Smart Living
Get practical advice and inspiration on organizing, home décor, lifestyle and personal finance for everyday living.
Front Porch Remodel Ideas On A Budget
For many Americans, the front porch is an integral part of everyday life. In the warm summer months, we sit on our front porches, sip iced tea, and rock back and forth in oversized rocking chairs. In the colder months, it’s a place to get under cover and shake the snow off your boots before going inside. In every season, those of us with porches spend a lot of time on them.
10 Wall Decor Ideas To Refresh Your Space
Maybe you’ve recently been moved to a remote working job position, or perhaps you’ve gotten tired of your boring living room decor. Change is exciting and it can also refresh your energy and health. If you have decided that it’s time to freshen up your space, there are some really great ways to instantly lift your decor from ‘blah’ to voilà!
An Ultimate Guide on How to Choose the Right Lock for Your Storage Unit
Renting a self storage unit is the right answer for plenty of organizational issues. Whether we’re talking about seasonal storage, downsizing, moving houses, collecting, remodeling or simply making more room in your home, chances are you’ll need to store your belongings in a storage unit at some point in your life. When you choose your storage facility, the most important thing you should think about is the security of your belongings, which is why choosing a quality lock is essential. To help you pick the best lock that meets all your needs, we compiled the following guide that will walk you through all the steps you should take to ensure your items’ safety:
New Home Essentials Checklist: 11 Must-Haves You Need After a Big Move
Moving into a new home is an equally exciting and stressful experience. Whether you’re a first-time buyer, renter or you’re simply relocating, you might be surprised at how many things you have to think about. In the middle of planning all of your larger items, such as the main furniture or household appliances, you might disregard a couple of essential things that will surely come in handy before or shortly after the big move. To help the process run smoothly, we compiled an ultimate list of basic items that covers all the essentials you need for your new home:
9 Ways To Whip Your Fridge Back Into Shape
A well-organized fridge is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, but most people agree keeping it that way seems disheartening at best. You’re not sure where that chunk of Gruyère lies, right? You might have to push the broccoli and the carrots and, let’s face it, the package of Velveeta before you can reach your desired food item. The quest for fridge tidiness isn’t lost whether it’s a smart appliance or not if you follow a few simple rules that will make you want to open your fridge and easily see its contents.
10 True and Tested Bedroom Storage Solutions (Plus Some Neat Tricks to Add Style to your Quarters)
The bedroom is probably the space in your home where you spend the most time. Although it’s true that most of that time is spent sleeping, it’s still essential for your bedroom to be well organized, neat and airy. This helps you relax and sleep better at night, but it also allows you to be efficient in the mornings while you’re getting ready for a new day. Here are some easy-to-apply ideas for organizing your bedroom and turning it into a stylish, relaxing space:
How To Repurpose Sentimental Items
Keeping a decluttered, well-organized home is a goal that most people strive for. Regularly going through your belongings and purging those you’re not using anymore is the best way to keep clutter under control in your home. However, some things are harder to let go than others — particularly those that have a sentimental value for their owners.
Vintage Home: Decor Guide For Vintage Aesthetics
The word “vintage” can simply mean old. It can refer to a particular time period, or it can just mean used, recycled, or repurposed. If you’re looking to update your home to add a vintage feel, remember the homes of yesteryear. They tended to be a bit smaller, and everything in them needed to have a function.
How To Organize A Small Kitchen In 8 Easy Steps
Learning how to organize a small kitchen is truly an art form. The kitchen is often the heart of a home — a space where family, friends, and roommates gather to cook, share food, laugh, and connect. But not every kitchen offers the luxury of space, especially in apartments or older homes.
Get Your Nursery Ready With These 7 Adorable Yet Practical Storage Ideas
Decorating the nursery is one of the most fun and exciting parts of the beginning of parenthood. Of course, we’re all thinking of those beautiful antique rocking chairs and plenty of adorable plushies scattered on the floor, but once the baby arrives, functionality overcomes aesthetics by far. However, with a couple of next-level organizational skills and some imagination, you can easily set up a functional but cute room for your little bundle of joy. Keep reading for seven ingenious storage and organization tips for your nursery:
5 Essential Tips to Organize Your Coat Closet Like a Pro
When was the last time you took a good look at your coat closet? Do you even have coats in there or do you just pile cardigans, scarves and umbrellas on top of each other until you forget what’s underneath? It’s probably not THAT bad, but odds are we all need to do a little tidying in our coat closets. Even if you have an entire room dedicated to your entry, frustration can easily occur if it’s not properly organized to make sense to all the household residents. So, regardless of its size, let these five tips motivate you to declutter and straighten up that storage space:
Reclaim Your Basement: 5 Clever Organizing Tips And Storage Ideas
The basement can very easily become a dumping ground for every piece of clutter you don’t get around to organizing. However, when properly utilized, a clean and tidy basement can add much-needed storage space for your home, instead of being that black hole where things are tossed and disappear. Take a look at these five helpful tips and make the most of your space: