I'm in the market for new iPhone speakers and a charging dock, but this time around I want function and style. Really, with so many products flooding the market, there's no reason you can't have both. I'm drawn to simple, sleek wooden wares — hopefully they will be as functional as they are pretty. Here's a roundup of products for the iPhone or iPod that fit the bill. More

On Sunday night the lights flickered during our bedtime routine, and wind and rain raged outside as I spent a solid twenty minutes unsuccessfully searching for a favorite bedtime book. With my kids finally asleep, I watched the latest dispatches from the Midwest and Plains states devastated by the weekend's vicious storm system, making a mental note to put together an emergency kit. Beyond just the basics, what could make a storm less scary for the family? More

Earlier this week I experienced personal property theft at my home. Some industrious thief crawled under my car, which was parked right outside my apartment, and stole the catalytic converter. As I've learned, this is an all too frequent phenomenon. So after the theft happens, now what? More

I had a water heater emergency today, and as all of the drama was unfolding I realized how unbelievably ill-equipped I am to handle home emergencies. Now that I am aware of this problem, it's time to start schooling myself... More

My old super once said my husband and I were "model tenants," which I took at the time to mean that all the other apartments were housing illegal chinchilla farms. But apparently it's really easy to be a good tenant and neighbor in an apartment building. Read on for some of her tips. More

Like many other small space dwellers, we have almost no closet or storage space in my home. The tenants before us took the first step to maximize the dead space under the stairs by removing a partition wall to open up the area, and installed a drop down hatch under the stair. Unfortunately they didn't install a railing and instead only those awkward, sharp rectangular boxes — after several falls down the stairs it was painfully obvious something needed to change! More

There are plenty of times you'll need to hide small items around your house—like a key for overnight houseguests or a small wad of emergency cash. Unfortunately, there aren't as many unique places to stash them. The next time you're tempted to leave a key under the doormat, try this trick. More

Childproofing your home can be antithetical to stylish living, especially ugly prefab baby gates to block the stairs. The decorating equivalent to buying a minivan. But these childproofing measures are crucial for the safety of your early crawlers and walkers. More

I come from a long line of snoops. When I was a kid, my grandmother would always entertain me with the outrageous stories of the comings and goings of everyone on her block. These days, when I visit my parents, I always get the update on which kids are making mischief, who's broken up and who's just moved in. I even have an aunt in a rural area whose nightly activities include binoculars and a porch swing. (Be careful central Ohio, you're being watched!) More

We're in the process of planning a vacation, and alongside worrying about budgeting and who will take care/visit our cats while we're away, there's always the concern about burglary in the back of our minds. Of course, we use the lights-on-timer trick, but savvy burglars know what's up.
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