Spring cleaning gets a lot of play, but what about an autumn declutter? The BBC has the lowdown on how to start a seasonal refresh for your home, including tips for distinguishing between nostalgia and sentimentality as you weigh which items to get rid of. Michelle Ogundehin, judge of the British reality show Interior Design Masters, advises: “Keep the things that reinforce you, that uplift you when you walk through the door.”
Must Reads
Social Security benefits and other federal payments are going electronic — here’s what to know
An honest review of some oft-touted, nonpharmaceutical sleep aids
Environment
See Winning Shots From the 2025 Ocean Photographer of the Year Competition
Yury Ivanov / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A dwarf minke whale, an Indo-Pacific leopard shark embryo, and two bobtail squid sharing an intimate moment — these are just a few of the mesmerizing creatures serving as subjects of the winning 2025 Ocean Photographer of the Year images. But out of the 15,000-plus shots submitted by leading ocean photographers around the globe, Indonesia-based PADI Divemaster Yury Ivanov claimed the top prize for his entry of two colorful amphipods. Each measuring about 3 mm in body length, these “ladybugs of the sea” (pictured above) from the Cyproideidae family are resting and feeding in synchronized movements on coral in Bali. “It required a lot of patience and precision to compose and light the shot properly. The result reveals an intimate glimpse of underwater life that is often overlooked,” Ivanov said in the caption. He added in a news release that the award is about “celebrating the ocean itself — its fragility, its diversity, and its extraordinary power to inspire us.” See more winning images.
Together With Brad’s Deals
Brad’s Deals Helps You Save Big on Your Favorite Brands
Want the best prices without the endless scrolling? Brad’s Deals makes it easy. When you sign up, you’ll get a personalized deals newsletter that includes curated picks from your favorite brands at the top stores. We’re talking household names like Nike, Hoka, Kate Spade, Stanley, Coach, Lululemon, and more — with savings of up to 80%. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s not. The team behind Brad’s Deals is made up of proud consumer advocates, scouring the internet every day for best-of-web prices on just about everything. Think of them as your trusted, free resource helping you find the best deals online, no matter where they are.
Dozens of Boston’s Bus Shelters Got a Delightful Green Glow-Up
City of Boston
Bus shelters are familiar sights on city streets — necessary stops on the way from point A to point B that may or may not be covered in advertisements and typically don’t get much TLC. But that’s not the case in Boston, where the transit stops are being reimagined into green spaces with living roofs that deliver many of the benefits of parks, packed into a tiny but mighty footprint. “These green roofs on bus shelters are not just a representation of Boston’s progress on sustainability,” Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement last year of the initiative, the first of its kind in the country. “They are a practical, scalable solution to some of the most pressing challenges we face as a city.” So far, Boston has installed green roofs on 30 bus shelters along the notoriously busy Route 28, a corridor especially vulnerable to extreme heat. In addition to combating urban heat, providing shade, absorbing rainwater, and supporting pollinators, these roofs bring unexpected beauty to often overlooked corners of the city. Zoe Davis, the senior climate resilience project manager for the city’s Climate Ready Boston team, said in a TEDx Talk: “What if solutions to climate change didn’t have to be massive to make a difference? In the face of rising temperatures and greater extreme heat risk, what if the key to a cooler, more livable future can be found in the places we pass by every day?”
Sports
Steph Curry Is Helping Underserved Teenagers Break Barriers in Golf
Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Eat. Learn. Play.
You likely know Steph Curry as a point guard for the Golden State Warriors — but before he was a basketball superstar, he was a kid who liked golfing with his dad. Curry, who took up the sport at age 10, is now creating opportunities for talented teenagers in underserved communities to play competitively through his intercontinental organization, Underrated Golf. Many of those teens “get left behind” when expenses like equipment, coaching, and traveling enter the equation, Curry told CBS News, noting that golf is “an expensive sport.” So Underrated Golf is giving them the resources they need to succeed, like access to high-quality courses, networking opportunities, and chances to earn a spot in one of its tournaments (including the recent “Curry Cup”). “We take them around to the United States and the U.K., free of charge, and open up championship courses and venues to host our tournaments,” Curry said. The organization aims to help young golfers secure scholarships and spots on college teams, and also give them a platform to “show exactly who they are — not just as golfers, but as people,” the 37-year-old athlete said. He explained that while many students may eventually embark on other professional endeavors, “we can allow golf to be the vehicle to give them the resources and the access to what a successful career looks like.” He added: “Bringing that community together through golf is really important.”
Global Good
🇲🇳 The oldest dome-headed dinosaur fossil, described as “beautiful,” was found in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert (read more)
🇨🇱 No phone zone: A Chilean school launched a pioneering program to detach students from their devices (read more)
🇬🇭 In Ghana, female oyster farmers are preserving a centuries-old tradition amid climate change threats (read more)
🇸🇩 A Sudanese network of volunteer aid groups won a prestigious Norwegian human rights award (read more)
🇨🇳 These rare birds found an unexpected refuge in Hong Kong — and the city is opening its arms to them (read more)
Inspiring Story
Painting her heart out
When the Thomas Fire swept through Southern California in 2017, Alice Matzkin lost most of her art. A few months away from the easel turned into a few years for the successful portrait artist — but she recently picked up the brush again. In the past two years, Matzkin has been painting like never before, completing 55 pieces of work, several of which are currently displayed at a local restaurant. “It’s so precious, to put good vibes out in the world,” the 85-year-old said. See some of her work.
Photo of the Day
ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP via Getty Images
Is this what dolphins used to look like? Researchers in Peru discovered a 12 million-year-old dolphin-like fossil (pictured) in the Ocucaje Desert, revealing a glimpse at ancient marine life in a region that was once covered by ocean but is now arid land. Thanks to the fossil’s excellent preservation, paleontologist Mario Gamarra said at a press conference that scientists may gain new insights into “how it moved, how it swam, what it ate, and for how long it lived.”
Celebrate 60 Years of “The Sound of Music” at the Kennedy Center
It’s been 60 years since The Sound of Music first stole our hearts — and now it’s returning to remind us why we fell in love. The Kennedy Center invites you to experience the North American Sound of Music theatrical tour directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien. With its timeless story, irresistible score, and breathtaking staging, this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic is a chance to rekindle cherished memories and share them with a new generation. Nice News readers can use code 632839 for 10% off tickets Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday evenings through Sept. 28, plus the Oct. 1 matinee.
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Up This Weekend
Oktoberfest: Get out your dirndls and lederhosen, Munich’s iconic beer-centric celebration — dating back more than two centuries — begins Saturday and runs through Oct. 5
World Gratitude Day: Sunday is World Gratitude Day, an opportunity to reflect on the things we’re thankful for (check out Nice News’ Sunday newsletter for some gratitude practice tips!)
Feast of San Gennaro: New York City’s longest-running street festival, now in its 99th year, wraps up Sunday in Manhattan’s Little Italy neighborhood — get an inside look
The Nice News merch collaboration with Because Weekend is all about celebrating optimism and making every day feel like the weekend. To help us spread that ethos beyond the inbox, shop our collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts here.
