Family Homes

You won't believe they actually work!

Including a tip on making a pantry out of nothing.

You’d be forgiven for thinking several items around your home are self-cleaning. Items like your soap dispenser and dishwasher are literally used for cleaning… with soap… so how can they themselves get dirty? Welp, they can. 

My daughter loves reading, but her books are overflowing! Do you have any suggestions on good book organization solutions for kids?JonDear Jon,You’ve got a good problem there to solve. I also know what it’s like when your kid loves books, but tends to treat them like empty candy-bar wrappers that get thrown on the floor after use.

Becca Crawford, who works at textiles and decor brand St. Frank, fell for the high ceilings and charming pre-war details of this Brooklyn Brownstone; it's the perfect canvas for her enviable collection of gorgeous textiles.

Some of them were game-changers. Some of the hacks worked... with caveats. Others? Well, let’s just say they didn’t measure up to the hype.

It doesn’t take long, but it saves us so. Much. Time. (Plus, kitchen-zoning teaches kids to be independent, which is the gift that keeps on giving!)

The reno makes everything look bigger and brighter, but still has mid-century charm fitting of a mid-century house.

When Shar and her husband and kids moved into their forever home in Colorado, she was excited to go BOLD with color. "My personality definitely shines through my decor style," she says. "The boldness and vigor and sauciness."

After spending years in rental homes that had to be neutral, Maggie Overby isn't holding back in this her forever home. She's adding lots of layers of pattern, color, and DIYs.

The "after" feels like a breath of fresh air.

What was the single best thing you bought for your home recently?TaraDear Tara,I’m a shopaholic and LOVE to constantly upgrade and improve my home, so I’m going to give a short list of TEN THINGS I’ve purchased recently that I really, really love: 1. KnifeAid – I’ve discovered an easy way to keep my knives sharp (since I never ever sharpened them before and they are always dull), but sending them in the mail to Knife Aid.

Aside from being ultra practical, this redo is gorgeous to boot.

The teeny space just needed a little pick-me-up.

The easy DIY project makes the family's entryway way more functional for them.

The mission: infuse character through thoughtful layers, heirloom furnishings, and curated artwork.

As I’ve entered my thirties and begun hosting friends of my own, I have adopted my grandmother's cleaning method that I remembered from childhood.

We call it the "Magic Trash" strategy — but it's more like a fresh game they can't get enough of.

Lisa Donahue and her daughter, Megan Donahue, started Live Simply Buses as a tribute to their brother and son Michael who passed away at the age of 15.

It's tried-and-true kitchen wisdom!

Fill your home with LEGO furniture.

Say goodbye to messy closets for good!

When she and her husband first bought it, Kara Haren's apartment had cranberry painted walls, a kitchen that hadn't been touched in 20 years, and flimsy and cracked windows. In the six years they've lived there, they have renovated each room to feel special and specific to them.

From air quality down to organizing your home for rituals, these experts share their best advice for creating a healthy family home.

NOTE: These short memory stories, dropped in as they are to my Ask Maxwell column, do serve a purpose. While definitely different, my aim is to provide context for what we were thinking when we were children, which will help us to understand our own children. I find that in going back into my own childhood and sharing stories of my own struggles and what I was thinking at the time has been very helpful in connecting with my own daughter as she has grown.

My kitchen has never smelled better.

You'll never look back.

It's my go-to for stains — and keeping my hands super soft — from now on.

The redo turned a "meh" sleep space into a dreamy retreat.

This is a classic example of “Do as I say, not as I do" — but I've also got some solutions to try.

They’ll be snug as a bug in these sheets!

When artist Josie Azuma and her husband bought this house in 2015, it was in rough shape and too small. They renovated it to be a larger, light-filled, and functional home for their family.

Sade and William's house was built in 1837 and had been well maintained when they bought it three years ago; they've added their personality through a little cosmetic work, including paint and refinishing the floors.

What are your thoughts on the best things to bring new parents? I struggle with helpful gifts they’ll actually want!AmandaDear Amanda,I have a very strong opinion on this one, so forgive me if it’s not within the majority’s view. Outside of close family, who often help out a new parents with purchasing the basic things you need to transform your home into a nursery, etc., I feel that the last thing they need is more toys, doo-dads, cute clothes, and clutter for their home.

Some big-impact strategies here — as well as simple little ones you can employ today!

This New Jersey bungalow has original built-in shelves, a "Wes Anderson bathroom," and wood paneling galore.

These resale-friendly hues come highly recommended.

They're easy to recreate at home.

Use it to clean your shower, degrease cabinets, unclog drains, and more!

According to designers!

I live with my husband and three young children in the northwest corner of the state of Arkansas. The kids fill our days with parenting responsibilities: school, extracurricular activities, meals, and bedtime. On the weekends, I look for parks, libraries, and other places of interest. But I’ve run out of ideas and am just bored with where I live. Add in the pandemic and my mid-40s slump and I’m mind-numbingly bored. Plus our weather changes day to day!

From kid-focused kitchen design to grown-up escape zones, there’s something for everyone in the family home of tomorrow.

Whose ingredients you probably have in your kitchen.

With IKEA cabinets, Semihandmade fronts, and a $100 "marble" backsplash hack.

Plus: tips on shopping Facebook Marketplace on a budget and simple furniture redo tricks.

Karri Bowen-Poole of Project Playroom transformed a former den into a bright and airy space for open-ended play.

My father always hounded me to pick up after myself and I developed a real resistance to it. Now, with my own children, I don’t want to spoil them, but I don’t want to hound them all the time either! Anthony, father of threeDear Anthony,First of all, I wanted to add in what you sent to me — that you are a father of three — because I think it lends color to how much picking up you might be dealing with.

Lime-green sconces, vintage art pieces, and lots of perfect imperfection. This home is an unexpected haven for the family of four.

From sneaking in a workout to a time-saving sock system, here’s how parents start their days right.

Vertical storage is the way to go.

From storage to layouts to sleeping arrangements, there are all sorts of considerations that have to be figured out when sharing a small home with a family (of any size).

There's a lot of style packed into this little half bath.

Two words: declutter caddy.

From "art" on walls down to pesky food stains on carpets, we've got solutions to life's little messes.

I’m in the market for a new rug for the kitchen, but I need something that’s durable and will stand up to lots of kid-spills and foot traffic. Do you have any rug-shopping tips?AliceDear Alice,I’ve got the perfect solution for you and you couldn’t have done this so well when I started Apartment Therapy back in 2004.

Sorting laundry is my own personal hell. Until now.

Finding the perfect home decor piece comes with a little thrill, and that’s only amplified when said item is a one-of-a-kind family heirloom, estate sale discovery, or thrifted gem. These 13 house tours are filled with unique items big and small.

Name: Gianna Marzella-Vazquez, husband David, 5-year-told son Leo, and 2-year-old son Noah. Location: Beechhurst — Queens, NYCSize: 1800 square feetType of Home: TownhouseYears lived in: 5 years, owned This project is near and dear to my heart as it was my first home where I lived with my husband David and two young children, Leo and Noah. We took on a massive renovation while I was pregnant with Leo.

This IKEA classic shows its versatility once again with a gorgeous, expensive-looking transformation.

Rather than waiting until it's time to put it all back and bemoaning the amount of stuff you have that, once again, you didn't use, go through it now.

It's not in the box it came in.

Give your kitchen a much-needed clean-out.

It doesn't fare as well in living rooms.

Beyond bulk food, this warehouse store offers deals for the kitchen and bedroom, too.

And it can be done with scrap wood!

Dear Cubby Fans (and those of you who like to trip down to the bottom of the email each week and read this column),It has been an amazing year of growth here at Cubby. While we’re technically a year and a half old at this point, time has gone quickly and it only feels like now, at these holidays, that I can look back and take stock of how much Cubby has grown.

And some of these must-clean items are rather unexpected.

The before-and-after shots are pretty impressive!

Liz S. and her daughter Olivia share this Pittsburgh rental apartment that's filled with a beautiful yet budget mix of decor from thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace, along with a few splurges like Panton chairs.

With plans for a larger gut reno in the future, Katrina and her family to still wanted to make their old, shabby home look good for them NOW. Using smaller, high-impact but low-budget ideas helped transform the space from blah to “I really want to hang out here."

Another highlight: Countertops that look like marble, but cost way less.

The most important step starts with your utensil drawer.