It's cold outside - cozy up indoors

While Snowmageddon may have been "snow-verrated", there's no denying that the temperatures have been less than tropical of late.

(SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO)

And, according to a recent Direct Energy survey, conducted by Polaris Marketing Research, less than one-third of Ontarians felt their households were prepared for extreme weather. (As an aside, I can state that 90 per cent of my wardrobe is not prepared for extreme weather.)

“By implementing a few easy changes, which don’t include wearing a snowsuit indoors, consumers can lower their energy usage now and throughout the year," says Dave Walton, Director of Home Ideas, Direct Energy. "An extreme drop in temperature doesn’t mean your bank balance should drop too due to higher energy bills."

And how are we doing at keeping bills down and staying warm at home? About 85 per cent of Ontarians bundle up during extreme cold, 56 per cent close shades and blinds to minimize heat loss and half close registers, doors and vents in rooms that are not being used.

Here are some ways to keep things comfy and cozy indoors, even when the weather outside is frightful:

1. Bundle up. Guard against chills with an extra sweater or blanket. Throw in a cup of hot chocolate and a favourite movie to make staying in even nicer.

2. Clear it. Max out your heating by keeping vents clear of rugs, drapes and furniture.

3. Use it or lose it. Shut the doors and vents in unused rooms to conserve energy, and dollars. If you have a chimney, conserve heat by closing the flue when the wood-burning fireplace isn't in use.

4. Program it. No one wants to heat an empty house all day, but no one wants to come home to freezing temps either. Install a programmable thermostat and set it to lower your home's temperature when you're away or sleeping - and raise it when you're on your way home.

5. Lock it down. Sealing leaks around doors, windows, letter boxes or keyholes with weather stripping and caulking could save up to $108 per year - and reduce indoor drafts.

6. Stay safe. To help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, keep all venting clear of snow, and install CO detectors in or outside of all bedrooms in your home. If you already have detectors, check their expiry dates (they generally last about five years) and replace if necessary.

(You can get more energy efficiency tips at www.directenergy.com)

Sneak peek at Toronto's Interior Design Show

Unlock your door by text message

The wave of the future, or a whole lot of work for little payoff? It's hard to say. But either way, I'm kind of impressed by this guy who programmed his door to lock and unlock with a text message.

Hattip to @laurenonizzle

For the love of vodka

Turns out, vodka's a powerful substance. And while I have been known to indulge in a sip or two of this potent beverage, I'm actually referring to its many uses around the house, or, to quote a recent release from Iceberg Vodka, vodka is "the Swiss Army Knife of liquids."

A few ways you can put vodka to use around the house, outside of that after-work cocktail:

1) Get the ink out. Dab a splash of vodka on that ink-splattered shirt as soon as possible to prevent the stain from setting.

2) Make it sparkle. Vodka, when diluted by roughly 25 to 50 per cent with water, makes a great glass cleaner. Mix it in a spray bottle for shining surfaces in no time.

3. Sweep it under the rug. Vodka can help life unexpected and messy stains out of your carpet after a wild party. Clean up what you can, then spray the area with vodka and scrub.

4. Clear the air. Vodka diluted with water, in addition to cleaning glass, can also be used to eliminate odours. Just spray it on fabrics that are smelling less than fresh (it never hurts to do a test area first just to make sure you won't leave any discolouration) and let it dry.

Dining for swingers

In January, I often find myself thinking about sprucing up my space and entertaining, likely as an antidote to the dreary weather and the letdown of the end of the holiday season. After a month or two of parties, returning to your normal routine is, of course, a bit of a drag.

Duffy London’s Swing Table certainly offers a chance to add a little more offbeat fun to your next dinner party.

The four poster table supports eight hanging, swaying chairs and a central lampshade. Made of walnut and powder-coated steel, and available in custom colours and sizes, it retails for £2,995.00, or about $4,700 CDN.

It's basically the grown-up version of a swing set!

Or, as the website says more formally, "This design creates an exceptionally divergent dining experience and aesthetic, creating a room within a room, with chairs that hover around the table, it also makes vacuuming a breeze."

I suspect easy vacuuming would be necessary with this - can you imagine the amount of fallen crumbs, dropped plates and spilled wine from overzealously swinging guests?

What do you think - is it a way to make dinner parties more fun or a way to ensure guests slop their soup?

Spotted on Design Milk.

Waking up is hard to do

There's nothing like waking up in the pitch black, only to realize that while it may look like 3 a.m., it's actually 7:00 a.m. and you're going to be late for work. Turns out your trusty cellphone alarm not only didn't survive a dunk in the bathtub, but it also is way less effective when the battery dies overnight.

So, when Philips offered me a chance to test out the Wake-up Light Plus ($119.99 - $179.99), with the promise of a better start to those gloomy winter mornings, I had to give it a shot.

In a recent survey, Philips found that 54 per cent of Canadians understood light therapy but had never tried it.

As one of those who'd never given it a go, I was interested to see if it really did make for an easier start to the day and, more importantly, whether the gradually brightening light would actually be enough to wake up this sleepyhead.

In theory, the light works by naturally simulating sunrise, thus increasing the level of energy hormones in the body and preparing it to wake up. It also includes options for natural sounds and radio alarms.

As for the alarm functionality, the first night I hit the wrong setting and woke up in a panic to an almost-too-bright room with birds chirping away, followed by the incessant buzzing of my back-up alarm, my cellphone, just in case I'd programmed it wrong. Effective, yes. Soothing, not so much.

The next week of testing went just fine - I even found I was waking up with less of a jolt than my usual blaring alarm method. I did need to spend some time monkeying with the lighting levels to get them just right -- too bright, and I was awake before my alarm was set to go off, too low and I was still half asleep come go time.

Also, because I work two night shifts a week, it wasn't the ideal solution to rely on for those days when my alarm was set for noon. When it's already light out and you're stubbornly avoiding the outside world with a nightshade, light therapy just won't do. For those days, I had to rely on the radio setting.

As for the decor angle, the alarm is a little plastic looking, but largely not intrusive. Basically, it's not as cool as a retro bell ringer, but no worse than the standard dock. And while it was a little bit on the large side for my wee little bedside table, I was able to make it work because it doubled as a lamp - thus actually leaving me with a little bit more wiggle room for glasses of water, mugs of tea and books come bedtime.

For more, check out the Philips website.

Resolutions for the home

The new year offers a fresh start for so many of us - whether we're committing to live healthier, pursue a dream or simplify our lives, it's a time to make promises, and, hopefully, follow them through.

And, when you're revamping your health and beauty routines, career and lifestyle choices, why not also tackle your home?

It's not too late to resolve to do better in 2011 - so I've rounded up some of our top tips to help you make your space even more beautiful and functional this year:

Clearing clutter top of mind these days? Start by tackling these common clutter zones then learn how to organize your closet in 10 minutes. And don't miss our top 9 ways to banish common clutter problems.

Resolving that this is the year you'll finally get into a perfect cleaning routine? Revisit our spring cleaning guide for our top tips.

Sick of stacks of papers, out of place toys and swamped surfaces? You need our guide to getting organized and our dos and don'ts for reining in home chaos.

Dreaming of a space that looks magazine ready? Check out our top five swoon-worthy styling tips.

Plan to redecorate in 2011? Learn how to keep the peace while decorating with your mate.

Wishing for peace, prosperity and relaxation in the new year? Try one - or all - of these 10-minute feng shui fixes.

Personally, 2011 is going to be about editing my possessions. With "curation" a big buzzword these days, it's about cutting back on the amount of stuff in my space, and selectively choosing which pieces to showcase, stow or ship out.

By cutting back on what I own, I'll be able to max out my storage space for the things I really need and use, simplify my cleaning routines and give myself lots of space to breathe and relax at the Jen-nasium - because really, shouldn't we all be focusing on enjoying our homes in the new year?

http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/repairsandrenovations/article/817882--tackle-your-clutter-zonesher

A few more fabulous gift finds

Sure, I have my fair share of dreams of sugar plums, and spiked egg nog, but I also have a few longer lasting items populating my holiday wishlist.

While some of my top picks popped up in our gift guide earlier this month, here are some of my favourites that didn't quite make the cut in the paper:

Why choose just one photo to hang on your walls? The Kodak Pulse 10” Digital Frame, available online at Kodak and big box electronics retailers, $200, takes the idea of a digital frame one step further by allowing updates via email and Facebook. That means loved ones can share their newest shots from a distance, keeping your walls fresh and up to date.

Whether displaying holiday baubles, treasured mementos or homemade goodies, the modern lines and subtle gold or silver detailing of these artisan bowls from inVU Drapery Co., invudraperyco.com, $49-$100, are the perfect complement to any decor.

No home bar is complete without a set of classic, go-to glasses. These sleek stemless champagne flutes from PC Home (presidentschoice.ca), $10 for a set of four, will elevate anyone’s holiday entertaining spread and look classy serving sparkling wine, mixed drinks, juice or even desserts.

Custom finds are a decor must this season, and what’s more custom than building your own centerpiece? Whether you’re craving clean symmetry or organized chaos, the seven candleholders of The More the Merrier, available in black and white at Mjolk (mjolk.ca, 2959 Dundas St. W), $159, can be rearranged to suit your fancy.

And the winning hue is ... honeysuckle?

Everything will be coming up rosy in 2011, according to Pantone. The colour authority has selected "honeysuckle", a hot pink shade, as their colour of the year for 2011.

Calling the reddish pink "a vibrant, energetic hue," Pantone says that unlike last year's choice of turquoise, which represented an escape, "Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigour."

Pantone says honeysuckle provides confidence and courage while lifting our spirits.

"Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating colour that gets the adrenaline going," explains Pantone executive director Leatrice Eiseman in a press release. "Honeysuckle may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer."

Reaction to this pick seems mixed. While last year's turquoise, and the previous year's mimosa, were both popping up regularly in magazine shoots by the time Pantone had made their announcement, I must confess that I haven't been seeing a whole lot of this pink shade in my daily travels. And, despite a fondness for frocks and bold hues, this feminine shade hasn't - yet - made its way into my closet or onto my shelves.

And, on Twitter, many of my followers were somewhat lacking in enthusiasm for embracing the shade - in fact, it was met with multiple "Blechs."

But, if you are a pink fan, you're in luck! Odds are we'll be seeing a lot more of it over the next 12 months, and it's easy to add this shade to your home with textiles - I'd love to pair it with a great graphic print, small gadgets or fun accessories such as vases or photo frames for an instant update.

Holiday decor in five minutes

To say that I'm approaching this holiday season with a more relaxed attitude than the last is a bit of an understatement.

This time last year I was frantically preparing for a full roster of family houseguests, buying presents for a list of friends and family longer than my arm and decking the halls (while unpacking) a three-bedroom East York semi. Stress, anxiety and financial duress did not begin to cover it.

This year, I'm heading home for the holidays (on a seat sale, no less!), have all but two of the gifts on my ridiculously short list purchased and am responsible for decorating a mere 475 square feet.

In fact, my festive season is so stress-free that I decided to host a small holiday baking bash next week! A spur of the moment decision, I still wanted to get the ball rolling on my decor early to prevent any pre-party anxiety. So, armed with a spare five minutes on Monday night, and a cup of hot chocolate, I now feel holiday ready!

What did I do? I salvaged some of my holiday basics - in wisely purchased neutrals silver and white - when I moved. Tucked away in a shoebox in my closet - turns out condo dwellers don't enjoy a whole lot of storage space - I hauled out my mini ornaments, unceremoniously dumped them in a vase and pulled out a twiggy reindeer to dress up my bar/kitchen island/prep table. Easy peasy!

(Sorry for the blurry photo. My camera battery is on the fritz, and my cellphone cam just hasn't been the same since it took a dip in the bath.)

For my entryway, I pared down my console table display - just because it's the holidays doesn't mean your decorations don't need breathing room - grabbed a serving tray, lined up some ornaments, in a variety of finishes, of course, and placed it in front of the mirror that's already there (which also doubles as my last minute lipgloss applying and hair check centre). A martini glass full of mini disco balls added a little more glitz and sparkle to finish off the look.

All this done before my holiday albums even had a chance to finish downloading!

Sure, there's more I can do. Lights could, if I feel so inclined, be strung up. My workstation/entertainment unit (can't you tell I"m all about the multipurpose furniture these days?) could use some more festive cheer, maybe in the form of a sweet little ornament.

But, now when I walk in the door, my apartment feels glammed up and ready for the season. And next week, when my pad is filled with friends and the sweet smells of cookies baking, the holidays will have really arrived.