From improving indoor air quality to bringing outdoor beauty into your home on even the dreariest of days, there are countless benefits to adorning your home with bright and lively plants. And while keeping them blooming and beautiful can sometimes be a struggle, you won’t have that problem with any of these 6 hardy, natural air-cleaning varieties:

1. Bromeliad – Rich in color and texture, bromeliads require very little maintenance, needing minimal watering and medium to direct sunlight. They have very intricate details that give them an exotic appearance. Although a bromeliad dies back once it flowers, its pups can be removed and replanted, so you can continue to enjoy this fun floral over and over again.

2. Kalanchoe – A native of Madagascar, Kalanchoe is actually a succulent and requires little water and low humidity to thrive – perfect for the cold, dry-air months ahead. Its cheerful flower clusters last several months, and come in a variety of colors such as pink, red, yellow, and orange.

3. Amaryllis – Amaryllis blooms in winter, making it a very popular holiday gift. Its bulbs are nearly foolproof so you can pretty much guarantee that with a little light and regular watering, this festive flower will continue to brighten your home with colorful blooms.

4. Hibiscus – While it needs a bit more upkeep during the summer, its winter care is quite simple. Just water when the soil feels dry to the touch. If you wish, you can also pinch the flowering stems back so that they will produce more flowers.

5. Orchid – The elegant Orchid is a very popular houseplant that is surprisingly easy to care for. It requires watering only once a week to reward its owner with delightful blooms. However, some varieties are more difficult to grow than others, so do your homework before picking one.

6. Christmas Cactus – Unassuming in appearance throughout most of the year, the Christmas cactus springs to life in December when it reveals its brilliant pink, red, white, orange, and purple blooms. It requires minimal watering and bright, indirect sunlight. As a bonus, its cuttings can be transferred and replanted, allowing you to share the holiday cheer with family and friends.

Now, how exactly do these and other types of houseplants help remove pollutants from your indoor air? They actually feed on the very airborne bacteria that can and often does cause people so much trouble, especially during the winter months when we spend more time indoors with windows and doors shut.

For more far-reaching improved indoor air quality solutions, contact Plumbing Plumbing, Heating & Air today. One of our experienced indoor air quality specialists will be happy to tell you more.

Traditions play a crucial role in our lives. They strengthen bonds, give us a sense of belonging, and connect one generation to another. Unfortunately, as relatives move away, start their own families, and generations get older, it’s easy for some time-honored traditions to fall by the wayside. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still create and uphold meaningful traditions with your own family this Thanksgiving, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Here are five simple ideas for starting new Thanksgiving traditions with your family that you are sure to cherish for years to come.

1. Write it down. Display a journal in your home and as guests start to trickle in for Thanksgiving dinner, ask each one to take jot down what they are thankful for this year. You can then read each entry during or after dinner. You’ll have a treasured family keepsake that you can look back at year after year.

2. Smile for the camera. Once everyone has arrived, gather together for a family photo. Imagine looking through the pictures 5, 10, or 20 years from now and seeing how your family has grown and changed over the years.

3. Bring your game face. Take a break from watching the football game and play a holiday themed game instead, like Pictionary or Pin the Feathers on the Turkey.

4. Pay it forward. This year, why not share what you have with those in need. Share your time by volunteering at a local homeless shelter, or collect non-perishable food items and drop them off as a family to a food pantry. You might even consider sponsoring a family and supplying them with everything they need to have a healthy and delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

5. Get cooking. It’s no secret that food brings families together. And what better way to preserve those tried and true recipes than by creating a family cookbook? Imagine passing down Aunt Ann’s crab dip recipe or grandma’s cheesecake recipe from generation to generation.

Here’s another Thanksgiving tradition, not quite as much fun or rewarding as those already mentioned: clogged kitchen sink or garbage disposal drains. The problem, in fact, is so widespread that the day after Thanksgiving is now known as “Black Friday” by plumbers both near and far. So if too much turkey fat and other “no no” foods end up down your drain or inside the garbage disposal, contact Boden Plumbing for fast and effective relief from what could be a rather messy problem.