ArcaMax

The finish on hardwood flooring is neither fragile nor indestructible. Hardwood floors must be cleaned properly using the correct solvent level to protect their beauty and fine finish. Some of us (ahem) have had to learn this truth the hard way.

Even though you can't damage hardwood floors by walking on them, all wood is susceptible to stains. ...Read more

Budgets are like training wheels: They help you get moving and offer you confidence as you learn how to balance.

I wish I could come up with a better word than "budget" for managing money. While I've made peace with the word, it still conjures up synonyms like whip, drudgery and cruel master. Personally, I prefer the more elegant term "spending...Read more

For this mother of two young, world-class whiners, the techniques described in the booklet seemed way too simple to be effective, the promised results too good to be true. In desperation, however, I decided to give the anti-whining program -- guaranteed to be appropriate for toddlers and up -- my best shot by following the simple daily ...Read more

I didn't set out to overthrow three cleaning products in one afternoon. I was simply standing in my laundry room, staring at a shelf crowded with half-used spray bottles, when I realized two things. First, none of them was empty enough to throw away. Second, none of them was impressive enough to justify buying again.

That was the day a humble ...Read more

I couldn't pass it up, and I mean that quite literally. Someone dumped it right in the middle of my shortcut through the back of a neighborhood center. I had two choices: hit it head-on or stop to investigate.

Closer examination revealed a unique piece of furniture -- a child-size, solid wood combination five-drawer dresser wardrobe. I dragged ...Read more

To the person drowning in debt, a debt-consolidation loan looks like a lifesaver. But reaching for it without knowing exactly what it's made of could be a severe mistake.

The way it's supposed to work: You pay off all your small high-interest consumer debts with the proceeds of a new low-interest loan whose payment is less than the total of the...Read more

It is difficult to imagine: Our wedding cost a whopping $200. I borrowed my dress and veil; I made the bridesmaid's dresses; a friend made and gifted the cake; we had one bouquet for the church; and our fathers (both ministers) performed the ceremony. We opted for the photographer's monthly special ($100 for eight 8x10s) and paid cash for ...Read more

Electric bills have a way of creeping up quietly, like a cat on a countertop. One day you glance at the bill and think, "Surely this can't be mine." But unless someone plugged in a cotton candy machine while you were sleeping, the explanation is much simpler: Energy prices rise steadily, and many homes waste electricity without realizing it.

...Read more

You should see the big wad of lint I just plucked from the trap of my clothes dryer. Ack! Where does all of that come from? I know I emptied all pockets, and I'm certain I did not wash a bag of pillow stuffing.

I'll tell you what it is, and I am not happy about this: It's visual proof the dryer is wearing out our clothes. Those fibers were ...Read more

Performing a deep clean on a coffee maker is important to extend its useful life and ensure you're brewing the best-tasting coffee possible.

A buildup of hard water scale and rancid coffee oils in a coffee maker is to be expected. Allowing that buildup to remain (and multiply) can be very hard on the machine and make the coffee that comes from ...Read more

Several years ago, my son gave me the bounty from the two fruit trees that pretty much rule his backyard. My Mother's Day gift of Meyer lemons weighed in at 124 pounds. I know, lucky me!

I had to figure out ways to use, share and preserve lemons in a big hurry. I juiced, cooked and baked all kinds of lemon things. And I learned so many ways to ...Read more