Blog Posts

Simple Approaches to Healthy Travel

Welcome back to the Driscoll Place Blog. If you’re planning a trip away from Houston, TX, it’s important to stay in good health. Today we’re sharing a few tips for healthy travel, courtesy of mindbodygreen . “At mindbodygreen we take a 360 degree approach to wellness that incorporates mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, and environmental well-being—because we believe these pillars of wellness are vital and interconnected…” Valerie Grandury, a Los Angeles resident and wellness coach, shared her experience of traveling six months a year without getting sick. Sounds nice, right? Well, that’s not an easy accomplishment for everyone. Sharing her story on mindbodygreen.com , Valerie focused on five points: Try a pillow prop-up to relax Steer clear of colds and viruses Get grounded Don’t abandon your evening routine Pack some of your favorite healthy dry goods. Here are a few quotes straight from the source. You can read them in full detail by clicking on the above link. “[on an airplane], propping up your arms with a couple of pillows helps you relax.” “...never touch airplane food. Instead, I travel with Moon Juice snacks and ask for fresh fruits—most airlines carry apples and bananas. I also rely on MycoShield Immune Support Peppermint throat spray for a good boost to my immune system. The peppermint version also works as a breath freshener.” “To get grounded in a new time zone...take a walk, even if it’s just for five minutes.” “Keeping your evening rituals will help you feel more at home.” Traveling can be a stressful experience, and added sickness just makes things worse. If you have any tips you would like to add to the advice from Valerie Grandury, or if you would like to share your experience from applying the above tips, please leave a comment below for residents of our apartment community. We wish you a great month and hope you stay healthy in all of your travels!

Light Bulb Vases and Other Great DIY Projects

Today we’re sharing some stunning DIY projects. Have you made vases out of light bulbs or tags from salt dough? If not, read on and start making something special for your Driscoll Place apartment today. Salt Dough Tags You don’t have to use these nifty tags as wedding favors as the author of the post suggests, although that’s definitely a great idea. We suggest you put them on a birthday gift or any other favor you’ll be giving a loved one. To make these salt dough tags, you’ll need flour, salt, water, heart-shaped cookie cutters, stamps, an ink pad, a bamboo skewer or straw, a ribbon, and sandpaper. Each step is defined clearly; there’s even a picture for each step so you won’t get lost or confused as you try to make these. Just click on the above link to get started! Light Bulb Vases You’ll need the following items for this project: old light bulbs, needle nose pliers, a nail set, a hammer, wire, wire cutters, wooden dowel, a drill, and electrical tape (optional). Once again, we appreciate the simple steps, each with pictures to show what you’re supposed to do during each stage of the project. Marbleized Paint Art If you’re looking for additional art to display in your apartment, we suggest making your own! This brush-free project is something that will look great in your living room. Gather up watercolor paper, acrylic paint, wall paint, oil-based paint, rubber gloves, plastic drop cloth, and someone to help you for a fun time. Thanks for visiting our blog. We’d love to hear about your favorite DIY projects. Are you currently working on any? Or is there a DIY project you’ve been wanting to try out? Feel free to share in the comments below. We hope you have a great month here in Houston, Texas!

DIY Deodorant, Lip Balm, and More

Billions of dollars are spent each year on deodorant … We think it’s time to make a change! Our Driscoll Place Blog has a few recipes that you can follow to make your own deodorant, as well as other hygiene items that you might use on a day-to-day basis. It’s time to go into DIY-mode in our Houston, TX apartment community. The Benefits of Homemade Hygiene Items Making your own hygiene items has a lot of benefits. First, you know exactly what is going into the product. You can also tailor the recipes to meet your body’s needs. Here are three recipes that are perfect examples of this: Toothpaste — Dr. Burhenne discusses why you would want to make your own toothpaste, the best ingredients to use, and what to leave out. He even mentions dry brushing as well as a simple baking soda toothpaste. Deodorant — This recipe is just right for people who have sensitive skin. In regards to this recipe, the creator said the following: “[It] works SO much better than anything else. My pits don’t hate me. And I can be as lazy as I want with it. Best part? It took me like five minutes to make and is way cheaper than buying from the store...” Lip Balm — All you need is honey and coconut oil. Mix them together for a well-scented solution to dry lips! In addition to those, we found incredible recipes for face wash , hand sanitizer , and lotion , all of which offer budget-friendly alternatives to an otherwise pricey selection of products. Sure, hand sanitizer might not cost much, but finding a good body lotion/cream can become pretty pricey. We invite you to live a healthy lifestyle without spending all of your money. Let us know if you’ve made any of your own hygiene items and which ones are your favorites by leaving a comment below. Thanks for reading.

Pack These Items on Your Next Trip

Warm weather is on the horizon…and our minds! Welcome back to the Driscoll Place Blog. Today, we’ll be sharing a short list of essentials that you’ll need for your next trip. Whether you’re exploring a city nearby Houston, TX or shouting “sayonara” to your apartment as you embark on an international endeavor, think about packing the items in today’s blog post. We found some tips from Simply Taralynn , who gives great advice for packing including what to bring and what to leave behind. For those who are driving to their destination, this list of 50 Essentials To Survive A Road Trip will come in handy! 1. Music/Playlist: “Your mood is likely to change quicker than you think, especially when you get into unlucky situations. So before you even put [your key] in the ignition, ensure that you have at least 30 playlists for the trip. This is also an opportunity to learn the names of new artists. Don’t forget your headphones!” 2. First Aid Kit: “Whether you accidentally cut yourself while gathering wood for a campfire or you have just eaten a wrong snack on the road, first aid kit will come in handy [more] than you think.” 3. GPS: “Your phone’s GPS will be great until you find yourself in No man’s land with no internet or network coverage, and worse a drained battery. So, I don’t recommend using your phone’s GPS. Instead, A GPS like Garmin or TomTom will come in handy when you hit heavy traffic and need to find alternate routes.” 4. Sunglasses: “To protect your eyes from those harmful UV rays. Definitely a must!” 5. Journal: “Bring a journal to jot down your road trip memories. You can even get creative like drawing your favorite moments or print out photos to add them to your journal.” What are your travel must-haves? Leave a comment with your suggestions. Thanks for reading!

Fun Ideas for Relaxation

Take a moment and breathe. Good. Now, let’s do that for a little longer. In today’s blog post, we’re encouraging our readers to make time for themselves by relaxing. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our ideas below. Cook something. Sometimes it just takes a warm meal to make you feel better. In addition to the many recipes that we’ve shared on our blog, Bustle has a great list of 16 healthy recipes we encourage you to make in the near future. Enjoy dishes like Creamy Butternut Squash Linguine, Beef Bourguignon, and Twice-Baked Potatoes! Hide your phone. Or just tuck it away somewhere out of sight! A simple way to instantly make a room more relaxing is by removing electronics . Every day, our bodies are stimulated by screens, so it’s probably a good idea to take some time away from them. Spend quality time reading a book, taking a nap, or even relaxing in a bath of hot water. That extra 15, 30, or even 60 minutes without a screen distraction might be worth more to you than you expect. Buy a plant. Add a touch of nature in your apartment. According to SheKnows , plants are “a good way to induce relaxations. Despite size, their presence in a room is invigorating. Every room should have something earth-themed to merge nature with the indoors.” We like the sound of that! Thanks for visiting the Driscoll Place Blog! We hope you make time to relax this week. Take a break from electronics, cook something new, or buy a plant and add it into your apartment as a way to induce relaxation. Whatever you decide to do, remember that this is time specifically for you and nothing else. Don’t worry about your bills or daily stressors… Instead, give your body the much-needed attention that it deserves in Houston, TX, or wherever you might be.