How To Make an Origami Fortune Teller
Sometimes it’s just more fun to let a little piece of paper make a decision for us, be it paint color, vacation spot, or dinner delivery. You might remember these paper fortune tellers (also known as cootie catchers, chatterboxes, salt cellars, or whirlybirds) from your grade school days, made to pass time and bring a laugh or three. They’re great to play around with for nostalgia sake, or when you just can’t make that really “difficult” decision on your own.
Mar 8, 2019
How To Get Gross Grout Really Clean
Time for a gross grout intervention? Skip the drama- all you need is a whole lotta elbow grease and two basic household cleaners. If elbow grease isn’t your thing, rent a steam cleaner. The power of steam is astounding- handheld cleaners are super powerful and allow you to avoid making a mess out of pastes or using bleach. If you live in a home where tile covers more than just your entryway, you might want to consider investing in a residential steam cleaner.
Mar 8, 2019
Tiny Refrigerator Tips: Ways To Organize More, Waste Less
I love a fridge makeover as much as the next person, but I die a little inside each time I see a mega-propped-out “after”. I mean, yes, it’s beautiful and yes, it took a lot of work to make it look that good, but show me how it looks in a week. How do those cute little scrapbook labels look after you’ve dripped salsa all over them? How is storing butter in a mason jar working out? The point is, don’t worry about making it pretty.
Mar 8, 2019
How to Remove Annoying Sticky Residue With One Common Household Item
Congratulations! You’ve just removed that ugly label from your prized possession, but now you’re faced with a new problem: sticky residue from said label. What’s the quickest and easiest way to make it disappear? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back- just start walking towards the pantry.
Mar 8, 2019
How To Live With “Green” Roommate Who Doesn’t Clean?
Q: Let me start off by saying that my boyfriend [let’s call him Steve] has been living with his roommate for years and had been hesitant to look for another living situation for fear of finding someone/something worse. They were friends, but now he isn’t so sure. She [let’s call her Kelly] let her boyfriend [let’s call him Brandon] move in after weeks of them going out together and neither of them really do any washing up.
Mar 8, 2019
Solutions for Headboard Stains from Oily Hair?
Q: A few years ago I DIYed an upholstered headboard for our queen-sized bed. Since then, we’ve moved into our own house and are looking at finally upgrading to a California king, as my partner is 6’5″ and has never slept on a bed that his feet didn’t dangle off of. In looking for a new mattress, we’ve also started considering a new headboard.
Mar 8, 2019
Best Replacement Lightbulbs for Not-so-Nice Fixtures?
Q: My family and I recently moved in to a new rental townhouse. The townhouse is lit almost entirely by overhead dual-bulb “boob” lights and some fan/light combos, all of which have marbled off-white frosted glass shades and all of which came with CFLs.
Mar 8, 2019
How To Remove Sticky Residue From Marble
Yes, marble is a stone, but it is surprisingly soft which makes it very susceptible to damage. Minimize the risk of scratches by avoiding using tools like a metal spatula blade or butter knife to remove sticky residue. Try this tip instead: Cooking oil (canola or olive work great!) 1. Pour a good amount of oil over the sticky residue and lightly work it in with your finger.
Mar 8, 2019
How To Make All Natural Toilet Cleaning Tablets
Plop plop, fizz fizz — oh how easy it is! Whip up a batch of these fizzy-fresh toilet tablets and say goodbye to the harsh chemical cleaners. 1 cup baking soda 1/2 cup citric acid 40-60 drops of essential oil (we recommend Rosemary, Peppermint, Tea Tree, or Lavender) Water Silicone or non-stick baking mold Medium bowl Mixing spoon Our tablets contain just a few simple ingredients and are essentially bath bombs.
Mar 8, 2019
How To Get Rid of 20-Foot-High Cobwebs?
Q: The ceiling in my stairwell to the basement rises the full height of the house. From the bottom landing to the ceiling is probably more than 20 feet, and the corners up there are getting heavy with cobwebs. How on earth can I clean up there? My largest extending tool only goes to six feet. I’m 5’3″!
Mar 8, 2019
How To Deal With Stuff from Childhood Home in a Studio Apartment?
Q: My parents are about to move out of the house they’ve lived in since I was little. Like a lot of people, I left all kinds of stuff with them when I moved out, and now I have no idea what to do about it. I live very far away in a studio apartment, so I’ll have to be selective about what I decide to keep, and obviously they don’t plan to keep anything of mine.
Mar 8, 2019
The Mystery of the Smelly Old Floor
Q: My house—over 150 years old—has one room that is different than the others…my living room has an “old” smell. The kitchen on the same level has no odor. There is NO crawlspace for these rooms. Back when the house was built, they used white oak logs to support a room added-on. We’ve had a lot of rain lately, and no, we do not have gutters.
Mar 8, 2019
How To Deal With Shedding Shag Rug?
Q: My husband and I picked up a fantastic shag rug from West Elm a few months ago. So excited was I by the prospect of digging my toes into its plush woolly depths on cold wintry mornings in the future, I didn’t stop to consider that this rug would shed. And shed it does. First we tried waiting it out, but it’s been months now and balls of wool still roam our hardwood floors like tumbleweeds.
Mar 8, 2019
How Do Minimalist Parents Deal With All The Kid Stuff?
Q: My husband and I have been on cloud nine since we found out we are expecting our first child! How exciting it has been to think of baby names and pick out furniture and accessories for the nursery. We are going to be a family of three! Then one day my husband casually said, “let’s not buy too many toys, we are going to get a lot of gifts.” It immediately registered that we will be sharing our little apartment with a tiny little human that will have a TON of stuff!
Mar 8, 2019
This Weekend: Start Saving Major Money With This Easy Home Habit
This was the most popular weekend project last year, and with good reason! Start using this system for your household stuff and you’ll get more life out of everything you own, and save money in the process. It also has the added bonus of making your home look and feel brand new again. Ready to go? The Big Stuff: Grab someone to help and flip those mattresses and rotate your rugs. You’ll prevent odd lumps and bumps in your bed, and ward off any localized traffic wear and tear.
Mar 8, 2019
This Weekend: Must-Do Maintenance To Make Your Home Feel Fresh
Although it doesn’t take up space, this unwelcome guest still weighs your entire household down. Getting rid of it completely is almost impossible, but if you strap on your meditative mindset and get to work this weekend —for however long you’ve got — your home will truly feel, and actually be, a whole lot cleaner, without question.
Mar 8, 2019
An Easy Way to Beautify Glass Jars & Create Pretty Bathroom Storage
I have a hard time letting go of shapely, glass containers, so I’m always looking for ways to decorate and reuse them around the home. For this tutorial, I’ve chosen to reuse fancy glass yogurt containers because, if I’m being honest, it’s the only way I can justify spending over $5 on a (very delicious) jar of perishable food!
Mar 8, 2019
Make a Renter-Friendly Magnetic Photo Display in 3 Easy Steps
I love hanging on to old photos, heartfelt cards, and fun prints and postcards from my various travels, but it’s hard to figure out how to display them without buying a dozen different frames, or haphazardly attaching them to my wall with washi tape. But that doesn’t have to be the case — thanks to magnets. With a handful of supplies and 30-minutes or less of your time, you can dress your walls up and display all your favorite prints with this easy photo display tutorial.
Mar 8, 2019
Keep Your Entryway Clutter-Free With This DIY Acrylic Organizer
We all need a little more organization in our lives. One thing I wasn’t expecting was how hard it was to find a letter organizer that matched the rest of our decor and could be mounted in the tiny two-foot wall space of our entryway. And when you can’t find a solution, you DIY it! This one can be customized with different colored acrylic or painting/staining the wood.
Mar 8, 2019
An Easy Plan to Handle the Most Tedious Part of Your Spring Cleaning
This year, we’re on a mission to help you tackle spring cleaning on your time. Each weekday until April 13, we’ll guide you through a plan to clean and organize different areas of your home, but you’ll have the flexibility to choose exactly what to work on and how long you have to dedicate to the job. Sign up with your email so you don’t miss a spot! Seasonal cleaning is all about digging in on those areas of your home that don’t get daily or even weekly attention.
Mar 8, 2019
How To Clean Hunter Boots
If you’ve been playing in the garden and find your Hunter boots covered in all the offerings of spring, they may be lookin’ worse for wear. Keeping them clean and tidy may seem as easy as jumping in a puddle, but high quality rubber requires just a bit more attention than your basic rain galoshes.
Mar 8, 2019
Goodbye Money: Rent The Runway Is Adding Home Items from West Elm
First it was fashion. Now, Rent the Runway is teaming up with West Elm to allow users to rent home goods from their website. That’s right: Your blankets and sheets could now come with a return date. “This is a monumental moment for Rent the Runway and the sharing economy as a whole.
Mar 8, 2019
This Dutch Home Is Like Stepping onto the Set of ‘That ’70s Show’
Name: Laura Hofenk and 2 cats, Jisse and Jaro Location: Wageningen, the Netherlands Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 9 months, renting In April 2018 I moved to this apartment with a modern anthracite [gray-colored] couch and boring gray carpet. But at some point I started collecting vintage from the ’60s and ’70s, and then I decided to go all the way with this style. Now I’m literally living like they did in the ’70s.
Mar 8, 2019
The Real Life-Changing Magic Happened After I Finally Tidied Up
I have a confession to make: I haven’t watched “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.” But that’s mostly because I don’t watch anything. Watching the newest show right when Netflix releases it seems like a waste of my brain energy when I would rather be thinking about Henry Cavill’s Mission: Impossible-Fallout mustache or that Chrissy Teigen Instagram post of John Legend on vacation slowly rocking Miles in his swimsuit when she asks “Can you do GIFs on a video?
Mar 8, 2019
Prepare for Brighter Nights & Mornings with Target’s Flash Sale on Blackout Curtains
Longer days are great–until it's time to go to sleep and the sun's still shining.
Mar 8, 2019
The Best Credit Score Advice Experts Have Ever Heard
As far as credit is concerned, there are no hacks that can cause your score to magically skyrocket overnight. (Ahem, we’re wagging our fingers at schemes promising you a “new credit identity.”) But, what does exist is good, sound credit advice that advocates for responsible borrowing and takes into account the anatomy of your credit score, like utilization and payment history.
Mar 8, 2019
Bazaar Daily Finds
Pair Dux Scissor Chairs designed by Folke Ohlsson – $2600 – Pair of Teak Folke Ohlsson for Dux ‘Scissor’ Lounge Chairs. Both are stamped and in very good condition (see pictures for signs of wear and tear) – BALTIMORE, MD – Search “Folke Ohlsson” in marketplace.apartmenttherapy.com or in link in bio up top Weekend, March 8-10 Dear Readers, What are you looking for?
Mar 8, 2019
Whatever Chair You Eat In—It’s Time to Clean it, and Here’s How
Apartment Therapy Weekend Projects is a guided program designed to help you get the happy, healthy home you’ve always wanted, one weekend at a time. Sign up now for email updates so you never miss a lesson. If your “walls could talk,” wouldn’t the walls around your eating area have a lot to say?
Mar 8, 2019
Jackie's Colorful, DIY-Filled Abode
Jackie's Colorful, DIY-Filled Abode
Mar 8, 2019
The Crafter's Box
The Crafter's Box
Mar 8, 2019