Category / Tips

Lifestyle Tips

Tips to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

A new year is almost upon us. What are you looking forward to? What will change for you? What do you want to accomplish? Those are some of the questions people consider when deciding on New Year’s resolutions for themselves, but they often don’t consider how they will keep their resolution in the New Year. If you’re serious about accomplishing your goal, take a look at these tips to help you keep your New Year’s Resolution.

Plan Ahead

As the holidays roll right past us, we often forget about the New Year approaching and creating our resolutions. Don’t do that this year. Start thinking of your resolution as soon as you can. Make your resolution something more than just what you’re thinking of changing on New Year’s Eve!

Be Realistic

If you really want to stick to your goal in the New Year, make sure it’s something you can realistically accomplish. For example, if your New Year’s resolution is to stop drinking coffee completely, what happens if you are tempted to have a cup? Instead of making your resolution about having no coffee all year, it could be to drink less coffee or even limit yourself to two cups a week. That way, your goal is easier to accomplish and therefore easier to stick to.

Make a Plan

When you plan out how you will accomplish your goal ahead of time, there’s a more likely chance that you actually will accomplish it. If your New Year’s resolution is to be more active, make plans to accomplish that. Get a gym membership and coordinate workouts with friends or a trainer. Create a schedule for yourself that will outline when and how long you will be at the gym. Making a plan will keep you accountable and make your goal easier to accomplish.

Talk About It

Tell everyone about your New Year’s Resolution. The more people that know, the more people to keep you accountable. If you keep your goal a secret, it will be that much easier to forget about it. But if you share your resolution with your friends and family, you may just find someone else who shares the same goal and you can help each other along the way.

Stay Positive

Root for yourself during this process! Resolutions can be hard to stick to but if you keep telling yourself you can do it, then you will. If your goal is to eat healthier in the New Year, remind yourself that you’re better than those free donuts left in the break room at work. Mind over matter.

Keep Trying

On an occasion, you might slip up on your goals. Maybe one day you oversleep and can’t make it to the gym or maybe you get to bed late and desperately need coffee for work in the morning. That’s ok. You might have strayed from your goal a little, but that doesn’t mean you have to quit! Don’t wait until the next year to try again, start over the next day.

If you want to make 2019 your best year yet, start today by planning how you will accomplish your New Year’s resolution. And if your resolution is to own a beautiful new home in Dallas or Houston, we can help you accomplish your goal!

December 18, 2018November 5, 2021 by Danny DuBois

Lifestyle Tips

Top 5 Mudroom Organization Tips

When guests enter your home, the mudroom sets the tone for what they expect to see in the rest of your house. With that in mind, Darling Homes is helping you set the stage for great first impressions with our set of tips for beautiful, well-organized mudrooms.

Mudroom Lockers

In order to keep backpacks, raincoats, and shoes in check, Mudroom lockers are ideal. Separating each family member’s items into their own space will help keep everything together so misplacing items can be avoided. Darling Homes’ built-in mudrooms do just that with divided spaces that can be used by the homeowners, kids, or a combination of both, providing everyone their own space to place their things when they enter the home.

Utilize Baskets

Organizing smaller items like hats, key rings, sunglasses and even shoes is a great way to keep everyday items handy when it’s time to leave for the office or take the kids to school and can be easily done with attractive baskets, bins or boxes. Choose ones that complement the look of your decor for space that goes relatively unnoticed by guests.

You can separate items by bin or assign a bin to each member of the household to store their own items. Whichever you prefer, you can’t go wrong with this easy storage tip.

Mudroom Benches

Sometimes putting on your shoes in the mornings isn’t the easiest job and taking them off can be even harder, especially if you want to avoid tracking in mud and dirt. Having a bench in your mudroom is more than ideal. Luckily, Darling Homes includes mudroom benches in your built-ins to make changing shoes easy.

Umbrella Storage

Using a tall planting pot as a place for storage in your mudroom is more useful than it seems. Umbrellas, canes, and even baseball bats and golf clubs can easily be stored and help keep your space neat and tidy.

Vertical Hat Rack

Oftentimes, vertical storage is overlooked but helps to organize numerous items using minimal amounts of space. You can use stylish hooks or vertical racks to hang hats, jackets, raincoats, umbrellas and even dog leashes. The more organized the better. After all, your mudroom isn’t just a place to keep things, it’s there to help you stay organized so outings and trips become an easier part of your daily routine.

No matter how you choose to organize your mudroom, Darling Homes Houston and Darling Homes Dallas offer homes with attractive and sensible mudroom designs built to help you keep your home organized and tidy every day of the year.

December 6, 2018November 5, 2021 by Danny DuBois

Lifestyle Tips

Tips for Cold Weather Home Maintenance

Winter is coming! As the cold weather approaches, there are plenty of things you can do to ensure your home stays warm and protected this season. Check out these home maintenance tips that will help you save money and prevent damage to your Darling home this winter.

Protect Pipes from Freezing

Some homeowners like to turn their heat down when they leave the house to reduce their electric bill. However, you may not want to turn it down too much, since the heat helps prevent your pipes from freezing. Make sure your pipes are not exposed or vulnerable by wrapping them in insulation. If your pipes do end up freezing this winter, make sure to call a plumber as soon as possible.

Inspect the Fireplace and Chimney

If your home comes with a beautiful fireplace to enjoy during those cold winter days and nights, it’s important to maintain it properly. Before lighting a fireplace with a flue, make sure your fireplace and chimney are clean and free of any hiding critters. Keep the flue closed all the way when you’re not using it to prevent warm air from escaping your home.

Seal Windows and Doors

Warm air from the inside of your home can easily escape through gaps around windows and doors. To prevent this, seal gaps around windows with caulk and install weather stripping around doors. This small task is inexpensive and can even help you save money on heating costs this winter.

Prevent Ice Dams on Roofs

When heat escapes through the roof, it can melt snow that has landed on the roof. When this happens, ice dams can form from the melted snow and refreeze on your roof’s edge. When this ice eventually melts, sometimes it doesn’t have anywhere to go but through your roof, damaging the inside of your home. Here are a few simple steps that will help you avoid this:

Clean out clogged gutters to keep water flowing during winter.
Seal areas around vent pipes, exhaust fans, chimneys, and light fixtures to prevent warm air from leaking to your attic.
Install a heat cable along the eaves to melt ice. This is something you may want to hire a roofer to do.
Add more insulation to your attic floor.

Stock Up on Cold-weather Essentials

If ever a power outage were to occur, you’d want to be prepared. Make sure your family is ready for any unexpected weather by having these cold-weather items on hand:

Fire extinguisher
An alternative heat source like a generator or wood-burning stove
Sand, ice melt, and a shovel

Now you can enjoy your Darling Dallas or Darling Houston home without worry that the winter weather will damage it.

November 20, 2018November 5, 2021 by Danny DuBois

Lifestyle Tips

Top 5 Closet Organization Tips

With each season comes new wardrobe items, testing your organizational skills when transitioning from one climate to the next. If your holiday wish is to walk into your closet knowing exactly where your favorite winter coat is, we’ve got you covered. Check out these organizational tips that highlight some of the great features that Darling Homes has to offer.

Keep It Coordinated

When all of your hangers match and your shoe boxes and containers coordinate well with each other, you’re more visually pleased and motivated to maintain the space. Keeping extra hangers around can also help maintain this uniformity when new purchases come home.

Pro tip: Can’t remember just what’s in that shoe box? Adding a picture or label to the box helps in locating that perfect pair of boots quickly.

Make Space for Laundry

One of the more unique features Darling Homes has to offer is our “Darling Loop” which connects the master closet to the laundry room in select home designs. This quick access to the laundry room can make it easier for your laundry to be transferred and washed, then placed right back where it belongs.

Separate His and Hers

If you’re sharing your space with a loved one, you’re in luck. Darling Homes offers his and hers closets so there’s plenty of space for different wardrobes. No need to share? Then you’ll be able to separate your own summer and spring wardrobe from your fall and winter items or use the second closet to store seasonal items. After all, no one ever said having more storage space was a bad thing!

Boxes and Bins for Smaller Items

In order to keep similar, smaller items together, it’s easiest to separate them into boxes and bins to utilize the most space while making sure everything has its own home. Having separate bins for your white socks and colored socks can also help avoid chaos when you’re rushing to get out the door in the morning.

Empty Space Isn’t for Sale

When it comes to keeping everything organized, it’s best to keep comparable items together. Oftentimes, people fill empty space with random items simply because there’s room, but it’s best to keep shirts with shirts and socks with socks, so it’s easier to find them when needed. Bonus points if you take it a step further and color-code each category.

No matter your method for the madness, the layout and floor plan of your Darling Houston or Darling Dallas home will help keep your closet in check and help reduce your stress!

November 15, 2018November 5, 2021 by Danny DuBois

At Home Darling Difference Design Home Decor Tips

Bring Spring Into Your Home with the Help of Darling Homes’ Colorist Lee Crowder

Designed to surprise and delight, Darling Homes has unveiled its new model at Newman Village in Frisco, Texas.

Inspired by a robin’s egg and the imagination of Lee Crowder, colorist for Darling Homes, the home offers a new look for elegant living with a unique color scheme that brings spring into the home.

Step inside and revel in the beauty of a formal dining room dressed for the season in enchanting blue and decorated with an antiqued floor-to-ceiling mirror, sheer curtains that let in the light, and golden-wheat colored rustic wood furnishings for a refreshing interior that captivates the senses.

The kind of home that keeps opening up as you walk through, this model offers a feeling of intrigue as you explore the beautiful spaces around every corner.

From the formal dining room, an elegantly decorated family room catches the eye. Designed as an ideal location for relaxing or hosting get-togethers with family and friends, the open-concept floor plan offers an expansive family room and a gorgeous, gourmet kitchen decorated in white and blue.

The special emphasis placed on the living areas of the home can be seen in every aspect of the design. As the centerpiece of family life, the space is a comfortable refuge where each moment at home is celebrated and families can stay connected. Afternoon snacks can be served at the kitchen island, homework can be done at the dining room table, and homeowners can relax in the evening next to a crackling fire.

Need a home that’s also a great venue for entertaining? The living room and kitchen offer access to an outdoor oasis featuring a covered patio, an outdoor fireplace and an optional outdoor kitchen and barbecue.

Throughout every room, home buyers experience the Darling Homes Difference with design elements that resonate.

From the master suite to the guest casita, Darling Homes’ newest model home at Newman Village is a must-see.

Inspiration can come from anywhere, such as the soft hues of a robin’s egg woven into each room of this beautifully designed home. What will inspire you?

To take a tour of this Darling Homes model, visit us in Newman Village at 12522 Riverhill Road, Frisco, Texas. Call (214) 387-8483 for more information or visit www.darlinghomes.com.

May 10, 2016November 5, 2021 by Danny DuBois

At Home Design Home Decor Lifestyle Tips

Creative Homework Hubs

School is back in session! With children and teens in Darling communities heading back to A+ schools in some of the best school districts in Texas, it’s time to find a prime spot at home to get those studies done. Luckily, there’s no shortage of homework spots in these Darling homes, from formal studies to computer niches.

Here are some tips to create an A+ worthy homework hub:

Stock up on supplies. Eliminate distractions by keeping any supplies your child might need within arm’s reach. Then they won’t need to pause their studies to grab a sharpened pencil or different color marker.

Make it mobile. Sometimes a change in scenery can inspire productivity. Keep homework station supplies in a caddy so your child can move around as needed.

Minimize clutter. Organization is key to ensuring no important assignments or permission slips get lost. Clear off clutter from your homework station daily, add a bulletin board or use a filing system to keep everything in order

September 21, 2015January 6, 2016 by Danny DuBois

At Home Community Darling Difference Design Food Home Decor Lifestyle Tips

Host a Labor Day Soiree

This Labor Day, throw a backyard bash filled with food and fun for all – because a day off is always a reason to celebrate! Here are some tips:

Select Your Venue: Host your get together at home or change up the scenery and pick another place to party. Many of Houston’s top communities including Bridgeland, Cross Creek Ranch, Cypress Creek Lakes and more feature beautiful outdoor spaces, clubhouses and pools where you can host your soirée.

Gather Your Guests: Labor Day is a busy weekend for everyone, so give your guests plenty of notice prior to the party. If you’re keeping it small with just a few close friends, give everyone a call to let them know your plans. For a bigger bash, go big and mail invitations.

Choose Your Menu: The Food Network has plenty of mouth-watering recipes to include in your Labor Day spread. From personal grilled pizzas and American-style potato salad to flank steak with balsamic barbecue sauce and Dijon chicken wings, your guests will leave craving more!

Determine Your Décor: Decide if you want to give your party a theme or keep it a casual get together. You can go all out with a patriotic theme or take Martha Stewart’s advice on decorating for a Labor Day bash and incorporate seersucker napkins and dip-dyed bamboo place mats.

August 25, 2015January 6, 2016 by Danny DuBois

At Home Community Darling Difference Lifestyle Tips Travel

Kids in School

School is here, but don’t let that stop you! Here are some fun activities in and around the Houston area so you and your family can soak up the last rays of summer.

Museums. Houston has plenty of museums to explore, making for a fun, educational day on the town with the kids. From hands-on experiences at The Health Museum and the Children’s Museum of Houston, to the Art Car Museum and others that unleash your creative side, there’s something for everyone!

Discovery Green. Have an outdoor adventure in the middle of downtown Houston. Enjoy kayaking and stand up paddle boarding on Kinder Lake or take a stroll on the McNair Jogging Trail.

Moody Gardens. Experience the rainforest, explore the ocean’s depths, challenge your agility on a ropes course and zip line at Moody Gardens. Visit for the day or stay at the Moody Gardens Hotel and enjoy a weekend with the family. Even better? It’s just 45 minutes from Sienna Plantation and Riverstone, perfect for a last-minute getaway!

August 18, 2015January 6, 2016 by Danny DuBois

Food Lifestyle Tips

When Life Gives You Lemons

Nothing quenches a Texas thirst quite like an ice-cold glass of lemonade. Here are some refreshing lemonade recipes to help cool you off.

Classic Lemonade Nothing complements a summer day quite like an ice-cold glass of lemonade. Consider stirring in some fresh mint for an energizing twist.

Raspberry Lemonade This low-calorie raspberry lemonade will quench your thirst without jeopardizing the summer figure you worked so hard for.

Blueberry Lemonade This take on traditional lemonade is just the right blend of sweet and tangy. You’re just six ingredients and 5 minutes away from a delicious refreshment.

July 24, 2015January 6, 2016 by Danny DuBois

Home Decor Lifestyle Tips

Tips on How to Hang Those Family Photos

A new home means plenty of blank walls to adorn. Gallery walls are an easy solution to display beloved family portraits and add a chic element to your home.

Make a Statement: Mix personal photos, prints and paintings to express your personality through your gallery.

Experiment with Layouts: Arrange different layouts on the floor to visualize what your gallery will look like before hanging the pieces.

Stick to a Theme: Try to maintain the same palette and theme when collecting pieces for your gallery wall. This ensures one piece doesn’t draw more attention than others or the group collectively.

July 14, 2015January 6, 2016 by Danny DuBois

1 2 Older Posts