Just when you thought your kitchen was clean…it probably isn’t. At least according to a new study of everyday kitchen appliances and tools. The results of the study, which scoped out the areas where germs hide in kitchens, will make you want to scrub your kitchen again and again. And again. Considering that 21 percent of foodborne illness outbreaks are caused by food consumed in private homes, the results of this study are particularly creepy. Find out what the study uncovered as the nine germiest spots in our kitchens.

Could someone you don't know walk into your home and get a feel for who you are? If you answered no, it's time to bring that awesome personality of yours into your home décor. You aren't a cookie-cutter person, so your home shouldn't have cookie-cutter decor either. Here are three questions you can ask yourself to help you get there.

Mother's Day is a great time to make Mom feel special and get the kids excited about making a few Earth-friendly crafts. Try these three green Mother's Day craft projects for kids that let Mom enjoy her ever-growing green onions, newly organized earring collection and even her more cheerful grocery bags.

We all know (and live by) the slogan “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” I certainly do my best to implement it into my life as much as possible. But the reuse imperative sometimes gives me a little trouble, even though I know full well that reusing trumps recycling in its positive impact on the environment: there are fewer consumer goods produced, which reduces pollution and the depletion of fossil fuels and other natural resources.

They come in different shapes, sizes, patterns, textures, and colors. They have so much power, yet, they're often underappreciated. What am I talking about? Throw pillows. Yes, throw pillows have power. Here are three home decor design tips on how to bring the power of throw pillows into your home.

It’s the time of year for spring cleaning! Before you get scrubbing, washing and dusting, make sure the products you use to clean your home are actually cleaning it—not dirtying it up with chemicals and toxins. Too many store-bought cleaning products today contain ingredients that are harmful to you and to the environment. Here’s a roundup of the cleaning products to watch out for and the ones to keep on hand. Happy cleaning!

You can ignore Christmas, you can skip Halloween and you can sit out New Year’s Eve – but you can never forget Mother’s Day. Sure, your mom would be happy with a big bouquet of flowers, a fancy dinner or a box of organic chocolate truffles, but why not get creative and give her something that will truly make her smile from the bottom of her heart? Spend some time and effort to present a Mother’s Day gift that is guaranteed to make mom smile.

As you start spring cleaning this season, consider more than just scrubbing away dirt and dust. For a healthier—and cleaner—home, rid your home of toxic chemicals. We’re talking more than just nixing the bleach or pesticides. Really, deep clean your home of chemicals. These five toxic chemicals don’t do your home any good—and they’re probably the ones you don’t even know are already there.

When you wash your clothes with conventional laundry detergents, you’re getting a lot more than just soap. Laundry detergents that claim to brighten clothes actually include optical brighteners, which are chemical residues that stick to clothes and make colors appear brighter. Often, there’s also synthetic dyes and fragrances, preservatives and other harmful chemicals in your detergent. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released 10 low-scoring laundry detergents from its database of cleaners. Find out what makes these laundry cleaners the worst of the worst.

Once I graduated from college, I wanted that "adult" look for my home, but I was living on a peanut butter and jelly kind of budget. I began scouring garage sales, thrift stores, and Craiglist, and was surprised to find that, with a little bit of work, I really could have the look for less. The picture featured above will help you remember what to look for: furniture, frames, books, knick knacks, and lamps-- items that I look for every time I go to a secondhand store.