“When we move into new military housing, it’s always very plain—think brown rugs and white walls with zero personality,” Chelsea says. “I was a new mom when my husband was deployed on a ship and was staring at our boring rental in San Diego thinking, I can’t live here like this. I need to make this feel like a true home, like an expression of us.” With a limited budget, Chelsea researched DIY projects online, but all of them felt too permanent....

But the home had the ZIP code, floor plan, and architectural detail of her dreams, plus only two other owners in its 80 years. Ruthie, husband Greg, and kids Emmeline and Everett were not afraid to take on the project to turn it into their forever home. Big-ticket repairs left limited funds for decorating, so Ruthie’s resourcefulness became the home’s saving grace. Neighbors’ castoffs and pieces that belonged to the previous owners found new life in her hands....

Blankets come in different shapes, sizes, designs, and fabrics, so finding the right one for your preferences might be more challenging than you think. It’s not just about choosing a color and pattern that matches your room; material and weight are important factors to consider as well. Depending on the temperature in the room, some blankets are better at retaining warmth or repelling moisture. Also, some blankets can be bothersome for people with sensitive skin....

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Wayfair’s End-of-Year sale offers affordable upgrades that will make your home feel like new again. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to save up to 60 percent on everything from area rugs and storage solutions to living room furniture and bed linens. The sale is going on now through January 4, and Wayfair has slashed prices on homewares in just about every category. We dug through thousands of markdowns to uncover the best deals on stylish home finds to spruce up your home for the new year without splurging....

The key to making the best baked potatoes really comes down to just a few factors: using the right type of potato, proper preparation, employing the correct cooking method, and, of course, getting creative with toppings. We tapped several professional chefs to get some tricks for making perfect baked potatoes, and it turns out there are certainly some ways to enhance your taters, as well as some pitfalls to avoid....

Let us take you through what we know about the holiday. If you don’t already celebrate, you might want to get it on your schedule. Your first Friendsgiving has to happen at some point, so why not this year? What Is Friendsgiving? The name Friendsgiving is a mashup of “friends” and “Thanksgiving,” and the idea is to spend an evening with the holiday’s classic dishes and your best buds. There isn’t a strict set of guidelines, just as long as you and your dining companions are having a good time....

How to Defrost a Turkey There are three ways to safely defrost a turkey. One of the most common ways to achieve a perfectly thawed turkey is in the refrigerator, but plan ahead because it takes the longest (days!) and takes up a lot of space. Another go-to and quick-ish way to defrost a turkey is submerging it in cold water. It’s undeniably more hands-on since it requires changing the water every 30 minutes, but it’s the next best option if you missed the window to defrost the turkey in the refrigerator....

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Gardenia Growing Basics If you live in the warmer regions of the country (USDA Zones 8-11) you can grow gardenias outdoors where they’re easier to maintain. Growing gardenias indoors during cold weather is where it gets tricky. The basic indoor gardenia needs are bright light, humidity, and regular watering. So try to put your plant in your sunniest window, set it on a saucer of rocks with water part way up the saucer to add humidity, and water it as soon as the top inch of soil feels dry....

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Test Kitchen Tip: Wrap each individual blondie in waxed paper, then put them in a resealable bag for easy and cool transport. Test Kitchen Tip: Once you remove the coleslaw from the cooler, serve within two hours and discard any leftovers. Keep the dish out of the sun at the picnic site, so it doesn’t spoil. Test Kitchen Tip: Keep the dressing in a separate jar, and add it when you’re ready to eat the salad....

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1. Add a Playful Touch to Fall Porch Decor Use a red wagon as a vessel to hold a bountiful arrangement of colorful pumpkins and gourds for a playful addition to your fall front porch. Greet guests with this festive array of green, white, orange, and yellow seasonal produce, as well as colorful mums ($27, Walmart) and tall fall foliage placed on rustic wood crates for added height. If you’re worried about squirrels getting into the pile of pumpkins, sprinkle red pepper flakes on and around the pumpkins, spray them with lacquer spray, or coat them with a layer of petroleum jelly to help them stay shiny and damage-free all season long....

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