20 Surprising Things You Can Clean in the Dishwasher
Before you spend another minute wiping, dusting, or disinfecting something you don't have to, look for these things that can get clean in the dishwasher.
Jul 16, 2018
Conserve Resources and Money: How to Take Shorter Showers
According to the Boston University sustainability department, an average shower uses about 5 gallons of water per minute. That means if you shorten your shower by just 2 minutes each day, you can cut your water use by 10 gallons at a time. It really adds up–with major impacts to your wallet and the environment. Whatever your goal–lowering your bill or just your water usage overall–it’s quite the challenge to try and shorten your time in the shower.
Jul 14, 2018
3 Smart Ways to Do Fewer Dishes This Summer
Welcome to Apartment Therapy’s Chore-Free Summer. Every weekday until July 20, we’re arming you with time-saving shortcuts and hacks that’ll help you work smarter, not harder, when it comes to homekeeping this summer. Because cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore. No other household chore draws as much ire as the dishes. Maybe it’s because they just never. seem. to end.
Jul 10, 2018
This Miracle Stain Remover is My Best $7 Secret
No matter what I spill, or what I spill it on, I have a single stain remover I can trust to be my front line against anything.
Jun 18, 2018
Party of Two: The Best 2-Player Board Games for Couples to Play at Home Together
This might be the homebody in me talking, but I happen to think date night at home is better than date night out in nearly every way. The drinks are cheaper. The clothes are comfier. And, if you have the right game, it can be a really fun night for you and your love to get competitive and cuddly all at once. Based on recommendations from Amazon, Board Game Geek, Reddit’s /r/boardgames and my own experience, here are some of the best two-player games for couples to play on their own.
May 24, 2018
Why Everyone Should Start a Bullet Journal
If you were one of the folks—like me—hoping bullet journals would be a flash-in-the-pan lifestyle trend, I have to report that we’re wrong. Bullet journals are here to stay. Why did I write off bullet journals for so long? (Pun absolutely intended.) Well to me, they seemed like they existed as a sort of vanity project—an Instagram-worthy journal where perfect people can showcase the elements of their perfect life in perfect handwriting.
May 20, 2018
Here’s The Minimalists’ Best Advice for Dealing With Sentimental Clutter
My husband and I recently replaced our dresser, which spurred an event which I’ll be referring to in the confines of our relationship history as “The Great T-Shirt Eradication of 2018.” You see, between us, we own many, many tees. We could, as a couple, each wear a different shirt every day and maybe make it until Independence Day without doing laundry. At least, that was the case before “The Great T-Shirt Eradication of 2018.
Apr 25, 2018
Stop Washing The Dishes: THIS is What Hosts Really Want From Their House Guests
Bless the houseguest who hops up after a great meal and beelines for the kitchen sink. Thank you for your service on the serving ware, but also for saving the rest of us from the awkward dance of feeling out which one of us guests was going to volunteer as tribute to the trifle dish. Somewhere in the course of home history, “doing the dishes” became synonymous with “being a good houseguest.
Apr 25, 2018
5 Affordable Organizing Solutions I Swear by in My Kitchen
I don't have a fortune to customize the cabinets from top to bottom — just a few dollars here and there to maximize my kitchen's storage potential.
Apr 20, 2018
7 IKEA Staples I Still Have (and Love!) 10 Years Later
Some are long retired, but some are still there on the shelves for you to take them home right now. Make sure you're ready for the commitment!
Apr 12, 2018
Only Have One Minute to Spring Clean the Bathroom? One Hour? Try These Tricks
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. Nobody really likes cleaning, do they? I’m a home editor and I don’t even like cleaning. I enjoy having a clean home, of course.
Apr 12, 2018
5 Crazy Clever Features Hiding on Your Tape Measure
Learning how to take advantage of them will make you a pro at wielding this hard-working tool around your home.
Apr 6, 2018
4 Foolproof Ways to Fit Decluttering Into Your Schedule Today
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!
Apr 4, 2018
5 Simple Ways to Be Happier at Home This April
Spring is a time of renewal, so we feel like there’s no better moment than now to pick up a new habit or try out a new idea. Even better if that idea inspires some good ‘ness — you know… happiness, coziness, wellness or just all around better living at home.
Apr 3, 2018
7 Celebrity Homes that ‘Normal’ People Could Maybe Even Afford
As someone who loves to trawl through celebrity real estate listings, you can trust me when I say the other half is living lavishly. It’s downright rare to find a price tag with fewer than seven figures. But truly, I can’t blame ’em. If I started making major bank, the first thing I’d do is set myself up with the home of my dreams too. But it seems lavish real estate isn’t a top priority for every celeb under the sun.
Mar 18, 2018
The Biggest Unsolved Mystery in the History of Kitchen Appliances
We’re living in a world where anything is possible. I can talk to my light bulbs. My plants water themselves. There’s an electric car floating out in space somewhere right at this very moment. The sky’s the lim— ok the sky isn’t even the limit anymore. Mind-blowing technological breakthroughs are happening across every industry every day, proving that anything we can dream up is possible.
Mar 11, 2018
Why It’s Smart to Put a Pair of Tights On Your Vacuum Cleaner
Size doesn’t matter. We each possess a few tiny things (earring backs, a sentimental ring, an important LEGO piece, a single minuscule screw that apparently is supposed to hold your entire IKEA table together) that, if lost, would bring about certain ruin. OK maybe not ruin — but losing them would definitely put a kink in an otherwise pleasant day. So file this tip away for later.
Mar 8, 2018
The $500 Reason Why You Should Put Food Coloring in Your Toilet
If you’re planning on picking up some green food coloring for your St. Patrick’s Day beer, get a head start on it now. Because it turns out food coloring is a pretty useful tool outside of the kitchen, too. If you suspect that your toilet might be leaking, food coloring or any other type of dye can help. Because it’s wasteful and costs money.
Feb 12, 2018
Here’s the Secret Weapon for Decluttering Your Space
Sometimes the biggest obstacle standing between you and a cleaner, clutter-free home is an unwillingness to just let go of unneeded stuff. When faced with getting rid of things, we can all turn into a bunch of hoarders at heart (“but what if I need it someday?!”). Luckily, your best weapon against a chronic case of “keep it just in case”-itis is a simple thing we like to call the outbox.
Jan 4, 2018
Do This and You’re One Hour Closer to a Happier, Healthier Home
There’s a quote by French writer Antoine de Saint Exupéry that I’ve always loved to repeat to myself when I need perspective: “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” As much as you want your home to be a better, happier place, you have to understand that it takes work to get there. And not all of that work is spent on hands and knees, scrubbing showers or sorting drawers. Much of the work is just planning — deciding what to do and committing to when to do it.
Jan 3, 2018
It’s Time to Reset Your Home for 2018: Let’s Kick Off the January Cure!
Happy New Year! It’s always amazing to me what a boost your mind and body can get — in the form of renewed energy, motivation, and focus — by seeing the calendar reset at January each year. It’s the perfect time to make a fresh start, which includes getting your home primed for the year ahead. Because who doesn’t want a home that works better and looks better, too?
Jan 2, 2018
Kris Jenner Just Bought the House Across the Street From Kim Kardashian
Brace yourselves, we’ve got some Kardashian real estate news. If the K-word sends a shiver down your spine, might we suggest you not pass Go, close the tab, and find something else to read ASAP (there’s some really pretty fringe to look at over here). But if you fellow reality TV junkies are ready for a (not-so) shocking update, let’s proceed. Kris Jenner just bought the house across the street from her daughter Kim Kardashian West.
Dec 13, 2017
Why You Should Keep a Dry Erase Marker in Every Room of the House
Your most on-top-of-it friends? I’ll let you in on their secret for staying organized: Write everything down. Your brain has to do a lot of day-to-day hustling, so anything that you can clear out of it and get onto paper is something you’re sure to remember when needed. But the thing is, you don’t need paper at all. Dry erase markers can do a lot of heavy lifting around your home.
Dec 12, 2017
This California Corner Condo is a Bohemian-Meets-Mid-Century Paradise
True relaxation is kicking back in a hammock—in your own living room. And until landlords come around to understanding the benefits of touting weight-bearing-bolts as an added apartment amenity, the best way to ensure you’re set up for lazing in the bohemian lounge of your dreams is to scoop this charming one up for yourself.
Dec 11, 2017
You Can Own In Emma Stone’s Pink “La La Land” Apartment Building
Charmed by Emma Stone’s vintage Spanish-style apartment in La La Land? We were too. And while golden age movie posters and floral wallpaper can go a long way toward bringing the look home, if you’re after some true authenticity, you can actually just buy one of the apartments in her building now. A 2-bedroom condo unit just went up for sale in this gorgeous flamingo pink courtyard-style 20-unit apartment complex in Long Beach.
Dec 4, 2017
Study Proves Renters Can be Wealthier than Buyers (Really!)
How many times have you heard that renters are “just throwing their money away”? Well that’s not true, for a few reasons. First, owning a home is expensive. There’s a mortgage — which, in the early years, is more taxes and interest than actual equity (i.e. the first few years of owning a home is also throwing a lot of money away; I broke down my actual mortgage payment in this post, if you’re interested in reading more about that).
Nov 29, 2017
Recent Study Finds Millennials Are Bad Neighbors But I’m Not Buying It
Millennials get a bad rap. We killed chain restaurants, doorbells and, if you take this recent study at face value, we’re killing neighborly love. But not according to me. The team at Safe Home surveyed 1,000 Americans to discover how close we are to the people that live near us.
Nov 29, 2017
Why You Should Keep a Cutting Board in Your Small Bathroom
You think New York City real estate is bad? You should see my bathroom counter. The door to the bathroom opens up right into the only natural place to put the vanity, which means there’s only one shallow, narrow space for the vanity to go — and one shallow, narrow space to work with when I’m getting ready in the morning. I used to drop my makeup bag and hair straightener right into the sink, but that got old fast every time I needed to rinse extra cheek tint off my hand.
Nov 21, 2017
We’re Breaking it Down: When Waiting for 20% Down Is The Wrong Choice
A 20 percent down payment is the gold standard held up by every real estate resource ever. With less than 20 percent down, you’re on the line to pay PMI — private mortgage insurance — a fee that’s tacked on to your mortgage every month for no other reason than to protect the bank (not you) if you ever default on your loan.
Nov 16, 2017
Before You Sweep, Do This to Your Dustpan to Keep Dirt In
Nothing about cleaning my house is quite as rage-inducing as sweeping the floors. Not because it’s difficult, or even particularly time-consuming, but because the dirt never really ever stays in the dustpan. Does it? That’s what I thought, at least, until a friend tipped me off on this stupid simple household tip. It’s so ridiculously easy and quick that you’ll feel silly for not having thought of it before. Here’s the tip: Just run the dustpan under water first.
Nov 14, 2017
These Are the Best Cities to Live In When You’re in Debt —and Here’s Why
Folks, I’m here with some revolutionary news. Eating well and exercising is the best way to get in shape, and the secret to paying off debt is having extra money. But as simple and, yes, obvious as those solutions are, they’re actually really tough to put into practice. So if you’re someone living with debt, and looking for a way to make “extra money” come easier, you may want to consider a move.
Nov 14, 2017
Why You Should Put a Cotton Ball in Your Trash Can
I’m trying to watch my waste. And we recycle a lot. So my trash can—it doesn’t get a lot of attention. An egg shell here, and some uneaten leftovers there. (I should probably start composting, I think.) It takes some time for my trash to get full, and in the meantime… it can kind of start to stink. I’ve heard a gentle sprinkle of baking soda into the can every once in a while can help, but the truth is, I need something more “set it and forget it.
Nov 13, 2017
The 10 Commandments of a Clean & Happy Pantry
Be it a room, a cabinet or even just a drawer, your pantry deserves a little love.
Nov 11, 2017
I’ve Found the Secret to Tackling My Most-Hated Chore
I don’t know about you, but my sense of time is pretty bad. Like “I’ll be ready in 5 minutes” is almost always a lie, bad. And when I call in a to-go order, I set an alarm because I will severely over-estimate how long “15 to 20 minutes” can be. It never seemed like too much of a problem — at least not with an impatient, loves-to-be-early type of husband in the house who regularly overestimates our travel time to surprise parties.
Nov 10, 2017
Redditors Are Explaining How to Get Out of Awkward Social Situations & It’s Hilariously Helpful
For an introvert and homebody like me, it takes a lot of energy to get psyched enough to head out to a party. Mainly because I just know I’ll get stuck in a conversation about something I’d rather not talk about, probably with someone I’d rather not talk to. In those situations — where a once-pleasant conversation takes a turn for the worse and I need a fast out — I find it helps to heed the Boy Scout maxim and “be prepared.
Oct 25, 2017
The Amazon Hangover Cure: Handling the Packaging Monster, Sustainably
We’re online shopping more than ever and, unfortunately, that means bringing unwanted waste into our homes in the form of cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and other packing supplies. (A problem that gets especially frustrating when I discover the refrigerator-sized box on my porch actually just contains the single pack of face wipes I ordered).
Oct 22, 2017
How to Prevent Pumpkins from Rotting And Keep Your Jack-O-Lantern Looking Fresh for Weeks
For a holiday all about horror, the most terrifying thing about Halloween might just be how long you have to wait to carve your pumpkin. Depending on the weather where you live, you might only get a few days — maybe a week, tops — with your Jack-O-Lantern before mold and rot set in, or the whole thing shrivels and dries out. Cornell University horticulturist Steve Reiners told NPR that the best storage temperature for pumpkins is 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Oct 13, 2017
These Are The 6 Types of Minimalists. Which One Are You?
Minimalism, in modern culture, is a word infused with so much meaning that it doesn’t seem to mean anything any more. “Minimalism” is thrown around carelessly, and often offered (in the case of a book or an article, including many you might see on this site) without enough context to understand if we’re all on the same page. And often, we aren’t. It turns out there are many different ways to practice the same underlying, abstract foundation.
Oct 11, 2017
Save Your Sanity: The Top 3 Toughest-to-Assemble IKEA Pieces
In case you missed it: Last year, everyone’s favorite Swedish flat pack palace IKEA purchased TaskRabbit—a major player in the “gig economy” that connects people who are willing to exchange money for small tasks. You know, things like cleaning around the house, filling test tube shots with vodka (that’s a real task) or, you know… assembling IKEA furniture.
Oct 5, 2017
This Humane Spider Catcher is Perfect for Arachnophobic Pacifists
I don’t need a Buzzfeed quiz to tell me that the Mean Girls character I most identify with is the “she doesn’t even go here”-girl. I just have a lot of feelings, OK? I talk to my plants like they’re people. They’re named after people, for goodness sake. And I can’t let go of a chair or a car on Craiglist without feeling like I’m abandoning a member of my family. “Is he going to take care of Heidi the Honda?
Sep 18, 2017
Not a Drop: A Dozen Tips and Hacks that Make Painting Cleanup Easy
We collected a dozen smart tips that will make your next painting project spotless and splatter-free.
Aug 18, 2017
Overwhelmed with a Messy Home? Try the Laundry Basket Method
You know my favorite thing about being a human? (Sarcasm alert.) It’s that thing how when your home is really messy, your brain finds it overwhelming and hard to process and almost paralyzing. So then your body can’t muster up the energy or willpower to actually clean it. And so the place just gets more messy and your brain is more overwhelmed and it’s harder every day to actually tackle the mess. Yeah, that’s super fun, right?
Aug 17, 2017
These Memorable Mantras Will Help You Declutter and Guide Your Quest for Less
The most powerful tool in your decluttering arsenal? It’s your mind. Truly, when you seem to have a problem with “too much,” the biggest obstacle in the way of getting rid of needless things is your own brain. It’s there in the background insisting, maybe, that you’ll wear that ill-fitting dress some day again, or that this old broken lamp is the last thing that connects you to the memory of your grandparents’ condo.
Aug 3, 2017
The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Sofa
Whether or not you love your furniture, it pays—quite literally—to keep it looking great. If you have a sofa or chair you love, the benefits of making sure your investment lasts a long time are obvious. But even if you’re not sitting on your forever couch right now, keeping it in great shape will make your piece a more appealing second-hand buy for the lucky shopper who finds your well-maintained sofa on Craigslist for a steal.
Aug 2, 2017
The Homes that America Built: A Crash Course in Favorite American Architecture Styles
I have this argument with friends every now and again: What’s “American” food? The question inspires a lively discussion, with a lot of suggestions but no real consensus. (It usually comes down to hog dogs or Southern-style barbeque.) Nailing down American food is a tough thing because there is so much of America. So many people and cultures and styles that manage to blend together and evolve over the (few) centuries the country’s been around.
Jul 4, 2017
Time it Right: Here’s What the Transition from Renting to Owning a Home Looks Like (and Costs)
There is so much that’s confusing about the home buying process as a first-timer, and all I can really do (beyond writing articles like this one) is absolutely promise that an attentive real estate agent and a knowledgeable mortgage broker will be your lifelines. You’ll be surprised how much you learn about earnest payments, escrow and amortization in that month or so it takes to close. Definitely more than you paid attention to in college accounting, I’ll tell you that much.
Jun 28, 2017
Cause & Effect: Clean This Today to Save Major Money Tomorrow
If you pride yourself on keeping a tidy home, there’s stuff around the house you want to do. Like buying an organizer for the junk drawer. That right there is like a drug to Monica Geller types. But no matter how much you enjoy cleaning up, there are still some chores that are, well, chores. Cleaning the fridge coils is one of those things.
Jun 27, 2017
What Most People Don’t Know About Renter’s Insurance
There’s a lot about the roommate experience that can be tricky. Like chores, chores and, uh… chores. But even after you’ve mastered homekeeping, there are still some things about sharing a home that may come as a surprise. For example, your roommate’s renter’s insurance policy might not cover your stuff.
Jun 26, 2017