Best way to care for an orchid?

assuming it's a phalaenopsis (the moth orchid supermarkets sell): bright light but no direct sun, an east facing window is ideal. water roughly once a week, when the bark feels dry and the roots look silvery rather than green. give it a proper soak, let it drain completely, and never leave it standing in water. overwatering kills more of these than anything else. when the flowers drop, cut the spike back just above a node, or right down if it's gone brown. a few weeks of slightly cooler nights in autumn helps it flower again.