TresSugar

Dear Poll: Would You Move Back in With Your Parents?

DearSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Living on your own as an independent woman is something we all strive for, but what happens when you just can't afford to make ends meet? I know moving back into your parents house isn't ideal, but for some it's the only option. So ladies, tell me, if you needed to move home until you got back on your feet, would you consider it?

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Do Tell: What Would You Save If Your House Was on Fire?

DearSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

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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Do You Live in a Stressful City?

DearSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0700

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:

Philadelphia, PA
Providence, RI
Salt Lake City, UT
Cleveland, OH
San Diego, CA

Want to see the top five? Just read more.

San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Detroit, MI
New York, NY
Chicago, IL

Unfortunately, I live in one of these cities, number five to be exact, but after understanding the terms, I completely see why "the City by the Bay" is considered a stressful place to live. Do you see your city on this list? If not, should yours be on it?

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Dear Poll: Did You Grow Up in an Affectionate Household?

DearSugar — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0700

My family has always been affectionate both physically and verbally, so it wasn’t until high school that I realized not every family was like mine. Other families - although equally as loving - didn’t necessarily go around saying “I love you” every time someone left the house. Neither is better, but I do think the level of affection in the household you grew up in will have an effect on the adult home you make for yourself. So did you grow up in a family that was quick to show affection?

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Do Tell: Is Your Parents' House Still "Home"?

DearSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700

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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The How-To Lounge: Getting Organized

DearSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Even if you’re more clean than messy, it’s still easy to end up with more than a few disorganized piles of stuff lying around the house, office, car, or even in the depths of your purse. Most of us function better in an organized environment, so if you have some clutter getting you down, see my tips and read more.

Determine where your serious problem areas are. The closet is a big one for most people, as are desk drawers and any other nooks or crannies where it might be easy to stuff things out of sight.
Don’t try to get everything done in one sitting. It’ll seem much more manageable if you do it over time, so choose one spot, and start sorting until it’s completely organized before moving on to another area.
Don’t be afraid to throw away (or recycle) things - you really don’t need to keep everything. My ongoing rule is that if I haven’t used it in the last year, then it must not be a necessity. Salvation Army or Goodwill stations are great alternatives for clothing and other items that you don’t want to take to the dump, but can’t sell.
Once you’ve sorted the keepers from everything else, it's time to come up with an organization solution. Buy extra bins to store winter clothes instead of the floor of your closet or move loose papers off of counter-tops by getting file folders for holding your bill stubs and other important documents.
I’ve always found that maintaining a semblance of organization is far more difficult than going through and organizing things every once and a while so try to de-clutter your life as much as possible on a daily basis. Throw away the silly knick knacks you’ll never use. And if you see a pile growing, go through it before it gets to that overwhelming point. You'll thank yourself later!

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A Do or a Don't: Personalizing Your Cube

DearSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Since we spend most of our time at work, our cube or office space essentially becomes our home away from home. I've never gone so far as to put frames on my desk, but I definitely have my fair share of unique touches that makes my desk feel homey and familiar. On the flip side, some people don't even feel comfortable sharing their personal life with their co-workers so I'd assume personalizing their cube would be out of the question. What about you? Do you set up camp in order to make your workplace more pleasant or do you think adding personal touches is a don't since mixing business with pleasure can easily become too complicated?

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This or That: His House or Yours?

DearSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:00:00 -0700

After a few months of serious dating, you and your boyfriend have moved into the staying-over-nearly-every-night phase. Things have actually been going exceptionally well relationshipwise, though you have noticed a few weird things on his part. Would it be worse if . . .

This: He just doesn’t seem to want you staying at his place, so you only stay at yours? Truth be told, you’ve never even seen the inside of his apartment, which only piques your curiosity (and concern).

Or . . .

That: He practically refuses to stay at your place even for a night? He claims he’s only comfortable at his place, but he doesn't seem to care that it's inconvenient for you.

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Dear Poll: Does Your Work Life Interfere With Your Personal Life?

DearSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Although I’m sure Savvy would advise against it, sometimes it seems nearly impossible to separate professional life from personal life. I know in the past when I’ve had a terrible day at work, I’ve ended up having an equally terrible night at home. Somehow my bad mood leaves me irritable and short with my loved ones no matter how hard I try to leave my work baggage at the office. Does this happen to you too? Does your personal life suffer if you've had a terrible work week?

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Do Tell: What Makes a House a Home?

DearSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:00:00 -0800

Home sweet home - there's nothing like it! Whether it's the smell, your own bed, or your dog welcoming you at the front door, there's just something comforting about being around the things you love. My parents' house will always feel like home because it's full of warmth, love and a little bit of chaos, but ladies, do tell, what makes a house a home for you?

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