasts was inspired by European castles, contains a total of seven bedrooms and 7.5 baths in its 7,666 square feet. But it's the aviation-related amenities that truly distinguish this property and its 4.2-acre lot.

There are three main structures on the property: the main home, a guesthouse, and a hangar. The four-bedroom, five-bathroom main house is perfectly luxe, with a sprawling entertaining kitchen and bar, two living rooms, and a formal dining room to host as many guests as your soirees may require. Hanging jellyfish and blue lights under the counters add a more whimsical touch. There are also four dishwashers for all the dishes those guests will dirty.

Helipad

realtor.com

Hangar and plane

realtor.com

After an elaborate dinner party, you can continue the festivities with the help of the 2,000-bottle wine cellar and attached tasting room lined with exposed brick. Or retire to the rich navy and gold movie theater, the game room with painted ceiling, or library.

When the party's over, there's a custom two-headed shower in the master bath, as well as an office lined with Norman windows along the walls. Italian tile, stone and marble accents, solid wood doors, and a curving staircase all contribute to the lord of castle atmosphere.

Wine cellar

realtor.com

Backyard

realtor.com

Private spa

realtor.com

The house backs onto roughly 6,000 feet of outdoor living space, which you can also survey from the second-story marble balcony perched atop spiraling columns. The highlight is a waterfall pool surrounded by decorative rocks, but if it's slightly too chilly to swim, residents can still enjoy the outdoor kitchen with barbecue, pizza oven, and bar area.

The guesthouse, meanwhile, contains two bedrooms and one bathroom. There's also a small chapel building on the property complete with pews and stained-glass windows if you need to reflect on your success.

An 80-by-80-foot steel hangar provides aircraft storage space along with a one-bed, one-bath au pair quarters; kitchen; bar; and a two-room private day spa. Massage therapist and esthetician are not included, though you could presumably fly them in with the help of your helipad. Up, up, and away!

The post Come Fly Away in This $3.9M Fort Myers Mansion in Private Aviation Community appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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Pesto & Parm Pasta e Fagioli

This Pesto and Vegan Parmesan Pasta e Fagioli soup is the perfect quick and easy meal to warm you up this January. Serve in a big soup bowl with a hearty chunk of warm sourdough bread and dinner (or lunch) is served! White beans and tender pasta mingles with potatoes, red onion, garlic, olive oil, pesto and vegan Parmesan. This soothing soup can be made in under 30 minutes...Read more » This is a summary, images and full post available on HHL website!

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My Self-Assessment of 2018 & Goals for 2019

It's that time of year. Time to slow down and reflect on the year that was and the year that will be. Every year, I like to pause, reflect, and assess how I performed against the goals I set out to achieve for the year. Hopefully, this gives you a window into me – personally and financially – and it's a way to publicly hold myself accountable for the year ahead. If you haven't tried a similar exercise, give it a shot. It can help to keep you grounded, focused, and moving in the right direction. My biggest focus areas The post My Self-Assessment of 2018 &... [Read the rest of the story at 20somethingfinance.com]

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We Went Plastic-Free for a Week-Here Are 6 Surprising Things We Learned

Why ditch plastic? Let us count the reasons. Roughly one million plastic bottles are sold in the world per minute, and by 2050, it's estimated that there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Those are just two in a veritable sea of urgent statistics-study after study shows we're basically drowning the planet in plastic, whether you're talking bottles, bags, or straws.

View this post on Instagram

1 day's worth of Brooklyn's residential plastic recycling.

Read More >>

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Salt Accounting 101

By Douglas Freer, CSP 

Loader skill: Determining the weight of the material being loaded is required to accurately account for a company's salt inventory. A primer on how to estimate truck loads is online at www.sima.org/library.

Management consultant Peter Drucker once said, “If you can't measure something, you can't manage it.” This is relevant to managing your assets, and in particular, ice control chemicals. In today's increasingly competitive marketplace, finding efficiencies and room for improvement can provide an advantage in your business space.

Next to labor, your ice control chemicals may represent the largest variable expense. How do you manage your inventory to ensure you get the best return? Are you using too much product, or could you use less and get the same results? How much shrinkage (theft) or spoilage (waste) do you have? Do you know? If you don't have a system for managing your inventory and product, you can't determine “normal” usage and benchmark to determine if you're ahead or behind expectations.

What is salt accounting?

Salt accounting is the process of measuring and tracking ice control chemicals purchased and used during a season. The salt accounting system produces data that informs your decision-making related to operations, sales and expenses.

More simply, salt accounting is a check register for your ice control chemicals. You make deposits (credits) when you take a delivery of material and withdrawals (debits) when you use material to service your sites.

At a minimum, your salt accounting system should tell you how much material you purchased and when you used it. This system can be improved if you record where the salt is used by having drivers collect data for each site serviced.

One size doesn't fit all

Your salt accounting system does not need to be complicated; in fact, keeping it as simple as possible for your specific needs is important for making salt accounting sustainable. Fancy applications on devices are not necessary to manage an effective system. The scope or sophistication of your salt accounting system will depend on your needs, which in large part is driven by the size of your business. It's important to collect the same basic data whether you use 10 or 10,000 tons a season. The more ice control chemical you use the more incentive to find savings, since a 10% savings of a larger whole number will mean more dollars for the bottom line.

Developing a process

A very basic salt accounting system measures the amount of ice control chemical used per event, which allows for storm-event job costing. You could track this by truck driver and determine approximately how much product, on average, the driver uses and estimate application rates for a given route during an event.

However, with a little more tracking you can record salt usage at each site. Tracking the information to each specific site is not complicated and can be accomplished with a paper-based system, which can be converted to an electronic system if the use of technology is justified and cost effective.

Setting up an effective salt accounting system means answering these questions:

Who handles the data? The material loaded into each truck is recorded by the loader operator as well as the driver, who records site-specific information. Office administrators input the data into the database or storage system for future retrieval.

What materials were used? Was it bulk or bagged, straight granular salt or treated material? Did it include pre-wetting with a liquid system?

Where were the materials sourced (shop bin, satellite bin, retail location, etc.)?

Where and how much material was used?

Why was the application made? What site and weather conditions required the application?

What was the method of application? What truck and/or system was used to apply and what were the settings?

Master inventory sheet

A master inventory register is kept for each bin or storage location and for each product. This relatively simple register, or transaction journal, records the deposits and withdrawals from the inventory, giving you a quick reference on how much total material has been purchased, used and remains in inventory.

Keep a separate inventory register for each product that you use and for each location where product is stored. Physically checking inventory periodically will help uncover discrepancies, which can be investigated and rectified in a timely manner.

Storm event inventory sheet

A simple form filled out by the loader operator or by each driver provides a master log of the material applied for a particular storm event. The form records the material loaded and then returned (if any) at the end of the event, providing a total number of material units used by location.

Truck log

The driver log records the estimated amount of materials used during the event by recording how much was loaded into the truck and then how much was applied at each site. The driver is responsible for knowing how much material was applied and to ensure his calculations balance. If three tons of material were loaded and the truck came back empty, where and when were 6,000 pounds applied?

Automated measurement systems

Automated measurement systems are available to let the driver know how much material has been applied. Based on spinner rotation, hydraulic flow or some other means of measurement, the equipment is calibrated from known test measurements to provide close estimates on the units applied.

In the absence of an automated measurement system, the driver will have to visually estimate their load after each application in order to record the amount of material used. With guidance, practice and time spent balancing the truck log, the driver will gain experience and become more proficient at estimating product use.

Technology can be useful in collecting and processing data. Be leery of using technology if you don't have a salt accounting system yet or if it isn't sufficient to meet the needs of the business. Technology by itself is not a solution. First you need to know what kind of reports or information you want to get out of your system.

Calibration and application rates

Who decides how much material should be used in a given storm event or in a certain scenario? Does the driver make the call or do area managers or supervisors offer guidance? In the same storm scenario, one driver may feel that 500 pounds on a site is appropriate while another driver subscribes to the theory that more is better and decides to apply 1,000 pounds.

Establishing application guidelines for each site gives your drivers a basic guideline for how much material should be used under “normal” conditions. For example, if the average application is 500 pounds per acre, a 3-acre property will generally need 1,500 pounds of product. This does not mean that your driver should always apply this amount, since conditions may warrant more or less. But a guideline will help them make that decision. You can take the application guidelines a step further by providing a site list with property size, and then adding incremental calculations for each site, ranging from a light to heavy application. For example, you may indicate in a light icing scenario that your target is 250 to 300 pounds per acre. The driver can consult the reference chart for each site they're servicing and determine the target quantity required and apply with that estimate in mind, recording actual units applied.

Ultimately when it comes to calibration, not only are you ensuring your equipment is calibrated and working correctly, but you are dialing in your drivers so they can make an effective application. Applying ice control chemical from a moving truck at varying speeds in traffic and around obstacles is imprecise, but measuring and checking against expectations will help make the driver more efficient and effective.

Return loop

Once your system is in place, the first step is to reliably and accurately record and collect the data each storm event. After the storm event you need to review the paperwork or data collected for accuracy, and enter it into your recordkeeping system if this is not an automated process. This system can be paper based or managed in Excel or another database, making it easier to tabulate and manipulate data to share with others.

With this type of data, you can begin to make more informed decisions and provide feedback to those who need the information, leading you to a more efficient and effective operation. •

  THE BENEFITS OF MEASURING

Measuring and managing your ice control chemicals has multiple benefits. If you effectively track the flow of material through your business by event, driver and property serviced, you will have important data that can provide insights into developing and improving best practices. Feedback from your system will help to increase or improve:

Production efficiency. Feedback to drivers about proper application rates and methods reduces waste and guesswork and improves their effectiveness, resulting in more efficient service.

Storm management. Reduced consumption increases salt truck load range, which improves routing, reduces drive time for reloading and increases service consistency. Improved material management and awareness will reduce mistakes and the possibility of running out of material at critical times.

Cost control. Reduce costs by using what is necessary, avoiding waste and reducing overall material consumption, which reduces inventory and related carrying costs.

Inventory management. Determine how much product is necessary to service your client base for the season so you can accurately order in the preseason and manage in-season inventory levels.

Client expectations. With increased attention to detail, you are more likely to meet or exceed client expectations due to consistent and improved performance by avoiding under- or over-application.

Legal defense. Tracking material use at the client level provides useful information to dispute slip-fall claims.

Confidence. Crew members will have increased confidence in their work because they understand what they are doing and the accounting process will become second nature.

Best practices. You'll be able to compare variables and measure outcomes as you experiment and test products and equipment, leading to operational tweaks in search of the sweet spot, resulting in the definition of your company's best practices. If you don't measure, you won't be certain that one change or variable is better than another.

Doug Freer, CSP, owns Blue Moose Snow Co. in Cleveland. Contact him at doug@bluemoosesnow.com.

This article was featured in the Snow & Ice Management Association's SB In Focus issue focused on transitioning from a residential to commercial snow company. Read the whole issue, sponsored by Buyers Products, here.

The post Salt Accounting 101 appeared first on Turf.

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Working the EHD Crew out with Culligan Water

If I had a dollar for every time I've gone into a new year and mentally started a workout bet with myself, I'd have enough to pay for a personal trainer. For. The. Rest. Of. My. Life. On the flip side, once I start working out regularly, my body tells my brain how happy the activity is making me…so why is committing to a workout/sticking with a health-focused New Year's resolution so hard? Working out is one of those things that we all have the best intentions for, but have the hardest time following through with (#newyearsresolutions, right?). If you have been following along on the blog, you know that a few years back, the entire EHD crew participated in a workout bet, because apparently none of us can commit to working out unless it involves the thought of winning money in the end. Bribery at its finest! All kidding aside, group activities and mutual peer-to-peer support is something that we all thrive under. As someone who loves being around people while doing just about everything-working out with people who are also working out and pushing me is the ultimate motivation. So I thought for the new year it would be fun to kick off one of our first posts with some new years resolutions dedicated to health and working out – one thing that I did a lot more of this last year, and loved.

It's a well-known fact that the EHD crew loves to participate in things together-case in point, that time I hosted everyone in my backyard for an EHD spa day, or when we went up to Malibu for an EHD day out of the office. During that field trip, we were reminded during our sound bath that our bodies are about 60% water (that water contributes to so much of our body's function: joint lubrication, aids in digestion, helps to deliver oxygen, and so much more). That sound bath jiggled all my water in such a nice way and apparently my brain as well, as it got me thinking if our bodies are 60% water, then it should be VERY important where that water comes from and the quality of it. Right? You wouldn't put regular unleaded gas into a Bentley-it would not be good for the engine, so you better believe my Rolls Royce body (and engine) demands only the highest quality water.

I've discussed my love for my fresh-tasting Culligan Water that comes directly from our faucets before, and have partnered with Culligan this past year to create this content, but it wasn't until that euphoric sound bath that it hit me how important it is to know where our water comes from, how that water is filtered, and how much of it we consume every day. The whole home Culligan Water System is what we have, and is installed at the source of all the water our family gets at home. It was installed in our garage and it's not huge-about half the size of old hot water tanks. The system softens all the water which is then distributed to our house.

Without getting too deep into the water softening and filtration lingo, water softener systems are designed to remove high concentrations of minerals in hard water that can leave deposits on dishes and plumbing fixtures, while water filtration systems are designed to reduce certain contaminants and foul odors that might be in your drinking water. So although filtered water is great and delicious and something your family should enjoy the benefits of, soft water goes beyond just what you drink every day and is easier on your plumbing, appliances, fixtures and just about anything else that water touches in your house (even sensitive skin). I talked about why I love it for my faucets and home in this post, but today it's all about the delicious water I get to drink pre- and post-workout without contributing to an ever-growing landfill with one-time-use “disposable” water bottles. If you've given yourself the intention to drink more water/workout more/have a better relationship in general with health-focused goals, keep reading.

Recently, I've been storying about how happy a little bit of endorphin-boosting running has made me in the mornings, so we decided that it was time to pull together an EHD workout post. We're not a fitness blog by any means, so this blog post is not one where we all go to a fancy club and work out together but one where we really dissect what all of us are wanting to work on and then employ a professional to guide us through easy to do exercises that we can do to achieve our goals in a totally manageable way. Group fitness, professional trainer, a little effort and hopefully a big return? Count me in (as well as the EHD crew). I know that for me, it's all about setting manageable goals so I can actually follow through with them. Committing to a run every day for at least 20 minutes. Totally doable. Adding on a quick 5-minute pre- and post-run workout? Even more doable. So we decided to do that with every person here at EHD.

Everyone here has totally different goals when it comes to working out, as I'm sure is the case with all you readers, so we figured with nine totally different bodies, goals and personalities, we might be able to throw a bunch of darts at that workout pinboard and find something that could stick for a lot of you guys, especially if they are easy to replicate in your own homes. We had each person write down a specific goal that they wanted to achieve-mine was something that I could do at home in the morning that would boost my endorphins (hello happy feelings), relieve my stress in the morning (ugh) and also maintain my weight (souping is also helping with this and a lot more on that this month), and then we would have a trainer look through all of those goals and pull together actionable items that each person could do to see results. We also thought it would be fun for every member to recommend their go-to workout items (including their favorite water bottle, workout gear, and clothing as well as a go-to playlist they enjoy while getting their sweat on).

For the workout portion, we worked with Madeleine Starkey (that lovely lady up there running with Brady). She's a SoulCycle instructor, Pilates guru and also a yoga professional…basically, a fully certified one-woman show that could approach our goals with a lot of insight and expertise. She is local to LA, offers personal training and teaches a handful of classes (read: 20+) each week. If you are in the LA area and looking to get yourself into shape, then you can get in touch with her through her Instagram. For those of you that are elsewhere, she developed these workouts to be done just about anywhere and with very, very minimal effort, equipment or experience. Best of all, they are totally free. So let's get into each person, starting with yours truly.

EMILY H.

I like a fast and efficient workout OR yoga. I'm not an endurance runner, more of a sprint and crasher (shocking). As discussed before, my goals included workouts that could involve stress release, boost endorphins (running) and help me not gain weight even on less healthy weeks. Oh, and once I was face to face with the trainer, I also told her I wanted a go-to exercise that could tighten and lift my behind. We all want that don't we? So she worked to create these four moves that can be done quickly and just about anywhere I happen to find myself.

1. Superman planks: Shoulders over wrists, heels over toes. Extend one arm, pick up opposite leg. Hold for 2 breaths, release, switch. 10x per side

2. Downward facing dog to high lunge: From downward facing dog, lift one leg. Exhale to step the foot between hands, then inhale to rise up with arms overhead. One breath, then step back to dog and repeat on other side. 5x per side

3. Boat pose crunches: Lie on your back. Lift legs, then bend knees so you create a sort of shelf with your shins. Lift chest and shoulders off the mat so that the torso and upper legs create a V shape, extend arms by your hips. Back comes back down toward mat, repeat. 12 reps

4. Jump squats: Squat down, hands come together in front of heart. Sink an inch or two lower in the squat then explode upward as you jump up and off the ground as you swing your arms down toward the earth, by your hips. Land back in a squat, repeat. 15 reps

1. Water Bottle | 2. Shoes | 3. T-Shirt | 4. Leggings | 5. Jacket | 6. Headphones

BRADY

Brady is the resident dude in the office. He wasn't looking to lift his butt or relieve his stress, but instead, to build his chest and abs through exercises he could do in his own home before bed or first thing in the morning. Madeleine took to action and rather than tell him to do 50 pushups every morning, she worked with him through a combination of Pilates and yoga-inspired moves to chisel core muscles, like his abs and oblique, in addition to exercises that free the shoulder-girdle from movement patterns that inhibit the development of toned muscle. If you know what a shoulder girdle is then you are one step above both me and Brady. But freeing up body parts that inhibit growth from other body parts sounds like something that we should all be doing. Thank you, Madeleine. Here is what his workout consisted of:

1. Plank shoulder touches with weights: Come into a plank with weights in hand, shoulders on top of wrists and heels on top of toes. Try to minimize side to side rocking as you lift one weighted hand to its opposite shoulder, then return the weigh to the mat so the wrist is under the shoulder again. Switch sides. 12 reps each side

2. Tricep dips: Using a chair, bench or couch to prop hands on, come into a reverse plank shape with legs extended and heels on floor. Belly faces up, hands rest on furniture so fingers point forward toward feet. Elbows hug in toward side body, and the strength of the upper arms, chest, and shoulders help stabilize as you bend elbows to lower down as far as you can, then engage outside of upper arms to push back up to where you came from. To make it even harder, you could rest a weight on your lap as you dip down. 12 reps

3. Dumbbell chest press: On a bench or angled on a couch or bed so that feet rest on the ground, one dumbbell in each hand. Extend arms up toward ceiling with palms facing forward, then bend elbows out wide until they come to 90-degree angles and arms look like a goal post. Push weights back up overhead to touch. 15-20 reps

4. Russian twist: Similar setup to Emily H's boat pose crunches, but here you hold free weights or a kettlebell at heart height and twist from the middle of the spine from side to side. Keep the chin over the middle of the chest so the twist comes from the abdominal work, and not a mere shake of the head! 10 reps each side

1. Running Shirt | 2. Shorts | 3. Playlist | 4. Duffle Bag | 5. Headphones | 6. Shoes | 7. Water Bottle

SARA

Sara's words: “My arms are my least favorite part of my body, and I have zero upper body strength.” So she wanted to try a series of exercises that she could do every morning (or evening) to tone her upper arms and build her upper body strength. She also challenged Madeleine to create exercises that would simultaneously tone and flatten her belly. Here is what she did:

1. Kettlebell swings: Feet hips' width, generous bend in knees, hinge at hips. Holding kettlebell in both hands, hinge at hips to rise upright as you swing kettlebell as high as shoulders. Immediately swing back down to where you came from. Repeat. 20 reps

2. Forearm side plank: From a high plank, lower down onto right forearm, then roll into outside of right foot, staking left foot on top. Raise left arm to the ceiling. Switch sides. 12 reps each side

3. Reverse bent arm butterfly row: Feet hips' width, generous bend in knees, hinge at hips, elbows bent to 90 degrees with dumbbells in hand. Raise one elbow to the height of its shoulder, then return it to be underneath its shoulder. Switch. 12-15 reps

4. Jackknife crunches: Lie on your back with arms by your side. Extend legs up to the sky, then lift chest and shoulder blades off the floor and reach hands toward feet. Lower back down, then immediately repeat. 15 reps

1. Duffle Bag | 2. Leggings | 3. Shoes | 4. Shirt | 5. Socks

JESS

Jess wanted a “super doable” 20-30 minute workout that she could do when she gets home after work that helps to build lean muscles and core strength. She loves yoga and already does a fair amount of hot yoga (typically in the mornings), so a complementary quick routine to help promote weight loss was what she was after. On top of that, she has sensitive wrists so Madeleine created workouts that could work for her as well as her goals. Here is her workout:

1. Downward facing dog on yoga blocks: Propped up on blocks, downward facing dog becomes less strenuous on the wrists and is a great way to align the spine so that it can well support the core in its strength exercises.

2. Flipped wrist planks (modify with knees on the ground): In an effort to continue to help Jess regain the support of her wrist joints, we played with flipping a hand around 180 degrees. This helps to reorganize the muscle, bone, and fascia in the wrists and forearms for more optimal function. In a plank with shoulders over wrists and heels over toes (or, kneed on the ground), inhale and wing one elbow up toward the ceiling, then as you exhale bring the hand back to the mat, but flipped! You can then either keep the wrist flipped then flip the other one in the same fashion, or do one at a time. All the while, you're in a plank of some kind that demands core stability.

3. King of the mountain: This shape is meant to lift the upper body off the lower body, reorganizing the bones so that again, they can support optimal core stability, and also so that the bones in the arms, wrists and hands can remember how to situate so that Jess' wrist discomfort becomes a thing of the past. Simply interlace fingers, flip palms away from your face and reach arms up overhead until arms land next to ears. Breathe! Pick your frontal hip points up so you don't dump into your lower back. Wrap your armpits in toward your ears. Keep arms straight. Push the thumb side part of the hands up up up!

4. Forearm plank play: On hands and knees, grab opposite elbows with forearms coming onto the ground. This gives you the distance of your shoulders, between your elbows. Clasp hands together so the forearms are on the ground. Extend legs back behind you, toes tucked and underneath heels. Keep one foot's length between your two feet, and using the stability of your deep abdominals and obliques, roll onto the outside of the right foot and inside of the left. Come back through center, then switch directions. 10 reps per side

1. Leggings | 2. Sports Bra | 3. Shoes | 4. Yoga Blanket | 5. Yoga Mat

VELINDA

Velinda wanted to supplement her twice-weekly group classes (way to go Velinda) with a routine that would keep her in shape on the days when she wants to get in a workout but maybe doesn't make it to the gym. Here is her workout:

1. Burpees: From standing position, plant hands on ground and jump back to a plank. Optionally, do a push up, or skip it if your form is going to get sloppy. From plank, jump feet toward hands then jump straight up bringing arms up overhead. Immediately plant hands and repeat. 15 reps

2. High plank to forearm plank: From a high plank, shift down to a forearm plank, one arm at a time. Then raise yourself back up to a high plank. 10 reps for each version

3. Weighted lunges: One dumbbell per hand, step one foot far enough forward to lunge and bend both knees to 90 degrees. Push through front heel to step front foot back next to back foot. Switch sides. 12 reps per side

4. Bicep curl into shoulder press: Feet hips' width apart, slight bend in the knees. Arms by your side, palms facing each other. Curl weights to shoulder height, then push straight up overhead, and simply rewind the movement and repeat. 20 reps

1. Shorts | 2. Sports Bra | 3. Tank Top | 4. Wireless Headphones | 5. Sex with Emily Podcast | 6. Sword and Scale Podcast | 7. Sapiens Audio Book | 8. The Last Girl Audio Book | 9. Audible

Ryann

Ryann's target areas that she wanted to work on are were her stomach and her arms. She mentioned that she was not an “avid worker-outer (I might go on a run MAYBE once a week)” and that those two areas are where her weight fluctuates the most. So Madeleine came up with an effective 15-20 minute morning workout that could help lean her out while building her upper body strength. Ryann was interested in a morning workout to slim down a touch and develop some more core strength. Here is her workout:

1. Jump rope: Good old-fashioned cardio to get the heart rate up first thing in the morning. Intervals: 30 seconds on as fast as you can, 15 seconds off. Repeat. 4 sets

2. Tricep kick back: Using an elevated flat surface on which to rest left knee and hand, grab one dumbbell in the right hand and plant the right foot on the ground. Bend the right elbow and hold it near the right hip, and keep it pinning in toward the side body with a long spine as you extend the right arm back behind you. Rebend the elbow, then repeat. 12 reps

3. Bicycle crunches: Lie on your back, legs extended, hands behind head. Lift chest and shoulder blades off mat, and draw right elbow to left knee. Then switch sides. Exhale when drawing elbow to knee. 20 reps

4. Plank with knee to elbow: In a plank with shoulders over wrists and heels over toes, use core stability to draw right knee to right elbow, then place foot back where it came from. Switch sides. 10 reps per side

1. Sports Bra | 2. Slides | 3. Leggings | 4. The Dollop Podcast | 5. Uhh Yeah Dude Podcast | 6. Hoodrat to Headwrap Podcast

Arlyn

Arlyn mentioned from the get go that she has “a horrendous lower back, so I'd love to hear about exercises that could help strengthen my lower back, or at the very least, are easy on my lower back.” Overall, her goal was to develop more strength, stability and comfort in her lower back, so Madeleine played both with body weight exercises in addition to a kettlebell movement. Her exercises are to be executed in the order listed, three to four sets of each. Here is her workout:

1. Bridges: Press down evenly through both heels to lift pelvis off the mat. Knees bend to 90 degrees staying over the middle of the ankle, chest lifts, too. Slowly lower down. 12-15 reps

2. Kettlebell upright row: Holding kettlebell with both hands, slight knee bend, feet hips' width, hover kettlebell in front of feet, long spine (should feel like a half lift from a forward fold). Hinge at hips to rise up and bend elbows to shoulder height as you raise kettlebell in front of chest. Hinge at hips to lower down. 10 reps

3. Tabletop opposite arm/leg extending: On all fours, wrists under shoulders and knees under hips, lift and extend one arm, then lift and extend opposite leg. Pull these opposing limbs even farther away from each other on an inhale, then on the exhale, draw elbow to knee for a crunch. Inhale, re-extend, exhale, hand and knee back on the mat. Switch sides. 10-12 reps each side

1. Water Bottle | 2. Shirt | 3. Shoes | 4. Leggings | 5. Sports Bra | 6. Socks

GRACE

Grace's goal was fabulously specific, you know how I feel about people that know what they want. She wanted to increase her upper body and core strength so that she could do pull-ups! The workout that Madeleine came up for her will not only help her build that strength she wants in her arms to do a pullup but will also help tone everything, as well.

1. Boat pose crunches with yoga block: Lie on your back, bend knees to stack them on top of hips, creating a little shelf with your shins. With a yoga block between the palms on its longer width, lift the chest and shoulder blades away from the mat as the yoga block reaches up and past the knees. Don't tuck the chin! 10 reps

2. Modified Situps: Lie on your back with the yoga block in between your hands. With legs lifted 6 inches from the floor, crunch your stomach in and twist to switch from side to side, returning to center in between each. 10 reps

3. Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts: Feet hips' width apart, very slight bend at knees, stick your sitz bones way back in space, and keep your spine long. Hinge at the hips to rise up, keeping the weights super close to the body on the way up, and on the way back down. 12 reps

4. Modified push-ups: A classic! With knees bent and on the ground, arms are straight and wrists are under shoulders. Elbows stay pinning in toward the midline and bend directly behind you as you lower yourself toward the mat, using stability in the core to guide you. Next, push the palms firmly into the mat to use the strength of the arms to push you back up. 12 reps

1. Shirt | 2. Shirt | 3. Shoes | 4. Protein Bar | 5. Water Bottle | 6. Leggings

EMILY B.

Emily B. rides a home stationary bike a lot (she recently got a Peloton), and had lots of tension in her shoulders and upper back. To combat that, Madeleine designed some moves for her to unwind the effects of repeated bike riding (hunched over posture on the bike gives you that stress in your back and shoulders), so that she can move more freely in the body.

1. Shoulder flossing: Stand with feet hips' width apart, gentle bend in the knees. Holding a yoga strap between your hands with palms facing down, extend arms wider than shoulders and keep them straight, pulling the rope taught. Inhale to draw the strap up, overhead, then behind the back with straight arms (just try it! You'll surprise yourself!). After that, simply draw the strap back to where it came from. Repeat. 15 reps

2. Eagle pose: To help Emily loosen her upper back and develop more core strength, we incorporated this classic yoga pose. From standing, put all the weight into the right foot as you sink into a bent knee as though you were going to sit in a chair, then pick the left leg up and wrap it on top of the right. Maybe the left foot then wraps behind the right ankle. Next, wrap the left arm underneath the right, either giving yourself a hug with this arm orientation or further wrapping the arms so the palms make contact. Try to bring elbows forward and up, as you also try to get the elbows and knees to align with the midline. Switch sides. 3 reps per side

3. Shoulder opening hip hinges: Stand with feet hips' width apart, gentle bend in the knees. Interlace fingers behind the back and hinge at the hips to fold forward until your torso is parallel to the ground. Flick your sitz bones up, pull crown and tail farther away from one another, pull upper arms bones back in space using connection between hands. Option (not pictured) to lift hands toward sky, depending on shoulder mobility. Inhale to hinge back upright.

4. Lunges with knee taps: From standing, come into a runner's lunge with the front knee at a 90-degree angle and hands framing the front foot. Slice front hip back in space to even out the pelvis, then tap the back knee down toward the mat to lengthen the back leg's psoas. Bend then straighten the knee. 15 reps per side

1. Shoes | 2. Sports Bra | 3. Leggings | 4. Sweatshirt | 5. A Tribe Called Quest Album | 6. Miya Folick Album

Turns out, working out not only makes you feel good, but makes your body feel good, as well. And while all of the staff headed back to the office after this shoot to finish up work, I took the liberty (I am the boss after all) to head back home to finish my day, but not before a quick shower. We discussed the benefits of Culligan's softened water earlier in the post but in addition to those, Culligan Water recently did a survey where participants noticed an improvement in hair quality from using softened water. Ever switch from shampoo to shampoo wondering why your hair still feels dry and frizzy? Well, it may not be the shampoo. Instead, it might be the water that you are washing it with. In our very first post from earlier this year with Culligan Water, there were a handful of comments that all attested to the fact that people noticed quite a difference when using softened water vs. hard water when washing their hair. The proof is in the pudding (or water) in this case. And this lady is very into having soft water for your body, your hair, your kids, and your home which is why I wanted to work together with Culligan Water this last year.

Also, do you want to know one of many great things about millennials? They carry water bottles and abhor using plastic bottles. See how happy they all are with their reusable water bottles up there? That was one of the inspirations for this post. It's generational and my generation (only slightly behind them) was strangely okay with buying “disposable” water bottles. Every time I walk into the office, I see all of their bottles sitting on their desks waiting for the next refill – not a one-time plastic bottle in site. Well done, guys. We are going to look back and be disgusted that they are still being sold instead of water stations (like paper bags). Anyway, that's my “hey, way to go millennials (including everyone on my team) by making the world a less wasteful place.” And you know what you can put in your water bottles like us?

The most delicious water in the world via CULLIGAN WATER.

Let us know below if you have any questions on any of the workouts or our Culligan Water system. Here's to a happy and healthy 2019 all around.

**Photography by Sara Tramp for EHD

*This post is in partnership with Culligan Water, all words, designs and selections are our own. Thanks for supporting the brands we love that support the blog.

  The post Working the EHD Crew out with Culligan Water appeared first on Emily Henderson.