If you’re looking for a fun and mildly educational activity you can share with your child, how about baking cookies? It’s a valuable life skill, it involves following directions and accuracy in measuring, and it has its own rewarding snack at the end.

First, anticipate a mess. Children are not naturally tidy and baking has a lot of things that can spill and splash. Plan ahead to reduce any problems this could cause.

Fortunately, kitchens are made to handle messes. Simple preparation such as paper towels or work cloths ready to wipe up spills on your floor and countertop can provide quick clean ups and allow you to go right back to baking. You may want to pre-measure some of the messier elements such as milk and have the eggs already cracked and waiting in a bowl.

Next, don’t stretch your own capabilities. If you’re a regular baker, then make cookies from scratch using one of your tried-and-true recipes. If not, then plan for a mix or even pre-made dough. Add some decorations such as sprinkles, even with a chocolate chip cookie, to make the process more fun and exciting.

Be sure to plan for your final clean-up while the cookies are baking. Start with the cooking implements. You may want to put them all in the sink out of the way. Then wipe down the countertops. End with the floor, to pick up anything that’s landed there during either baking or cleaning. Have your child help clean – it’s an important part of baking.

Finally, be sure to check your young one’s hands and shoes or feet for flour or other ingredients before he or she heads out the kitchen door to less forgiving flooring.

Are you feeling a little blue now that the holidays are over? With the cold weather and limited sunshine, sometimes it’s hard to cheer up. Why don’t you do something for yourself to brighten the season? How about redecorating a room in your home?

A new coat of paint and maybe new carpet or a rug can make a big difference in a space. Although most people think of redecorating as a spring or summer activity because of opening the windows to let the strong smells dissipate, that problem is gone.

Many of today’s home products are completely or almost smell-free. Those strong odors came from volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that were part of the products. However, as consumers developed an interest in buying products without VOCs, manufacturers responded by developing more and more options that don’t force you to leave windows open. Today, making a low or no-VOC choice won’t limit the colors or styles you want for your home.

To discover more about how you can redecorate a room and keep your windows closed, talk to one of our salespeople. We’ll help you fix up a room that will chase the winter blues away!