Get answers, advice, and solutions to your biggest lifestyle questions — like where to buy the best candles, how to get a great night’s sleep, and tips to nail your next WFH job interview — to level up your life at home.
Say you woke up with flu symptoms this morning—fever, aches, a bad case of the sniffles and a cough that won’t quit. Would you call out sick from work so you could have a day to rest and help yourself feel better? We often take sick days when we’re feeling under the weather, but what about when we’re otherwise exhausted and drained or have been super stressed out lately?
Try not to think about it too hard, but you’re currently flying through the universe at a million miles an hour. Your balance—a skill finely tuned since you were a toddler—is keeping you upright, allowing you to maintain control when everything around you is moving faster than you could imagine. Balance is no less important outside of the body.
If you’ve ever needed further encouragement to stay in and binge on animal documentaries (I have not), they’ve now been shown to be scientifically good for you: Research from BBC Earth and the University of California has found that watching nature programmes [such as Planet Earth II] … increased people’s feelings of awe, contentedness, and joy. The nature programs also “acted to reduce feelings of tiredness, anger and stress.
Long live indie magazines for smart content, innovative style, and an often fearless approach to navigating the editorial waters. Whether its art, design, travel, fashion, or lifestyle, these magazines explore topics in ways that are exciting, honest and a little sexy (because to me, being original is sexy). And these magazines are very original.
When your alarm goes off in the morning, how do you feel? If the answer is “dreadful,” you’re not alone—a new study from Sleep Junkie found that more than half (53.86 percent!) of people feel the same way upon hearing their alarm. In addition, 27.12 percent of people feel anxious when they’re alarm goes off, while only 11.24 percent feel energized, 2.32 percent feel excited, and a mere 0.
Whether you read your horoscope every day or you don’t fully buy into the idea of astrology, it’s interesting to see what your sign says about your personality. And those traits may also be the key to a healthier, happier life. Progress happens one step at a time. You need to start with something super doable — something so “you” that it becomes part of your new routine without even trying.
Bride & Groom: Margarita Passione + Byron Zinonos Wedding Date: September 3, 2016 Venue: Greenpoint Loft in Brooklyn, NY Number of guests: 120 This couple of high school friends turned into lovebirds some (ten-ish) years later—safe to say they knew each other pretty well by the time they decided to get married in Brooklyn last year.
Think about your morning routine—you probably get up out of bed (possibly after pressing snooze a few times), brush your teeth, maybe make breakfast or coffee, and start getting ready for work. If that sounds about right, there’s one thing you might be leaving out: stretching. For those of you who aren’t serial stretchers, the whole practice might seem pointless, but there are actually quite a few benefits you can get out of incorporating an AM stretch session into your day.
There’s never enough time given to understanding the past, and to how it’s shaped and influenced our thinking now. In “The Specimen Jar”, we’ll try to correct that deficiency by considering a variety of designers and their works, from many different periods. Because a beautiful and intelligently designed home is a living response to not just our own moment, but to history and to our hopes for the future.
I often fall asleep listening to YouTube videos of a stranger speaking softly while she pretends to braid my hair (or make me tea, or massage my scalp). Or while she whispers about the candles she’s making, the starchy shirts she’s crinkling slowly, or the towels she’s folding. What matters most to me about these videos isn’t what she says but rather the quality of her voice (calm, soothing) and the attitude she projects (do I trust her? does she seem genuine?
Hoarding is more like a spectrum than a binary classification, and most of us fall somewhere between KonMari and get this person a TLC special. In fact, collecting needless things is such a common human experience that the Japanese have developed a very specific word for my particular favorite flavor: hoarding books. Yep, it’s true: The Japanese word “tsundoku” originated as a slang term to define the habit of buying books and letting them pile up without reading them.
There’s nothing plain, boring, or basic about modern wedding bands for the minimalist bride. Whether you’re after something beautifully crafted, ethically sourced, or perfectly embellished, we’ve got you covered. From simple silver bands to more sophisticated, and dare we say, even a bit sparkly options, there are terrific rings across the minimalist spectrum.
If you haven’t laced up those running shoes since January (hey, no judgement), this news might motivate you. New research has calculated just how much time a jog adds to your life. A paper published last month in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases takes a look at just how much running increases longevity. The study states that in general, “runners have a 25-40% reduced risk of premature mortality and live approximately three years longer than non-runners.
On Sunday, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel were on a panel together, and naturally, all anyone wanted to talk about was Gilmore Girls. The actors behind everyone’s favorite verbose mother-daughter duo chatted about the Netflix revival and the possibility of more episodes.
Children of the ’90s, the nostalgia hits keep coming. Japanese electronic toy company Bandai has re-released everyone’s favorite pixelated pet, the Tamagotchi. Here is what we currently know about it: Bandai’s exciting news coincides with the 20th anniversary of the OG Tamagotchi, which was launched worldwide in May 1997 (it was available in Japan earlier, in 1996). There are a few differences from the original.
Forget the Wheel of Life (and our home-oriented Life Balance Wheel) — or, don’t forget them, but after you maximize those wheels’ utility, there’s a new wheel in town: the Historic Paper Odor Wheel, developed by a team out of the University of London to more precisely describe and categorize the smell of old books.
While fitness trackers help count your steps and sometimes make for chic wrist candy, they actually do a lot more than people give them credit for. If you’ve grown bored with yours and thrown it into a junk drawer, the reason might just be that you haven’t used it to its fullest potential. Read on to learn about the cool and not-so-obvious ways you can use your fitness tracker. Every activity is more fun when you have the chance to kick butt, including your daily steps.
First there was Downown Abbey. Then there was Sherlock. Now you can add another British television import to your list, America. Rejoice, design lovers! Britain’s favorite home design show is on Netflix. Grand Designs, which features wacky and ambitious builds and renovation projects, is one of Britain’s longest running property shows (17 seasons!).
While natural beauty guru Rachel Winard (of the cult-favorite brand Soapwalla) and I were talking about good, easy facials to make with food that might currently be in your kitchen, I also asked her for pointers on how to start an essential oil collection. Essentially: What are the essential essential oils? She suggested these five (for which you could come up with your own mnemonic, too — my first attempt is “let little ponies eat … tea trees.
Everyone needs a nap now and again, but if you’re feeling sleepy and you’ve got things to do, you definitely want to maximize your time, right? Naps work in different ways, and the truth is, it’s all about timing and understanding how the body’s sleep cycles work. Before you doze off for 45 minutes and hope for the best, you should know how they work and what kinds there are—here’s what you need to know.
If you’re obsessed with watching charming and talented amateur contestants compete on The Great British Baking Show, it’s not a stretch to say you’ll enjoy another UK export—and starting in May, you’ll be able to stream it here in the US. Now that Mary Berry has left and Mel and Sue have been replaced, I know I’m going to need a new addictive, yet soothing British competition show.
Debt-slaying and money-saving posts are rife with suggestions for how to shave a little here, trim a little there, not spend, not spend, not spend. But you can’t say you’re saving money just because you’re packing your own lunch and drinking the coffee you brewed at home.
Ordinarily, city trash cans are strictly regarded as pungent eyesores, but an artistic beautification initiative led by New York designer Lewis Miller aims to change that perception. Instead of bins overflowing with garbage, Miller has filled NYC trash cans with huge colorful bouquets, creating one of the most beautiful and unique flower arranging ideas we’ve ever seen.
Since I was a young girl, I’ve always loved shopping. Back in the day, I may have had more…extravagant takes (I gravitated toward everything pink, sequined handbags, feather boas and kitten heels…topped off with plastic clip-on earrings), but the love for style was already there, albeit it a little misguided. Nowadays I’ve updated a few things here and there, but I can’t say the road to the aesthetic I have now has always been smooth.
Want to be more mindful of your screen time and lead a more active lifestyle? There’s one simple formula to remember that can help you achieve both, and it’s called the 2/30 rule. It’s simple, really—the goal is to limit yourself to 2 hours of TV watching time per day, and to also get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. It’s about spending less time sitting in front of a screen and spending a little more time working on your fitness.
You dream of having a smart home the way others dream of having a closet full of designer shoes. The only problem? You’re on a budget, and smart home solutions are way beyond your means… Or are they? It’s true that just like designer shoes, many smart home devices and systems come with a high price tag. Truth: High-end connected appliances and kits costing thousands of dollars are nice, but they aren’t essential to creating a smart home experience.
The art of forgetting isn’t hard to master. No matter how organized and prepared we attempt to be, sometimes well, it happens. We forget stuff. But what if there was an iPhone app designed to ensure you don’t ever walk out the door without everything you need? Don’t Leave It! is a location-based reminder app that helps you keep track of your everyday necessities, so you always remember to take them with you when you leave. And best of all: it’s free.
If you feel like you can stand to become more centered and relaxed throughout your day, then take a look at the guided meditations free on YouTube – there are hundreds of videos to choose from that take you from a stressed, anxious state, and back down to a zen attitude. No one’s weekday is an absolute breeze, and it’s easy to get caught up in stress when your responsibilities and to-do lists pile up mile high.
Netflix giveth and Netflix taketh away. While we’re excited about what’s returning to the streaming service next month, that means some things have to go. So to prioritize your watch list for the remainder of June, here is everything that’s leaving Netflix in July. Sorry, Sandra Bullock fans: Two of the actor’s classic rom coms starring floppy haired leading men are giving their notice.
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work at IKEA? With stores that resemble mazes and tons of products everywhere you turn, it’s sure to be just as much of an experience working there as it is shopping there. And of course, those who do work there just may be able to give us IKEA civilians a little helpful shopping advice.
We’re [insert new emoji face with star eyes] about the news that 56 brand-spankin’ new emojis will be hitting our keyboards this year, thanks the preview of Emoji 5.0 released this week. According to Emojipedia, Emoji version 5.0 “includes 56 new emojis from Unicode 10.0, as well as 183 emoji sequences used for gender and skin-tone variants and subdivision flags.
The antithesis of a digital detox, this pop-up glamping experience encourages Londoners to literally Netflix and chill while binging on their favorite shows. With hundreds of their friends, in public. The “Bed ‘N’ Binge Retreat” is a first for Netflix, with 15 themed “glamping” bunk room suites and communal spaces popping up on a National Trust park property in West London now through Sunday July 9th, with the last guests checking out on Monday July 10th.
Here’s the thing: I used to be a very productive person in the morning. I used to be a wake up early, make myself breakfast, get out the door and make it into the office before everyone else kind of person, but lately I’ve fallen into a very slow and tired routine. My recent mornings have been kind of a struggle, so I decided to try something new to get me out of my AM slump: getting up and going for a walk outside before doing anything else.
Some words become a part of our collective lexicon with such zeitgeist that it’s hard to believe there was ever a time when they weren’t part of the English language. And some are so definitive of an era that simply seeing them listed next to a year immediately brings you back to that time and a place — and the movies and songs that then dominated pop culture.
Color lovers, you might want to book a trip to San Francisco ASAP: The latest must-visit destination is The Color Factory, and it’s probably already infiltrating your Instagram feed. Inside the can’t miss it striped exterior, you’ll find a 12,000 square foot, pop-up “color experience.” Color Factory just opened on August 1, and tickets are selling out faster than you can say (or take a) Boomerang.
They say that if you want to know what the future will hold, then you should study history. But it might be more accurate to substitute the word “history” for movies and television shows. For decade after decade, movies and television shows like “Back to the Future” and “The Jetsons” have depicted their take on what day-to-day living would be like in the future.
As much fun as shopping can be, having to buy the same item over and over again is no bueno. That’s why it pays to know which products are actually worth the investment, especially when it comes to hardworking items for the kitchen. The commenters at Reddit know all about the importance of buying quality appliances up front. They started multiple “Buy It for Life” threads for this very reason.
Being more mindful of your health doesn’t necessarily mean overhauling your entire diet or hitting the gym for an hour every day—there are a lot of little things you can do to help you feel like your happiest, healthiest self. Things like staying hydrated, getting in extra steps, trying new things and taking breaks are all important, and it all starts with challenging yourself to pay attention to them.
99 Percent Invisible is not a new podcast, and The SoHo Effect is not even a new episode. But on a recent re-listen during a long car trip, I realized that there’s a whole lot of overlap in the Venn diagram of Apartment Therapy readers and people who would probably find this story fascinating. So here we are. I’m writing, and you’re reading, a very forthright recommendation: Go listen to this 19 minute, 38 second podcast.
IKEA is a many-splendored place. Along with rows and rows of inexpensive but stylish furnishings, the mega-retailer also boasts a pretty impressive “as-is” section—filled with broken items, custom returns, and of course major markdowns. However, the only problem (like most hassles related to shopping at IKEA) is timing: figuring out the best day to show up to peruse these oft-ransacked shelves.
The scientist who brought us future paint colors named by artificial intelligence like Bank Butt and Snowbonk is at it again, this time using her research and software to dream up new My Little Pony characters.
We bet the sheer mention of some of these shows from the classic era of Saturday morning cartoons will bring their theme songs back to earworm status. The good news is, many of them are now available to watch again — this time digitally remastered, sans commercials — thanks to the magic of streaming TV.
There’s no faster way to look more put together and elegant than having a closet full of well-tailored clothes. But if you have a hard time finding pieces that fit you properly—from struggling with long pant hems or boxy blazers—know that there’s an easy fix for that: A tailor! Bringing your clothes into a trusted seamstress to be nipped and tucked can make all the difference, especially considering you can change the details that you don’t find flattering.
Ashlee Gadd is the founder of Coffee + Crumbs and the author of “The Magic of Motherhood: The Good Stuff, the Hard Stuff, and Everything In Between.” We ordered bunk beds yesterday. It was an inevitable purchase, I suppose, after having two boys in two and a half years. When we found out our second baby was another boy, I remember thinking: Someday they’ll share a room, probably bunk beds.
Although I was the grown age of 22 by the time my parents split up, I was still hoping for a fabulous Parent Trap ending. Not the one where my parents reunite, but the one where I get to live on a California vineyard AND in a London townhouse. If you don’t remember, in the 1998 remake of the Parent Trap, Lindsay Lohan plays Annie James and Hallie Parker, twins separated at birth and fortuitously reunited at summer camp.
Sad news for Fixer Upper fans: The HGTV renovation show’s fifth season will be its last. Chip and Joanna announced the news this morning on their blog, citing the need to “catch our breath for a moment.” The couple have been going full force with the show, its spinoff, books, and new products, including a line for Target called Hearth & Hand that debuts in at the store in November.
A woman opened the door to her office. Powerful, successful, creative, she seemingly had it all. But something was missing. Love? No, with millions of adoring fans she had that in spades. Family? No, she was a mother of nine, the matriarch of a warm and happy home. She leaned back into her 4 inch high heels and took stock of the room. As she cast her eyes over her writing desk she knew in an instant what she needed. She scrolled through her Rolodex, “yes, artisans?
Oh, American Horror Story. You have such campy, spooky promise, and when you deliver, you really deliver. The scenery was always a draw: even when the plot flailed, the sets gave your eyeballs a treat. Now that AHS is gradually leaving Netflix, queue up your television and relive the architectural highlights, before the episodes disappear like so many bodies. Begin with Hotel, arguably the weakest season and the first to get the axe.
A starring turn on television, much like it does for actors, can also make a house famous — or infamous as the case may be. That was what happened to this picturesque Everett, Washington colonial home. The house took center stage on TV’s cult hit Twin Peaks, during its original two-season run from 1990-1991, as the home of the fictional murdered teen Laura Palmer.
Is a plaid shirt the only dead give-away sign that helps you tell HGTV’s Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott, apart? Well soon there’ll be another way to differentiate between the TV star twins — a wedding ring.
I don’t know about you, but I am so tired of hearing about “man caves” and “she sheds” all the time. Don’t get me wrong—I’m totally here for people carving out their own spaces in their homes (personally I would love a separate room where I could just hang out and do crafts and practice my guitar and have alone time whenever I want it). But… why do we need to gender rooms? And why do they need to be so binary?
30—the magical percentage of take home income that people are supposed to spend on housing and housing related expenses like utilities for their living situation to be considered within their means—might be harder and harder to achieve, but at least us regular, real life people aren’t alone. TV characters often live in unrealistic places, and a new study shows just which ones could afford their homes, and which would be spending more than they should.
There are many ways living in Germany has changed my life, but the greatest change came from a most unexpected source: a cheese box. How has a five-Euro plastic container made such a huge impact on my dinner habits and well-being? And what makes a cheese box so superior to a dedicated cheese drawer in your refrigerator? A cheese box is ingenious because you can fill it with cheese from the market and put it straight on your dinner table — that’s why.
Halloween is tomorrow. By now, you’ve probably gotten your pumpkins and nailed down your costume, if you’re dressing up. But if you’re behind the curve this fall, no worries. It’s not too late to add a little bit of haunting to your house. Or just a cute Halloween accent or two. Pretty sure the best place to turn to for inspiration when you’re in a decorating time crunch is to HGTV stars.
I recently adopted an adorable rescue dog named Stanley. It’s not like I thought adopting a dog was going to be free or anything — my cat eats better than I do, so I know the price of organic pet food. But I wasn’t quite prepared for how much money I spent on Stanley in the first month. He may not be a puppy, but he still needed a lot of things to get him settled into his new home.
I don’t know how to write for television. I mean, I have a general sense of how to format a script, if I’m being generous with myself, and I can imagine sitting around a table with a group of people saying something like “Does it make sense for the Commodore to be in that scene, or does it mess with the timestream?
Last year, Man Repeller’s Amelia Diamond wrote this brilliant article about the weird prescience of the clothing choices in Napoleon Dynamite. The wheel of fashion is always turning, and suddenly, more than a decade after the movie’s release, some of Napoleon’s strange, frumpy getups are the height of chic. Which got me thinking: I wonder if the same thing has happened for the movie’s interiors?
Don’t worry people, the Gaines might be leaving their HGTV show, but they aren’t leaving Waco. Here’s what went down. Fixer Upper fans were freaking out all over the internet yesterday at reports that the couple behind Magnolia Market was selling their farmhouse and skipping town.
If you’ve already binge-watched Stranger Things 2, then you know the new season gives its audience a wider view of the inner lives of some of the characters, which didn’t see so much of back in season one. If you remember, the first season centered mostly around the homes of Will Byers and Mike Wheeler, despite the fact that Will is largely absent throughout the entire original run.
Renovation shows are having a moment, and yet with all the options past and present, there hasn’t been one totally dedicated to one very important part of the family: animals. Thankfully, Animal Planet is on it, and a familiar face is taking on these extreme home makeovers (pet edition). You might recognize Antonio Ballatore as the winner of HGTV’s Design Star and the host of The Antonio Treatment.
House Hunters has been a staple at HGTV since 1999 and has spawned a plethora of spinoffs, including House Hunters International, Tiny House Hunters, House Hunters Off the Grid, and House Hunters Renovation. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be on the popular real estate show? Here’s what we found out. According to CheetSheet.com, you don’t need a minimum budget (like you do for Fixer Upper), but you have to have already put in the leg work.
I didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with a TV. Shoes maybe, but I’ve never been one to go gaga over tech. It’s just that televisions have been eyesores almost as long as they’ve been around. Sure, they’re functional, and flatter and thinner than before. But they’ve essentially remained big black boxes, even when hanging on the wall. That is, until now.
We had to wait a few extra weeks this year but finally, the temperatures are dropping and cozy season is officially upon us. Now is the perfect time to drink as much hot cocoa as you’d like, wear all your scarves at once, and immerse yourself in the world of any Diane Keaton character, for her movies have the most cozy interiors of them all. Here are a few movies featuring cozy homes that are sure to warm you up.
December is creeping up on us, and that means that we have news on what will be leaving Netflix next month. Just know that new arrivals are around the corner, and take some solace that there’s a holiday happening this week, so you can sneak in one last viewing of your favorites. Say goodbye to some beloved witchy sisters (and one of our favorite Halloween houses of all time). See ya later, Paddy’s Pub—seasons 1 through 11 are leaving the streaming service next month.
First Eloise, now Kevin McAllister leaves his mark on the iconic Plaza hotel. The famed hotel is now offering Home Alone 2: Lost in New York inspired packages for the wealthy and nostalgic. As a celebration of the movie’s 25th anniversary, the hotel has set up an exhibit, crafted a ’90s inspired menu and even offers up a room package that includes a stay at The Plaza and the opportunity to live out some of the more memorable scenes from the movie (Joe Pesci not included).
Down in the Treme, it was just Serena Williams and her bae bae (Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanion) and this gorgeous Greek Revival mansion. The couple celebrated their New Orleans wedding recently with a whirlwind weekend of fairytale romance and R&R at this dreamy HomeAway rental property.
As any ’90s cartoon fan can attest to, Nickelodeon’s beloved football-head hero, Arnold, lived an idealized, but pretty realistic urban life. So how exactly did the show get city living so right? In an interview with City Lab, series creator Craig Bartlett discuss the making of Arnold’s idyllic urban environment. The landscape of the show was largely inspired by Seattle, where Bartlett grew up, and Portland where he attended art school, with pieces of Brooklyn and Chicago.
One of my worst travel pet peeves is binge-watching shows on my iPad or laptop — after taking all the time to download them before heading out the door — and then having the battery run out right at the most climactic moment. But what if you could strategize which types of shows to stream or download based on how much energy they expend, and how much electricity it takes to watch them?
Sharing a space when everybody doesn’t like each other is no fun. It’s almost harder when the ones who are fighting have four legs and don’t speak. That’s every episode of Animal Planet’s new show, Cat vs. Dog, where cat whisperer Jackson Galaxy and dog trainer Zoe Sandor help a household with interspecies fur children become one big happy family—or at least attempt to.
