Have a bookworm in the family? Or a struggling reader you want to encourage? Creating a cozy reading nook somewhere in your house is a great way to provide a dedicated space designed for digging into a good book. Here are the three elements of a good reading space and a few ...read more
So many of us parents are now required to coordinate various schedules, activities and of course, help with homework. I've come up with some homework station inspiration for us all. Setting up and creating an organized home with a separate work space for children aids parents in ...read more
Random fact about the new house we moved into just one month ago: there are two front doors. To clarify, there aren’t two adjacent doors; there’s one at the front and one on the side. But it’s a corner house, and, while our street address distinguishes the actual front of the ...read more
Winter is rough. (Okay, Nicole, I know you're reading this and developing multiple counter arguments about snow, skis, family and fun. I hear you, and I get it.) But still--winter is mostly rough. I need Vitamin D. The lack of sunshine and greenery messes with my emotional ...read more
The holidays were a blur of food and fun and family. You know that meme that everybody and their mother seemed to share about not knowing the day of the week and being full of cheese--that was me. Contentedly. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I wore the same holiday pajamas for 12 days ...read more
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – time to set up that new tech device that you may have received as a gift this holiday season. Whether Santa brought an Echo Dot, Echo Show, Fire Tablet or any other Alexa-enabled device, they are the gift that keeps giving by making ...read more
'Tis the season to be cooking and cleaning and wrapping and baking and coming and going and stressing. The holidays are hectic. And if your calendar looks anything like mine, you have school concerts and Cub Scouts caroling and cookie swaps and preschool playdates this week ...read more
The holiday season is officially upon us, but that doesn’t mean wildfire season has ended. With a surplus of dry leaves and branches, high winds can make outdoor decor like lights and festive candles extra dangerous. While decorating for the holidays is tradition -- it’s most ...read more
There is a lot of work that goes into throwing a holiday party or hosting family. When you are visiting your friends and family, it is customary to bring something as a gesture of thanks. While wine is always nice, we rounded up some other unique items to show the person that is ...read more
Tis the season to have deliveries stolen from your stoop. But coming together with your neighbors and respectfully working with law enforcement can ensure law, order, peace, and quiet. Here are a few top tips to keep your home and belongings safe. Follow a 9 p.m. routine. “If ...read more
We're all in when it comes to ditching cartridges in favor of refillable ink tanks. Since Epson came out with the EcoTank in 2015, it's been a printing revolution in our house. I no longer find myself desperate for ink at 9pm on a school night when I have to print a permission ...read more
Fall is a dog-gone good time to spend in your family yard. It’s also the time of year to prep our living landscape for another favorite season—spring. Here’s what you need to do now to have a fabulous and yard this fall and beyond. Remove Leaves: Mulching your leaves rather than ...read more
I think these Flensted Mobiles are better than bunnies, don't you? In Denmark mobiles are a traditional craft. Artist Ole Flensted and his wife Aase are partly responsible for the modern mobile design. And I can't thank them enough. It's not that I have something against ...read more
Sure, some people go over the top with multiple inflatable and screaming Halloween decorations but let’s remember: it’s not a competition! You can put together fun, spooky, even elegant decorations for Halloween that will make the outside of your house pop without breaking the ...read more
Nothing says welcome like a front porch. Greet guests and buyers with a great front porch. Your front entryway speaks volumes about your home—make it warm and welcoming with a few simple tips. Give your door a fresh coat of paint, update house numbers and lighting fixtures, and ...read more
Fall is in the air. Pumpkin flavors abound in everything from coffee to candles. Football dominates the weekends. And, the kids have returned to school. What could be better than resuming the sense of normalcy after the freewheeling days of summer? It sounds great, but any parent ...read more
Day camp ended today for my son. School starts in 12 days, and the evening weather has a refreshing breeze to it. No doubt: fall is on its way; a favorite season for spending outdoor time together as a family--furry sibling included. This is also the best time of year to prep ...read more
Rainy weekend? The idea of giving parts of your home a spruce up is a good one. But who wants to live with endless construction? There are plenty of projects you can undertake yourself to improve your living space, making it more functional and appealing to the eye. And you can ...read more
We love our pets, and ant to keep them safe and happy at home. But there are so many potential hazards lurking in your cabinets, on your counters, and in the products you use. That's why it's so important to take a few precautions to keep your furry friend content at your side. ...read more
No one wants to come home from an amazing, exciting, rejuvenating trip to see her home in shambles. But, the truth is, your humble abode is often most vulnerable when you're out and about and traveling. Fortunately, though, there are a couple of key tactics that can help to ...read more
An essential strategy to avoiding clutter is to make sure that every item you have in your house has a designated home. This is even more important in a baby nursery, where being able to lay your hands on what you need, quickly and easily, is the order of the day (and night). So ...read more
Summer is here. Time to get wet and wild, splishing and splashing by the pool. Of course as fun as a casual swim may be for the kiddos, it's incredibly important to put their safety first. And that starts by taking a few key precautions. Here are three tips to help create a safer ...read more
BBQs and fire pits are staples of summer. They set an ambiance and are great additions for outdoor entertaining. Of course, despite their alfresco charm, they can be quite dangerous if certain precautions aren't taken. Here are a few ways to ensure the whole family stays safe. ...read more
We all want the best for our kids. Our kids have too many toys, the latest clothing trends, and probably more lost socks and hair bows than we can count. While we strive to keep our homes (somewhat) tidy, there's still a lot that we can do when it comes to the air we breathe. Wax ...read more
I love having fresh flowers throughout my home. They brighten up every room, bringing a pop of color, some much-needed sunshine and a hint of fragrance. I make a trip to Trader Joe's weekly to pick up a few affordable bouquets of beautiful blooms. And while I heart my TJ's ...read more
I love sleep... I need it. I crave it. I daydream about it. And I want my kids to value it too. As a mom, I may not always get as much restful snooze time as I'd like, but I try to make the most of the limited zzz's I do get. And that starts with ensuring that my three kiddos ...read more
People aren’t the only ones who love to spend time in the family yard during the summer months. For the family pet, the outdoor living room serves many purposes – providing a place to relax, burn off some energy, play safely with friends (human and furry), and do their ...read more
The spring cleaning season is in full bloom, and there's no better time than now to get your living space in order. While you probably clean the kitchen weekly (if not daily!), it could really use a thorough deep scrub down--it is the (most frequently used) heart of the home ...read more
The era of living with less is upon us! You can thank the tiny home movement (and all those binge-worthy show) or credit Marie Kondo for encouraging us to pare down. Either way, if you live in a smaller space, you might find that you would rather leverage a closet to create a ...read more
China offers a beautifully simple way to recapture elegance in everyday living. You can use it every time you dine and entertain, and even use it to elevate the sparkle of your home décor. Here are seven ideas for using china to recapture elegance in everyday life: 1. Mix and ...read more
Clutter can be costly... in more ways than one. It can be a time-suck, an enegry drain, and, yes, an expense as well. How? One of out 10 American households need to rent storage units to house their extraneous"s "things," and 25% of people with two car garages can't use the space ...read more
March isn't always forgiving. The days are long and cold, and a seemingly endless winter can lead to cabin fever. You might be itching for an escape--a physical vacation, a mental getaway, a transformative trip. While you can't transport yourself to Hawaii just yet, you can ...read more
A living room is often the most-used space in your home, so it’s important that you really enjoy the way it looks to make the time you spend there the most fulfilling. However, the living room of a younger, single person may have different needs of those who have small children ...read more
My husband arrived home from work this past Tuesday positively gleeful at the sight of snow on our lawn and in our driveway. Indeed, I think he was more excited than the kids! Of course, snow-ball fight and sledding weren't the activities driving his white-out weather ...read more
My go-to Valentine gift for teachers? A $5 Starbucks gift card with a mug and message "I Love You a Latté." It might not be the most original or clever idea, but, hey, I'd be psyched to essentially be handed a gratis Grande. And I do believe that coffee and love go hand in ...read more
Baby, it's cold outside... and it's about to get a whole lot chillier in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We will barely have time to clean up after this week’s upcoming winter storm before the COLDEST AIR SO FAR THIS SEASON(!!!!!!) sets in. Yeah, get your firewood, cocoa and ...read more
In case you haven’t noticed, there is a real emphasis lately on the value of acquiring experiences instead of things. The point is to have the money to be able to travel or attend events, go back to school or play more sports. None of these things can be accomplished if your only ...read more
Preparing for guests means more than just offering up your guest bedroom. The bedroom where they will be sleeping is the ideal spot for them to ‘get away’, so make it a space that they’ll enjoy being in, and not just a place for some shut-eye. So besides a set of guest towels and ...read more
Sometimes, a little goes long way. But when it comes to the holiday season, we often want "more." And I'm not just talking about gifts and treats. Even our decorative displays are over the top... More lights, more tinsel, more glitter and gold... Make it shine--we want our ...read more
Life at home has become much easier and more streamlined now that we have our own personal assistant. She's smart, she's savvy, and you'd hardly know she's there--she takes up such little space--seriously, just a wee bit of counter top is all she needs. Yes, we've come to rely ...read more
T-minus two days until the biggest feast of the year. Thanksgiving snuck up on us--it's actually the earliest possible day it can be on the calendar, so many of us find ourselves scrambling to clean, to cook, to prep, to set, and decorate. Whether you're hosting a fancy ...read more
Cleaning is not my favorite pastime. I know some people find it relaxing or therapeutic, but not me. There are about a million things I’d rather be doing than vacuuming and dusting and wiping and polishing—especially at this busy time of year. I’d rather be baking holiday ...read more
I am that basic girl who loves everything about autumn. Pumpkins, sweaters, boots, leaves, and lattés--I adore this time of year in all its Instagrammable glory. The chill in the air and the color in the trees; I enjoy spending these fleeting months outdoors. Football games, ...read more
Autumn is upon us. The air is cool, the breeze is crisp, and the outdoors are beckoning. While we'd love to bask in the colorful glory, we also recognize that winter is right around the corner. That's why, in between your orchard trips and pumpkin picking, it's important to ...read more
With the start of autumn comes the influx of coats and scarves, rain wellies and umbrellas, team-sports gear, sweaters and boots. It’s time to make sure that there is a designated spot for all of these things in your mudroom or hall closet. Or else, you know what happens? You’ll ...read more
What's the first thing you do when you wake u in the morning? Eat breakfast? Brush your teeth? Engage in a moment of meditation? For many, myself included, the first thing we do is make the bed. Nice and neat and tidy.r It feels so good to kick off the day with a clean slate and ...read more
Go back to school knowing your child's closet is filled with clothes that fit and a plan to keep organized all year long. Set the kids, and yourself, up for success by getting the closet clutter under control. Organizing a kid’s room can be particularly challenging, because ...read more
My newly minted six-year-old big boy is a crafting fiend. He loves to make, to create, to build, and decorate. He'd actually been art deprived since school let out in late June. His Kindergarten teacher was a bundle of artistic inspiration and every day Grant would come home ...read more
Putting away groceries often becomes a of a game of shoving and squeezing to fit everything in. It's a veritable game of foodie Tetris to make everything work. And then there’s the struggle to get the one thing you need that is hidden in the back. (Crash, boom, bang. No use ...read more
We shared some easy and chic tablescape inspiration for your July Fourth celebrations, but we left one must-have off the list... Flowers. Summer is in full bloom and we can't have an alfresco fete without fabulous florals decorating every corner, table, and planting pot. While ...read more
