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However, vinyl siding colors can fade, and uneven sun exposure can leave your home with a patchy facade. While your instinct might be to paint vinyl siding, it’s important to consider the state of your home’s exterior before picking up a few gallons of paint. Additionally, interior paint doesn’t work well on vinyl siding because paint expands and contracts with temperature changes. Instead, vinyl siding requires external latex urethane paint, which contains acrylic and urethane resins, says Josh Riutta, owner of Arizona-based Mikku and Sons Roofing....

What Is a Pressure Canner and How it Works With the boom in popularity of pressure cooking using a multi-cooker such as the Instant Pot many people assume it can be used for canning, too (that’s understandable, those appliances have a lot of functions and pressure cooking is similar, just not quite the same.). But no, you cannot pressure can in a pressure cooker, only in a pressure canner. So what is a pressure canner?...

The Instant Pot—or your preferred brand of multicooker with a pressure cooker function—can ace a wide variety of pressure cooker recipes and can come in clutch for batch cooking and big meals, such as Thanksgiving dinner. Whether you use it to save precious stovetop or oven space, speed up side dish prep, or make easy apps for guests to savor as they await the main event, this countertop appliance is far too valuable to stay hiding in the cabinet on Thanksgiving....

Exception: Ornamental grasses. Buy young grasses early in the season and let them mature through the summer into the larger plants nurseries often sell at four times the cost. Grow Spreading Plants When you need to cover a lot of ground, select spreading plants. Whether it’s a vine or creeping ground cover, spreaders fill voids in your garden. And they often look a lot better than mulch. (Just make sure they have room to roam without smothering their neighbors....

Because the moonflower vine tends to bloom at night, you might be wondering why you should plant it at all if you can’t see the flowers open during the day. The answer is simple: It is magical when you grow it where you spend time outdoors in the evening, perhaps on your front porch or back patio. There, you’ll be able to enjoy the huge white flowers that almost seem to glow in dim lighting, as well as the sweet scent these beauties produce....

Remove adjustable shelves and paint them first, so they’ll be dry when you’re ready to reinstall them. If possible, paint them in another room to get them out of your way. We like to hang them on sawhorses by hammering nails into predrilled holes on the ends. That way, you don’t have to wait for one surface to dry before painting the other one. Be sure to remove the shelf supports before you paint the inside of the cabinet....

Garden size: 16 x 10 feet Related Video

“A mattress topper is kind of a band-aid for a bad or uncomfortable bed,” says Dr. Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and founder of The Sleep Doctor. Adding a topper, consisting of a few inches worth of foam, to the top of your mattress can be a game changer for beds that are too soft or not giving enough support, he adds. To find the best mattress toppers, we researched a variety of picks, keeping in mind each pick’s size range, thickness, and fill materials....

Megan Anderson, director of merchandising transformation at Mattress Firm, explains that most shoppers “are looking for functionality, sizing, and ways to stay budget-friendly,” but she says “it might be a good idea to splurge a little more to ensure better quality.” No matter what type of sleeper sectional you’re looking for, there’s something out there with the right balance of comfort and versatility for your needs. To come up with this list of the best sleeper sectionals, we researched the category and considered factors like dimensions, mattress size, weight capacity, and materials to inform our product recommendations....

Check out these great deals this Black Friday below. Prepare your house for guests this holiday season with some of the best home deals on the internet. You’ll be able to ensure your house is clean and tidy with a new vacuum (or robot vacuum) and carpet and upholstery cleaner. And don’t neglect overflowing closets—this over-the-door hanging shoe organizer is just $12 right now. It holds up to 24 pairs without taking up precious space....

“Mopping helps ensure the removal of anything tracked in from outside, spills, dried drool from pets, and other bacteria-harvesting environments,” says Sean Busch, co-founder of Puracy, a plant-based cleaning product company. The best mop for your home will often be dictated by the type of flooring you have. Wood floors and laminate can tolerate damp mopping, while vinyl, ceramic, and porcelain tiles can often withstand much wetter mopping. To find the best mops on the market, we tested 15 mops in our lab in Industry City, Brooklyn, evaluating each based on ease of setup, dry and wet mopping, portability, ease of cleaning, and maneuverability....

To help you choose the best above-ground pool for your outdoor space, we researched a variety of picks, keeping in mind each model’s size, material, and water capacity. We also consulted Malina Breaux, president of Blackthorne Pools & Spas. Our overall pick for the best above-ground pool is the soft-sided Intex Ultra XTR Frame Above Ground Pool. The pool is made for the long haul, with the strongest vinyl the company offers and a two-year warranty....

There are plenty of features to think about when shopping for a tape measure, but one of the most important factors to consider is how well you can see your measurements. “Get a tape measure that’s easy for you to read,” says Danielle Guerrero, a DIY blogger for her website Our Nest on Powell. “For beginners, that’s probably the best thing to look for in a tape measure.” No matter what your next project is, these tape measures have the features you need for precise measuring....

With the holiday season approaching, it’s natural to want to get a head start on gift shopping, but it’s also the perfect time to stock up on kitchen essentials. If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to refresh your kitchenware on a budget, this is your chance. However, today is the last day of the two-day sale event and your last shot to save up to 60% on kitchen essentials that will make holiday cooking a breeze....

Margarine Substitutes While oil provides moisture to a lot of baking recipes (we’re looking at you, olive oil cake!), you need your margarine substitute to be in a solid form so the proper amount of air can get incorporated. For example, you want to be able to cream your butter and sugar together in order to get your chocolate chip cookies to come out at the perfect texture. For this reason, cooking oils such as vegetable or canola are not recommended substitutes for margarine....

“I wanted it to feel like a little French apartment,” says Robin, who has garnered an enviable amount of frequent flier miles traveling to Europe on buying trips for the Jil Sander shop she formerly co-owned. The two met years ago at Robin’s boutique and forged a friendship on common affinities. “We’re both crazy about fashion and design,” Robin says. “We love shopping together in Paris and Milan.” That kinship made it easy for Nussbaumer to shape Robin’s interiors in a way that reflects who she truly is....

Editor’s Tip: If you’ve added too much water or paint to one area, you can use a paper towel to lightly blot up the excess. Editor’s Tip: To achieve organic swirls and prevent your colors from turning muddy, don’t manipulate the paint too much beyond the techniques shown. Related Video

Grace also wanted to find a way to carve the backyard, which was an expanse of drought-dead grass when she moved in, into different garden rooms. Now, gravel paths and barefoot-friendly concrete pavers wind among the mature oak trees, gently waving grasses, and structural succulents to distinct seating and dining areas. A stone patio around the house helps keep gravel from being tracked inside. Even though Grace uses fewer plants than many designers might (“A way to use less water is to use less plant material,” she says), she appreciates the particular charms of each one, like the golden grasses....

Before: Inefficient Storage The couple’s biggest assignment: Purge anything that wasn’t absolutely essential or regularly used. Any items in the closet that weren’t clothing or accessories were to be stored elsewhere in their townhouse. “My rule of thumb is that if you can’t wear it on your body, it shouldn’t live in the closet,” Clay says. “Clutter is postponed decisions. Don’t put it down—put it away.” After: No More Wasted Space After thinning out their wardrobes and redistributing items that didn’t belong, Joy and Chris took a true inventory of their clothing and accessories and joined Clay in devising a plan....

Along with the brushes, the set includes an extended reach attachment to help you clean tight places, like the space between stove grates or grout between tiles. The brand also offers other brush styles with different bristle strengths that you can use for surfaces like grills, plastics, cabinets, upholstery, and more. One five-star reviewer said using the brushes is a breeze, and they were “able to get into spots [that are] hard to reach and get my tub cleaned better than ever and make it look like new....