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Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph

    Modern Nursery Classic: The Eames Rocker
    The iconic Eames rocker is a well-loved addition to many nurseries that we have featured here. Most nursery rockers and gliders tend towards enormity, but this little workhorse is a stylish small space wonder that’s great for nursing, reading, or just hanging out.Designed in 1948, the Eames’ borrowed techniques for molding plastic from World War II research to create a plastic chair with a more organic, body-contoured form.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Mar 11, 2020
    Planning Ahead: Converting Twin Beds to Bunks
    Our recent roundup of twin beds elicited many comments from readers convinced that twins don’t make much sense because kids might outgrow them. But what about shared rooms and space constraints? My twins share a room and are perilously close to climbing out of their cribs, so we are looking at big kid beds. For our home and needs, it makes sense to buy twin beds that can be converted to bunk beds in a few years. In the course of shopping around we have learned a few things.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Mar 11, 2020
    Meg’s Room For Three
    Kids: 6 year old girl, 5 and 2.5 year old boysLocation: Madison, WIRoom Size: 10′ x 10′ Meg is the creative force behind the popular blog Elsie Marley and the creative mom behind the three siblings who live in this room. We loved it back when it was just a little nursery for one, then Meg made space for another child, and then another. Sharing a 1,000 square foot two-bedroom home in Wisconsin, this family of five has done more than simply making do with a small space.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    May 5, 2019
    In Praise of IKEA’s FRAKTA Bag
    What’s big, blue, and one of my all-time favorites from IKEA? At $0.59, the FRAKTA bag is cheaper than a soft serve cone from the Swedish behemoth, and it just might be the brand’s most versatile product. What’s it good for? How much time have you got? Laundry – The FRAKTA is enormous and weightless, which makes it great for hauling dry cleaning and laundry. The flat bottom even makes it work for collecting clean folded laundry before putting it in its place.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    May 4, 2019
    New Holiday Traditions: Ideas for Donating as a Family
    ‘Tis the season for coat collections, holiday gift drives, and charitable giving, and this year I’m trying to coordinate my own periodic decluttering with the efforts of local organizations. It’s nice to make space for the new, and nicer still to get kids involved in donations, identifying things they no longer use that other children can enjoy. My family is tackling some of our biggest accumulators and finding plenty of enthusiastic takers, eager to distribute our donations.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Feb 24, 2019
    5 Ideas to Steal from School (For an Organized Winter Routine)
    Winter can make everyday kid stuff even more time consuming and unorganized. Teachers accustomed to wrangling a room full of kids have honed their classroom habits and routines, and borrowing some of their best ideas can streamline arrivals and departures while keeping clutter and dirt at bay. At school it’s a cubby, here at home we do a combination of hooks and baskets. Kids take responsibility for keeping track of their stuff and pride in contributing to an organized space.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Jan 28, 2015
    Get the Look at Home: Disney’s Frozen
    Disney’s Frozen isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the animated juggernaut is headed to a town near you for the next Disney on Ice extravaganza, and the boat ride at Epcot’s Norway Pavilion is getting a Frozen makeover with a projected 2016 launch. If an Anna and Elsa-obsessed girl in your life wants her room to evoke her favorite movie, skip the bed in a bag and licensed merchandise in favor of subtle icy accents and furniture.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Sep 18, 2014
    5 Things to Consider Before Signing Your Kids Up for Music Lessons
    As school year schedules are finalized, parents may find themselves fielding their kids’ requests for music lessons. While the “Mozart effect” has been debunked in recent years (no, playing Don Giovanni for your child won’t put them on the fast track to the Ivy League), recent research indicates that children do benefit socially, emotionally, and cognitively from learning to play an instrument. Scholarship aside, playing music is incredibly fun.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Aug 26, 2014
    Big Home Decisions: What’s Holding You Back?
    When I went to finalize an order on a new entry door for our house, the store owner chuckled as he pulled up the estimate, saying that it hadn’t quite been a year. It took me exactly fifty weeks to flip the switch on this door, which was long enough for pricing and options to change. I’ve made plenty of design decisions in the past—what was so hard about this front door? Cost. Doors aren’t cheap, especially once you factor in labor.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Aug 5, 2014
    Tried & True Tips for Finding the Best Deals on Craigslist
    Whether you’re shopping for furniture, appliances, or a sweet new ride, Craigslist is likely on your radar, and it can be a real boon to savvy shoppers. On the flipside, it can be a total boondoggle. Sometimes the deal just presents itself to you; a quick search yields exactly what you want, well-priced and nearby, but that’s kind of the Craigslist unicorn. More often, you need to search diligently, negotiate, and brush up on your Craigslist algebra.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Jun 2, 2014
    Tips for Finding the Right Neighborhood Pool for Your Family
    After a record-breaking winter of relentless snow, I am looking forward to sunshine and splashing around with my family. Since a summer home isn’t in the cards for us and we don’t have a pool, we rely on a neighborhood pool. After a few summers with kids under my belt I’ve figured out my pool priorities, and ours has become a true home away from home. Here are a few tips for choosing the right pool for your family. 1. Do the math.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    May 6, 2014
    Renter-Friendly Portable Backyard Toys
    Backyard play sets are great, but for renters or families contemplating a move the investment and complex installation can feel like too much of a commitment. Bypassing the play set doesn’t mean forgoing outdoor fun for some tepid consolation; there are portable alternatives that are at least as thrilling as their permanent counterparts. Here are a few play options that are easy to set up and just as easy to move when the time comes. 1.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Apr 29, 2014
    Green Cleaning Kids and Their Stuff
    Infant care classes routinely cover feeding, diapering, and bathing, but parents are left to their own devices when it comes to finding safe and effective solutions for cleaning kids and their belongings. Thankfully there are many great choices, whether you opt to buy or DIY. At bath time, simplicity rules. Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Liquid Castile Soap is a great option; it’s affordable, unscented, organic, non-GMO verified, and not tested on animals.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Mar 27, 2014
    10 Strategies For Saving Money at the Grocery Store
    Whether you’re shopping for yourself, sharing groceries with roommates, or buying food for your family, the cost of food can constitute a significant part of your bottom line. If you’re savvy, saving money on groceries doesn’t require compromising on variety or quality. Here are 10 tips for keeping food expenses down. 1. Use your smartphone to manage shopping lists. My family uses AnyList, and the ease of use and list sharing makes it simple to stick to a list.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Mar 17, 2014
    Roni’s List: Baby Items I’m Glad I Bought & Ones I Wish I Hadn’t
    Hindsight truly is 20/20. You might think that I figured things out the first time around, but having twins 23 months after a singleton is sort of like learning two new languages in rapid succession. We brought our son home to a city condo while our girls were welcomed to a suburban single family home, but in both cases we were grateful for a few reliable, functional, go-to items. We also had a few missteps. These are our greatest hits and flops from the early days. 1.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Feb 28, 2014
    Are Boy/Girl Shared Bedrooms a Problem?
    We see plenty of shared bedrooms here on Apartment Therapy. The overwhelming majority are for siblings of the same sex, but especially when families live in small homes and apartments, it’s often the logical (or only) choice for a brother and sister to share a bedroom. Last week in “My Brother’s Bunkmate,” New York Times contributor Michael Tortorello wrote about some of the issues of brothers and sisters sharing a room.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Feb 12, 2014
    What to Do During the Polar Vortex: A Domestic Choose Your Own Adventure
    This week much of the US has dipped to subzero temps, and the attendant office and school closings find many of us at home, wrenched from our weekday routines, and stuck inside. Depending on your living situation and your job, this could mean a fun day at home or an exceptionally challenging work situation. Here are some different scenarios and how to make the most of them. If you are home alone and your office is closed for the day… Lucky you!
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Jan 28, 2014
    Creating an Escape at Home: Splash Pads
    At first glance, splash pads might seem like an iffy choice for the backyard; public splash pads tend heavily towards a palm tree and primary colors aesthetic, and the prospect of a private splash pad sounds extravagant and spendy. Think again. Actually, splash pads can be beautiful and make efficient use of space and resources. Marcos and Amanda’s gorgeous splash pad (first photo) was completely DIY.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Jul 9, 2013
    10 Real Instruments Under $100
    Musically inclined kids are likely to start young on pots, pans and toy instruments, but what to do when they graduate to the real thing? Small space dwellers might have to shut down junior’s wish for a double bass, but there are plenty of real instruments that don’t take up a ton of room or cost a fortune. Secondhand is always our first choice, but when buying new here are ten of our favorites that aren’t too big or too spendy.TOP ROW1. Rogue A Style Mandolin – Buy.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Oct 2, 2012
    10 DIY Glider & Rocker Makeovers
    New nursery seating can be a huge expense, but secondhand options are often dated and fug. Here are ten makeovers we like. Some are as simple as reupholstered cushions or a fresh coat of paint on a wooden frame, while others involve major structural changes. All are huge improvements on the originals.TOP ROW:1. Norah’s Sweet and Sunny Nursery2. Glider Makeover – Polished3. Makeover: Dutailier Glider4. Glider Makeover5. Before & After: A “Grandma Glider” BOTTOM ROW:6.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Jun 26, 2012
    Protecting Your House from Sunblock
    With Summer months stretching ahead of us, everyone is slathering on the SPF. Protection from the sun’s rays is critical, but what about protecting your poor house? Greased up occupants can leave their mark everywhere. Here are a few tips for preventing and cleaning up sunblock messes.Prevention: Establish a place for applying sunblock that’s far away from furniture and walls. Take it outside to a deck or yard if that’s an option, otherwise head into the bathroom.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    May 22, 2012
    Mildrid’s Elephant Sanctuary
    Name & Age: Mildrid, 7 weeksLocation: Chicago, IL Room Size: 11×9 feet Mildrid is brand new, but she already has a beautiful art collection and a wonderful library, all thanks to her parents, Jurgita and Vlad. They worked hard to put together this lovely room in anticipation of Mildrid. She is still rooming in with her folks, just down the hall in the very room where she was born. When she makes the move to her crib Mildrid is sure to love this room that started with an elephant and a girl.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Dec 9, 2011
    Make Your Own View-Master Reels
    Last weekend I unearthed my old View-Master and a ziploc bag full of reels. It was so fun to see my son discover images from my childhood in 3D, and the only thing that could be more special would be images from his own childhood. This kit makes it possible.Using a digital camera and Photoshop, users can create custom reels that fit a standard View-Master.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Nov 15, 2011
    Eric’s Soothing Stripes
    Name & Age: Eric, 1.5 weeks(!) oldLocation: Austin, TX When Ohdeedoh friend Luciana let us know that she was decorating a nursery for a baby boy, we couldn’t wait to see what she put together. Baby Eric’s nursery was lovingly decorated in advance of his October 15 birth day. Welcome home, little man.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Oct 27, 2011
    Gus & Lula’s Cheerful Shared Room
    Names: Gus Lula (1)Location: Georgia When Britt and Keith started the process of adopting two children from Ethiopia, they started dreaming, painting and stitching up a room for their babies. Working with a few key pieces she had acquired in the course of decorating her home, Britt designed this lovely gender neutral space, not knowing if she and Keith would bring home boys or girls.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Oct 3, 2011
    Bring The Kids to IKEA
    This admission won’t win me any parenting awards, but here goes – I go to great pains to plan my shopping outings sans kids. With three under three, I have always considered shopping solo to be the path of least resistance, but a Memorial Day weekend trip to IKEA was nothing short of a revelation. I’ll never go to IKEA without my kids again, and here’s why: IKEA has the best shopping carts ever.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Jun 1, 2011
    Lainey & Nella’s Pretty Place
    Names: Lainey & NellaLocation: FloridaRoom size: 13’x13′ Readers of Kelle Hampton’s blog, Enjoying The Small Things, have come to love Kelle and her daughters, Lainey and Nella. True to her blog’s name, Kelle delights in little details, and her daughters’ shared room is a study in simple and beautiful pleasures.Enjoying The Small Things has a huge and fiercely devoted following.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Dec 1, 2010
    Bringing Down The Volume On Electronic Toys
    Confession is good for the soul, right? Many years ago I was a sound engineer for children’s noisy books. Now that I have three kids of my own I finally get why parents weren’t so excited when I showed up with freebies for their kids. I understand, really. In the interest of redemption, I am sharing a method for safely and permanently bringing down the volume on these devices.In yesterday’s post about electronic toys many of you explained that your biggest beef was the noise.
    Roni Shapira Ben-Yoseph
    Nov 16, 2010