Americans Stressed Out by Home Organization

Does home organization stress you out? If so, no worries, you are far, far from alone. This recent Huffington Post survey came up with some numbers you very well may want to see, so check them out below!

A recent Huffington Post survey suggests Americans are stressed out over their homes. 84% claimed that they worry their homes aren't clean or organized enough, with 55% calling it a source of recent stress. A third of the total group polled felt very or extremely anxious about the state of their spaces, with 81% of all men and 87% of all women experiencing some worry over home upkeep.

In other news, 3D printing goes anti-gravity, and rents worldwide are on the rise.See the headlines after the jump.

• Home Organization Is Major Source Of Stress For Americans, Survey Finds | Huffington Post
• This Anti-Gravity 3-D Printer Can Make Objects Anywhere—Even Space | Co.Exist
• New Report Shows Higher Rents World-Wide | The Wall Street Journal

(Image: Shutterstock)

Original Article Here: http://bit.ly/11ZZd5s

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Cleaning Your Electronics

Did you know that dust can hurt or damage all of your electronics?  The blog below has some great tips on how to keep your electronics dust free and running smoothly.  You can learn more about technology tricks by visiting apartment therapy.

Desktop Computer: Many towers have fans on the back and vents on the sides. At least once per year, perhaps more in dust ridden regions, use compressed air, then wipe down with an anti-static microfiber cloth. Start with the fan, then move to the vents to release any dust build up. You may be surprised what resides inside your computer's internal regions.

TVs: Wiping down the screen is pretty standard, but like computers, many large TVs also have a fan in the back helping to prevent the television from overheating. A little compressed air will help here too. 

Keyboards: Keyboards won't overheat, but low profile keyboards will get "soft keys" (sticky) if there's too much built up gunk under a key. Unplug the keyboard and blow on it gently every once in a while, using that handy can of compressed air for bigger jobs, and a dollop of hand disinfectant on a paper towel to remove grime on top. 


Mouse with Rolling Balls on Top or Bottom: My old Mac had a mouse with a small rolling ball on the top. It was great for web browsing, but on a nearly monthly basis the ball would get stuck and would roll sporadically. Even small amounts of dust will cause a mouse with delicate parts to operate poorly. A little compressed air on a regular basis will go a long way, with an alcohol based cleaner to wipe the top and bottom from smoother scrolling.

Add an Air Purifier: protect your home electronics further by installing an air filtration system nearby to keep dust, pet fur, and other debris out of digital devices and appliances in the first place. 

Check out our How to Shop for an Air Purifier shopping guide, alongside Consumer Reports, Good Housekeeping, and Consumer Search for recommendations.

(Photo Credits: Edward Goodwin via Flickr's Creative Commons, Tech Nibble and Apple)

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How To Make Perfect Bacon in the Oven

We're betting there's a pretty high chance that you love bacon, since a lot of people do! But if you're tired of greasy stovetops or are interested in trying something new then how about baking bacon? Check out "How To Make Perfect Bacon in the Oven" below!

How To Make Perfect Bacon in the Oven

What You Need

Ingredients
1 to 2 pounds bacon

Equipment
Aluminum foil
1 to 2 baking sheets
Tongs
Paper towels
Platter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F: Turn on the oven and preheat to 400°F. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. If you're cooking multiple sheets of bacon, position a second rack in the top third of the oven.
2. Arrange the bacon on a baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with foil (this makes clean-up easier). Lay the bacon on the baking sheet in a single layer. The bacon can be close together, but don't let it overlap or the bacon will stick during cooking. If necessary, use a second baking sheet.
3. Bake the bacon: Place the baking sheet of bacon in the oven and bake until the bacon is deep golden-brown and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes. Exact baking time will depend on the thickness of the bacon and how crispy you like it. Begin checking around 12 minutes to monitor how quickly the bacon is cooking. The bacon fat will sputter and bubble as the bacon cooks, but shouldn't splatter the way it does on the stove top. Pour off the bacon grease as needed so the bacon isn't totally submerged in grease.
4. Cool the bacon: Remove the bacon from the oven and use tongs to transfer it to a paper-lined platter to drain and finish crisping. Serve immediately. You can also refrigerate leftover bacon for a week or freeze it for up to three months; warm the bacon in the microwave before serving.
5. Clean up: If you want to save the bacon grease, let it cool slightly, then pour it into a container and refrigerate. If you don't want to save the grease, let it solidify on the baking sheet, then crumple the foil around it and discard.

Recipe Notes

• Even Crispier Bacon: For even crispier bacon, set a metal cooling rack over the foil-lined baking sheet and lay the raw bacon over the cooling rack. Elevating the bacon allows it to cook from all sides and become extra-crispy.

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This post and recipe have been updated. Originally published 02/04/10.

(Images: Emma Christensen)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-perfect-bacon-in-the-oven-107970

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DIY Games for the Outdoors

Want to make the most of the remaining days of summer? Why not find some great games to play outside? They're easy to make and fun for everyone! Check them out below and catch the rest of the tips for outdoor games at BuzzFeed.



1. Bananagrams is great, but GIANT BANANAGRAMS is best.



Just cut out the letters together and prepare for some major scrambling.
Source: constantlylovestruck.blogspot.com

2. Take Twister outside.



Here’s how to do it yourselves.
Source: youplusmeforalways.blogspot.com

3. And bring Scrabble to the pool.



The sponges will float! WITCHCRAFT/physics.
Source: pinterest.com

4. Turn a two-liter bottle into a DIY sprinkler.



Get the directions here.
Source: makingmemorieswithyourkids.blogspot.com
5. Make art with things you guys find in nature.



Like these rocks.

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