Lilacs, pansies, tulips, and other purple-hued posies inspire a parade of charming Easter crafts
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By Carolyn Forte
Establish Priorities
Identify which tasks absolutely have to be done, which ones should be done and which ones would be nice to get done. Work on them in that order and forget about all others.
Related: Insider Tips from Cleaning Pros
Set Time Limits
You can accomplish quite a bit in several 10- or 20-minute periods. Keep your cleaning schedule flexible so you can change it if something unexpected comes up. Do what you can when you can.
Delegate
Teach your kids how to fold laundry, vacuum, dust, unload the dishwasher, make their beds and prepare their breakfasts, lunches and snacks. Enlist teens to help with big jobs like washing windows and floors and cleaning cabinets and woodwork.
Related: Nate Berkus' Room Organizing Tips
Cleaning Shortcuts:
These TV news anchors make looking great (at dawn!) look easy. Here, they share their secrets and shortcuts so you, too, can be ready for your close-up.
By Kimberly A. Daly
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If you thought you'd seen everything the Easter Bunny has to offer, slip any of these "egg"cellent ova into your basket and wait for a happy holiday response.
By Julie Mihaly
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Coming-home chores can be such a drag - here are 5 do-ahead ideas to lighten your load
By Christina Peterson
1. Put fresh sheets on the bed and replace the bathroom towels before you leave. That way, your own room won't seem like a comedown from the hotel you just left.
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2. Arrange for the mail to wait an extra day or two at the post office or your neighbor's house. This will give you a chance to get settled in before facing a pile of bills and junk mail.
3. Take out the trash and recycling before you leave, even if pickup isn't for a few days. Ask a neighbor to please haul your barrels and bins out to and back from the curb when they do theirs - you'll return the favor another time.
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4. Water houseplants, making sure to fully saturate the soil. Once you've gone, the small ones will dry out the quickest, so maximize moisture by creating a mini greenhouse effect: Place them in plastic grocery bags, tie shut, and
Pasta, steak, chocolate... America's doc explains why keeping your favorite foods on the menu is the easiest, best way to drop 10 lbs. fast - and keep it off forever
Why This Diet Will Work for You
You've seen the promise before - "Eat all your favorite foods and lose weight." The skeptic in you thinks, Are you kidding me? Eating all my favorite foods is how I gained weight in the first place. But this time, it's for real. This plan features famous favorites, as well as swaps in case you prefer other indulgences.
There's a scientific reason for following a weight-loss program that doesn't involve wholesale deprivation. Dieters who restrict themselves too much-give up all or most of an entire food category, like fat or carbs - for even just three days get an irresistible yearning for the food they're not allowed to have. That's what prominent obesity researcher Janet Polivy, Ph.D., and her colleagues at the University of Toronto have found. Even anticipated deprivation - you know
The first step to an excellent vacation is to take everything you need - and make sure it's wearable once you arrive. Check out GH's wrinkle-free packing plan below. Have trouble remembering what to bring? Take a look at our print-and-go packing list.
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Beyond busy? 18 ways to beat the clock.
By Sharon Franke
2. Store buttons in clear pill dispensers so you can easily spot the one you need.
3. Schedule your next haircut before you leave the salon.
4. Keep scissors in every room - that way, you won't waste time trying to find them if you have to open a package, cut a tag, or quickly wrap a gift.
5. Buy stamps, print labels, and arrange package pickups at usps.com.
6. When you find a useful number in the phone book, highlight it so it'll pop out the next time.
Related: Too Little Time
7. Skip the photo store. Order prints from an online service such as snapfish.com, the top scorer in GH Research Institute tests.
8. Reserve books online instead of driving over to the library to do it in person. (You can renew books online too.)
9. Stash lint rollers in lots of places (the laundry room, closets, your car's glove compartment) so
Making a parade of Easter crafts is easy with these festive, fuss-free creations: Just cut, paste, and celebrate.
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By Keith Ablow, M.D.
Some years ago when I was chief resident in psychiatry at the New England Medical Center, I decided it was finally time to enter therapy myself. I was dating the woman who would later become my wife and I wanted to explore why I hadn't yet committed to her.
So I booked an appointment with a noted psychiatrist, about 10 miles from my home, and left early enough to get there on time. But 35 minutes later, I was lost amid curving backstreets - and already 15 minutes late.
I called the psychiatrist, apologized, and suggested we reschedule for another day. "Haven't you been avoiding therapy long enough?" he asked me.
I thought about it. Part of me wanted to dismiss the idea that my ambivalence could have turned me round and round until I was too late for my session. It seemed almost comical to think that I couldn't even commit to figuring out why I couldn't commit in a relationship. But I'd learned enough about the mind's defenses to know it was possible. It was
