Blog Posts by Babble.com

With limits, comes the freedom to do what you really want.Constraints aren't popular in modern American culture where "you can do anything you want" and "the sky's the limit." Translation: LIMITS ARE BAD.

Children aren't the only ones who thrive when given limits. After basic needs are covered, constraints encourage creativity and resourcefulness. When you have to think about how you're spending your next seven dollars or days, you bring more intelligence and care to the choice.But there's more to it.


Related: Mo' choices, mo' problems -- The upside of constraints

In her Blissdom talk Do Less as a Life Strategy, my co-author and Wonder Twin Christine Koh said something that hit me right between the eyes: "When you get rid of the things you don't love, there's more room for the things you do."

There was a hush as the statement hung in the air - followed by a collective WHOOSH of recognition. Heads nodded wildly as 150 people took in an essential truth: Embracing constraints is as much about recognizing the value of your attention as it

Read More »from What Would You Cut Out of Your Life to Accomplish Your Dreams?

Let's start a new trend: the divorce registry.I've been divorced for nigh on three years, and I still don't have a vacuum cleaner. I think it's time for me to start a new trend: the divorce registry. A divorce registry is a lot like a bridal registry, except instead of registering for things you'll never use, you register for all the things you desperately need that you lost to your ex. (As far as I can tell, stores don't sell dignity, so you'll have to find another way to get that back.)

I started a divorce registry on Target.com with one item on it - a Dyson vacuum cleaner. Since the crappy cordless one I bought post-divorce stopped working a few months ago, I've been borrowing a vacuum once a week from one of my best friends who lives down the street. But damn it, I want a Dyson, and who says I can't register for it?! I bought everything else I needed to start my life over myself, so this is one thing I'm not ashamed to ask for.

During the two years immediately following my divorce when I lived rent free with my

Read More »from What I Got when We Split: 5 Divorce Registry Essentials

Home Green HomeIn honor of Earth Day, we're rounding up some of the most innovative, eco-inspired homes in the world - homes that are sustainable, smart, and environmentally conscious. Homes that make energy, instead of using it. (We'd like that gas bill, please!) Homes that will blow your mind. Although this list certainly includes some futuristic designs (like rotating houses) and multi-million-dollar price tags, most use materials and ideas that you could easily implement in your own "green home" upgrade.

zeroHouse 1. zeroHouse
zeroHouse is a pre-fab home (which can be yours for $350,000) that's designed to be completely self-sufficient, meaning there are no outside utilities needed. zeroHouse produces power through solar panels and stores it in batteries, collects its own water, and even turns waste into compost. All of these functions work with automatic sensors that can be controlled through a laptop.

The Dome House 2. The Dome House
The International Dome House Co. builds these eco-minded prefab Read More »from Home Green Home: The 7 Most Eco-Conscious Houses in the World

Would you wear wedge sneakers?Help! I am standing at a fashion crossroads. And I don't know what shoes I'm wearing. I can't decide... how I feel... about wedge sneakers.

When I first heard of this trend I have to admit, I laughed. I rolled my eyes. I brushed it off. "Who would ever wear that?" "How could that look ever take off?" It seemed completely ridiculous to me, and believe me, I'm generally more likely than most to espouse most of the more ridiculous fashion trends out there.

I'm eating my hat these days, because I've started noticing them on the streets more and more, and every time I sort of stop myself and go, "Huh," closely followed by, "those are kind of cute."

Related: Would you wear this?! 12 bizarre beauty trends

Am I losing it? Or are these actually sort of amazing?

I've put together a collection of a few of the wedge sneakers I've seen that are available for purchase. You'll see that there are a TON of options in the wedge sneaker department, which only makes my dilemma more complicated. IF I

Read More »from Spring's Most Perplexing Trend: Would You Wear Wedge Sneakers?

6 beauty secrets that will change your lifeFrom hair conditioning to perfect skin and repairing broken lipsticks, we've collected the VERY BEST beauty secrets around. You'll be kicking yourself you didn't know these sooner! Without further ado, here are six beauty secrets that will change your life:









The Sock Bun1. The Sock Bun Trick
Fine hair gets a real makeover with this trick to make your bun look more full. Hint: There's a sock hidden in there!
Get the tutorial












Repair a Shattered Eyeshadow2. Repair a Shattered Eyeshadow
A great tip for repairing those shattered eyeshadows that fall and break. Amazing what a little bit of vinegar can do...
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Related: 10 little style changes that have big results





Hemorroid Cream for Undereye Circles3. Hemorroid Cream for Undereye Circles
Hemorroid cream can help reduce puffiness and restore natural color in your undereye circles. Sure, it kind of sounds weird, but I hear it really works!
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Pastel Tips4. Pastel Tips
No need to head to a fancy salon for this trendy, colorful tips look. Plus it comes out in a cinch, and no one will ever guess what

Read More »from 6 Beauty Secrets Everyone Should Know

Perhaps you remember the Arch Deluxe, the massive burger launch from McDonalds that was pulled from menu's after an aggressive (and expensive) marketing campaign? Good memory. Now, what about Funky Fries, Crystal Pepsi, or these other fascinatingly inedible food products that couldn't be saved by clever marketing. Take a walk down memory lane and discover the secrets behind five failed products that barely saw the light of day.

Crystal Pepsi1. Crystal Pepsi
After a few test markets responded positively to this "pure," caffeine-free version of Pepsi, the company launched Crystal Pepsi in 1992 with the slogan, "You've never seen a taste like this." But consumers clearly preferred the original, soda color and all. The marketing mind behind the campaign, David C. Novak, admitted in an interview, "I still think it's the best idea I ever had, and the worst executed.…It would have been nice if I'd made sure the product tasted good. Once you have a great idea and you blow it, you don't get a chance to

Read More »from From Funky Fries to Reddi-Bacon: The Top 5 Food Marketing Fails

Oops! Did I just say that?!"Daddy said the f-word!" my seven-year-old announces. It's 7:30 in the morning, and I'm rushing to get her ready for school.

"What?!" I say. I had no idea she even knew the phrase "f-word." When, I ask her, did this happen?

"Last night," she tells me. "Max locked himself in your bedroom and Daddy said that word and then he said 'Fruit!'"

The previous evening, I'd been out at a work event and my husband put the kids to bed. Now I'm finding out what went down. I actually don't mind tattle-telling when it's about Daddy. Who evidently thinks that when you say "f___" and you pretend you said "fruit," it's gonna fool a 7-year-old who is already wise beyond her years.

My husband and I are generally not big cursers: We let the occasional expletive fly during moments of crisis or extreme frustration, and we try our best not to say them around the kids. But, given that we're human parents, sometimes they slip out.

Related: The pros and cons of cursing in front of your kids

Read More »from #@*$! My Kids Heard Me Curse. Now What?

5 Garage Organization Tips to Drive Away ClutterIs your spring cleaning going to include your garage? I know, it's probably daunting - garages get junked up like no other room in the house. It's so easy to just close the door and act like the clutter isn't there, until it starts taking over and you can't even park your car inside. Don't let that happen! Here are 5 ways to organize your garage.










Round up sports equipment 1. Round up sports equipment
You'll never play ball, if you can't easily find your equipment. Using bungee cords keeps balls in full view, but out of the way.
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Hang up your recycling 2. Hang up your recycling
Move recycling bins off the floor and out of the way by hanging them on the wall! This is a good visual reminder to recycle, too.
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Related: 20 things you can live without to reduce clutter


Give every tool its own place 3. Give every tool its own place
Why can't you find that screwdriver you need? Probably because it never had a place to begin with. Designate a spot for every tool - you can even trace it on the wall - and it'll always make it's way back.
Get

Read More »from 5 Garage Organization Tips to Drive Away Clutter