Krista Fabregas SimplySmartLiving Founder Content Manager

Best Vinyl Placemats for Indoors & Outdoors in [year]

Easy-clean vinyl placemats have come a long way in terms of style in recent years. Nowadays, you’ll even find these eye-catching placemats adorning tables in

The 5 Best Hard Floor Mops for Quick & Effective Cleaning in [year]

A pad-style hard floor mop makes it easy to get that satisfying squeaky-clean finish in just minutes. Here’s a quick look at the top pad

The Best Drinking Glasses For Everyday Use in [year]

It’s a tall order to name the best drinking glasses sets out of the thousands of options out there. Luckily, I spent nearly two decades

5 Easy Ways to Child Proof Blind Cords & Windowcoverings in [year]

Modern products like cordless blinds deliver an array of stylish solutions without the worry of dangerous dangling blind cords. Or, you can easily childproof existing

Tritan Plastic Glasses: 10 Top Brands for [year]

Tritan plastic glasses are the latest innovation in plastic drinkware, offering a perfect combination of clarity and elegance with superior durability and easy care. Along

Best Plastic Wine Glasses for Everyday Use in [year]

With so many choices of plastic wine glasses, picking the best line can be hard, and believe me, I know! I’ve worked with restaurant-quality plastic

The Ultimate Plastic Dinnerware Shopping Guide for [year]

Every year, a new round of plastic dinnerware and tableware sets hits the market. But to shop smart, you need to know which types of

Unbreakable Plastic Drinking Glasses: 5 Best Types to Buy in [year]

Unbreakable plastic glasses that truly live up to the name “unbreakable” are made from only three types of plastic – polycarbonate, Tritan, or polypropylene. Plastic

Ultimate Guide To The Best Plastic Dinnerware [year]

Plastic tableware is an outdoor dining staple in most homes, and its popularity as everyday dinnerware is on the rise. Nowadays, plastic dishes come in

Best Unbreakable Glassware for Home and Bar in [year]

Virtually unbreakable glassware is made in one of three ways: tempering, annealing, or infusion–which combines glass with a metal such as titanium at the molecular

3 Tips for Fitting Sofa Slipcovers with Loose Cushions

Finding and fitting slipcovers for sofas with loose cushions or pillows on the back can be challenging, but we found an easy way to get

How To Make S’mores In The Microwave in Just 30 Seconds

Just when I thought it was safe to pull out my size 6 jeans, I find a microwave S’mores maker. S’mores, at home, without flaming

5 Reasons to Switch to a Smart Door Lock in [year]

If you still use a traditional key and lock system on your doors, it’s time to upgrade. Smart door locks offer many advantages over traditional

Keep Fright Night Fun With These 10 Halloween Safety Tips

Spooky decorations, creepy costumes and candy-filled visions spur kids – and often the entire family – into a fun-filled frenzy on Halloween. But don’t let

Scare Up Some Fun With the Best Halloween Cake Pans for [year]

No fright-night get-together is complete without a spooktacular Halloween cake. Shopping for skull, ghost, or jack-o’ lantern-shaped cakes? How about a tasty 3D haunted mansion

5 Best Margarita Blenders for [year]

The best margarita blenders have powerful motors and strong blades that get the ice texture just right. You simply can’t have a great frozen margarita

Best Bundt Pans & Bundt Cake Keepers for [year]

The best bundt cake pans cook evenly, release cakes cleanly and keep the fine details intact. Bundt cake pans come — quite literally — in

Best Glass and Plastic Stemless Wine Glasses for [year]

Multi-use stemless wine glasses are fast becoming a mainstay in homes, restaurants and bars. With the growing popularity of this drinkware shape, shoppers can now

Best-Selling Bundt Cake Pans – Bundt You Want Me, Baby?

Yes, it’s a shameful nod to an 80’s song, bundt I hope you will forgive me. That’s how much I love a good bundt cake

Fave! Michley Unbreakable Plastic Tumblers & Wine Glasses

The Michley collection is one of my personal favorites. It’s crafted from restaurant-grade BPA-free Tritan plastic and made to withstand the bumps, bonks and splats

Family-Friendly Home Decor Ideas

Any parent knows that managing a home with busy kids – from toddlers to teens – can pose decorating challenges. But having children doesn’t mean

Home Fire Prevention & Safety Tips

Each year, hundreds of thousands of household fires cause billions of dollars in damage to family homes. Damage occurs not only from flames but from smoke and

Thanksgiving Prep: 5 Steps to a Stress-Free Holiday

I love hosting Thanksgiving, I think even more than hosting Christmas, and I have managed to sidestep house prep woes this year – but that

Video DIY: 5 Easy Steps to a Party-Perfect Buffet Table in Any Size Space

Ever been to a party with great food on a beautifully arranged buffet table all served up by an unruffled host? If you’re like me,

Tips for Picking the Best Wall Paints for Kids

Over the years, we’ve been asked about the best paint for children’s bedrooms, nurseries, and busy family spaces. While we’re not professional painters, we seem

Make-A-Plate Kit by Makit: Make Your Own Artwork Plates, Bowls & More

Make-a-Plate, the same company that made those draw-it-yourself plate kits eons ago when we were young, is still cranking out priceless keepsakes. If you’ve never

5 Yummy Recipes Using Tortilla Chips

Another Superbowl is in the bag, party cleanup is done, and thanks to the generosity of our guests, we have about 10 bags of leftover

Video DIY: Set Stylish Holiday Tables on a Budget

Is the party at you house this year? Decorating a festive table doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can easily set stylish holiday tables

DIY Budget-Friendly Holiday Gift Bag Ideas

Here are some super easy DIY fun holiday gift bag ideas. They’re fun ways to go green – and even save a little green –

Video DIY: Make Easy Christmas Ribbon Garland

Here’s a stylish twist to a Christmas tradition. If the kids want to make looped garlands this year, instead of construction paper, give them some

Video DIY: Thanksgiving Kids’ Tables Made Easy with These Simple Tips

Ah, the kid’s table… the spot where, if lucky, you might corral busy youngsters for a whopping seven minutes during Thanksgiving dinner. It’s always just

5 Easy Ways to Add Color to Fall Decorating with Inexpensive Silk Leaves

Fall seems to be a time of decorating quick-change. Within 60 days, we move from spooky Halloween décor, to russet-hued fall colors, to Christmas sparkle

Faves! Vintage-Look Toys for Playful Decor Style

Retro- and vintage-look toys are a great decorator trick for adding kid-friendly, whimsical charm to busy family spaces. These fun, stylized toys complement many looks

Fave! Star Wars Mania Craft Book by Amanda Formaro

My online buddy Amanda Formaro (author of the fabulous CraftsbyAmanda.com blog) just published her latest, and perhaps greatest, craft MANIA book — STAR WARS MANIA!

Tips for Packing a Family Emergency Kit

Disaster can strike anywhere, at any time. And though you may have little or no control over events in a given situation, you can better

Summer Safety and Sanity for Families on the Go

Welcome, summer! School is out and families are looking forward to spending a little quality time together – usually away from home enjoying the great

Poison Safety – Avoid Accidents with a Few Simple Precautions

Fall brings about many changes – crisp cool air, new school schedules and holiday visits. These are just a few of the things that change

Easy DIY Daybed Dust Ruffle Decorating Project

We bought a white iron daybed for my then-three-year-old daughter’s “big girl bed.” Daybeds are decorative and functional choices in kids’ rooms for many reasons.

DIY Decorative Book Baskets for Kids Rooms

Kids books come in many shapes and sizes which can make storing them on shelves or between bookends difficult – not to mention messy and

DIY Easy No-Sew Fleece Pillow for Halloween — or Anytime

It’s So Easy it’s Spooky! Two simple polar fleece panels come together without a single stitch to create a cuddly no-sew fleece pillow perfect for

DIY Homemade Recipe In a Jar Gifts

Homemade recipe in a jar gifts with beautifully layered ingredients topped with a flourish are a thoughtful and economical way to treat friends, coworkers, neighbors

DIY Easy-to-Update Family Photo Gallery

Got a little extra wall space? Showcase your snapshots, favorite family pictures or gotta-see-it candid shots in a great-looking family photo gallery that’s easy to

DIY Super-Duty Refrigerator Magnets

If your refrigerator serves as a combination community information board, modern art museum and play area, you need strong, unbreakable magnets. We searched for good

DIY: Spice Up Your Kitchen with a Window Herb Garden

A few basic shelves and spare containers turn any sunny window into a garden spot! Fresh herbs brighten any meal, from simple soups to gourmet

Easter Decor DIY: Egg-cellent Easter Wreath

Our Easter Wreath is an inexpensive, easy-to-make twist on the classic grapevine wreath and adds a festive Spring-fresh Easter touch to a door or wall.

Faves! Ten Easy Home Storage Solutions for Busy Families

Whether you’re chasing a busy toddler or are an empty-nester, homes can sometimes feel ready to burst at the seams. But a little creativity and

Slipcover Shopping Guide

We’ve helped thousands of customers choose the right slipcover solution for their home, and have made or installed countless slipcovers ourselves. Though we no longer

Childproofing Checklist: Safe Trekking with Toddlers

As any parent knows, taking young children for visits away from their childproofed, kid-friendly home can be stressful – sometimes downright unnerving. New surroundings inspire

Beyond Babyproofing: Fireplace Safety Tips and Hearth Safety

Fall winds and rustling leaves foretell of cozy family evenings around a crackling fire. A warm hearth is a welcoming spot in any home and

Beyond Babyproofing: Shelf Safety & Stylish Options for Busy Family Homes

Shelves of every variety are a decorating and organizing staple that fulfill numerous roles throughout the home. Aside from how they look and how they’re

Beyond Babyproofing: Candle Safety & Worry-Free Flameless Options

If you enjoy the ambiance and great scents that candles add to a home, you’re not alone. Candle sales are up and they’re more popular

Beyond Babyproofing: Surprise New Grandparents with a Baby-Ready Gift Basket

Give new grandparents the tools they need for keeping busy grandkids! New grandparents play a special role in the lives of children, but they sometimes

Faves! Bar Tools & Wine Accessories

I have one rule when it comes to testing a bar or wine tool. I should be able to use it after a drink or

Faves! Battery-Operated Candles & Lighting

Safe, smart, worry-free, and smoke-free — battery-operated candles are a great way to enjoy candlelight wherever and whenever, without the danger of an open flame.

Faves! Kitchen Tools

I love to cook, and since I’m often rushing home from work to feed the family I gravitate toward tools that make prep and cleanup

strahl unbreakable plastic tumblers and drinkware

Fave! Strahl Unbreakable Plastic Drinkware

Strahl plastic glassware is a Top Tableware Fave in my book for style, quality and durability. I know the line very well since we stocked and sold it for over

Faves! Plastic Drinkware: Cups, Glasses & Tumblers

If you’re in the market for plastic glasses or tumblers of any sort you’re in luck. Plastic drinkware is no longer a seasonal line. We

Faves! Serving Essentials

Who doesn’t love a good party? That’s an easy one — the party host who doesn’t have the right serving tools! Talk about misery —

Faves! Recipe Organizers

Ask any cook what they love to collect and recipes are sure to be a top answer. From magazine clippings to computer printouts to well-loved

Fave! Forever & Grand Plastic Drinkware by Prodyne

We stocked Prodyne brand kitchenware for many years and their Forever & Grand unbreakable plastic drinkware lines are tops in my drinkware Top Faves. We no

Fave! Napa BPA-Free Plastic Wine Glasses & Stemware

The plastic stemware collection we once sold under the Napa brand now goes by many names — Sonoma, Leadingware, even Wine Enthusiast on occasion. But

Cuddle Weather is Coming! Make a No-Sew Fleece Throw to Fight off the Chill

Our no-sew fleece throw blanket and pillow is a quick and easy DIY project to whip up for yourself and a cuddle buddy. We made ours for Halloween, but

Fave! Clarus Brand Plastic Drinkware

The Clarus plastic drinkware collection is a Top Tableware Fave in my book for style, quality and durability – and I know it well since

Faves! NordicWare Plastic Microwave Cookware & Dishes

NordicWare Plastic Microwave Cookware is amazingly versatile, offering many specialty pieces that take full advantage of microwave cooking patterns. We stocked most of the line

Fave! Cakepops Made Easy with the Cake Pops Baking Pan

If you’re a fan of cakepops (and really, who isn’t?), then you’ll love this kitchen fave. It’s the Cake pops Baking Pan, proudly made in

Faves! Tailgating Party Essentials for Sports Fans on the Go

The tailgating party is a main attraction on game day. Whether its a parking lot potluck or a snazzy sit-down affair complete with RV, canopy

Video DIY: Easy to Make Wine Glass Charms

Help party guests keep track of wine glasses and other stemware with these easy-to-make wine glass charms. A pair of needlenose pliers and a quick

Faves! Disposable Partyware

As if you don’t have enough to worry about when planning a party! Have you SEEN the vast array of disposable tableware options online? Not

Faves! Plastic Stemware & Specialty Glasses

If you’re in the market for plastic martini or margarita glasses, champagne flutes, or specialty stemware like hurricanes or dessert dishes, you’re in luck. Once

Faves! Durable Plastic Mugs for Beer, Coffee & More

If you’re in the market for plastic mugs that look great and hold up to years of use, check out my reviews and top picks

Faves! Easy-Clean Pillows for Kid-Friendly Style

As one of the easiest, quickest and least expensive home decorating solutions, throw pillows are a particularly easy way for parents to add a dash

Easy Hummus Recipe: Better Than Store-Bought

The best hummus recipe!  5/5 Hummus… this versatile dip essential to middle-eastern cuisine is moving mainstream. Rich, creamy and protein-packed, it’s a great way to add

Super Easy Guacamole Dip Recipe

I’m a born-and-bred Texan, so guacamole is essentially my fifth food group (together with salsa and queso). It’s a staple as necessary as olive oil

Faves! Washable Area Rugs Perfect for Busy Family Life

Have an area in your home that needs a style refresher or a pop of color to liven things up? Area rugs offer a quick

The Miracleware Microwave Rice Cooker: Easy Cooking Instructions

If you’ve lost your MiracleWare or PrepSolutions Microwave Cookware Instructions and need a replacement copy, you can find them below. The PrepSolutions (formerly called MiracleWare) plastic microwave cookware

Fave! Lead Test Kits Make it Easy to Prevent Lead Exposure

Lead-contaminated childrens’ products have topped the recent news stories… and for good reason. Lead exposure can have a very profound and long-term negative affect on

Fave! Wire Storage Cubes for Quick, Cheap Home Organization

From kids’ rooms and family areas to closets and bathrooms, I’ve been using these versatile wire-sided storage cube units with great satisfaction for years. Decades

How to Cook Up the Perfect Easter Egg

Decorating and hunting brightly colored eggs tops many Easter to-do list, and it all starts with the simple boiled egg. Here are a few tips

Easter Decor DIY: Fluffy Easter Bunny and Chick Topiaries

Kids will love creating and displaying these cuddly bunny and chick tabletop decorations — and making them couldn’t be easier! These friendly Easter critters are

Easter DIY: Egg-Cellent Easter Egg Tulips

Add a touch of springtime freshness to your Easter tabletop with our stylish (and inexpensive) Easter Egg Tulips project. Best of all, kids of any

Beyond Babyproofing: Easter Safety Tips

Spring is here and with it comes Easter – a great reason to fill homes with fresh colors and whimsical accents in anticipation of a

DIY Holiday Photo Frame Wall Hanging

This easy DIY Holiday Photo Frame Wall Hanging is a fun, easy-to-do craft project and a great gift idea any time of the year. Pick

Baby Gate Reviews: Stairway Banister Installation Kit How-to’s

A professional babyproofer gave us the inside scoop on how to turn Cardinal Gates’ No-Holes Banister Clamps into a versatile kit that lets you install

Video DIY: How to Re-Cover Chair Cushions

Have an out-of-date or dingy upholstered chair seat that’s seen one too many spills? Our DIY Re-Cover Chair Cushions video shows you how to easily re-cover

Baby Gate Installation Kit Reviews & Where to Buy: Metal Stairway Railing Installation Kit by Cardinal

For informational purposes only. If you’re unsure of your skills installing baby gates or other childproofing items, hiring a licensed installer is the smart choice!

Four Quick Low-Cost Decorating Tips to Perk Up Post-Holiday Homes

You can create a new look, add pizzazz or a make decorative statement on even the tiniest budget. Just add your own creativity to some

When Life Gives You 100+ Degree Temps, Make Lemonade! Here’s a great recipe…

Hi ya’ll — from Texas! My car thermometer hit 100 for the outdoor temp when I parked a second ago, and I have a hankering

Fun DIY Fourth of July Centerpiece Adds Kid-Friendly Style to Tables

Add patriotic flair anywhere this Fourth of July with this easy flag finial project. It’s a great Fourth of July centerpiece and a truly KidSmart

Video DIY: Make an Easy Summertime Centerpiece with a Galvanized Bucket

Dress up summertime tables or add a pop of color anywhere you need it with this super easy summertime centerpiece! Start with a plain galvanized

Video DIY: Fun Golf Themed Party Table Idea

Does someone in your life spend the afternoon chillin’ (or getting serious) on the back nine? If you’re scratching your head for ways to celebrate

RECIPE: The World’s Easiest Stuffed Bell Peppers

This recipe invented itself last night out of necessity and I’m so, so glad for it. I had a stack of beautiful red, green and

Video DIY: How to Decorate a Table with Calla Lilies

We filmed a series of fun table setting videos for eHow.com recently and our How to Decorate a Table with Calla Lilies creates one of

Safety Checklist: Top Tips for Creating Family-Friendly Homes

Simple changes, from the arrangement of items in a room to choices in homewares, can make a big difference in a home’s safety, ease of

A Truly Tea-Riffic Tea Infuser for You Tea Lovers (and Me, Too!)

I love tea. Truth be told I love coffee too, but that’s a morning love affair. A nice cup of tea is what I crave

Under the Heading: I LOVE IT When I’m Right!

A few weeks ago I posted this DIY decorating video for Fabric Panel Wall Art, an easy and eye-catching wall hanging project. As I say

Video DIY: Decorate a Fun Basketball Themed Party Table

Here’s a fun Basketball Themed Party Table idea we were asked to do for eHow.com. It’s so easy to put together and fun for any

Video DIY: Girls Dance Party Table Ideas

Got Ballerinas? Here are some fun little girls dance party table ideas that will make any ballerina-princess spin with glee! We were recently asked by

Video DIY: How to Make Fabric Panel Wall Art

Easy-to-make, inexpensive fabric panel wall art dresses up any area of your home with a pop of color, without the worry of a heavy frame

Faves! 3 Fun Ways to Teach Kids Greener Habits

Green Living… Eco-friendly… Earth-Wise… You really can’t open a magazine, blog or browser these days without hearing about new ways to save the Earth. I

Krista Fabregas

See What's Hot on Amazon Today

Top Picks in Kitchen & Home

See What's Hot on Amazon Today...

Check out Top Picks in Home & Kitchen