40 Easy Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Do Yourself After 40 Shutterstock A home is generally the biggest purchase a person will make in their lifetime. In fact, census data reveals that the average American home cost $404,200 in August 2019. However, it’s not just the down payment and mortgage that eat up a bulk of a homeowner’s finances. According to a 2017 survey conducted by GoBankingRates , Americans spend an average of $1,204 every month (or $14,448 each year) just to maintain their homes....

40 Items Every Man Over 40 Should Have in His Home Shutterstock You instantly know when a home belongs to a man over 40. Every room has been filled just the right furniture, just the right supplies, just the right electronics—all of which combine to ooze an elevated sense of tastefulness, responsibility, warmth, and maturity. So if you’re a man in your 40s and your domicile doesn’t have anything in this list of things every man should own after they turn the big 4-0, do yourself a favor and get that credit card smoking today....

40 Things People Say That Will Offend You If You’re Over 40 People assume a lot about people in their 40s, often believing that this decade is the beginning of a slow decline, when life inevitably stops being as fun or interesting as it was in the decades that preceded it. In fact, even the most well-intentioned people will say some truly ignorant things about people in their 40s, often causing unintentional offense in the process....

45 Bizarre Animal Behaviors During a Total Solar Eclipse IgorZh / Shutterstock By now, you’ve probably heard ample chatter about the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse . What makes this one special is that a total solar eclipse that can be seen by this much of the United States is quite rare. According to NASA, your next opportunity to see this celestial event from the contiguous U.S. won’t be until Aug....

5 Celebrities Who Have Done Real Time in Prison Shutterstock Every so often, we’re reminded that celebrities get special treatment, but they aren’t immune from the law—at least not for long. The latest celebs to run into serious legal trouble are Todd and Julie Chrisley, stars of the reality show Chrisley Knows Best . The husband and wife were recently convicted of bank fraud and sentenced to twelve and seven years, respectively, in prison....

5 Dollar Tree Dupes That Look Like High-End Brands—for Just $1.25 Photo: Shutterstock; Design: Canva The new year is often a time to reset your budget. And while these goals come with good intentions, we’d be lying if we said it isn’t frustrating at times, having to forego your favorite self-care products. But that’s where Dollar Tree comes in. The discount retailer has released a slew of new dupes for high-end beauty brands, including Glow Recipe, Victoria’s Secret, Kitsch, and more—and these products are up to $44 cheaper!...

5 Essential Reasons You Should Start Wearing “House Sneakers,” Podiatrists Say iStock Most of us are accustomed to walking around our homes barefoot, or at most, in a pair of comfy socks . We often only slip on actual shoes right before we get ready to go outside. But you may be surprised to learn that some foot experts advise against this. Instead, they insist most everyone would benefit from having a pair of house sneakers—which are “shoes that are meant to be worn only inside the home,” Mauricio Garcia , MD, an orthopedic surgeon and the project support coordinator for Hyper Arch Motion’s orthopedic sneakers, tells Best Life ....

5 Foods You Think Are High-Protein But Really Aren’t, Dietitian Says iStock There’s no doubt that protein is one of the most important parts of a healthy, balanced diet . For most people, the recommended daily intake is based on your weight at .36 grams per pound , according to Harvard Health Publishing. Normally, anyone working out or trying to incorporate more protein into their diet knows which foods they can turn to to accomplish their goals....

5 Health Risks of Sitting With Your Legs Crossed, Experts Say iStock If you’re sitting down while reading this, take a second to look at how you’re sitting. Are your legs crossed? If so, you may want to change your position. Sandra Gail Frayna , a physical therapist and founder of Hudson Premier Physical Therapy & Sports, tells Best Life that sitting with both feet touching the ground and your knees close together is best for your body....

5 New Throw Blankets From Walmart and Target Are Fall’s Coziest Decor Shutterstock I have fond childhood memories of my mom decorating our home with gourd tablescapes, my hand-painted turkey drawings, plush pumpkins, fall-scented candles , and stoop scarecrows. Now that I live on my own, decorating for fall feels nostalgic; however, my New York City apartment doesn’t provide a lot of space. Nor do I want to spend a ton of money on seasonal decorations....

5 Plants That Keep Geese Out of Your Yard, According to Experts dacostad/Shutterstock If you’re an avid birdwatcher, chances are you don’t mind having a few geese in your yard . However for many Americans, the booming geese population —specifically Canada geese—is troublesome, as they can crowd your property and pose both health and environmental concerns. Decoys, dogs, and fences can be helpful for warding off or scaring geese, but experts say there are also several plants that can keep them out of your yard....

5 Plants That Keep Mice Out of Your Yard, According to Experts Shutterstock As far as pests are concerned, your yard is the gateway to your home. In particular, as the weather gets colder , mice may take up residence in your garden, seeking shelter under fallen leaves, wood piles, and below-ground burrows. But by repelling rodents from your yard now, you can help limit your chances of an indoor infestation come winter....

5 Signs You Have Toxic In-Laws BearFotos / Shutterstock Meet The Parents , Monster-In-Law , Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner , The Big Sick . These are just a small handful of famous films about toxic in-laws. And it’s a common Hollywood trope for a reason: A lot of people can relate. In an ideal world, getting married would mean being graced with a bonus set of loving, accepting, supportive parents....

5 Things You Should Never Put in a Sympathy Card, Etiquette Experts Say iStock It’s hard to find the right words to say to someone in terrible circumstances—including when there’s been a death in their family or close circle of friends. In order to show that we care, many of us choose to send our condolences in a sympathy card rather than having a direct conversation. But writing about bereavement is its own kind of struggle, leaving many of us worrying over what we should and shouldn’t say....

5 Times You Should Be Tipping When You’re Probably Not, Etiquette Experts Say Shutterstock Most of us want to be good tippers. We tack on an extra 20 percent at restaurants and bars and leave a handful of cash for our housekeepers on our way out of the hotel. Maybe we even add a dollar or two to our morning coffee order. However, it’s easy to be an accidental bad tipper when you don’t know the exact situations in which you’re supposed to be tipping....

5 Tiny Things You’re Forgetting to Do Before Having Guests Over iStock When planning to host people in our home, some of us will spend days or even months preparing for the occasion. You may go out and buy a new dining set to impress your dinner party guests, or you might redecorate your living room to create a cool new vibe. No matter the case, don’t let your bigger preparation plans distract you from making sure some of the smaller tasks get done as well....

5 Ways You’re Inviting Snakes Into Your Car, Experts Warn iStock Snakes are sure to be an unwelcome surprise no matter where you go, whether that’s your yard or even inside your home. But one of the last places you want to see this creepy creature is in your car . No one wants to be stuck with a snake in such an enclosed space—especially while they’re driving. And while you can’t totally prevent this pest from seeking shelter in your vehicle, certain mistakes could be making you more of a target....

50 Questions You Should Always Ask Your Doctor After 50 Shutterstock Reaching the big 5-0 can be daunting. It’s when your friends flood you with “over the hill” gag gifts like a magnifying glass for your nightstand or an inflatable walker. But the joke’s on them: When you prioritize your health in your 50s, you’ll be feeling youthful for years to come. But if you want to take your health into your own hands, you’ll have to speak up at your next doctor’s appointment ....

50 Things You Do Every Day That Annoy Other People Shutterstock Even the most polite people in the world have bad habits . While you may be acutely aware of some of them, there are countless others you don’t realize you’re doing—and worse yet, you may be seriously annoying other people by participating in them. From workplace habits that are ticking your coworkers off to frustrating behaviors you’re doing in public, these are the most annoying things you’re doing on a daily basis....

500,000 Stoves Sold at Costco and Home Depot Recalled After Fires Cause “Extensive Property Damage” <img loading=“lazy” src=“https://bestlifeonline.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/2671109120_4648_featured.jpg?quality=82&strip=1&resize=640%2C360" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“500,000 Stoves Sold at Costco and Home Depot Recalled After Fires Cause “Extensive Property Damage” - 1”> iStock There’s been much talk in recent years about the health dangers of gas stoves . They release harmful pollutants into the air, come with a carbon monoxide risk, and may even cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems....