DiRT Ideas, Tips & Guides

While the summer is a great time to enjoy warmer weather, it can make your home’s temperature harder to regulate. Even with the AC pumping, one common problem is a comfortable ground floor and a sweltering second floor.

Brie Goldman 

Brick is one of those designer-favorite materials that is timeless and can add unique depth and texture to architectural elements, both indoors and out.

A vase full of fresh, bright blooms is all you need to dazzle anyone visiting your home. These can liven up the dullest spaces in a heartbeat but cost a pretty penny at the florist. So it’s natural that you want them to stay glorious and live as long as possible! While you can’t make them last forever, here is how to keep cut flowers fresh longer.

You probably don’t think about your shoelaces until they’re falling apart, but you might want to start thinking about your shoes’ most unassuming feature. Giving your shoelaces a quick refresh once in a while keeps your shoes looking sparkly clean (and your whole outfit on point).

Several years ago while shopping at a big-box store, I spotted this tote in the household-cleaning section. In addition to carrying cleaning supplies, it can be used as a shower caddy, but I envisioned it as a garden-tool tote—balanced, sturdy, comfortable to carry, and with holes in each compartment for drainage. I’ve used it for a few years now, switching tools as needed so that I’m always ready for the current job. Cleaning the tote in spring or fall is as easy as removing the tools and spraying it out with a hose.

Happy ornamental grasses need to be divided every three to four years. Smaller species (those less than 2 feet wide or so) are easy to cut in half with a sharp shovel or to dig up and gently pull apart with the help of a soil knife. Bigger grasses can prove more of a challenge. The important thing is to do something about the overgrown grass as soon as you notice a possible problem. Don’t walk away and think, “I’ll do it next year”; doing so only makes rectifying the issue that much harder. I like to divide grasses in spring just as I start to see the new growth starting. This is easier to do because there isn’t a lot of tall (and often sharp) foliage to fight through. Actively growing grasses will keep growing after division. In fall/winter most grasses are dormant, and they can struggle to recover. I have two methods everyone can use for dividing behemoth grasses.

ALDI

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If you're aiming to design a contemporary looking bathroom, you will want to make an effort to steer clear of the six following features, which professionals say will instantly make the space look dated.

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Mattresses are difficult to replace—they’re heavy, awkward to carry, and expensive. Plus, it’s nearly impossible to find one that matches your preferred balance of fluffiness and firmness: Once you have a good mattress that you like, it makes sense that you’d want to keep it around for as long as possible. Fortunately, there are ways to make your mattress last a long time without breaking the bank or taking away from your beauty sleep.

Annie Schlechter

We’ve all been there: The first summer heat wave comes to town and your air conditioner stops cooling, leaving you stranded in the heat. Air conditioners work hard year after year, but they do require a little upkeep and maintenance to run their best. If your air conditioner’s not cooling properly, there are a number of potential reasons. Some are simple, while others may require a service call from a certified HVAC technician. Here, we’ve outlined 7 potential reasons for your conditioner not cooling—and how to remedy them.

Garlic is one of my favorite vegetables to grow. I love that I get two harvests from the bulbs I plant in the fall. The first harvest, because I plant hardneck garlic, is the long, loopy garlic scape. Then a few weeks later, I pull the garlic bulbs to dry and store through the fall and winter. In this article, I’m going to share tips on trimming the scapes, as well as when to harvest garlic. I usually spread my garlic crop out over a couple of my raised beds. If I still need space, I’ll pop a few extra here and there i

Summer is getting closer and closer, and now is the time to start checking some key home and yard maintenance tasks off of your to-do list so that you can fully enjoy the season when it arrives.

No one wants to think of their bedroom as a breeding ground for dirt and clutter. After all, sleep spaces should be zen, cozy, and welcoming—they're where we hope to unwind after a busy day and wake up feeling fresh.

If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard deck, you likely want to maximize that extra square footage. But before you purchase new seasonal furniture or decor, keep in mind that if you want them and your deck to last, some items should only earn a temporary spot outdoors. 

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Even if your vacuum cleaner has served you well for many years, all appliances have an expiration date and aren't meant to last forever. So how do you know for sure that yours is on its last leg?

Appliances tend to be the last thing we think about when we’re cleaning our home, but that also means they end up collecting the most dirt, dust, and grime—all as we continue to cook with them.

Whether or not to wear shoes inside has always been a hot debate. Some enjoy wearing shoes in their homes for comfort and convenience, while others choose to remove them immediately. Citing a knack for hygiene or a penchant for keeping floors clean, those who are fans of a «no shoes in the house» policy have a variety of valid reasons, especially personal preference and cultural practice.

Just like that, spring cleaning time is officially upon us once again. Whether you’re an enthusiastic participant in the spring cleaning tradition or begrudgingly tackle tasks to keep your home feeling fresh, the experts have some good news for you: there are some spring cleaning tasks that you can take off your list this year. 

You don't need to devote an entire day to spring cleaning tasks to get your home into tip-top shape. Professional cleaning and organizing experts swear by the following seven chores that will have your space looking much more refreshed in just a matter of minutes. So go ahead and spend a small chunk of your time this weekend giving your sock drawer a good clean out or finally dealing with that overwhelming pile of mail.

While we always welcome the chance to deep clean and declutter our homes each spring, we also could use a refresher on how best to approach a huge, home overhaul.

If you love plants but don’t like the mess of handling the soil they come with, then don’t worry! For people who hate dirt in their homes, these are the best Houseplants that Grow Without Soil!