Life Skills (Page 5)

Research-backed advice to make your daily life a little better—or at least a little easier.

Latest in Life Skills

two hands holding us passports in a plaza in madrid spain

8 things you need to know before traveling international for the first time

By Harry Guinness

Young hiker backpacker woman using trekking poles enjoying the Nuptse 7861m mountain during high altitude Acclimatization walk. Everest Base Camp trekking route, Nepal.

Altitude sickness can ruin your hike. Here’s how to prevent it.

By Alisha McDarris

A young girl feeding a brown-and-white goat over a wire fence on a farm.

7 ways to support a kid who wants to care for animals

By Noah Lederman

A white camper van with curtains parked on a flat, open expanse of snow under blue skies, near some low mountains or hills.

Now’s the time to get your van-life ride ready for winter

illustration of woman navigator

Voyagers made it to Hawaiʻi thousands of years ago with no compasses. Here’s how.

hand holding pot with lentils on camp stove

Expert tips for cooking gourmet meals on a camp stove

By Alisha McDarris

A bald man wearing a dust respirator and earmuffs working in a woodshop and milling his own wood to make it straight.

Every woodworker should know how to mill their own boards

By Jean Levasseur

Restroom sign with figures in a holding position

What to do when you’re trying not to poop

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

A young man standing among numerous houseplants and looking at his phone in front of a white wall with an acoustic guitar hung on it.

A bit of care can keep your houseplants from sheltering harmful mold

By Ellen Airhart

woodshop wall covered in hanging tools

3 reasons to join your local makerspace

By Jean Levasseur

Serving Turkish coffee cup

How to enjoy the flavor, history, and science of Turkish coffee

By Alisha McDarris

expiration date on covid test

How to check if your at-home COVID test has expired

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

organized desktop

Teeny desk? Here’s how to make the most of it.

By Anthony Fordham

A glass of water with crystal-clear ice cubes in it on a sunlit wooden table.

How to make crystal-clear ice cubes

honda element suv in front of welcome to utah sign

Why and how to convert a Honda Element into a van-life dream

person sleeping on the kitchen floor next to open refrigerator door

11 ways to sleep better in unbearable heat

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

Person jumping on a hill with mountains on the background

7 tips to stay clean and fresh in the outdoors

By Alisha McDarris

A small child standing at a large glass window in an airport, looking out at the planes on the tarmac.

A parent-tested plan for flying with a toddler

jar of mustard with pitcher of beer in the background

When the mustard shortage hits, make your own

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

A fanned-out stack of printed photos on a white surface.

Organize your catastrophic digital photo library

By Harry Guinness

How to pick the perfect seat in a movie theater for sound and picture

How to pick the perfect seat in a movie theater for sound and picture

A van-life van with its back doors open and two camping chairs and a small grill set up behind it.

5 ways to keep your van-life rig organized

people laughing in the outdoors

How to make yourself laugh

By Hasan Merali

dining room with plants

9 nature-inspired decorating tips to make your home a more relaxing space

By Sofia Quaglia

cat sitting on kitchen chair

How to keep even the fluffiest cats cool this summer

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

A few slices of pepperoni pizza.

The best way to reheat pizza (and some things you should never do)

By John Kennedy, Sandra Gutierrez G.

Plants_Elephant

How to keep your houseplants from dying this summer

By Ellen Airhart

travelers eating street food laughing

7 techno-savvy ways travelers can find food to fit their dietary restrictions

By Alisha McDarris

A woman standing at the back of a partially completed van conversion project, holding her arms out wide with a measuring tape held between them.

Vehicle conversion tips to fit any van-life budget

three glasses of beer on table

5 essential apps for brewing your own beer

Bearded dad holding a newborn baby in a blue onesie and reading a picture book

The best way to choose a parenting book

By Denise Bodman and Bethany Bustamante Van Vleet

A Honda Element parked off-road in an open area by a large rock

A beginner’s guide to choosing the perfect van-life vehicle

Yellow citrus home-brewed iced tea with lemon slices and metal straws in front of a black background

3 quick ways to brew refreshing iced tea at home

By Nissan Haque / Saveur

Hand holding firework and american flag against dark night

Fireworks can trigger PTSD. Here’s how you can help yourself and others find ease.

By Sofia Quaglia

Black and white portrait of a man

Make every photo a potential profile pic by learning how to pose

By Harry Guinness

Doctor talking to patient in office

A guide to preventing, spotting, and managing STIs

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

person sitting on airplane looking out the window

5 tips to soothe your fear of flying

By Natalie Wallington

child jumping in pool with swimming goggles on

5 things you can do to reduce your child’s drowning risk

By Alexandra Frost

Revenue tracking program on a screen

Best personal finance software

A black vacuum cleaner set against blue carpet, with its path a slightly darker, cleaner color than the rest of the floor.

The germiest places you might not be cleaning

A baby sea turtle on a beach near some sea turtle tracks, and some people in the background.

Safely share the beach with endangered sea turtles this summer

By Alisha McDarris

hatchback-trunk-with-luggage-for-summer-vacation

The best way to pack your car for any road trip

By Alisha McDarris

hand-holding-out-a-white-bra-over-blue-background

It’s time to figure out your real bra size

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

The inside of a parked car on the top floor of a parking garage, baking in the heat.

How to keep your car from getting butt-burningly hot this summer

By Whitson Gordon

A vegan pulled pork sandwich made with shredded banana peels covered in homemade barbecue sauce.

Don’t waste banana peels: Turn them into tasty vegan ‘pulled pork’

By Alisha McDarris

hand-watering-plants

Proper drainage is the key to keeping houseplants alive. These tricks can help.

By Ellen Airhart

A baby in a stroller drinking formula from a bottle held by a woman.

3 solutions for when you can’t find your baby’s formula

By Alexandra Frost

A lot of logs, rough-sawn wood, and assorted planks stacked up in a barn of some kind.

4 ways to save money on lumber

By Jean Levasseur

four orange candles are in a row with a black background

How to use candles and incense sustainably

A woman in hiking attire and a large backpack standing on a cliff in a mountain range.

Smart tips for travelers looking for a sustainable getaway

By Alisha McDarris

neon sign depicting an instagram like notification bubble with a zero

5 tips for cutting down on social media

A turtle crossing a road.

What to do if you find a turtle in the road

By Natalie Wallington

Looking through the windshield of a car driving down a flat road between open fields under blue skies, with one person in the driver's seat and a toddler in a carseat in the passenger seat.

A road-tested guide to long drives with young kids

A person holding a houseplant at the store.

Learn how to spot a healthy houseplant in the store

By Amber Guetebier / Bob Vila

A man standing at a mirror and yelling at his reflection in the dark.

How to protect your identity online

By Harry Guinness

person in pajamas trying on dresses in the mirror

Why you should dress to impress even if you work from home

By Alexandra Frost

Tips for buying and caring for long-lasting fabrics

Tips for buying and caring for long-lasting fabrics

Don’t stash away your camping gear—it could save the day during a power outage

Don’t stash away your camping gear—it could save the day during a power outage

By Nadia Bajuelo

Wind turbines against a cloudy sky.

3 steps for making your rental’s energy bills greener

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Takeout boxes on green backdrop

How to make your takeout order less wasteful

By Carla Delgado

A computer with the title of the video game Fortnite on its screen, in a room lit by blue and purple lights.

A parent’s guide to playing Fortnite with your kids

By Jean Levasseur

A brown-and-white dog laying on a blue-green carpet under a wooden table.

How we vanquished the strong pet odors in our new home

By Jose Mendoza, Mary Kearl

A person reading a newspaper while sitting on a bench outside.

How to read the news without doomscrolling through social media

By Harry Guinness

Survive the great outdoors by making your own drinkable water

Survive the great outdoors by making your own drinkable water

By Alisha McDarris