Busy Philipps May Use Her Old Couch on Her New Talk Show

Busy Philipps has a lot going on: a brand-new book coming out this fall, a late-night talk show in the works, a recent magazine cover, a TV (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) and movie (“I Feel Pretty”) role so far this year, a popular podcast, and a hilariously no-filter approach to Instagram stories, to name a few. And, she quips, “I don’t ever cancel plans. I, like, show up for everything.”

But how? To steal some secrets from her very, er, busy life, we recently sat down with the mom of two in New York City, while she was answering questions about back-to-school routines on behalf of Tropicana. Here’s what she shared with Apartment Therapy—find more (including the last book she read and the last time she cried) on our Instagram stories @apartmenttherapy on Wednesday.

Apartment Therapy: You have so many projects coming up—your book (“This Will Only Hurt a Little”, out October 16), your new late-night TV show—have you started any set design for the show?

Busy Philipps: We’re meeting with people now, but that’s going to be really important for the design aesthetic to be mine. I think we have to focus on finding someone who understands my aesthetic. We may actually just use my old sofa from my house, truly. I just bought two new sofas from Restoration Hardware, but I have a really great Room and Board sofa that might work on the set so we might just do that. I was going to sell it, but maybe I’ll just keep it and we’ll see if it works. I may bring stuff from my own home for the set.

AT: You post a lot of Instagram stories from your home—from the bathroom, the kitchen…

BP: Mostly my bedroom.

AT: Your kids’ rooms too! Do you have a favorite spot in your home?

BP: My bedroom, the lighting’s the best. It makes me look like I have a filter on.

AT: You also post a lot from your car. Is there one thing that’s always in your glove compartment? Or that you always keep with you?

Busy: Honestly, I carry a bunch of snacks in my glove compartment in my center console. I even truly have Tropicana Kids juice drink pouches in there. It’s like cheddar bunnies or fish or whatever and Tropicana Kids. It’s just when you have children and you’re driving in Los Angeles, you spend so much time in your car, and when they’re like, “I’m starving,” it’s easier to have it ready to just throw at them.

AT: You travel a lot. Do you have one product or hack that makes it easier?

BP: I do sheet masks on airplanes. I’ve heard mixed things, like whether or not it actually makes a difference but I feel like it makes a difference and so I’m always trying to fight the dehydration from flying.

Want to copy her? Busy used a Dr. Jart mask on the plane ride over to NYC from L.A.

AT: Do you do anything to make your space feel like a home away from home while you’re traveling?

BP: I’m one of those people, I immediately unpack. I have to put everything away.

AT: I was reading your post about your daughter going to camp this morning. Did she do anything to make her space feel like a home away from home?

BP: You know, she brought her own sheets and pillows as opposed to doing like a sleeping bag or something like that. And she brought a little decorative pillow—you know that has some sassy kid thing on it. I can’t remember what it says, like: “Don’t wake me I’m sleeping.”

AT: She has her own design aesthetic.

BP: She does—she really does.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.