Netflix’s latest design series , How to Build a Sex Room , has (unsurprisingly) captured the attention of a fair few people. Described by the Guardian as “Changing Rooms for kinky people,” the show sees a handful of couples enlist the help of interior designer – and creator of sexy spaces – Melanie Rose in the hope of bringing their dream sex room to life.

You can see the trailer for the series here if you’re keen to get a better idea of it.

Melanie Rose, How to Build a Sex Room. Image credit: Netflix

In any case, if the arrival of How to Build a Sex Room has you wondering, well… how does one build a sex room, we have some tips for you. Lovehoney sexpert Annabelle Knight has shared five tips on how to create the best room to get down in at home – if you’re interested.

On the art of designing a sex room, she shared over email that “you’ll want to approach it in the same way you would as designing any other room in your house. While you will want to fill it with as many pieces of sex furniture, bondage, and sex toys as possible, you don’t want to sacrifice the aesthetic in order to do so”.

“As with everything related to sexual happiness, a sex room will only work well for you if it makes you feel comfortable and confident. As long as you have the essentials, make the room fit to the way you want it, and it will make the sex even better,” Knight explained.

And importantly, she stressed that it’s always a good idea to “agree on a safe word before you start .”

With that considered, here are her tips for building a sex room.

How to build an epic sex room

How to Build a Sex Room. Image credit: Netflix

Step 1: Find yourself some great ‘staple’ sex furniture

As Knight put it, “No room is complete without furniture, so why would a sex room be any different?”

She explained that investing in sex furniture is a great way to experiment with positions and get creative with how you access pleasure .

“ A sex wedge is a great place to start, enabling you or your partner to support your body in the most pleasurable positions for longer. Experiencing a sexual renaissance thanks to Wet Leg , the chaise lounge is a genuinely great option for a sex room, but for anyone looking for something a little less showy, a position enhancer chair works just as well,” she said.

Step 2: Consider swings and restraints

I mean, what’s a sex room without a swing, am I right?! If TV has taught us anything is that any good sex room must have a swing of some variety.

Obviously, we are joking and this is entirely up to you, but Knight does suggest thinking about the option of a sex swing and some restraints.

“ Sex swings come in a variety of forms, but the main types [are] either attached over-the-door or fitted to the ceiling, and offer the receiving partner support to tackle even the most challenging of sex positions,” she shared.

“Restraints are great for taking bondage play to the next level, and under-the-mattress restraints , in particular, will help transform your sex room into a bondage lover’s paradise.”

Step 3: Round out that bondage collection

If you’re looking to create an entertaining sex room, chances are you’re a little bit interested in the world of bondage.

Knight suggests scattering your collection around the room, so they’re never too far out of reach.

Beyond swings, restraints and furniture, she suggested looking into “handcuffs, whips, gags, blindfolds, the lot”.

“A bondage kit is the ideal way to turn this dream into a reality,” Knight explained.

Step 4: Arouse the senses

“Physical pleasure isn’t the only thing that your sex room needs to cater for,” Knight highlighted.

“You will want to create an ambient atmosphere appropriate for arousal. Instead of using tea lights in jars to do this, why not fill the room with massage candles, massage oils and arousing reed diffusers , instead.”

Step 5: Get your sex toy collection in order

What’s a sex room without a library of sex toys to work with? Choose a selection of options that you like and keep them on hand. But you can also add to the fun with “ playful board games , ” Knight shared.

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Got some ideas you’d like to experiment with? Well, if you’re after more inspiration, How to Build a Sex Room is streaming on Netflix Australia now.

The post If Netflix Has You Wondering, This Is Precisely How You Build a Sex Room appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

It’s winter, which means a lot of us are seeking comfort food . We’re here to help, so may I please direct your attention to this recipe for vegan Shepherd’s Pie with a roast sweet potato top? This delicious vegan winter warmer comes from Kate Flowers and our friends over at Wiltshire . Give it a try if you need something tasty and full of hearty vegetables.

Vegan sweet potato shepherd’s pie recipe

What you’ll need: For the filling

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp of semolina
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 medium red capsicum, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 sticks of celery, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 cups cauliflower rice
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups beef style Masel vegetable stock (vegan)
• 2 cups water
• 1 x 400 g tin of lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 x 400 g tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

For the sweet potato top

• 2 large sweet potato, skin on
• Olive oil
• Season
• Rosemary
• Lemon zest
• Breadcrumbs

Directions for vegan sweet potato Shepherd’s pie:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Place sweet potato on a tray and place in the oven for about 30 minutes or until fork-tender to the centre.
3. Remove and set aside to cool. Lower oven temperature to 180°C.
4. Meanwhile, heat a large pan to high heat, add oil, onion, carrot, red pepper and celery and cook stirring for around 5 minutes or until the vegetables are beginning to caramelise.
5. Add the garlic, rosemary and bay and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
6. Add tomato paste, cauliflower rice and vinegar and stir through. Continue to cook stirring for another few minutes before adding stock, water, lentils and beans.
7. Bring the pan to a simmer and allow the liquid to evaporate until there is around a cup left.
8. Scatter the top with semolina and stir through to thicken, season to taste then turn off the heat.
9. Pour the filling into your Wiltshire Enamel Pie Dish 1.5 ltrs and set aside.
10. To make the top, peel the sweet potato and place the flesh in a bowl. Add oil, salt and mash roughly with a fork.
11. Place the topping on your pie filling and gently manipulate the sweet potato to evenly cover the filling.
12. Use a spoon to create an organic pattern on top then sprinkle the remaining ingredients across the top and place the pie back in the oven.
13. Cook for around 25 minutes, or until the top is starting to brown at the tips and the filling is bubbling.
14. Serve immediately.

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If you’re after some more warm winter recipes to go with your sweet potato pie, check out these delicious soup ideas.

The post Why Have Regular Shepherd’s Pie When You Can Add Sweet Potato? appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

Is there anything better than being out at the pub and realising they have arancini on the menu? I don’t think so. Given so many of us are spending the cooler months cosied up inside, this is the perfect time to experiment a little more in the kitchen. And thankfully for us, it’s actually surprisingly easy to make arancini. We’re going to do it using a recipe that cooks them in the oven to save on some extra calories (because with those extra calories you could make something like avocado fries to enjoy alongside your baked arancini!). Jamie Milne of Instagram and TikTok account @Everything_Delish shared this delicious recipe for baked arancini and it looks pretty damn simple.

@everything_delish

BAKED ARANCINI #recipe #healthy #rice #arancini #tiktokfoodie #airfryer #fy #fyp #voiceover #food #cheese #cheesy #tiktokfood #foodtiktok #cooking

♬ Steven Universe – L.Dre

Jamie shared the full recipe to create these arancini on Instagram, thank you, Jamie! We’ve also added in a tomato dipping sauce that you might like to have with your cheesy rice balls, too.

Easy baked arancini recipe

What you’ll need to make baked arancini: For the arancini

• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 block Gruyere cheese or mozzarella, diced into cubes (okay not that healthy, but this is to be shared!)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 4 eggs, divided in two and beaten
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• Salt + pepper
• Cooking spray

For the tomato dipping sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Juice of half a lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions for baked arancini:

1. Bring five cups of chicken stock to a boil. Rinse your rice until the water runs clear, and add to a pot. Slowly add a ladle-full of the hot stock to the rice, stirring until it’s absorbed. Repeat until the rice is fully cooked, but not mushy.
2. Place the rice in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius and line a baking dish with baking paper.
4. Remove rice from the fridge and place in a large mixing bowl. Add in 2 beaten eggs, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Mix well.
5. Take 1-2 tbsp of the rice mixture and form a ball. Using two fingers, press down in the centre and add 1-2 cubes of cheese. Pinch the rice around the cheese to enclose.
6. Place the ball into the second egg mixture to coat, followed by flour and bread crumbs. Place on a baking tray. Repeat until all the rice mixture has been used.
7. Spray the arancini balls with cooking spray and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the balls are golden brown.
8. While the arancini are in the oven, make your sauce by heating olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté your onion until soft.
9. Add garlic and cook for one minute, then add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
10. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer, cooking until thickened slightly
11. Remove the arancini from the oven and season with freshly grated parmesan, salt and pepper and serve with your sauce!

Hot tip: The cheese inside the arancini might be pretty hot, so allow it to cool, especially if you’re serving it to kids! Hands up if you’re going to be trying out this arancini recipe for yourself at home. All of you? Thought so. This article has been updated since its original publish date.

The post This Cheesy Arancini Recipe Is Surprisingly Healthy appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

While tax time usually conjures the image of piles of paper and shoeboxes full of old receipts, it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re sick of shuffling through hard copy documents to get your finances sorted every July, here are our top five apps that’ll save you time and stress as you work towards getting your tax return sorted this tax time. (Note that this list is collated from online reviews, recommendations and popular opinion. We have not reviewed these products ourselves unless otherwise stated.)

Best tax apps to help you lodge your tax return

With so many of us working from home now there are more expenses and tax deductions to keep track of than ever before. If you don’t want to get caught out by the looming tax deadline we suggest you check out some of these apps to help keep your expenses in order all year round.

Australian Taxation Office app

Tax time deduction apps. Image: ATO Price: Free Platforms: iOS, Android The official app is mentioned first up because you can trust it to accurately reference the ATO’s rules and regulations. The ATO’s official app has gone through a number of upgrades since it was first released. There’s a tool that lets you digitally keep track of your deductions throughout the year and then export them directly into your tax return. This myDeductions feature will also let you log car trips if you use your car for work. It also has a number of tools and calculators, such as a tax withheld calculator and the ability to view your tax accounts (including your Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) balance and your upcoming lodgment and payment due dates. While you’ll be redirected to the ATO’s myTax service to actually lodge your return, data entered into myDeductions will sync up, and you can even use this app after the fact to check the status of your tax return. If you’re a small business owner, the ATO app has a couple of tools for you as well, such as a business performance check that’ll show you how your business matches up against its competitors in your industry. Best of all, it’s free. Read more about it here.

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Etax app

Tax time deduction apps. Image: Etax Price: Free to start, $70.90+ to lodge Platforms: iOS, Android Etax promises to help you lodge your tax return in just minutes. The app is free to download and it’s also free to start your tax return. You only have to pay once when you want to lodge a return, with fees starting from $70.90. You can even opt to have your fee taken out of your return, as many do when handling their tax through an accountant. Your tax return will be reviewed by a registered accountant before lodging. The Etax app is largely designed to make the process of lodging easier. Questions are asked in plain English rather than tax-office jargon, and you’re even able to message an accountant if you need help. Like the ATO’s app, Etax also allows you to snap photos of your important documents to easily import them. Read more about it here.

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My Tax Calculator Australia app

Tax time deduction apps. Image: My Tax Calculator Australia Price: $12.99 Platforms: iOS , Mac OS While my Tax calculator (not to be confused with the government’s myTax tool) is a bit older, it’s still a great tool for tax time, developed by a chartered accountant. The Mac OS version is only available for devices with an M1 chip, while the iPad and iPhone editions need at least iOS 12 or later. You’ll need to fork out $12.99 for either. My Tax Calculator is a collection of tax calculators, which were last updated to include the ATO’s 2020 rates. Its tools cover a huge range of tax-related areas, with everything from HELP debts to PAYG withholding to working out whether it’s in your best interest to salary sacrifice your superannuation. For investors, it also has a Capital Gains Tax calculator so that you can plan your next move with your shares, investment properties or other capital assets. Read more about it here.

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Squirrel Street tax app

Tax time deduction apps. Image: Squirrel Street Price: Monthly plans from $26.95 Platforms: Web, iOS Formerly known as Shoeboxed, Squirrel Street is a quick and easy way to keep track of your receipts. The core of the service allows you to send images of your documents to Squirrel Street, which will scan, verify and digitally store them. Don’t worry about the ATO with this one – the ATO will happily accept digital documents as well as physical ones. Squirrel Street offers pricing plans that suit both individuals and businesses. Plans start at $27.95 a month for 50 documents and go up to $295.95 a month for 600 documents and a 1-day turnaround. The app is a lot easier than most receipt-keeping apps, however. Squirrel Street will extract all the information from your receipts automatically – all you need to do is snap a picture. Outside of tax time, you can even use this to keep track of expenses to be reimbursed by your workplace. If you already use accounting software, Squirrel Street is compatible with a number of them including MYOB, Xero, QuickBooks and more. Read more about it here.

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Mileage Logbook tax app

Tax time deduction apps. Image: Driversnote Price: Free Platforms: iOS, Android Mileage Logbook by Driversnote is an ATO compliant vehicle logbook app that tracks your trips and creates mileage documents for the hand-over at tax time. The app tracks your trips through your GPS and will auto-log them when you’re done. It’s then easy to classify trips, name locations and split journeys between different employers. When it’s time to log your documents, you can download them as PDF or Excel spreadsheets for handover to the ATO or your employer. You can also access the ATO’s mileage rates. Read more about it here.

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Lodging your tax return

When it comes time to lodging your actual tax return you might be looking for some more tips (beyond tax apps) on tax time for 2022. You can read more details on the ATO website or check out our guide to lodging your tax return for the first time. This article has been updated with new apps since its original publication.

The post 5 Tax Apps That Will Make the Worst Chore of the Year Easier appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

Movies were actually back in 2021, we even saw a few ! But 2022 is definitely an even more hectic year for films.

Between superhero movies, video game-to-movie adaptations and Oscar-worthy hits, it looks like there’ll barely be a week without a new movie worth watching in 2022. Here are some of the movies you should keep an eye out for this year.

Major Movie Release Dates in 2022

The Black Phone

Fans of horror have a truly nightmarish experience on their hands with Blumhouse’s new horror The Black Phone . When a 13-year-old boy is abducted by a serial killer and trapped in a soundproof basement he discovers he can connect to the killer’s previous victims via a disconnected telephone.

Australian movie release date: July 21, 2022

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The Gray Man

If you’re still thirsting after Thor you’ll be glad to know that the trio of Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Regé-Jean Page will be together on one screen in The Gray Man . The action thriller will release on Netflix, so you’re welcome to rewatch it as many times as you need.

Australian movie release date: July 14 (in cinemas), July 22 (on Netflix).

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Bullet Train

Brad Pitt’s latest blockbuster adventure Bullet Train sees the Hollywood star as an unlucky assassin who is put on a collision course with lethal adversaries while on the world’s fastest train.

Australian movie release date: August 4, 2022

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NOPE

The latest mysterious film from Get Out director Jordan Peele already looks like a banger. NOPE stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun in a new horror epic that will no doubt have us all cowering in our seats at the cinemas.

Australian movie release date: August 11, 2022

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Don’t Worry Darling

Olivia Wilde is becoming quite the proficient director in Hollywood and her next foray is a psychological thriller starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles. In Don’t Worry Darling , the duo star as a couple in the 1950s where Pugh’s housewife begins to unravel as she learns a disturbing truth about her life.

Australian movie release date: October 6, 2022

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Black Adam

After many years in the making, Dwayne Johnson is finally stepping into the superhero realm for DC’s Black Adam . The notorious antihero will be unleashed into the modern world, thousands of years after his imprisonment, and bring his own form of justice onto Earth.

Australian movie release date: October 20, 2022

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Image: Marvel

The world tragically lost Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman in 2020, but the legacy of his character lives on in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever . Not much is known about the Marvel sequel but we do know that Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams (aka Ironheart) will make her first appearance in this film.

Australian movie release date: November 10, 2022

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Amsterdam

Amsterdam has gathered possibly the most A-listers you’ll see in one movie together. The lineup includes Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washinton, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Tayla Swift, Zoe Saldana, Rami Malek and Robert De Niro.

What are they all doing in such a film? According to the synopsis, three friends will find themselves at the centre of one of the most shocking plots in American history. Intriguing.

Australian movie release date: November 3, 2022

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Avatar: The Way of the Water

Over a decade after the original was released, the first of James Cameron’s many Avatar sequels is hitting screens. The time between films has given the technology a boost and it will fling us into the glorious 3D underwater worlds of Pandora, where Jake Sully and Neytiri must face a new challenge that threatens their family.

Australian movie release date: December 15, 2022.

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Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Image: Netflix

Knives Out is making the jump over to streaming for the sequel with Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery releasing on Netflix later this year. The second movie will see Daniel Craig’s detective Benoit Blanc inspect a new crop of suspects in the lavish landscape of Greece.

Australian movie release date: Holiday 2022 on Netflix

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Top 2022 Movies You Can Watch Now

House of Gucci

Father, son and House of Gucci . This biographical look at the family behind one of the world’s largest designer fashion brands stars some absolute icons in Lady Gaga and Adam Driver.

The film is directed by Ridley Scott and also stars an unrecognisable Jared Leto.

Buy or rent it on digital platforms now.

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Scream

Same title, different Scream . The classic horror franchise is back with some old and new faces.

David Arquette, Courteney Cox and Neve Campbell are back as their original characters alongside a new bunch of young adult stars as they try to uncover the new killer behind the Ghostface mask.

Buy or rent it on digital platforms now.

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Nightmare Alley

The latest film from Guillermo del Toro stars Bradley Cooper as a manipulative carnival worker who hooks up with Cate Blanchett’s equally dangerous psychiatrist. If you know the mind of del Toro you know what to expect from Nightmare Alley.

Stream it on Disney+ now.

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Spencer

Yes, it’s another film about Princess Diana, but this time we’re taking an in-depth look at that fateful weekend that essentially ends Diana and Charles’ marriage.

Kristen Stewart is taking on the role of Diana in Spencer and critics are already raving about her performance. The movie picks up almost where the fourth season of The Crown left off so it’s the perfect thing to watch while you wait for the next season.

Watch it on Amazon Prime Video now.

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Death on the Nile

Murder mystery fans rejoice because the classic detective Poirot is back on big screens this year. Kenneth Branagh returns as the sleuth to uncover the culprit behind a new murder on a glamorous river steamer in Death on the Nile .

As usual, the suspects are an array of all-stars including Gal Gadot, Rose Leslie, Letitia Wright, Tom Batemen, Annette Bening and Jennifer Saunders.

Stream it on Disney+ now.

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Uncharted

One of the biggest video games of all time is getting the big-screen treatment with Sony’s Uncharted movie. Tom Holland is starring as the hero Nathan Drake alongside Mark Wahlberg as Sully. For any Uncharted newbies, the game (and presumedly movie) has vibes of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider .

It’s definitely one action-packed film you don’t want to miss in 2022.

Buy or rent it on digital platforms now.

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The Batman

Batman is back in possibly his darkest reboot yet for The Batman . Robert Pattinson is behind the cowl as the caped crusader in his early years of crime-fighting. He goes after The Riddler (Paul Dano), the Penguin (Colin Farrell) and Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz).

Read our review.

Buy or rent it on digital platforms now.

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Turning Red

Pixar’s latest adorable film Turning Red follows the adventures of a teenage girl who turns into a giant red panda every time she experiences intense feelings – quite a problem for someone going through adolescence!

Stream it on Disney+ now.

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Morbius

Sony is expanding its superhero universe with an origin story for Morbius , the living vampire. Jared Leto is taking on the role of Dr Michael Morbius who is infected with a rare blood disease and goes to extreme lengths to cure himself, with vampiric results.

Rent or buy it on digital platforms now.

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Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Harry Potter fans have a lot to look forward to this year with the debut of the 20th-anniversary reunion . After that, however, there’s also the third Fantastic Beasts movie.

Secrets of Dumbledore builds on the revelations of the previous film and pits Newt Scamander and his friends against the rising power of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Jule Law and Eddie Redmayne are back but Johnny Depp is not with Mads Mikkelsen taking on the role of Grindelwald for this film.

Buy or rent it on digital platforms now.

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Everything Everywhere All At Once

The Daniels ( Swiss Army Man ) have brought one of the most incredibly original films to life in Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Michelle Yeoh stars as a laundromat owner who goes from battling the IRS over tax claims to being flung into a battle with an eternal evil in the multiverse. This is one you cannot miss.

Read our review.

Buy or rent it on digital platforms now.

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The Northman

If Viking films are your thing you can’t miss The Northman . Director Robert Eggers brings his signature style to the Viking era in a retelling of the brutally accurate revenge story that inspired Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

The movie also has a cast that could rival a Shakespearean epic including Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor Joy and Ethan Hawke.

Buy or rent it on digital platforms now.

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Downton Abbey: A New Era

Downton Abbey may have ended years ago but the series lives on in the period drama’s second feature film. The new movie, titled Downton Abbey: A New Era , sees Hollywood invade the Abbey pushing the Crawley family to escape to the south of France.

Your favourites are all back, including Maggie Smith, along with a handful of new members like Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock and Dominic West.

In cinemas now.

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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

One of the many Marvel movies we have to look forward to in 2022 is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness .

After the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home Doctor Strange has had a fair bit of experience in the multiverse. Now he has to deal with a new multiversal threat in Multiverse of Madness . Elizabeth Olsen returns as the Scarlet Witch for the first time since WandaVision .

Read our review.

Watch it on Disney+ now.

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Top Gun Maverick

After 33 years, Tom Cruise is returning to (one of) the movies that made him famous, Top Gun Maverick . When training a group of graduates, Maverick finds that his old friend Goose’s son is part of his team and embarks on a mission that will force him to face his ghosts.

In cinemas now.

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Jurassic World: Dominion

The third film in the trilogy of Jurassic World films, Dominion shows us what life looks like when dinosaurs reintegrate into our lives in the 21st century. To deal with this life-altering threat, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will recruit the help of some experts with Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill and Laura Dern all returning to the franchise along with newcomer DeWanda Wise.

Read our review.

In cinemas now.

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Lightyear

Lightyear is the Toy Story origin story you didn’t know you needed. Chris Evans is portraying the space ranger in the movie that the toy Buzz Lightyear became based on. You’ll see an all-new side to Buzz Lightyear in this film, including his hair!

If you’re curious we asked the Lightyear filmmakers some burning questions.

In cinemas now.

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Spiderhead

Chris Hemsworth stars in the Netflix sci-fi thriller Spiderhead as a visionary who runs a futuristic prison and experiments on the inmates in an attempt to fix human nature.

Watch it on Netflix now.

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Elvis

Australian directing extraordinaire Baz Luhrmann’s next project is none other than an adaptation of Elvis Presley’s life. Austin Butler is stepping into the shoes of the famous singer for Elvis , a glossy new film about how Presley’s music changed the world.

In cinemas now.

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Thor: Love and Thunder

It’s a big year for Chris Hemsworth who returns as Thor in another action-packed film helmed by Taika Waititi. This time in Thor: Love and Thunder , Thor will go up against Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher with the help of his friends Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), the latter of which will wield the legendary hammer, Mjolnir.

Read our review.

In cinemas now.

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There are so many good movies to see in the cinema this year and this isn’t even all of them. Keep an eye on this post as we add more highly anticipated films coming your way in 2022.

You can also check out some of the best TV shows coming out in 2022 if you prefer the small screen.

The post 30 Major Movie Releases You Need to See in 2022 appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

As much as we love our pets, sometimes our furry friends provide us with more than love and affection: They also leave hair all over our homes and clothing. And while there are ways to deal with the fur coating everything you own, somehow, no matter what you do, some always ends up in the laundry.

There are a few reasons for this, including the fact that your washing machine and dryer probably need to be cleaned. Here’s how to do that, along with some other ways to remove pet hair from your laundry.

How to remove pet hair from your washing machine

Let’s start with your washer. Even when you shake your clothes and linens out before putting them in, there always seems to be fur when it comes out. Here’s how to deal with that:

Clean the machine

Before anything else, try cleaning your washer. You can do this by putting 1/2 cup of white vinegar into the empty drum, and running it through a complete cycle. When it’s finished, wipe it down with a clean, damp, lint-free cloth.

Put them in the dryer first

Another option is to pop your laundry in the dryer before washing it. The idea here is to loosen the pet hair on the fabric so it ends up in the lint trap. It only needs to tumble for about 10 minutes on a low-heat or no-heat setting. Adding a slightly damp clean cloth to the load, along with a dryer sheet or wool dryer balls can help remove more of the fur that’s stuck to everything else.

Rinse your clothes with vinegar

Add 1/2 cup white vinegar during the rinse cycle when washing a load of laundry that you know is coated in pet hair or lint. This softens the fabric, which can help release trapped fur.

How to remove pet hair from your dryer

Even if you take steps to get rid of pet hair in your washer, you know that somehow, at least a bit of it is going to make its way into your dryer. Here are a few ways to keep it from getting on your clothes:

Clean it

Again, it’s best to start out with a clean dryer. In addition to cleaning out the lint trap after every load, take a minute to wipe down the drum of the dryer using a damp, lint-free cloth to get rid of any hair in there.

Use dryer sheets

Drying your laundry using dryer sheets can make a difference, as their antistatic properties help pull pet hair off the fabric and into the lint trap. Though any dryer sheet will work, you can also opt to purchase ones specifically made for removing pet hair and lint, which tend to be around the same price.

Use wool dryer balls

Not into dryer sheets? Reusable wool dryer balls are a great alternative, providing the same hair-loosening power as sheets, but without the scent and creating waste. Plus, they increase airflow in the dryer, which also helps remove fur from your laundry.

The post How to Remove Pet Hair From Your Washing Machine and Dryer appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

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What is K2?

The comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) — or “K2″ for short — was first spotted five years ago, in May 2017 by the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA reports . The agency shared an image of the comet taken on June 20th, 2022, when it was (relatively) near open star cluster IC 4665 and bright star Beta Ophiuchi, near a starry edge of the Milky Way.

This is the first time the K2 comet has made its way to the inner Solar System from the dim and distant Oort cloud , NASA explains. When it was first observed in May 2017, it was the most distant active inbound comet ever discovered — roughly 2.4 billion kilometers from the Sun, between the orbital distances of Uranus and Saturn.

How big is K2?

When the K2 comet first became visible on the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists estimated that it had a nucleus nearly 18 km in diameter. But according to research from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope , the comet’s nucleus is estimated to have a radius between nine and 80 km. Either way, it’s pretty damn big.

And that’s not counting the size of K2’s tail — the trail of gasses and dust behind the comet — also known as a “coma.” According to early estimates, K2’s tail is anywhere between 81,000 and 804,672 km across. For some perspective, that’s somewhere between the width of one and six Jupiters.

When will K2 be visible?

Your best chance of seeing the K2 comet will be the night of July 14th, which is when it will make its closest approach to Earth. Even though it’s huge, you’ll likely need at least a small telescope to spot the comet. Look for a fuzzy patch of light (which is the tail).

If you’d prefer to watch the comet pass Earth from the comfort of your own home, the Virtual Telescope Project will be live-streaming it starting at 6.15 pm on July 14. But don’t worry too much if you miss K2 on the 14th — it should be visible with a telescope until September .

The closest it will get to the Sun will be in December.

The post How (and When) to Watch the Massive K2 Comet Pass Earth appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

Perennials have earned a place in the hearts and yards of people who enjoy having foliage around, but don’t necessarily want to spend time planting it each year. And while perennials do tend to be lower-maintenance than their annual relatives, that doesn’t mean that they’re completely hands-off.

In fact, after residing in your yard or garden for a few years, you may begin to notice that they don’t look as full and healthy as they once did. Their blooms be may smaller, they may develop a “bald spot” in the middle of their crown, or you may have to start staking their stems to prevent them from toppling over.

If you notice any (or several) of these signs, it’s probably time to divide your perennial plant. Here’s how to do that, and why it’s important.

Why you should divide your perennials

While dividing perennials does, in fact, leave you with more plants that you can add to other parts of your garden or yard (or give away or sell to other people), it has other benefits as well . The biggest one is that it can stimulate new growth in a plant — especially if it previously resided in a patch of ground that was getting to be overcrowded (with plants).

When the plants are all crammed into a small space, they have to compete for nutrients and water. Plus, the restricted airflow makes it easier for them to become diseased. When you divide your perennials, it gives their roots the space they need to spread out so they can grow and bloom.

How to divide perennials

Before you start to divide and conquer your perennials, be sure that their soil is moist — either by watering them the day before, or doing the dividing after a few days of rain showers. And, if possible, divide your plants on a cloudy day, so that the sun doesn’t dry the plants out while they’re in transit.

Here’s how to divide perennials, according to the University of Minnesota Extension :

1. Use a spade or fork to dig up the parent plant.
2. Gently lift the plant — and its roots — out of the ground.
3. Remove any loose dirt clinging to the roots.
4. Divide the plant using one of these three methods: (1) Gently pulling or teasing the roots apart with your hands; (2) Cutting them with a spade or sharp knife; (3) Putting two forks back-to-back in the middle of the clump, then pulling them apart.
5. Be sure that each “new” plant has three to five vigorous shoots, and a healthy supply of roots.
6. Either plant the divided perennials right away, or keep them moist and in the shade until you replant them in the ground.

The post How to Divide Perennials, and Why You Should appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

Running is invigorating: feeling the wind moving through your hair, your body connecting with the earth beneath your feet, a chance to take stock of the world that moves around you and the world that moves within you . Unless, of course, the weather sucks. Then it’s time to book it indoors and hit everyone’s “favourite” cardio machine, the treadmill. If you’re worried about transitioning your outdoor runs to the treadmill this winter, you’re not alone. In addition to basic safety concerns, you might be worried that you’re not getting all the same physical benefits as pounding the pavement on a physical track. Plus, what’s the deal with that calorie counter on the machine? Here’s what to know about running on the treadmill.

How different are treadmill runs, really?

When it comes to how much work you put into your run, the treadmill is not “cheating” (no, the belt moving doesn’t do the work for you). You’ll get all the same physical benefits as your outdoors runs, excluding the mental perks of spending time outdoors . Likewise, if you can walk or run outdoors, the treadmill isn’t going to give you a different type of workout.

Ignore that calorie counter

As mentioned above, indoor and outdoor runs are not going to be drastically different, despite what the differing data from your treadmill’s built-in calorie counter and your smartwatch might be suggesting. Lifehacker Senior Health Editor Beth Skwarecki explains it like this :

Unless a scientist is following you around with a computer and an oxygen mask all day, you’re only getting a very rough estimate of what that number might be. Gym machines typically overestimate your calorie burn because, hey, big numbers make customers happy. So if you get different numbers from your elliptical and your Fitbit, go with the lower number. But the actual winning move might be to not count activity calories at all .

It can certainly be helpful to have metrics like time, distance, speed, and incline right at your fingertips, but consider turning off or taping over the calorie count.

Learn machine safety

While the benefits of treadmill runs are the same as outdoor runs, the risks are different. During outdoor runs you need to have your wits about you to avoid traffic, unsteady surfaces, and all the threats posed by the outside world. On the treadmill, your main safety concern is getting on and off. Never mess around by jumping straight on or off a fast-moving belt. Always slow it down gradually, almost to a stop, before disembarking. In case of emergency, know where to locate your machine’s safety clip, which you can yank out to make the machine stop moving as quickly as possible. Every machine works a little differently, so if you’re at the gym, ask a trainer to walk you (ahem) through the treadmill you’re on. Learn where the fan is, secure a water bottle close by, and see if it’s possible to turn off that calorie count. Then, take advantage of all the different functions your treadmill has to offer, primarily the ability to control speed and incline . You probably want to set an incline for a more outdoor-like workout , where you rarely encounter consistently, perfectly flat routes.

To handrail or not to handrail?

The purpose of your treadmill run is to mimic natural walking and running strides as best you can. Holding onto the handrail can throw that off. “Using the handrails transfers the workload meant for your legs and core into your upper body,” certified personal trainer Amanda Foland told Livestrong . If you feel the need to hold onto the handrails, it’s not the end of the world. But if it makes your workout significantly easier, think about what that likely means for the amount of work you’re putting into–and getting out of–your run.

Focus on form

With none of the distractions of the outside world, treadmill runs offer a unique opportunity to focus on proper form. All the tenants of proper running form apply, but can be easy to forget on the treadmill. Take this time to brush up on good form with these reminders:

• Engage your core
• Use a relaxed arm swing
• Keeping your gaze forward (don’t look down at your feet)
• Keep your feet under your body (rather than overstriding)

When it comes to form issues specific to the treadmill, Healthline points out that the length of the belt might tempt you to shorten your stride to avoid kicking the front of the machine. Allow yourself to run a little further back on the belt in order to keep your stride as natural as possible. And as mentioned above, try to avoid holding onto the handrails unless you’re concerned about your balance.

Mental tips and tricks to sustain you through your workout

My greatest fear with the treadmill is not that I will trip and fall and then get my ponytail sucked up into the machine, but that I will get bored. Here are some ways to keep your mind occupied when your surroundings are unchanging during your indoor run:

• Watch a movie or TV show
• Read (easier to do for walkers than runners, but don’t sleep on audiobooks)
• Build in speed and intensity changes
• Visualise your normal outdoor route
• At home, play music or a podcast from a speaker rather than bothering with earphones
• At the gym, get a friend to run at the machine next to you

For many people, the treadmill is somehow not a source of dread, but an incredible tool to manipulate the conditions into their perfect run every time. So try to be like them. Ready to go? Here’s how to find a treadmill when you don’t have a gym membership.

The post How to Actually Enjoy Treadmill Running This Winter appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .