Thanks to their low cost, durability and wide variety of styles, laminate flooring is a popular option in many modern homes. Laminate floors are made of several layers of synthetic materials, topped by an image layer that often resembles wood or tile. And while the top layers may look like wood or tile, they shouldn’t be cleaned the same way. This is why homeowners tend to be in the dark when it comes to knowing how to clean laminate floors.

“Floors are one of the least-favorite things for people to clean,” says Pam Clyde, owner of BritLin Cleaning in Round Rock, Texas. “And it is definitely the area that gets dirty the fastest, especially if a household has pets and children.”

While the proper cleaning technique is more involved than a quick swipe of a Swiffer (you shouldn’t be wet-mopping a laminate floor), knowing how to clean laminate floors properly will help keep them in good shape for years to come. Want to add floor cleaning to your cleaning schedule? Whether you’re learning the best way to clean your kitchen or how to clean a bathroom, laminate requires a specific know-how. Follow our step-by-step advice and your laminate flooring will shine.

How often should you clean laminate floors?

Your cleaning schedule depends on how dirty your floors get. Experts recommend vacuuming or dry-mopping laminate floors daily (the perfect task for the best robotic vacuums), and mopping and immediately drying laminate floors weekly—more often for high-traffic areas. “Most people clean their floors well enough to get by,” says Liz Trotter, owner of American Maid Service in Olympia, Washington. “But it’s not just a quick wipe, especially if your floor gets a lot of dirt tracked in.”

Not cleaning often enough risks more than just a dirty floor. “Dirt is very abrasive, and when your floor gets damaged, it’s harder and harder to clean,” Trotter says. For that reason, you should stick to a weekly cleaning schedule, rather than waiting until floors are visibly dirty or feel sticky or tacky.

Why are laminate floors hard to clean?

Moisture is the enemy of laminate floors, says Clyde. The same thing that makes laminate floors so easy to install also makes them difficult to clean. Laminate floors click and lock into place without glue or fasteners to hold them down. They are often described as “floating” above a subfloor. This construction is not watertight. If you wet-mop or steam-clean a laminate floor (or spill liquid on it), the moisture can cause damage.

Because laminate, unlike wood, doesn’t breathe, moisture will stay inside the flooring, rotting it and allowing bacteria and mold to grow. This is why the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) cautions against using “any type of cleaner that works by excessive amounts of liquid or uses steam.” NALFA also advises against using waxes or polishes, as they will form a film on the floors over time. Additionally, laminate floors should not be refinished, as they are not solid wood.

Clyde recommends always checking the product label and manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure the product is safe for use on laminate floors—she has seen some TikTok cleaning hacks that “could damage your floors.” Even a natural cleaning solution, such as white vinegar, can cause damage due to its acidity, Clyde says.

How to clean laminate floors

One thing is certain: You want to start with a well-vacuumed surface to remove any loose debris and get rid of dust. After thoroughly vacuuming the floor with an expert-approved vacuum (Clyde likes Shark brand vacuums with the roller brush turned off), gather the rest of your supplies. Beyond the proper cleaning solution, you also want to use the proper mop, something that can apply a solution damp, but not wet, says the NALFA. Stay away from abrasive sponges or pads, and no string mops, as they can hold too much water. A microfiber mop or cloth is best.

Supplies:

• Bona Pro Series Hard Surface Floor Cleaner
• Zep Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner
• Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner
• Spray bottle
• Bona Premium Microfiber Mop for Multi-Surface Floors (ideally one wet, one dry)
• Extra microfiber pads

Directions:

1. Choose your laminate-specific cleaning product and prepare it as stated on the package. Remember that some products may need to be diluted. If diluting, use cold to lukewarm water, Clyde says, as hot water may cause the cleaning agent to evaporate too quickly.
2. Transfer to a spray bottle.
3. Spray the flat mop head with just enough cleaner to moisten it. Do not spray directly on the floor.
4. Start at the furthest point away from you and work in one small section, such as a 3-by-3-foot square, at a time.
5. Move the mop in an S-shaped pattern, rotating the mop head at each curve so that you’re always moving any dirt or debris forward, not simply pushing it back and forth.
6. After completing a section, use a dry mop or dry microfiber cloth to dry the space in the same pattern. This will work better than paper towels.
7. Repeat until the entire floor is clean.
8. Change your mop pads at regular intervals as they get dirty. “At some point they get so dirty, all you’re doing is smearing things around,” she says.

Pro tip: To preserve their cleaning power, learn how to wash microfiber cloths correctly. Clyde suggests washing microfiber mop pads separately from any other laundry. Do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets, which can leave a film that may transfer to the floor the next time you clean it.

How to deep-clean laminate floors

Luckily, laminate floors have a protective coating, so they are harder to stain than other kinds of flooring. The best way to deep-clean laminate floors is the same as above. You’ll just want to repeat the steps as many times as necessary. In general, you don’t want to use harsh chemicals, abrasive products or steam/water on laminate floors, even if you believe they’ll deep-clean better.

The best laminate floor cleaners

How to keep laminate floors clean

Floors are going to get dirty. And while there is no real substitute for regular, proper cleanings, removing shoes in the house can help cut down on the dirt that’s tracked in. Clyde even wears washable shoe covers because she says that even going barefoot can degrade floors, as the natural oils in the skin of your feet can affect laminate flooring over time.

While laminate floors are fairly durable and can be easier than cleaning hardwood floors, you’ll want to wipe up any spills quickly to avoid moisture getting in between the boards. If your laminate floors are certified by NALFA, they are likely protected by an extensive warranty against stains, fading and moisture damage. And luckily, similar to cleaning baseboards and cleaning carpets, knowing how to clean laminate floors the right way is actually quite simple and can go a long way in extending the life of your flooring.

Sources:

• North American Laminate Flooring Association: “What’s Not to Like about Laminate Flooring?”
• Pam Clyde, owner of BritLin Cleaning
• Liz Trotter, owner of American Maid Service

Thanks to their low cost, durability and wide variety of styles, laminate flooring is a popular option in many modern homes. Laminate floors are made of several layers of synthetic materials, topped by an image layer that often resembles wood or tile. And while the top layers may look like wood or tile, they shouldn’t be cleaned the same way. This is why homeowners tend to be in the dark when it comes to knowing how to clean laminate floors.

“Floors are one of the least-favorite things for people to clean,” says Pam Clyde, owner of BritLin Cleaning in Round Rock, Texas. “And it is definitely the area that gets dirty the fastest, especially if a household has pets and children.”

While the proper cleaning technique is more involved than a quick swipe of a Swiffer (you shouldn’t be wet-mopping a laminate floor), knowing how to clean laminate floors properly will help keep them in good shape for years to come. Want to add floor cleaning to your cleaning schedule? Whether you’re learning the best way to clean your kitchen or how to clean a bathroom, laminate requires a specific know-how. Follow our step-by-step advice and your laminate flooring will shine.

How often should you clean laminate floors?

Your cleaning schedule depends on how dirty your floors get. Experts recommend vacuuming or dry-mopping laminate floors daily (the perfect task for the best robotic vacuums), and mopping and immediately drying laminate floors weekly—more often for high-traffic areas. “Most people clean their floors well enough to get by,” says Liz Trotter, owner of American Maid Service in Olympia, Washington. “But it’s not just a quick wipe, especially if your floor gets a lot of dirt tracked in.”

Not cleaning often enough risks more than just a dirty floor. “Dirt is very abrasive, and when your floor gets damaged, it’s harder and harder to clean,” Trotter says. For that reason, you should stick to a weekly cleaning schedule, rather than waiting until floors are visibly dirty or feel sticky or tacky.

Why are laminate floors hard to clean?

Moisture is the enemy of laminate floors, says Clyde. The same thing that makes laminate floors so easy to install also makes them difficult to clean. Laminate floors click and lock into place without glue or fasteners to hold them down. They are often described as “floating” above a subfloor. This construction is not watertight. If you wet-mop or steam-clean a laminate floor (or spill liquid on it), the moisture can cause damage.

Because laminate, unlike wood, doesn’t breathe, moisture will stay inside the flooring, rotting it and allowing bacteria and mold to grow. This is why the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) cautions against using “any type of cleaner that works by excessive amounts of liquid or uses steam.” NALFA also advises against using waxes or polishes, as they will form a film on the floors over time. Additionally, laminate floors should not be refinished, as they are not solid wood.

Clyde recommends always checking the product label and manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure the product is safe for use on laminate floors—she has seen some TikTok cleaning hacks that “could damage your floors.” Even a natural cleaning solution, such as white vinegar, can cause damage due to its acidity, Clyde says.

How to clean laminate floors

One thing is certain: You want to start with a well-vacuumed surface to remove any loose debris and get rid of dust. After thoroughly vacuuming the floor with an expert-approved vacuum (Clyde likes Shark brand vacuums with the roller brush turned off), gather the rest of your supplies. Beyond the proper cleaning solution, you also want to use the proper mop, something that can apply a solution damp, but not wet, says the NALFA. Stay away from abrasive sponges or pads, and no string mops, as they can hold too much water. A microfiber mop or cloth is best.

Supplies:

• Bona Pro Series Hard Surface Floor Cleaner
• Zep Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner
• Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner
• Spray bottle
• Bona Premium Microfiber Mop for Multi-Surface Floors (ideally one wet, one dry)
• Extra microfiber pads

Directions:

1. Choose your laminate-specific cleaning product and prepare it as stated on the package. Remember that some products may need to be diluted. If diluting, use cold to lukewarm water, Clyde says, as hot water may cause the cleaning agent to evaporate too quickly.
2. Transfer to a spray bottle.
3. Spray the flat mop head with just enough cleaner to moisten it. Do not spray directly on the floor.
4. Start at the furthest point away from you and work in one small section, such as a 3-by-3-foot square, at a time.
5. Move the mop in an S-shaped pattern, rotating the mop head at each curve so that you’re always moving any dirt or debris forward, not simply pushing it back and forth.
6. After completing a section, use a dry mop or dry microfiber cloth to dry the space in the same pattern. This will work better than paper towels.
7. Repeat until the entire floor is clean.
8. Change your mop pads at regular intervals as they get dirty. “At some point they get so dirty, all you’re doing is smearing things around,” she says.

Pro tip: To preserve their cleaning power, learn how to wash microfiber cloths correctly. Clyde suggests washing microfiber mop pads separately from any other laundry. Do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets, which can leave a film that may transfer to the floor the next time you clean it.

How to deep-clean laminate floors

Luckily, laminate floors have a protective coating, so they are harder to stain than other kinds of flooring. The best way to deep-clean laminate floors is the same as above. You’ll just want to repeat the steps as many times as necessary. In general, you don’t want to use harsh chemicals, abrasive products or steam/water on laminate floors, even if you believe they’ll deep-clean better.

The best laminate floor cleaners

How to keep laminate floors clean

Floors are going to get dirty. And while there is no real substitute for regular, proper cleanings, removing shoes in the house can help cut down on the dirt that’s tracked in. Clyde even wears washable shoe covers because she says that even going barefoot can degrade floors, as the natural oils in the skin of your feet can affect laminate flooring over time.

While laminate floors are fairly durable and can be easier than cleaning hardwood floors, you’ll want to wipe up any spills quickly to avoid moisture getting in between the boards. If your laminate floors are certified by NALFA, they are likely protected by an extensive warranty against stains, fading and moisture damage. And luckily, similar to cleaning baseboards and cleaning carpets, knowing how to clean laminate floors the right way is actually quite simple and can go a long way in extending the life of your flooring.

Sources:

• North American Laminate Flooring Association: “What’s Not to Like about Laminate Flooring?”
• Pam Clyde, owner of BritLin Cleaning
• Liz Trotter, owner of American Maid Service

When a famous political figure gives a noted speech in your town square, is it referred to as a historic event or a historical event—or perhaps both? When you’re considering historic vs. historical, are the meanings the same? At one point in history, these words were used interchangeably, but in modern times, they generally are not—an example of grammar rules that have changed.

The difference between historic and historical can be subtle, and English presents us with such subtly confusing issues like this all the time (discreet vs. discrete, elicit vs. illicit and stationary vs. stationery come to mind). Then there are words or phrases that sound similar but are not the same, such as flush out vs. flesh out, home in vs. hone in and loose vs. lose. And what about words with similar meanings, such as envy vs. jealousy? Which is better to use when? It can seem like a lot to remember, but if you take things step by step and keep some basic tips in mind, you’ll confidently make those word choices—with historic vs. historical and other language issues too.

What does historic mean?

Is historic a word you’re using wrong? Over its centuries of use, historic has come to describe something of social or political importance that happened in the past, such as the political speech we mentioned above, or the Gettysburg Address—in other words, something important in history. It’s used as an adjective and describes a noun, usually an event or a series of events. Historic could be used, for example, to describe an achievement in sports that is unprecedented, a peace agreement or even something negative, like a new high in pollution levels.

Examples of historic in a sentence

• Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is understood as a historic address.
• Segregation was declared unconstitutional by the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.
• In recent times, the Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd have been historic.

What does historical mean?

Unlike historic, historical does not imply something of particular importance. It simply means that something is relating to history. Historical would be the choice, for example, to describe an organization dedicated to an aspect of history, such as the New York Historical Society, which offers a museum and a library.

Examples of historical in a sentence

• The biography of Abraham Lincoln offered an interesting historical perspective.
• As we walked through the museum exhibit, we listened to an audio recording that provided historical context.
• An encyclopedia offers historical and factual insights.

As your grasp of historic vs. historical improves, not only will you avoid getting them confused, but you’ll also make a positive impression with your usage. Go ahead and count this among the grammar rules that help you sound smarter.

Tricks for remembering historic vs. historical

When considering historic vs. historical, try word association. Remember that historic is usually used to describe specific events; and both historic and specific end in ic. Meanwhile, historical is used more generally to talk about things related to history; and historical and general both end in al. See? Not so hard, and definitely not one of the more confusing grammar rules.

Which is grammatically correct: an historic or a historic?

The article choice before historic and historical can be a tricky one because it’s based on phonetics, but you don’t have to sweat it—both a and an can be used. That said, a is much more commonly used before both of these words in American English. That’s because the h in these words is audible rather than silent. However, because the emphasis is on the second syllable in both words, the h is pronounced somewhat more subtly than in a word like, say, hotline. That’s why some people use an before historic and historical.

Unlike something like cancelled vs. canceled, where the words really have the same meaning, historic vs. historical is a little more tricky. But if you bear in mind the info here, any confusion will be, well, history.

Historic vs. historical: Test your knowledge!

Sources:

• Merriam-Webster: “What’s the difference between historic and historical?”
• Merriam-Webster: “Historic”
• Merriam-Webster: “Historical”

When a famous political figure gives a noted speech in your town square, is it referred to as a historic event or a historical event—or perhaps both? When you’re considering historic vs. historical, are the meanings the same? At one point in history, these words were used interchangeably, but in modern times, they generally are not—an example of grammar rules that have changed.

The difference between historic and historical can be subtle, and English presents us with such subtly confusing issues like this all the time (discreet vs. discrete, elicit vs. illicit and stationary vs. stationery come to mind). Then there are words or phrases that sound similar but are not the same, such as flush out vs. flesh out, home in vs. hone in and loose vs. lose. And what about words with similar meanings, such as envy vs. jealousy? Which is better to use when? It can seem like a lot to remember, but if you take things step by step and keep some basic tips in mind, you’ll confidently make those word choices—with historic vs. historical and other language issues too.

What does historic mean?

Is historic a word you’re using wrong? Over its centuries of use, historic has come to describe something of social or political importance that happened in the past, such as the political speech we mentioned above, or the Gettysburg Address—in other words, something important in history. It’s used as an adjective and describes a noun, usually an event or a series of events. Historic could be used, for example, to describe an achievement in sports that is unprecedented, a peace agreement or even something negative, like a new high in pollution levels.

Examples of historic in a sentence

• Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is understood as a historic address.
• Segregation was declared unconstitutional by the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.
• In recent times, the Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd have been historic.

What does historical mean?

Unlike historic, historical does not imply something of particular importance. It simply means that something is relating to history. Historical would be the choice, for example, to describe an organization dedicated to an aspect of history, such as the New York Historical Society, which offers a museum and a library.

Examples of historical in a sentence

• The biography of Abraham Lincoln offered an interesting historical perspective.
• As we walked through the museum exhibit, we listened to an audio recording that provided historical context.
• An encyclopedia offers historical and factual insights.

As your grasp of historic vs. historical improves, not only will you avoid getting them confused, but you’ll also make a positive impression with your usage. Go ahead and count this among the grammar rules that help you sound smarter.

Tricks for remembering historic vs. historical

When considering historic vs. historical, try word association. Remember that historic is usually used to describe specific events; and both historic and specific end in ic. Meanwhile, historical is used more generally to talk about things related to history; and historical and general both end in al. See? Not so hard, and definitely not one of the more confusing grammar rules.

Which is grammatically correct: an historic or a historic?

The article choice before historic and historical can be a tricky one because it’s based on phonetics, but you don’t have to sweat it—both a and an can be used. That said, a is much more commonly used before both of these words in American English. That’s because the h in these words is audible rather than silent. However, because the emphasis is on the second syllable in both words, the h is pronounced somewhat more subtly than in a word like, say, hotline. That’s why some people use an before historic and historical.

Unlike something like cancelled vs. canceled, where the words really have the same meaning, historic vs. historical is a little more tricky. But if you bear in mind the info here, any confusion will be, well, history.

Historic vs. historical: Test your knowledge!

Sources:

• Merriam-Webster: “What’s the difference between historic and historical?”
• Merriam-Webster: “Historic”
• Merriam-Webster: “Historical”

Rebecca Williams always dreamed of fighting crime like her father, who was a cop and a Baptist minister. Living in a rough suburb of Phoenix with her divorced mother, she spent much of her childhood bingeing true-crime TV shows and confronting bullies.

“I put myself in situations that most people wouldn’t, just wanting to do the right thing,” she said. Then things changed.

At 15, Williams fell in love with an 18-year-old grocery store manager. She dropped out of high school, and they moved in together. At 19, she gave birth to a daughter. Amanda (not her real name) was deaf, autistic and unable to talk. The young parents scraped by with odd jobs until 13 months later, when they had a son and money got even tighter.

Williams began working as a cocktail waitress at various nightclubs. With a glamorous Farrah Fawcett hairstyle, she looked like “a sailor’s dream,” said a neighbor. At Tiffany’s Cabaret, she jumped on stage during amateur night and was quickly promoted to exotic dancer. She loved the thrill of transforming each night into Stevie (after Stevie Nicks, of course), a blond bombshell who whizzed around the pole to AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long.”

Men were obsessed. She spent her tip money on batteries for her daughter’s hearing aids and still longed to fight crime. In 1999, after 14 years together, the couple separated.

Fearful that the school system was failing Amanda, Williams enrolled her in a residential home for deaf children, seeing her only on weekends. By 2003, she was cleaning toilets to pay the bills and living with her ­teenage son in a double-wide trailer. Her brother, known to all as Krusher, lived in a smaller trailer in her backyard.

Krusher was a career criminal who, after selling drugs to an undercover officer, had agreed to go undercover with the Hells Angels. One day federal agents came to visit Krusher and noticed Williams.

“His handler asked me if I was interested in undercover work,” she recalled. “It sounded cool, sort of sexy, you know, the whole spying game.” She would not wait long for her first assignment.

A bombing in Scottsdale

On Feb. 26, 2004, in Scottsdale, Arizona, Don Logan finished his lunch and strolled back to the city’s Office of Diversity and Dialogue. As a Black man in a predominantly White city, Logan said his job as diversity director was “to create an environment where diversity is valued and encouraged.” It was 1 p.m. when a colleague at reception handed him a curious package the size of a shoebox.

Logan carried the box to the second floor and asked his secretary, Renita Linyard, for scissors. When he opened the box, he heard a loud pop. Time slowed as a floor-to-ceiling window shattered, debris fell from the ceiling, and the room filled with smoke and screams. Logan thought he’d been shot. Through blood-stained glasses, Linyard watched Logan stagger to the door, blood gushing down his arm.
After an ambulance raced Logan to the hospital, doctors fought to save his forearm using skin grafts and screws.

Soon the crime scene was crawling with investigators. Leading the inquiry was a pale 40-year-old man with curly hair tinged with gray: Tristan Moreland, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Moreland’s team rushed fragments of the pipe bomb to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service lab in Dulles, Virginia, where experts discovered it was made from hobby rocket motors and igniters that were impossible to trace. But there was one clue. Five months earlier, someone had left a warning on Logan’s answering machine. Incredibly, the caller left his name: “This is Dennis Mahon. The White Aryan Resistance is standing up.”

“Dennis and Daniel Mahon are twins from Illinois,” Moreland later told a court. “They began their white supremacist career as members and Grand Dragons of the KKK” before joining the White Aryan Resistance. “They’re into all kinds of causes: anti-abortion of white children, anti-tax, anti-government in general.” Dennis was an associate of Timothy McVeigh, who detonated a truck bomb outside a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995, killing 168 people.

A serial bomber himself, Dennis, in a 1994 interview published online by an anonymous blogger, admitted: “In south Florida, ’83 or ’84, I did some pretty serious bombings. Pretty serious shootings. We also did some major activities against abortion clinics.” Dennis and Daniel, who both worked as aircraft mechanics, had access to the tools needed to make bombs.

But Dennis had an Achilles’ heel. During the Oklahoma City bombing investigation, the ATF planted a female confidential informant (CI) posing as a skinhead to get close to him. Dennis was smitten and boasted to her about his terror activities, yet it was not enough to arrest him. Moreland planned to send in another CI to see if Dennis would brag about the Scottsdale attack. He needed a woman who was not only alluring but also brave, because the mission would be fraught with danger.

Williams goes undercover

In January 2005, the ATF summoned Williams to its Phoenix office. She’s lived a little in life, she has a lot of street smarts and she’s run with some rough crowds, Moreland recalled thinking after they met. She had an edge and would be believable. When he told Williams there had been a bombing that seriously injured a Black person, she was intrigued.

“It was an honorable thing to do to save lives,” Williams said. She signed an agreement to become a CI in exchange for $100 a day and up to $100,000 if the Mahons were convicted. A neighbor agreed to watch Williams’s son, and soon she was on a flight to Oklahoma.

Onboard, Moreland gave her a cover story and a driver’s license in the name of Becca Stephens. She was a woman on the run from the law, a white nationalist. Williams would have to transform into a very different person. While Williams was a caring person who, growing up, was taught that everyone was a child of God, Becca Stephens hated anybody of color.

They drove from the airport to an abandoned Walmart, where a trailer attached to a blue Dodge truck sat. Inside the trailer, a light switch above the stove turned on pinhole cameras in the ceiling covering every part of the trailer except the bedroom and bathroom. The trailer transmitted live audio and video to a nearby hotel room where ATF agents lay in wait. An audio recorder was hidden in a keychain that swung from Williams’s belt.

Moreland introduced her to “Shelly,” a brunette ATF agent who would play her friend.

“I was like, ‘OK, this looks like it’s gonna be fun,’ ” Williams recalled. As she and Shelly drove toward an RV camp, Williams was buzzing. “There was an adrenaline rush going for sure,” she said.

Williams had no idea it was just the beginning of a grueling seven-year ordeal to bring the Mahons to justice. No one could know what she was doing, not even her family.

Meeting the Mahon brothers

It didn’t take long for the Mahon brothers to notice two attractive women parking their trailer, with a Confederate flag hanging in their window, next to theirs. Daniel offered to hook up their sewer and water connections while Dennis cracked jokes. The brothers were 54 years old and shared the same goofy smile. Dennis, 3 inches shorter, was the more dominant brother.

“He told me that he was the Grand Dragon of the KKK,” Williams recalled. To prove it, he showed her a photograph of him wearing a green ceremonial hood. In another image, he performed Hitler’s “Sieg heil” salute. Williams invited the brothers into her trailer and flicked the light switch, which triggered the recording device. Soon they were chatting over beers and booze. Daniel boasted about drive-by shootings and blowing up cars. “We were just trying to send a message,” he told Williams.

Williams, hoping to captivate the men the way Stevie did customers at the strip club, stayed quiet, even standoffish. Dennis was smitten. “I just want to cuddle with you. You’re so beautiful,” he told her.

“Your day may come,” she teased, steering him out the door. Hidden microphones later recorded Williams as she whispered, “Weirdo.”

After three days of hanging out with the brothers, Williams told Dennis that she was on the run and had a warrant out for her arrest. Breaking down in fake tears, she confessed that she had tried to bomb a child molester’s car in California. Moved, Dennis touched her arm.

“I want to hurt him real bad,” she told him. Soon, ATF devices recorded Dennis telling her how to send a mail bomb and blow up a car using a condom and liquid explosives.

Days later, at a gun show, after Williams asked if he’d worked on bombs, Dennis whispered: “Yes, the diversity officer … Scottsdale … had his fingers blown off.” Then he caught himself and said he had told “white cops how to do it.”

After 12 days, Williams left the campsite, telling the brothers that she needed to keep moving to evade the law. She promised to write and drove away, with Shelly pulling the ATF trailer full of secret video footage. She returned home to her children and her life.

But the job wasn’t done. The ATF wanted more evidence.

By May 2005, she and Dennis were frequent pen pals. She continued the flirtatious behavior, in December mailing Dennis a Christmas card with a suggestive photograph. “Thought you’d love the butt shot,” she wrote. Dennis, whose love language was hate, mailed Williams books called Creative Revenge and A Manual of Urban Guerrilla Warfare.

In May 2006, Dennis suggested that she meet Robert Joos. Joos ran an extremist training camp in rural Missouri, as well as a church, the Sacerdotal Order of the David Company, where he preached to “apocalyptic Christians.” Joos, a former Eagle Scout and Air Force Academy cadet, was on parole after serving a two-year sentence for driving without a license—a felony because it was his third such offense (he claims he answers to God and not the government). Earlier, a Joos henchman had tracked down a Missouri state trooper who had arrested Joos and shot him through his kitchen window. Joos was untouchable.

“He’s a brilliant guy. His IQ is well above mine,” Moreland said. No cops could get into his remote compound without risking an ambush. But for a $100,000 reward, Williams was willing to go into the belly of the beast.

It was January 2008 when Williams drove to a Sonic Burger in Joplin, Missouri, to meet Joos. He was easy to find. Wearing prayer beads, a long beard and a royal blue bandanna holding back his long gray hair, he looked like Charles Manson.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a lady around to open a door for,” Joos said when they reached her rental car. When Williams dropped into a curtsy, he blushed.

Joos called out directions as Williams weaved through country roads to Joos’s 200-acre church compound an hour away. Because of the remote location, ATF surveillance was impossible. She was going in alone. No backup. Moreland had told her to wear a pink ribbon in her hair to help aerial teams identify her.

They arrived at a large gate. After she drove in, he locked it behind them. “At that moment, I realized, I am truly in the grace of God,” she recalled.

They drove through a graveyard of broken-down cars. Inside rickety buildings, Williams noted several long guns, and as they strolled among the walnut trees, Joos taught her how to make napalm using household soap.

Joos led her deeper into the woods, showing her caves where he hid supplies. “He said if he ever found out that somebody was trying to infiltrate them, that they would disappear,” she said. She thought about her keychain secretly recording them and imagined her dead body decomposing in a cave. She wondered if the pink ribbon was to help agents identify her body.

Closing in while undercover

In May 2008, the Mahons announced they were headed to Arizona, and Moreland hatched a plan to get them talking about the Scottsdale bomb. “I provided her a traffic ticket court notice from the City of Scottsdale,” he later recalled. Williams asked the twins to drive with her to the courthouse—next to the bombing site.

When they passed the building where the bomb had exploded in Don Logan’s face, “they both automatically flinched and ducked down into a fetal position,” Williams recalled.

Daniel said, “That’s where Logan’s from,” before Dennis repeated his previous assertion to Williams, “I didn’t plant the bomb; I helped make it.”

Later, the ATF recorded a rattled Daniel telling his brother that Williams “had an agenda.” She was certain she was compromised.

The next day, Williams appeared at the brothers’ hotel pool wearing a Confederate flag bikini that seemed to lift the fog of suspicion. Dennis talked about how much he loved Williams, how he wanted to settle down with her. He talked about raising Williams’s son and teaching him to hunt.

By September 2008, Williams wanted to quit. Her three years as a confidential informant had taken a toll on her family life. It was exhausting lying to her mother and her teenage children. She hated being away from Amanda, and she couldn’t relax. At any moment she might have to snap into character, chatting about the “new world order.”

Even her relationship with Moreland had begun to fray. “There were a lot of heated arguments,” Moreland said. “I think she might have even punched me a couple times.”

As of January 2009, Williams had gathered hundreds of hours of video and audio evidence that linked Dennis Mahon to the Scottsdale bombing and proved that Robert Joos was stockpiling weapons. But Moreland wanted more. He would accompany Williams back to the compound, but this time going as his alter ego, Jimmy “the Wolf” Foster.

“Jimmy’s a hardcore extremist,” said Moreland, packing a $10,000 semi-automatic rifle that would give him instant credibility with Joos.

“I told him that I was with a small cell in Arizona,” Moreland later told a court. “My affiliations were with the White Aryan Resistance. I dealt guns. I messed around with explosives.”

The ruse worked.

“I was ultimately able to get Joos to teach me how to build a bomb that was going to be used in a fictitious bombing,” Moreland told me.

Joos had fallen for Jimmy the Wolf’s story, and Moreland was invited to join The Order, a murderous white supremacist group. “I got hired by The Order to kill Judge Richard Matsch, who was the judge in the Timothy McVeigh trial,” he said.

In April 2009, Williams drove More­land to meet Dennis and Daniel at their home in Illinois. The brothers also fell for his Jimmy the Wolf routine.

“Don’t put a swastika on a synagogue; bomb it if you want to do something about it” was just one piece of advice Dennis gave Moreland. When they passed an outbuilding, Dennis said, “This is where I make my bombs.”

Moreland was satisfied. With all the evidence that he and Williams had compiled, there was no reason to put things off any longer. It was time to stop the Mahons.

Making the arrest

At 7 a.m. on June 25, 2009, armed ATF agents surrounded the Mahon house, where Daniel and Dennis were caring for their ailing mother. Agents smashed down the door, handcuffed the twins and ransacked the house. They found high explosives, improvised bombs, assault weapons, ammunition, bulletproof vests, a Nazi armband and a photo of Osama bin Laden inscribed “our hero.”

When Jimmy the Wolf read them their rights, Dennis said: “We knew. You and the girl. We knew.”

With the Mahons, Joos and other associated white supremacists arrested, Williams could finally return to ordinary life. She took a job at a motorcycle rental store in Flagstaff. On July Fourth, she rode on the store’s float in a parade. As a band fell into the national anthem, Williams thought of the terrorists she had put behind bars and swelled with pride. That night in Chicago, Dennis Mahon sat in a jail cell and confessed to his cellmate that he had planted the bomb that injured Don Logan “as ­payback” for the City of Scottdale’s ­firing of three White police officers.

The Mahons’ trial began in January 2012. While the district attorney showed proof that Daniel wanted to “pop” and “cap” Don Logan, his lawyer argued that Daniel was just a braggart who was not involved in the bombing. The court agreed, and Daniel was found not guilty of any crime.

Dennis was found guilty on three counts and sentenced to 40 years.

For the prohibited possession of firearms, Robert Joos received a sentence of 78 months in prison. He can never again legally own a weapon.

Tristan Moreland retired in 2014 and is now a drummer in a band. “It worked out in the end,” Moreland said about his work with Williams. “She was fearless.”

The ATF recommended that Williams enter the witness relocation program for her safety, but she refused to cut off contact with her children. Instead, she bought a trailer and vanished.

When I tracked her down in June 2022, Williams was living with Amanda at the off-the-grid property she bought with her ATF money. Solar-powered security cameras often capture them brushing their ponies or making ice cream from their goats’ milk. At night, behind reinforced doors, they often throw dance parties. “Amanda has a speaker, and she likes to hold it and feel the vibrations,” Williams explained.

Williams revealed that she’s volunteered to investigate a cold case, a mysterious double murder in a nearby ghost town. She thinks she can use her skills as an undercover informant to solve the case.

“The police have come to a dead end on this, and it’s because they haven’t done any fieldwork,” she said. “My dad still thinks I should become a detective.”

We all know about the U.S. Bill of Rights—the first ten amendments to our constitution. But did you know that a group of senators is now fighting to codify protections for fliers under an Airplane Passengers’ Bill of Rights? In light of the recent delays and cancellations on Southwest and other major airlines this past holiday season, two senators—Edward Markey (Dem., MA) and Richard Blumenthal (Dem., CT)—are hoping to make flying less stressful and more “humane” through the introduction of the Airplane Passengers’ Bill of Rights.

What is the Passengers’ Bill of Rights legislation?

In short, the Passengers’ Bill of Rights is a piece of legislation that would provide legal protection for fliers in the cases of delays, cancellations, lost baggage, and “junk fees” (in the words of President Joe Biden).

As Blumenthal explains: “This legislation will ensure fliers have the essential consumer protections they deserve…[It] will establish clear, enforceable rules for airlines to follow, putting consumers first and restoring sanity to the skies.”

What are the three main rights in the Passengers’ Bill of Rights?

The three most notable facets of the Passengers’ Bill of Rights are the following:

1. Airplane companies would have to give a minimum of $1,350 to customers who booked a flight but were denied boarding as a result of the company’s overbooking.
2. Airline companies would need to compensate and/or refund tickets to customers in the event of airline-caused flight delays and cancellations.
3. If and when an airline company loses a customer’s baggage, they must immediately refund paid baggage fees.

How else are airline companies held responsible in the Passengers’ Bill of Rights?

This legislation also proposes a slew of other regulations and responsibilities for airline companies, including the following:

1. Airline companies must refund tickets for flights delayed one to four hours and provide alternate transportation.
2. Airline companies must refund tickets for flights delayed more than four hours, as well as provide alternate transportation and compensation, and cover the costs of food and lodging, as applicable.
3. Airline companies cannot use weather as an excuse for delays or cancellations that are actually their fault.

Additionally, the legislation could potentially limit the decrease in seat sizes until the Department of Transportation sets a minimum seat size requirement, and parents would not be charged extra to sit next to their children.

How is the Department of Transportation held responsible in the Passengers’ Bill of Rights?

Lastly, the legislation outlines a few key responsibilities for the Department of Transportation (DOT), currently led by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Those include:

1. The DOT must explain why it has failed to penalize airline companies that have violated passenger rights.
2. The DOT must organize a study with consumer groups on the efficacy of a system of providing fines on airlines directly to their fliers.
3. The DOT must eliminate the cap on fines it charges airlines for violating the rights of passengers.
4. The DOT cannot allow airline companies to negotiate unreasonably low fines for particularly heinous practices.

When might the Passengers’ Bill of Rights be passed?

All of this is wonderful news for airplane passengers, but it’s important to remember that this legislation has not been passed (made into law) just yet.

Understandably, representatives of the airline industry are pushing back against this proposal. The trade group representing most U.S. flight companies, Airlines for America, released a statement calling the legislation “short-sighted,” claiming it would “inevitably drive up costs and reduce choices for the consumer.”

Still, the U.S. Senate is moving forward with its hearings on the “customer service meltdown” of Southwest Airlines. We can expect more information in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if this issue is especially important to you, be sure to contact your state’s representatives to voice your support.

Sources:

• CNBC: President Biden calls on Congress to crack down on ‘junk fees’
• Senate.gov: Senators Markey, Blumenthal Lead Democratic Senators in Introducing Legislations to Bolster Airline Passenger Protections
• Airlines for America: A4A Statement on Competition Within the U.S. Airline Industry
• U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee to Hold Hearings in Wake of Southwest Airlines Operational, Customer Service Meltdown, Cantwell Says

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” said my wife. “Don’t you want to try new things?”

My wife was staring at me intently. We were standing in our kitchen, cooking. She was wielding a chef’s knife, trying to convince me to do something insane.

Namely, she wanted to ride a bike across 350 miles of American trail. The Great Allegheny Passage and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal towpath are trails that weave through four states, from Pennsylvania to Virginia. My wife was proposing that we, two average Krispy Kreme enthusiasts, try something new, namely ride a lonesome trail, camp for days on end and pay good money to live like vagabonds.

“I don’t have a sense of adventure,” I reminded her.

“But remember,” she said, “you promised me we’d do something big.”

She was right. Almost 20 years earlier, I made my wife a promise that I would undertake these trails with her. At the time, my wife was about to be cut open by a doctor who seriously believed she had aggressive cancer. A husband will say whatever he must in dire moments.

Thankfully, my wife’s tumor was benign. All these years later, I forgot about those promises. But now my wife was ready to cash in on such vows in an attempt to get me to try new things.

Moreover, she had that twinkly look in her eye that said she was serious about this bike ride. When my wife gets an idea in her head, she can be—and I mean this with the utmost respect—a dangerous lunatic. Yet any smart man knows, a way to be happier is to always agree with your wife.

And thus it was, my wife and I rode two cycles across four states. Along the way, I learned there are, in fact, several valid reasons to break out of your comfort zone and try new things. Here, I share my newfound wisdom with you:

1. You’ll feel more alive

Think about it. The only people who don’t try new things are in cemeteries. Or Congress.

2. You’ll get out of your old routine

Routine is good, yes. But it can also be crippling. For example, as a professional writer I have a writing routine. I do basically the same thing every morning. My routine goes like this:

My dogs wake me up before dawn by barking into my ears at close range. Whereupon I take my dogs outside to pee. Whereupon my dogs, after 30 minutes of sniffing every blade of grass in my neighborhood, finally urinate upon the same patch of grass they have peed upon every morning for the last several years. Whereupon I sit at my keyboard, type approximately three words and my dogs starts barking again. So I let them back inside. Then back outside. Then inside. And this is why I drink.

3. You’ll feel like a kid again

At one time in your life, everything you did was new. There was the first time you opened your eyes. The first time you saw your mom. Your first steps. How about your first date? Your first driver’s license. Your first romantic interest. Your first reverse mortgage. Your first IRS audit. The first time you learned how much it costs to get something framed at Michaels.

Remember how significant these moments were? Well, when you try new things, you sort of experience Childhood Wonder and those small moments of joy all over again. Am I saying that trying new stuff will add years to your life, make you wealthy and insanely popular? Yes. That is exactly what I am saying. And you can trust me, I write for Reader’s Digest.

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4. Your mood will improve

University of Washington School of Medicine researchers found that new experiences give the brain a major hit of dopamine. Not to get too technical here, but there is a region in the midbrain called the substantia nigra/ventral segmental area. This is the “novelty center” of the brain, which responds to new stimuli, such as learning to play piano or make queso dip. This neurological area is connected to the hippocampus and the amygdala, both of which play large roles in your mood. Simply put: Do something new; feel something new.

5. You’ll have fresh stuff to talk about

Yesterday, I saw an old friend for lunch. We have been friends for 30-odd years. Do you know what we do every time we hang out? We tell the same tired, old stories. He tells his stories. I tell mine. Our tales never change. We know each other’s stories so well that sometimes we swap roles just for fun. Don’t do this with your life.

6. Your creativity will get stirred up

When my wife and I undertook cycling the GAP and C&O trails, we ran the very serious risk that our trip would be tax deductible if I wrote about it. Which I did. I wrote a whole book about it, a book that caused one well-known literary critic to remark, “How is this guy even published?” But the point is, I would have never written the book if I had never gone on the trip. It’s a chicken-and-egg thing.

7. You’ll know yourself better

I have no idea what I’m talking about.

8. You’ll overcome small fears

Try this. Think of something you want to do but just can’t bring yourself to try. Now ask yourself what’s holding you back? Really think about it. The answer is: Fear. Fear prevents you from doing new stuff.

When I was a kid, for instance, I was petrified of bungee jumping. Even hearing secondhand stories about bungee jumping made the hair on the backs of my legs stand up. But once I turned 40, this all changed when my wife urged me to conquer my fears by allowing college-age kids with facial hair and Grateful Dead T-shirts to strap me to a length of flimsy nylon rope and push me off a bridge located in a Third World country. And do you know what? At the end of the day, I had to ask one of those college-age kids for a loaner pair of trousers.

9. Because life is short

This is the part where I conclude with a heart-to-heart moment, reminding you that life is brief. You already know this. Everyone does. But it’s absolutely true. This year, I have lost six close friends. In fact, while writing this very article, I was interrupted by a phone call informing me that my friend’s husband died.

What I’m getting at is that someday you and I will be gone. So if you ask me, it’s up to us to live our lives, because nobody else will do this for us. So try new things. Do new stuff that will impress even yourself. Get a little crazy. And above all, never regret anything that makes you smile.

Sean Dietrich is the author of You Are My Sunshine, which recounts his 350-mile bike ride with his wife, Jamie.

Catching an Uber, Lyft or other ride-share is a great way to get from point A to point B. It’s affordable, super convenient and just like a taxi … except not exactly. Which raises the question: If you tip taxi drivers, do you tip Uber drivers? And if so, how much should you tip? Should you tip more depending on the type of car they drive or amenities they offer? And how should you give the tip to the driver? We know—you’ve got questions, and so does everyone else!

“I’ve been driving for Uber since it started, and even I get confused about the tipping etiquette rules sometimes, especially as they’ve changed several times,” says Kelly Jensen, a platinum-level Uber driver in Denver. “When Uber first started, one of their selling points was that the price was all-inclusive, and drivers weren’t even allowed to accept tips. Now, it’s the opposite, and the app prompts you to tip every ride. So I totally understand when customers get confused!” (FYI, Uber started in 2009 but didn’t allow optional tips until 2017.)

The biggest difference between traditional cabs and ride-share services is that taxi drivers are employees of a taxi company, which provides and insures cars, while Uber drivers are independent contractors driving their own cars. This means Uber drivers get paid differently and assume a higher amount of personal and professional risk, which means—yes—the tipping rules are different, says tipping expert Valerie Sokolosky, author of Do It Right, a comprehensive etiquette guide. (This business model also puts passengers at higher risk, like with these Uber scams.)

Tipping can be tricky! Once you’re up to speed on Uber tipping, find out how much to tip a hairdresser and hotel housekeeping.

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Do you tip Uber drivers?

Yes, you should always tip your Uber, Lyft or other ride-share driver, says Sokolosky.

Jensen is a little less definitive. “I would never say I expect a tip—it is always optional,” she says. “But I will say that the majority of people do tip, and I always really appreciate it because that’s a big part of my income.”

How much should you tip Uber drivers?

Similar to tipping for other services, like getting a massage or going to the nail salon, the rule of thumb is to tip 20%, says Sokolosky. So if your ride costs $30—an average cost for a moderate trip in most cities—then you’ll tip $6, for a total of $36. If the trip is short and the fare is low, don’t tip less than $2, even if that’s more than 20%.

Do you tip Uber drivers more in certain situations? Of course, you can tip more or less, depending on the situation and the service. Sokolosky recommends considering a 25% tip if:

• The driver helps you with bags or luggage
• The ride is unusually long
• You require special accommodations
• You need to make a stop
• You have a low passenger rating (they can choose not to accept your ride!)
• You requested a nicer car or higher-tier driver

Another situation to consider is if you made a mess in the car or were otherwise not a great passenger, says Diego Serrano, a gold Uber driver in Seattle. If you puke or make the car unsanitary, Uber will automatically charge you a cleaning fee of $10 to $150. But if you, say, spill a drink or drop a sandwich, it’s a good idea to offer a higher tip because the driver will have to clean up before picking up another ride. Same goes if you bring a furry pet or a screaming baby. “An extra tip isn’t necessary, but it is being, like, a decent human,” Serrano says.

What should you tip on if you’re sharing an Uber: the full ride or just your portion of the ride?

The Uber app offers the “tip” option only to the person who originally requested the Uber. The app doesn’t split the tip between other passengers. Those passengers can offer their own tip to the driver in cash or pay the other person back, but those arrangements are unofficial.

“It is nice to at least offer to cover part of the tip via cash or Venmo if you’re sharing a ride,” says Serrano. “But just make sure someone is leaving a tip, and don’t assume it’s already covered.”

How much do Uber drivers make per hour?

Wondering if driving a ride-share would be lucrative for you? It’s one of the top side-hustle ideas! But first know this: Pay for Uber drivers is made up of a base fare, customer tips and other incentives. Uber calculates base fares (or the “upfront price”) via a proprietary algorithm, which includes the estimated trip time and distance from origin to destination, as well as demand patterns for that route at that time. It also includes any applicable tolls, taxes, surcharges and fees. Uber sometimes offers additional money to drivers on top of the base fare as an extra incentive. For instance, during busy weekends, they may offer a $400 bonus to drivers who complete 30 trips. Tips are money on top of all that.

Base rates and promotions can vary widely between drivers and locations. For instance, Uber drivers in busy metropolitan areas tend to make more than drivers in rural or suburban spots. Tipping around the world is different for taxis and ride-shares as well.

The bottom line: Uber drivers aren’t paid hourly—they are paid per trip—but it works out to an average of $14 to $22 an hour nationwide, according to Uber. However, Ridester, an independent site for ride-share and delivery drivers, says the U.S. average is closer to $8 to $15.

How should you tip?

The easiest way to tip is through the Uber app. Once the ride is completed and you’ve rated the driver, you’ll see a prompt to leave a tip. The app will automatically calculate the tip options for you, so it’s as easy as tapping a button.

You can also hand the driver cash directly. Many drivers prefer cash, since they see it as tax-free income (although technically cash tips should be reported for taxes).

Do Uber drivers know if you don’t tip?

Yes, your driver will know whether or not you tipped and how much. That said, the driver will not be privy to this information until you have submitted your ride rating and your driver has submitted the passenger rating. In short, your rating will not be affected by how much you tip.

What happens if you don’t tip your Uber driver?

Worried about taking a hit to your rider rating if you don’t tip? Don’t be. Your driver can’t see the tip (or lack thereof) until after they’ve rated you as a rider.

“I always see tips as a bonus, so I’m not angry if someone doesn’t tip,” says Jensen. “Sometimes you just can’t, and that’s OK. I’ve been in those places in my life.”

However, if there was something wrong with your trip, Serrano says that your driver definitely wants to know about it immediately so they can make it better. “Don’t suffer in silence,” he says. “Just tell me—I’ll make it right.” Of course, remember to be polite when you do it.

Should you tip a rude Uber driver?

Taking a ride-share is one of those situations where, yes, you should almost always leave a tip—even if the driver was rude, says Sokolosky. “Drivers have bad days too, and it’s really about having empathy for others,” she says.

But this is only true for mild rudeness. If your driver verbally or sexually harasses you, tries to extort money, threatens you, stalks you or is abusive in any way, you do not need to tip, she adds. In those cases, get out of the car as soon as possible, and call Uber to report the driver right away.

Now you know the answer to the question “Do you tip Uber drivers?” Next, test your tipping etiquette knowledge in other situations, from tipping waiters and delivery people to house cleaners and movers.

Sources:

• Valerie Sokolosky, an etiquette expert and author of Do It Right, a comprehensive etiquette guide
• Uber: “How are prices determined?”
• Ridester: “How much do Uber drivers make?”
• Kelly Jensen, diamond Uber driver since 2014, located in Denver
• Diego Serrano, a gold Uber driver since 2019, located in Seattle

Breathtaking views, ivy-covered walls, top-tier amenities and sprawling grounds are all expectations to have when browsing luxury real estate listings. If you are in the market for a spectacular manor to exceed all these and then some, look no further. The mansion where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle filmed their recent docuseries is newly listed!

Those who recently binged Netflix’s docuseries, Harry and Meghan, will recognize the listing as the couple filmed their tell-all docuseries here. The timing of the listing of the mansion seems impeccable as Prince Harry is currently promoting his memoir, Spare.

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How much is the mansion listed for?

Located at 888 Lilac Drive, the mansion is listed for $33,500,000. The two-acre listing features a 12,805-square-foot main home consisting of five bedrooms, five full bathrooms and one half-bath, as well as a 794-square-foot guest house with one bedroom and one full bathroom. The mansion was built in 2006 by architects Don Nulty and J.F Brennan.

What’s included in the mansion?

So, what does a California castle look like in 2023? The home boasts ivy exterior covered walls, swaying palm trees, two large outdoor sculptures and an opulent infinity pool, as well as mountain and ocean panoramic views.

The interior of 888 Lilac Drive features a fully equipped gym, sauna, spa, home theater, two game rooms, beautiful balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, five chicken coops and lush vegetation surrounding the property. There is plenty of room in the home for a grand piano and poor lighting will never be an issue as the home glitters with several jaw-dropping crystal light fixtures and chandeliers. This regal manor also features plenty of built-in bookshelves as well as closets fit for a duchess.

So, if you have a cool $33 million to drop, all of this and more could be yours!

If you’re seeking a way to ensure you stay on target with your New Year’s resolutions in 2023, we’re right there with you. Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone. Habit trackers are an easy and efficient way to guarantee you’re on task and poised to make your goals a reality. Plus, they can help you build consistent routines and even offer a healthy dose of motivation.

Nevertheless, there are a lot of habit trackers on the market, and sifting through the countless options can be pretty tricky. That’s why we’ve found the best habit trackers to help you kick-start the healthy changes you’re looking to make in 2023.

Habit trackers to try in 2023

If you stay consistent using these habit trackers in the new year, you’ll be surprised what you can achieve! And of course, organization and habit-building go hand-in-hand, so if you’re looking for the best organization apps, we’ve got you covered there, too.

Habitica

One of our favorite habit trackers is Habitica, which is compatible with your device whether you use iOS or Android. This app excels at providing incentives and motivation for staying on target with your goals because it transforms staying on task into a game. When you sign up for Habitica, you get to create an avatar that gets rewarded when you successfully cross a task off your to-do list or gets punished if you do not. This option is free to start, but you can decide to upgrade if you desire.

Productive

Another iOS and Android-compatible choice is Productive. If you want a simple, intuitive app that doesn’t overcomplicate the process of building healthy habits, Productive may be the best option for you. If you complete a task, you’ll be awarded with a streak. This app stands out because it doesn’t just provide a place to track your progress—it also offers resources to help you stay on target. You can begin for free but may want to upgrade if you feel it works for you.

StickK

For both iOS and Android users, StickK is another outstanding option for habit tracker apps. For starters, it excels in user-friendliness, so there’s no major learning curve when you’re just getting started. StickK asks you to sign a commitment contract which allows you to set a habit goal and outline what you’re going to do to make it happen.

StickK is unique from other habit trackers on this list because you get to allocate money on the app and mention what you’re going to do with that money if you do not maintain your commitment, so there’s a tangible downside if you fail. It’s intense, but it could provide some serious motivation. You can also journal about your goals directly in the app, which we love, and it’s free.

Habit Tracker

If you are an iOS user, give Habit Tracker a try. Its reviews speak for themselves—the app boasts more than 51,000 ratings in the App Store and its overall cumulative score is 4.8 out of 5 stars. This app is highly customizable as it offers different user interface styles depending on your preferences. While Habit Tracker offers in-app upgrades, it’s free to get started. Users also love how you can color-customize your tasks and get timed reminders for the habits you want to build.

HabitNow

If you are an Android user, HabitNow is an excellent app to have on your radar. This is a straightforward option that allows you to quickly and efficiently track your daily, weekly and even monthly habits if you choose. You decide if you want to receive notifications regarding tasks you still need to complete, plus when/how often you’d like them to repeat. The app also makes it easy to see how strong your habit streak is, as you can look back at your progress over an extended period of time.

We’ve all experienced an overbearing friend, a super-demanding boss, overstepping in-laws or significant others who seem to make our decisions for us. But instead of accepting many of the annoying behaviors that often make us unhappy, we can learn how to set boundaries to better communicate how we feel and take more control over how we’re treated in our relationships. Although it may sound like boundaries keep people out, it’s actually the opposite.

“Many might think boundaries are limiting to building connections, but they empower authenticity from both parties,” says Helene Lerner, author of Time for Me: Self-Care and Simple Pleasures for Women Who Do Too Much and founder of WomenWorking.com. “Boundaries create a relationship that is truly shared—it’s not just one person catering to another but an exchange, with two people having their needs met.”

Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, many people have a hard time setting boundaries and an even harder time keeping them. “It takes courage for many of us to set healthy boundaries, because we may be afraid that if we do, we’ll lose someone we care about,” Lerner says. Then, if someone crosses our boundaries after we’ve communicated them, it can be difficult to stick to them because of this fear. “If we are used to people-pleasing, or acquiescing because of the fear of loss, then what were we really getting out of that relationship? Not a whole lot,” Lerner says. “Do we really want someone who doesn’t respect our needs?”

How to be happy often depends on facing this fear of loss or rejection by learning how to say no, how to create work-life balance and how to stand up for ourselves and our identified non-negotiables. “We should set boundaries with family, at work, in romantic relationships, in friendships and with technology,” says licensed therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab, the New York Times bestselling author of the inspirational book Set Boundaries, Find Peace and the upcoming Drama Free: A Guide to Managing Unhealthy Family Relationships. “These areas are the top places most people struggle.” Read on for tips from our experts on exactly how to set boundaries.

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What are boundaries?

“Boundaries are expectations and needs that help you feel safe and comfortable,” Tawwab says. “It’s knowing when to say no and when to say yes. Creating healthy boundaries leads to feeling calm, loved and respected.”

If you’re always feeling like others ask too much of you and you’re reaching a breaking point, you’re not alone: According to a 2022 YouGov survey, 49% of Americans (including 56% of women) identify themselves as people pleasers who have a hard time saying no and instead put others’ needs ahead of their own. These are signs it’s time to think about how setting boundaries might help you feel more empowered.

Consider boundary setting your new self-care routine: Putting yourself first can help you maintain your identity, ensure you’re in healthy relationships and prevent others from taking advantage of you. “Boundaries are an essential part of any kind of relationship,” Lerner says. For example, after we’ve grown up, setting boundaries with parents often becomes necessary; so if your nosy mother is always in your business, let her know you need her to back off. “Relationships change, and if your mother wants you in her life, she needs to respect your autonomy and what you need,” Lerner says.

Setting boundaries in relationships is also part of learning how to create a positive attitude for yourself, clear your mind to live more intentionally, set goals for what you really want, have better time management by sometimes saying no and better enjoy spending time with family by making your connection healthier.

Types of boundaries

If you’re wondering how setting boundaries can do all that, it’s because there are so many types of boundaries to set. “There are six types of boundaries,” Tawwab explains. They include:

1. Physical: Standing too close or unwanted hugging, handshakes or other touch
2. Sexual: Molestation, assault or sexual jokes
3. Intellectual: Name calling, yelling or ridiculing someone for what they believe
4. Emotional: Oversharing, gossiping or invalidating someone’s feelings
5. Material: Borrowing and not returning an item or returning borrowed items in worse condition
6. Time: Asking for free help, calling or texting too late, or overcommitting

Each type of relationship may deal with varying boundaries. In exploring how to set boundaries with friends, for instance, you may need to create time, emotional or material boundaries. Setting boundaries at work may involve creating time, physical and emotional boundaries with colleagues.

“When something doesn’t feel right, create a boundary and communicate that boundary with others,” Tawwab says. Learning how to set boundaries in the different areas of your life can give you more agency and control, improve your mental health and self-confidence, and lead to more moments of joy instead of the dread of obligation.

How to set boundaries

OK, so how do you put those boundaries in place? Here are some specific steps and tips from our experts on the best ways to set boundaries.

1. Think about where to draw the line

Before you talk to the person you intend to set boundaries with, determine what you are no longer able to put up with. “Be honest with yourself. What are you willing to tolerate?” Tawwab says. “Setting successful boundaries begins with you. Learn your capacity.”

This might mean setting a time by which you absolutely need to leave work (forget quiet quitting—you need to state your boundaries out loud to your boss) or after which you won’t answer phone calls from that friend who always wants to discuss the latest drama at midnight. Ignore any guilt about what the other party might feel—this is about you and not being taken for granted.

2. Practice out loud

You’ll need to have an honest conversation with the person you’re setting boundaries with, and this can be scary at first, especially for people who tend to avoid conflict. “If you are not used to setting boundaries, role play with a trusted friend or practice in front of a mirror,” Lerner says. “When you do it out loud, it lessens the discomfort of a new behavior. You may feel less uneasy going into the real conversation.”

Still need a mental push? Try creating a goal-setting vision board that celebrates your plan to put your foot down.

As you learn how to set boundaries and get more adept at it, the need for this practice will lessen. “Like any other muscle, the boundary muscle gets stronger the more you use it,” Lerner says. “Enjoy your inner gym!”

3. Have the conversation

The time has come to say it loud and clear. “Verbally communicate your needs. Assertively state what you expect. This way, there is little room for misinterpretation,” Tawwab says. As tempting as it is, never do this over text message.

This conversation may feel intimidating, but that’s normal. “Step out of your comfort zone and do it!” Lerner says. “Yes, a new behavior doesn’t feel comfortable, but the reward after a hard-fought battle with fear is a new sense of self-respect.”

But don’t go into it with guns blazing—if you approach it as a discussion, not a tirade, you’ll lessen the chance that the other person will go on the defensive. “We must speak up and be brave enough to let the people closest to us know how we can be better for each other,” Lerner says.

4. Tell the truth

You may have been holding in all your gripes for a long time, so you don’t want to leave the boundary-setting conversation thinking about what you should have said. You don’t want to waste time beating around the bush, but you need to respect the other person’s feelings by saying things in a gentle manner while still being up-front and truthful about your needs.

“When we tell the truth to the people in our lives, we allow them to know the ‘real you,'” Lerner says. “If we hold things in, we start resenting the people we care about the most, so it is better to take the risk and draw clear lines when we feel they are necessary or beneficial.”

5. Use “I” language

During the conversation, your language should reflect the fact that these are your own, personal feelings. “Talk in the first person, rather than putting the onus entirely on the other person,” Lerner says. “This will minimize feelings of defensiveness while ensuring that your priorities are being fully vocalized.”

She offers a few examples of using “I” language while setting boundaries: “When [blank] happens, I feel uncomfortable,” “I am proposing we do [blank] this way,” “I don’t think this is feasible, because [blank].”

6. Set priorities

Although you should have a clear idea of your boundary, you can leave yourself some leverage if you think you’ll get pushback. “Figure out what your priorities are and find clarity on what is important to you: what you must have, what would be nice to have and what doesn’t matter that much,” Lerner says. “Must-have is non-negotiable. Would-be-nice can be negotiated, but stay true to yourself! Doesn’t-matter-that-much is exactly as it sounds; that’s your currency to ensure you get all your must-haves.”

So when setting boundaries at work, if you tell your boss you’re doing a digital detox and no longer want to check emails on the weekend, you might be able to negotiate a one-time check-in if you’re OK with it—but that’s it. Or if you’d like to be more involved in making the plans with a friend or partner who often shuts you out of decision making, let them know you’d like to give your input too, and then you can make the choice together. In doing so, “you’ve created a collaborative discussion,” Lerner says.

7. Be flexible

Having flexibility refers to your own needs, which may alter over time. After all, your boundaries aren’t set in stone. “Flexibility is important when deciding where our boundaries are placed, with the understanding that people change,” Lerner says. “What was good for you yesterday may not be good for you today; people who truly grow together know that.”

You can communicate to your overbearing mother that weekly visits are all you can handle right now while understanding that in the future, you might adjust the frequency. You can tell your nosy siblings that single women can be perfectly happy and that you’d like them to stop insinuating it’s time you marry—all while understanding you might find The One next year.

8. Decide what happens if someone crosses your boundary

If setting boundaries is hard, sticking with boundaries can be even harder: Your boss may ask you to stay late even though you said you wouldn’t, your friends might ask you for money when you told them you simply can’t give loans anymore or your partner may continue belittling something you’re passionate about after you’ve told them not to.

“When someone violates your boundary, you get to decide what happens next,” Tawwab says. In some cases, you may want to consider ending a toxic relationship or getting out of your toxic workplace for good.

9. Learn to let go

As we’ve discussed, “fear of how others may respond to our boundaries can keep us from setting them,” Tawwab says. In facing this fear, you also have to come to terms with the fact that your boundary setting may mean the relationship cannot continue as it is. But if that’s the case, it means the relationship was not healthy to begin with.

When you stand up for yourself and learn how to set boundaries in a relationship, “some people will not like this—they may feel like they are losing control of the relationship,” Lerner says. “But they never really had control over you! Their insecurities are none of your business. Keep your focus on yourself and what you need.”

Stop trying to be happy by only focusing on other people’s happiness. Repeat after us: You are not responsible for how others feel, and you don’t need to apologize for telling them how you feel.

How to communicate boundaries

Still unsure of how to set boundaries? Our experts have some specific language you can use to communicate good boundaries with others.

Boundary	Relationship	What to say
Emotional boundary	Friend	“We always go to restaurants that you want to go to, but you never ask me to choose. Why don’t we have Italian food tonight? We can work together to pick a restaurant.”
Emotional boundary	Family	“Mom, you are always asking me way too much about my personal life! I love you, but I’m not a little girl anymore. I will fill you in on my latest partner when I am ready.”
Emotional boundary	Partner	“I know you love me and want the best for me. I would like it if you supported me by listening instead of offering feedback.”
Time boundary	Partner	“I work full-time like you do, yet you expect me to make dinner and take care of the kids without much help. You can do the dishes, take out the garbage and drive the kids to school tomorrow.”
Intellectual boundary	Partner	“It really upsets me when you yell at me. If you’re unhappy with something I’ve done, please communicate that to me in a calm way.”
Time boundary	Work	“Bob, I don’t mind working overtime, but three days a week is too much. Let me know what day your priority is, and I will make it happen. If there is an emergency, I’ll be there, but I need to spend time with my family.”
Physical boundary	Work	“I know you’re a hugger, but I prefer to keep things professional and offer a handshake instead when we meet.”
Material boundary	Friend	“I know we’re roommates, but I’d appreciate it if you would ask me before borrowing my clothes.”

These discussions aren’t always easy, but they’ll set you on the path to healthier relationships, better work-life balance and a happier life.

Sources:

• Helene Lerner, author of Time for Me: Self-Care and Simple Pleasures for Women Who Do Too Much and founder of WomenWorking.com
• Nedra Glover Tawwab, MSW, LCSW, author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace and Drama Free: A Guide to Managing Unhealthy Family Relationships
• YouGov: “Women are more likely than men to say they’re a people-pleaser, and many dislike being seen as one”
• Cleveland Clinic: “How to Set Healthy Boundaries in Relationships”

Some of us love love, thrilling at the prospect of spending a whole day celebrating it. Others feel like the popular version of love has been commercialized and confused. But regardless of how you feel about Valentine’s Day, the “holiday of love” is one of the most popular traditions in Western culture. Throughout the history of Valentine’s Day, people have used the holiday as an excuse to celebrate romantic love and passion. These days, it’s also a time to celebrate platonic love, with everyone from elementary-aged children to the elderly sharing valentines.

But this holiday didn’t just magically appear out of nowhere, and contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t invented by greeting card companies. Valentine’s Day has a rich (and slightly morbid) history that you may not know about. Read on to learn about the history of Valentine’s Day, how the holiday is celebrated (with some fascinating Valentine’s Day trivia) and who the heck St. Valentine really was. (Spoiler: It wasn’t just one person!)

Then make sure you enter the season of love armed with the best Valentine’s Day ideas, including info on Valentine’s Day roses, the best Valentine’s Day gifts and Valentine’s Day jokes to keep kids laughing.

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What is Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is an annual holiday celebrated in the United States and many other countries around the world. Historically, it has commemorated romantic love, but recently, it’s been expanded to include all types of love. Just look at Galentine’s Day, which celebrates female friendships.

When is Valentine’s Day?

This holiday always occurs on the 14th day of the month of February, but the day of the week rotates. Below, you’ll learn which day of the week to expect the holiday for the next five years (you know, in case you want to make those Valentine’s Day restaurant reservations now).

• Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023
• Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024
• Friday, Feb. 14, 2025
• Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026
• Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027

Who is Valentine’s Day named for?

First, the simple answer: Valentine’s Day is named for St. Valentine. But it gets more complicated from here. As it turns out, at least three Valentines were sainted by the Catholic Church, and each one has his own group of supporters claiming he’s behind the holiday.

The first St. Valentine was a rebel, defying a decree from the Roman Emperor Claudius II, which said young men were not allowed to be married and had to serve in the military instead. (The Romans believed single men made better soldiers.) St. Valentine continued to marry lovers in secret.

The second St. Valentine helped Christian prisoners escape Roman jails—until he was caught and imprisoned himself. His last act before death was to miraculously heal the daughter of his jailer, thereby converting the whole family to Christianity. In some versions of the story, St. Valentine II was even in love with the daughter, but their love was tragically cut short.

The third St. Valentine was a Catholic bishop in Terni. History hasn’t remembered much about him, and the stories of all three saints have become entwined over the centuries. The story became so murky and confusing that, in 1969, the Catholic Church removed the St. Valentine’s feast day from the Christian liturgical calendar.

But there was one unfortunate thing all three men had in common besides their name, and it’ll give you pause before uttering your next “Happy Valentine’s Day.” In a very unromantic twist, all three were martyred by beheading by different Roman emperors. In some versions of the stories, the men were all executed on or near Feb. 14 (in different years), but historians have been unable to verify that detail.

What is the history of Valentine’s Day?

Like many modern holidays that have been celebrated for centuries, Valentine’s Day has its roots in paganism. Lupercalia was a pagan fertility festival typically celebrated in February. Like Cupid, the symbol of Valentine’s Day, it had ties to a Roman god. The festival was dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and to Romulus and Remus, the Roman founders.

Lupercalia was all about fertility but not in the modern sense of love and romance. Priests from an order called Luperci sacrificed a goat and dog, skinned them, soaked their hides in blood and then used them to gently “whip” young women, a tradition aimed at making the women more fertile. After that, the women’s names were put in a jar, and each eligible young man drew a name, forming a couple for the next year (and possibly leading to marriage if it worked out).

In an effort to clean up the pagan holiday, Pope Gelasius I integrated Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s day in the fifth century. The new holiday quickly spread to all the countries that practiced Christianity. Chaucer and Shakespeare also played a part in changing the holiday from a bloody sex festival to a modern love story by writing about it in a sweet, lighthearted and decidedly less-lascivious way.

Christian settlers brought the holiday with them to the New World, where it became one of the most popular holidays during the Victorian era. In the 1900s, people began giving one another Valentine’s Day cards—and Hallmark began offering them in 1913. The tradition grew from there, and today Hallmark estimates 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year.

Valentine’s Day was never named an official national holiday in the United States, but it remains the 13th most popular holiday in the country, coming in just after St. Patrick’s Day.

What are some popular Valentine’s Day traditions?

Valentine’s Day is filled with fun traditions, including decorating with paper hearts, coloring everything red and pink and giving Valentine’s Day gifts for him and Valentine’s Day gifts for her.

Eating candy conversation hearts

Heart shaped and printed with short sayings, these chalky (but still weirdly delicious) sweets are unique to Valentine’s Day. But where did they come from?

Candy hearts originated in the late 1800s with a Boston pharmacist who made Necco wafers as “lozenges.” His brother got the brilliant idea to print sayings on them for many occasions, but it was the messages of love that really took off. One of the first Valentine’s messages was “How long shall I have to wait? Please be considerate.” How … romantic?

By the 1910s, they were a fixture of the holiday. Eventually, Brach’s made them smaller, shaped them into hearts and added the candy heart sayings we all know and love today.

Giving valentines

According to the lore, the second St. Valentine didn’t just fall in love with his jailer’s daughter. He also sent her a final farewell letter, signed “from your Valentine.” Romantic Victorians ran with this phrase, signing it on elaborate Valentine’s Day cards professing their love during the holiday. In 1913, when Hallmark began mass-producing official valentines, it cemented the tradition, which continues to this day.

Sending bouquets of red roses

Valentine’s Day flowers universally symbolize romantic love, and these days, a bouquet of red roses is one of the most popular gifts to give a loved one on Valentine’s Day. But why? Well, it helps to understand the meaning behind rose colors.

Red has long represented love and passion, perhaps because it is the color of the blood being pumped through the heart. The rose comes from Roman mythology—the red rose (symbolizing the blood of Adonis, the god of love) was dedicated specifically to Venus, the goddess of love. Similarly, white roses symbolize purity. Pink roses intertwine purity and romance, so many lovers choose bouquets with all three colors.

Giving a heart-shaped box of chocolates

This tradition, like much of the history of Valentine’s Day, has roots in the distant past. Several ancient cultures, including the Aztecs, considered chocolate an aphrodisiac. That, combined with the relative scarcity of sugar, made chocolate a popular gift to symbolize love and devotion.

Things took a turn for the commercial in the early 1900s, when Cadbury created a heart-shaped box for its chocolates. From there, it’s history! To this day, Valentine’s Day chocolates are the No. 1 most popular gift during the holiday.

Decorating with hearts

Hearts of the non-anatomical variety are the symbol of love, perhaps because the heart has long been considered the center of emotion and passion. When we’re in love, we often “feel” it in our chest. After a breakup, we experience heartbreak. In fact, we have a lot of words tied to a lot of emotions centered on our ticker: heartfelt, heartwarming, heart-wrenching and so on.

But why, exactly, does our symbol of love look so different from the shape of an actual human heart? A centuries-old anatomical misconception may be to blame. In describing a human heart, Aristotle noted “the heart has three cavities” and said “the rounded end of the heart is at the top. The pointed end is very largely fleshy and firm in texture.” Try to draw that, and you might end up with the sort of Valentine’s Day hearts we see plastered over everything in early February.

But hey, they’re easy to draw and make a nice vehicle for funny Valentine’s Day quotes and silly V-Day puns.

Sources:

• History.com: “History of Valentine’s Day”
• NPR: “The dark origins of Valentine’s Day”
• Hallmark: “Valentine’s Day”
• Statista: “Most popular national and religious events in the United States as of 2022”
• History.com: “How Chocolate Became a Valentine’s Day Staple”
• Statista: “The Most Popular Valentine’s Day Gifts in the U.S.”
• Nature: “The shape of the heart”
• Spangler Candy: “History of Necco Wafers”

Fiddle leaf figs are one of the most aesthetically pleasing and popular indoor plants, according to gardening researcher Madison Moulton from All About Gardening. Their large fleshy leaves make fiddle leaf figs an attractive option for your home—and as tall indoor plants, they’re fun for decorating. Fiddle leaf figs are fairly low-maintenance houseplants if you’re willing to follow a few simple growing tips, so they can thrive indoors.

First things first: Are fiddle leaf figs trees or plants? Technically, they’re both, depending on the variety and how you prune and train them to grow. Fiddle leaf figs are members of the Ficus genus, with the species name Ficus lyrata. Though you likely won’t see any flowers when they’re grown indoors, they’re classified as flowering plants from the Moraceae family. You’ll likely recognize their close relation to other indoor trees like the rubber tree (Ficus elastica) and the traditional fig tree as well. Fiddle leaf figs can grow well beyond 40 feet in outdoor conditions and grow best in tropical and subtropical climates. But don’t worry, in your home, they won’t grow to more than about 10 feet (for the standard variety), depending on the size of the pot you put yours in and how often you transplant it. The dwarf varieties vary between 2 and 5 feet.

Be aware that fiddle leaf figs produce a milky sap that contains tiny but sharp calcium oxalate crystals. They’re toxic to pets and humans when ingested, but in general, you don’t need to wear gloves when moving your fiddle leaf fig from one part of the house to another. If you have sensitive skin, though, make sure to wear gloves when pruning, repotting or propagating your fiddle leaf fig, since the sap can cause irritation.

Check out these low-light houseplants that are also great for decorating your home. You might even want to consider a plant subscription box for adding more green all year long.

Botanical name	Ficus lyrata
Height	10 feet (indoors), 40-plus feet (outdoors)
Sun exposure	Bright indirect light all day (or direct morning sun with afternoon shade)
Soil type	Well-draining soil with medium moisture
Soil pH	6 to 7
Toxicity to pets	Yes, if ingested

Where to put a fiddle leaf fig?

Fiddle leaf figs need warmth and high humidity to thrive. By keeping them indoors, they will be protected from extreme temperatures, but they grow best outdoors in their native tropical growing conditions. To achieve their maximum indoor growth, they need a full day of indirect bright sunlight, Moulton says. A south-facing window works best, where your fiddle leaf fig will get a full day of sunlight. Fiddle leaf figs can handle a few hours of direct morning sunlight, as long as they are introduced to these conditions slowly. For direct morning sunlight (if you’re pulling up the blinds or putting it on a front porch or patio), it’s best to opt for an east-facing window or area. Care tip: You want to avoid scorching the leaves, so if you notice the leaves have a light brown cast to them, decrease their exposure to direct sunlight.

Fiddle leaf fig care

Soil

Fiddle leaf figs need medium to fast-draining soil and will do well planted with a well-draining, airy potting mix that’s designed for houseplants. These mixtures contain amendments like perlite to improve drainage; it allows air to flow more freely around the roots. Fiddle leaf figs need soil with a pH between six and seven. Because you want to avoid the soil getting too acidic, which happens over time as soil breaks down, you may want to monitor it with a pH meter. Find out what white fungus balls mean in your soil.

Water

Watering times differ depending on the size of the plant and its pot, along with environmental conditions. Moulton advises testing the soil with your finger every couple of days instead of watering on a schedule. You should water your fiddle leaf fig when the top half of the soil in the pot has dried out completely (in a small pot, aim for testing the top inch of soil). Don’t be afraid of under-watering your fiddle leaf fig. By following this tip, you’ll avoid potential problems with overwatering, which could result in fiddle leaf fig brown spots or premature leaf drop. Moulton points out that while these plants love humid conditions, you should avoid misting them with a spray bottle, as it could cause potential problems with growth.

Fertilizer

Fiddle leaf figs benefit from a regular fertilizing schedule during the spring and summer months. Moulton advises a fertilizer that’s slightly higher in nitrogen to promote strong leaf and stem growth and one that contains phosphorus and potassium. Follow the instructions on the packaging to avoid overfertilizing. For the best fiddle leaf fig care, you will need to transplant your fiddle leaf fig over time to give it room to grow (make sure to adjust the amounts of fertilizer based on your new pot). Transplanting once a year is ideal.

Types of fiddle leaf figs

The standard fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) is the most common option and the easiest one to find, explains Moulton. But if you’re looking for something more compact, check out the smaller Bambino variety, which reaches only 2 to 4 feet tall. There are also variegated varieties available, such as the Variegata with green- and cream-colored leaves, though they are trickier to find and are often more expensive.

Common pests

Fiddle leaf figs are prone to a few common indoor pest problems. The main houseplant pests you’ll encounter are mealybugs, spider mites and scale. According to Moulton, these pests attach themselves to the plant and feed on the leaves and stems, causing growth problems. When this happens, you’ll notice discolored marks. The best solution is to isolate your fiddle leaf fig and remove the pests with natural sprays or horticultural oil, depending on the level of infestation. Pest tip: You will likely need to repeat this process a few times for the best results.

How to propagate fiddle leaf figs

Propagating a fiddle leaf fig works best during the spring and summer months. As woody plants or indoor trees (depending on which variety you buy and how you prune it), fiddle leaf figs are best propagated from branch cuttings. Because new soft green growth is the most likely to root, Moulton advises using a rooting hormone, which is generally available where plants are sold. First, remove the leaves on the bottom half and cut the top leaves in half horizontally. “This stops them from growing and directs the plant’s energy toward the root development,” Moulton explains. “Although many try to propagate from individual leaves, these cuttings will never develop into full plants,” she adds. While a small amount of stem tissue on the end of a leaf may develop roots to survive on its own in water or soil, this method won’t work for growing a brand-new plant. Check out more tips on how to propagate plants and a few for reviving a dead or dying plant.

Sources:

• Madison Moulton, gardening researcher and writer at All About Gardening

We often get hung up on plant watering schedules when nurturing indoor plants. While you need to be able to read the signs that your specimen needs a soaking, a dead plant is inevitable if you don’t start with the right light. Picking the perfect plant for that free space on your windowsill reduces the chances of scorched foliage or unsightly spindly sprouting. Whether you have a low-light indoor plant, like a philodendron, or a cactus that loves bright conditions, follow these indoor plant lighting tips to see them flourish.

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Why is light important for plants?

Even shade-loving species need some light to grow lush and leafy. Without it, plants can’t produce the essential chemical energy they need to generate nutrients for healthy growth, flowering and seed production.

This plant-specific process, known as photosynthesis, occurs when the energy from sunlight converts carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates. Inadequate light for indoor plants leads to a depletion in these energy reserves, and eventually, your plant will be beyond saving.

Types of indoor plant lighting

If you’re new to houseplant collecting, you might wonder, “What is bright, indirect light?” You’ll see it and other recommendations on plant-care tags, but those are usually too tiny to provide more information. It’s up to you to make sure you understand all the somewhat vague indoor plant lighting terms—it’s not enough to just pop your plant on a windowsill soaked in the afternoon sun.

Your window size, the direction it faces and any external obstructions (like shade-giving trees or buildings) all influence how much light a room receives. You need to factor in the intensity, duration and quality of the light. Given our adaptable eyes’ poor ability to judge light intensity (especially indoors), getting technical and using a light meter gives you a better idea of where your plant will thrive.

There are several ways to measure light intensity for plants, but foot-candles (fc) is the most common. One foot-candle equals the amount of light a 1-square-foot area receives from a light source equivalent to a candle that’s around a foot away.

By getting a better handle on the different houseplant lighting terms, you’re more likely to pick a plant that’s the right fit for your room.

Bright light

If your plant needs bright light, put it directly in front of or within a few feet of a south- or southwest-facing window with no shady obstructions. In technical terms, these plants are often classified as needing over 1,000 fc and, ideally, at least six hours of direct exposure to the sun.

But even these sun-worshiping species need some darkness for decent development. If you’re using high-intensity grow lights, don’t keep your plant under them for more than 16 hours. And don’t forget that these sun-baked spaces dry out the plant’s potting medium faster, so regularly check the soil with your fingers to assess if it needs watering.

Flowering plants, such as hibiscus and poinsettia, and desert-native cacti and succulents are typical sun-loving species.

Bright, indirect sunlight

Not all plants appreciate the full attention of the sun. So, what is indirect sunlight? It’s a type of light that filters through something—say, a gauzy shade—before hitting your plant.

Plants that need bright, indirect light are best positioned in east-facing windows, where the sun’s rays will be less intense, or near west-facing windows, kept out of direct sunlight. Locations with bright, indirect light get around 250 to 1,000 fc, although optimal growth tends to occur in a position that receives above 500 fc.

Some species can handle a spot near a south-facing window, but you’ll need to soften the sunlight with a shade of lightweight curtains or ensure there’s dappled tree foliage. Light-sensitive plants that require positions on the lower end of the fc scale would do better in front or within a few feet of an unshaded north-facing window or shaded east- or west-facing windows.

Common houseplants that fit into this category include spider plants, monsteras, prayer plants, alocasia and fiddle leaf figs.

Low light

Low-light plants thrive in shaded north-facing windows. They don’t need a lot of natural light to survive and can typically receive between 50 and 250 fc.

Don’t expect low-light plants to be fast growers, and be careful not to overwater. You’re selecting these for their foliage rather than flowers. In the wild, they grow under the branches of larger plants.

Popular examples include cast iron plants, ZZ plants and philodendrons—all species that make good shady, small-windowed bathroom plants.

Signs your plant is getting too much sun

Spotting the early signs your plant is in an overly sunny position means you can move it before it’s too late. “Some common signs a plant is getting too much sun are leaf scorching or discoloration,” says Lisa Muñoz, interior plant designer and founder of Leaf and June.

Vionna Wai, a plant stylist based in New York City and founder of Feline Jungle, says to watch out for fading foliage. “Parts of the plant that receive too much sun will be much lighter than the rest and will start to turn brown from sun damage to the plant cells.” Excessive sun breaks down chlorophyll in foliage, which causes the discoloration.

So if your beloved pothos plant is looking a little faded, move it out of the direct sunlight to a spot where it can get bright but indirect light.

What to do if your plant is getting too much sun

Move your plant to a spot with a little less light, or add a sheer curtain for the filtering effect. But don’t go overboard by banishing it to the darkest spot in your room.

Dry soil aggravates the symptoms of excess sunlight, so boost moisture levels. Just avoid giving your plant a soggy bottom—that leads to root rot.

Heads up: You might be able to move your plant back to a sunnier spot when air temperatures drop. Unfortunately, any scorched leaves will be beyond saving. Remove them so all your plants’ energy focuses on flourishing foliage.

Signs your plant is not getting enough sun

“If your plant isn’t getting enough light, some signs may be spindly or leggy growth, leaning toward the light source or discoloration,” says Muñoz. To produce the green pigment known as chlorophyll, plants need sufficient light. They can turn pale green or even yellow or white without it. Variegated plants can also go from having striking patterns to a solid green color.

You might also see leaf dropping, a disappointing lack of blooms or new leaves that aren’t growing as large or as vigorously as old ones.

What to do if your plant is not getting enough sun

Is your jade plant looking a little worse for wear? Sun-worshipping species that show the signs above may be begging to soak up the rays. If you don’t have a brighter window to pop your plant in, you’ll either need to admit defeat and opt for a different species, or consider investing in grow lights.

Wai considers these lights a super-useful tool for spaces with low lighting conditions, like those with north-facing windows, small windows or a lack of windows. “I use grow lights in the winter when there is a shorter time of daylight, and I have mine on an off/on timer to mimic the natural light cycle,” she says.

Tips for plant lighting

Keep these indoor plant lighting tips in mind when decorating with plants.

• Pick the right plants. Understand what each species needs to thrive. You may adore light-loving succulents, but they might not be the plants for you if you can’t offer them a sunny spot.
• Rotate your plants. Turning a potted plant every so often encourages even growth. “It allows foliage that may not have been getting as much sun to reap the benefits of some brighter light,” says Muñoz.
• Be vigilant. Wai suggests using a plant journal to track your plants’ progress. It makes it easier to spot signs or patterns that suggest lighting (or other care) could be lacking.
• Invest in a light meter. If your plants are constantly discoloring, dropping leaves or dying, pick up a simple, inexpensive digital light meter or use a light meter app on your phone to get a more accurate idea of the types of plants that could survive in your home.

Once you’ve mastered indoor plant lighting, it’s time to stock up on your favorite greenery, from air-purifying plants and medicinal herbs to indoor hanging plants and flowering plants that’ll liven up your decor.

Sources:

• Lisa Muñoz, interior plant designer and founder of Leaf and June
• Vionna Wai, plant stylist based in New York City
• University of Arkansas: “Light and Moisture Requirements for Selected Indoor Plants”
• University of California: “Light and Water Guidelines for Selected Foliage and Flowering Plants”