Life

Does your pet suffer from anxiety? Maybe they are terrified of the vacuum or fireworks, or maybe they just hate it when you leave. You might notice they miss you when you’re gone if all of your shoes disappear right before you walk right out the door. Or, your neighbor tells you that your dog doesn’t stop crying when you’re not home. According to the ASPCA, “One of the most common complaints of pet parents is that their dogs are disruptive or destructive when left alone.

As a big fan of friendly banter, I am always ready to throw down on a real vs. artificial Christmas tree argument. Team Real Tree love to wax poetic about the tradition of heading to the farm each year and the festive character that only comes from dressing a natural tree. While the artificial tree folks (of which I am one) like to tout the charm of colorful trees and the low cost and easy cleanup of bringing out the same tinsel shrub year after year.

They may be pretty, but choosing and taking care of a Christmas tree takes more effort than you might think. Whether you go all out for a traditional Douglas Fir or opt for an artificial tree, planning ahead will make your holiday season far more festive—and, more importantly, safe. Time to deck the halls in your neck of the woods? Here are a few things not to forget as you purchase, set up, and care for your tree.

Have you ever wondered what’s it really like to live in a tiny house—and whether or not you could really do it, even part of the time? Now’s your chance to try before you buy (or build). We’ve rounded up 11 of the cutest tiny cottages you can actually book and stay in for your next getaway. Despite what many experts may opine in theory, in reality tiny homes remain as popular as ever—if only as a novelty or source of small-space living and storage ideas.

We’re all for a good dupe. There is nothing better than finding something that works just as well (if not better) than a designer brand for a fraction of the cost. We often see this happen with different makeup brands, but it isn’t just for beauty products. You can find dupes for electronics, clothing, and more. Especially shoes! There are tons of shoe brands that design their styles based on high-end fashion retailers.

There's one very important element you're overlooking when sending holiday cards—your grammar.

Just picture it: You’re graciously gliding across the ice, hot cocoa in hand and wowing the crowd with your figuring skating spins. Okay, maybe it’s more like chopping across the ice while gripping the rink’s ledge. And, perhaps it was a fall—not exactly a flying sit spin—that’s being judged… But that’s neither here nor there! Ice skating is a quintessential wintertime activity, even more so when rinks are decked out in their best holiday finery.

As magical as the holidays are, this time of year can also be a bit stressful—between handling a barrage of party invites, planning your own get-togethers, wrapping up the year, visiting family and getting all your holiday shopping done… well, it’s a lot. And then there’s the whole spending money thing. Shopping and celebrating add up, but it doesn’t have to be quite so painful.

The driving force in how you decorate your home—and really just how you live in it—is dictated most often by your personality. Who you are as a person impacts what art you hang, how you set up your rooms, how often you host people, your cleaning tendencies, and how you unwind at home.

We’ve already spent the better half of 2018 without any new episodes of “Fixer Upper.” The final episode aired all the way back in April and that is a long time to go without a fix of Chip and Joanna Gaines. Thankfully, they’ve been busy with their other projects, like their Hearth & Hand line at Target, and Joanna’s books. If you’re one of the many fans who vacation in Waco, Texas, you can get a little “Fixer Upper” treat.

Make yourself at home... sort of!

Earlier this year, Target revealed its new line Made By Design that is all about getting back to basics, selling everything from coffeemakers to closet organizers. But the brand’s latest addition supports endeavors of trekking outside the home: with its new luggage. The products are meant to deliver elevated quality and design while staying affordable.

There are a few things that you can hear and smell that will transport you right back to your childhood. The sound of a slap bracelet hitting skin. Your 5th-grade classroom had a weird smell that you’ll never forget. Your friends were all fighting over who had a cooler Lisa Frank notebook, while you were busy applying your favorite Lip Smacker.

What is the appeal of the window seat on an airplane? Maybe you want to get a view of the sky as you travel, or perhaps you just don’t want to get stuck in the middle seat. It seems like everyone fights for the window seat, rather than the aisle seat, and the person last to the fight gets stuck sitting in the middle. Well, if you love the window seat for the view, a new type of airplane is currently being brainstormed.

Growing up, did you dream of becoming a princess? Maybe you longed to be a mermaid like Ariel or you wanted to live in a castle with a huge library like Belle. Or maybe you didn’t idolize the traditional princesses, and instead, you loved Mulan and Pocahontas. Whoever your favorite Disney princess was, you probably spent hours playing dress up pretending to be them. Many of us did!

If you’re not already sold on the fact that this rental is shaped like a giant elephant (think of the post-trip Insta posts!), you’ll be pleased to learn that its charm goes far beyond that particularly striking detail. This 40-foot, two-story mammoth of a tiny house is located in the Southeastern Uva Province of Sri Lanka, near a river that borders Yala—Sri Lanka’s famous wildlife park.

Creativity starts at home. That’s why it’s important to know what kinds of things you can do around the house to get your creative juices flowing. We called on two of our favorite creative experts: Rahti Gorfien, Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and ACCG at Creative Calling Coaching and Danielle Raine, a U.K.-based creativity coach for advice on everyday habits that can help improve our creativity from the privacy of our own place, and they had lots to share.

If you’ve ever thrown any kind of party at your house you know that, regardless of your best laid plans to draw guests into other rooms, everyone is going to congregate in the kitchen. Kitchens have long been the number one return on investment for remodeling for that reason, and now they’ve also become the most splurge-y place in the house for furniture and decor, as well.

With midterm elections this week, you may have already figured out where you’ll be tuning in—but have you thought about what you’ll be eating? No matter who you’re voting for in November, one thing is universal: We’ll all need food to fuel us through the night as results roll in.

Budgeting is too often misunderstood. The problem: Many people look over their expenses after the money is gone. Then they get startled or—even less productively—embarrassed at how much money was spent on things like eating out or buying new clothing, and vow to cut back next month. It’s an endless cycle that does little to change your spending habits.

Having plenty of Halloween candy to pass out—and then some—is not optional. Which sparkly princess or toddling robot with an upturned, hopeful face and proffered bucket could you tell “Sorry, we ran out of treats”? Not happening. And then there’s the kids coming home with their hauls from which they’ll pick a designated ration of their favorites (plus your tithe) and all that leftover candy. Sometimes there’s way too much of a good thing.

For 10 days at the end of October, Apartment Therapy wants to help you get ahead on the holidays. Together, we’re checking off doable daily tasks to get one step closer to the effortless holiday season you deserve. Sign up now (it’s free!) so you don’t miss a thing. Culture has a way of evolving a vocabulary to embrace and explain humanity’s common eccentricities.

For 10 days at the end of October, Apartment Therapy wants to help you get ahead on the holidays. Together, we’re checking off doable daily tasks to get one step closer to the effortless holiday season you deserve. Sign up now (it’s free!) so you don’t miss a thing. Just because you need something doesn’t mean it needs to be purchased. There are a lot of reasons to try your hand at DIY: It can be cheaper, less wasteful, and it’s a heck of a lot more fun.

Have you ever gone shopping and forgotten the one real item you went to the store for in the first place? Obviously, it happens to all of us. Even when you write down a list of “must get” items, you always manage to forget one thing. Maybe you didn’t actually check the cabinets before leaving, or it just totally slipped your mind when you put your pen to paper. Whatever happened, we’ve been there, and it stinks.

For 10 days at the end of October, Apartment Therapy wants to help you get ahead on the holidays. Together, we’re checking off doable daily tasks to get one step closer to the effortless holiday season you deserve. Sign up now (it’s free!) so you don’t miss a thing. Contrary to what TV commercials might tell you, the holidays are not just about buying gifts and spending money. The reason we’re all enamored with this season is the spirit of it all.

If you’re anything like me, a.k.a. prone to compulsive late-night Amazon Prime purchases (especially after a couple glasses of wine), then boy do we have the solution for you. Amazon Allowance is a feature on Amazon that allows you to fund your shopping (or someone else’s) with gift card credits you set aside ahead of time—so you can shop to your heart’s content without ever sharing your credit card info.

If you didn’t already realize what our furry friends are capable of, here’s a new one for you—they can detect impoliteness. A new study from Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews has proven that dogs negatively evaluate people who refuse to help their owners or, in other words, express a rude behavior. After hearing about a study that proves one-year-olds can sense when someone is being rude, psychologist James Anderson got the idea of doing similar research on dogs.

There is no greater feeling than reader “your package will arrive in 3 to 5 business days.” It is like buying yourself presents, without needing a reason! Online shopping is pretty addictive, but it is convenient. Does anyone really have the time to go to the mall and look for a dress to wear to a wedding? There’s more of a selection online anyway, so why not cut out the middleman?

Halloween is just over a week away and everyone is getting into the holiday spirit. People are spending their free time at orchards to pick apples and pumpkins. The fall candles have officially been lit. “Monster Mash” and “This Is Halloween” have been played at least once on everyone’s playlist. People aren’t the only ones who can get festive for Halloween. Cats can enjoy the holiday too! Thanks to Target, you can now purchase a haunted house for your cat.

So you’re going to build a tiny house. It may be small, and it may be cute, but you’ll still need a plan to build from, just like with any other house. Even if your tiny budget doesn’t allow for an architect, there are plenty of free (or very inexpensive) tiny house plans available on the internet. Here are some of our favorites. This tiny home has a distinctly modern look, and the inside is filled with light.

Ever wonder what your furry friend really thinks of you? Well, you’re in luck: new study says that cats basically treat us like other cats. Before you curtly dismiss this information, this feline factoid comes straight from the mouth of cat behavior expert, John Bradshaw of the University of Bristol.

Though her pub-going “Madge” phase is long over, Madonna’s mark remains on the 2/2 South Kensington flat British filmmaker Guy Ritchie owned when the couple first started dating in the late ’90s—and now, as of this week, you can rent the London pad on HomeAway.

It is official, Amazon is the one-stop shop for literally all of our needs. You can buy clothing, books, accessories, toys, tiny houses, lifehacks, food, and wine on Amazon. Yup, you can order wine from Amazon and have it delivered to your house! Don’t you just hate when you run out of wine on a Friday, because you swore you had a full bottle, but it was really only an ⅛ full? Us too!

Halloween is upon us, and haunted houses are popping up everywhere to provide visitors with thrills, chills, and holiday entertainment. But those who prefer to get their kicks from a more realistic experience may want to visit a supposedly real haunted house instead, complete with dark backstories, dastardly characters, and more. Here are five haunted houses you can visit nationwide.

Honestly, who doesn’t love Chrissy Teigen? She is the honest Twitter queen that we all need in our lives. Not only is she funny, but she also keeps it very real and we all admire her for it. We’d all love to be her BFF, so she could make us laugh and feed us tasty food. Over the last few years, Chrissy has added a few more titles to her career, as a cook and an author. Now, she’s also on the retail market! She released two cookbooks, Cravings and Cravings: Hungry For More.

The strongest tropical cyclone to hit the US since Andrew in 1992, Hurricane Michael has already impacted coastal Florida and as far north as Virginia. According to CNN, the US death toll is already at 13—and it’s expected to get worse. While Michael has since been downgraded to a Tropical Storm, there’s no better time to help out—and we’ve compiled a list of organizations helping the victims of this brutal extreme weather event.

What good home finds are waiting for you at Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and HomeGoods? Um, to sum it up briefly, a lot! I have a fairly intense relationship with Marshalls. I grew up shopping their Bedford, MA, store and now I am lucky enough to live near a “really good one” outside Los Angeles. This is not just my personal opinion — I am quoting a very impressed gentleman I heard remark as he walked through it.

If you need an excuse to incorporate Harry Potter into your life, there’s always going to be one. Need something to do for Halloween? Go dine at Hogwarts for a spooktacular feast. Yearning to transform your space? Decorate with this magical home collection. Looking for your next novel? New books galore! And with the holidays fast approaching, your latest excuse might be needing a gift for your fellow wizard (or yourself).

While my showering habits have shifted since having kids (read: I shower less), I’ve always been a morning shower-er, purely for practical reasons. My fine hair styles better when I don’t sleep on it, and the ritual of a morning shower jolts me awake and helps me mentally prepare for the day ahead. Plus, I tend to get hot at night, and I feel fresher when I rinse it all off in the A.M. But fans of night showers defend their habits for similarly practical reasons.

When you look back on the holidays, you want to remember things like the raucous Christmas party or the morning you spent laughing with your family over latkes—not the times when you spent all day hunting for a parking spot or waited an hour in line at the department store checkout. To help you make more room for happy memories—and save you from holiday shopping stress—Apartment Therapy is launching a new program called Holiday Jumpstart.

Who hasn’t wished they could travel to the magical world of Harry Potter? Ever since the first book was released in the late ’90s, we’ve all wished we could eat in the Great Hall and explore all of the secret passages inside of Hogwarts. For many years, that was just a dream that all of us muggles and no-majs had, but thanks to Universal, we’ve been given a magical ticket.

Your to-do list is long and your bullet journal is bursting. It seems like there’s always something you could or should be doing—but maybe that’s exactly the problem. While the pressures to be (and stay!) productive have reached an all-time high, overscheduling your free time could actually do more harm than good. Enter “Should-Less Sundays”—your new favorite weekend tradition.

Let’s be real: We’ve all spent several hours inside an IKEA store, or on the IKEA website, or figuring out how to put a piece of its furniture together. But how much time have we devoted to learning the story behind our favorite affordable Swedish home goods brand? Chances are that you have purchased at least one item from IKEA, but do you even have the slightest clue what their name means? Don’t worry my Scandi-design loving friends, I didn’t know either.

I never used to spend much time thinking about aging. I’m 29 and hang out in a mostly 20- and 30- something bubble in Washington, DC. Getting older was a vague, abstract concept on a far off, distant horizon. But then I began seeking out conversations with ladies in their 50s and 60s. I had started a new job in innovation focused on women over 50, and embarked on a quest to uncover ideas by speaking with the target market.

We always knew cat lovers were a breed of their own, but a new survey has locked down the proof. Through a survey of 1,000 cat owners, it was determined that the average cat owner “likes” 398 cat-related posts and looks at 725 cat pictures and videos in a year. 47 percent of owners surveyed report taking photos of their cats often, and say it takes an average of three attempts to get the ideal photo.

It is just about every Harry Potter lovers dream to travel to the magical world. We all waited anxiously to get our Hogwarts letter in the mail, but sadly, it never came. For those of us who are the biggest Potterheads, we try to incorporate the wizarding world into our lives any way we can. We rewatch the movies, reread the books, share them with our loved ones, and find ways to celebrate Harry Potter all year long.

The hills are alive with this sustainable tiny house. While those might not be the lyrics to the iconic The Sound Of Music song, it doesn’t make it any less true when addressing this glamping haven. Perched on the mountainside in Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia, this tiny accommodation is all about modern simplicity. The one-room vacation rental can comfortably fit two guests, complete with a queen-sized bed, table, drawers, and shelves for additional space.

Did everyone go through a goth phase? Or was it just us? You might have told your parents and friends at the time that it “wasn’t a phase” but for most of us, it was. However, even if you don’t wear all black and channel your inner ’80s Winona Ryder every day, you still can love and appreciate the goth subculture. If you ever were goth or still are, you’re going to need to see Crate & Barrel’s Halloween decor.

Do you ever get the urge to pack up your belongings, and escape the hustle and bustle of life for a while? This striking tree house with panoramic fjord views might be the place to do it. Located in Sandane, Norway, you can glamp in this tiny house that overlooks the country’s west coast. And “tree house” isn’t just a figure of speech: this structure is actually perched in the treetops, making guests fully immersed in the natural environment.

Germany-based company Caravanboat has the solution to the common vacation conundrum that plagues many trip planners: Whether to hit the high seas or remain on land. The Departure One, a 30-foot camper, is capable of being used on the water or on solid ground. Fashioned out of seawater-resistant aluminum, the multi-purpose dwelling is a crafty combination of a camper and a motorized houseboat. The air-conditioned space has a living room, a small shower, sink, and toilet.

Beer lovers have been able to enjoy “shower beers” for years, but trying to drink wine in the shower is such a hassle. The ledge in the shower is always too wet and you can never put the glass down. If you do, then your wine will spill everywhere. And god forbid the glass shatters while you’re trying to just take a shower and enjoy a glass of Chardonnay.

September 1st came and went without our Hogwarts letter arriving in the mail. That doesn’t mean we didn’t plan our trip to Hogwarts for this year. If you’re an avid Harry Potter fan, you can now show off your house pride in style whenever you travel. Recently, Pottery Barn released a Harry Potter home decor line full of incredible bedding sets and bedroom decor. But did you know that Pottery Barn’s sister site, PB Teen, sells Harry Potter luggage?

You know that saying, “Like mother, like daughter?” Well, there’s a reason it’s so widely used. Many of us recall thinking at a young age, I’m never going to be like my mother when I grow up. And yet, here we are, reflections of the very person we thought didn’t understand what we were going through—only to realize later on in life that they went through it, too.

Whether your day job involves sitting at a desk, driving to sales calls, or bent over your phone responding to emails and texts while you run around town, we all could use stretching breaks throughout the day. “Stretching is very important, but not in the way people think, says K. Aleisha Fetters, M.S., C.S.C.S. You’re not thinning out your muscles, she says.

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.

What is it about the beginning of fall that always brings out the back-to-school spirit in us? It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since you graduated school, there’s something about September that makes us want to turn over a new leaf and be more productive. So, we get organized, set bigger goals for ourselves, and buy some super chic office supplies.

In grade school, everyone had a least favorite subject. Maybe you really didn’t like reading, so English was boring for you. Or maybe you struggled with math and science and felt left behind during those classes. Honestly, did anyone enjoy running the mile in gym class? Sure, sometimes gym gave us an excuse to stand around and talk to our friends, but more often than not, it was awful.

Grab some Eggo waffles, Christmas lights, and put on a “Ghostbusters” costume, it is time to head to the Upside Down. For Halloween this year, you can get the pants scared right off of you at a “Stranger Things” haunted house. You might want to be careful, not everyone is ready to face the Demogorgon alone. “Stranger Things” became one of the most popular TV shows shortly after it debuted on Netflix in 2016.

Minimalism is all the rage in decor. From Marie Kondo to the airy white images floating around Instagram, it’s hard to escape the burgeoning love for simple living. I used to joke with colleagues that soon, the new minimalist trend would be to toss out your furniture. Well friends, it’s finally happened. The furniture-free movement is the newest home decorating trend—and it’s all in the name of optimal health and minimalist living.

A morning gone wrong can make us feel like the rest of the day is doomed, a thought which might all too easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Of course, there are things like the proverbial (and actual!) spilled milk that we can’t control, but there are plenty of things we can. Setting ourselves up for success in the morning is one of them. And it starts with the last ten minutes of the night before.

You can buy clothing for your cat, fancy beds for your cat, and even a little gem to cover up their private bits. But did you know you can also buy a tent for your cat? Though, be advised, you should probably never take your cat camping with you. Australian company Cat Camp has created the first specialized cat tent. Because why should humans be the only ones who can have all the fun going camping?

Living with a cat can be very beneficial to your health. It has been proven that cats can reduce your stress and anxiety, lower your blood pressure, and decrease your risk of heart disease. But it isn’t always easy living with cats. We have to clean up after them, we find their toys all over, and often times their stuff takes up too much space in our homes. If you live in an apartment, you know that there is a limited amount of space you have for furniture.

Little money-saving habits don’t ever feel like they’re doing much in the moment, but in the long run they can add up to significant savings. And, no, we’re not talking about the same well-worn advice to brew your own coffee or bring your lunch to work. These are at-home habits, most of which involve a minor change in your routine and might only take a few seconds each.

Store-brand products aren’t usually something to get excited about. They’re cheap and … that’s about it. But Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand of products are a bargain-hunter’s dream because they are not only economical, but also often top-of-the-line.

Moving more often than most people has taught me to be smarter about the whole thing. And in honor of me moving—again—next week, I'd love to share my biggest moving secret.

Have you ever stumbled across an Instagram influencer who seems to constantly travel the world in luxury? Now, have ever dreamed about doing it? (We know the answer is yes.) Well, now might be your chance. Vidanta, a collection of luxury resorts across Mexico, just launched their “World’s Best Job” campaign—and the name says it all.

Turns out that red double decker buses aren’t all hop on, hop off. Located in the village of Hartland, Devon—about a four-hour drive from London—is the Bertram’s Hotel, a bright red converted bus that provides a one-of-a-kind overnight stay.

Yes, it might technically still be summer, but Starbuck’s PSL announcement does not lie: fall is upon us. With autumn comes the thought of foliage—the crisp, vibrant swirl of colors that are short but sweet. And while we have a while longer before the hues actually shift, Smoky Mountains National Park is giving leaf peepers a head start to plan their fall adventures accordingly. The team just released their annual interactive foliage map, updated for 2018.

Life can be taxing sometimes. With busy work schedules, family responsibilities, and financial obligations to worry about, staying optimistic throughout day-to-day life often feels all but impossible. But fret not my stressed out friends: There’s hope to be had. We called on life coach Annie Lin of New York Life Coaching for advice on how to keep positive in everyday life, and she had lots to share.

When it comes to styling your home, you want everything to be functional, yet also fit into your aesthetic, right? Obviously! For cat owners, this can often be a struggle. There’s one item that cats need to use every single day that will not fit any aesthetic there is out there. The litter box. We understand that our furry, four-legged friends can’t help that they need to use a litter box to go to the bathroom, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it.

Many little girls grew up pretending to be a princess and dressing up in fancy little dresses. If you grew up watching The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and more, chances are you wanted to be just like them. Maybe you pretended to be Belle because you’re a brunette. Or maybe you wanted to be Mulan, so you could prove to all the boys at school you could kick their butt.

The call of the open road and cross-country adventuring are more attractive when you have a place to sleep, a place to cook, a place for all your gear, even a place for your pups, right there in the back seat. And more attractive still when it’s in a vehicle that’s easy to drive and easy to park anywhere (even stealthily on city streets), that doesn’t require towing, and that doesn’t require a trip to the DMV for a special license.