Tries, Buys, and DIYs: 6 Things Apartment Therapy Editors Are Loving This Week

“I gifted this OSALADI croissant night light from Amazon to my boyfriend for his birthday, but secretly (shh, don't tell him!), it was also a gift for me! We keep it in our living room on the television console, and it's the perfect amount of light for movie nights and adds a moody ambiance during cocktail parties. It's a fabulous conversation-starter for under $20.” —Cullen Ormond, Home Associate Editor

“For a solid nine months after my boyfriend moved in with me in my studio apartment, our entryway shoe storage system was ‘pile next to the front door.’ We have plenty of shoe storage in our closets, but we needed a dumping ground for our ‘apartment shoes’ by the door, like Birkenstocks to slip on for quick runs down the hallway to the recycling room. The pile of shoes bugged me endlessly, but I figured there was no organization item small enough for our tiny entryway — until I spotted this Yamazaki Home shoe rack in a TikTok. The dimensions were perfect, and the low-profile white version can blend with pretty much every surrounding, meaning it wouldn't overpower my already-cramped space. I ordered it immediately, and it's been a dream come true ever since. It took less than five minutes to assemble, is made of sturdy steel, and, best of all, perfectly stores all of our apartment shoes in a much easier-on-the-eyes way. I only wish I'd known about it sooner!” —Terri Pous, Managing Editor

“I saw Souper Cubes on TikTok a while back and emailed myself a link to the clip so I wouldn’t forget about them (this is maximum efficiency, baby). I finally got around to trying them, and I’m extremely excited. I made some chicken and veggie chili, then divvied it up into single-serve portions to freeze and enjoy when I don’t feel like cooking later this summer. My future self will be stoked, but it’s my present self who is geeking out over these little freezable containers. I’m sure they’re great for families, but they feel especially useful for me as a single gal, too. And the ones made especially for cookie dough balls? Ingenious.” —Maddie Bilis, Deputy Lifestyle Director

“I’m no wine connoisseur ( ... yet), which is why I’m completely sold on a new sip-before-you-spend vino service: Sampl. The company delivers quarterly capsules — either on a subscription basis or as a one-time purchase — with seven different 100-milliliter glasses from small, local wineries. It’s basically like having your own high-quality tasting experience at home (they’ve even curated coordinating playlists), and each sample comes in a fun test tube-looking vial. There’s an in-depth digital component, too, for detailed notes on the specific wines and regions as well as options to order your favorites directly. It’s the best way to broaden your palate without breaking the bank on full bottles — count on up to $400 worth of reds and whites for $75 or less.” —Blair Donovan, Shopping Editor

“I've been seeing wall-mounted retractable garden hose reels all over TikTok, so I finally caved and bought this one on Amazon! (Bonus: It’s on sale right now).” —Stephanie Nguyen, Cleaning & Organizing Editor

“I have seen so much beautiful pressed flower art on my social media feeds that when I walked by this flower press at Target, I was simply helpless to resist. You can get the job done with regular old paper and heavy items, like books or cast iron pans, but it sure is nice to have a space-efficient press that I can neatly tuck away while it's doing its thing. (It comes with a few pieces of cardboard to help separate your pressed pages, as well as plain paper to do the pressing, so you have everything you need within except for, of course, the flowers.) I have my first round of flowers in progress right now — blooms I pulled from my yard and plan to arrange in an all-glass floating frame. Results coming soon!” —Megan Baker Detloff, Home Projects Director