Home and Garden

Decorating a house is fun -- if you know where to buy home furniture. Otherwise you can spend weeks trolling online furniture sites and visiting furniture retailer after furniture retailer in vain. We want to help you shop smart, so we put together this helpful guide to where to buy furniture for your home. Since Walmart is the number one furniture retailer in the nation, we left that one off the list -- It's clear you've heard of it!

It's tempting to buy home furniture pieces online. Accent pieces, end tables and lamps are one thing, but if you're looking for home furniture basics, like a couch or bedroom set, it's best to examine the furniture in person.

Here's a breakdown of some of the nation's top furniture retailers, many on Furniture Today's Top 25 Furniture Retailers list, along with their price range and what you can expect to find at each store.

JCPenney
Price range: Moderate
Style: Classic, Traditional
Families have been buying furniture for their home at JCPenney for generations. The store offers a wide variety of traditional affordable pieces, everything from couches and sectionals to bedroom sets and dining room sets.

Pottery Barn
Price range: Expensive
Style: Upscale, Modern Country
Pottery...

Rules make every household run more smoothly, but how do you establish rules for your family, and what rules should you choose? The most important thing you should consider when developing a rule system is to involve your children. Kids are much more likely to follow rules that they have helped to conceive. Parents should also remember to keep a positive spin on rules because they help children learn positive behaviors. Negative rules emphasize negative behaviors.

Rules should be clear and concise so kids know when a rule has been broken. A rule such as "respect others" can be too ambiguous for a child to understand. The word "respect" should be broken down into specific behaviors, such as "treat people with respect by being kind." It's okay for rules to have sub-categories, but your entire family should decide what these should be. Parents must also remember that each person in the family must follow each rule -- that includes parents. Parents must set examples for their children, and following the household's rules is one way to show your kids how you expect them to behave. Consistency is also key. Enforcing a rule one day and letting kids slide when they don't follow a rule another day can confuse kids, sending them a message that following rules is...

Garden furniture is an easy way to make the most of your home's living space. Patios, yards, decks and other outdoor areas are some of the easiest spots to overlook when it comes to furnishing a home. Maybe it's because they aren't used everyday or maybe it's because you're on a budget and it's something you can do without. Whatever reason you may have for putting it off, consider taking the leap. Furnishing your yard, deck or patio will transform the great outdoors into an extension of your home and give you more everyday living space. Whether you enjoy dinner al fresco, a book in the shade or reclining in the sun, there are a few things to keep in mind when decorating outside.

Space
How much room do you have? If you don't have much, it may not be in your best interest to purchase a full furniture set. Instead, consider individual pieces like a recliner and a side table or an Adirondack chair with a foot rest. If space isn't an issue, try purchasing a patio set. These sets typically come with four to six comfortable dining chairs and a table. Many can be purchased with an umbrella to protect from sun and heat. If your outdoor area has ample space that you would like to maximize, you may want to purchase a long dining table set as well as several side tables and loungers.

Function
What are you going to do out there? It's important to really think about what purpose you want this space to serve. Do you simply need...

If you want to grow a lush verdant garden, having the right garden supplies and tools is essential. Knowing what those supplies are if you're a novice gardener might be a challenge. Below is a list of the garden items you should have on hand to get your garden started and to keep it growing and looking beautiful.

Spade: similar to a shovel but with a flat, squared edge; good for digging, loosening ground and lifting up/removing dirt.

Shovel: similar to a spade but with a concave blade that makes lifting and removing material easier.

Fork: typically has a long handle, four sturdy, steel tines and is good for loosening, lifting or turning soil.

Hoe: a straight-edged blade attached at a right angle to a long handle that helps remove weeds from soil.

Rake: there are two basic types of rakes: A flexible rake aids in the collection of leaves and debris. A steel rake (garden rack) smooths out soil in a planting bed.

Trowel: a hand tool with a pointed, scooped-blade that acts like a miniature shovel. It is great for breaking earth, digging holes and scooping dirt.

Watering can: a garden staple since water is a necessity. Available in a variety of materials including metal, plastic and brass, the watering can is a vessel with a spout for pouring water.

Hose: a flexible...

It can be challenging to figure out what to do with a garden, whether you inherit one or want to grow a garden from scratch. Since getting started can be the hardest part, here's a step-by-step guide to the basics, from garden tools and garden design to what to plant and how to make your green space thrive.

But before you grab a shovel, here's a little piece of advice: Be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day -- and your garden won't be either. Most gardens take years to cultivate. Many of the most beautiful gardens featured in the pages of glossy magazines are full of vibrant flowers because the plantings have "matured," or aged, kind of like a fine wine. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. More on that later. First, let's start with the basics.

1. Identify a Space for Your Garden
Location is key to the success of your garden. Choose a plot of land that is convenient to your house and a water source. It's essential that it's level and exposed to full or near-full sunlight, especially if you're planting a vegetable garden. The site should be far from trees since shade and roots can disrupt growth. Soil is also key; you'll want to check that the land drains well and that the soil is fertile. Lastly, you'll want to protect the garden with a good fence to keep critters from eating the fruits of your labor.

2. Design a Garden Plan
Before you start digging, you should have a clear plan for how...