When was the last time you saw the bottom of your closet? Do you actually know what the color of the carpet is in there? Trust me, I know the feeling. The chaos makes you feel that the case is hopeless, that you will never be able to get everything put up and out of the way. So many times we just quit, letting the stuff and the clothes continue piling up until we do some spring cleaning. Despite the frustration, you have options. The manufacturers of tools for closest …

A TRAINER I’VE BEEN working with keeps a running list of her clients’ fitness goals on her gym’s whiteboard. Last January, I showed up to find “The Perfect Squat” written next to my name. “You have the flexibility of a 60-year-old,” she’d told me on an earlier visit. Apparently, this was my prescription.
It seemed like a joke. I spend most of my time experimenting with cutting-edge fitness routines and new training technology. Yet here I was, challenged to do a single, textbook repetition of a classic exercise, one I’d long …

Short on cash? You’re not limited to the high-fat stuff. Add these good-for-you foods to your grocery list — they’re all under $1 per serving.
* Oats: A serving of oatmeal for breakfast can lower cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. Save your health while saving money.
* Eggs: The protein and fat in eggs keep you feeling full, so you’re less inclined to snack in between meals.
* Potatoes: One red potato contains 66 micrograms of cell-building folate — …

At 8:30 p.m. at the Osborne family house in Burlington, Vermont, an exemplary bedtime process is underway. The three children are upstairs changing into their pajamas, brushing their teeth, and settling into their beds to read. There is remarkably little protest or variation. “Bedtime is the one area where our routine has not wavered,” says mom Eleanor. “Since the boys were toddlers, we’ve been doing the same thing, and now it’s automatic. This is usually the calmest period our day.”
Regular schedules provide the day with a framework that orders a …

To make sure that your home is a safe haven for your children – and you – learn to spot and eliminate hazards throughout the house. This checklist will show you how.
Safety measures for every room:
Install child-resistant covers on all electrical outlets.
Keep dangerous chemicals out of children’s reach.
For strings and ribbons, follow the six-inch rule.
Always use a safety belt on your baby when she is sitting in a bouncy seat or a swing.
Shorten curtain and blind cords.
Place furniture well away from windows.
Use corner bumpers on furniture and fireplace-hearth edges.
Place houseplants …