Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 136

How to Organize Tablecloths and Other Linens

If you have a well-stocked linen closet, use this trick to keep differently sized tablecloths and sheet sets organized. Next time you’re at the office supply store pick up a package of paper tags. Write the information about each piece on the tag (for tablecloths: the measurement and the shape; for sheet sets: the size bed it fits), then store [...]

Today’s Thought

Get the daily thought in your inbox. See more inspiring quotes on our Pinterest board. What’s Hot on RealSimple.com 8 Legitimate Earth-Friendly Seals  How to Sell, Swap, or Donate Clothes Easy Ways to Unwind Filed under: Daily Thought

4 Fun Do-It-Yourself Food Kits

DIY food kits are nothing new—you’ve probably seen plenty of do-it-yourself kits for beer and mozzarella. But these days, it seems like there’s a kit for just about anything edible you want to try making at home. Here are a few of the most fun DIY kits we’ve seen lately: Mama O’s Kimchi Making Kit I adore kimchi—it’s not unheard [...]

Another Reason to Go Fragrance-Free

If you have sensitive skin,  you likely already choose products that are fragrance-free, but if not, here’s another reason you should consider them. Just like synthetic fragrances can irritate your skin, they also can have an impact on the environment as you wash them down the drain. If you don’t want to give up scented soaps, creams, and hair products, [...]

When to Use Paint Primer

If you’ve ever attempted to paint a room in your house, you’ve likely wondered: Do I need to prime before I paint? The answer: Probably not. In fact, primer is only necessary in three circumstances—1) when you’re painting a light color over a dark one, 2) when your walls are badly stained, and 3) when the walls are marked up [...]

Backyard Wedding Idea from Loverly

[Photo by Alisandra Photography] The idea of a backyard wedding sounds pretty charming. That is, assuming you have the space for hosting this type of celebration at home. Fine coordinating skills, patience, and delight in entertaining a larger-than-your-typical-Thanksgiving crowd might also be helpful. If you’re really planning for yard to wedding venue transformation, be creative with the set-up and let [...]

Today’s Thought

Get the daily thought in your inbox. See more inspiring quotes on our Pinterest board. What’s Hot on RealSimple.com 10 Tips for Donating to Charity 10 Painless Changes You Can Make for a Green Home 30 Tips for Easy Outdoor Entertaining Filed under: Daily Thought

4 Spring Closet Cleaning Tips

If you’ve been bitten by the spring clean-out bug, here are a few tips to make tackling your closet much easier. 1. Only keep multiples if you wear them. White tanks, black cardigans, these are okay to keep in multiples because they are versatile, but two nearly identical red silk tops—you don’t need both. 2. Hang like items together. Think [...]

Don’t Spray Cleaner on Your Mirror

Before you lift that spray bottle to spritz your mirror with glass cleaner, think again. Instead of spraying the cleaner directly on  the mirror, you should be spraying the paper towel or newspaper you’re using to clean it instead. Why? Because the cleaner that drips down the mirror can seep into the crevices and cause black spots to form on the [...]

Cute Fitness Wear from Instyle.com

Our colleagues over at InStyle.com have pulled together a list of the best gymwear for every body type. I don’t know about you, but gym clothes are the very last thing that I tend to buy. I may or may not still own a few ratty t-shirts from college that are my go-to’s for working out. Obviously, it’s time to [...]