If you want to fight bad odors in your home, throw out the synthetic, toxic chemical sprays. Exposure to toxins called VOCs from synthetic sprays, air fresheners and scented candles can cause a wide array of health issues, from mild irritation to possible links with cancer. Do you want to find a natural way to freshen your home? Follow the tips below to combat common smelly odors naturally without resorting to harmful chemicals. 

Open the Windows

Sometimes the simplest remedy is the most effective. If your house or car has an unpleasant smell, allowing for some fresh air circulation can quickly get rid of the problem. A cross breeze from open windows circulates fresh air so that smells can quickly dissipate. In case of strong smells, such as burnt popcorn or cigarette smoke, you may need to open a window and turn on an oscillating fan to air our your home.

Stop the Source

Opening the windows can only go so far if you don’t identify the source of the smell. Experts say the key to odor removal is removing the source. Natural fresheners can only temporarily mask strong foul odors, especially if the problem has anything to do with faulty plumbing, mildew, mold, or dead animals caught under the house or in the chimney. Follow this guide to determine where foul odors are coming from and how to combat the problem. 

Just like everything in technology, alarm clocks have come a long way. They can still wake you up, but with a new kind of style. In addition, many of them have features that do more than just get your day started. Here are a few that might get you excited about waking up in the morning.

For the Sound Sleeper

Do you have problems hearing your regular alarm clock? Can you sleep through music, buzzing, or the sounds of nature? You might just need the iLuv iMM178 Vibe Plus. It promises to wake the heaviest of sleepers, and not just with sound. It comes with an attachment that is placed under the pillow to shake you awake. It uses vibrations along with a speaker to wake you up no matter how sound asleep you are. It costs around $90 and has a set of jAura speakers and an FM radio.

For the Non-motivated

If you have trouble getting out of bed even after you wake up, the Clocky is perfect for you. It is a unique alarm clock that not only shrieks annoying sounds at you, but much more than that. It jumps off the night stand and runs around the room forcing you to get up and find it so you can turn off the sound. Now you’re ready to start your day. The cool thing about this gadget is that it started out as a project for an engineering student.

Now that the 2012 MLB season has started, people are making their picks for the American and National League MVPs. There are several contenders, some for the way they are playing, and others for the way they can play. Here is a look at a few of the names that make the list for almost everybody.

Derek Jeter

It doesn’t matter that Jeter isn’t a kid anymore; he can still play with the best of them. He has started out hitting well, and as always, is a reliable fielder. He is on target to having one of his best seasons ever, which is quite a feat for someone 37 years old. Since his current contract goes through 2013, you might wonder if that factors in to some of his playing.

Josh Hamilton

The star outfielder for the Texas Rangers has been batting at over .300 and is showing great power with the number of home runs he has this year. He is in the top of the list for batting average, home runs, and RBIs, and has the potential to finish first in one or all of these categories.

Do you blindly stumble into the kitchen early in the morning and fumble for your coffee cup as you wait for your first sip of coffee to get you awake and started for the day?  Maybe you’re one of those people who can’t make it through the day without their usual number of cups or they get a headache if they try to do without.

Caffeine is a stimulant that provides energy for many people and it is found in many foods and drinks that are consumed each day.  However, if you truly feel like you need to extra bolt of energy, there are natural alternatives that have fewer long-term effects than caffeine.

Green Tea

One of the most popular alternatives to coffee is green tea.  Besides having a somewhat lower amount of caffeine in it, it has many other benefits.  It contains nutrients to help fight diseases and it can increase a person’s metabolism to help them lose weight.  Many advocates say that it increases a person’s level of energy, but in a quieter way than coffee.  There isn’t that rush and jitteriness and then drained feeling that you often get with too much coffee.

According to a new survey conducted by Self Magazine and Today.com, 46 percent of people lied to or kept secrets from their spouse or partner about money.

The detailed online survey, questioning over 23,000 individuals, found that 37 percent of men and 56 percent of women were guilty of lying about purchases, money withdrawn from joint accounts, or secret credit card debt. 

Love notwithstanding, financial compatibility is a key marker for a successful long-term relationship. Financial trust is a benchmark for most relationships, where couples combine accounts to pay for living expenses. Even though more than 50 percent of people admitted lying to their partner, more than 60 percent of those surveyed believe that financial cheating is as lethal as actual cheating in a relationship. Study author Sara Wells says, “More than two-thirds of people think being honest about money is as important to the health of the relationship.”