Everyone has heard of “fast fashion,” a term used to capture the quick nature of current fashion trends. It also expresses the wasteful elements that come with it, like harm to the environment, and as a result, our well-being. But this rapid turnover of product doesn’t stop at clothing production—the exact reason why two NYC-based artists are pushing awareness for “fast furniture” through their latest, eye-catching art installation.

Nicoletta Richardson

Apr 18, 2019

25 New Ways to Reuse Your Old Pill Bottles Organize & Clean

There’s a special kind of satisfaction that comes from finding solutions to problems that use things you already have on hand. I’m still very proud of myself for MacGyver-ing a broken pop-up shade canopy with a hair tie and a plastic bag—it’s silly, but it made me feel like I might just have made it in the pioneer days. Taking things you already have and making them more useful isn’t just self-congratulatory, it’s also frugal and earth-friendly.

Shifrah Combiths

Apr 3, 2019

Before and After: A $1300 Pottery Barn Desk Now Has a $60 Doppelgänger Home Projects

A talented DIYer bought this old desk for $11.25 and managed to transform it into a dead-on knockoff of a $1,299 Pottery Barn desk while adding a clever upgrade in the process. Our intrepid DIYer needed a new desk, but wanted to spend less than $100: I picked up this desk for $11.25 at my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Tess Wilson

Feb 19, 2019

A Genius Hack that Makes Your Retired Toothbrush Better for Cleaning Organize & Clean

I went to the dentist today and you know what that means! Yep, another new toothbrush—which means I get to promote (demote?) the one I’m using to my cleaning arsenal. Toothbrushes are the best little tools for cleaning small spaces like window tracks, shower tracks, around the faucets, the drains in the sink, the seams between the vertical and horizontal surfaces of the counter, grout, and so much more.

Shifrah Combiths

Feb 19, 2019

10 Weird Ways Bed Pillows Can Solve Your Problems Home Projects

Maybe you’ve had the same bed pillow for ten years and have your sights newly set on some memory foam. Or maybe you’ve got an extra five random pillows stuffed in your closet, just in case, and it’s time to KonMari. As with most things we toss or get rid of these days, old pillows can still be used long after they’ve left their prime days behind. Here are 10 ways this everyday basic can help you out around the house, no matter what condition they’re currently in.

Dabney Frake

Jan 27, 2019

Before and After: Who Knew a $75 Craigslist Find Could Look This Good?Home Projects

This tall, vintage, secondhand dresser needed a little wood filler and a lot of love, so its new owner gave it all that and a gorgeous coat of paint that totally transformed its look. The new owner of this dresser, who bought it on Craigslist for $75, described it as “a glossy cherry wood… ick!” It did, however, have nice lines, antique charm, and plenty of refined details without too much old-fashioned folderol.

Tess Wilson

Jan 23, 2019

One Thing You Need to Know About Recycling Your Christmas Wrapping Paper Organize & Clean

Few things inspire more joy than a collection of beautifully wrapped presents under a Christmas tree! The problem with gift wrap, though, is that it’s often not recyclable. Even though the base of most gift wraps is indeed paper, many have overlays like metallic foil or glitter, have tape stuck to them, are saturated with problematic inks or dye, or are so thin that the fibers aren’t useful for recycling.

Ayn-Monique Klahre

Dec 25, 2018

Stop Recycling Your Empty Glass Liquor and Wine Bottles Home Projects

While we’re not suggesting you hoard all of your glass liquor bottles—please, recycle that mountain of two buck Chuck empties—sometimes a glass bottle comes along that’s too pretty to toss. And when that happens, there are several ways you can choose to repurpose it. Here are some of our favorites: For serving water: If it’s good enough for some of my favorite restaurants, it’s good enough for me.

Caylin Harris

Dec 20, 2018

14 Clever Sugru Household Fixes & Hacks Home Projects

Sugru is the magical, moldable household putty-like glue with a million uses—but we’ve rounded up our 14 favorite applications. Guaranteed there are at least three here that will change your life. (And the best part? It’s only $10 on Amazon!) How many chargers have we all lost to the dreaded bendy-fray? Use Sugru to reinforce a charger that’s starting to go, or reinforce one now so it never does. This is flat-out genius.

Tess Wilson

Oct 28, 2018

10 Clever Ways to Reuse All Your Old Wool Sweaters Home Projects

The first whiff of colder weather makes you dream excitedly about boots and cozy sweater outfits. As you run to the closet to dig out your sweaters, you find… moth holes? Don’t throw out those old sweaters though. Sweaters make perfect upcycle material and can be transformed into a myriad of useful (and cute) DIYs. Check out our favorites below. Teapot cozies keep your tea of choice warm as you settle in for a snug night.

Cat Meschia

Oct 18, 2018

Clever Ways to Reuse All Those Used Toilet Paper Roll Tubes Home Projects

Toilet paper is a fact of life, as are all the tubes that pile up as you go through it. Sure you can recycle those used rolls, but there’s a much better use for all that cardboard. Here are a bunch of ways to stretch out their humble little lives a little further. If you have a ton of gift wrap in your closet, take a break from buying more and find other ways to package presents. These fruit-themed ones are adorable.

Dabney Frake

Sep 28, 2018

Before and After: An Epic Tale of One Estate Sale Mid-Century Sofa Home Projects

This estate sale sectional had its issues, but what it lacked in legs it made up for in mice. Don’t let the beautiful backdrop distract you: This sofa needed some serious (read: professional) TLC to go from threadbare and disintegrating to refined and rodent-free. Here’s how this sofa was acquired: The day before I moved 1,000 miles to my current home, I spotted a mid-century sectional sofa at an estate sale and bought it for my new place.

Tess Wilson

Sep 22, 2018

The One Thing You Should Never Leave the House Without Home Projects

With recent plastic bag bans and eco-conscious movements sweeping the nation, now’s the time to plan ahead so you don’t find yourself in a pinch in the checkout line. Sprinkle your life with reusable bags: Keep one in your car, purse, and office so you never leave the house without one. And while you’re at it, why fill your cabinets, drawers, storage nooks with mediocre bags you only bought last minute out of necessity at the grocery store?

Jessica Isaac

Sep 18, 2018

7 Creative Ways to Decorate and Stay Organized with Used K-Cups Living

Are you addicted to single-serve coffee? We can’t blame you. It’s fast, convenient, and of course, delicious, but unfortunately, also super wasteful. (Even the inventor of the Keurig K-Cup has expressed regret over inventing the technology in the first place.

Caroline Biggs

Sep 16, 2018

These Genius Coffee Cups Are Made from Actual Coffee Style

Given the sobering reports on the widespread impact of global pollution, the demand for more eco-friendly reusables is more pressing than ever. In response to the call to protect the environment, Berlin startup Kaffeeform has come up with reusable coffee cups made from used coffee grounds. As Designboom notes, Kaffeeform’s innovative recycling project earned it the Red Dot Product Design Award of 2018.

Kenya Foy

Aug 20, 2018

I Gave Up Plastic for One Week and It Was Very Eye-Opening Living

I’ve been thinking a lot about my relationship with plastic. Perhaps you have too, Because the problem with our plastic-filled world is a topic that has become impossible to ignore. First, there was that awful, horrible video about the turtle with a plastic straw in 2015 (watch at your own risk). This year there was the June 2018 National Geographic cover unveiled in May, with an arresting photo of a plastic shopping bag partially submerged in the ocean, giving the illusion of an iceberg.

Shelby Vittek

Aug 16, 2018

I’ve Tried Tons of Spray Paint, and This is The Only One I’ll Buy Home Projects

Sometimes there’s just nothing better than a simple change of color. And, when it comes to giving furniture and decor a brand new lease on life, for the least money and effort, the hands-down winner is spray paint. I’ve tried a lotta lotta spray paint, and recently found my new favorite. It’s easier to think of things I haven’t spray painted—my dogs, maybe—than all the things I have.

Dana McMahan

Aug 15, 2018

Before and After: This $60 Lane Cedar Chest Makeover Is Remarkable Home Projects

When Nicole Goodreau and her fiancé spotted this mid-century Lane cedar chest at their local Goodwill for $30, they knew they had to have it. While the existing army green color and retro knobs didn’t fit their home’s modern aesthetic, they were confident that, with a little elbow grease, they could transform it into the perfect storage piece for their petite city apartment.

Jessica Isaac

Aug 11, 2018

Before and After: These Cabinets Got a Wes Anderson-Inspired Makeover Home Projects

Here we have a perfectly nice entryway console, adaptable to nearly any style with the right knobs. But its owner had something a bit more special and a lot more specific in mind… This is absolutely delightful and I wish it were available in a dress, or perhaps a dress/shoe combo. Pink and green go so well together, and they both pair wonderfully with gold, so the trio is totally fabulous.

Tess Wilson

Aug 9, 2018

These Are the Best Eco-Friendly Reusable Straws: Metal, Glass, Silicone, and More Living

In case you missed it, plastic straws, especially the disposable ones wrapped in paper, can be awful for the environment—and it’s estimated that Americans use 500 million of them every day. Many cities and businesses are taking steps to reduce or completely eradicate their plastic straw usage (including Seattle and Starbucks), so if you haven’t thought about investing in reusable straws, now is the time.

Caroline Biggs

Aug 7, 2018

This Might Be the Most Universal Storage Hack Ever Organize & Clean

One of the greatest gifts the internet ever gave us was fellowship. Your fingertips impulsively tap out a random thought, hit send, and seconds later the entirety of Twitter is liking it and retweeting it in solidarity. Like they’re saying through emoji hearts I know the feeling, too.

Taryn Williford

Jul 30, 2018

Before and After: This $46 Wood Dresser Transformation Is Absolutely Stunning Home Projects

A reader found this old dresser in an alley and knew right away that she’d hit the jackpot. And after hours of scrubbing and sprucing, this dresser is even more beautiful than the day it was built. Here’s how reader Krissy Gilhooly tells the story of this exciting discovery: I found this piece abandoned in the alley behind our house. When I first saw it, I was expecting it to be rickety and have sticky drawers, as most furniture is when it’s thrown away.

Tess Wilson

Jul 15, 2018

Before and After: This Garage Sale Dresser Makeover Gives Us the Best Feelings Home Projects

This little cutie pie garage sale dresser has been hankering for a makeover for a decade—and the results are well worth the wait. Perhaps inspired by the fantastic results, the rest of this corner got itself a spruce too! Before we gaze lovingly at the dresser as it looks today, let’s hear a little bit about what it was before: The side tables were a garage sale find for $10 which we had bought at the start of our marriage 10 years ago.

Tess Wilson

Jun 27, 2018

9 Weird Ways Clothes Hangers Can Solve Your Life’s Problems Home Projects

They aren't just for closets.

Dabney Frake

Jun 26, 2018

8 Eco-Friendly Things You Should Always Have in Your Bag Living

When you’re on the go all the time, it’s easy to be overly (almost accidentally) wasteful. Not-so-eco-friendly disposables—think plastic bottles of water, tissue, and shopping bags—often become the go-to when we’re running around in a rush. That’s why it pays to stock up on compact, eco-conscious items ahead of time, so they’re already in your bag in a pinch.

Caroline Biggs

Jun 19, 2018

Stop Throwing Out Your Used Tea Bags Organize & Clean

Here are some ways to re-use them post brew.

Shifrah Combiths

Jun 17, 2018

4 Very Handy Things You Can Do With an Old Pillowcase Home Projects

Pillowcases will almost always outlive their fitted and flat companions. It’s a fact of life. Perhaps the sheets get ripped or stained or repurposed as ghost costumes, but whatever the reason, you’re bound to have a few stray pillowcases lying about the place. Whether they’re faded, worn a bit thin, or simply not your style anymore, your old pillowcases are still immensely useful, as these four near-instant, no-sew tricks prove. This maneuver is so simple, and so smart.

Tess Wilson

Jun 8, 2018

Here’s One Smart Way to Handle Your Lost Sock Problem Organize & Clean

Keeping socks paired up through the laundry cycle is pretty simple if you toss them in a mesh bag beforehand, but that step doesn’t make its way into everyone’s routine. If you’re more likely to toss dirty socks in the general direction of the hamper—well, you’re probably hoarding a pretty large “orphan sock” collection.

Ashley Poskin

Jun 4, 2018

12 Instagram Artists Created Inspiring T-Shirts for Earth Day Living

Earth Day is this Sunday (well, we should celebrate Earth every day, but you know what I mean), and whether you’re doing your part by composting meal scraps, recycling, or practicing other planet-friendly habits, we’ve found one more thing that you should do to honor your planet. And it involves a group of really talented artists.

Samantha Zabell

Apr 20, 2018

Before and After: How To (Subtly) Modernize An Antique Dresser Home Projects

This is a Very Serious Dresser, and while it is certainly beautiful and worthy of preservation, how does one incorporate a dark, gravitas-filled antique into a home that’s decidedly not all stained glass windows, turrets, and gargoyles? Don’t worry—the answer is not “paint it white.

Tess Wilson

Apr 1, 2018

9 Big Mistakes People Make When Painting Furniture Home Projects

Don't let these happen on your watch.

Autumn Hachey

Mar 28, 2018

Check Out This Empty Candle Jar Hack, Courtesy of Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski Living

We can’t get enough of the touching reboot of Queer Eye that debuted in February, courtesy of Netflix. If you’ve already binged all eight episodes of season one, hoping the Fab 5 will magically show up on your doorstep ready to make you over from head to toe while instantly becoming your new BFFs, well, that probably isn’t in the cards. But following the fellows on Instagram is a close second, because they offer up style tips, motivational mantras, and smart hacks all the same.

Tara Bellucci

Mar 14, 2018

3 Ways IKEA Makes It Easy to Recycle Organize & Clean

As if the stylish and affordable home furnishings weren’t enough of a reason to love IKEA, the store made it their mission to create a streamlined recycling process for their customers. Along with their chic assortment of recycling bins for sale, the Swedish super-retailer offers several convenient ways for customers to recycle their old stuff—think: glass, batteries, furniture, and more—while they’re shopping. Don’t believe us?

Caroline Biggs

Mar 13, 2018

9 Reasons You Should Be Using This High School Staple at Home Style

You won't even have to remember your combination.

Nancy Mitchell

Feb 18, 2018

Before & After: A Smart Solution to the Cat Litter Conundrum Home Projects

This is a cute little cabinet, perfect for storing all manner of things. But Melissa had an entirely different purpose in mind, and the whole project took about thirty minutes from start to finish. One member of her household is particularly happy with the end result.

Tess Wilson

Feb 11, 2018

Before and After: This Wagon Wheel Project Could Have Gone Horribly Wrong Home Projects

I was warming up to make a bunch of wagon wheel coffee table jokes — most referencing When Harry Met Sally — when I realized this is actually a mill wheel. We’ll just have to appreciate this project for what it is: an approachable, unique upcycle of a neglected old piece of equipment. Here’s how this project came to be, according to Roxanne of The Honeycomb Home: While at a flea market, an old wooden wheel caught my eye. The seller said it may have been from a grist mill.

Tess Wilson

Feb 8, 2018

Stop Throwing Away Your Used Candles! 9 Clever Ways to Repurpose Those Jars Style

I love candles, and I particularly love candles that come in beautiful containers, because they smell and look lovely. But this leads to a particular conundrum: what do you do with the jar the candle came in once the candle is gone? It seems like a pity to throw them away, but what are you going to do with a small constellation of empty jars? We’ve got some ideas. Trying to figure out how to remove those last traces of wax?

Nancy Mitchell

Feb 8, 2018

Before & After: Returning An Airstream to Its Former Glory Home Projects

Behold this tragic trailer, 63-years-old and abandoned in the woods of rural Mississippi. Is there any hope for this rusty, busted, pest-infested little sweetie? Hold out for a hero, brave Airlight! It’s so SHINY!

Tess Wilson

Feb 6, 2018

Before & After: This $20 Craigslist Cabinet Is Now Some Super Special Storage Home Projects

Sage looked long and hard for the perfect piece for her entryway. It needed to fit the spot, and be deep and flexible enough to fit a variety of footwear. Most importantly, she didn’t want the visual mess of open shelving. Sage didn’t want to spend too much so she first went the IKEA route, and ruled out a classic “fauxdenza” (made from stock cabinets mounted on the wall), before finally hitting up Craigslist in a long and patient search for something to work with.

Dabney Frake

Jan 12, 2018

20 Transformative Ways to Give New Life to Old Furniture Home Projects

If you’re giving yourself a fresh start for 2019—new haircut, workout routine, healthy habits—give your furniture a New Year’s refresh with these 20 tutorials that will restore, revitalize, or totally redo your favorite wood, metal, leather, vinyl, marble, and upholstered pieces. If you find yourself in possession of a piece that has potential, but its wood is buried under layers of paint, bring out its natural beauty and let it shine.

Tess Wilson

Jan 1, 2018

The Paper-Free Gift Wrapping Technique You Need to Try This Year Style

I did not grow up in a house that delicately opened gifts on Christmas morning. My mother did not collect all the intact gift wrap, fold it carefully and stash it away for another use. We were savages that ripped open presents with abandon. The more shreds I could get out of each box, the longer the unwrapping lasted, which made me a happier child. (My mother did, however, always save gift boxes—the kind you put shirts and pajama sets in—as well as gift bags because she was no fool.

Arlyn Hernandez

Dec 4, 2017

14 Reasons You Should Hang On To Those Paper Grocery Bags Home Projects

Here are some fun ways to reuse them.

Amelia Lawrence

Nov 22, 2017

These Swedes Tried Out IKEA-Hacking Each Other (& We Love the Results)Home Projects

November 1st marks the start of Prettypegs’ PrettyHackathon Auction. Why should this interest you? Well, if you’ve been holding onto those less-than-perfect or basic IKEA pieces in hopes of giving them new, exciting life, we’ve just found the ultimate source for makeover ideas and inspiration.

Amelia Lawrence

Nov 1, 2017

The Amazon Hangover Cure: Handling the Packaging Monster, Sustainably Organize & Clean

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).

Taryn Williford

Oct 22, 2017