October 19, 2026
Adobe Homes in Arizona: How to Keep Earth-Built Walls in Good Shape
Adobe’s thick walls can soften indoor temperature swings, but water is their biggest maintenance challenge. Learn what to watch, what…
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Home Life
October 19, 2026
How an Evaporative Cooler Works in Arizona—and When to Use It
Evaporative coolers can be a practical fit for Arizona’s dry seasons, but they work differently from air conditioners. Here’s how…
October 19, 2026
Smoke Alarms Work Best When They’re in the Right Places
A few placement and maintenance choices can help smoke alarms give people in a home more time to respond to…
October 19, 2026
The American Porch Is Part of the House: How to Care for an Older One
A porch can be a defining feature of an older home—and a useful early-warning system for water and wood damage.…
October 19, 2026
Arizona Scorpions at Home: Practical Ways to Make Entry Harder
Scorpions can slip through small openings and hide in clutter. A careful home check—plus a few basic changes—can help reduce…
October 14, 2026
Sears Modern Homes: How a House Came to the American Door by Rail
From 1908 to 1940, Sears sold house plans and building materials through its Modern Homes program, bringing the idea of…
October 14, 2026
The Lustron House: America’s Steel Experiment in Everyday Living
Built from enamel-coated steel panels, Lustron homes promised a new kind of postwar house: standardized, colorful and designed to make…
October 14, 2026
The Icebox: How a Block of Ice Changed the Daily Work of the American Kitchen
Before refrigerators hummed in American kitchens, families relied on delivered ice, insulated cabinets and careful routines to keep food cool.
September 22, 2026
The American Bungalow: How a Small House Made Everyday Living Feel Spacious
With low roofs, wide porches, and rooms arranged for ordinary life, the American bungalow became one of the country’s most…
September 21, 2026
The Compost Pile: How American Homes Are Turning Scraps Into Soil
A backyard bin, a balcony tumbler, or a small countertop system can give food scraps a useful second life—and make…
September 21, 2026
The Tool Library: How Borrowing a Drill Can Make Home Repair Feel Possible
Across the United States, tool libraries are turning an occasional household expense into a shared community resource—helping people fix, build,…
September 21, 2026
The Little Free Pantry: How a Box by the Sidewalk Became a Neighborhood Habit of Care
Across the United States, small outdoor pantries are giving neighbors a simple way to share food, household supplies, and practical…
September 21, 2026
Safer Choice: How a Federal Label Helps Households Read the Fine Print on Cleaning Products
The EPA’s Safer Choice program gives shoppers a practical way to compare household cleaners by looking beyond marketing claims and…
September 21, 2026
Home Energy Rebates: How a Federal Program Is Turning Efficiency Into a Household Resource
A new generation of federal home-energy rebates is moving from legislation into state-run programs, helping households plan upgrades that can…
September 21, 2026
The 1950 Census: How a Household Form Became a Time Machine for American Life
The newly accessible 1950 Census does more than count Americans. Its pages reveal where people lived, how homes were arranged,…
September 16, 2026
The Pollinator Garden: How an Ordinary Yard Became a Small Refuge
A patch of native flowers can do more than brighten a home. With the right plants, even a balcony, border,…
September 16, 2026
Sahuaro Ranch: How a Glendale Farm Became a Public Historic Landscape
At Sahuaro Ranch Park, orchards, ranch buildings, gardens, and a Victorian home preserve the everyday work of turning a desert…
September 16, 2026
Riordan Mansion: How a Flagstaff Family Home Made Room for Two Families
In early twentieth-century Flagstaff, two brothers built a remarkable shared home that expressed timber wealth, family connection, and a distinctly…
September 16, 2026
The Rosson House: How a Phoenix Victorian Home Kept Territorial Arizona in View
In the heart of downtown Phoenix, the Rosson House preserves more than Victorian architecture. Its rooms reveal how families lived,…
September 13, 2026
The Hoosier Cabinet: How an American Kitchen Became a More Efficient Place to Work
Before fitted kitchens and built-in appliances, the Hoosier cabinet gathered flour, spices, utensils, and workspace into one carefully designed piece…