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It's scary how many wildfires we seem to have in California these days. The tragedies always make me think about how awful it would be to go through a fire, and I start to ponder the hypothetical question of what I would save if my house were burning.

My mom often said that if she could only save one thing, it would be our family photos — though that's not as relevant today in the age of digital photography. Has your home ever caught fire? If so, you probably went the safe route and saved yourself before your stuff. But if your house were burning and you could only save one thing, what would it be?


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Forbes is at it again, but this time they are looking at the 10 most stressful cities in America. They constructed their list after looking at the country's 40 largest metropolitan areas and examining quality of life indicators. They looked at the housing market, cost of living, price of gas, environmental factors such as weather and air quality, and lastly, population density.

According to Forbes:

Residents of the cities on our list acutely experience the shifts wrought by global and local economies in turmoil. In fact, it's "bedrock security issues" like housing affordability, job security and cost of living [that] drive anxiety, says Edward Hallowell, M.D., a former professor at Harvard Medical School and founder of the Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health in Sudbury, Mass.

Check out the first five cities on their list below:

10. Philadelphia, PA
9. Providence, RI
8. Salt Lake City, UT
7. Cleveland, OH
6. San Diego, CA

Want to see the top five? Just read more

Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. has announced that it will pull the plug on its struggling shelter magazine, Home, due to "sharp declines in the 'mid-market home sector'," according to the Wall Street Journal. Home will join the ranks of fellow folded shelter titles, Conde Nast's House & Garden and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's Blueprint. In a company press release, Jack Kliger, President and CEO of HFM U.S, said, "The current economic environment is difficult, and the mid-market home sector has been particularly hard hit. When the middle market recovers, we will consider future publication of Home using the special interest publication newsstand model." Another one bites the dust. In this uncertain real estate market, this comes as no surprise. But, considering that House Beautiful had a 19 percent increase in ad pages in its second quarter, and Domino increased circulation by 82 percent to 1.1 million in the first half, it seems that only the fittest survive.
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Though it can sometimes take a few tries, the majority of us end up getting out of our parents' house between our late-teens and mid-twenties. And of course, moving out is very much a rite of passage on the path to adulthood; you learn how to pay the bills and create a place that’s all your own.

I love my family dearly, but I know I’d never give up my independence to live with them again. Still, when I think of my parents' house, I get warm thoughts, and when I’m there, I truly feel at home. Do you feel the same way? Is where your family lives home to you? Or is your own house the only place you feel most at home?

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Unless you're a celebrity with money to burn, or just one very successful lay-dee, most of us have to cut back somewhere when it comes to furnishing and renovating our homes. I myself have been known to drop big bucks at high-end design shops and haggle over flea market finds in the same day. And although I'll concede that spending money on my house itself is in most cases a better investment than purchasing furnishings to fill it with, sometimes I just can't restrain myself from bringing home a beautiful lamp or having a chair reupholstered. Some of you may be renters, and it wouldn't make sense to spend on renovations. Or maybe you'll splurge on an antique dining table, but pair it with Ikea chairs. Maybe you spend on your interiors, but haven't given a thought to buying even a plant for your front stoop, let alone hiring a landscaper. Maybe you don't spend any money on your home at all. Tell me where you fit in by commenting below!
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In anticipation of the new TLC series Hope For Your Home, which premieres this Saturday, I thought I'd share with you host Kirsten Kemp Becker's five tips for increasing the value of your property. A veteran Realtor, author and real estate company, and owner of a successful design company, Becker knows a thing or two about acclimating your home to the current economic climate. Here's a few ways she says you can do so yourself:

1. Plants on the outside. "The most economic way to achieve curb appeal is by refining your landscaping at the front of your house and by making sure the front door is the focal point. Guests, buyers, and appraisers will take notice of the entry experience and homeowners/sellers need to establish that emotional connection from the moment they pull up to your home. Remember the details: trim weeds, fix broken screens, hide the trash cans from view, and plant some fresh flowers in prominent planters."

There's four more where this came from, so read more

You've heard of Feng Shui, right? It's the idea that the Chi (or energy) that flows through your home should be balanced. If you are a believer in the practice, author Paula Brown says the same principal can be applied to your pets! In her new book Fur Shui, Paula tells us how balancing your pets' chi can create a more balanced life for both you and your furry pals:

Animals are full of natural energy and have a pervasive desire to provide emotional support to their caretakers. By understanding the simple principles in FUR SHUI, you'll immediately see that our pets have the power to improve our health, protect our homes, and commiserate with us on work, money, and love.

So just how does Fur Shui work? Find out more and check out a video when you read more