Looking for a dose of Christmas cheer? Whether it’s July or December,fans of Santa Claus(and who isn’t?) will appreciate this town of just around 200 people that’s Christmas-themed all year round. Credit: H. Armstrong Roberts/Classicstock/Getty Images Greene, who wanted to lure people off the highway to shop at his pecan stand. and had a real mind for business. Naming the town Santa Claus did the job nicely. Then the interstate came....

Susan Dumashosts biannual vintage clothing shows at her home in Birmingham, Alabama. After all, theres no hopping online and snagging the same thing later; thats just not howshopping vintageworks. It does not have to be a name brand for it to be a quality piece. Credit:Getty Images/Catherine McQueen You just need to know that it has to go home with you. Susan Dumas Be kind to these girls. They have been around a long time and imperfections can add character....

Laundry can be hard. We’re here to make it easy. “I love the routine of it.” Credit: tashka2000/Getty Images Eventually, after forty-five minutes of wrestling with the washer hose, we called a plumber. Unlike my roommate, I’ve always dreaded laundry day. Hot water is best forwashing white items, and warm water is good for washing knits. But these shouldn’t be your only default controls. Here’s a rundown of when cold water actually does the trick....

Who knew there could be such a thing? Getty Images Part of owning a home is keeping it cleaned and maintained, which can quickly become overwhelming. Here are eight to look at first. Credit:Getty Images “Wood is a natural material that requires gentle handling to maintain its best condition. “Frequent cleaning, especially with water or harsh chemicals, can damage hardwood floors. Excessive water or steam can also weaken the wood’s structure over time,” she says....

Not every day is laundry day for these items. But there are certain household items we can get overzealous about washing. Too much laundering can wear out, fade, or shrink fabrics before their time. Credit:Carol Yepes / Getty Images You might actually be washing these eight things too much. Jeans And Denim Jeans and other denim clothes can fade quickly in the wash. The washing action also weakens fibers and eventually leads to fraying or holes....

Reupholstering is a no-brainer, right? Well, not so fast. Moore knows a thing or two aboutgiving new life to well-loved pieces. Credit: Robbie Caponetto; Styling: Kendra Surface This allowed her to give these special furnishings new life while honoring their past. Carrie Mooreis a North Carolina-based interior designer and co-founder ofCarrie Moore Interior Design. She also formerly owned a vintage furnishings company where she specialized in preservation. Credit: Robbie Caponetto; Styling: Kendra Surface...

Cleaning these areas daily can greatly improve the health environment of your home. Theseprofessionalsare also dishing out on their favorite cleaning products to tackle the job. It makes sense that these items are full of bacteria, especially after coming home from the outside. Credit:VioletaStoimenova/Getty Images Kitchen Sink Ever had a problem withfruit flies in your kitchen? If so, you might have noticed them swarming around your kitchen sink. Place 1-2 cups of ice cubes with 1 tablespoon of baking soda in the opening of your garbage disposal....

Your shower may hold the key to easy home cleaning. Despite all the complicatedcleaning productsout there, sometimes, the best cleaning solution is the simplest one. Shampoo is the secret ingredient for aone-stop cleaningcure. Credit:Capuski/Getty Just take a squirt of shampoo, lather it up, and use it to scrub away tricky messes. However, chemist Alexis Rochester recommends keeping baby shampoo on hand for household cleaning. Heres how to cleanse your home with a handy bottle of shampoo....

Save big on your Thanksgiving groceries. From light appetizers to the main dish to dessert, ALDI has great finds for your Thanksgiving menu. Here are eight grocery items you should pick up atALDIahead of Thanksgiving this year. Credit:ALDI Butterball Turkey My grandmother has been buying my familys Thanksgiving turkey at ALDI for several years. They offer frozen turkey from butterball whole turkeys in 16 to 22 pound weights. In addition to the whole turkey, they also have boneless breasts from Butterball as well....

Add these tasks to your cleaning checklist, pronto. Here are 8 things an expert says you should clean at least once a month. Baseboards Topping off our list of things you should be cleaning monthly are thelovely baseboards. Credit:Getty Images “You dont need to be scrubbing them every day, but a monthly wipe-down can work.” Another way is to use the Baseboard Buddy which has a contoured head perfect for any moldings....

First things first, put away the mothballs. But are cedar chests as versatile as they’ve been made out to be through the years? Textiles Most people probably think of textiles when they think of a cedar chest. Credit:Getty Images/PattieS But you might want to think twice before you leave them in the chest too long. “Older textiles can get staining on them from the cedar wood,” says Powell. But that doesn’t mean you have to abandon the chest altogether....

When it comes to curb appeal, paint has the power to make an impact. We asked top Southern architects and designers to share their no-fail color combinations for siding and shutters. The earthy colors ground homes in our unique landscape. Credit: Southern Living This eye- catching color shouldnt compete with excessive architectural drama. A bluish black, not absolute black, updates the look and adds dimension to shutters and doors. It has a touch of New England formality but works in a small Southern town....

We debunk eight common myths about cast iron cooking. But cooking with cast iron doesn’t need to be challenging. Here, we debunk those myths and get to the truth about cooking with cast iron. Credit:Alison Miksch Never cook acidic foods in a cast iron skillet. you’ve got the option to’t overseason a cast iron skillet. A teaspoon of oil should be enough to coat the interior and exterior of a 10-inch skillet....