FOUR HELPFUL HOLIDAY HOSTING TIPS

Are you hosting overnight guests this holiday season? Impress them and make their stay more special with a little effort. Decorate little boxes or baskets and fill them with peppermints, sweet and salty nuts, or pieces of gourmet chocolate. Leave them on your guests’ pillows. Frame and place photos from last year’s holiday celebrations with…

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FOUR TIPS FOR ARRANGING YOUR HOME

Keep these four tips from professional designers in mind when you’re setting up your living room, bedroom or family room: Decorator Angelo Surmelis says to place couches and chairs a few inches away from any wall. This creates breathing room and makes your space seem larger. HGTV’s designer Erinn Valencich suggests spreading light sources throughout a room to make…

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KICK ASH!

Almost 17 million Americans try to quit smoking each year, but only about 1.3 million are able to ditch the addictive habit. As hard as it is, quitting is possible. If you’re trying, use your friends and your phone for help! Researchers at the University of Auckland in New Zealand compared the success of smokers trying to quit…

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RUG RULES

Dressing up your dining room, kitchen, or bedroom with an area rug? Angelo Surmelis, a professional celebrity designer in Los Angeles and owner of angelo: HOME.com, suggests buying a large rug. “You want to expose some flooring, but for the most part, go big, almost as big as the area.” Why? Placing a rug that’s too…

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DON’T FORGET YOUR COFFEE

A recent University of South Florida study has shown that coffee may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease…as long as it’s the caffeinated kind. The study showed that levels of the hormone Granulocyte colony stimulating factor are increased in individuals who drank caffeinated coffee. Higher levels of this hormone are linked with a more rapid production…

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FOODS TO FIGHT A FUNK

Every once in a while a bad mood just happens. Environmental factors, work stress and relationships can be the cause, but the fact is that everyone just wakes up on the wrong side of the bed sometimes. When this occurs, try upping your intake of folic acid-rich foods, selenium and vitamin B12 to boost your…

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COOL TOOL: THE ROOM PLANNER

The new Preferred Living Room Planner makes it easy to  re-arrange your furniture – without breaking a sweat. To find this great feature, click on the Communities link in the menu on the left, and select your home community. Click the Floorplans link at the top of that page. Look for the Floor Planner links…

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LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2011 IN COLUMBUS

Are you ready for the long weekend and one last tribute to summer fun before autumn festivals and activities begin? The greater Columbus area has lots of events and activities for you this weekend, including music and art festivals, block parties, shopping and more! For details, check out these links: Club Zone Young Active Professionals…

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CUBICLE SUCCESS

  If you’re one of the approximately 50 million Americans who works in a cubicle, you know the advantages – relative privacy and a customizable environment – and the disadvantages, such as frequent interruptions and a distracting noise level. To help make your cubicle life more productive and pleasant, try these tips: Focus – Have a…

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