Life

Whether being projected onto a big wall during a cocktail party, or played quietly in the living room during game night, a background movie can act as a conversation starter, art, music, and entertainment all in one. Plus it’s easy to pop a disc in the DVD player or call up a title from Netflix. The only hard part, of course, is finding just the right background film.

If you’ve ever felt like you just couldn’t with houseguests, I get it. Although I do like having people over, one of my chief reasons for liking it is pretty selfish: I like having a regular excuse to clean and at least pretend to look like I maybe have my life halfway together. But sometimes I just don’t feel up for it. It’s not an option. Neighbor kids will want to come play inside and I’ll flat-out deflect to the hose in the backyard.

You might have financial goals at this point in your life. Or, you might not. But here’s the good news: it’s completely possible to save money and still have a happy, fulfilled existence. You just have to adopt a frugal mindset, and put practices in place to help you succeed. To help you out, here are 100+ ways to get thrifty and reduce your cost of living… 1. 6 Tips for Creating a ‘Buy Better, Buy Less’ Budget 2. How To Have an Adult Apartment on a Budget 3.

If your daily routine could use a little optimizing, here’s a science-backed template.

While some decor catalogs might seem like mail clutter, truth be told, many are still a ripe source of inspiration—if you know which ones to look for. Filled with beautifully styled rooms and up-and-coming design trends, these catalogs are actually worth a look, unlike much of what hits our mailboxes. To prove our point, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite store catalogs for your consideration.

Well, don’t do a ton of work to prepare for a garage sale and then not tell people about it! Half (actually, probably more than half) the success of a great garage sale can be contributed to good marketing of the event. So this week, consider your options, pick the choices that get you the most excited and decide how you’re going to get the word out! When you decide to start advertising your garage sale can be up to you.

Low budgets and a lack of time can put a dent in the fun of summer traveling, without doubt. But just because you can’t go far doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time. Lovingly called a “staycation” by some, we call it being a tourist in your own city. Here are eight ways how to do it.

Whether you’ve lived in your neighborhood for years or have recently made the move, we bet there’s something you’ve never noticed before. Home is not just the few rooms you pay for and occupy — it spills out of your front door and stretches into the streets and businesses that surround your address. This weekend, with these tips, get up, out and explore your ‘hood.

Traveling on a budget isn’t necessarily easy, but it’s definitely not impossible — especially if you get a little strategic.

If you haven’t already started planning your beach getaway, what are you even doing with your life? Perhaps you’re paralyzed with indecision from looking at all the wonderful beach vacation options (because how can you possibly choose one location?) or you’re scouring the internet and cringing at how expensive summer travel arrangements are. Fortunately, there’s an antidote to both of these issues: Vrbo’s breakdown of best value beach destinations for 2019.

Imagine it’s 2:30 p.m. on a Friday and your flight is at 5 p.m. It usually takes about an hour to get to the airport, but it just dawned on you that you’re going to hit rush hour traffic. You get into your Uber and the GPS ETA says 4:10. Is your initial reaction a.) hands are getting clammy, anxiety is at an all-time high, you regret not leaving earlier; OR b.) you feel adrenaline pulsing through your veins and the pressure is exhilarating.

Amazing news for those who can’t get enough Harry Potter (is there such a thing?): four new Harry Potter reads will be coming to an online store near you this summer. But before you get too excited that we’re getting a new look at Hermione and Ron’s adult life together and the houseplants they do (or don’t) successfully keep alive (surely they’d get Neville’s help with that, though, right?

If our binges of Marie Kondo’s popular Netflix show have taught us anything, it’s that cleaning is good, but mindfully tidying up is so much sweeter. In the process, you inevitably discover the items that truly bring you joy and say farewell to those that don’t. But what if tossing unnecessary items could bring you joy and a stack of cash? If your tidying has unearthed treasures like vintage Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, you could be in for a solid payday.

Glamping has taken us to many far-flung places. You can bed down in a tented eco-retreat in Mexico or a cozy pod in Sweden. There’s even a glamping experience in Calistoga wagon replicas to get a taste of the Wild West. The glam camping trend shows no signs of stopping, and I’m here for it!This summer, glamping is truly hitting new heights—the top of the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., to be exact.

Experience the couple’s legendary, empire-building style for yourself.

In honor of National Composting Day on May 29, we spoke to some experts to help break down common myths about composting, including how to do it in an apartment.

I live in an apartment in New York City, where—quite honestly—no one really cares to get to know their neighbors. While I’ve morphed into a New Yorker in some ways since moving from my small town in Connecticut (less small talk, more yelling at cars), this is one trait I have not inherited. The core reason: I think having neighbors is wonderful.To prove my point, I turn to some of the most popular shows in the history of television.

There's more than one way to create a home that feels comfortable and content—and a lot of it happens outside your own four walls.

What happens to your body during barre class doesn't seem to make sense, but that's part of the charm—and it totally works.

If you’re living in a tiny house—or are just squeezed into a micro-studio—there’s no room for oversized anything. To that end, we asked some folks who are square foot-challenged to share their fave space-saving and/or double-duty Amazon purchases. All seven are excellent small-space problem solvers you can steal if your real estate is relatively tiny, too:Ah, the Instant Pot.

Their videos will make your day.

If you want to boost your photo game to the next level, there’s a simple way to take balanced, professional-looking iPhone pics.

We rounded up a five of the funniest ones in the bunch to make shopping for your next white elephant party a breeze.

Name: Andrea Bellamy and Ben Garfinkel, their daughter Lila, and Schnoopette the cat Location: Vancouver, British ColumbiaYears lived in: 5 yearsAndrea Bellamy and Ben Garfinkel grow plants in every nook and cranny they can find around their urban townhouse. Potted tomatoes and herbs grace their balcony and front patio, the couple share raised beds with their neighbors above their parking garage, and they planted a woodland garden in their cozy back patio area.

If Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” were to live in our modern times, she’d be all over this charming treehouse. About 300 miles south of Paris is this incredible treehouse rental, just an hour outside the historical, charming town Brive-la-Gaillarde. The treehouse is the most idyllic escape that will make you feel like you’re hiding away from reality.The house sleeps four, complete with two bedrooms: one with a queen-sized bed and the other with two twins.

At the onset of the final season of “Game of Thrones,” Joybird created a quiz so that you could finally figure out which of the nine main family houses—Stark, Targaryen, Lannister, Tully, Tyrell, Baratheon, Greyjoy, Arryn, and Martell—you belonged to. Are you a ruler who craves power or the love of your people? Would you be loyal to your friend no matter what, or ask questions before sticking your neck out for them?

There are worse ways to spend your summer.

Welcome to Good News, a new column that’s part-link roundup, part-community gratitude journal where we can all share the feel-good moments from the past seven days and end our week on a high note.Congratulations, you made it to Friday! It’s Tara, your News & Culture editor, here to start your weekend off with some grade-A good news.

Is there somewhere you’re a regular? A place where, when the bell jingles as you walk through the door, you instantly feel at home? A spot where you’ve found your people? To find out what makes a regular, we’ve asked friends and Apartment Therapy staffers to tell us about their favorite haunts. Some folks love the personal attention of their “regular” status, while others are more contented by the vibe of a familiar space.

For many travelers, the perks that come with renting out an Airbnb for a getaway make it the obvious choice over a standard hotel. If you’re lucky, you land a stay at one of these dreamy Airbnb houses that comes with a cool, accommodating host and have an experience that easily earns a 5-star rating.

My generation grew up being told things likethere’s only one you. But I have to admit that it’s been jarring to discover—through astrology, enneagram types, and other fun personality quizzes—how much parts of me can be so eerily similar to everyone else.And isn’t that the value of personality frameworks? They give us parameters for understanding how we tick and help us navigate life with others and life in general.

While moms deserve kudos every day all year round for the hard work they do, Mother’s Day gives us the opportunity to go all out in their honor. It’s also a good excuse to reminisce about our favorite on-screen mothers and daughters. Sometimes, they make us laugh and other times, they make us cry. The best mother-daughter duos make us appreciate and love our own mothers that much more.No matter what they’ve endured separately or together, these duos prove that love prevails.

If you’re not quite ready to take the plunge and live in a tiny home full-time, how about renting one out for a getaway?

They raised 200% of their Kickstarter goal in under an hour.

It’s finally happened. We’ve got a garbage bag hanging from our front door knob. This is a sure sign of slipping into real urban slackerdom and more decay. We’ve become one of THEM.One of my pet peeves in NYC is the ubiquitous use of plastic shopping bags for easy garbage disposal instead of using the actual garbage bin. You know what I mean. It’s done all over town because its EASY. We’ve even been in SUPER fancy apartments and seen the same thing.

You might remember my argument for going back to the basics last year, which is why I fought the idea of a bread machine. But my boyfriend gave me one as a gift and in the last week I’ve been converted. Sure, you can accomplish some of this list by making bread the old-fashioned (or no-knead way), or by purchasing a fresh loaf at your local bakery.

Glass water bottles are not only eco-friendly (as they’re reusable and not made of plastic), but the glass won’t affect flavor or your health. Many glass bottles are made with borosilicate glass, a high-grade glass that’s more durable and heat-resistant than other types of glass, while also being lightweight. But which glass bottles are the best?

Flying (at least for us common folk in economy class) is perhaps one of the least glamorous parts of travel. Fighting for overhead bin space, cramped quarters, and an overall lack of personal space only scratch the surface of plane travel woes.So when we heard that even the ice served in drinks is a no-go (is nothing sacred anymore?!), it got us thinking about what other ways we could be inadvertently introducing germs into our system during air travel.

Name: Marcella de Boom Occupation: ArtistLocation: Cullinan, South AfricaType: Cob houseSize: 970 sq.ft.Years lived in: 9 >> Marcella de Boom is no ordinary woman, she has built her entire home with her own two hands. The inspiration was “creative poverty”, a wild dream of building a home, without spending more than $5000! The dream started to materialize when she met Interior Architect and Cob lover; Dawn McAdam by coincidence.

Name: Samuel and Barbara DavidsonLocation: Mercer Island, WashingtonSize: 260 square feetYears lived in: 30 years In the middle of beautiful Lake Washington, nestled amid four acres of wooded land, sits a tiny red caboose from 1949. Colorfully out of place among the giant evergreen trees and sprawling rhododendron, it’s a small jewel full of light and warmth.

A lot has changed with paints—even in the last year more paint companies have changed their formulas from high-VOC to low-VOC and even to no-VOC. And they’re probably not the big name eco-friendly paints you’ve heard about. Leave it Consumer Reports to put all the paints to the test, and find out their results after the jump.

Q: My husband and I adopted a kitten a few months ago, and now that the warmer weather is coming we need some help cat-proofing the apartment in a new way. We’re lucky enough to have two large 6 foot windows and a sliding door (with screen) that’s about 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Any tips for how to keep the cat from climbing on the screens? We keep her nails clipped short, but she manages to grab hold anyway. Any diversion tips? Thanks!

Bricor claims they are the only manufacturer to create a truly “low flow” showerhead without sacrificing water pressure. Their Ultra Max 100 showerhead has only a 0.5 GPM, yet it has the highest performance value rating of any showerhead tested—more than Oxygenics or Delta. See here for Bricor’s assessment of their FIT rating (Flow Impact Intensity)Technically, “low-flow” is anything under 2.5 GPM, so 0.5 GPM is pretty astounding. How does it work?

You can make your own all-purpose cleaner using three basic, inexpensive, non-toxic ingredients. You can use this cleaner for everything — from streak-free mirrors to wiping out the cat litter box. I keep it pre-mixed in a reused windex spray bottle for easy access. Ingedients 2 cups water 1 cup hydrogen peroxide ¼ cup lemon juice Mix and adjust to suit your needs. Hydrogen peroxide is the key to this cleaner. It’s inexpensive, non-toxic, and readily available.

It should come as no surprise that fabric softeners have a long list of artificial ingredients and chemicals in them. So if you want that cozy, soft feeling without the headache-inducing scent, you can try one of these natural alternatives:1 Baking Soda: Add a 1/2 cup of baking soda to the water in your washer and let it dissolve. Add your clothes.2 Vinegar: Add 3/4 – 1 cup of vinegar to either the wash or the rinse cycle.

As I shared yesterday, last week I got on a plane and flew to Minneapolis to tour the Mrs. Meyer’s headquarters and meet the fabulous 79-year-old Mrs. Meyer in person.

Once upon a time we were happy people, a family that lived harmoniously with a cat. Then we discovered hidden caches of pee: in the hamper, in trash cans, on quilts. Some members of the family wanted to banish said cat from the house, we refused and dedicated ourselves to solving the problem. Our kitty is a female so she wasn’t spraying the walls to mark her territory, she was just unloading her bladder on, normally, piles of soft things.

If you’ve ever been asked by mall security to put your point-and-shoot camera away, you’ve probably questioned what US law governs photographers and taking pictures. The truth is, there is no single rule to live by as a photographer at any level. Whether you’re a family-historian amateur or a journalistic pro, the question of when you can and cannot take pics is a slippery slope.

I used to have an older neighbor who was charming and friendly at first, but became very needy and intrusive later. Because at first I saw his frequent visits as friendly behavior, I never set boundaries for what is acceptable. I paid the price later and he got into a routine of invading my privacy in every way possible. Everyone has a different definition of privacy and appropriate neighbor relations.I learned my lesson with my unfortunate neighbor experience.

Q: I’m getting new carpet in my house and trying to find out where in my local area I can dispose of my old carpet and pad properly? I live in Macomb, MI, and have over 1300 sq feet of carpet and pad to dispose of.Sent by LynetteEditor: Here’s what our friends at Green Home Guide have to say:Answered by Cynthia Phakos of Koffka Phakos Design: My first step in finding carpet recycling options in your area was to visit the website for CARE, the Carpet America Recovery Effort.

Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap claims 18 cleaning uses in one bottle. One of those is laundry soap. Want to know how to make your own using only a cup of Dr. Bronner’s per 64 loads? Check it out: This laundry soap doesn’t create suds, but it doesn’t need to in order to get your laundry clean. 1 cup Dr. Bronner’s pure castile liquid soap1 cup baking soda2 cups water1/3 cup salt Warm the water and mix with salt and baking soda until dissolved.

It can be difficult to muster up the willpower to say “no” when you’re compelled to drop some cash.It doesn’t matter what speaks to you—boozy brunch, a new rug for the living room, a limited edition sneaker drop—the siren call to spend can be deafening. But if you’re serious about saving money for the long haul, you’re going to have to learn how and when to say “no” when shopping.

Growing up I remember family and friends adding all sorts of things to their Christmas tree water. Some added crushed up Asprin, others a fizzy, sugary soda, even bleach and lemon juice. Does this really help? We’ve got answers!The long and the short of the question, “Should I add anything to my Christmas tree water?” is that you don’t have to. If you have hard water, you especially don’t have to.

Beautifully organized spaces are very inspirational for me. Often, I think, if I only had more space, but these rooms make it clear that space is not the issue. In fact, we know that it’s more environmentally-friendly to live small; you just need to know the secrets to making a small space work. Creative solutions, lovely placement, and only having what you use and love make a room clean and simple.

What are the biggest furniture stores you can think of off the top of your head? IKEA, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel? Those were the ones that immediately came to my mind, so I was really surprised when I opened Furniture Today’s 2011 Retail Planning Guide and found a list that included some humongous stores I’d never heard of. Nebraska Furniture Mart? Badcock Home Furniture? Having lived in big northern cities for my whole life, these places have stayed outside my radar until now.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of keeping 3-year-old Tuli company while her mother worked. She’s a darling girl, but has been in a few tree collisions lately while sledding. A simple request to remove a band-aid that was “owie” looked ready to turn into a scream fest – lucky for Tuli, I came armed with this simple trick.Ok, so it’s not so much a trick as it is an appliance.

Every well-run home is teeming with tricks and shortcuts to keep it humming along. We’re sharing our best quick tips — for cleaning, organizing and repairing stuff at home — to save you time and money. Click through for today’s helpful hint, and links to tons more… Pets, in general, aren’t comfortable walking on strange surfaces that make noises. Try placing a piece of ALUMINUM FOIL (or bubble wrap) on the area in question and leave it for two or three days.

For as long as we can remember we’ve heard the old wives tale that you should not mix battery brands in the same device. Naturally, that did nothing to prevent us from doing it frequently. We’ve never had any problems before (or so we thought) so it had to be fasle, right? Well it turns out the answer might have you running to the drug store after work.We’re sure the story is familiar.

But here are a few other IKEA-inspired baby names you could use instead (some assembly required).

Holy forking shirt! Kristen Bell, star of “The Good Place,” the “Frozen” franchise, and the upcoming “Veronica Mars” reboot, has a new bullet point to add to her resume: La-Z-Boy brand ambassador. Wait, huh? Yup, La-Z-Boy, synonymous with old school recliners… that one. But if anyone knows about the hardship of working with a piece of furniture that’s less than ideal, it’s Kristen.

Perfect Night In is a series where we ask actors, artists, entrepreneurs, and beyond how they’d spend the ultimate luxury—a blissful evening at home.Whether you know her best as shrimp-loving Eleanor on “The Good Place,” spirited younger sister Anna in “Frozen,” or from her total Mom status on Instagram, one thing is for certain: We love Kristen Bell almost as much as she loves sloths.

No matter where you live, capturing rain to water landscaping or wash cars is a good way to use less potable water. However, depending on where you live, your rain water catchment system should be sized accordingly. Here are five questions to help you decide how big your rain barrel should be.If you can collect rain water from 1000 square feet of roof and a typical rainfall is one inch then a 623 gallon barrel will capture most of the typical rainfall. (1000SF x 1/12 feet = 83.

Whether you’re a renter or city dweller, living with a yard can come at a premium. The absence of a yard can also seemingly make life for your pet unpleasant, but after six years I can attest that not only can living without a yard be fine, but even fun! For the past six years my husband and I have lived in Chicago — a city notorious for its lack of yard space. But for each of those years, we’ve lived with a cat, and most recently added a dog to our family.

As a former Waldorf class teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how unchecked screentime from films, tv and computer games can adversely affect young children as they grow, but I also believe in doing what I can as a parent to educate and turn a potential problem into an opportunity – and to meet the modern world carefully and at our own speed. I started this project four years ago, it’s been going really well. Here’s the latest update.

Mindfulness is being embraced everywhere these days, from the Kindergarten classroom to company retreats. What is mindfulness, exactly? Susan Smalley, Ph.D., and Diana Winston, co-authors of Fully Present, say that mindfulness is “an accepting and kind attitude toward yourself and your present moment experience.” One that will change your relationship to life. Sounds enticing, huh? Here are a few tips on how to integrate the practice of mindfulness into your home. 1.

With entertaining season upon us, what’s a more fitting project than a versatile little bar cart? A sturdy — but rather ugly — thrift store find, this little microwave cart gets to live on with an (arguably more fun) second life.The writer at She’s No Martha had a hankering for a sleek little cocktail station, and she dressed up her $20 find with some white paint and some handles on the sides.

The day before Thanksgiving I slipped on my front steps and broke my foot. Suddenly, life became a lot more challenging. Hopefully you’ll never break anything, but if you happen to come home from that holiday skiing trip with a souvenir, here are some of the things I’ve learned that will make your life a lot easier.Roll Up The Rugs: Rugs, especially those without a rug pad under them, can slow down a wheelchair or slip under a crutch. Roll them up or remove them.

I was at Target the other day, and standing in front of me in line was a gentleman buying a plunger. That’s it. A plunger. While I really should have been feeling bad for him, because after all, the poor guy was out on a plunger run, I found myself staring at him in wonder, dazzled by his ability to get out of Target with only one darn thing.

That pristine wool carpet you just installed looks great. Keep it looking that way for years with these straightforward, easy tips. Vacuum regularly. Loop carpets like Berbers are more delicate and should be vacuumed only with suction. Pile carpets, like Saxony pile and textured pile, can withstand heavier cleaning and should be cleaned with a beater bar. Natural wool has a wax coating that keeps dirt on the surface, making it easy to keep clean by vacuuming. Stain treat immediately.

She was a tad late, but spring is finally in full swing down in Charleston, and we are taking advantage of every opportunity to enjoy it outdoors. The sandbox has become a favorite hangout for my daughter, and I’ve learned a few tricks to make our sandy experiences a bit more enjoyable. Keeping three simple items nearby is the key to smart sand play.The water hose is something we don’t often think of when playing in the sand.

Many people are divided on the idea of “games” at weddings. There are those who find them fun and harmless, and those who think that surely weddings are enjoyable enough as-is, and question the need to add opportunities for embarrassment to the day’s schedule. While I have sympathies with the latter group, my older sister, who married last summer, is firmly in the former camp.

The first time I saw a top-entry litter box, I wondered where it had been all my life. That top-oriented entrance hole looked like it would cut down dramatically on my cat tracking litter out of the box on her paws and eliminate accidental out-of-the-box spraying. Unfortunately, that kind of litter box can be expensive. But now someone has figured out a way to make one with a simple IKEA hack.