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Create a Cozy, Chic Look in Your Bedroom With These Simple Steps

September 20, 2016 by

To improve your sleep, create a relaxing atmosphere, and add a chic look to your bedroom, all it takes are a few smart upgrades. From incorporating plush textures to changing up the color scheme, these simple tips will show you exactly what to do.

  • Replace your current bedding with crisp, white bedding. If your current sheets and duvet feel drab and outdated, upgrading to chic white bedding will give your bed a timeless look that's just like a four-star hotel.
  • Create storage for every loose item and stray article of clothing. If you constantly find yourself tripping over clutter, head to the home goods store and invest in additional drawers, bins and other storage items.
  • Frame some art to dress up your walls. Choose soothing nature scenes, neutral abstract prints or framed family photos that will make you feel calm and relaxed.
  • Add throw pillows and blankets that will add additional depth to your bedding. Choose one statement pop of color or something in a fun faux fur for some soft, eye-catching texture.
  • Update the lighting by replacing the current bulbs with muted lights or bulbs that imitate natural sunlight.

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Working From Home? Add These Essentials to Your Home Office

April 26, 2016 by

In an era when working from home is becomingly increasingly common, there's a great chance that at least one member of your household occasionally works remotely. That means there's probably a home office (or, at least, a desk and chair) tucked away somewhere in your apartment. If you want to make your work-from-home space a more pleasant workplace, here are four components you should add.

  1. An office chair that's both chic and comfy. Any chair that you'll be sitting in all day long should be equal parts aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. So when you search for your home office chair, don't prize form over function, or vice versa—they're both important. Test drive as many chairs as it takes to find the one that keeps you comfy and jives with your office style.
  2. A lamp emitting warm light. When you work in a standard office, you're forced to make do with whatever the lighting situation is there. But when you work from home, you have the final say over the atmosphere in which you spend your day. So instead of accepting harsh overhead lights as an unavoidable reality, find a cute lamp that cloaks the room in a warm, glowing light to make working more enjoyable.
  3. A set of floating shelves. If you're running out of room in your desk drawers to stow those stacks of post-it notes, improvise more storage space by adding floating shelves. They're not only functional pieces, but also a design statement—plus, the display will force you to keep the office supplies organized.
  4. A coffee maker. Okay, so a coffee maker isn't a design element first and foremost, but it can be if you choose the right one. Find a coffee maker with a four-cup pot in a hue that suits your space, and fire it up as soon as you start working in the morning. It might help you dive into the day a little bit easier. You can also opt for a an espresso machine or electric tea kettle, depending on your caffeinated beverage of choice.

Essentials for a Home Office [The Every Girl]
17 Surprising Home Office Ideas [Real Simple]
5 Mistakes Everybody Makes Decorating Their Home Office [Apartment Therapy]

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How to Get the Most Storage Space Out of Your Freezer

January 26, 2016 by

If you’re looking for a way to add extra storage space to your current freezer, these smart tips may be of service.

  1. Know what to freeze. Start streamlining what you freeze in the first place by knowing what will last and what won’t. In general, leafy vegetables, dairy products, and fried foods are not meant to freeze.
  2. Separate items into portions. If you’re freezing something that would otherwise stick together after freezing, such as chicken breasts or soup, separate it into serving-sized portions so that you can easily thaw only the part that you need.
  3. Use containers. Instead of piling all of your food into one large pile in the freezer, invest in freezer-safe storage containers from the local home goods store.
  4. Use labels. Label everything in the freezer, from individual food items (unless they’re still in the original packaging) to your storage containers.
  5. Mind the door. The door of the freezer is the warmest part, so don’t store things that can easily melt on its shelves. Save this space for less delicate foods, such as nuts, alcohol, or frozen fruits.

Fridge and Freezer Organization [The Container Store]
The Best Way to Organize Your Freezer [The Kitchn]
8 Better Ways to Keep Your Freezer Super-Organized [Good Housekeeping]

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Dependable Virtual Destinations for Apartment Decor and Accessories

October 27, 2015 by

It’s no secret that shopping online often yields affordable results, and the same goes if you’re looking for home décor items and accessories for your apartment. Any renter on a budget will love to browse those finishing touches that really make a house a home, and these are some of the best places to find them.

Urban Outfitters
While you may already shop at the trendy clothing retailer for all of your favorite T-shirts, Urban Outfitters also offers a great selection of stylish home goods. From eclectic art prints to colorful duvet covers and even mid-century modern inspired furnishings, you’ll find a number of great items on the convenient website.

Wayfair
If your home décor style is classic with a touch of modern, Wayfair is just the place to shop online. Here you’ll find chevron print area rugs, gold metallic picture frames, and antique-inspired clocks to hang on the wall.

CB2
For those who prefer sleek, minimal décor and bold pops of color, CB2 is a great option. Discover things like low-profile sofas, interesting throw pillows, and industrial bar stools, or browse the limited edition art selection to find affordable pieces from some of the biggest up-and-coming artists in the art world today.

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Keep or Toss? Decluttering Rules to Live By

August 25, 2015 by

You’re not exactly a pack rat, but you definitely have more than a few items in the back of your closet that you haven’t looked at in a few years. Most people would say that their homes could benefit from a bit of de-cluttering, and these helpful tips will show you just how to do it.

  • Keep papers within reach. By keeping papers within eyesight, you’ll be more likely to deal with your paper mess before it accumulates into something much more difficult to manage.
  • Ask a few questions. When you’re going through the items in your home, ask yourself questions like: Have I used this in the past year? Does this benefit my life? Is it broken? If, so can I fix it? If you say no to most of these questions, put it in the donation pile.
  • Create a donation pile. Speaking of that donation pile, start one! You’ll feel a lot less guilty about getting rid of your unused items if you know they’re going to someone who will really appreciate them.
  • Clear off surfaces. After you clean out hidden spaces like closets and under the bed, make a rule that you’ll always keep surfaces like counters and desks free of clutter. Not only will your home feel more organized, this will ensure that it looks more organized, as well.

18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess [Zen Habits]
25 Ways to Clean Out the Clutter [Good Housekeeping]
Keep or Toss: Questions & Tips to Help You Declutter [Apartment Therapy]

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Pucker Up! Here Are 6 Ways to Clean With Lemons

July 28, 2015 by

Not only do lemons smell great, they’re also packed full of naturally disinfecting properties that are said to be safer and gentler on your household than store bought cleaners. If you want to make the switch to a green cleaning routine, check out these tips for cleaning with lemons in every room in your home.

  1. Clean the copper bottoms of frequently used pots and pans by sprinkling coarse salt on half of a lemon and scrubbing away.
  2. If you’re unsure of how to properly disinfect wooden cutting boards, rub lemon juice onto stained areas and watch as they fade away overnight. You can also use lemon juice to clean your cutting boards after each use.
  3. Remove odors from your microwave by filling a cup 3/4 of the way full with tap water, then adding two tablespoons of lemon juice. Heat the mixture to boiling, and then let it sit for approximately 10 minutes to fully dilute odors.
  4. Create an all-purpose cleaner for countertops and tables by filling a spray bottle with diluted lemon juice.
  5. Clean grout from the bathtub or shower by using lemon juice and an old toothbrush. Simply dip the toothbrush in the lemon juice, then scrub until the debris disappears.
  6. Polish the faucets on your bathtub and bathroom sink by gently rubbing them with half of a lemon and coarse salt.

Cleaning With Lemon Juice [DIY Network]
24 Things You Can Clean With Lemon [Mother Nature Network]
10 Ways to Clean the Kitchen with Lemon Juice [How Stuff Works]

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How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar Beyond the Kitchen

May 26, 2015 by

Many natural cleaning enthusiasts have been touting the amazing benefits of apple cider vinegar for years, but vinegar's list of uses often ends in the kitchen. You may be surprised to find that there are a number of other ways to use apple cider vinegar in every room in your home. Here are a few of the best.

  1. Use it like an odor eliminator. Instead of masking odors with a perfume-heavy scented spray, neutralize odors by letting a dish of apple cider vinegar permeate the air.
  2. Clear your sinuses. Sip some warm water with a bit of apple cider vinegar to help break up mucus in your sinuses and even kill the bacteria that causes the common cold. (Be sure to consult with your doctor first.)
  3. Soothe sunburned skin. Instead of using a cream or lotion, rub sunburned skin (or bug bites, rashes and poison ivy) with apple cider vinegar to relieve the itch naturally. Do so at the instruction of your physician.
  4. Rinse hair. Many people cite apple cider vinegar as the source of their shiny, silky locks. Mix 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar with 4 cups of water and use it as a weekly hair rinse.

7 Surprising Ways to Use Apple Cider Vinegar [The Dr. Oz Show]
25 Ways Apple Cider Vinegar Will Change Your Life [Mamavation]
15 Reasons to Use Apple Cider Vinegar Every Day [Mind Body Green]

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Add a Touch of Color to Your Space With These Easy-Care Blooming Houseplants

April 27, 2015 by

If you want to breathe new life into your home’s decor, there are few better ways than by adding a few blooming houseplants. These unique plants give you a pop of green and a burst of bright color from their blossoming flowers, and they’re surprisingly easy to care for.

  • Begonia. Although most people think of begonias as outdoor plants, they also look beautiful inside your home. Types with fibrous roots work best indoors, and they bloom almost continuously throughout the year.
  • Peace lily. This elegant plant features a beautiful, white flower against its lush green leaves, and it’s one of the easiest to keep alive. The peace lily even does well in low light.
  • African violet. If you’re looking for a plant that will last for years to come, this is the one to choose. Their purple, red, or white flowers bloom almost year-round.
  • Orchid. Although orchids can be quite finicky plants, they flourish when placed in bright, indirect sunlight. Plus, they’re some of the most beautiful flowering houseplants.
  • Geranium. If you’re prone to forgetting a few waterings here and there, the geranium is the plant for you. These vibrant flowers thrive in dry soil between waterings, and they really bloom when placed in a bright window.

Flowering Houseplants [About Home]
The 16 prettiest and most colorful indoor flowering plants [Today Home]
16 Drop-Dead Gorgeous Flowering Houseplants [AOL Real Estate]

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How to Choose the Right Houseplant for Your Home or Office

January 27, 2015 by

Whether you have a green thumb or you just can’t seem to keep a plant alive, there is truly an indoor houseplant for just about everyone. Here is a list of the best houseplants for the home or office, and some of them require almost no care at all.

  1. Geranium. This green flowering plant features long stems with lush leaves at the end, and it will thrive all year round if placed near a sunny window. Best of all, the sturdy geranium won’t suffer much if you miss a watering, so it’s a good fit for forgetful plant owners.
  2. Golden barrel cactus. Cacti are especially great plants for those who don’t want to water their plants daily, as they only need watered about once per month. This particular type of cactus is especially large and unique looking, though it only grows to about 1 foot tall.
  3. Jade plant. Jade plants are some of the most popular houseplants because they grow to be quite tall and impressive-looking when placed in bright sunlight. Because they are succulents, they also store a great deal of water in their leaves and require watering very infrequently.
  4. Aloe. With its numerous healing properties and its long, spiky appearance, it’s easy to see why people love aloe plants. With bright light, an aloe plant can grow to 3 feet tall.

Houseplants for the Forgetful Gardener [Better Homes and Gardens]
How To Choose the Right Houseplant [Bayer Advanced]
Houseplants for People Who Can't Grow Houseplants [This Old House]

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