Wine rack holding colorful dumbbells and wine bottles on a purple surface with a teal background.
3 Brilliant Organizing Hacks for Working Out in Your Small Space
Some of us only get our exercise in when it involves paying a gym membership fee and actually trekking to a space that’s dedicated to nothing but exercise. For others, that exact thing—having to drive to the gym—is a huge hurdle and working out from home is the only way it’ll happen. But what about the workout stuff? Here are a few small-space hacks that will keep your exercise gear in-sight and in-mind but definitely not in the way.
Shifrah Combiths
Aug 12, 2018
7 Unexpected Uses for Basic Elmer’s Glue
You probably already own this.
Shifrah Combiths
Aug 7, 2018
21 Things To Take Out of Your Junk Drawer Right Now
Junk drawers don’t always deserve their bad rap, since they can proffer whatever odds and ends we need at a moment’s notice. But when they’re choked with actual junk? That’s when they fail to achieve their usefulness potential, leaving this humble drawer to be little more than a ticking time bomb that will eventually require a massive and mind-numbing go-through.
Shifrah Combiths
Aug 2, 2018
The $7 Find Everyone Should Have in Their Shower
Soap scum and water marks are ubiquitous in most showers and baths. So often we treat them as an inevitable nuisance that is hidden from most eyes and that we address when we deep clean the bathroom, have guests coming, or just can’t take it anymore. And then we look for quick fixes and hacks like the baggie method to tackle the clinging grime (nothing wrong with that!).
Shifrah Combiths
Jul 30, 2018
Do This and You’ll Never Have to Dust Your Hard-to-Reach Spots Again
I’ve written a lot about dusting, but like a doctor who stops for Krispy Kreme on the way to work, I have some blind spots when it comes to this one part of homekeeping. Namely, I’m not the best at staying on top of dusting the hard-to-reach spots in my home. Not that it doesn’t bother me that the tops of my built-ins and kitchen cabinets are coated with a thin coating of dust (ok, more than a thin coating).
Shifrah Combiths
Jul 24, 2018
4 Ways to Hack Our Favorite $3 IKEA Organizing Staple
The magic of IKEA pieces is not only in their well-thought-out, small-space-maximizing design, but in the numerous ways each versatile piece can be repurposed and hacked. Here are four ways to transform one of our very favorite IKEA staples, the VARIERA bag dispenser, into more than meets the eye.
Shifrah Combiths
Jul 23, 2018
The Cleaning Workhorse You Already Carry in Your Purse
It’s become ubiquitous. Whether it’s a tiny bottle of colored gel clipped to a teens’ backpack, or the more natural version that’s a common diaper bag companion, hand sanitizer is becoming a staple of everyone’s personal bag. Besides its obvious purpose (don’t forget that the CDC still recommends hand-washing as the best line of defense!), you can also bust out your hand sanitizer to accomplish these little cleaning tasks, at home and on the go.
Shifrah Combiths
Jul 10, 2018
One Way You Might Be Sabotaging Your Own Vacation
Besides the relaxation and change of pace offered by a vacation while it’s happening, an additional benefit of taking time off is being primed to appreciate and enjoy your own home, routines, and everyday life again. Nothing kills this buzz more, though, than returning to a home that slams you with unpleasant demands the minute you walk in the door.
Shifrah Combiths
Jun 27, 2018
If There’s Such a Thing as a Sexy Toilet Plunger, This is It
Toilet plungers are not something we tend to discuss. But, for sure, we want them to work and we sure hope there’s one accessible if we—horror!—happen to need one in someone else’s bathroom. (By the way, this post has some great tips for how to unclog a toilet, should you find yourself without a plunger). Whether it’s through consideration for your guests or to equip your own home with the top tools for the job, we found the one toilet plunger to replace all others.
Shifrah Combiths
Jun 24, 2018
You Should Use a Screwdriver When You Clean the Bathroom—Here’s Why
Cleaning the toilet happens to be not only among the most odorous of chores, but also one that simply must get done to maintain any modicum of cleanliness in your house. But no matter how regularly you clean it and how much of a stickler you are for doing it the “right” way, you may not end up with a toilet that looks or—ahem—smells as fresh as you’d like.
Shifrah Combiths
Jun 14, 2018
Will This 3-Word Decluttering Mantra Be the One that Finally Works for You?
I’m expecting a baby in late August and I’m in major nesting mode. It’s a wave I really like to ride to get things cleared out and in order in our home before we welcome a new baby. Lately, as I’ve been combing through cupboards, closets, and boxes of things I was sure I’d want to keep (but now just want to toss wholesale), I’ve been remembering a three-word phrase that’s become an extremely helpful decluttering mantra.
Shifrah Combiths
Jun 11, 2018
The Big Drawbacks to Wall-Mounted Faucets
Read this before you install.
Shifrah Combiths
Jun 8, 2018
Why You Should Pour Flour in Your Sink
A clean sink is one thing, but a shiny sink is another.
Shifrah Combiths
Jun 3, 2018
One Trick that Could Make Cleaning the Toilet Fun—Okay, Not Fun But At Least Not Awful
Toilet-cleaning ranks as one of the most dreaded of all household chores, and no wonder; it’s a dirty, dirty job. Personally, I don’t mind it that much because I’d much rather know it’s clean and shiny than put off doing it. Plus the more often you do it, the less yucky the whole ordeal is. There’s one part that always flummoxed me, though, until I had a silly epiphany that solved the problem.
Shifrah Combiths
May 28, 2018
This Cult-Favorite Soap Cleans More Than Just Floors
With four children and three pets, I’m on a perpetual quest for a cleaning product that gets my floors squeaky clean. On a whim, I decided to try Murphy’s Oil soap on our tile floors since it’s one of those old-time standbys everyone seems to have at least heard of. When I saw that my mop water was dirtier than it’s ever been, I became a Murphy’s Oil Soap convert. Turns out, however, that floors aren’t all it’s good for.
Shifrah Combiths
May 24, 2018
8 Innocent Mistakes That Could Make Your Allergies Worse
Springtime relief from winter weather is often, sadly, overshadowed by the suffering that comes from seasonal allergies. But you may not be as helpless against them as you think. Here are some sneaky little mistakes you might be making that, once remedied, could help give you some much-needed relief so you can actually enjoy the flowers and warm air and bird songs. Typically, air filters should be changed every three months. However, if you have pets, you’ll need to change them more often.
Shifrah Combiths
May 21, 2018
24 Dust Magnets You Probably Haven’t Cleaned in Forever
Dust is gross. A mixture of dead skin cells, pollen, dust mites, dust mite feces, pet dander, textile fibers, burnt particles of cosmic rocks, decomposing insects, and more—dust is no doubt dirty. But it harbors a more sinister component, a fact that has motivated me, for one, to finally become a little less lax and more fatalistic about how much of it I allow to stick around in my home.
Shifrah Combiths
May 21, 2018
Want Cleaner Dishes? You Should Start With Dirtier Plates
Pre-washing dishes is one of those divisive things about life at home. If you’re secretly (or not so secretly) a pre-rinser, it’s because you think it’s the only right way to do it, and that not pre-rinsing is gross/dirty/lazy/doesn’t work/what-have-you. I know because I’m one of them. I grew up with a dishwasher that really didn’t get dishes clean on its own, so pre-washing became my practice.
Shifrah Combiths
May 15, 2018
How to Double Your Closet Space for Under $20
When we found out we’d be adding another girl to our family, it didn’t take long before we began to consider future bedroom layout arrangements. My older daughter’s closet, though pretty well-purged, is full on one half with clothes hanging on a rod, and on the other half with built-in shelving. How could we make room for a new little one’s clothes? Then I remembered a genius storage solution I’d seen in a friend’s closet: a hanging closet rod.
Shifrah Combiths
May 7, 2018
Why You Should Always Travel with a Tennis Ball
When packing for a trip, you probably include a change of clothes and toiletries in your carry-on — in case your luggage gets lost — along with a travel pillow, moisturizer, good reading material, and a layer if it’s cold on the plane. But there’s one other item that doesn’t take up much space, and can get you to your destination feeling fresh and nimble. A long-haul flight spent cramped in an airplane seat is a recipe for sore muscles and stiff joints.
Shifrah Combiths
Apr 18, 2018
Why Can’t You Recycle Glass Anymore?
Back in the day (maybe sometime in the ’90s, depending on where you lived) you used to have to separate all your recycling. Paper in one bin, glass and plastic in another. Then single-stream recycling, as it’s called, came along and helped even reluctant residents jump on the recycling bandwagon. So today, without a thought, we can toss all our recyclables into a single bin.
Shifrah Combiths
Apr 17, 2018
The Genius Reason To Put Nail Polish on Your Window Screens
Is it nice enough where you live to open the windows yet? There’s nothing like warm, fresh spring air flowing through your previously closed-up house. Of course, then the bugs come. Because, no matter how much you enjoy those cross-breezes, insects will eventually, inevitably make their way through any teeny tiny holes in your screens, and there goes all your enjoyment out the window. Here’s some good news!
Shifrah Combiths
Apr 16, 2018
Dusting Isn’t Futile, You’re Just Not Doing It Right—Here are Some Dos and Don’ts
Dust, as we somewhat euphemistically know it, is a pretty disturbing amalgamation of pet dander, dirt, soot, hair, pollen, dust mite feces, and other tiny particles that get in our breathing zones and relentlessly coat every surface in our homes. Probably because dust is so pervasive, dusting is one of our most dreaded—and, therefore, often most neglected—chores. Here are some dos and don’ts that should take some sting out of the task.
Shifrah Combiths
Mar 29, 2018
Is it Okay to Use the Same Rags to Clean the Whole House?
When it comes to keeping cleaning cloths straight, you already know some of what not to do.
Shifrah Combiths
Mar 15, 2018
7 Things You Need to Declutter Before You Spring Clean
It's smart — before you dig in on your spring clean — to minimize the stuff that needs to be cleaned and cleaned around.
Shifrah Combiths
Mar 13, 2018
The Weird Hardware Store Find You Need in Your Kitchen
Until you know how to harness its power, you won't appreciate this mysterious concoction for all it can really do.
Shifrah Combiths
Mar 7, 2018
Here’s How You Should Really Be Cleaning a Cutting Board
Although there’s a lot of room for variation when it comes to how you clean around the house, you can’t escape this one truth: You’re either getting something clean, or you’re not. This distinction is especially important in the kitchen, where cleanliness is not only a matter of taste, but of health and safety, too. That’s why you need to know what techniques will get your cutting boards clean for real.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 20, 2018
Why You Should Never Throw Away Silica Gel Packets
Those tiny little packs of dessicant that come in your new pack of shoes or your vitamins have many uses around your home. Anywhere that moisture is a problem, silica gel packets can help alleviate the issue. Keep them stored in an airtight container away from pets and children (they are a choking hazard) and whip them out in the following scenarios. Keep vitamins from moisture damage.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 19, 2018
9 Secret Shortcuts of People Who Are Good at Everyday Math
Crunching numbers quickly can give you answers to pressing real-life questions such as, "Is this shirt a good deal?" or "How much should I tip my Uber driver?"
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 17, 2018
Why You Should Save Your Spent Coffee Grounds
If you’re a coffee-drinker, you generate a generous amount of coffee grounds each day. Definitely don’t toss them down the literal drain (coffee grounds are among the biggest offenders when it comes to drain-clogging kitchen scraps), but don’t toss them in the garbage either! Here are several ways you can use the grounds, even after you’ve run water through them for your morning brew. Use them to scrub pots and pans.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 15, 2018
The “Thrift Store” Tip That Forever Changed the Way I Declutter
The pleasure of a perpetually less-cluttered house is worth the possibility that I might need to buy something again, someday.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 14, 2018
Is This the Year You Buy a Home? 4 Questions You Need to Ask Yourself
You’ve been setting aside money for a down payment for a few years and you’ve met your goal. Your online browsing has turned to semi-regular weekend open house hunting, and now you’re thinking about getting an agent of your own. Is it time? Are you really ready to buy a house? One of the biggest daily life differences between renting and owning is that no one is responsible for maintaining a home except for the home owners.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 8, 2018
8 Pictures that Prove IKEA’s EKBY ALEX is the Sleekest Storage Around
It's one of IKEA's best examples of sleek, minimal storage furniture.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 7, 2018
The $2 Cleaning Tool Paper Towel Addicts Need to Try
It will entice even die-hard paper towel lovers to reach for something else instead.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 7, 2018
5 Reasons Now is the Best Time to Declutter
Clearing clutter out of our physical spaces, and therefore out of our lives, has the power to refresh the space in our heads. While this alone makes any time a good time to declutter, there’s something about this time of year that puts us all in the mood to cozy up, buckle down and start over.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 4, 2018
Why You Should Keep Your Used Dryer Sheets
If you use dryer sheets to keep your clothes lovely-smelling and static-free, don’t throw them away. Put a basket in the laundry room to hold your used dryer sheets and reach for them to make any of the following household tasks easier (and much more pleasantly scented). Wipe one over your clothes or furniture to help remove pet hair. Run them over your baseboards and other molding to lift dust and help repel it.
Shifrah Combiths
Jan 10, 2018
Why You Should Keep Toothpaste in the Kitchen
I love finding ways to use things I already have in new life-hack-y ways, like removing labels on jars with coconut oil and baking soda. Like toothpaste: It’s something we all have in our bathrooms. But here are a few reasons to keep a tube in the kitchen. Gently rubbing non-gel toothpaste on water rings can remove them from a wooden table. Scrubbing chrome fixtures with a dab of toothpaste will make them gleam. Rub the toothpaste into the chrome with a rag and then buff with a clean rag.
Shifrah Combiths
Jan 9, 2018
3 Things Super Organized People Do at Home that You Don’t
Each of us has personal feelings about cleaning and home keeping. But what remains remarkably similar across the board is the trouble spots that we all find tricky to solve. Which, by extension, means that those perpetually organized people who never seem to have the stuff explosions most of us fall prey to have found successful ways to address these very same sticking points. Nothing multiplies like paper piles.
Shifrah Combiths
Jan 7, 2018
This $20 Find Can Cut Your Vacuuming Time in Half
So often, our biggest hurdles to getting stuff done are mental ones.
Shifrah Combiths
Jan 4, 2018
15 Things to Get Rid of Before the Holidays
This time of year is one of influx and more, more, more. Layers of decorations, extra throw pillows and blankets, house guests, that second slice of pie — not to mention all the new items brought into the home as gifts. While everything is still contained in wrapping paper and ribbons, before the shiny new things enter the realm of official Household Stuff, take time to make some space by getting rid of these oldies you’ll never miss.
Shifrah Combiths
Dec 13, 2017
This Weekend: Get Rid of These 10 Things In Your Kitchen Right Now
A kitchen that’s crammed with things is not efficient. If your cabinets are stuffed to the gills with items that you have to dig through to unearth the mixing bowl — and then, ugh, you have to put it all back before you’re even able to cook, you probably dread cooking. This weekend, edit what’s in your kitchen so you can chop, saute, and bake all week (and beyond!) with everything you need, from carrots to the pepper shaker, right at your fingertips.
Shifrah Combiths
Dec 2, 2017
The $1 Storage Solution You Won’t Know How You Lived Without
I’ve picked up the odd Dollar Tree clear plastic bin here and there for, well, I can’t remember what for now that I use them for everything. Seriously, since discovering and drooling over The Home Edit‘s Instagram feed (I even rainbowtized my apps, but that’s a story for another day), I’m clear-binning all the things. Here’s why I wish I’d started organizing with them years ago.
Shifrah Combiths
Nov 21, 2017
The Alien-Looking Tool that Makes Me Really Happy in the Kitchen
Last spring when my mother was in town, she offered to help me make an epic month-long supply of freezer meals. While preparing for the task, I came across a recommendation for a kitchen tool that I’d never seen or heard of before. Now they make me happy every time I have an occasion to use them. They’re so delightfully handy, I’ve even given them as gifts.
Shifrah Combiths
Nov 15, 2017
It’s Time to Purge Your Holiday Decor: Use Our Two Simple Rules to Declutter
Whether you crank up the Christmas music the second Halloween’s over, or you restrain yourself and stick to fall decor at least until Thanksgiving, now is the time of year that your bins of holiday decor have come down from the attic or out from under the guest beds. Rather than waiting until it’s time to put it all back and bemoaning the amount of stuff you have that, once again, you didn’t use, go through it now.
Shifrah Combiths
Nov 13, 2017
27 Things to Get Rid of in the Kitchen Before Thanksgiving
Nothing turns a happy chef into a frazzled one like rifling through drawers or disassembling the kitchen to dig out the necessary tools. Don’t let this be you at Thanksgiving. For a smoothly running kitchen — and, more importantly, a smiling cook — eliminate everything that doesn’t need to be in your kitchen before the big day.
Shifrah Combiths
Nov 6, 2017
The Uber-Easy “Always and Never” Guide to Making Hardwood Floors Last Forever
This guide takes the guesswork out of caring for your wood floors.
Shifrah Combiths
Oct 27, 2017
How to Give New Life to Your Old Suitcases
Between spills, errant shoe bottoms, and airplane grease, inside and out, our suitcases may not be the cleanest. This year, before you pack for your holiday trips or winter getaways, give your luggage the royal treatment so you can put your carefully packed clothes somewhere they’ll stay fresh and clean.
Shifrah Combiths
Oct 21, 2017
How to Flu-Proof Every Spot in Your Home
While the CDC recommends that “the single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine each season,” it’s also a good idea to pay special attention to where germs in your home can proliferate and be passed around, especially if someone in your household gets sick. Flu germs can live on hard surfaces for 24 hours, so target these hot spots in particular.
Shifrah Combiths
Oct 17, 2017