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Tag: team:kitchen

  • My Dad’s “Circle Rule” Is the Only Way I Clean My House (I’ve Been Doing It for Years!)

    My Dad’s “Circle Rule” Is the Only Way I Clean My House (I’ve Been Doing It for Years!)

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    My dad, like many dads, has a lot of “sayings,” cute little quips, or metaphors that he throws out whenever applicable. Some of his most oft-repeated advice has helped me live a better life. One such saying is, “Move in ever-widening circles.”

    It was his method for finding parking or a location, and whenever he got lost or our family got frustrated in a busy parking lot, he’d calmly say, “I’m just going to move in ever-widening circles and I’ll find it.” When you zoom out on this advice, it might mean that you should broaden your scope when trying to solve a problem. Don’t focus so much on the small stuff, but methodically and in an orderly fashion, work through your problem from the smallest detail to the most general. 

    I apply this idea whenever I tidy my home. I start in the living room, and as I find things that belong in the bedrooms or office, I don’t ping-pong between the locations. I make piles while still in the living room and then put things away starting with the closest location. As I widen, I may notice other areas that need tidying, but I keep my epicenter static until the entire living room is dealt with. 

    Then I move to another room. For instance, I could move into my son’s room and start at the bed. Moving in ever-widening circles, I’ll toss Legos into bins and gather lone dirty socks for the hamper. Then I’ll go to the next space. This method helps me not get overwhelmed by the enormity of the task and focus on one area of the house at a time. 

    I can also apply “move in ever-widening circles” to finding lost objects. As an individual, I’m great at remembering where I put my things like keys or phone. But living in a home with two busy kids means objects move. If I can’t find something, I don’t look around chaotically, running from room to room. I start where the object is meant to be and look there (it’s amazing how often the obvious is overlooked).

    From there, I move in ever-widening circles, looking around furniture, the floors, shelves, etc. If it’s not in that room, I move on to the next space and widen my search. This way, there’s no stone unturned and I start with the most logical place first, maintaining efficiency. 

    If I or someone else has lost an object and they have no idea where it should be, I start in the place we noticed it was missing and move in ever-widening circles from there. Sometimes, on a busy day, moving out in this spiral motion helps me remember that, yes, I did go from the laundry room to the living room. By reversing the spiral, I hit the location where the object resides. 

    I have noticed that by repeating this phrase to myself as I go, I find things much faster and stay focused on tidying. If I get to the edge of where the object might be, I spiral back to the center and then start over, making sure I make a thorough sweep. While it may seem more efficient to go directly to the various locations where an object might be or, when tidying, where it might go, this method means I thoroughly hit all the possibilities and don’t end up looking in the same place twice.

    This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: I Follow My Dad’s “Circle” Method to Keep My Home Clean (It Always Works!)

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    Laura Wheatman Hill

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  • Before & After: This “Grimy” Balcony Makeover Transforms into the Most Gorgeous Summer Oasis

    Before & After: This “Grimy” Balcony Makeover Transforms into the Most Gorgeous Summer Oasis

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    “Wiping away literal years of city dust and grime was an immediate improvement,” the renter says.
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    Sarah Everett

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  • We Gave Two Interior Designers $50 to Shop at HomeGoods— Here’s Everything They’d Buy

    We Gave Two Interior Designers $50 to Shop at HomeGoods— Here’s Everything They’d Buy

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    It’s a well-established fact that HomeGoods is a go-to spot to get unmatched deals on everything from home decor to kitchen tools and furniture. But don’t let the rock-bottom prices fool you — while HomeGoods may not be the first store that comes to mind for high-end interior design, that isn’t necessarily the case among professional interior designers.

    “$50 at HomeGoods can go a long way in transforming your space,” says Ayten Nadeau, founder and interior designer at i-Ten Designs. Keeping Nadeau’s declaration in mind, we put her and fellow interior designer and design consultant Amanda Foster up to the task of deciding what they’d buy at HomeGoods within a $50 budget. 

    “By carefully selecting these items, you’ll create a stylish, cohesive look that feels like a million bucks — all without breaking the bank,” Nadeau says. Check out their picks below — keep in mind that inventory and pricing differ at each store, so your basket might look a little bit different!

    A trip to HomeGoods should always include a visit to the candle section, which is where some of the best deals can be found. “Imagine walking through your front door to the warm, inviting scent of a high-quality soy candle,” Nadeau says. “These beauties come in stunning containers and usually cost less than $8 each. Talk about instant ambience!” Aroma and lighting are some of the most frequently neglected aspects of home decor, and a few carefully selected candles can make a big impact on the look and feel of your space.

    Everybody loves houseplants, but if you are looking for a more low maintenance way to liven up your space, faux greenery from HomeGoods is your friend. “Add a dash of nature to those shadowy nooks and crannies,” Nadeau suggests. “Faux plants in chic vases are perfect for brightening up darker kitchen corners, bookshelves, or bathrooms. They cost $9 or less for small ones.”

    Foster’s next pick? “A geometric wall mirror that’ll not only reflect your fabulous self but also add a touch of modern flair to your space.” Even a small mirror can add depth and dimension to a room and make it seem larger than it is, which is a powerful trick for cozy homes.

    “Imagine the angles, the shapes, and the way it catches the light — this mirror is a true work of art that’ll elevate any room to new heights of coolness,” Foster says.

    Decanters abound at HomeGoods, and they are an easy and affordable way to make any room feel more sophisticated and cohesive.

    “Elevate your everyday essentials with stylish glass soap dispensers,” Nadeau says. “Whether it’s for your kitchen or bathroom, glass dispensers can make even the humblest soap feel luxurious. Say goodbye to tacky packaging!”

    For just $10 or less, this quick swap is one that professional interior designers consider a nonnegotiable.

    Just because HomeGoods is budget-friendly doesn’t mean the quality isn’t on par with luxury retailers, so don’t underestimate the essentials.

    “I have a confession: I stock up on hand towels here for myself and my clients. You simply can’t beat the prices,” Nadeau shares. “Investing in a couple of high-quality hand towels for about $8 to $10 each can make any powder room feel like a five-star hotel.”

    This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: We Gave Two Designers $50 — Here’s What They’d Buy at HomeGoods

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    Nina Derwin

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  • I Tried the “Wheel of Chores” to Declutter, and Now I’ll Never Clean Another Way

    I Tried the “Wheel of Chores” to Declutter, and Now I’ll Never Clean Another Way

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    I can maintain a clean home. I have no problem cleaning the kitchen, dusting, and doing laundry. In fact, I enjoy it. But it’s those extra tasks — like cleaning out my overstuffed T-shirt drawers, tackling a months-old mail pile, or decluttering my extra closet — that I can’t get around to that weigh me down.

    Cleaning (and doing it well) can take all day. For instance, a trip to the laundromat and back is a few hours down the drain. That’s not to mention working a 9-5, daily walks with my dog, weekly grocery store runs, and writing for my fiction workshop. So, after a few hours of cleaning, getting to the bigger tasks always seems to get pushed back to a mythical “next weekend,” where instead of doing any chores at all, my husband and I take full advantage of our freedom and kick those chores down the road again and again. 

    I realized that my inability to do these tasks is about inertia. How could I trick myself into getting started so I could feel the rewards of finally tackling something I’ve been putting off for months? That’s when I saw an Instagram story from my hairdresser, Markee Speyer at Queen of Swords in Brooklyn, using a “wheel of chores” hack she learned from TikTok user Melitsmoi, who has an entire series dedicated to this trick she created.

    In Speyer’s stories, she was using one of those digital “Wheels of Names” tools, where you input names (or in her case, chores), “spin the wheel,” and you have a winner. Instead of a sweepstakes prize, she was putting in the tasks she needed to get done. Could this be the tool I needed to get those chores done? I had to try it.

    How I Tried the Wheel of Chores

    I decided to set up my “wheel of chores” to eight nagging tasks that had eluded me for, embarrassingly enough, months to years:

    The wheel of chores made the first choice for me: declutter my T-shirt drawers. I bravely marched my way into my room, took all my T-shirts out, and began organizing. I used the opportunity to get rid of old, ill-fitting, bleach-stained, or otherwise ruined T-shirts. I also love crop tops for the weekends and working out, so any shirts that I didn’t wear because I didn’t like how they fit, I cut into a crop. 

    Then I organized by size of shirt — big shirts in one area, long-sleeve turtlenecks in another, and cute tops separately. It took me about an hour to get through each drawer and roughly (and I mean that) KonMari folded the clothes. The work was totally worth it — I can now see all of my T-shirts at once, and every time I open my drawers I sigh in relief.

    The next day, I went back to my wheel and hit spin again. I once again bravely marched to my second task of decluttering my extra closet, which serves as overflow space that I share with my husband for longer dresses, fancy clothes, some shoes, and other miscellaneous items. Compared with reorganizing my drawers, this was an even easier task, though no less embarrassing to me to reveal the state of my closet to the internet. First, I had to get the clothes that had fallen off their hangers and onto the floor, and I cleaned out the items that I knew I’d never wear. 

    I had a shocking amount of gift wrap and gift bags on the floor — no doubt from a Christmas of the very far past — that I reorganized into a nice store bag and popped up at the top of the closet. I also took the extra hangers off the closet rack and put them in a bag at the top of the closet, too.

    I moved a few fancy, occasion pieces that are being held in garment bags into a separate closet in my husband’s music studio and reorganized the shoes on the floor. All in all, though, it’s clear I’m no professional organizer. My closet is so much more manageable now, and the process only took about 45 minutes. It’s almost frustrating how easy both tasks were to do and how rewarding they felt when I was done because I had put them off for so long. 

    Of course, the wheel of chores requires some level of discipline and buy-in. No one is forcing me to do the tasks on it except me, and yet, it helped me get over that first round of inertia where I kept putting off these tasks for way too long. Plus, the randomness of it makes me shed the habit I have of thinking chronologically about chores.

    Feeling a sense of accomplishment after getting these extra things done was a real treat. I’m going to keep adding chores to the wheel of chores (organizing our office space is next!) and can’t wait to see what other spaces I transform.

    This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: I Tried the “Wheel of Chores” to Declutter, and Now I’ll Use it Every Weekend

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    Lizzy Francis

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  • This IKEA Shoe Rack Is the Secret to My Living Room Transformation

    This IKEA Shoe Rack Is the Secret to My Living Room Transformation

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    Over the last three years, I’ve been slowly redesigning my home with my husband. Our living room was one of the first rooms we decided to tackle and somehow one of the hardest to decorate — four walls, 190 square feet, but inexplicably complicated for me to wrap my head around. With three large windows on the wall facing the sofa, we ultimately opted for a TV-less room to make the space feel joyful, inspiring, and cozy, like when you walk into your favorite bookstore that you never want to leave.

    After picking a color palette, choosing the major furniture pieces, and thrifting a beautiful vintage painting, there was still one lingering problem: the big blank wall to the left of the sofa. I’m always quick to come up with solutions for others when they’re stumped in their space but in my own home? That’s a whole other story. Luckily, I remembered my friend Cristina Cleveland, a fellow interior designer, has a foolproof solution for maximizing large empty wall space: floor-to-ceiling shelving using IKEA’s ELVARLI shoe rack.

    “They’re perfect for anyone who’s working on developing their personal style because you can restyle them over and over as your style evolves — without making more permanent changes like holes or paint on the walls,” says Cleveland of the ELVARLI. She credits this IKEA hack to her friend Hanah, a graphic designer originally looking to display her collection of typeface and design books. 

    I wanted to achieve that lived-in bookstore/museum gift shop look in my home without spending thousands of dollars on the shelves themselves. (I’d rather save my money for bookshelf wealth treasures.) So I used IKEA’s ELVARLI planner to customize my configuration, and, between measurements and layout, it took me less than 20 minutes to decide on the whole thing. You can choose whether you want angled or flat shelves, and fine-tune their placement for a totally bespoke piece, but IKEA also sells ready-made ELVARLI systems in standard sizes/configurations. 

    In terms of the installation process, on a scale of 1 to rip-my-hair-out-level-10 frustration, I’d rate this a 4 for mild headache. You do need another person to help you align the side posts, but once you figure out the spacing and where those go, adding the shelves and racks is fairly simple. The whole process took about three hours. 

    A few other things really stood out to me about the ELVARLI setup: For one, you don’t need to make any holes in your walls like you would with normal shelves. The posts screw into the ceiling for extra support. I also adored the ELVARLI’s versatility. It moonlights as a room divider, bookshelf, wardrobe, you name it! My friend even used hers to carve out a dining room in her open-concept layout.

    As for me, I couldn’t be any happier with the transformation. I had been racking (no pun intended!) my brain to find potential solutions, and nothing came close to this price point. For under $500, I was able to transform my blank living room wall from bland to beautiful with a customized shelving module. 

    The white ELVARLI system also provided me with the blank canvas I needed to add my favorite books and tchotchkes, and I can’t wait to keep playing around with the styling. Plus, as someone whose home has lower ceilings, the floor-to-ceiling look really does help make the space feel more grand.

    If you had told me that my new favorite living room investment would be a set of IKEA shoe racks, I would have laughed, but don’t knock it until you try it!

    This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: This IKEA Shoe Rack Is the Secret to My Living Room Transformation

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    Daniela Araya

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  • I Tried the “333 Method” to Pack My Carry-On Bag, and I Can’t Believe How Much Space I Saved

    I Tried the “333 Method” to Pack My Carry-On Bag, and I Can’t Believe How Much Space I Saved

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    While my packing technique has improved thanks to packing cubes, I still default to using a larger suitcase every time. But after seeing TikTok creator Rachel Spencer’s 333 method of packing a capsule wardrobe, I’m ready to start traveling with much smaller luggage again.

    The 333 method is simple: Pack three tops, three bottoms, and three pairs of shoes, then mix and match for at least nine different outfits or 27 different looks if you’re counting the various shoe options, too.

    Now, I can get on board easily with the three shoes and three bottoms, but sticking to just three tops is a bit tricky. I’m no fashionista, but I like to change things up when I’m on vacation, which usually means a different top (maybe even two!) each day. But after seeing Spencer curate a whopping 19 outfits out of her nine pieces, I realized that it was possible to change up my look without overpacking. I watched her video about half a dozen times and took notes.

    Spencer selected tops that could be layered or stand-alone for different looks. For example, she wore her cardigan buttoned up, open, and even flipped around so it looked like a pullover. She also selected a basic white tank as one of her tops, which made a great base layer, and her trio of shoes could be worn with every outfit to dress them up/down accordingly.

    How I Used the “333 Method” to Pack My Carry-on Overnight Bag

    I was inspired by Spencer’s careful curation of her tops, especially her strategy of using button-downs to create multiple different looks. So here’s what I dug out of my closet for an upcoming trip.

    I mixed and matched a few and found that, yes, there were at least nine viable outfits there, and zipped it all up in one packing cube. I packed everything in my new overnight bag. Well, now it’s officially a nine-day bag because it fit the shoes in the bottom compartment and had plenty of room up top for my single packing cube and the rest of my items, including underwear, pajamas, toiletries, and a smaller makeup bag — no way I’m traveling with a half-dozen different lipsticks now that I can change up my look so easily!

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    Barbara Bellesi Zito

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  • Why We Eat Red Foods on Juneteenth

    Why We Eat Red Foods on Juneteenth

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    Alexandra FosterEditorial Assistant, The Kitchn

    Alexandra Foster is the Editorial Assistant for The Kitchn. She is passionate about highlighting diverse voices in the food world through her storytelling. Her work has previously appeared in Food Network, Whetstone Magazine, and NYU’s Bite Magazine. In her free time, she loves trying new plant-based foods, baking, listening to music or podcasts, and being in nature.

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    Alexandra Foster

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  • The Brilliant Trick for Making Dated Kitchen Countertops Look Brand New

    The Brilliant Trick for Making Dated Kitchen Countertops Look Brand New

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    You can make old kitchen countertops look new without modifying them a single bit.
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    Kelly Dawson

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  • Padma Lakshmi’s Bold Kitchen Cabinet Color Will Leave You Stunned (We Found the Closest Match!)

    Padma Lakshmi’s Bold Kitchen Cabinet Color Will Leave You Stunned (We Found the Closest Match!)

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    Olivia Harvey

    Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via Instagram and/or Twitter.

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    Olivia Harvey

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  • 20 Strikingly Colorful Kitchens That Are Anything but Boring

    20 Strikingly Colorful Kitchens That Are Anything but Boring

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    BRB, running to the paint store.
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    Cullen Ormond

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  • The Things I Always Look for at Estate Sales (They’re Totally Worth Buying)

    The Things I Always Look for at Estate Sales (They’re Totally Worth Buying)

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    Thrift stores are often the go-to destination for vintage or unique home decor pieces and one-of-a-kind wardrobe finds. Depending on where you live, however, you might be competing against a lot of shoppers with similar shopping goals and your local secondhand shops might at times feel picked over. If that sounds familiar, it might be time to set your sights on estate sales instead.

    Estate sales offer the unique opportunity to shop the contents of a person’s entire home, from pantry shelves to walk-in closets and everything in between. As you make your plans to visit the next estate sale in your area, be sure to keep an eye out for these items that experts say always make the best secondhand buys.

    For truly original fashion items, estate styles reign supreme. “You can sometimes find some amazing pieces hidden in the back of a closet,” says Alexandra von Gymnich-Scully, interior designer and owner of Rustic Rooster Interiors. The clothing you typically find at Goodwill or other thrift stores are items previous owners wanted to part with, but oftentimes the clothing and shoes found at estate sales are pieces that they held onto for life, and for good reason.

    “Whether you’re setting up your first place or looking for more specialized cooking tools, estate sales are a great way to build out your kitchen,” says Andi Jenkins, a vintage reseller and interior stylist. Kitchenware is a great find because it can easily be cleaned and disinfected to get it looking good as new. “Plates, utensils, and other kitchenware are usually the leftovers at the end of the sale, so if you want to score a bundle deal for your home, shop the last day of the sale for the best price,” Jenkins says.

    At estate sales, everything is on sale — even things you might not notice at first, like lamps, light fixtures, and other hardware. “Test the light before you purchase it,” advises von Gynmich-Scully. “If it works, score! If it is something you love, but doesn’t work, you can always have it rewired.”

    “Shopping estate sales is one of the best ways to buy affordable original artwork,” says Jenkins. “Shoppers can score signed, framed pieces at a fraction of what they would cost at a gallery. Just make sure you do a little research before purchasing any high-end pieces at prices that are too good to be true because; you may accidentally buy a dupe or print, rather than an original.” 

    “Some of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry can be found at estate sales,” says von Gymnich-Scully. If you’re interested in purchasing fine jewelry secondhand, be sure to research items of interest in advance to ensure you’re not overpaying. High-level items often have signature markings or engravings that can shed some light on what type of jewelry you’re buying and when it was originally made.

    “Whether you need a new dresser, bed frame, or dining table, estate sales are the best way to buy high-quality furniture pieces at an affordable price,” Jenkins says. “And if the homeowner had good taste, shoppers may even be able to score valuable antiques or mid-century furniture pieces — you just have to make sure to get to the sale early enough to beat the vintage dealers.”

    Want to start playing a new sport? Look no further than estate sales for the best prices on otherwise expensive equipment. “It’s always fun to pick up a new sport without breaking the bank,” says von Gymnich-Scully. “Start used, then you can always splurge later if you become pro.”

    “Typically I would never advise someone to buy used toiletries — however, designer perfume is the exception,” explains Jenkins. “Fragrances can be very expensive and estate sale shoppers can usually find lots of partially full bottles at estate sales. You just need to do a couple spritzes to make sure the scent hasn’t deteriorated. There’s even a big secondhand market for used perfume on eBay in case anyone is looking for a new category for resale.” 

    Whether you’re a brand-new collector or a seasoned pro, estate sales are the perfect place to invest in new china. “Buying your china used can save you tons of money,” says von Gymnich-Scully. “Sometimes you just need a few pieces that you want from a collection. Estate sales have some great one-piece wonders!”

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    Nina Derwin

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  • How I Created a Champagne-Level Dining Room on a Seltzer Budget

    How I Created a Champagne-Level Dining Room on a Seltzer Budget

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    Some DIY tricks helped me pull it off.
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    Heather Bien

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  • Costco Just Brought Back Its “Gorgeous” $20 Melamine Lazy Susan That’s Perfect for Summer (It Won’t Last Long!)

    Costco Just Brought Back Its “Gorgeous” $20 Melamine Lazy Susan That’s Perfect for Summer (It Won’t Last Long!)

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    It flew off the shelves last time it was in stock.
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    Shifrah Combiths

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  • The First Thing to Do When You Open a New Roll of Paper Towels

    The First Thing to Do When You Open a New Roll of Paper Towels

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    Shifrah Combiths

    With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town life in Tallahassee, Florida, which she now calls home. She’s been writing professionally for twenty years and she loves lifestyle photography, memory keeping, gardening, reading, and going to the beach with her husband and children.

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    Shifrah Combiths

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  • Before and After: A Dark and Dated Kitchen Gets a Fresh New Look for $2500

    Before and After: A Dark and Dated Kitchen Gets a Fresh New Look for $2500

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    “I’m most proud that we did this all ourselves and saved so much money!” says homeowner Astin Hancock.
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    Sarah Everett

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  • Before You Toss a Melted-Down Candle Jar, Try This Instead

    Before You Toss a Melted-Down Candle Jar, Try This Instead

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    If you have an ever-growing collection of candles accumulating in your home, you’re not alone. With so many scents for different seasons, occasions, and moods, there’s always some extra temptation to add another one to your collection when you get a whiff of a new smell. Not to mention, there’s something so cozy about candlelight illuminating your space. 

    But when all the wax has melted and the candle has reached the end of the wick, removing that extra wax can be a challenge — especially because you can’t throw glass in the recycling bin with residue on it. Plus, there are so many smart ways to upcycle glass jars in order to avoid any waste. So I spoke to Katie Berry, the cleaning expert behind Housewife How-Tos, to learn the best way to clean out a candle jar. Here’s what she had to say.

    How to Remove Wax from a Candle Jar Using the Freezer

    The first method requires you to freeze your candle for an hour at minimum, but you can also leave it in there overnight. “The freezer method is great for softer waxes like soy and for wide-mouthed jar candles,” explains Berry. According to the pro, here’s what you need to do.

    3. Pull out the remaining wax. The wax should easily pop out without much effort at all, although you may need to use a butter knife to get it started.

    4. Use a paper towel and rubbing alcohol to remove any stubborn wax bits.

    5. Wash in hot, soapy water or run it through the dishwasher. 

    6. What’s left of the wick should come off easily.

    7. Reuse your jar however you please!

    For paraffin candles or jars with more narrow openings, Berry suggests using another strategy: the boiling water method. If you’re opting for this method, Berry suggests taking the following steps:

    How to Remove Wax from a Candle Jar Using Hot Water

    2. Place the jar on an oven pad or folded towel.

    3. Slowly add boiling water to the jar.

    4. Use a slotted spoon or fork to scoop off the wax rising to the top. 

    5. Pour the remaining water in the jar through a fine mesh sieve or coffee filter to remove tiny wax bits.

    6. When the jar’s cool enough to handle, wipe the inside with a soapy rag to remove any remaining wax.

    7. Run it through the dishwasher or wash in hot, soapy water before use. Then, follow the last two steps of the first method.

    Once your candle jar is spotless, there are endless ways you can upcycle the vessel. Depending on its size, you can fill the jar with water to use as a makeshift flower vase, or fill with faux greenery for a DIY centerpiece. You can also use them to store kitchen essentials like utensils, small cooking tools, or pencils for jotting down your grocery list.

    However, if you’re looking to use your cleaned out candle jars for food, whether that’s concocting overnight oats, storing homemade salad dressings, or using as a glass for drinking water, make sure the jar is made of food-safe glass. 

    “If you want to reuse one with a lid for food storage, wash the lid thoroughly then make sure it still fits on the jar tightly,” says Berry. “Fill it with water, add the lid, and check for leaks, but if it’s stained or still has a scent after washing, I wouldn’t use it for that. They’re great for holding toiletries, hair ties, or to stash your makeup brushes in, though.”

    The upcycling possibilities are truly endless. And while you’re not only giving yourself the extra storage (without any extra cost), you’re also helping the planet by keeping unnecessary waste out of landfills.

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    Emma Taubenfeld

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  • A “Super Plain” Dining Room Gets the Boldest Retro Wallpaper Makeover

    A “Super Plain” Dining Room Gets the Boldest Retro Wallpaper Makeover

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    Furniture and artwork complete the dining room. 

    The table and bench are from Logan Industrial, the hutch is a Herman Miller piece, and the subtly mismatched chairs suit the vibe perfectly. Nate loves to entertain his friends and host dinner parties. He says that the dining table is usually ready for six people, but he has two leaves for the table to expand up to 10. It’s a tight squeeze at 10 people, but he’s made it work before!

    Tying everything together is the large-scale painting on the wall, which was painted by Nate’s great-aunt, the late artist Shirley Gorelick. “I love her work so much and am so happy I have a space to honor her in my home,” Nate says.

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    Emma Kershaw

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  • HomeGoods Is Selling Another Adorable Viral Food Stool (It’s Flying Off Shelves!)

    HomeGoods Is Selling Another Adorable Viral Food Stool (It’s Flying Off Shelves!)

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    Each marked a fun take on the wildly popular food-themed decor trend and became decor staples in their own right. So if you’re looking to buy your first or add to your collection, you’ll be happy to know that there’s a brand-new HomeGoods stool blowing up online: a cappuccino coffee mug-inspired stool, and it’s just as desirable as all the ones that came before it.

    In the video, Waverly said in a voiceover that the stool retails for $60 and is “super light-weight” compared to similar HomeGoods finds. If you’re torn on which stool to track down first, one commenter said that of all the viral food-themed stools HomeGoods has come out with, “This is my very favorite one 😍.” You can also see in the video two more viral stools that are margarita-themed, and it’s surely only a matter of time before those start flying off shelves too.

    Since Waverly first shared her TikTok on April 9, it’s attracted more than 84,300 likes and 1.3 million views.

    “Love it next to the couch as a coffee table!!” one commenter wrote. Another added that it’s “so cute” and a third agreed: it’s “literally [their] favorite!”

    The comments kept rolling in, with dozens offering what to buy to complement the purchase (“Cappuccino scented candle to go with it 🙌😋”) as well as their advice for how she could personalize the stool through simple DIYs.

    “I would say [paint it] pastel colors,” one commenter suggested.

    “I wouldn’t paint it,” another wrote. “Add your custom Starbies logo!”

    Unfortunately, because HomeGoods doesn’t have an online shopping option, you’ll have to head to your local HomeGoods to hunt down a coffee stool for yourself. While there are no guarantees, because the stools have become so popular, you might have good luck finding one! They’re so in-demand, I wouldn’t wait. Get to your store ASAP so you don’t miss out.

    This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: HomeGoods Is Selling Another Adorable Viral Food Stool (It’s Flying Off Shelves!)

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    Abby Monteil

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    Quinn FishLifestyle Editor, The Kitchn & Staff Writer, Apartment Therapy

    Quinn Fish is the Lifestyle Editor at The Kitchn and staff writer at Apartment Therapy and Cubby, helping homes sparkle everywhere. When she’s not working, you can find her crafting, doing yoga, reading or watching thrillers, playing with her (spoiled) cat, laughing at a comedy show, or trying out a new recipe. She holds degrees in Journalism and Ethnic Studies from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

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    Quinn Fish

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