Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Ottomans are genius storage and comfort solutions, as well as clever accents to a living room or bedroom decor.
• The Seville Classics Foldable Storage Ottoman comes in three styles, each with a hidden storage compartment for stashing blankets, magazines, or anything else you want to hide from view.

Adding an ottoman to a living room may seem superfluous, but if you have space for one, it is actually a genius piece of furniture.

Ottomans not only offer comfort, but they are also a great storage solution, especially for small spaces. Who wouldn't want a hidden storage solution that doubles as an accent piece and a footrest? Of course, not all ottomans have storage compartments, but many of them do.

Either way, Ottomans can add depth and variety to your decor. Even if you have a cramped living room, an ottoman can be a practical addition.

From round to square and bench-style, there are so many different styles, you're bound to encounter one that suits your aesthetic — and budget. Here are our favorite ottomans.

Here are the best ottomans you can buy in 2019:

• Best ottoman overall: Seville Classics Foldable Storage Ottoman
• Best ottoman for less than $100: Threshold Danbury Tufted Storage Ottoman
• Best leather ottoman: Crate & Barrel Stow 17-Inch Leather Storage Ottoman
• Best bench-style ottoman: Madison Park Shandra Storage Ottoman
• Best convertible ottoman: Brayden Studio Saito Sleeper Ottoman

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best ottoman overall

Why you'll love it: The affordable Seville Classics Foldable Storage Ottoman is one of the most versatile options on the market, available in three styles and several subdued colors.

The Seville Classics Foldable Storage Ottoman is great for small spaces with limited storage. It comes in different styles, each with interior storage hidden beneath a removable lid. You can tuck games, DVDs, toys, blankets, or off-season clothing out of sight while using the cushioned top surface for additional seating.

Despite the affordable price tag (the cube size starts at $25.19 on Amazon), these pieces are surprisingly strong and durable. The smaller size holds up to 400 pounds of weight on the lid, while the two larger benches can hold 500 pounds. And the pieces themselves are collapsible for easy storage.

Seville Classics ottomans come in several subdued, neutral colors, with tufted and non-tufted lids. These are very highly rated on Amazon, with 4.7 stars based on more than 1,700 reviews, and have been featured by The Strategist.

Pros: Collapsible, multiple size options, removable lid, interior storage, affordable

Cons: Some reviewers complained about strong smell of flame retardant

Buy Seville Classics Foldable Storage Ottoman for $20.19 on Amazon

Buy Seville Classics WEB284 Foldable Storage Bench for $39.73 on Amazon

The best under-$100 ottoman

Why you'll love it: The Threshold Danbury Tufted Storage Ottoman is affordable, attractive, and totally practical.

Target furniture is fantastic. What's not to love about pieces that are affordable, high-quality, and attractive? The Threshold Danbury Tufted Storage Ottoman checks off all three of those boxes — and then some.

This is a super-cute tufted ottoman with nailhead detailing and wooden feet that give the piece an elegant touch. It comes in bluish gray and cream, as well as one in faux leather brown. The lid lifts to reveal a storage compartment.

The Danbury ottoman has an almost perfect 5-star rating based on more than 400 customer feedbacks. It has also been featured by Apartment Therapy as a favorite bargain pick. "Fits a few throw pillows or blankets in the storage compartment," one Target customer wrote.

Pros: Affordable, elegant design, interior storage, slow-close lid

Cons: Actual colors may differ from the online photos

Buy the Threshold Danbury Tufted Storage Ottoman from $64.99 at Target

The best leather ottoman

Why you'll love it: The Crate & Barrel Stow 17-Inch Leather Storage Ottoman holds a surprising amount within its sleek leather-bound exterior.

Leather furniture has a reputation for being, well, kind of ugly. The minimalist-yet-elegant Crate & Barrel Stow 17-Inch Leather Storage Ottoman is definitely an exception. It's beautifully constructed from bonded leather and hardwood, with foam filling for additional cushioning.

The top can be removed to reveal a hardwood snack tray and empty space for storage. Available in a gorgeous array of colors, from olive to alabaster, there's sure to be one that suits your decor. Crate & Barrel shoppers give this ottoman a 4.7-star rating, based on 410 reviews. Best Products also recommends the piece.

A few customers, however, have complained about the leather cracking over time, so make sure to follow the instructions for long-term care.

Pros: Hidden storage, lid doubles as snack tray, several color options

Cons: Leather is delicate

Buy the Stow 17-Inch Leather Storage Ottoman for $149 on Crate & Barrel

Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network if you apply for a credit card, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• This winter, my wife and I used credit-card points to fly in first class to Japan on All Nippon Airways, or ANA, a Japanese carrier.
• In-air suites, comfortable chairs that turned into lie-flat beds, top-shelf Champagne and whiskey, and unbelievable Japanese food were just a few of the highlights.
• Using cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Platinum Card from American Express, it cost us surprisingly few points, plus about $250 in taxes and fees.

I love to travel, and I love to do it using points or frequent-flyer miles — probably a given, since I'm Business Insider's senior travel and credit-card reporter.

One thing I — and presumably everyone else on the planet — don't like is spending 10 to 20 hours in a cramped economy seat on an airplane.

Don't get me wrong: I'm willing to do it without a second thought if it means getting to travel somewhere like Asia, Africa, Australia, southern South America, or parts of Europe. I fly in coach on most of my trips, because it's absolutely worth it in order to see somewhere new or different, or to take advantage of work opportunities. But there's no questioning that it's rough and that it might take some time to recover from the journey.

The ideal way to travel is in business class (where you can enjoy better food and service, but more importantly, room to stretch out) or first class (where meals, amenities, and service are a full experience to go alongside plenty of personal space and privacy).

One card I used for my first-class flight was the Platinum Card from American Express. Learn more about it from The Points Guy »

The problem: Those premium cabins are expensive. Long-haul business-class flights can cost thousands of dollars, while seats in first class can eclipse $20,000. With economy flights to anywhere in the world usually staying below $2,000 and often available for less than half of that, it can be hard to justify the expense of a premium cabin unless your workplace is paying or you have a tremendous amount of disposable income.

But using credit-card points and frequent-flyer miles makes flying in a premium cabin suddenly affordable for anyone.

The easiest way to use points and miles for a vacation: plan destinations and dates around flights, not the other way around

You can book through your credit card's travel website, though this usually takes a huge number of points. A better option is to transfer your points to an airline's frequent-flyer program, basically turning them into miles. Because of the way these programs work, you can usually get a lot more value from a lot fewer miles than you can with credit-card points.

That's how my wife and I recently snagged two round-trip, first-class tickets to Japan, as part of a larger Asian trip connecting to South Korea and Thailand.

Using miles to book tickets in a premium cabin can be tricky, but it's certainly doable with a bit of planning, effort, and flexibility. If you're looking for specific dates or, preferably, a specific period, with a couple of days of flexibility on either end, your best chance is to start searching as far in advance as possible and be ready to book tickets as soon as they open up. ExpertFlyer can be helpful for this but isn't mandatory.

The more ideal situation if you have a relatively flexible schedule and aren't traveling for a specific event, such as a wedding, is to build up points and miles and plan trips around available flights you can book with them.

That's what we did in this case. All Nippon Airways, or ANA, a Japanese airline, opened up a ton of first- and business-class availability between the US and Asia all at once for the coming year. I found out about it thanks to a Twitter alert and booked a round trip from New York to Tokyo with a two-week stay. Then we planned from there.

The American Express Gold Card is one of my go-to cards for travel points. Learn more at The Points Guy »

As you build up a stock of credit-card points and frequent-flyer miles, an excellent way to find out when an airline opens up a ton of award space — and how to book it with whatever points or miles you have — is to sign up for Straight to the Points' "Award Alerts" email newsletter.

This helpful newsletter is sent periodically as airlines open up large blocks of award space — one to five times a month, on average — and lists all the different points and miles you can use to book the flights. When you get an alert, take a look at the ways you can book the flight, see if the dates and destinations work for a vacation, and enjoy your ride in some of the world's best first- and business-class offerings.

How I booked Japan

Last spring, before Straight to the Points launched its newsletter, I saw either a blog post or a Twitter tip — I can't quite remember — saying there was a ton of first- and business-class availability on ANA between US cities and Tokyo.

My wife and I had been to Japan for our honeymoon the year before and wanted to explore somewhere new, but we had been talking vaguely about taking a vacation somewhere in Asia early the following year. We didn't have any firm thoughts or plans, but we decided to book the round trip to Tokyo and figure out the rest from there. We chose flights that gave us a two-week stay. With 14 hours in one direction and 11 in the other, it seemed like a fantastic time to splurge on first class.

Sometimes it costs fewer points to book a ticket using miles from an airline's partner than from the airline itself. That's the case with ANA, at least for flights between the US and Asia.

ANA is part of the Star Alliance network, meaning it partners with airlines like United and Air Canada. However, it also has non-alliance partnerships, including with Virgin Atlantic, an independent airline.

You can book round-trip tickets only if you use Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles on partner airlines, but Virgin's partner-award chart is incredibly generous, meaning you don't need too many miles to book.

Round-trip flights between the western US and Japan in business class are just 90,000 miles, while in first class it's only 110,000 miles; from the eastern US it's 95,000 miles and 120,000 miles. There are also taxes and fees, which top out at about $250.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is a transfer partner of the three major transferable credit-card rewards programs: AmEx Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

One of the cards I've used with Chase Ultimate Rewards is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, which is offering its highest-ever sign-up bonus.

When I found out about the availability, I used United's website to search for ANA flights — Virgin's website doesn't have access to ANA's flights, meaning you need to find availability somewhere else, then call Virgin to book. I simply entered "NYC" as my departure city and "TYO" as my destination, clicked "book with miles" and "calendar shop," selected two adults, first class, and the month I wanted to look at. Then I played around with results until I found dates that showed ANA flights bookable with miles.

When we decided to book the flights, I called Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club reservations number and waited on hold for about 20 minutes. When I got through, I told the call agent exactly which flights I wanted, confirmed they were available, and asked her to hold the reservation, which Virgin allows for 24 hours. Then I logged in to my Chase account and transferred the necessary points to Virgin, called back, and confirmed the reservation.

I also could have used my AmEx points — AmEx occasionally runs transfer bonuses to Virgin but wasn't at the time — but since my wife and I had an abundance of Chase points at the time, it seemed more practical to use those.

I got my Chase points using cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Learn more from The Points Guy »

In the end, each of our round-trip first-class tickets cost 120,000 points, transferred to Virgin Atlantic, and $256.71 in taxes and fees. The advertised cash price for each ticket was $20,787. That means we got an excellent $0.0585 worth of value for each point used, way more than the $0.015 we could have gotten if we used points to book travel through Chase.

We earned the points by optimizing the rewards we earn on spending by using the right card, and by opening new cards to earn sign-up or welcome bonuses. I try to keep a healthy stock of points on hand for opportunities like this, and I've found it to be one of the best ways to use them.

If you're hoping to book a similar trip, take a look at the cards below. I've had each at some point (or have it now), and their new-membership bonuses have helped me take some incredible trips.

Click on the cards below to visit Business Insider's partner The Points Guy to learn more about them:

• Platinum Card from American Express
• American Express Gold Card
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (currently offering its highest-ever sign-up bonus!)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Citi Premier Rewards

SEE ALSO: The best credit card rewards, bonuses, and benefits of 2019

Join the conversation about this story »

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

We rounded up the eight best sales and deals happening today to save you time, with savings at Snapfish, Best Buy, Clarks, and Boll & Branch. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

1. Save up to 75% on photo gifts at Snapfish

With graduation season coming up, you'll soon be taking a lot of photos of the new grads in your life. Whether you're looking to create invitations for graduation parties, framed portraits from their special day, or beautiful photo albums, you'll be able to do it with Snapfish. Right now, you can save big on photo gifts of all kinds. Some of the deals include 75% off two books with the promo code "75BKAPR," 70% off cards with the promo code "70APRCB," and 50% off everything else on the site with the promo code "50APR19" at checkout. 

Shop the Snapfish sale now. 

2. Save big on laptops, TVs, tablets, and more at Best Buy

Best Buy is having a huge four-day flash sale with deals on everything from TVs and smartphones to computers and tablets. Some of the many great deals include up to $400 off Apple MacBook Pros, $200 off the iPhone X with activation, and up to $300 off 4K HDTVs. Whether you're looking to save on tech gifts for new grads or you're splurging on yourself, you'll find plenty of worthwhile bargains here. To potentially save even more at Best Buy, visit Business Insider Coupons here. 

Shop the Best Buy four-day sale now. 

3. Save $53 on a Hitachi leaf blower on Amazon

Now that grass is growing and trees and flowers are in full bloom, you're going to have to do some yard work to keep your lawn in good shape. Right now, you can save $53 on a Hitachi leaf blower as an Amazon Deal of the Day. It can be used for clearing up grass and bush clippings now, and leaves when they begin to fall later in the year.

Hitachi RB24EAP Gas Powered Leaf Blower, $96.75 (Originally $149.95) [You save $53.20]

4. Save 30% when you spend $130 or more at Clarks

For the last week, Clarks has been running a big sale on shoes, and today is the last day to save. Right now, you can get 30% off when you spend $130 or more by using the promo code "TAKE30" at checkout. If you're looking for shoes that find balance between long-lasting comfort and work-appropriate style, this is the sale for you. For additional savings and deals at Clarks, visit Business Insider Coupons here.

Shop the Clarks sale now.

5. Save up to 50% on JBL speakers and headphones

If you like bringing music on the go, JBL is the brand you should look to for audio accessories. The brand's lineup of wireless products includes water-resistant speakers, travel-ready clip-on speakers, and headphones for sports. For a limited time, you can save up to 50% on select Bluetooth headphones, speakers, and at-home sound systems.

Shop the JBL sale now.

6. Save up to 79% on designer sunglasses at Nordstrom Rack

A stylish pair of sunglasses can elevate any look during the spring and summer — and Nordstrom Rack has great deals on all of your favorite brands. Right now, you can save up to 79% on designer sunglasses for men and women from brands like Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Tom Ford, Jimmy Choo, and Fendi. To potentially save more at Nordstrom Rack, visit Business Insider Coupons.

Shop men's sunglasses and women's sunglasses at Nordstrom Rack now.

7. Save 20% on everything at Boll & Branch

Founded in 2013, luxury bedding startup Boll & Branch used to have its only sale of the year on Black Friday. Now, the brand is adding a spring sale to its very short list of promotions held throughout the year. During its first spring sale ever, you can automatically save 20% on everything. The sale ends on April 28, so if you're shopping for sheets, blankets, pillows, or mattresses, now is the time to buy.

Shop the Boll & Branch sale now.

8. Save 20% on mattresses at Brooklyn Bedding

Buying a mattress in the store (and figuring out how to get it home) is not fun. Luckily, online mattress startup Brooklyn Bedding makes getting a new bed stress-free and surprisingly affordable. Now through April 30, you can save 20% on any mattress by using the promo code "SPRING20" at checkout. With a 120-night sleep trial, a 10-year warranty, and free returns on all of its mattresses, you'll never get stuck with a bed you don't love.

Shop the Brooklyn Bedding sale now.

Join the conversation about this story »

• Only 19% of millennials and Gen Z define financial success as being rich, according to a recent Merrill Lynch Wealth Management report — most define it as being debt-free.
• According to the report, early-adult households collectively hold nearly $2 trillion of debt, mainly credit-card debt and student-loan debt.
• Student-loan debt has caused them to delay homeownership and parenthood and put them behind in retirement savings.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Some people might equate financial success with how rich they are, but that's not the case with most millennials and Gen Z.

According to a recent report by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, which surveyed more than 2,700 Americans ages 18 to 34, only 19% of respondents defined financial success as being rich — 60% defined it as being debt-free.

"Freedom from debt seems a low bar of accomplishment, yet it's an elusive goal for many early adults," the report said.

According to the report, 81% of early-adult households carry a collective debt of nearly $2 trillion. The debt includes car loans and mortgages but is mainly made up of student-loan debt and credit-card debt. Those who carry the latter have an average balance of $3,700, and more than half said they're struggling to pay it off.

Meanwhile, college tuition has more than doubled since the 1980s. As a result, student-loan debt has reached record levels — the national student-debt total is more than $1.5 trillion, and the average student-loan debt per graduating student in 2018 who took out loans is $29,800, according to Student Loan Hero. 

The financial repercussions of this are hitting hard. According to the report, 36% of college graduates paying off loans said the debt wasn't worth it. An INSIDER and Morning Consult survey found a similar sentiment — nearly half of indebted millennial respondents said college wasn't worth taking out student loans.

"Student debt is having major ripple effects on early adults' futures, financially and personally," the report said. "Four-hundred-thousand early adults who would have purchased a home a decade ago have not been able to afford one due to student debt, and today's early adults take finances into greater consideration in deciding whether and when to have a child than those in past generations. The ripple even reaches retirement years — indebted graduates are contributing only about half the amount to their 401(k)s compared to those without debt."

Read more: Nearly half of indebted millennials say college wasn't worth it, and the reason why is obvious

Retirement is a particular problem for older millennials, who graduated from college and entered the workforce during the Great Recession. A tough job market and wage stagnation made it increasingly difficult to pay off student-loan debt, Jason Dorsey, a consultant, a researcher of millennials, and the president of the Center for Generational Kinetics, previously told Business Insider.

Consequently, they weren't able to accumulate the amount of wealth they hoped to. "Older millennials are often realizing they're going to have to play catch-up with their finances if they want to ever be able to retire, but some of them have already decided that they likely will not ever be able to afford to retire," Dorsey said.

While Richard Vedder, an author and distinguished professor emeritus of economics at Ohio University, previously told Business Insider that the rising cost of college has made a degree less advantageous than it was 10 years ago, the report said that a bachelor's degree is estimated to help the average person add $1 million to their lifetime earnings.

What now remains to be seen is just how much of that money will be spent paying off the debt that helped them obtain the degree.

SEE ALSO: American millennials have less money than other generations did at their age — but studies show an alarming amount of them have delusional ideas about their wealth

DON'T MISS: The middle class is disappearing in countries around the world, and it means millennials won't have the same opportunities their parents did

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 9 of the most exclusive Disney spots to visit, including the invite-only suite where Tom Cruise and Mariah Carey have stayed

• You can clear your Internet browsing history off an iPad in several different ways — removing individual sites visits, or scrubbing batches of or all of your history.
• If you use a shared iPad or one from your workplace or school, it's important to remove any history that could cause issues with human resources or the administration.
• Clearing a long backlog of history can make your iPad more efficient as you browse the web by removing out-of-date data cached on the device.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Maybe you use an iPad loaned to you by your school or office, or maybe you just ran a quick search on your kid's iPad (or on your parent's device) that you'd rather not become a part of the next dinner table conversation.

Whatever your reasons for wanting to clear the history on an iPad may be, clearing said searches and site visits is quick and easy.

And periodically clearing the history off your iPad can make the device work faster when it comes to web browsing, as a backlog of old cookies and other data can slow downloading speeds if the data is out of date.

How to clear individual pieces of history on an iPad

If you just want to remove one or two searches or sites you visited off an iPad's history, follow this approach.

1. Launch the Safari app.

2. Tap the icon at the top left of the screen that looks like an open book.

3. Tap on the clock icon under the word "History."

4. Locate the item to be cleared, swipe left a bit, and tap delete, or swipe all the way left on the item to automatically delete it.

How to clear larger periods of history on an iPad

If you need to clear the last hour, day, two-day, or all-time history off your iPad, again start with the open book icon found at the top left of the Safari browser.

1. Tap the clock icon.

2. Tap the word "Clear" at the bottom right of the History popup window.

3. Select the period of history you want to clear (The last hour, Today, etc.), and tap it.

How to clear all online history on an iPad

If you want to wipe out not just your all-time browsing history (as depicted above) but an iPad's entire online history, including cookies and all cached search and site data, you can do that through the Settings app.

1. Open the Settings app and open the Safari tab.

2. In the window that appears on the right, scroll down to the blue words reading "Clear History and Website Data" and tap it.

3. Tap the red word "Clear" on the popup window.

Just keep in mind that this will remove all your pre-loaded login information, so if you'll still be keeping the iPad, you'll have a lot of usernames and passwords to re-enter.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech: 

• How to record the screen on your iPad

• How to delete photos from an iPad, with an easy method for deleting all of your photos at once

• How to copy and paste on your iPad or iPhone, and from one device to the other

• How to use and get rid of the split screen feature on your iPad

SEE ALSO: The best tablets you can buy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Anime could give Netflix a major advantage against Disney in the streaming war

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• There's nothing worse than a dirty window, cloudy mirror, or dirt-spattered windshield. Everyone needs a good glass cleaner to keep those surfaces clean, so we used more than a dozen different glass cleaners to find the best one. 
• Windex Original Glass Cleaner still reigns supreme because it cuts through grime, doesn't leave streaks, and doesn't cost much.

A thorough window cleaning is one of the more thankless tasks on the household chore list, but fortunately, it's one you only have to complete a couple of times per year. To prevent the build-up of stubborn hard water stains on windows, thorough cleaning in spring and fall should do the trick. As for the shower door, that's going to require much more frequent cleaning. So, too,- will mirrors that are regularly exposed to humidity. On close examination, it's amazing how dirty glass surfaces can get, really. Amazing ... and disheartening, unless you have the best glass cleaners at your disposal.

We've tested several glass cleaners over the years, and they all essentially perform the same task: They help you clean glass. Our choices are differentiated not by their efficacy as much as by the unique properties. One is designed to preserve all the helpful microscopic organisms that share your home's microbiome with you and your family, another features an all-natural corn-based solvent, and another is almost as cheap as the dirt it will help remove.

We're sure at least one of these glass cleaners will be a fit for your needs, and in fact, maybe you'll choose to use a couple. Keep in mind that proper glass cleaning technique can be as important as the glass cleaner you're using. If you are cleaning windows with paper towels or rags, make sure to switch out the dirty ones for clean ones regularly to avoid simply moving the dirt around on the window.

Ideally, window, shower door, auto glass, and even mirror cleaning involves a glass cleaner, a squeegee, and a couple of sponges. You should sponge on the cleaner, then use the squeegee to remove as much of the stuff as possible using a downward back and forth S-shaped pattern. Then get the corners and any patches you missed with a clean sponge. Now on to our top picks for the best glass cleaner you can buy.

Here are the best window cleaners you can buy in 2019:

• Best glass cleaner overall: Windex Original Glass Cleaner
• Best natural glass cleaner: Method Natural Glass and Surface Cleaner
• Best glass cleaner without ammonia: Glass Plus Glass Cleaner
• Best glass cleaner for hard water stains: Bio Clean Hard Water Stain Remover
• Best health-conscious glass cleaner: Aunt Fannies Glass and Window Vinegar Wash

Updated on 04/24/2019 by Les Shu: Updated pricing, links, and formatting. Added related buying guides for cleaning products.

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best glass cleaner overall

Why you'll love it: Windex Original Glass Cleaner cuts through grit and grease with ease thanks to its time-tested active ingredient ammonia-D.

Windex Original Glass Cleaner is a classic example of the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" maxim. The stuff just works. It does exactly what it's supposed to, creating clear, streak-free glass that is cleaner-looking and largely free of harmful bacteria. People have been cleaning windows, shower stalls, glass shelves, and more using Windex for generations. 

Not only is Windex Original effective, it's also affordable. In fact, it's the second cheapest choice on our list. It's also a surprisingly versatile cleaner that's gentle enough for use on eyeglasses and even on many types of screen, like that of your TV or laptop. Don't use it on touchscreens, though, and for any sensitive application like these, it's best to spray the cleaner onto a cloth, not directly onto the surface in need of cleaning.

Guides editor Malarie Gokey uses Windex to handle tough glass cleaning jobs, and it always works like a charm with just a few spritzes and minimal elbow grease.

Do note that while a highly effective cleaner, Windex's "Ammonia-D" formula isn't the safest substance known to humankind. Which is to say, don't get this stuff in your eyes, nose, or mouth, and wear gloves if you have to clean more than one mirror or a few panes of glass, as it's not great for your skin, either.

It's little surprise that this classic cleaner scores a 4.6-star average rating on Amazon. A lady named Trisha left a review praising how Windex Original "cleans with no streaking," while another customer called it "a classic" that always "works well and cleans nicely."

In a customer comment from Viewpoints, Windex Original Glass Cleaner was hailed as an effective cleaner on "anything that is glass," from windows to doors to mirrors to shelving and more. It was even described as working well "in the spring after windows have been left uncleaned [sic] all winter long."

Pros: Effective even on stubborn grime, low cost, trusted for years

Cons: Ammonia can be dangerous if mishandled

Buy a bottle of Windex Original Glass Cleaner on Amazon for $2.91

The best natural glass cleaner

Why you'll love it: Method Glass and Surface Cleaner is almost entirely made using ingredients sourced from plants, so it's safe to use around people, pets, and food.

Method Glass and Surface Cleaner is not 100% natural, but it uses mostly natural ingredients. The "chemicals" you'll find listed on the bottle include potassium citrate, which Method derives from corn sugars, and ethanol, derived from sugar beets.

Method Glass and Surface cleaner isn't misleading you about its multi-surface capabilities, either. This stuff works well on glass, but it's also great for other hard surfaces, including granite, quartz, and tile. It is equally effective whether used on windows, countertops, walls, and more. The fresh mint scent is pleasant and even invigorating, too. 

For eco-friendly folks, the bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are 100% recyclable. Guides editor Malarie Gokey also uses this Method cleaner to wipe down less stubborn stains that don't require the aid of Windex. It's also great for cleaning a number of tile surfaces in her home.

With more than 100 reviews posted, Method Glass and Surface Cleaner has a commendable 4.4-star rating at the time of this writing. One very satisfied buyer says it both "cleans and smells wonderfully," while another loves that its non-toxic formula is ideal for "using [the cleaner] near the kids."

A writer from Good Housekeeping said Method did a fine "job cleaning glass" and "other test surfaces," but did note occasional streaking issues.  

Pros: Effective on myriad surfaces, safe and natural formula, pleasant scent

Cons: Leaves occasional streaks

Buy the Method Glass and Surface Cleaner from Target for $3.29

The best glass cleaner without ammonia

Why you'll love it: Glass Plus Glass Cleaner is a versatile and effective cleaning product with many applications, plus, it's affordable.

As for efficacy, Glass Plus Glass Cleaner is more than adequate for most household and light commercial glass cleaning needs. As it's free of the harsh ammonia featured in other glass cleaners, it can be safely used on a wide variety of materials, including plastics, fiberglass, vinyl Plexiglas, and many more. You can even use this stuff on washable wallpaper without worrying about it corroding the surface.

While Glass Plus doesn't cut through stubborn grime, grease, or stains quite as effortlessly as certain harsher products, it's great for those light, frequent cleanings or for dealing with one-off messes, like a toddler's handprint or a countertop spill. And again, that price. You can use squirt after squirt of the stuff and not worry about breaking your household cleaning budget.

With nearly 200 reviews posted, Glass Plus Glass Cleaner has a solid 4.4 out of five-star rating. A gentleman named Tom appreciated the "streak-free finish" and that it "dried fairly quickly" after use, while a customer named Amy called it a "great value."

A product tester from WiseBread said Glass Plus is effective on a variety of "indoor and outdoor surfaces, like glass, mirrors, stovetops, and stainless steel and granite surfaces."

Pros: Very low price tag, works on myriad surfaces, ammonia-free formula

Cons: Not as effective as other options for stubborn grease or stains

Buy a bottle of Glass Plus Glass Cleaner on Amazon for $3.47

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• AUrate is a direct-to-consumer site that is making fine jewelry more accessible and transparent. 
• Its ethically sourced and real gold rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are beautifully simple and add a touch of luxury to your everyday life. 
• You can get many of these pieces for under $500, making them a great gift option. 

When you go jewelry shopping, you pretty much have two options. The first, fine jewelry, is way out of your price range, and you can only lust for it behind a carefully polished glass case as the boutique associate watches you from the corner of his eye.

The second is cheap jewelry you can get at any retail store that's just painted gold or silver and that you could care less about losing. Since I don't have sensitive skin that reacts poorly to less-than-pure substances, I tend to go for the latter and have a healthy collection of Forever 21 and H&M jewelry. I really wish I could own and cherish fine jewelry, but I can't justify paying a few month's rent for a ring. 

Sophie Kahn and Bouchra Ezzahraoui recognized this wide open gap and jumped headfirst into it by starting their affordable fine jewelry company AUrate. Just as the direct-to-consumer model has disrupted many other industries, it's proving to make total sense for the slow-to-change traditional fine jewelry industry.

When you shop at AUrate, you're getting the fair price, no high wholesale markups attached. According to AUrate, traditional jewelry can be marked up to 20 times the cost — that's a ton of money you could be putting elsewhere.

AUrate not only interrupts the chain to get you lower prices, but also ensures materials are sourced ethically.

Materials are sourced in accordance with high standards of social, environmental, and human rights practices, while diamonds and pearls are purchased from conflict-free regions. It's a guilt-free buying experience, for your wallet and your conscience. 

The jewelry itself is beautifully classic and wearable. I personally wore my solid circle necklace ($250) every day for a week because it just went with everything and was the perfect simple finishing touch. Made from real 14k and 18k gold (a couple ways you can tell is by looking for a stamp that marks the karat weight and if it's not magnetic), the rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings all look and feel amazing. Whether you feature it as a dainty standalone piece or layer pieces on top of each other, the jewelry is elegantly versatile. 

As you shop for jewelry this Valentine's Day, look to AUrate for affordable luxury, gorgeous simplicity, and ethically made pieces. See some of the jewelry from AUrate for yourself below.

SEE ALSO: This is the ultimate work bag for professional women

A bold collar necklace and a delicate charm necklace

AUrate Collar Necklace, $550

AUrate Mini Charm Circle Necklace, $180

Diamond bezel ring

AUrate Diamond Bezel Ring, $150

X cuff

AUrate X Cuff, $300

• Middle-class America is shrinking.
• A recent INSIDER and Morning Consult survey took a look at the differences between America's middle class and affluent.
• Two clear divides emerged along traditional markers of wealth: homeownership and retirement savings.
• The middle class has more debt to pay off, which makes it harder to save — as a result, they're not as prepared for retirement as the rich.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

America's middle class is shrinking.

From 1971 to 2016, the size of middle-class America has decreased by nearly 10%, according to the Pew Research Center. And from 2010 to 2016, the wealth of people in the middle class didn't increase at the higher rate of the upper class, widening the income gap between the two groups.

So how does life differ between America's middle class and America's rich? A recent survey by INSIDER and Morning Consult took a look. The survey polled 4,400 Americans, including 1,364 who identified themselves as middle class and 79 who identified themselves as affluent.

While the latter group is a relatively small sample, their responses do highlight two traditional markers of wealth that set them apart from the middle class: homeownership and retirement savings.

The middle class has more non-mortgage debt, which may place homeownership further away

The majority of both groups are homeowners, but more of the middle class than the affluent is still renting. Of those who responded, slightly less than 40% of both groups are saving to buy a home — but 13% of the middle class doesn't expect to ever own a home, compared to 9% of the rich.

Read more: The middle class is disappearing in countries around the world, and it means millennials won't have the same opportunities their parents did

The affluent shell out more for monthly housing costs. More than three-quarters of the middle class spend less than $2,500 on housing a month, compared with roughly half of the affluent — more than 35% spend over $2,500 a month, versus 7% of the middle class.

Homeownership may feel more out of reach — and monthly housing costs may have to be more affordable — for middle class Americans because they have to allocate more money toward paying off debt.

According to the survey, about 62% of the middle class has credit-card debt, compared with roughly half of the affluent. That might explain why the latter has better credit scores — nearly 75% of the affluent have a credit score over 700, compared with half of the middle class. 

The middle class also has more student-loan debt — nearly half have student loans, compared with 39% of the affluent. Of those that have taken out student loans, more of the middle class than the affluent is still working on paying them off.

The middle class isn't as well-prepared for retirement

Having more student-loan and credit-card debt might be why the middle class isn't as well-prepared for retirement as the affluent — more of whom expect to retire at an earlier age than the middle class. That might be because more are saving for retirement — 80% have a retirement account versus 63% of the middle class.

Of those with retirement accounts, more than half of the affluent respondents have $100,000 saved, compared with about 30% of the middle class. And more than a quarter of the middle class isn't putting aside money monthly for retirement, compared with less than a quarter of the affluent.

Read more: More than one-third of millennials earning at least $100,000 a year consider themselves middle class

More affluent Americans also have brokerage accounts and trusts, but roughly the same percentage of both groups have savings accounts.

A greater need to save for retirement and to pay off debt explains how the middle class would use an extra $1,000 — most would save it or use it to pay down debt. Meanwhile, most of the affluent would save or invest it — not surprising, considering that those building wealth tend to do so by using a simple investing strategy.

Affluent Americans are also more likely than the middle class to spend it on travel or shopping, showing a taste for indulgence that the middle class doesn't necessarily have the budget for.

SEE ALSO: 17 ways life is different for millennials than for baby boomers, from crushing student loans to a disappearing middle class

DON'T MISS: Nearly one-third of millennials are worse off than they thought they'd be 10 years ago

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What happens if you stop washing your hair for a year

• People develop first impressions of you even before you open your mouth.
• Research suggests that your appearance affects how trustworthy, promiscuous, and powerful people think you are.
• You can change some people's first impressions of you by changing your behavior and how you present yourself.
• Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

A lot of first impressions come from things we can't control at all — our natural scent, how "baby-like" our faces are, and whether or not we need to wear glasses or are bald.

For instance, men who have feminine facial features, like thinner eyebrows and a pointier chin, are more likely to seem trustworthy.

There's not much that folks who want to give off a good first impression can do about their facial structure, though they can change their body language by enacting small changes like smiling more, making more eye contact, and nodding. 

Keep reading below to find out what other judgments people make about you within seconds of meeting you:

SEE ALSO: 11 common traits of highly intelligent people

If you're high-status

A 2011 Dutch study found that people wearing name-brand clothes — Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger, to be precise — were seen as higher status than folks wearing non-designer clothes. 

"Perceptions did not differ on any of the other dimensions that might affect the outcome of social interactions," the authors wrote. "There were no differences in perceived attractiveness, kindness, and trustworthiness." 

Just status.

If you're trustworthy

People decide on your trustworthiness in a tenth of a second. 

Princeton researchers found this out by giving one group of university students 100 milliseconds to rate the attractiveness, competence, likability, aggressiveness, and trustworthiness of actors' faces.

Members of another group were able to take as long as they wanted. Their judgments were the same for most of the traits as the folks who had only a tenth of a second. 

Much of that judgement is based on things you can't really change. For instance, research suggests that more feminine, baby-like, and happy faces are perceived to be more trustworthy.

You can alter your body language to boost others' trust in you. As Business Insider previously reported, try smiling more, leaning forward, looking people in the eye, and mimicking the other person's body language. 

If you're charismatic

A 2017 University of Toronto study found that observers decide in as little as five seconds whether a person is charismatic, while watching a silent recording of that person delivering a speech.

People who were attractive, white, and not wearing glasses, and who displayed more eye contact and gave stronger arguments were rated as more charismatic. In turn, those perceptions of charisma predicted whether the person appeared to be a leader, suggesting that gender and racial biases are at play when we determine leadership potential.

• Swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, is open about his struggles with mental health.
• He is teaching his 2-year-old son, Boomer, some of the coping mechanisms that Phelps says helped save his life. 
• Specifically, Phelps recommends a "lion's breath" breathing technique, and says Boomer has already mastered it.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Breathe in, and breathe out.

We do this around 20,000 times every day. Each can be thought of as another small opportunity to decompress.

Retired US swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, knows this fact well. Although breath is a crucial part of swimming, of course, Phelps said he discovered outside the pool how breathing techniques can help with mental health.

Phelps  — who is now working with Colgate to encourage people to conserve water — said he has learned to take a deep breath when he's upset or stressed as part of a toolkit of strategies he uses to calm down, relax, and get through hard times. The 23-time gold medalist is open about his struggles with mental health. Before the 2016 Olympics, he talked honestly about his struggles with depression, which he said was so debilitating sometimes that he didn't want to get out of bed or leave his room for days on end.

"I didn't want to be alive anymore," he told Business Insider.

Phelps is now trying to teach his kids to master the breathing skills that helped him — but at a much younger age.

His eldest son, Boomer, is now 2 years old and has quickly picked up one of Phelps's go-to tricks:  "We're teaching him a lion breath," Phelps said.

"Lion's breath" is a technique often used in yoga classes — it involves breathing in deeply, holding the air for a second, then letting out a roar-like exhale. Sometimes, people stick out their tongues, stretch out their face, and un-clench their jaws during that dramatic exhale.

"When he gets frustrated, [he'll] try to take a deep breath, and almost take a step back, and rethink everything or use his words instead of throwing a temper tantrum and just letting his emotions come out," Phelps said of Boomer. "Just being open, not letting everything compartmentalize and just build up, because it's just going to be a gigantic bomb that's going to go off at any given point."

That breath-awareness strategy has a lot of science behind it. 

Breath awareness can help people calm down and focus

Doctor and psychiatrist Dan Siegel, executive director of the Mindsight Institute in California, has authored more than a dozen books on developing the mindful brain. He says breath work helps regulate our autonomic nervous system, a complex network of pathways that extends from our brains into our bodies. The system regulates things like blood pressure, sexual arousal, and metabolism. 

"Breath awareness is an important pathway to self-regulation," Siegel said.

When we breathe in, we rev up the system's accelerator, igniting the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. Breathing out is more like hitting the brakes, activating the parasympathetic branch. 

"Increasing the duration of the out-breath, either by holding it or by extending how long you're breathing out, that's increasing parasympathetic activation," Siegel said. "And that can be really good to achieve a state of calm and relaxation."

Boomer Phelps seems to have mastered this concept already.

"He tells me to take a lion breath sometimes," Phelps said, adding that it happened just the other day, while he and Boomer were playing golf.

"It was pretty incredible — I was just a little upset, and he looked at me and he said, 'Dad, take a breath,'" Phelps said. "I was like, you gotta be kidding me. This kid's not even three years old." 

Siegel noted that as Boomer becomes aware of and regulates his breathing in this way, he may be growing connections and encouraging pathways in his developing brain that could help him better control his emotions down the road. 

"Studies have shown that the more a kid or an adolescent or an adult is aware of their interior life — the feelings, sensations of their body as well as their mind — the more they're able to actually regulate those things," he said. 

Some small-scale studies have even suggested that mindfulness meditation centered on the breath may be as effective (or more effective) than drugs for addressing ADHD.

How to start your own breath practice

Siegel practices what he preaches: Every morning, he said, he does the breath work that Wim Hof, an extreme athlete from the Netherlands, promotes. The technique involves several rounds of around 30 active breaths in and passive breaths out. The idea is to take in more oxygen with every breath, breathing in deeper and deeper as you go.

If you're interested in trying this type of breath practice, Siegel suggests doing so first thing in the morning, before going to work or school. On his website, he shares a guided, 11-minute breath awareness practice. 

But before you attempt it, a word of caution: Breath awareness is not without risks. For some people, especially those who've lived through trauma, are dealing with chronic stress, or have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), breath work can provoke anxiety and trigger a flood of emotions. 

"That doesn't mean they shouldn't do it," Siegel said. "It just means that they should be very kind to themselves and patient."

Some people may want to start a practice by simply observing their breath, without trying to lengthen it.

Phelps is committed to teaching his kids about mental health 

For Phelps, the breathing technique, coupled with therapy sessions that have helped him learn how to communicate about his feelings, has literally been a lifesaver.

"That's the reason why I'm here talking today, is being able to allow myself to be vulnerable," Phelps said. "This is something I'm living with, and something I'll live with for my whole entire life."

Phelps said he's grateful for the lessons he's taken away from therapy. 

"I make the joke about learning to communicate at the age of 30, but it's true," Phelps said. "It is something that I did learn, and I'm very grateful that I learned it at that age."

He wants his two toddler boys to develop their communication and breathing skills much earlier. The same goes for the third Phelps baby, who is due this fall.

"The idea of being aware of your breath, or controlling it a little bit, that's great," Dr. Siegel said of Phelps's efforts. "I think it sounds fantastic."

SEE ALSO: Michael Phelps reveals the simple things parents can do to help their kids learn to swim like fearless champs

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A shark expert explains what would really happen if Michael Phelps raced a live shark

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Graduation season gives friends and family the opportunity to make a big life change — like graduating from school and entering a career — easier and better.
• Whether they're leaving high school, college, or a master's program, below are 36 gifts to get you started.
• Need more gift ideas? We also have a guide for college graduation gifts for him, for her, and graduation gifts under $100.

Graduation season is here, and both college and high school students are likely feeling all the joy and sadness that habitually comes along with one life chapter ending and another opening up. 

With new jobs, responsibilities, and living arrangements comes a host of exciting opportunities and new responsibilities to navigate. But it doesn't necessarily come with the ideal budget.

Family members and friends are able to celebrate their graduate's accomplishments at the same time as they try to select gifts that commemorate their graduate's experience and, hopefully, make the next few foundational years a little easier to acclimate to. As a recent graduate myself, I can say your gifts (whether hyper-practical or sentimental) will have a big impact.

With that in mind, I've rounded up 36 of the best graduation gifts you can give.

If you're looking for more graduation gift ideas this spring, we have you covered:

• 25 graduation gifts under $100 for the Class of 2018
• 25 college graduation gifts for her
• 25 college graduation gifts for him
• 21 high school graduation gifts for her
• 30 high school graduation gifts for him
• 18 last-minute gifts that are still thoughtful and unique

DON'T MISS: 16 of the most valuable things you can buy as a college student

A Birchbox subscription so they can experience a little luxury every month (and discover new favorite products)

Gift a Birchbox subscription to your grad

In general, subscriptions are some of the best gifts that you can give. A monthly treat, especially on a tight budget, can be an extremely nice thing to look forward to. Every time it's delivered, they'll be reminded of you. 

Birchbox is one of the best subscription services available and uniquely well-suited for graduates — be they on their way to college or the workplace. It combines monthly deliveries of personalized samples and an e-commerce shop to get around how inconvenient and expensive shopping for and trying new products can be. 

The woman's subscription will likely include products like face primers, conditioners, cleansers, mascaras, etc. and the Birchbox Man box will have four grooming samples (like nice aftershave, body wash, or even cologne), plus a stylish accessory or gadget each time.

You can gift a woman's subscription gift card for 3 months for $45, 6 months for $84, or a full 12 months for $156.

You can gift a men's subscription gift card for 3 months for $30, 6 months for $60, or a full 12 months for $110. 

A book about capitalizing on the huge choices you make in your twenties

Gift "The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter — And How to Make the Most of Them Now", $39.09

You make big, disproportionately impactful decisions in your twenties that impact the rest of your life. The best defense is a good offense — and she should know now, before any of them crop up, how to get the most out of her "defining decade."

A Brooklinen gift card for really nice new sheets for an adult apartment

Gift a Brooklinen gift card

Graduates will be moving from dorms to a new place that they'll likely take a bit more pride and ownership in, and that calls for an upgrade in bedding. They'll probably want to pick it out for themselves, but a gift card is a perfect way to give them a luxury they'll be extremely happy to have but maybe couldn't justify just yet for themselves.

Brooklinen has quickly become a standard-bearer for startups offering premium bedding at affordable prices. Their sheets look great,  feel even better, and can genuinely offer you a better night's sleep. They're also our pick for the best luxury sheets you can buy.

You can get a Queen sheet set (flat sheet, fitted sheet and 2 standard pillowcases) for as little as $129 altogether.

• Whitepages is just one of dozens of websites that store and display your personal contact information, including your name, relatives, and even address.
• Anybody can search these sites (usually called "people search" sites) to find your contact information, as long as they have your name and age.
• While it's virtually impossible to purge your contact information from every single one of these sites, most of the largest public records databases provide ways to remove your results.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Almost everyone's Googled themselves at some point, curious at what sort of info Google has picked up about them. And if you have, chances are you've stumbled upon a site like Whitepages, which archives personal info about you for anyone to search up.

This personal info usually includes your public records — i.e., your name, age, address, landline number, and relatives. Some sites go even further than that, and add in your cell number, place of work, and criminal record if you have one.

As privacy becomes harder and harder to come by on the internet, it's reasonable to worry about having this sort of info out there for anyone to find. Luckily, there are ways to remove your info from these sites.

It should be noted that with so many people search sites out there, and more cropping up all the time, it's virtually impossible to wipe your personal info off the internet completely. A few sites, like Pipl and Zabasearch, don't offer any way to take your info down.

But all of the most commonly used people search sites — Whitepages, Spokeo, FamilyTreeNow, etc. — allow you to submit Opt Out requests, which will eventually erase your info from their searches.

Here's how to remove yourself from Whitepages, Spokeo, and more.

How to remove yourself from Whitepages' records

Whitepages is the biggest and most popular public records database around. If anyone is looking for your info, this is likely where they'll start. The site offers two categories of personal info:

• Free information, which includes your name, age, current addresses, relatives, and occasionally your home phone number.
• "Premium" information, which includes all your past addresses, cell phone number, and criminal and financial records.

In short, accessing the free info doesn't cost anything, while accessing the Premium info requires a payment of at least $4.99. Luckily, however, you can remove both for free. Here's how to remove both.

Remove your free info from Whitepages

1. Navigate to the Whitepages website.

2. In the text boxes provided, enter your name and address. Click the magnifying glass to search.

3. In the list of names provided, find your entry and click the box that reads, "View Details." It can be difficult to locate, as there are usually at least a couple other entries with the same name as you. To make matters worse, it's not uncommon to find that Whitepages has your name misspelled in its records — as was the case with me. You can usually locate your specific profile by looking for your age and the names of your relatives, which are among the first items displayed.

4. Once opened, your page will display a long list of all the info that Whitepages has on file about you. It'll also include a lot of sky blue-colored links to further results — that's all your premium info, locked behind a paywall.

5. Copy your profile's URL by highlighting it and pressing Control + C on a PC, or Command + C on a Mac.

6. Head to the opt out page, which you can find here.

7. In the box provided, paste in your copied URL and click the "Opt-out" button.

8. Whitepages will bring up a box with your name and some info, and ask you to make sure that it's the right person. If it is, click "Remove me." If not, click "This is the wrong person. Take me back," and make sure that the URL is correct.

9. Before continuing, you have to select a reason why you want your info to be removed. It doesn't matter what reason you select, or whether or not you leave a comment. Once you've picked your reason, click "Submit."

10. To finish removing your info, you have to verify your identity by entering a security code that Whitepages will provide through a phone call. In the text box provided, enter a phone number you can be immediately reached at, check the box affirming that you're removing only your own info, and click "Call now to verify."

11. You'll be taken to a new page, which will display a four-digit code in large lettering.

12. Within a few moments, you'll receive a call from a phone number based out of Nicasio, CA. Note that it won't ring as long as most phone calls before disconnecting — only about ten seconds — so answer quickly. And also be aware that since it's technically an automated call, some phone providers' anti-robocall features may try to block or silence it. When I did this on T-Mobile, the Caller ID read "Scam Likely."

13. Answer the phone call, and listen to the instructions given by the robocaller's (sort of creepy) voice. It'll ask you to enter the four-digit code on your phone's keypad. Once you do, the robocaller will tell you that your request has been accepted, and if you have any more questions, to visit the Whitepages website. It will then hang up.

14. Refresh the page with your code on it.

And that's all it takes to remove your free info. Note, however, that it may take up to a day for your info to disappear from the site — and it may take even longer for your info to stop showing up on search engines like Google or Bing, which could keep it cached for an indefinite amount of time. 

Remove your Premium info from Whitepages

1. Navigate to the Whitepages website.

2. In the text boxes provided, enter your name and address. Click the magnifying glass to search.

3. In the list of names provided, find your entry. You can usually locate it by looking for your age and the names of your relatives, which are among the first items displayed. Once found, right-click the blue button that reads "View Full Report."

4. In the menu that opens, click "Copy Link Address." This will copy the URL of the Premium listing without you having to pay for it.

5. Go to the Support Request page, which you can find here.

6. The page will ask you to disclose what sort of issue you're having. From the dropdown menu, select "I need to edit or remove a listing."

7. The page will refresh, and a long questionnaire form will appear. Fill it out, providing the URL you copied and as much other info as you can. Fill out the Subject and Description sections like you were writing an email — just explain that you're making this request because you don't want your info on the site. Click "Submit."

8. Within a few minutes, you should receive an email saying that your request is being processed and reviewed. Within a day after that, you'll receive another email from Whitepages, confirming that your information has been removed.

Within two or three days, your Premium info should be deleted off the site. People may still be able to find your name through the Whitepages search, but they won't be able to find anything more.

So, that's how you get your info off Whitepages. But what about the other prominent people search sites?

How to remove yourself from Spokeo

Spokeo is another commonly used people search site. They don't display as much information as Whitepages, but it's still worth wiping your data off the site if you have privacy concerns. Here's how to do it.

1. Navigate to Spokeo's homepage.

2. In the text box provided, enter your full name. Click the green "SEARCH" button.

3. Spokeo will take a minute to aggregate results. Once it's finished, you'll be presented with a long list of names.

4. Find your name on the list. Like Whitepages, you can usually locate it by looking for your age and the names of your relatives, which are among the first items displayed. Once found, click the green button that reads "SEE RESULTS."

5. This will bring you to your public info profile. Copy your profile's URL by highlighting it and pressing Control + C on a PC, or Command + C on a Mac.

6. Head to the Remove Listing page, which you can find here.

7. Paste your profile's URL (Control + V or Command +V) into the first box provided, type your email address into the second box, and complete the reCAPTCHA.

8. You'll receive an email from Spokeo, which will contain a URL you need to complete the process. Click on it, or copy and paste it into your URL bar.

9. You'll be taken back to the Remove Listing page, but now there will be a green bar at the top of the page that reads: "We've received your request to remove this listing: [insert your profile's URL here]. Please allow 2-3 days for all updates to be reflected on the site."

Within a few days, your profile should disappear. However, as Spokeo notes on their Remove Listing page (pictured in step 7 above), you should occasionally search yourself again on Spokeo, as they may put your profile back up without warning.

How to remove yourself from FamilyTreeNow

FamilyTreeNow's removal process is very similar to Spokeo.

1. Head straight to FamilyTreeNow's opt out page, which you can find here.

2. Read the instructions, fill out the reCAPTCHA, and click the green button that reads "Begin Opt Out Procedure."

3. Search for your profile, filling in as many details as you need to specify yourself. Click "Search" when you've filled in your search criteria.

4. Look for your profile on the page that appears. The best way to find yourself is to look at the "BIRTH" line on the right side of the results. Once found, click the green "View Details" button.

5. On your profile page, at the top, there should be a red button that reads "Opt Out This Record." Click on it. If it isn't there, start again from Step 1, and go through the steps faster. 

6. You'll be taken to a simple page that reads, "Your optout request is being processed. Please allow up to 48 hours for your record to be removed."

Your profile should disappear within a few days.

How to remove yourself from other public information sites

There are dozens, if not hundreds of different people search sites on the internet. As mentioned above, some simply don't let you take your info down. Some might even make you pay to erase your profile.

But generally, if you find a people search site that you don't trust displaying your personal info, your best bet is to search their site or Google for an opt out form. If you can't find one, try sending an email to the website's customer support team.

Read more coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to block websites and searches on an iPhone

• How to mute keywords and phrases on Twitter (and avoid spoilers)

• How to free up space on an iPhone that's running out of storage

• I just cleared out my Gmail using a simple trick that took only a few minutes — here's how to do it

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Disney Plus is set to have more than 500 movies and 7,500 TV shows. Here's a look at which ones you'll find.

• Healthcare is costly — but costs also vary tremendously based on where you live.
• Workers in some states paid potentially as little as $4,700 for healthcare in 2017, while costs in several other states topped $8,000, a report from The Commonwealth Fund found. 
• Read on for the 10 most expensive states. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Healthcare in the US is expensive, and the cost is increasing faster than wages are growing.

A report from The Commonwealth Fund paints a picture of just how expensive. It also shows how much costs vary based on where you live. 

In 2017, healthcare cost as little as $4,700 in Hawaii or $5,500 in Michigan, for example. Meanwhile, costs were much higher in other states, and several topped $8,000.

The report looked specifically at how much workers could be paying for health insurance coverage and for out-of-pocket costs like medical procedures and prescription drugs.

Researchers Sara Collins and David Radley did this by adding each state's average premiums, or monthly health insurance fees, with average deductibles, or the amount people may pay for health services before their health insurer starts picking up the tab. 

People in the US get health coverage in a variety of ways. This report looked at those who get health insurance through a plan from an employer, which about 50% of people in the US do. Government programs like Medicaid and Medicare are other big sources of health coverage in the country. 

The study's researchers concluded that middle-income families are getting squeezed by rising health costs and stagnating incomes. And though the study didn't look at lower-income families, they're affected too, they said.

"People across the United States are not experiencing health care costs equally," the researchers wrote. 

Read more: The US spends twice as much on healthcare as other developed nations and gets worse outcomes — and the reasons why show what it's going to take to reform healthcare

The report relied on data from the "most comprehensive national survey of U.S. employer health plans," the federal Medical Expenditure Panel Survey–Insurance Component (MEPS–IC), which reached out to more than 40,000 businesses in 2017, and had about 66% respond overall. 

Here are the 10 most expensive states:

10. Nebraska: $7,897.

This figure represents 11.3% of Nebraska's median income. About 9% of the state's population is uninsured, according to data from the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation. 

9. Tennessee: $7,900.

This represents 13.9% of the median income in Tennessee. Some of the highest potential healthcare costs in the country are focused in the south, the Commonwealth study pointed out. About 9% of the population in Tennessee is uninsured. 

8. North Carolina: $8,015.

North Carolina is one of eight US states where the average potential cost of healthcare topped $8,000, according to the report. The figure represents 13.8% of the median income in North Carolina, and about 11% of the state population is uninsured. 

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• I'm a huge Disney fan, with a particular love for all things Mickey Mouse. 
• Naturally, it was a total dream to scour the internet in search of the cutest, coolest, and most fun gifts you could give a Disney fan — besides tickets to their favorite park.
• If Mom is a big Disney fan too, any of these picks would make great Mother's Day gifts.

Last year, celebrations erupted all over the world as Mickey and Minnie Mouse turned 90. Collaborations were popping up left and right, with everyone from luxury watch brands to streetwear sneaker companies dropping Mickey- and Minnie-inspired styles for adults. 

This has been great and very expensive news for classic Disney fans like myself. I grew up near Disney World, so my love of Mickey runs deep — and after putting together this list, my pockets run shallow. 

If you're looking to gift a grownup who loves all things classic Disney but isn't interested in looking like they're 10 years old, you've definitely come to the right place. I handpicked some of the best Mickey- and Minnie-themed gifts out there for adults, plus a few old-school Disney options I just couldn't leave behind.

Who else but a huge Disney fan could do justice to a roundup like this? 

Looking for more Mother's Day gift ideas?Check out more of Insider Picks' gift guides here.

SEE ALSO: All of Insider Picks' gift guides, in one place

A Google Home Mini stand that's perfect for a playroom

Otterbox Google Home Mini Speaker Mount, available at Otterbox $19.95                                                                                           

Give them a stand for their Google Home Mini that turns the speaker into a 3D version of Mickey's head. They'll love the bit of whimsy it affords an otherwise sterile-looking piece of tech.

A diamond-studded watch for the Disney super-fan

Disney x Citizen Eco-Drive Women's Mickey Mouse Diamond-Accent Watch, available at Macy's, $450

This subtle Mickey watch is perfect for Disney fans who still want to look and feel professional at work. It has a black dial with diamond hour markers, as well as a date window. The watch is powered by light, so you'll never need to change the batteries, and it's also available in rose gold for an extra $25. 

This photo shows the watch on my small wrist (with our Disney pin board in the background!). Keep in mind you, or whomever you gift this watch to, will likely need to remove a few links to get the perfect size.

A bold graphic Mickey half-zip

Mickey Mouse Half-Zip, available at Frank And Oak, $34.97

Half-zips have quickly become the silhouette of the season, but you don't have to go to Patagonia to get in on the trend. Frank And Oak makes a bold graphic Mickey half-zip sweater that instantly catches the eye with its all-over patterning and bright mango color.

• Craig Newmark is the founder of classified ads website Craigslist. Newmark started the site as an email newsletter called "San Francisco Events."
• Newmark only led the company for five years — he stepped down as CEO in 2000 and has dedicated his time to philanthropy ever since.
• Most recently, tech publication The Markup — which Newmark helped raise $22 million for — made headlines for its staff exodus on Tuesday.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Craig Newmark hasn't worked at Craigslist for nearly twenty years.

Instead, the billionaire founder — who started his site in 1995 — dedicates his time to philanthropy. Despite criticism for his site's negative impact on print newspapers, Newmark is a dedicated supporter of journalism, donating millions to publications such as ProPublica and the Poynter Institute. 

He also donated $20 million to a forthcoming tech publication, The Markup, which made headlines on Tuesday for its staff exodus following the departure of its editor-in-chief, Julia Angwin. The nonprofit publication was set to investigate tech companies and was supposed to officially launch in July.

Read more: A yet-to-launch tech news site backed by Craigslist's founder is facing a staff exodus after its renowned editor-in-chief was forced out

After a long career with IBM, Newmark started Craigslist — originally an email newsletter called "San Francisco Events" — in Silicon Valley. In a 2018 interview with Business Insider's Jim Edwards, Newmark talked about his decision to not take the VC route and also referred to himself as an "old-fashioned" nerd.

Keep reading for a look at Craig Newmark's life and career, from his start at IBM to his recent philanthropy focus.

SEE ALSO: Craigslist founder Craig Newmark says there's a forgotten weapon in the online information war — and he's putting his money where his mouth is

NOW READ: Craig from Craigslist thinks he has a solution to 'fake news'

Founder of online ads site Craigslist, Craig Newmark has, according to Forbes, a net worth of $1.6 billion. He stepped back from the company in 2000, and now focuses on philanthropy.

Source: Forbes, Craig Newmark Philanthropies

Newmark was born in Morristown, New Jersey in 1952 ...

Source: Business Insider, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Gizmodo

... and later attended school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Newmark originally planned on working as a quantum physicist but studied computer systems instead.

Source: Business Insider

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Every young professional needs a nice watch, but may not have deep enough pockets for high-end luxury brands.
• With a $250 budget, there are a variety of quality watches from brands like MVMT, Fossil, Filippo Loreti, and Timex that make great gifts. 
• We rounded up the 15 best watches under $250 to give as graduation gifts — or to buy for yourself.

While first-apartment essentials, tech items, and gift cards are all solid presents to give a recent graduate, a watch is an often-overlooked but much-appreciated gift idea they probably couldn't otherwise afford themselves. 

College years are usually when young men begin building out their professional wardrobe with essentials for their internships, but shelling out hundreds of dollars for a watch isn't always in the budget. As such, a nice timepiece is likely one hole in their wardrobe that needs filling.

If you're looking to gift them a watch they'll feel proud to wear to their first job, now is the time to do it. With a $250 budget, you can find plenty of watches that are perfect for casual days, formal functions, first-job interviews, and everything in between.

Whether you're shopping for a graduate, or you're a recent graduate yourself looking to spend some of your gift money, you'll find a hand-picked selection of affordable yet stylish watches here.

Check them out, below:

MVMT 40mm Rose Gold Brown

MVMT 40mm Rose Gold Brown, $120

Featuring a 40mm rose gold case, a black dial, and a premium leather band, this watch from MVMT is elegant and simple — and at $120, it won't cost you much. 

Timex Marlin Automatic 40mm

Timex Marlin Automatic 40mm, $249, available in five colors

While most automatic watches cost hundreds of dollars, the Timex Marlin is pretty fairly priced at $249. It features a modest 40mm case size, a leather band, and a dial with a date display. In addition to this black, silver, and gold color combination, you'll find four other styles available.

Fossil Minimalist

Fossil Minimalist, starting at $115, available in 16 colors

As its name suggests, the Fossil Minimalist, is kept very simple with easy-to-read hour and minute markers on the dial. What makes this watch special — and most other Fossil watches — is the free engraving option. You can add a personalized message to make this gift more memorable. And with 16 color combinations available between faces and straps, you'll find a bunch of great styles. You could buy two and still be under the $250 budget.

• To redeem an Amazon gift card, you can transfer your gift card balance onto your Amazon account so it's ready the next time you want to purchase an item from Amazon.
• You can also use your gift card as a payment option at checkout when purchasing an item on Amazon.
• You'll need the claim code, which can be found on the back of the physical gift card under a protective seal (if you have a digital gift card it will be in the email you received).
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Today you can buy just about anything on Amazon, from a bed frame to a wedding band, so an Amazon gift card makes a great gift for anyone — especially for those friends who are serial gift returners.

If you've been recently gifted an Amazon gift card (lucky you!), there are two easy ways you can redeem it. You can transfer your balance to your Amazon account and save it for a future purchase, a great idea if you don't want to run the risk of losing the physical card, or wait until you've found what you want to buy and enter your gift card information as a payment method.

This guide will cover both ways of redeeming your gift card at Amazon's website and on the Amazon app. Whichever method you use, you'll need the claim code. This can be found on the back of the gift card under a protective coating or label. If you've got a digital gift card, and not a physical one, you'll find your claim code in the email you received. Happy shopping!

Transfer your gift card balance to your Amazon account on Amazon.com

1. Open your web browser (Safari, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) and go to Amazon.com.

2. Sign in and go to the "Your Account" page by clicking on "Accounts & Lists" to the right of the search bar.

3. On the "Your Account" page select "Gift cards."

4. You're now on your gift card balance page, where you can see your current balance and your previous transaction activity. Now click "Redeem a Gift Card." Note: you can also select "Reload Your Balance" if you want to add funds from a bank account or credit card instead of a gift card.

5. Enter the claim code on the back of the gift card and Amazon will inform you how much money you've got left on the card. Click "Apply to your balance" to transfer the money to your Amazon account.

6. Your account gift card balance will be now be updated to include the transferred funds. The money will be available to use the next time you purchase an item from Amazon.

Redeem your gift card when purchasing a product at Amazon.com

1. Go to Amazon.com and sign in.

2. Find the item you want to buy and click "Add to Cart."

3. If you want to buy more items, find the items and add them to your cart. Once you're finished, click the shopping cart icon in the top right corner and then click "Proceed to checkout."

4. Click through until you reach the payment method page. Scroll down to "Gift Cards" and enter your claim code.

5. Click "Apply" and the balance of your gift card will be taken off of your purchase. If the balance of the gift card exceeds the cost of the items in your basket, you'll still have money left over to use at another time.

Transfer your gift card balance to your Amazon account using the Amazon app

1. Open the Amazon app.

2. Click the menu icon (it's three horizontal lines).

3. Scroll down and click "Gift Cards & Registry."

4. At the top of the page, you'll see your current gift card balance. Click on the down arrow to open a sub menu and select "Redeem an Amazon Gift Card."

5. Enter your claim code to find out how much money you've got on your gift card, or use your phone camera to scan the claim code on the back of the gift card.

6. Click "Apply to your balance."

7. The money will be available the next time you purchase something from Amazon and will automatically be taken off the purchase amount.

Redeem your gift card when making a purchase on the Amazon app

1. Open the Amazon app.

2. Find the items you want to buy and add them to your cart.

3. When you've finished adding items, click the shopping cart icon in the top right corner and then click "Proceed to checkout."

4. Scroll down to Payment information and enter your gift card claim code or use your phone camera to scan the code on the back of the gift card.

5. You can now choose to use this gift card balance on your purchase.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to contact a third-party seller on Amazon

• How to cancel an order on Amazon

• How you can archive your Amazon order history to keep it private

• How to sell books on Amazon

SEE ALSO: The best ways to contact Amazon for help when you have a problem with your account

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The Mars 2020 rover started as a pile of aluminum panels that took over 5,000 hours to assemble. Here's how it was made.

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Below, you'll find 30+ gifts to give grandparents to thank them for the years of love and attending your off-tune band concerts.
• For more gift ideas, you can find our gift guides for Mother's Day 2019 here.

Shopping for grandparents can be daunting. They probably have most of the basics down pat, and if you ask for ideas you'll likely get a genuine "nothing, sweetheart."

But these are the people who sat through your band recitals even though they were unbearably boring. They weathered your tantrums and sticky fingers on their furniture, and they probably slipped you candy even when someone else said no. So, what can you do for them?

Below are 27 gifts that you can feel good about gifting. They're thoughtful, useful, sweet, and bound to be extremely appreciated by grandmas and grandpas.

Most of these items are available with expedited shipping, and some should arrive within a few days' time, so don't stress too hard about your last-minute shopping — just remember that the sooner you order, the better your chances of a timely arrival.

Looking for more gift ideas?Check out all of Insider Picks' buying guides for 2019 here.

Fresh coffee beans from all over the world delivered to their door

Atlas Coffee Subscription or Gift Set, available at Atlas Coffee Club, from $60

Atlas Coffee sends them fresh beans from across the globe to their door. They'll learn about its flavor profile, tasting notes, suggested brewing methods, a little history lesson in its origins — and each comes in a bag with festive packaging. If they've been coffee buffs for a while — or just love having a morning cup — they'll appreciate both the thought and opportunity to learn something new. 

A Jo Malone diffuser that smells amazing and looks good in a home

Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Scent Diffuser, available at Nordstrom, $98

A diffuser is like the modern take on potpourri, and Jo Malone makes some incredibly good scents. They'll recognize the brand, like the smell, and the clean, minimalist glass container means they won't only bring this out when they know you're coming over.

A DNA test that lets them delve into family history

Ancestry DNA Genetic Test, available at Ancestry, $59 (originally $69)

Your grandparents are the origins and default architects of much of your life, and AncestryDNA gives them — and you — the chance to explore and appreciate that history. They'll be able to see their heritage and genetic breakdown (aka 50% Irish, 30% Italian, and so on) and can build family trees complete with historical documents and censuses already on the site. If they're interested in history, they'll love this.

• Amazon gift cards can be used to buy just about anything, from products to produce to an Amazon Prime membership.
• Amazon will first use the balance of a gift card loaded onto your account and then will revert to your primary payment method, so it's important to know how much is left on your gift card if you don't want to spend your own money.
• You cannot check the value of an Amazon gift card before loading it onto your account, but you can check your gift card balance before you complete any purchases.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Amazon doesn't mind if you want to know how much of a gift card balance you have, but they don't want you to know the value of a gift card or gift code before it's loaded onto your account.

So if you want to know how much that gift card you got in a birthday card is worth, or if you want to know how much you have left from that gift card you redeemed after Christmas, you'll have to head to the same place: your account page, on either a desktop computer or mobile device. 

How to check your Amazon gift card balance on desktop

1. Log into your account and from the homepage, hover over Accounts & Lists, then click "Your Account." 

2. Click the box that says "Gift Cards."

3. You will be taken to a page where you can view your gift card balance, as well as recent transactions using Amazon gift cards. 

How to check your Amazon gift card balance on a mobile device

1. Log into your account, tap the three parallel lines at the top left of the screen and scroll down, then tap "Your Account."

2. Scroll down to the Amazon Wallet section on and tap "Manage gift card balance."

3. View your gift card balance and transactions on the page that opens.  

From the "gift card" pages on both desktop and mobile, you can also quickly and easily redeem another gift card, or you can opt to "Reload Your Balance," adding cash to your Amazon account from a debit card or directly from your bank account.

Amazon rewards Prime members with 2% cash back when you do this, something they can afford to do as it ensures you will be spending more money with them.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech: 

• How to redeem an Amazon gift card on Amazon's website and mobile app

• How to cancel an order on Amazon

• How you can archive your Amazon order history to keep it private

• How to sell books on Amazon

SEE ALSO: How you can use PayPal on Amazon, despite it not being directly accepted

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The Mars 2020 rover started as a pile of aluminum panels that took over 5,000 hours to assemble. Here's how it was made.

• At the Slack Frontiers conference, tennis star Serena Williams spoke about being a member and leading the various teams she's on — in tennis, in venture capital, in tech, and in fashion.
• Williams also spoke about spending time with her daughter Olympia, who was born last September.
• Williams just launched Serena Ventures, a VC firm for investing in women, people of color, and young entrepreneurs.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When Serena Williams first started playing tennis, she thought of it as an "individual sport."

Today the six-time US Open champion says tennis is a team sport that requires her to perform on the court, but also as a chief executive of a larger enterprise with various moving parts. 

It's those CEO skills, learned and honed in tennis, that Williams says she's bringing to an expanding career in the business world that now includes fashion, tech, and venture capital.

"I'm the CEO on that team and that is where my CEO life started," Williams said Wednesday, during a talk at the Slack developer conference in San Francisco. "I had to be a strong team leader in order for everyone to see my vision and see what I wanted and understand any expectations, goals, and what I want."

Earlier this month, Williams launched a VC firm, Serena Ventures, focused on investing in women, people of color, and young entrepreneurs. She's also has a clothing line called Serena, and she's on the board of directors for Poshmark and SurveyMonkey.

On top of that, Williams just gave birth to her daughter Olympia last September. She calls Olympia her "greatest success by far."

That's a lot of "teams" for Williams to lead. 

The key to thriving in these various endeavors, she says, is focus.

Read more: Tennis star Serena Williams has launched a venture firm for investing in women, people of color, and young entrepreneurs

"It is important for me to have focus," Williams said at the Slack Frontiers event. "...Focus is super key, especially when my head is in so many different places. And also, just enjoying what you do. I literally love looking at investment decks and meeting different founders and seeing their ideas and helping them bring it to life. It gives me this incredible insane joy and I absolutely thrive on that."

"Don't tell me what I'm doing right"

As the youngest of five children, Williams was never the team leader growing up. She pursued tennis because her father wanted her to, and she also followed in her sister Venus' footsteps. This changed when she became a professional tennis player.

"When it came time for me to be a team leader, it was a really big step for me because it was something that I had never done before, and I was not comfortable with it," Williams said. "Yeah, I made a lot of mistakes along the way, but that is part of the journey to make mistakes and know what not to do and continue to grow and get better."

When working in a team, Williams says it's important for the team to have the same goals and priorities, and she makes sure to listen to other people's ideas.

This also includes constructive criticism, and she says that when working with a team, they must be open to it. She says her "whole life" was about criticism.

"I tell my coach and my fashion team, don't tell me what I'm doing right," Williams said. "I want to hear what I'm doing wrong so I can improve and become better...It is important and it is nothing that is negative. That is why the word 'constructive criticism' is super important. It is just how you take it. If you take it negatively, you know you will never have positive results."

With her new VC firm, Williams says she has the opportunity to open doors for people breaking into Silicon Valley, or at least "make noise" about it through social media and blog posts. She also believes it's important for tech leaders to listen to feedback about diversity.

"I feel like the more diversity we have in the area and the more ideas that we can bring, we can really just make it better," Williams said. "...The world does not look like one person. The world is a plethora of people. Why would you want your business and company to look the same way?"

Her daughter Olympia

Now that she has a daughter, Williams says this has changed how she spends her time.

She's "totally obsessed" with her baby and has not yet spent a day without her. She just signed Olympia up for gymnastics, and later on, she wants to join a dance class with her daughter.

"I've always wanted to have a kid but just never thought about the impact that a child would have on my life," Williams said.  "...I manage my time different so I can spend as much time with my daughter as I can. I want to be able to say, I remember that moment and I remember that memory, and I never want to regret missing times out with each other."

Still, Williams says she wished she was there for her daughter's first steps.

"I was sad that I missed her first step and that broke my heart," Williams said. "I know a lot of parents, that happens to but for me, definitely hands down, its is that."

Williams doesn't have specific plans for her daughter, the way Williams' father wanted her and Venus to become star tennis players, although she did say she was "shying away from tennis." However, she does want Olympia to have "so much confidence in herself."

"I want her to live her best life and the right way," Williams said.

Williams says that if she could pass on one piece of advice, it would be to have a "good attitude when you approach something you can be completely terrified of."

"It's important because everything is mental," Williams said. "If you can overcome it mentally, then you can overcome a lot of stuff. When you are approaching a new project or approaching whatever it could be with your team or by yourself as a leader or a team member, it is so important to just go in with a positive attitude."

SEE ALSO: Slack, the hot workplace chat app, launches new ways to integrate with email ahead of its much-anticipated IPO

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The rise and fall of Donald Trump's $365 million airline