The good news is, there are some easy, science-backed steps you can take to increase your happiness at work. Some are easy to implement immediately, others require a little planning ahead, but all are manageable no matter your professional situation. Instead of reaching for the office cookie jar for a temporary boost next time you’re feeling a little blue at your desk, try one of these proven and sustainable methods for increasing your overall work mood....

To save you time from pouring through pages and pages of products, we rounded up some of our favorites that will elevate the overall style of your home, as well as be useful for your everyday life. Picks include these clever bath towels that have different textures on each side for different drying needs, and this super affordable indoor/outdoor rug that emerged as one of the best out of the 31 rugs from various brands that we tested in our Lab....

1. Northern Sea Oats Prized for its shimmery oat-like seed heads, northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) are at their prime in fall. The wide, slightly weeping leaf blades turn bronze with the first frost and the seed heads take on a copper-tinged maroon hue. The dry seed heads add music to the garden when the wind moves through them. After it’s established, northern sea oats tolerates both drought and wet conditions....

— Nicole Gibbons, founder of Clare Paint —Mike Mundwiller, Field Integration Manager at Benjamin Moore — Thumbtack painter Brian Bedenbaugh —Rick Watson, director of product information at Sherwin-Williams —Anne Treutel, Sr. Product Manager at Valspar —Lou Manfredini, Home Expert at Ace Hardware — Jessica Barr, Behr National Sales & Development Trainer —Jenny Burroughs, PPG senior product marketing manager RELATED: How to Clean Paint Brushes and Rollers, the Easy Way...

Use the Color Wheel If you’re stuck trying to decide which colors go together, look to the color wheel for inspiration. The concepts of color theory can help direct you toward hues that complement one another. Purple and yellow go together, for example, because they’re across from each other on the color wheel, making them complementary. Green and blue blend well, because they’re next to each other, making them analogous. When in doubt, turn to the wheel for quick and easy solutions to your questions....

Plants for Creating the Bold Shade Garden Plan 1 Heritage river birch (Bitula nigra ‘Cully’): Zones 4-9 5 Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Mandarin Lights’): Zones 4-8 4 Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis): Zones 4-9 20 Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum ’ Pictum’): Zones 5-8 36 Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata): Zones 4-8 70 Siberian squill (Scilla siberica): Zones 3-8 If you aren’t able to find the exact cultivars listed above, substitute with others that have similar colors, shapes, and sizes....

The Fern and Willow pillows are firm but fluffy, according to reviewers, and deliver hotel quality at a fraction of the price. The pillows come in a set of two, are machine washable, and can be customized to suit your pillow preferences by opening the zippers on either end and removing or adding the included down alternative filling. This allows virtually anyone to achieve the cloud-like or supportive pillow of their dreams....

Reader question: Give me the easiest, lightest, and fastest foundation application possible! - @speety00 Foundation is the biggest make-or-break item in your makeup routine. It can go one of two ways: beautiful, glowing second skin or a cakey, chalky catastrophe—that looks like, well, foundation. And you don’t want your foundation to actually look like foundation. But applying the perfect makeup base takes finesse. Finding the right formula is only half the challenge—the tools you use make a big difference in your final outcome, as do the motions you go through when applying it....

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When to Use Baking Pans (Metal) Aluminum (nonstick or not) is a great choice for baking pans. They are lightweight and conduct heat well for even baking. Pale or shiny metal pans, such as heavy-gauge aluminum, deliver a tender delicate crust for breads and cookies. They’re also handy for easy sheet pan dinners. Dark metal pans, which conduct, retain, and distribute heat well, are for items that require more crispness or browning....

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What to Consider When Gardening in Small Spaces There are a few key considerations when gardening in small spaces. Start by defining your goals. What do you want the space to do for you? From there, you can organize space and select plant materials that will meet your needs. As you design your small space garden, think beyond the ground plane. Make use of all available surfaces to add color and interest....

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According to a 2019 survey from real estate site Realtor.com, almost 60 percent of people who hoped to buy a home that spring season considered purchasing a less expensive home that maybe needed some renovating, essentially sacrificing a few items on their home wish lists in order to buy a home. For the survey, Realtor.com asked more than 1,000 people who planned to purchase a home within the next year about their home-buying plans and whether they’d consider a home needing renovation....

Whether you are vegan or not, it’s hard not to love this ingenious kitchen trick. First, you microwave cashews until soft, blend them until smooth, and voila, you’ve got a flavorful soup-thickener. Cannellini beans add body and protein, too, ensuring that a bowl of this cauliflower soup recipe really feels like dinner. Related Video

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