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
Bazaar Daily Finds
Walnut credenza with sculptural legs brass inlays – $2000 – mid century modern walnut credenza with sculptural legs and brass inlay details. Walnut. Original vintage piece. Excellent condition – SHIPS Thursday, March 7 Dear Readers, What are you looking for? We’ve just cleaned out and relaunched our marketplace as Bazaar – the best place on the web for vintage designer furnishings and accessories directly from others in our community.
Mar 7, 2019
Marshalls Is Launching an Online Store and We’re Officially Never Leaving Our Beds
Discount shopping is an artform. It requires skill, dedication, and plenty of free time to psych yourself up to spend hours combing through the racks at Marshalls, hoping to uncover that one-of-a-kind markdown score. It’s not for the faint of heart, or the person who shops for convenience: You need to be driven by savings. After years of having to schlep all the way to your local store to enjoy the deals, prayers everywhere have been answered. The TJX Company—parent company of T.J.
Mar 7, 2019
I Thought I Was Watching ‘Attack of the Clones’—But It Was Just an Open House
In Los Angeles, people build entire careers out of resembling someone else. There are the impersonators, the stand-ins, and the stunt people who make a living looking like celebrities. It seems pretty cool to look like someone else—until you’re searching to buy your first house in a super competitive real estate market. Suddenly, you’re at an open house, surrounded by a swarm of doppelgängers.
Mar 7, 2019
This Cute Studio Above a Garage Is How to Do A Lot With a Little
Name: Sarah Choate and a spooky black cat named Jackson Dale Location: Wilmore, Kentucky Size: 400-500 square feet Years lived in: 7 months, renting This is the first place I’ve lived in totally on my own and so far, I really love the peacefulness that comes with living alone. I’m 24 and work as the marketing coordinator for a faith-based nonprofit that does international community development work.
Mar 7, 2019
How Do I Convert a Windowless Room Into a Bedroom?
Q: I currently live in a junior one bed that’s approximately 825 square feet. I would like to convert our windowless dinning room into an office/bedroom for our daughter. My question is: how do you weigh the pros and cons of a renovation? Do I need to reach out to an architect, contractor, etc.? What is the general cost? Any unforeseen pitfalls? Can I even do this legally?
Mar 7, 2019
These Wooden Pop-Up Hotel Rooms Are Made of Eco-Friendly Shipping Containers
When you hear pop-up accommodations, you’re probably thinking of a tent. AccorHotels has something a bit more glamorous in mind that maintains that connection to your surroundings in an eco-friendly way. The travel and lifestyle group that manages more than 4,300 hotels, resorts, and residences in 100 different countries has entered the commercialization stage for Flying Nest, its mobile hospitality concept.
Mar 7, 2019
8 Things Real Estate Agents Zero In On the Moment They Walk Through Your Door
​Turns out, first impressions are worth a whole lot. Or at least to real estate agents stepping into a home for the first time.
Mar 7, 2019
Before and After: This Home Office Nails the Beverly Hills Hotel Vibe on a Budget
After living in her house for five long years, Kate felt a burning need to shake things up. She admits her style has a tendency to change and evolve, and periodically needs to explore a completely new aspect of her personality. This time, she scratched that itch in her home office. The home office had a lot going for it, with its soothing gray-green walls, comfy furniture, and plush shag rug.
Mar 7, 2019
This Humidifier Has Over 6,000 5-Star Reviews–And It’s 30% Off Today on Amazon
These past few months of winter have probably left your skin feeling some type of way—namely: dry, red, and rough. Even though spring is coming in a few weeks, the damage done by a lack of humidity will take some time to recover from. While lotions and moisturizers are a great remedy, they don’t take care of the root of the problem. For that, you’ll need to move somewhere humid—or invest in a humidifier, which will add moisture to the air around you whenever you need it.
Mar 7, 2019
Partner
Spring Refresh: 3 No-Fail Projects to Boost Your Curb Appeal
If you feel like you’ve been slogging through cold, rain, and slush for too long, we’ve got good news. Spring (officially) starts March 20, and the shift is in the air. Every week for the lead-up, we’re working with Lowe’s to share quick updates you can do in a weekend, including step-by-step instructions and a list of supplies. This week we’re at the gateway to your home, the front door.
Mar 7, 2019
I’m 25 and I Can Afford to Live in the City—But Here’s Why I’m Sticking to the Suburbs
Like millions of Americans who graduated with more than $50,000 in student loan debt, I knew it’d be a serious challenge to start my career living in pricey Washington D.C. and pay off my loans. Recent stats show the District’s median rental cost for a one-bedroom apartment is an eye-popping $2,121. At the time, I was only earning $12/hour as a radio station assistant and an unreliable-but-similar rate nannying in the afternoon.
Mar 6, 2019
Things That Say Home to Maude Co-founder Eva Goicochea
Frustrated with seeing gendered, brightly-colored, and otherwise not-so-nice-looking options for sex and intimacy, Eva Goicochea and her friend started maude. Their approach to products like condoms and lubricant not only improve on old designs, they actually won’t look bad on your nightstand, either. We already knew Goicochea’s outlook extended into her home thanks to her house tour.
Mar 6, 2019
13 Rooms that Prove Poufs Are the Versatile Furniture Your Home Needs
Think poufs are overrated? Not so fast. There’s a reason these guys keep popping up in room after room. After all, they’re portable, comfortable, colorful, and stylish… certainly not every piece of decor fits this description. Need a little more convincing? Check out the ways in which 14 different homeowners and renters styled poufs in their spaces. Ah, the classic moroccan pouf.
Mar 6, 2019
45 Percent of People Don’t Know Who Pays Their Real Estate Agent—Do You?
Buying a home is expensive. Selling a home is expensive. This is common knowledge. Something I recently learned is not common knowledge? Just who pays the buyer’s real estate agent once a house sells (and who pays the seller’s, too). It’s likely you haven’t really thought about this ever. For expediency’s sake, the answer is “the seller.” Yes, the seller pays their listing agent and the buyer agent’s commission.
Mar 6, 2019
This Van Conversion Is Called Big Gigantic, For Good Reason
Transitioning to life on the road is a huge undertaking but thanks to the numerous options for camper and van conversions, the process of pivoting to permanent #vanlife can be a little less harrowing. The latest home-on-wheels to catch our eye deserves an honorable mention based on its name alone: the Big Gigantic is a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter build-out, courtesy of Washington-based Freedom Vans.
Mar 6, 2019
Another Adorable DIY Van Conversion That’ll Make You Crave a Road Trip
Name: Lara and Adrian Location: Australia Size: Around 150 square feet Years in: 1 year, owned From the house tour of the cute and quirky Melbourne home of Lara Ivachev, Adrian, and their two dogs Otis and Kiku, it’s clear this is a couple that has great style. And that knack for decor extends to the road; they recently renovated a van for taking long and comfortable road trips.
Mar 6, 2019
IKEA’s Iconic BILLY Bookcase Just Turned 40 and Got a Fresh Birthday Makeover
Am I the only one who wants a complete makeover every time another birthday rolls around? There’s just something about starting a new year that feels like the perfect time to try out a fresh look. My own is coming up next week and I’m already planning to dye my hair a new color and maybe get another ear piercing. And it turns out, IKEA furniture is a fan of the new year, new me mantra too.
Mar 6, 2019
Partner
Simplify Your Spring Cleaning in 10 Minutes a Day
Spring cleaning: It’s a big annual ritual that we actually kind of love, but it doesn’t have to become an overwhelming task that eats up an entire weekend. With little more than an all-purpose cleaner, a good spray mop, and 10 minutes a day, you can keep a mostly clean house year-round so that when the big weekend does come around…it won’t be so big.Making the bed is one of the most powerful things you can do first thing in the morning.
Mar 6, 2019
How to Deal With Being Homesick
We’ve all been there. Whether you’ve packed up your life for a cross-country move, or you’re just on an extended business trip, sometimes you can’t help but feel a little homesick. How can you cope when you’re yearning to be home and more importantly, what do these feelings even mean? We called on clinical psychologist Joshua Klapow, Ph.D., to help us break down everything we ever wanted to know about homesickness.
Mar 6, 2019
The 6 Food Choices That Saved Us When My Husband Lost His Job
When my husband came home from work and told me that the next day would be his last at his job, we went into immediate emergency cost-cutting mode. And we quickly learned that the easiest place to slash the budget, in principle, was one of the most painful in practice: our food expenses. We love food—eating it, cooking it, talking about it, sharing it. And an embarrassingly large percentage of our budget went to food—good ingredients, kitchen equipment, eating out.
Mar 5, 2019
Alexis Stewart’s NYC Triplex For Sale Is Actually 4 Units in One
While Martha Stewart continues to dominate the world one lifestyle venture at a time (see: her pet CBD line), her daughter Alexis is busy working on a major real estate move. The younger Stewart recently listed her impeccably designed West Village triplex for $53 million, after having purchased the home between 2006 and 2007 for approximately $35 million.
Mar 5, 2019
14 Colorful Doors That Make a Great First Impression
Colorful front doors are all the rage right now—just take a quick scroll through Instagram and you’re bound to see dozens. The best part is that you can’t really go wrong shade-wise, so now is the time to be creative. Feeling shy? Try transforming an interior door with a pop of paint and you’ll be amazed at how much brighter your space will look. Feeling a little more bold? Slap a fresh coat of paint on your exterior door to really make a statement.
Mar 5, 2019
This Rustic 96-Square-Foot Tiny House Is For Sale
Calling all nature-loving types: here’s an opportunity to combine your love for Mother Nature and pastoral places under one rustic roof. Surely, you’ve already picked out your dreamiest outdoorsy city to live in, so why not round out the nature-friendly lifestyle with a cozy, remote space of your own? This simple yet stylish 96-square-foot pavilion fits the bill, and even better it’s up for sale.
Mar 5, 2019
Bazaar Daily Finds
Edmund Spence Dresser or Credenza – $790 – Edmond Spence is the heavy hitter you never hear about. His pieces are highly sought after and valued. Do some research and you’ll see why. His aesthetic is unique and incredibly striking. He turns furniture into sculptural works of art. He himself is unique in that he’s an American designer who had is designs produced in Sweden. The dresser is in excellent condition. Some light age appropriate wear.
Mar 5, 2019
The Best Affordable City for Your Zodiac Sign
How does moving to a brand new city sound? For some zodiac sun signs, like Cancers, it might sound terrible, as they’re prone to staying close to their family and are nostalgic for the “old neighborhood.” (Though, it might be a great experience for them to get out of their shells a bit!) “They are the homebodies of the zodiac,” explains Jenna Smith of My Stars! Horoscopes. “Once they get nestled into a place, they don’t want to leave.
Mar 5, 2019
This Smart Luggage Will Even Help You Pack
Trying to fit all of your necessities into a single carry-on has to be one of the quickest ways to induce a travel-related meltdown. Personally, I prefer to reserve that emotional and mental energy for the inevitably aggravating TSA line or for giving a penetrating glare to the impatient passengers who think they should be allowed to de-plane before everyone else. If a stressed-out packer makes for a stressed-out traveler, this new luggage brand could be the helping hand you need.
Mar 5, 2019
7 Ways to Add Warmth to a Mostly Minimalist Space
What is it about minimalism that always makes us a little weak in the knees? It doesn’t matter if it’s one of Philip Johnson’s iconic glass houses or a set from our favorite movie, there’s something about those clean lines, pared-down details and neutral color palette that makes us feel like we’re in a stylish sanctuary.
Mar 5, 2019