Blog Posts by Good Housekeeping

BackpacksIf you've just bought a new backpack for your child, hopefully you checked out the results of our Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI) test of 48 backpacks to find the best before making your purchase. But even if you didn't, here are five tips to make sure the bag you bought lasts from one school year to the next.

Related: Kid-Friendly Backpacks with Wheels

1. Keep stains at bay with an application of a stain-repellent spray, like Scotchgard. It's best to spray the bag before the first use, but most likely it's still clean enough to treat now. This will help keep soil and spills from turning into stains. Several times during the year, spot clean (see tip#2) the bag the year and reapply the spray.

2. Spot clean dirt and grime with a cloth or stiff brush dipped into warm sudsy water. Most backpacks are made of durable, easy-care nylon so stains wash off with little effort. Even so, it's best to tackle them when you see them.

Related: Is Your Child Carrying the

Free moneyJust like yours, my wallet is stuffed with rewards cards and loyalty cards. I've got at least six: four retail loyalty cards, two credit cards with reward programs, and a couple of stamp-earning cards for use in local food shops (I'm so close to getting a free coffee!). And apparently I'm a light user: The average American is a member of 18 of these programs. But research shows we're leaving one-third of our rewards (around $200 worth) unused each year. You can avoid that - and rack up every bit of "bonus" that you can - with these smart strategies.

Related: Find the Best Credit Card for You

Go for the Money...

There are few rewards better than cold, hard cash. When it comes to credit cards, the American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card is a winner, especially for families with big grocery and gas bills. With no annual fee and unlimited rewards, it gives you 3% back on groceries, 2% back at gas stations and department stores, and 1% back on everything else. Plus, grab an

The freshest tomatoes won't be around for too much longerThere's already a cool breeze in the air. Fall is almost here and soon late-summer fruit and vegetable favorites will be gone. Now's the time to take advantage of these 5 picks that just won't be the same next season, or until next summer! Find out what to look for and some seasonal recipes that let them shine on the plate.

1. Tomatoes. Look for tomatoes without any broken skin or bruises that are firm but yield to gentle pressure. They're available in a rainbow of colors and an endless number of shapes and sizes, so feel free to try them all to find your favorite. We liked red and yellow ones in this beautiful Rustic Tomato Tart. Get them soon because you'll start to see the gorgeous supply dwindle by the end of September. Keep them out at room temperature and out of the refrigerator to maintain their juiciness and texture.

Related: What's in Season Now? Each Month's Freshest Foods

2. Sweet Corn. Get the dental floss ready for the last of the succulent cobs this year.

Protection from West Nile VirusYou may have heard reports of West Nile Virus, a possibly fatal virus carried by mosquitoes, popping up all across the United States. West Nile Virus can lead to serious complications like encephalitis - swelling of the brain. If you're anything like me, you're going to spend as much time as possible outdoors during these waning days of summer. But right now's the riskiest part of the season - West Nile cases peak in late August/early fall. What precautions should we be taking? To find out, I spoke with Candice Hoffmann, a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Related: How to Get Rid of Insects and Pests

• First and foremost, use bug repellent whenever you're outside and select one that features one of CDC's recommended ingredients, such as DEET, picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or IR3535. Make sure to apply it to all exposed areas of skin and reapply it as the product instructions direct. Try Avon's Skin So Soft Aerosol Spray plus

Example of cleaning supplies to donate

By now, you've probably outfitted the students in your family with new fall clothes and the usual notebooks, markers and other back-to-school paraphernalia. But there are additional classroom necessities that you may not have thought of ... cleaning supplies. It's true. Teachers often spend their own money to stock up on products like disinfecting wipes and hand soaps in an effort to keep kids clean and healthy all year long. To help supply your child's classroom with cleaning essentials, follow these tips:

1. Check with the school to make sure it accepts cleaning supplies from parents. Some schools may have a policy against such donations.

2. Deliver the products yourself For safety, an adult should bring the cleaners to the school, not a child.

Related: 100+ Back-to-School Tips

3. Confirm that cleaners used in a classroom are stored safely and out of reach of children.

4. Donate what's needed most, Canisters of disinfecting wipes, liquid hand soap, tissues, and

Keep problems out of your bedroom

*Apart from experts and authors quoted, real names and locations have been changed.

Kelly and James were our oldest friends. We met before we had kids, and while James and my husband, Sam, bonded over hours-long bike rides and trail runs, Kelly and I connected over our love of literature and movies, politics and fashion. As the years progressed, our lives stayed in sync: We had babies around the same time, bought houses near each other, took vacations together. On Sundays, when it came time for dinner, the only question was, our house or theirs? Married 20-plus years, Kelly and James* had weathered some tough times - his incessant travel for work, her struggles with low moods - but their relationship seemed solid. Or so we thought until last July, when James confessed to Kelly that he was in love with another woman and had been cheating on Kelly for months.

I'd seen agony up close, but never quite like this. Kelly called almost daily, sobbing through her recitation of hurts.

Organic strawberriesI've been following recent headlines suggesting that organic food is no healthier or more nutritious than conventional food. True, that's the story from the 30,000-foot view. In general, when studies compare organic fare to food produced under normal circumstances, there is no discernable difference in terms of nutrients or bacterial contamination (the type likely to make you ill). However, when you drill down, you'll find that there are still plenty of reasons to shop for organic food.

Related: The Best Gluten-Free Foods

1) Pesticides. Studies suggest that organic food has lower levels of pesticide residues than conventional food. Granted, it's unclear what these pesticide levels mean to healthy adults (the EPA says they're safe) but very young children and pregnant women may want to be extra cautious considering there is some research linking these groups to health problems. For example, one study found that children with higher-than-average levels of pesticides in their

Labor Day has come and gone, and you know what that means. Cue the violins; summer is (unofficially) over.

Once I'm through mourning the end of the summer, I'll stop to recall all the great things about this time: the gorgeous weather (warm sunny days and cool, brisk nights), calmer, quieter weekends, and cozy sweaters. So let's raise a glass to fall!

Here are 5 delicious drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) that'll carry you from the still-hot days of early September right into fall.

Related: Wines for Every Occasion

Spindrift Sodas and WatersSpindrift Sodas and Waters: Made with fresh fruit, this line of sodas and waters is shipped refrigerated and needs to stay refrigerated. While this seems a little high-maintenance, the proof is in the flavor: bright, not too sugary, and refreshing. Our favorite sodas were the orange mango and the grapefruit flavors. The waters are a nice low-cal alternative to the sodas, perfect for people who hate drinking plain water, like my sister.