How to Keep a Guest Space Always Ready, the Best Multivitamins for Seniors, and How Policy Changes Could Affect Your Retirement

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History (Non-Fiction): Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore – This gripping history reveals the ruthless inner circle surrounding Stalin and the fear, intrigue, and brutality that defined his rule.

Memoir: Black Boy by Richard Wright – Richard Wright recounts his difficult childhood in the Jim Crow South and his struggle against poverty, racism, and oppression.

Self-Help: The Antidote by Oliver Burkeman – Oliver Burkeman challenges the relentless pursuit of positivity, exploring how embracing uncertainty and failure can lead to a more fulfilling life.

Romance: Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks – A mysterious woman seeking a fresh start finds unexpected love in a small town, but secrets from her past threaten her new life.

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Having family or friends stay overnight can be one of life's great pleasures. At the same time, it's easy for hosting to turn into a week of rearranging furniture, deep cleaning, and feeling as though your own home has stopped functioning the way it normally does. 

That’s where an intentional and designated guest area comes in. A thoughtfully prepared guest space can make visitors feel genuinely welcome while allowing your everyday routines to continue uninterrupted.

If overnight guests visit occasionally, it helps to keep one area that can be prepared with minimal effort. Notably, it doesn't need to be a full dedicated guest room. It might be a spare bedroom that also serves as a craft room, a den with a comfortable sofa bed, a finished basement, or a home office with a daybed.

When the space doesn’t have to be repurposed for guests, you avoid having to rearrange the entire house every time someone comes to stay.

Rather than gathering everything at the last minute, consider storing a few guest items in one place:

Having these items ready means preparing for guests takes minutes instead of hours.

People often feel most comfortable when they don't have to ask permission for every little thing. Small touches can make a big difference:

When guests can settle in comfortably on their own, everyone feels more relaxed—and the fun can begin sooner.

One of the biggest pressures hosts place on themselves is feeling responsible for filling every hour with activity. Most guests don't expect that. Often, they're perfectly happy to read while you tend the garden, join you on a morning walk, chat while dinner is being prepared, watch TV while you do household chores, or enjoy a quiet afternoon at home.

Inviting guests into your normal routine usually feels more authentic than trying to create a packed itinerary. It also gives them—and you—time to relax and recover between bouts of excitement.

Hosting doesn't require becoming someone different for a few days. If you normally enjoy morning coffee on the porch or read for half an hour before bed, there's no reason to pause those habits simply because someone is visiting.

In fact, maintaining your usual routines can help guests feel more at ease. They see how your home naturally functions and can fit comfortably into that rhythm, adopting their own routines as they stay. 

Guests are far more likely to remember how you made them feel welcome than whether every decorative detail was perfect. A comfortable bed, a warm greeting, unhurried conversation, and the sense that they're genuinely wanted leave a much stronger impression than elaborate preparations.

The easiest homes to visit are typically the ones where everyone feels free to simply be themselves.

Hosting overnight guests shouldn't mean putting your own life on hold or spending a week rearranging your house. With a little preparation and a focus on comfort over perfection, it's possible to welcome people warmly while still enjoying the routines that make your house feel like home.

We're looking for seniors who are embracing life with enthusiasm, purpose, and adventure. Whether you're traveling the world, starting a business, volunteering, pursuing a passion, learning new skills, or simply making the most of every day, we'd love to hear your story.

Think that might be you?

Email [email protected] with a photo and a short bio. We may feature you in an upcoming edition of Seniors Magazine.

The discount: Chili’s

What it gives you: Many locations offer 10% off meals for customers 55 and older

How to claim it: Ask your server before paying, as participation varies by location

“Our First Christmas with the Baby”
From the life overview of Susan K., 75, Raleigh, North Carolina. Shared with permission.

In October 1979, our daughter Emily was born. When her first Christmas arrived, she was only two months old. Even though we were exhausted—physically and financially—my husband, David, was determined to make it a proper Christmas.

Since we lived in a small apartment in Raleigh, we picked a six-foot tall, artificial Christmas tree from a discount store. One of the legs was bent, so David put a folded magazine underneath the tree to keep it upright.

We had no gift ideas for a baby. My mother gave Emily a stuffed rabbit, and David bought her a little red sweater. I bought a set of wooden blocks for her, even though she couldn’t sit up yet.

On Christmas morning, we put her in the middle of the living-room rug. Then we opened everything around her. She stared at the tree for a while before reaching for the wrapping paper.

That was what she liked best.

Holding a piece of the paper firmly in both hands, she began pulling. As the paper tore, Emily made a noise that sounded like a sneeze. David and I burst out laughing.

We took pictures, but most of them came out blurry because neither of us knew how to operate the camera.

I don’t remember what we ate that day. I don’t even remember what we gave each other.

But I do remember that little girl sitting on the rug, looking enormously pleased with herself as she played with the wrapping paper.

***

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The Dictionary of American Regional English
Ever wondered why one part of the country says “soda” while another says “pop,” or where peculiar expressions from your childhood came from? This University of Wisconsin–Madison project documents words, phrases, and pronunciations that vary across the United States, drawing on decades of research into how Americans actually speak. It’s a fun rabbit hole for anyone fascinated by language, regional quirks, or expressions they haven’t heard in years.

The Online Books Page
Run by the University of Pennsylvania, this enormous index helps readers find more than three million books that can be read freely online. Its special collections and subject listings make it fun to browse for forgotten novels, old cookbooks, travel accounts, memoirs, and other curiosities. It’s a useful place to go when you want to read something you won’t necessarily find on today’s bestseller lists.

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A butterfly garden doesn't require acres of land or elaborate landscaping. A sunny flower bed, patio containers, or even a few carefully chosen plants can provide butterflies with food and places to reproduce. The key is planting for the entire butterfly life cycle—not just attracting the adults you want to watch.

Adult butterflies need nectar-rich flowers, but their caterpillars need specific host plants. Monarch caterpillars, for example, eat milkweed. Other butterflies rely on plants such as parsley, dill, violets, asters, and native grasses.

The National Wildlife Federation's native plant finder lets you enter your ZIP code to discover native plants that support butterflies and other wildlife in your area. The Xerces Society's pollinator conservation resources provide additional guidance on creating useful habitat.

Butterflies rely on sunshine to warm their bodies, so choose a location that receives plenty of direct sun. Shrubs, tall grasses, and other vegetation can provide sheltered spots when it's windy.

You don't need a deep birdbath for water. Butterflies often obtain moisture and minerals from damp soil. Create a "puddling" area by placing moist sand or soil in a shallow dish and setting it among your plants.

Insecticides can kill the very caterpillars and butterflies you're trying to attract. Before treating a garden problem, identify the insect first and consider whether treatment is actually necessary. The EPA's pollinator protection information explains ways to reduce pesticide risks to pollinators.

Once butterflies begin appearing, identifying them adds another layer of enjoyment. iNaturalist can help identify butterflies and other garden visitors from photographs.

Don't worry about making your garden perfectly tidy. A slightly more natural landscape—with native plants, shelter, and a few nibbled leaves—is often exactly what butterflies need. Those chewed leaves may even be evidence that your butterfly garden is working.

Your phone, tablet, or computer may warn that you’re running out of storage—even when you’re paying every month for extra online storage. That’s because these are two different things.

Device storage is the built-in space on your phone, tablet, or computer. Apps, downloaded files, photos, videos, and other data take up this space. If it becomes full, you may have trouble taking photos, installing apps, downloading files, or updating your device.

You generally can’t add more built-in storage after buying a phone or tablet, although you can free up space by deleting or moving files.

Online storage, often called cloud storage, keeps files on remote servers that you access through the internet. Services such as iCloud, Google Drive, and OneDrive offer plans with different amounts of space.

Paying for more cloud storage does not automatically increase your device’s built-in storage. However, cloud storage can help free up device space if your settings allow photos or files to be stored primarily online.

If you receive a storage warning, check whether it refers to your device or your cloud account before deleting files or purchasing more space. Knowing which one is full can save you from paying for storage that won’t actually solve the problem.

Cruise deal of the day: 3 Nights Mexico Cruise - departing September 21, from $189

Unmissable American gem: Custer, South Dakota is a scenic Black Hills town known for its dramatic granite landscapes, historic downtown, and easy access to Custer State Park, making it a comfortable base for exploring some of South Dakota’s most spectacular scenery.

Looking for travel planning help? Fill out this form.

Unscramble the letters to find a famous person, event, or object. Think you know it? Reply with your answer and show off your brainpower.

Today’s clue: Colorful snap-together building toys.

OGEL KCSBRI

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