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Dream Home Digest BEAT THE WINTER BLUES TURN DARK DAYS INTO A SEASON OF FRESH DISCOVERIES
Stonewood WATKINSVILLE, GA Summerville ATHENS, GA Yellowstone Farm CUMMING, GA
Night falls early this time of year, and wintertime temperatures seem stuck below freezing. If you are among the 70% of Americans who live with 5-plus inches of snowfall every year, right about now, you might be feeling the wintertime blues.
peach, some believe ginger black tea has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects.
AN ACTION BOARD This motivational project evolved from the Vision Board, a poster-size collage popularized by Oprah, including quotes, cut-outs, and images reflecting the maker’s aspirations and dreams. Noting that Vision Boards stop one step short of guiding their makers to take action, psychologists recommend creating an Action Board, a more specific, detailed goal-setting tool. An Action Board is also a visual display of your dreams, but it breaks each down into a road map, with actionable steps that lend a sense of direction to your efforts. For example, suppose you dream of losing enough weight to look spectacular in the latest springtime fashions (the Vision Board version). In that case, your Action Board might specify steps to take, including exercising or eating three servings of vegetables daily. Or if your Vision Board dream is to become your own boss in a home-based business, your Action Board version might detail upgrading your website within 30 days, writing a business plan within 60 days, and landing at least three clients by fall. FRESH WINTER FRUIT A healthy diet can fuel motivation to tackle those goals. While the fresh fruits of summer are the stars of many menus, some of winter’s most nutritious fruits, including clementines, mandarins, kiwi, tangerines, pears, apples, and oranges, are at their best when winter sets in. To please a sweet tooth, cube and toss your fruit in heavy cream with honey, or cover it with a whipped topping. By taking a little initiative, you can leverage the constraints of winter into enjoyable, energizing new pursuits. Wishing you a dynamic season of revitalization and hope!
Taking care of yourself in winter can be challenging if you’re a sun-lover or enjoy exercising or socializing outdoors. With a little thought, however, you can find winter- friendly activities to lift your spirits and keep your mind, body, and soul healthy and strong. Here are four ideas to consider. WINTER YOGA Yoga is an exercise and wellness practice you can do indoors at any time of year, even during a winter storm. Not only can yoga help improve your flexibility and balance, but it can also help you stay warm and alleviate seasonal anxiety and restlessness. During the winter, yoga poses that open the chest, sinuses, and throat can aid in fighting off colds and flu. For instruction and guidance,
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search the online magazine Yoga Journal, websites like DoYogaWithMe, or YouTube for highly rated teachers of routines aligned with your skills and goals. CUP OF HOT TEA A renowned Buddhist teacher once advised sipping a cup of tea as if it were the axis upon which the Earth turns … “slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.” As he suggests, savoring a cup of tea can lighten a gray winter day for many people. Healthy choices include chamomile, which studies say has anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea is another healthy choice; animal studies suggest it contains a powerful antioxidant that can reduce inflammation, aid weight loss, and support heart health. Beyond flavorful herbal teas, such as mint or
678-252-2525 SRHomes.com January 2026
–The SR Homes Team
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Create Custom Bookshelves Without Breaking the Bank
Built-In on a Budget
Built-in custom cabinetry and shelving are popular trends in home design and remodeling. They increase a house’s value and storage space. However, custom carpentry costs have soared, making DIY built-ins the only affordable option for many homeowners.
Begin assembling your bookshelf by standing each side piece on its side, using clamps to attach the shortest spacers to the bottom of each side piece. Place the bottom shelf on top of the spacers and drive finishing nails through the sides to secure them in place. Repeat the process with each shelf. THE GRAND FINALE The last shelf piece is the top of the bookcase and should lie flush with the sides. Attach a final support piece across the back, touching the bottom of the last shelf piece and lying flush with the backs of the bookcase sides. Stand the bookcase upright and use screws or metal brackets to attach the support piece to studs in the wall. Attach the footer and header strips to the top and bottom of the bookcase to achieve a more finished look. To make your creation appear more substantial, you can attach 2 1/2-inch strips of MDF to the front of each side piece and shelf. Sand the raw edges of the MDF, caulk the seams, and cover your entire creation with an oil-based primer. Then, top it off with two coats of semi-gloss paint.
If you envision a wall of custom bookcases but can’t afford a carpenter, here are three guidelines for DIY success.
SKETCH YOUR VISION Start with a sketch showing the dimensions of the shelves, sides, footers, headers, and trim for your bookcase. For a pair of open bookshelves, your shopping list should include four sheets of 3/4-inch medium-density fiberboard (MDF), 2x4 scrap pieces to serve as vertical spacers between bookshelves, oil-based primer, semi-gloss paint, sandpaper, and 1–2 tubes of caulk. Before you start, consider painting the wall behind the bookshelves the same color as planned for the shelves. MEASURE AND CUT A typical width for bookshelves is about 12 inches, with 4–7-inch footers and headers, and 2-1/2-inch trim pieces. Cut shelves and side pieces parallel to the longest dimension of the MDF. Use a miter saw to cut each 12-inch piece to the desired lengths for the sides and shelving. Next, cut two scrap-wood spacers as long as the planned distance between shelves.
Now, step back and appreciate your creation. You’ve achieved a master- carpenter look on a bargain budget! Nowhere to Hide ARE OPEN-CONCEPT HOME PLANS ON THE WAY OUT?
open-concept floor plan is difficult. Also, in an era of soaring energy prices, open-plan designs are expensive to heat and cool. Designers are responding by creating more homes with closed rooms or separate spaces that allow for privacy and quiet. Meanwhile, open-concept plans aren’t going away completely. If you are a remote worker stuck in an open-concept home that isn’t working, consider these strategies to aid concentration. • Try to transform a room or defined space close to your internet router with a door you can shut. Many remote workers have converted closets, garages, laundry rooms, and sheds into functional offices. • If you manage to create a dedicated workroom, you will probably spend a lot
of time there, so consider ways to make the space multifunctional. Add compact workout gear, a meditation mat or chair, or a window seat for reflection to break up that monotonous focus on work. • If your only alternative is to continue working out in the open, use props to signal to others that you’re working, such as noise-canceling headphones or a standing screen around your desk. And as Nir Ayal writes in his influential book “Indistractable,” the most important boundaries may be mental. Cultivating the ability to focus intensely on what you’re doing and manage the psychological discomfort that leads you off track can help you create the privacy you need. Regardless of your future work setting, these skills and room strategies will help you improve your productivity and sharpen your focus.
Isn’t it great to enter an open, sunlit home and gaze from the entry through to the kitchen, the family room, and beyond, without obstructions or walls? Maybe … or maybe not. For sheer aesthetics, few layouts rival the open- concept plans that won favor in the mid-20th century. As postwar families grew and the average house size shrank, designers opened communal interior spaces to make houses seem larger, brighter, and more pleasant for entertaining. By the 1990s, open-concept designs had become the standard. Then, along came another mega-trend: the move to working remotely. As homes began doubling as workplaces, the shortcomings of open-concept plans loomed large. Avoiding interruptions by family members, children, or roommates in an
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As we enter another new year, there’s no better time to adjust your daily habits to help you become the healthiest version of yourself mentally and physically. Here are three strategies you can incorporate into your New Year’s expectations and resolutions that will help ensure 2026 is your healthiest year yet! START EVERY DAY STRONG. Many Americans fall into the same routines year after year, and most are dangerous for their overall well-being. They stay up too late, wake up to an alarm a few hours later, scramble to get ready, and jump in the car as soon as possible to get to work. Your morning routine sets the tone for your day. If you’re in a hurry every morning, you will feel rushed and exhausted. Give yourself ample time in the morning to take care of yourself and some simple chores. Make your bed, have a glass of water, take good care of your hygiene, eat something, and incorporate some movement into your mornings. It will be hard initially, but you’ll feel the benefits within a few weeks. DIET AND EXERCISE MATTER. This is probably not news to you, but we can’t downplay the importance of diet and exercise. Listen to your body; it will tell you what it needs. Many people fall into the trap of overeating without realizing it or starving themselves when they want to lose weight, 3 DAILY HABITS THAT WILL TRANSFORM YOUR 2026
but this won’t make them feel good. Eat when your body tells you to, stick to a healthy diet, and find time for exercise. You need to find ways to motivate yourself, especially when you want to stay in bed and stick to comfort foods. Your body will thank you. DRINK MORE WATER. How much water do you drink each day? The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that men should drink about 15.5 cups of fluids daily and women should drink 11.5 cups. If you aren’t hitting these numbers, it’s time to adjust. Start and finish each day with a glass of water. Walk around with a refillable bottle. Staying hydrated will help your body function much better.
The Expensive Side of ‘Yes’
FOMO FUELS OVERSPENDING
We all know the feeling: A friend posts that dreamy beach photo, someone’s heading to a music festival, or you see the perfect brunch video pop up on your feed, and suddenly there’s this itch, “What did I miss out on?” That whisper has a name: FOMO, or the fear of missing out, and when it nudges you to open your wallet, it becomes FOMO spending. FOMO spending is when the urge to partake in experiences like concerts, travel, and social getaways overrides your financial boundaries. It’s not just about wanting “stuff”; it’s about wanting in. The problem is that those desires often come with a huge price tag. Studies suggest this isn’t just anecdotal. Empower’s research found that 51% of Americans admit they’ve made purchases or investments sparked by FOMO, with many pointing to experiences like dining out and traveling. When social media becomes a nonstop highlight reel, we compare ourselves and our bank accounts to a filtered ideal. The stakes are real. The 2019 Modern Wealth Survey sponsored by Charles Schwab revealed that more than a third of Americans admit their spending is influenced by what friends are doing, often leading them to exceed their
means. In an experimental study, researchers found that FOMO significantly increased the likelihood of impulse purchases even with budget constraints in place. That tells us FOMO isn’t just temptation; it’s a powerful nudge against rational behavior. Experiences are powerful. They build memories, foster connections, and bring joy. But when every experience becomes “must-do,” the balance breaks. You end up chasing the next event, trip, or spending spree, and your long-term goals take a back seat. You might skip saving, rack up credit card debt, or delay retirement goals all in pursuit of that next “memorable” moment. Here’s the catch: Living for the moment is fine until that moment’s price tag pushes your future out of reach. The challenge is to be intentional. Deciding where you should spend your energy (and money) gives you permission to skip the rest. The thrill of one impulsive decision fades fast; the peace of financial security lasts. If FOMO is the voice telling you to just go for it, try asking yourself: Will I thank myself in five years for this? Strike a balance between living fully today and protecting tomorrow. That’s how you stop FOMO from bankrupting your joy.
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Inside This Issue 1 Beat the Winter Doldrums: Refresh Your Routines, Recharge Your Life
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Simple Steps for Crafting Your Own Custom Bookshelves
Smart Ways to Find Privacy in an Open- Plan Home
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Make 2026 Your Healthiest Year Yet
FOMO Spending Is Breaking the Bank
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An Accent on Style
The Chair Makes the Room
Designing a new room often ends with a task that can be the most enjoyable of all: choosing the right accent chair. This piece may serve various purposes, like providing extra seating, adding a pop of color, or creating a contrasting design. Making the right choice requires finding a balance between form and function. A lounge chair invites users to kick back and enjoy. An armchair with comfy armrests suggests good conversation. For a smaller space, a side chair with a straight back and skinny legs works best. In choosing a design, feel free to bend a few rules by departing a little from your theme, such as adding a side chair with solid wood legs to a streamlined Danish modern theme. Now, with an accent chair that perfectly defines your living space, sit back and enjoy!
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