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 it done. This simple method works with most standard slipcovers, including loose-fit and stretch-fit styles from top brands like Surefit, Easy-Going, and PureFit. Our Loose-Cushion Sofa Slipcover Project This sofa […]
5 Reasons to Switch to a Smart Door Lock in 2024
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 counterparts, from convenience and peace of mind to increased security and curb appeal. You can find smart locks for all needs and budgets, from inexpensive keypad locks to Wi-Fi-enabled systems […]
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 hidden dangers spoil the evening for your ghouls and booys! Here are ten simple Halloween safety and planning tips to help keep fright night from becoming a real scare.
Scare Up Some Fun With the Best Halloween Cake Pans for 2024
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 or frosting-oozing brains for your party centerpiece this year? These top-selling Halloween cake pans make it easy to whip up spooky snacks like these—and more. Several top-rated bakeware brands make […]
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 delaying the dream of a stylish home. Our family-friendly home decor ideas cover five simple ways to add easy-care style to any room, on any budget. 1. Start With Easy-Clean […]
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 has not always been the case! Here’s how I’ve managed to host Thanksgivings for more than 15 people on a working mom’s schedule and in a house that seats, say 12 on a good day.
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 to make a hobby of painting, re-painting, and re- re-painting our homes, so we feel very qualified to tackle this question. Happily, it’s an easy answer… Paint formulation and finish […]
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 on a budget that look like a million bucks! Take a look at these great table settings that are holiday-ready for any type of get together, from casual to festive […]
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 – when it comes to gift bags this holiday season. DIY Christmas & Holiday Gift Bags Instead of buying new or holiday-specific gift bags this year, why not make your own […]
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 sparkly Christmas ribbon. You’ll end up with garlands with a bit more bling – and the kids will love contributing to the decor! Our video shows how easy it is […]
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 enough time for them to smear potatoes across their face, drop their plate on the floor, then materialize at the grownups’ table just as you’re getting seated… But we can fix that!
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 and shine. Add to that holiday entertaining, parties, shopping and kid’s school needs, and the holiday season becomes busy indeed! That’s why I look for easy and quick decorating options, […]
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 from casual to eclectic, and since they’re modern toys, you can be sure they’re safe to display around little ones. Antiques vs. Reproductions True antique toys offer well-loved charm that’s […]
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. First, without the trundle unit underneath, daybeds provide ample out-of-the-way storage for children’s toys, etc. Second, as children get older, adding the trundle unit provides stow-able bed space for sleepovers […]
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 often hard for little ones to manage! Our solution? We made handy DIY decorative book baskets to help kids easily sort and store books and keep them within easy reach. […]
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 crisp fall weather — and scary stories! This is a great family craft project. Anyone who can tie a knot can join in! Match it with our No-Sew Fleece Throw! […]
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 change and update as your photo collection grows. Materials: Gallery-style photo frames (front-loaders work best for quick updates) Favorite photos (5×7 and 4×6) Nails Hammer Tape Paper Step 1: First, […]
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 looking (or at least fun) magnets that fit the bill, but finally gave up and made our own using colorful, lightweight foam stamps and self-adhesive magnet strips, both easily found […]
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. It also makes a great centerpiece on your Easter table as a fun “nest” for a stuffed or chocolate bunny or as a complement to an Easter floral arrangement. Since […]
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 sell ready-made furniture slipcovers, we’ve compiled this slipcover shopping guide to help you pick the slipcover solution – from ready-mades, to custom, to do-it-yourself – that best fits your home, […]
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 a few simple fireplace safety precautions can help ensure that your fireplace, chimney, hearth or wood stove does not present a danger to tots and other family members this season. […]
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 used, most people don’t really give them a second thought… until a small child is introduced to the scene! Suddenly shelves are redefined as either a safety hazard — or […]
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 than ever in home decorating, but there are a few things to remember before you light up…. especially if you have little ones running about. According to the National Fire […]
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. Whether you’re shopping for home decor candles, outdoor lighting, or party lighting, you’ll find a variety of flameless candles on the market these days to fit any need — along […]
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 the options in polar fleece are limitless! You can finds patterns for everything; baby, teens, sports teams, hobbies… you name it. Best of all, you can combine two for a […]
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 of style to busy family rooms without worry.
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 and easy room makeover. In fact, they’re often the first thing professional decorators pull out of their bag of tricks. But what if your home plays host to busy kids […]
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 even. In fact, I recently put the bits and pieces that I managed to save from my first college dorm set to work in my closet. Happily, I was even able to […]
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 for cooking up the perfect egg without cracking shells, and how to keep them fresh so they don’t go to waste after Easter. To boil up the perfect Easter egg, […]
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 made using simple foam or cardboard cones, fuzzy pom-poms or cotton balls, and a few scraps of fun foam or construction paper. These go together quickly, so you can easily […]
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 age can help with this easy craft and will be so proud to see their creation on display. In our project, we used styrofoam eggs from the craft store and […]
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 Spring colors and patterns for Easter and Mother’s Day, Patriotic for 4th of July, Bandanas for a western theme, or just use colors that match your everyday style. The variations […]
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 dingy chair cushions — or just give them an updated look. Most chair cushions can be re-covered in just minutes and our video shows how to get nice, crisp, professional-looking […]
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 helpful tips from a few innovative decorators. Here are some great ways to make the most of shoestring-budget decorating projects.
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 project that’s tough enough to handle bumps and spills from busy hands. We made it out of decorative pre-drilled wooden post toppers from the home improvement store. And it couldn’t […]
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 my absolute favorite table looks — elegant Calla Lilies paired with silver, white and green. I think it’s a great look for summer weddings or special occasions… elegant, formal and […]
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 in the video, I think it’s the perfect glass-free option for dressing up walls just about anywhere in a busy home, but especially in those high-traffic spots like… oh, let’s […]
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 or breakable glass. In this video, we show you how to make one large statement panel with a themed print, but the options are limitless! Try combining 3 coordinating graphic […]
DIY Confetti Eggs: Fun Twist for Any Easter Egg Hunt
Ever dreamed of cracking an egg over a certain someone’s head? Well, here’s your chance to do it without any unpleasant repercussions. Make some Confetti Eggs! They’re real eggshells in bright colors filled with confetti. Confetti eggs are a fun, kid-friendly twist to any Easter egg hunt – but definitely an outdoor activity! To Make Them, You’ll […]
Video DIY: How to Make Kid-Friendly Christmas Tabletop Tree Decor
Here’s an easy How-To for Christmas tabletop tree decor that sparkles – and holds up to busy kids! With a few foam cones and some colorful felt or cording you can make these tabletop Christmas tree decorations in about an hour or so. Since they’re kid-tough, use them for worry-free decorating on low tables, mantles and even centerpieces. We used inexpensive sparkly […]
Video DIY: Spooktacular Ideas for Kid-Friendly Halloween Decor
Check out these kid-friendly Halloween decor tips and video how-to’s for dressing up mantles, tabletops, and shadowy nooks and crannies — plus some KidSmart ways to add a spooky candle-lit glow to festivities without the scary flames! 1. Start with Kid-friendly, Flame-free Candles and Votives: Battery-operated candles offer the same flickering ambiance of wax candles… without the danger of […]
Quick Tips for Keeping Kid’s Rooms Organized and Looking Good
If you have more than one child sharing a bedroom — or are just plain short on space (and who isn’t these days?) — here are a few easy, fast and inexpensive tips to keep little clutterbugs organized.
Video DIY: Kid-Friendly Halloween Decorating Tips and Centerpiece
Here are some kid-friendly Halloween decorating tips and centerpiece ideas that add creepy crawly fun to homes… even those with busy kids. Best of all, we created these budget-friendly Halloween decor ideas using everyday items — like plastic glasses for Halloween votive candle holders; branches and a coffee can for a creepy spider centerpiece; and repurposed everyday […]
Make “Big” Kids’ Rooms Safer in 5 Easy Steps
As little ones grow out of toddlerhood it’s natural for parents to breathe easier when it comes to childproofing. Baby gates come down and cabinet locks (thankfully) can come off. But don’t get too comfortable! Transforming nurseries into “big kid” rooms can add a new set of safety concerns, but they’re easily overcome. Here are […]
Safe Holiday Home Decorating Ideas for Busy Families
Armed with a few safety precautions, decorating alternatives, and a dash of creativity, parents can create fun, worry and hazard-free holiday homes for all to enjoy.
DIY Falling Leaves Thanksgiving Wreath in Fall Hues
This richly colored Thanksgiving wreath is so easy to make, I actually pulled it together one Thanksgiving morning when I realized I didn’t have a door decoration to greet my guests. Luckily, I had wreath form and a bag of fall-hued silk leaves tucked away in the crafts cabinet. I just added a little hot glue, a bow, and voila! […]