1/13/13

With the holiday season over, it's a good reminder that it can be a challenge to find good, sturdy gift boxes when you need them. The next time you need a box for a present, think the courthouse. Your local courthouse has tons of unprinted, unadorned, sturdy boxes that ballots, legal folders and other important documents came in. Often, you'll find piles of them in the hallway marked FREE. So the next time you have jury duty and some time to kill, look for the boxes and create a box stash.

1/12/13

Conventional wisdom is that closing air registers in rooms that you don't use will help redirect hot or cold air to rooms you do spend time in. But closing more than half the registers in your home can backfire -- it can cause complications with the flow resistance of your system, which can cause mechanical complications that can lead to costly repairs. Count the number of air registers, and close up to 20 percent of them for maximum efficiency.

1/11/13

Skin care therapists have to start somewhere, and that place is often at the nationwide Aveda Institute. Since students need hands-on training, you can get not one, not two, but FIVE Aveda facial treatments for the normal cost of one. Top trainers supervise all students, and you reap a five-star facial for as low as $20. It's a great way to try Aveda's all-natural products at a fraction of the cost. Check out the menu of deeply discounted eco-beauty treatments at aveda.edu.