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LIFESTYLE LETTER

APRIL 2021 PUBLISHER

Aaron Swart | aaron.swart@lifestylepubs.com EDITOR

April Brings New Things to Life!

Mary Ellin Arch | maryellin.arch@lifestylepubs.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Emily Alwood, EmmiClaire Photography hello@emmiclaire.com

WARM WEATHER AND SUNNY DAYS GIVE BIRTH TO BLOSSOMING TREES

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

AND COLORFUL FLOWERS, YARDS GROWING LUSH AND GREEN, AND OF

Emily Alwood | hello@emmiclaire.com

COURSE, THE RAIN AND THE HUMIDITY OF THE SOUTH. Spring reminds us to be kind to the Earth, and environmental awareness starts right here, at home. So,

PUBLISHER A SSISTANT

welcome to the ECO Issue, Midlothian!

Meghan Butcher, The Dirty Blonde Stylist thedirtyblondestylist@gmail.com

What do you do to help take care of our Earth? Our family recycles, and we make a

Matthew Endersbe

concerted effort to preserve, conserve, and be sustainable to help make recycling as

L AYO UT DESIGNER

AD DESIGNER

worthwhile and successful as possible. We very much want to protect our children’s futures while we partner to honor our planet and help our ecosystem to thrive.

Kelsey Proctor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Michelle Scott, M. Katherine Fisher

In this issue, we’re featuring eco-friendly plants and gardening methods that make your yard a thriving habitat for local wildlife. We offer suggestions for helping your kids explore nature, as well as tips for managing your taxes and investing to reduce your tax liability. Our partners and contributors teamed up to provide expert advice, fun tips, and eco-friendly practices that contribute to this great village we call home. A little something new in this issue — we’re giving our readers quick access to our partners’ web and social sites with interactive QR codes. We know your lives are

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

busy, and we want to help you sit back and enjoy each issue while also staying

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

instantly connected with local businesses. Our hope and joy is that you find sup-

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

porting your fellow Midlothian business owners more convenient than ever!

AD MANAGER Chad Jensen REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams

Our best,

WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

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Aaron Swart, Publisher

CityLifestyle.com/Midlothian ON THE COVER Photography by TOMOKO UJI on Unsplash 4

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

Proverbs 3:5-6 Midlothian Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Midlothian areas’ most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Midlothian Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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INSIDE THE ISSUE APRIL 2021

FEATURES 12 Make Nature Your Playground Encourage your kids to play outdoors - they'll have too much fun to miss their screens

14 It's Tax Time Again Whether you've filed already or are running behind, Holloway Millikan CPAs has advice for you

18 Welcome, Wildlife! Add native plants to make your yard a lush habitat for birds and butterflies

34 Investment Tips for You Tax season is a time to consider

18 34

how strategic investing can reduce your liability

DEPARTMENTS 4

Lifestyle Letter

Good Times

Around Town

Healthy Lifestyle

Local Limelight

24 Locally Owned 26 DIY 30 Lifestyle Calendar 34 Financial Buzz

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GOOD TIMES 1.

Perkinson Center Open and Offering Shows Chesterfield County's new Perkinson Center for the Arts & Education is open and hosting events. During the winter the center welcomed Desiree Roots and Cook County Bluegrass as part of Dominion Energy's @Home concert series. Violin duet Klein Gold also performed. Learn more about the center at www.perkinsoncenter.org. Image credits: Oh! Shoot Photography, Clem Brit, Virginia Hamrick

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

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CityLifestyle.com/Midlothian

AROUND TOWN

NEW COUNTY PARK AMENITIES FOR MIDLOTHIAN

For details: https://www.chesterfield.gov/ calendar.aspx

Midlothian has new options for weekend fun! Chesterfield County's Parks and Recreation Department opened the Clover Hill Dog Park at CTC@Hull earlier this year. It's the third dog park in the county and includes a small dog run, a large dog run, and a paved and gated release foyer. Water access is being added soon. In addition to our area's other dog park, the Ruff House at Rockwood Park, an orienteering course has been added at Rockwood. In orienteering, participants use a map and compass to locate control points or markers on an course, often in a natural setting like parks and forests. The course includes rolling terrain, streams, and an extensive trail system. The beginner course at Rockwood contains eight control points in the forest. Control points are

OUTDOOR FUN ABOUNDS AT EARTH DAY ON BELLE ISLE

green metal posts approximately 4 feet high in the

Earth Day is a time to celebrate everything

ground. The tops are orange and contain a unique

about the natural world. This year, get outdoors

alphanumerical code.

and mark the occasion April 24 at Earth Day at

The course can be completed any time the park

Belle Isle State Park. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., hike,

is open. A compass, while useful for navigation, is

bike, or horseback ride down one of the tree-lined

not needed for this beginner course.

trails. Stop by the Camp Store and grab a kit to make your own seed bomb to beautify your own yard. Kits are free of charge - available on a firstcome, first-served basis. For

details:

https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/

state-parks/park-event-info?id=BI210002-00

OH, GO FLY A KITE - AT RIVER CITY SPORTSPLEX Pack a lunch and bring out the entire family for a great day of outdoor fun on Kite Day, scheduled for 1-4 p.m. April 11 at River City Sportsplex. The event is free. If you don't have a kite, you can register to receive

ELIZA HOPE TO HOLD GOLF FUNDRAISER

a free kite by calling 748-1623. Supplies are limited.

The Eliza Hope Foundation, which offers resources

The event is sponsored by Woodfin Your

to children with autism spectrum disorder and their

Home Team. 10

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

families, is holding the Pinecone Classic charity golf

tournament at noon April 30 at The Hollows Golf Course, 4601 Greenwood Church Road, Montpelier. Registrations are due April 26; individuals are

Visit Perkinsoncenter.org/gallery for more information on how to enter your work. Deadline for entries: May 23, 2021.

$80, teams are $300. The event will include raffles, including a 50/50. Eliza Hope provides a center that meets the needs of children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental delays. Therapists offer specialized services, interventions and a therapeutic environment including equipment, structures and support.

APRIL MEANS ... HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK IN VIRGINIA If it's April, it must be time to file those taxes - no, wait. It must be time for Historic Garden Week in Virginia! Each spring visitors are welcomed to more than 250 of Virginia's most beautiful gardens, homes

PERKINSON CENTER CALLS FOR ARTISTS

and historic landmarks during "America's Largest Open House." This statewide event provides visi-

The Perkinson Center for the Arts & Education is

tors an opportunity to see unforgettable gardens at

preparing for its summer show: Quarantine Creations.

the peak of springtime, as well as beautiful houses.

The center is interested in seeing what arts and

This year's Garden Week is scheduled for April

crafts came to life during the first year of the COVID-

17-24. Times and locations vary. The Historic

19 quarantine. It doesn’t matter if you’re a new artist

Garden Week Guidebook may be purchased

finding your way or a professional artist with solid

online. For tour details and daily schedule, visit.

roots, the center wants to show your work!

www.vagardenweek.org.

CityLifestyle.com/Midlothian

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE ENCOURAGE YOUR KIDS TO PLAY OUTDOORS - THEY'LL HAVE SO MUCH FUN, THEY WON'T EVEN MISS THEIR SCREENS ARTICLE MICHELLE SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY MICHELLE SCOTT & SHUTTERSTOCK

make nature your playground TECHNOLOGY

WONDERFUL.

KEEPS US CONNECTED TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS, PROVIDES ENTERTAINMENT, AND BRINGS SIMPLICITY TO THINGS IN LIFE WE DIDN’T EVEN REALIZE WE WERE MISSING. Our children already know how participate in virtual school, purchase products online, talk to their friends through video games, change backgrounds in Google Meets, and work the system better than any of us. Their knowledge is vast and wonderful, but it can be all encompassing and take away from some childhood adventures that no kid should miss. As the weather transitions to the sunshine and warmth of spring, it’s so important to step away from screens and get back to basics - outdoors. I remember when my sisters and I would spend hours in the woods exploring.

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

Having fun in the park!

Whether playing make-believe, building forts, or simply scraping knees and getting dirt under our fingernails, it was outside fun. Nowadays, in our world full of Fortnite and YouTube, it’s sometimes hard to pry our children from screens and into nature. Getting the family excited for the outdoors and sunshine is so important. Kids are naturally imaginative but sometimes they need a little push to get the creative juices flowing. Try a nature walk in a park or your neighborhood. Ask them to find sticks to build a fort. Plan a scavenger hunt full of things you can find outside, like different variations of plants, trees, and rocks. My family is very competitive, so we like to have running races and contests to find the coolest “treasures” to bring home to paint or decorate. There are so many great outdoor spots at parks in Midlothian, and along the James River. Spending time at Mid-Lothian Mines Park is one of our favorite pastimes! We explore the woods, find creeks, ride bikes and collect rocks. Vitamin D, which comes from the sun, is so imperative to our overall health and happiness, and by adding the family time, it is just what the doctor ordered for a spring season full of healthy, fresh-air fun! Michelle Scott is a contributor to Midlothian Lifestyle. She is a mother and a blogger who writes about healthy living.

CityLifestyle.com/Midlothian

LOCAL LIMELIGHT Marian Millikan/Photography Tina Rodriguez Thomas

WHETHER YOU'VE FILED ALREADY OR ARE RUNNING BEHIND, HOLLOWAY MILLIKAN CPAS HAS ADVICE FOR YOU

ARTICLE MARY ELLIN ARCH PHOTOGRAPHY NICK DAVIS

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. TAX TIME. And the question on everyone’s minds: What’s different this time around? “So much is new. Tax professionals are working hard to interpret regulations and get information out to our clients,” said Marian Millikan, CPA and partner with Holloway Millikan CPAs and Advisors. “Most changes over the past year stem around small businesses the self-employed. There are lots of support, tax credits and funding available that they may not be aware of.” Marian Millikan, who lives in Midlothian, sat down with Midlothian Lifestyle to talk about new tax laws, offer suggestions for people still working on returns, and provide guidance about setting up for the 2021 tax year.

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

I T ' S TA X T I M E A G A I N

& TINA RODRIGUEZ THOMAS

Ryan Holloway, Logan Cousins, Deidra Roberts, Marian Millikan/ Photography Nick Davis

HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES KEEPING UP WITH

They needed time to incorporate new tax

NEW TAX LEGISLATION?

legislation passed at the end of the year, and

There’s a lot to read through and not enough time! Recently I was

approve changes to forms. Also, I always

listening to a podcast while making dinner for my family, and I heard

recommend people e-file. Paper filing takes

something I thought could help one of our clients. I called him right

longer to process, which means longer to

then. How’s that for multitasking?

get money owed to you. Also, get your refund direct deposited to your bank account.

ANYTHING NEW THAT’S SIGNIFICANT TO A LOT OF TAXPAYERS? The standard deduction is higher. $12,400 if filing individually;

AND FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN’T FINISH BY

$24,800 if filing jointly. For 2020, there is the ability to deduct $300

APRIL 15? AS OUR READERS RECEIVE THIS

of charitable expenses if you take the standard deduction. If you

ISSUE, IT’S ALREADY LATE MARCH.

didn’t qualify for a stimulus check based on your 2019 filing, there

You can file for a 6-month extension,

is a chance you may be eligible for a credit through your 2020 tax

making your new deadline Oct. 15, 2021. Be

filing. For businesses, there’s COVID-related support in the form of

aware: That’s an extension of time to file, not

forgivable loans, grants and credits.

an extension of time to pay. Consult with a tax professional to estimate if you may have taxes

ANY GENERAL ADVICE? File as soon as you can. The IRS started accepting e-filed tax returns Feb. 12, about three weeks later than normal this year.

due at extension. For those paying quarterly estimated tax, the first-quarter estimates are also due April 15, 2021.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Midlothian

LOCAL LIMELIGHT (CONTINUED)

“ I T PAY S T O C O N S U LT W I T H A C PA O R TA X A C C O U N TA N T.” COVID-19 HAS SHAKEN THINGS UP, FOR SURE. Every situation is unique, of course. But COVID-

how many small business owners don’t do this and it causes them a lot of stress at the end of the year.

19 has added a new wrinkle. Many people have had direct impacts from COVID, whether they’re employees, business owners or self-employed.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS TO KEEP TRACK OF? Charitable expenses. Home expenses, if you have a home-based business. Some medical expenses, but

ARE STIMULUS PAYMENTS TAXABLE? The Economic Impact Payments sent to individuals are not taxable income.

check with your tax professional. Business expenses and mileage if you’re self-employed. Some information will come to you. Homeowners will get statements from mortgage lenders. Investors will receive

ARE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TAXABLE? Yes, they are taxed by the federal government and

statements from the investment company. Student loan companies also provide statements.

potentially some states. OTHER ADVICE FOR GETTING READY FOR 2021? WILL REFUNDS BE DELAYED BECAUSE THE IRS IS BACKED UP?

Know your tax implications before making financial decisions. For example, early withdrawals from 401Ks.

With e-filing and direct deposit, I don’t predict

There may be tax implications if you do so before age

much of a delay. However, the IRS has communicated

59½. Even after age 59½ there can be tax implications.

processing delays for paper tax returns. FINAL THOUGHTS? SOME PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE THINKING

It pays to consult with a CPA or tax accountant. We

ABOUT TAXES UNTIL TAX SEASON ARRIVES.

spend our free time (and our non-free time) studying and

ANY ADVICE FOR THEM?

understanding taxes. Talk with us to make sure you’re

It’s not too late. Collect your information. Consult a CPA and provide your prior return. We can get a good

completing your taxes accurately and are aware of benefits and credits that apply to your unique situation.

understanding from that. Your CPA will ask about any changes. Did you sell or buy a house, or refinance,

Holloway Millikan CPAs and Advisors focuses on small

for example? After the 2020 return is complete, they

to midsize businesses including self-employed entrepre-

can help you plan for next year. Do you expect your

neurs. Services include tax planning, preparation, book-

income to go up or down? Should you pay estimated

keeping and consulting. Partners are Marian Millikan,

taxes? Contribute to an IRA?

Logan Cousins, Ryan Holloway, and Deidra Roberts.

HOW CAN PEOPLE BETTER PREPARE FOR 2021?

2920 W. Broad St. Suite 104, Richmond

Try to create a system where you’re keeping good

(Gather, Scott’s Addition)

records. Collect charitable receipts right away, for

14321 Winter Breeze Dr. Suite 104 Midlothian

example, instead of searching emails and checkbooks

(Gather, Midlothian)

for them later. For businesses, I always recommend a

mmillikan@hollowaycpas.com

separate business bank account. You’d be surprised

https://www.hollowaycpas.com/

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

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ARTICLE MARY ELLIN ARCH | PHOTOGRAPHY EMILY ALWOOD & SHUTTERSTOCK

Major Wheeler Honeysuckle

W E L C OM E , W I L DL I F E ! 18

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

ADD NATIVE PLANTS TO MAKE YOUR YARD A LUSH HABITAT FOR BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES, SAYS MICHAEL SPENCE OF TRILLIUM GARDENS

MICHAEL SPENCE’S FAVORITE YARDS ARE BIODIVERSE. “You can look at a typical residential property, and it may look beautiful, but there’s no activity,” said Spence, owner of Trillium Gardens, a landscape design and maintenance company in Midlothian. A biodiverse yard, on the other hand, attracts birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife. “It’s interesting for people to watch – but it’s also more rewarding,” Spence said. Not to mention, it’s better for the environment overall. But how to make your yard more than an unbroken expanse of grass and a few foundation shrubs? Michael has suggestions for plant varieties – many native to Virginia – to help make your yard and Midlothian - more biodiverse. Major Wheeler Honeysuckle. “This is a great native vine with red-orange flowers, specifically for hummingbirds. One client has one vine on a fence and she has hummingbirds all summer long – they actually nested nearby.”

CONTINUED >

Eastern Bluebird on branch with berries CityLifestyle.com/Midlothian

WELCOME, WILDLIFE! (CONTINUED)

Red Maple

Jacob Kline Bee Balm. This perennial with red flowers grows 3-4 feet tall and attracts all sorts of pollinators, including hummingbirds and, of course, bees. “This is my favorite variety of bee balm, but there are lots of varieties - some that clump, some that run and spread, some in different colors. This is the variety I’ve noticed gets the most attention from wildlife.” Butterfly Weed. “It’s a very desirable perennial plant despite the name. Humans can eat pretty much anything, but some wildlife species are specialists – they can only eat certain things. The monarch butterfly is an example; its caterpillars have to eat milkweed.” He explained further that the monarch has been in decline since around the 1980s. “If people plant a few of these, they can help turn around the monarch’s decline.” Butterfly Weed and milkweed are used interchangeably and come in different colors, but the orange-red blossoms are most attractive to pollinators. Spice Bush. This native shrub attracts all kinds of butterflies, but it’s a “required” habitat for the Spice Bush Swallowtail. “I compare it to Forsythia; it has yellow flowers and blooms at the same time in early spring, but unlike Forsythia it’s good for this particular butterfly. The Spice Bush Swallowtail must have this shrub to eat.” (The Spice Bush and Swallowtail are not pictured.) Butterfly Bush. This non-native shrub is an excellent source of nectar for an array of hummingbirds and pollinators. It comes in a range of sizes, dwarf to midsize to large, with a flower color spanning the spectrum from white to pink and magenta to various purples. Serviceberry. “This is a native tree, small, only about 12 feet tall, with beautiful white flowers in early spring. It produces edible red berries that people can eat, but they’re also edible to wildlife, especially the cedar waxwing, a

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

Michael Spence, Trillium Gardens

migratory bird that travels through Virginia. They

Red maple. “This is a great native tree. It’s not huge;

come in huge flocks; it’s amazing when you see

it’s more size-appropriate for most residential homes.

it! They’ll eat every berry off the tree in one day. It

It offers brilliant fall color, but also provides habitat for

only happens once or twice a year, and the migra-

birds and other wildlife. It flowers in late winter/early

tion changes every year.” (The cedar waxwing is

spring – so when bees become active as soon as win-

pictured on our Table of Contents page.)

ter fades and temperatures start to warm up, there’s

Dogwood. “We once did a whole back yard – it was just a big square of yard, and the clients wanted

pollen for them. Most other plants are still dormant, but the native red maple is an early food source.”

a garden of native and ornamental plants. We planted

“This is what we like to do with our company,”

a dogwood and it had berries on it. In 10 minutes of

Michael Spence said. “We like to use natives in

planting that tree it was full of Eastern Bluebirds! The

our designs. We tell clients why these plants are

birds must have noticed the berries as the tree was

important, and what they can expect in terms of

being moved in. We saw the immediate difference in

activity in their gardens.”

that yard, just from planting one tree. The whole crew

Of course, most gardens Trillium designs and cares

was amazed; it was very rewarding. It’s the difference

for contain a combination of natives and ornamentals.

one tree can make.” In addition to Eastern Bluebirds,

“It’s always a mix,” Michael said. “We have conversa-

other birds are attracted to the berries of the dog-

tions with every client. They may have something in

wood, a native tree and Virginia’s official state tree.

mind, like a Japanese maple, which is a gorgeous small

(The dogwood is pictured on our Cover.)

tree. So, it’s always a mix of native and ornamental.” CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Midlothian

WELCOME, WILDLIFE! (CONTINUED)

Clients rave about Michael Spence and Trillium Gardens. “We’ve been using Trillium for several years for yard maintenance and landscape design and planting,” said Anne Schlegel. “Michael was able to find native plants and trees and create a design that has turned our yard into a paradise!” “I decided I did not want a lawn,” said Angie Warner. “Trillium designed a landscape that includes everything I wanted and more.” “Michael is a very knowledgeable and professional landscaper - great background with a degree in horticulture and experience managing the shrubbery/tree department at Strange’s Nursery,” said Jen Lee Guthrie. “He designed a beautiful garden for my Fan home, complete with drawings and descriptions of every plant and shrub.” Kathryn East’s Fan yard was “basically all dirt and some weeds” when a nursery recommended Trillium. “I told Michael what I was looking to do, and he said he would send out a member of his team. … Not long after, Jason came out and we talked at great length as we walked around my yard and gardens. He listened and made extensive notes, taking his time to be very thorough. Two weeks later I had a cost estimate for materials and labor from Michael. All aspects of what Jason and I discussed were reflected in the estimate.” Work was completed in February and March 2019. Kathryn added, “Michael and his team are not only professional with a strong work ethic, but they are friendly, fun, and kind! My husband is in the middle stages of dementia and he wanted to

Jacob Kline Bee Balm

do something to help the crew, so the guys just took him under their wings and let him shovel mulch the last day they were here. “I can’t tell you how awesome these guys are,”

six on the grounds crew, a full-time designer certi-

she concluded. “Do yourself a favor and have

fied with the Virginia Society of Landscape Design-

these guys handle your plant choices and land-

ers, and a full-time admin staffer who handles phone

scaping. You will never have a better experience

calls, email and scheduling but who also rotates in on

with any other business!”

the landscaping crew. Additional hiring is expected throughout the year. The company is based in Midlo-

Since 2015, Trillium Gardens has offered landscape

thian and services the entire Greater Richmond region.

design, installation and consulting, and continuing lawn and garden maintenance. The staff includes

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

https://trilliumgardensrva.com/

C OV I D I M PAC T S

You might not expect COVID-19 to impact a landscaping company – after all, the work is done outdoors. “COVID definitely impacted Trillium,” Michael Spence said. “We ride in trucks together; we make trips to the rock yard and mulch yard, so there are interactions with people. We offered to let people drive themselves to job sites and reimburse for mileage, but some people still didn’t come back to work. That really affected us – we still had all our contracts to maintain.” Some positions changed to become more administrative or focus on design, so staff could work from home. “We adapted and made it work.” Supplier relationships changed, too. “We used to just go to the nursery and pick out plants. Now we have to order in advance, and only one employee is available to help with orders."

Serviceberry

CityLifestyle.com/Midlothian

LOCALLY OWNED

support local! ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

MIDLOTHIAN LIFESTYLE LOVES TO SHOP LOCAL AND SUPPORT HOMETOWN BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE ENCOURAGE OUR READERS TO DO SO, TOO. On this page we spotlight our magazine partners, giving them space to tell you what's new, trendy and on sale. Support Local!

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candle making. It was all hands-on and they even got

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to choose and mix their fragrances."

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dle tins, all with different "spring-like" aromas. Check

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

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DIY

Benefits of a

chemical-free home

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO TURN YOUR HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL-FREE? It's not as hard as you might think! We hear a lot about the dangers of chemical ingredients, but it's easy to ignore all of the warnings and keep using our favorite products. When you don't know of a better alternative, it's just what you do! However, all of those ingredients add up and can make a big difference in your health, as well as the health of your family and pets. The products that are most important to swap out depend on your lifestyle and what you use the most. If your little ones are eating food right off of the counter, you might consider the ingredients from the cleaner you just used to wipe it down and start by switching to a natural method.

ARTICLE BY HAYLEY HYER

If you have sensitive skin, you might start by taking inventory of your beauty and personal care products to see what you can replace. To get you started, here are three DIY products that you can make yourself for your chemical-free home.

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

DIY Scented Body Moisturizer Just like a new candle can brighten your day, a shimmery scented lotion can make you feel like a queen. The only problem is all of the artificial fragrances, alcohols, dyes, and other chemicals that your skin is absorbing from that bottle. There are some cleaner options such as unscented lotions, but that's a lot less fun. This DIY moisturizer allowed you to customize your own scent while still treating your skin the best you can. The key ingredient? Olive oil! Yes, any bottle of olive oil from your kitchen works. Pour some in a smaller bottle and add several drops of your favorite essential oils. Olive oil is super hydrating, feels great, and will make you question why you ever used lotion in the first place. Plus it's safe for your whole body. Just be mindful of the essential oils you choose. Some types—such as peppermint, eucalyptus, or tea tree oils—cause a cooling effect and can feel uncomfortable if it gets on your face or other sensitive areas.

DIY Counter Cleaner: Safe for Granite + Marble! You probably know that vinegar is a great natural cleaner for most surfaces. Unfortunately, it can be pretty damaging to delicate countertops made from granite or marble. Here's a DIY cleaning spray that's safe for any type of counters you have!

Ingredients + Rubbing alcohol + Dish soap

+ Essential Oils + Water

Directions In a plastic or glass spray bottle, mix one part alcohol with one part water. Add several drops of dish soap and whichever essential oils you would like to add for your desired scent. Shake it up each time you use it as the ingredients will tend to separate. Although it's natural and safe, still avoid spraying directly on your skin as the alcohol and dish soap can dry you out.

CONTINUED >

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DIY (CONTINUED)

Midlothian Lifestyle | April 2021

DIY Laundry Scent Enhancer If you have ever added those popular scent beads to your load of laundry before, you know how lovely it is to pull your amazingly scented clothes out of the dryer. The funny thing about a product like that is it truly has no purpose other than adding a good smell, but it does add lots of chemicals to your daily life! There's a safer and more beneficial way to make your clothes smell heavenly. Try this DIY scent enhancer with your next load of laundry and put it to the test.

Ingredients 3 parts Epsom Salt + 1 part Baking Soda + Essential Oils

Directions Mix your ingredients together in a jar or canister and scoop about ¼ cup directly into the washer basin before adding the clothes—just like you would with scented beads. Continue with your laundry like normal.

Learn More

While these three recipes give you a great start, that's definitely not all you can do to kick the chemicals out of your home. For more information on starting a chemical-free household, you can browse online resources such as ChemFreeCom.com or find a social media group to join with like-minded people who have some experience from their own trial and error. If you get overwhelmed, remember that you don't have to get rid of all chemicals in one day. Every swap you make is something to celebrate!

CityLifestyle.com/Midlothian

APRIL

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and the Common Voice in Late Medieval

REPERTOIRE: ART & SCULPTURE, BAXTER PERKINSON JR. & ELAINE PERKINSON

Free. https://humanitiescenter.vcu.

England examines Chaucer's attunement to the hubbub of the common voice. edu/events/meet-vcus-authors/meetvcus-authors-adin-lears-phd.html

Education presents a repertoire of Baxter Perkinson Jr. DDS artwork alongside sculptures by his wife, Elaine. In addition

NORTH COURTHOUSE ROAD BY THE BOOK

North Courthouse Road Library

Join us as we discuss Kitchens of the

Perkinson Center for the Arts & Education

The Perkinson Center for the Arts &

Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal. We will

BOOKTHINK DISCUSSION GROUP