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• In the next two years, 72 percent of homeowners surveyed plan to decorate or redecorate, 40 percent plan to remodel or construct an addition, while 10 percent are planning to build a custom home.
• 57 percent of Houzz homeowners planning to complete a project in the next two years will hire a general contractor, 35 percent a kitchen or bath professional and 32 percent will hire a carpet or flooring professional. Thirty percent are planning to hire an architect, 26 percent an interior designer and 24 percent a landscape architect or designer.
• About half—52 percent—say they will save money by completing some projects themselves.
• The largest projects in terms of average spend in the last five years were custom home builds ($577,000), complete home remodels ($193,000), pool additions or replacements ($34,000) and kitchen remodels ($25,000).

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• New York City $17
• Orlando $15
• San Francisco $14
• Washington $14
• Las Vegas $13
• Chicago $12
• Houston $12
• New Orleans $12*
• Los Angeles $11
• San Diego $10

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

• The largest group are the Enthusiasts (37 percent of the study's global population), who are passionate about technology and willing to sacrifice simplification for empowerment.
• The next largest are Infomaniacs (25 percent), who value getting information and discovering new experiences even more than relating better to other people.
• Pragmatists (22 percent) are less likely to love technology, but value it as very helpful in relating better to others, getting things done, and managing health and wellness.
• Disconnects (16 percent) are noticeably unemotional about technology; they place a high value on simplification instead of empowerment or enrichment.

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• "Someone left because her boss lost the dog she had given him."
• "Our employee said he was joining the circus."
• "One person left because she lost her cellphone too many times at work."
• "We had someone quit to participate in a reality show."
• "An employee said it was his routine to change jobs every six months."

• "One worker left to become an apple farmer."
• "A staff member quit to climb Mount Everest."
• "There was an individual who left to play the trombone."
• "An employee wanted to enter a beauty contest."
• "One worker quit to join a rock band."

• "A guy said he was making too much money and didn't feel he was worth it."
• "One person left because she didn't want to work so hard."
• "An individual said he was bored."
• "Someone quit because she was going to live off her trust fund."
• "An employee said work was getting in the way of having fun."
• "A person quit because informal dress was not allowed."
• "The worker told us he just couldn't get up in the morning."

1. Give proper notice. Tell your boss about your departure first so he or she doesn't hear it through the grapevine. Providing two weeks notice is standard, but if your schedule is flexible, offer to stay longer to train a replacement.
2. Get things in order. Supply written instructions to team members on projects and make sure they have access to the tools and information needed to complete assignments.
3. Stay positive. Take the time to say goodbye and thank you to colleagues. Provide your contact information and reach out to those with whom you'd like to keep in touch.
4. Don't slack off. Use your last weeks on the job to complete as much work as possible on outstanding projects. You want to be remembered as a strong contributor to the end.
5. Talk before you walk. Participate in an exit interview if it's offered. Be honest with your feedback, but keep it constructive and professional. Your comments and suggestions could potentially help to improve the workplace.

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• Houston, Texas - 31,271
• Dallas, Texas – 18,686
• Washington, DC – 18,686
• New York, N.Y. – 13,973
• Austin, Texas – 10,239
• Los Angeles, Calif. - 9,895
• Phoenix, Ariz. – 9,081
• Seattle, Wash. – 8,664
• Atlanta, Ga. - 8,634
• San Antonio, Texas – 7,127

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• Mothers total about 85.4 million, with about four million giving birth in the past year.
• In 2008, the last year recorded, the average age for giving birth was 25.1 years old. That 0.1 is important because it represents a slight age increase from the previous two years. Analysts say that increase is due mostly to fewer births among the younger set of mothers.
• The number of stay-at-home mothers has remained relatively stable despite the challenging economy. In 2011, 23 percent of married mothers with children under 15 were classified as stay-at-home. In 2007, before the recession, it was 24 percent.
• The number of single moms, however, has spiked. In 2011, 10 million mothers of children 18 or younger were single. In 1970, that number was just 3.4 million.
• In 2010, about 39 percent of women who gave birth were not married, or were separated, or “married but with an absent spouse,” according to the census.
• The most popular names bestowed upon babies in 2010 were Jacob and Isabella.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

1. Under-bed Storage. Sliding or rolling under-bed storage bins serve as a wonderful extension of your closet space. Use them to rotate seasonal items, store bigger, bulkier items like backpacks, purses and blankets, or house a change of sheets. These items will remain nicely hidden with the help of a bedskirt. Be sure to label the bins to avoid frantic and messy searching.
2. Put Shoes in Their Place. One of the quickest fixes to a bedroom closet overrun with shoes is to invest in a shoe rack. Morgenstern recommends an expanding tiered shoe rack below your clothes as opposed to an over-the-door hanging shoe bag. Once you have a clear visual on just how many shoes you actually own, odds are you’ll realize it’s time to give some away.
3. Control Jewelry Chaos. A hanging jewelry organizer can help tame that tangled mess of necklaces and earrings on your bureau. These organizers usually come with or snap onto a hanger and have plenty of clear pockets to keep items free and clear of each other.
4. Create a Reading Nook. That lovely chair you have in your room was not meant to be adorned with dirty laundry and back-logged magazines. Morgenstern says it’s time to rescue your reading chair by adding the proper organization, such as a side table with drawers or shelves for your reading materials, journal or e-reader. If you’re a magazine and/or newspaper fan, a magazine rack would work best
5. Make Your Bed Every Day. So simple yet so tempting to blow off. Treat your bed as the sanctuary it is by positioning it for use every day, says Morgenstern. If you spend three minutes each morning to tuck and fold, you'll develop a habit of keeping order in the room, which may translate into motivation for picking up the pile of clothes on the floor.
6. Put Specialty Garments in Storage. If your wedding dress or special occasion fur is taking up space in your primary closet, have it professionally cleaned and boxed, then put it away in an attic or basement.

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