Even if you buy a couple of so-called indoor plants for beginners, you might find yourself with a dead plant in its pot a couple of weeks later, again! What are you doing wrong? Well, it could be a plethora of things. Each type of plant has a specific set of conditions that need to be met for them to thrive, even if they are “for beginners,” but they also share some fundamental needs that anyone can master.

We made this list of basic plant-care tips so you can learn how not to kill your houseplants anymore. It’s all about putting in some time, patience, and the right amount of everything. Good luck!

1. Watering and pots are the first steps

There are two skills that anyone who wishes to keep plants in their house should master: Watering correctly and using the right pots. Many experts agree that over and underwatering are the number one reason why houseplants die before their time, and pots play a big role in that as well. The trick is to stick your finger in the soil; if it’s dry, time for water, but if it’s damp, let it be. Once a week should be enough, but remember to only water near the root of the plant, as watering the leaves directly can cause them to stain or rot.

Moving onto pots, have you ever worn too-small shoes for your feet? It’s the same for plants! Pots are not “one size fits all”, and many types of plant will need to be re-potted as time goes on and their roots get bigger. Not doing so can cause your plant to become rootbound, which can also kill your plants.

2. Give your plant an occasional makeover

Just like people need haircuts and a shave once in a while, so do plants require you to give them a little makeover. If you see any brown leaf or withered flower, chop them off and let them rest on the soil so your plant can use them as nourishment. If you see any dusty leaves, clean them off using water and a soft rag that doesn’t leave residue behind. You might have heard about applying mayo to the leaves so that the shine beautifully, but that is safe only for naturally waxy leaves since mayo contains vinegar and can change the pH of your plant.

3. Location is key

The size of your plant should dictate its place inside your house. Bigger plants like a palm tree will need plenty of room to grow both upwards and sideways and a much larger pot than squatter plants. Other, less sizable plants might not look like they need lots of space, but while they can thrive in smaller pots, overcrowding them can lead to shorter lifespans, among other problems. 

Also, remember that even if you have an indoor plant, some of them require more light than others. Check if your plant does better in bright light o low-light conditions and choose a spot in your house where you think it will do better.

4. Water each plant correctly

You can absolutely compost indoors! If you live in an apartment or don’t have a big enough yard, you can follow these tips by Sustainable America to start composting indoors in a clean an efficient manner. And yes, it is entirely odor-free if you do it right, so don’t worry about funky smells lingering around when you bring people over. This will make your plants extra-healthy and won’t cost you a thing if you do it with your regular scraps.

5. Get the right soil for them

While most houseplants will do just fine with simple soil mix, some will need a specific variety to grow properly, like succulents and cacti. Its mostly boils down to how acidic the soil is, so the best thing to do is to consult with an expert (the people who sold you the plant should know) or read about it on an online database. As time goes on, you can try different soil mixes to get better results, but there really is no need unless you want to grow an award-winning orchid, for example.
The beautiful thing about keeping indoor plants is that they bring so much into the house while asking for so little. We are sure that these tips will help you keep your plants alive and well for far longer than usual, and you’ll become a master horticulturist in no time. And if you made a little bit of a mess during that las re-potting operation, why not let the professionals handle the cleaning so you can just relax?

Depending on where you live, summers can go from pretty warm to unforgivingly hot in a matter of days, and that’s the time when everyone’s electric bill goes through the roof. Well, if you don’t feel like losing money faster than your AC can spit out cool air, you’re going to need a plan. Lucky for you, we happen to know a thing or two about surviving the hot summer with minimal AC usage, and we’re going to share those secrets with you in this blog.

Keep in mind that these are all tips to keep yourself cool with minimal AC use, which means that you shouldn’t just outright rip the thing off the wall, but save it for when the heat is particularly scorching inside. Remember, your well-being comes before any bill!

Keep your curtains/blinds closed

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: A lot of heat enters your house through the windows. Almost 30 percent of all that unwanted heat inside your house enters it this way, so blocking them will lower the temperature inside considerably, sometimes up to 20 degrees depending on the time of the day. This is especially true of windows facing south and west, which get the full force of the sun during the afternoon. Invest in blackout curtains, which act as natural insulation from the sun and are a great way to keep the house cool in days of extreme heat.

Reverse your ceiling fans

Did you know that your ceiling fan has to be rotated depending on the season? Well now you do, and you’ll be able to make the most of them if you make them rotate counter-clockwise during the summer (while increasing the speed) to create something called a wind-chill breeze effect that will help your family to keep cool in a more natural way using only the air that’s already inside your house. Reversing the fan makes it suck up the warm air and leave everything below a lot cooler. Just don’t forget to reverse them again once the summer is over.

Sleep downstairs for a while

Heat rises, as you might know. This means that the upper floors of your house will have hotter air in them around summertime. If that’s proving too much for you at night, try hitting the couch or improvising a bed downstairs so that you’ll be surrounded by cool air. If you have a clean enough basement (and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t), you can also try setting up your mini-bedroom there if things get too hot elsewhere in the house.

Use your grill more often

OK, this might sound like an excuse to organize more impromptu BBQs… and it really can be, but it’s also very helpful in reducing the heat inside your house. See, using your stove or oven is sure to make the house much hotter, right? So not only are you suffering through the cooking process, but then you have to eat the food in a really hot kitchen or dining room. If you use the grill more often (even for simple dishes, not a full-blown BBQ), you’ll be spending more time outside AND keeping the temperature inside at a reasonable level during the day.

The icy wind method

If you want to know how to keep a room cool in the summer without the AC, this is as old-school as keeping cool gets, but it’s also quite effective. You’ll essentially create a DIY air conditioner with materials you have at home during the summer. Take a shallow bowl or plate and fill it with ice, then place it in front of your preferred fan so that the cold coming from the ice is blown towards you. It sounds too simple or cartoonish to work, but it does, and you’ll love the feeling of an ice-cool breeze that only costs a small fraction of what your AC does.

Use a cold water bottle to fall asleep

If you need to stay cool just long enough to fall asleep, then you should get a hot-water bottle (filled with lukewarm water, of course) and put it in the freezer for about an hour. When you’re ready to climb into bed, put your now frozen hot-water bottle and place it at the foot of your bed or under your pillow. It won’t stay frozen or too cold for long, but it will be just enough for you to nod off without having to turn on the AC for some sweet relief.

Father’s Day is around the corner, and getting the right gift for their father is something that a lot of people dread every year, and the amount of cliché gifts out there makes it harder to think of something good. Don’t get us wrong, a nice tie or a “World’s Best Dad” mug is OK, but don’t you wish you could surprise him this year with something unexpected and original? Something that will make him feel like the world’s best dad that you both know he is.

Well, we want to help you out! The following is a list that will tell you all the hottest gifts for Father’s Day in 2019, and we’ve included a wide variety of differently priced items so you’ll surely find something good regardless of your budget. We also focused exclusively on gifts that your dad will find enjoyable at any time of the year, so you’re not only raising the bar on Father’s Day, but you’re also getting more bang for your buck!

Valeo Ab Roller Wheel

It’s inexpensive, useful, durable, and is as much a gift for dad as it is for mom. This efficient workout tool will give dear old dad the six-pack he’s been wanting to get since he was your age, and the non-skid grip and small size will make it a fitting and welcome addition to any gym station. Perfect for the dad that likes to take care of his physique, and for the one that wants to start doing so as well. And if dad doesn’t have a lot of time to exercise during the week due to his many chores, how about getting some extra help around the house once in a while?

Thor Hammer Tool Set

Is your father a man who takes matters into his own hands? Is he the handiest handyman you know, able to repair anything broken within sight? Is he a confident and empowered man who wouldn’t be out of place in an ancient Viking ship? Is your dad a nerd? Then he’ll love this charming-yet-useful toolset in the shape of Marvel’s god of thunder. The Thor Hammer Tool Set includes 44 standard pieces to tackle any DIY chore that threatens the safety of Val-house-la. Your dad is sure to get a chuckle out of it every time he uses it.

Allbirds Men’s Tree Runners

Most dads have a couple of things in common: They like to wear sneakers and runners as casual footwear, and they’re very unhip about it. For a double whammy of a gift, choose the Allbirds Men’s Tree Runners, which are not only fashion forward but environmentally friendly as well, since they’re made from eucalyptus tree fiber, making them breathable and smooth to wear. Dad will be able to run all of his chores using a comfortable shoe that’s hip-looking, flexible, lightweight, and machine washable. Now, if you could only do something about those straight-cut, navy blue jeans…

Mack Weldon Radius Travel Pants

There are no better pants for the weekend father than these water, wind and stain-resistant pants. Made out of flexible, high-tech stretch fabric with a back ribbed cuff, complete with belt loops and hidden zip pockets, these pants strike the perfect balance between being comfortable and looking good. These are built for mobility and come in all sizes so your father will be able to get around easily while looking pretty modern at the same time, something mom will appreciate as much as he does. Hey, they’re so good that they should be a Father’s Day gift idea for every wife.

Harry’s Deluxe Travel Kit

In this day and age of bushy beards and rough-looking stubbles, a weak shave is not fashionable anymore. Íf, your father, likes to keep his facial hair in control, Harry’s Travel Kit is the perfect piece for him on this Father’s Day. The TSA-friendly kit includes Harry’s signature Truman handle and razor blades, travel-size shave gel, a travel cover to protect your blades, and a soothing post-shave balm. You can choose your favorite body wash scent (Shiso, Fig, or Stone), and it all comes packaged inside a flexible, water-resistant travel bag. Harry’s shaving products are famous for their quality and durability, and at $35, you really can’t go wrong.
As you can see, there’s plenty of good ideas in our Father’s Day gift guide that beat the usual ties and bottle of whiskey (although the latter can complement any of these items perfectly). We hope that you found the perfect gift to give your dad this year and that it manages to broaden his horizons at the same time that he gets hours of enjoyment out of them. Good luck!