7 little home hacks
Plus, 5 decor deals under $25.
I’ve been trying a new thing this week where I reframe aspects of my daily routine—my morning walk with my daughter, eating lunch, tending to our flowers—as “mini vacations” (full credit goes to this Instagram). Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it! It’s been a refreshing perspective shift for me during a busy season of life, and a reminder that the little moments are often the big moments. Now let's apply this bite-sized approach to home upgrades... —Lindsey Mather, digital director
Seen and Saved
If you’re an OG Home Front reader, you might recall that my follow-through on personal home projects is abysmal. The chances I actually accomplish a plan greatly improve when it’s closer to a hack than a DIY. Below, a few refreshingly simple design updates I’ve saved recently:
My husband and I received a beautiful handmade quilt as a wedding gift that’s too small for our king bed. I hadn’t thought about using it as a makeshift headboard until I saw this throw blanket version with artwork hung right on top. Game-changer.
Have your hallway corners also taken a beating from all manner of baby walkers, strollers, and trikes? I wish I’d come across these brass skiffers years ago.
Turns out, the secret to a stylish display of family photos is shrinking down, not sizing up.
In the same vein, an off-center, monochromatic mat is the quickest way to a cool piece of art, and you can get one made for $11 on Etsy.
A genius, no-frills solution to bad kitchen task lighting: a clamp-on desk lamp attached to your open shelving.
I was today-years-old when I discovered Sugru moldable glue, which unlocks the option to mount a knife bar directly on my tile backsplash without making a single hole.
Got some extra tile from a reno—or even just a few samples—laying around? Turn them into coasters.
Good Buys
Weekends at the Jersey Shore are going to look very different this summer now that I have a toddler in tow. Here’s the gear I’m eyeing to set us up for tantrum-free fun in the sun.
Clockwise from top left:
An On-the-Go Play Yard
This pop-up tent certainly isn’t the most aesthetic thing I’ve ever seen, but it opens in one move. Most importantly, it has walls to keep my curious kiddo safely contained in between dips in the ocean.
A Good Beach Cart
I refuse to arrive at the beach already in a bad mood from schlepping our stuff. Enter: this cutie striped cart with sand-optimized wheels.
A Water Bottle My Kid Actually Likes
Hydration is key for all ages! I love my daughter’s Owala kids’ water bottle, which keeps water icy cold, doesn't spill, and comes in the juiciest color combos.
Toys, Of Course
I typically go for open-ended toys that encourage imaginative play and will hopefully have a longer shelf life like this bucket and shovel set that’s made from recycled plastic.
Side Notes
Resolve to eat dinner at home one day this week, then use your savings to nab one of these under-$25 decor deals I spotted recently. I call it design-lover math.
Clockwise from top left:
Is this $20 oil and vinegar bottle set with its very own oak carrier a need? No, but it will make weekday meals feel extra special.
Put an end to entryway clutter with a delightfully chunky $15 resin shelf.
A nice addition to your cloth napkin stash: super versatile striped cotton ones at $9 a pop.
Don’t you dare store this $23 oven mitt in a drawer.
This quirky $23 vase doesn’t even need flowers.