5 self-reliance tips for YSAs
The words “family home storage” and “preparedness” often conjure images of large shelves lined with wheat and canned peaches. But the commandment to be self-reliant applies to everyone, even young single adults with no storage rooms and no canning supplies. The Church’s official counsel to all members is this: “To help care for themselves and their families, […]
5 Christ-centered Thanksgiving traditions
Thanksgiving — complete with food, football and festivities — is the unofficial kickoff to the American holiday season. A day of gratitude is just the ticket to starting off the merriest time of the year. But a spirit of gratitude shouldn’t be confined to Thanksgiving, nor should the spirit of Christ be celebrated only at Christmastime. Here are a few traditions to […]
Survey: How clean is your house?
UtahValley360.com is trying to find out the cleaning habits of Utah Valley residents. Please take this anonymous survey — it shouldn’t take more than two minutes — and we’ll share the results with you in the next month. View Survey
10 ingenious cleaning and laundry hacks to start using today
Need to find some extra time in the day? Before you cut back any more of those precious sleep hours, think about shortening the time you spend cleaning and doing laundry. (Sold, right?) These easy and inexpensive “hacks” will free you up to have more time doing what you love. 1. Double-duty dishwasher You can […]
7 non-traditional ways to record your family’s history
Remember your Grandma’s “Book of Remembrance”? Or your father’s detailed, daily journal? Those are great ways for recording important events, but they’re by no means the only options available anymore. If writing for several minutes every night isn’t your style, try one of these creative ways for preserving your family’s story. 1. Photo books Digital […]
5 ways to spiritually charge your family for back to school
School supplies? Check. Fall sports fundraiser? Done. School clothes? Purchased. Utah County families are gearing up for back to school next week, which means that never-ending to-do list might actually be shrinking. But there are a few important things LDS families can do for their kids to help them make good decisions as they begin […]
10 great wedding gifts from the LDS Distribution Center
The wedding season is a busy time, especially in communities where many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints live. Weddings are exciting, joyful and can be — for Church members who attend several celebrations every summer — expensive. But they don’t have to be. The LDS Distribution Center sells thousands of items […]
Audiobooks that will make your family road trip fly by
If you’re going on a road trip with your family this summer, gear yourself up for listening to whiny kids, bored teenagers and a few too many rounds of “99 Bottles of (whatever) on the Wall.” Or, you could just take one of these audiobook recommendations from seasoned librarian Carla Zollinger. Zollinger has worked for […]
Consumer protection: Do the UVHBA’s 14-point inspection
Members of the Utah Valley Home Builders Association are expected to abide by a strict code of ethics and follow the highest professional standards. The UVHBA checks out potential members to protect the public. Because of this, start your search for a builder by checking the UVHBA’s membership (uvhba.com/directory). However, looking at a member of […]
McEwan Custom Homes leads Utah Valley Parade of Homes® Judges’ Choice winners
Grizzly Mountain and Arive Homes awarded platinum in Tier 2 and Tier 3 OREM — McEwan Custom Homes, Grizzly Mountain Development and Arive Homes won Judges’ Choice awards from the Utah Valley Home Builders Association, highlighting a tremendous year at the 2014 Utah Valley Parade of Homes®. Different from the People’s Choice award, which is selected […]
How the UVHBA helps you: Building a home is a unique experience
It’s a great and terrible experience. Like other complicated and expensive processes, having the right professional partner makes navigation easier and, dare we say, enjoyable. This importance to hire a capable captain to steer the residential rudder is why you should use a contractor who belongs to the Utah Valley Home Builders Association. In addition […]
The artist next door: A closer look at two extraordinary artists you may not know are your neighbors
When Christina Ashby from Orem saw a painting of her dad as Santa, she was thrilled. What 5-year-old wouldn’t be? Later, when she was in high school, Ashby’s dad was Santa in a second painting. But this kind of thing isn’t unusual when celebrated artist James C. Christensen lives down the road. “We have three […]
Quiz: How well do you know Utah County moms?
Utah County is home to some pretty fantastic moms. And while the work of a mother is largely done within the walls of her home, Utah Valley mothers have made their mark on the community, local schools, the blogosphere, the media and more. Take this quiz to find out just how much you know about […]
Best of Utah Valley Beauty and Home Services
You spoke and we wrote. The last two months saw more than 4,000 readers cast votes in our“Best Of” categories for this issue — Beauty and Home Services. This combination of bedhead to homestead makes sense. We care about looking and feeling our best, and we want our homes to be as happy as we are. In this section, […]
Best Plumber: Told Plumbing
Kelly Barney has been getting under sinks and fixing pipes for 45 years. In fact, he started by riding his bike to meet his grandfather at jobsites. He’s been a plumber with Told Plumbing in Pleasant Grove for 13 years and is part of the reason Told earned the title “Best Plumber” from Utah Valley […]
Dwell Done: Tana Hallows builds Destination Nursery from the ground up
Salem’s Tana Hallows is the mom behind “Mom’s Best Network” (a popular lifestyle blog) and she also gave birth to “Destination Nursery,” a giveaway series that awards deserving moms across the country with a nursery or child’s room makeover. Tana — who has five kids of her own — has helped moms in Virginia, […]
8 vegetables that will flourish in your Utah Valley garden
The last frost of the year is mere weeks away, and Utah County’s garden centers are bustling as residents make plans for their summer gardens. Whether you’ve got a solid green thumb or can’t tell the difference between a weed and a seedling, these expert ideas will get your garden growing. Here are eight vegetables […]
5 ways to have a Christ-centered Easter with your family
If your family is anything like mine, it’s easy to let the true meaning of Easter get lost under a pile of Easter egg hunts, chocolate bunnies and egg-dying. But with just a little bit of extra thought, you can make Easter mean more than just a basket of goodies to you and your family. […]
HGUV: Insider tips on building, buying or remodeling a home
Love a little HGTV? Consider this the Utah County equivalent. We’ve got it all — property virgins, house hunters and radical remodelers. Read our Q&A to learn their take on building, buying and remodeling. The Property Virgins Steve and Allie Vincent, Saratoga Springs UV: What motivated you to build a home rather than rent? Steve and Allie: We […]
House of history: Brent Brown’s home brings the past to the present in style
Most people would guess that the garage would be the most impressive part of Brent Brown’s home. But when you step inside the residence of Utah County’s most well-known car dealer, you’ll quickly see he leaves his passion for cars at the office. At his Provo home, it’s all about furniture — but not the […]
Return with interest: Avoid 7 mistakes to make solid investment in real estate
The professionals at BuyPD in American Fork help investors around the country earn money in real estate. Here the company gives seven mistakes to avoid when it comes to getting realty returns. Mistake #1: Paying market rate Experienced investors understand the key to a successful transaction is purchasing properties under current market value. The beauty of […]
The Bright Track: Furniture expert takes a walk on the light side
Lesa Swenson’s father, Vaud, owns Vaud Hanks and Sons furniture store in Springville. But it’s actually his daughters — including Lesa — who run the store. “I’ve worked there since high school doing everything from buying to bookkeeping,” Lesa says. The mother of four recently built a new home in the Spanish Fork riverbottoms area […]
10 most expensive activities for kids in Utah County
Extracurricular activities help kids develop social skills, work ethic, teamwork and self-discipline—all worthy pursuits. At the end of the day, sports are much less about winning and much more about having fun and making friends. But when it comes to your pocketbook, not all activities are created equal. The costs of these activities can easily […]
Moving On Up
The Balsers nearly took their home off the market before a quick transaction sent them packing It took their neighbors one week to get full asking price for their Eagle Mountain home. That’s what got them thinking. It was 2012 and Kenny and Cassie Balser were like many homeowners — unsure about the housing market […]
SPONSORED: 10 reasons to attend the Utah Valley Home and Garden Expo
The Utah Valley Home and Garden Expo is this Friday and Saturday, March 14-15, in the UCCU Center at UVU. Here are 10 reasons you should attend the expo: 1. You can see the latest products on the market for home renovation. Whatever your home project — from going green to renovating those old kitchen […]
SPONSORED: Four Chairs Furniture & Design
150 S. State Street, Lindon | (801) 796-3400 | www.4-chairs.com “A neutral palette” — that’s what you hear when building or remodeling. The instruction to give yourself a blank canvas leaves you moving in and feeling bored until you can add some life to your space. Here, Lindy Allen — owner and designer at Four […]
The 20-minute ‘cheater’s’ guide to a clean house
Sometimes you have plenty of advance notice to deep-clean your house for company. Other times, your spouse tells you that his long-lost high school friends are on their way over. For days when unexpected house guests catch you off guard, here’s a 20-minute “cheater’s guide” to making your house presentable. These ideas are adapted from […]
Live in the Know: Edge Homes trendsetter shares 5 must-haves
Kate Heath knows home design. As design center manager for Edge Homes in Orem, Kate and her team work individually with hundreds of couples who build with Edge. She takes them through the enjoyable process of selecting finishes and design elements for a new home. Here, she shares five trends she’s seeing in today’s […]
Keep it glassy: 5 reasons to sign up for an art class at Holdman Studios
1. You’ve probably never done anything like it. Glass blowing is a hands-on experience unlike any other. In the Holdman Studios state-of-the-art facility at Thanksgiving Point, students work alongside professionals to create beautiful stained glass, glass flowers, or more complex objects like paper weights, bowls and platters. How many of your friends can say they’ve […]
5 tips for setting a budget you can actually stick to
Good news — it’s still January! Chances are, you’re still on track with your budget goals. But February is on its way, and that’s when most of us need a little help. If your relationship with your budget is on the rocks, understand this: It’s not you; it’s your plan. Chances are, you’re setting financial […]