Blog Posts by Woman s Day

By Woman's Day Staff

Tonya Diehl, 31, wanted an outlet to share her decorating ideas, so she started a blog. But finding a spot to work was a challenge. Space was tight in her house, especially with two little boys, ages 4 and 15 months. The solution? Turn a closet into a home office. "The coat closet in our living room was the first space to come to mind," says Tonya, a part-time registered nurse in Murphysboro, IL. "All the bedroom closets were jam-packed with necessities, but that one held more junk than coats. So I cleared it out and created an area all my own-no boys or husband allowed." And she did it all for under $100!

Prepping the closet was simple: Coats were moved to the bedrooms and leftover junk was tossed. Then she looked around for inspiration. "I was in a craft store," says Tonya, "when I stumbled upon some beautiful scrapbook paper patterned with plum, sage green, blue and cream." A lightbulb went off-she'd found her color scheme. Photos by Bjorn Wallander

By Brooke Nevils

illustration of home goods➜ Small Kitchen Appliances
Regardless of the brand, these items-especially bread, pasta and espresso machines-have been steady sellers for Skip McGrath, author of Three Weeks to eBay Profits. He often picks them up at garage sales and then resells them on eBay for up to 20 times as much, like the $2 garage sale food dehydrator that sold for $40. Even if an item isn't in mint condition, it could sell. "I sold a broken espresso machine for about $50 because the buyer wanted it for parts," says McGrath. But, he cautions, make sure you're upfront about the condition of the item. Image by Jenny Bowers.

➜ Video Games
"We'll pay up to $30 per game as well as your shipping costs," says Anthony Scarsella, chief gadget officer at Gazelle.com, which buys used electronics products directly from consumers. While you're at it, throw in a few of your old movies. "We will pay $1 for DVDs and $5 for Blu-rays," says Scarsella.

Learn 10 easy ways to save

tax form on a computer with a calculatorBy Daisy Chan

Does the idea of filing your taxes make you want to hide in a closet? You're not alone. According to the IRS, last year 10 million people applied for an extra six months to file their tax return! Fortunately, there are ways to make the process a little easier and save you money, too. Illustration by Jenny Bowers

Do your Prep Work ASAP

The earlier you know the state of your backup documents, the better, so take time now to gather the paperwork (W-2s, bank and investment statements, receipts, etc.) that you'll need for filing your return. This will give you time to chase down anything that's missing. Once you get your papers in order, you'll be less likely to procrastinate and miss the deadline (April 17 this year), which could cost you 25% or more in penalties on taxes owed, says Mark Luscombe, principal analyst at tax research firm CCH.
Learn what you should do now for next year's tax season.

Research Deductions

There are actually quite a few (totally

bottle of pure maple syrupBy Woman's Day Staff

It's spring, when sap rises and syrup boils all over the Northeast-a good time for tips on how to choose and use this nicest of nectars.

What is it? Produced mainly in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, maple syrup is the boiled-down sap of maple trees. Though we're most familiar with it as a topper for waffles and pancakes, it's not just for breakfast. Unlike cheaper pancake syrups (many of which contain no maple at all), pure maple syrup has a distinctive earthy flavor that is a great complement to many savory foods.
Whip up perfect pancakes with this step-by-step guide.

Grades: Maple syrup comes in four USDA grades: Grade A Light Amber (a delicate syrup, graded "Fancy" in Vermont), Grade A Medium Amber (the most common table syrup), Grade A Dark Amber and Grade B. The darker the color, the later in the season the syrup was produced and the stronger the flavor. For cooking, stick to the darker grades, as

Free Tips on Saving MoneyBy Mary Hunt

As much as I love the word, I have to admit it makes me suspicious. Just this week I won a "free" vacation, but the fine print says I need to send in a cashier's check to claim my prize. Sadly, "free" is usually a sneaky way to clean out my wallet. Photo by: Comstock

But every now and then an exception comes along that's truly free-no strings attached, no hidden agendas. Here are my favorites, and all you really need is an Internet connection to go online.
Protect yourself when you shop online.

Business cards
VistaPrint is an online printing company known for its amazing offer of 250 free business cards. They're good-quality, too. Visit vistaprint.com, create your card and all you have to pay is about five bucks for shipping.

Why's it free? VistaPrint would like you to join their 12 million customers who buy printing online, so they offer this enticement. Just know that once you get your business cards, you may hear from them a lot.

Expert

By Woman's Day Staff

Need more space in your kitchen pantry? Follow blogger Susan Haskins's lead and create zones to give everything from snacks to baking items its own place. Photos by Lucas Allen

As a mom of three teenagers, ages 12, 13 and 17, Susan Haskins of Barrington, IL, spends a lot of time packing lunches, prepping snacks and making dinner. But her kitchen just wasn't up to the job. The main problem: Nothing was organized. "I couldn't find anything," she says. "Canned food was shoved next to bags of flour and boxes of pasta. There was no rhyme or reason; everything was all mixed together." Tired of wasting time digging through her jumbled pantry, Susan decided to roll up her sleeves and create a more efficient space.
Try these unique kitchen storage solutions.

Streamline Your Shelves

Create a Kid Zone

In the Haskins house, the kids head straight to the kitchen after school. They used to ask Mom for a snack. Now they just grab cookies, granola bars,

mother hugging her school-aged daughterBy Christine Coppa

Regardless of your marital status, motherhood is hard. But single moms just may have it tougher, though not for the reason you'd think: Too often, they face tough questions and judgment just because they lack a spouse. Don't want to be one of the people making life more difficult for these women? Then avoid saying the following 10 things to a husbandless mother-plus, check out the below advice from experts and single moms in the trenches on how to rephrase questions if you just have to ask. Photo by Thinkstock

"It must be so hard to date."

"No kidding," says single mom *Lorie. "Dating isn't exactly a walk in the park-even though I'm always there with my three-year-old daughter!" As any single woman can attest, dating isn't easy, but a single mom has more obstacles-like finding time and babysitters for dates-when it comes to finding Mr. Right. Rachel Sarah, author of Single Mom Seeking, says being concerned about your single mom friend's dating life

By Woman's Day Staff

Blast fat (and stress!) with this easy kickboxing workout, created by TaeBo founder and fitness expert Billy Blanks.

Billy says: This warm-up also trims your waist and tones your arms and legs.

A Stand with your left leg about a foot in front of you with both knees slightly bent. Bend your elbows so that your fists are just below your chin. All illustrations by Brown Bird Design

B Punch your right arm straight out as you shift your weight to your back leg. Come back to starting position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps, then switch sides.
Trim down and tone up in just 10 minutes.

Billy says: Even though this move focuses on your upper body, it also gives your legs a great workout.

A Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees and elbows bent, hands in a fist below your chin.

B Turn your torso slightly as you punch your arm in a hooking motion so it's parallel to the floor. Come back to start and repeat. Do a total