Aurelia Butler

It’s no secret that shower curtains are prone to mold and mildew. Icky spots can grow on shower curtain liners, along tile grout and in moist corners due to poor ventilation. Turns out, how you leave the curtain after a steamy shower can make a huge difference. As a kid, my mom always insisted I close the shower curtain after showering — but, I’ve had roommates who prefer leaving it open. So, I’m curious: What method is better for moisture control and air circulation? Our cleaning experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute are here to settle the shower curtain debate once and for all — open or closed?Whether it’s a constant argument in your household or you’ve never actually considered why your shower grows mold, this cleaning advice may change your shower routine.Related StoryShould the shower curtain stay open or closed? The pros have spoken: It’s best to fully close the shower curtain. “After showering, you should pull open and stretch the shower curtain out, eliminating any folds that could retain water,” says Carolyn Forté, Home Care & Cleaning Lab executive director. Shower curtains and plastic liners that are left open can dry properly, preventing the buildup of mold and mildew. Not to mention, bathrooms with closed shower curtains tend to look tidier — especially when guests are over. Some argue that keeping the shower curtain open will help moisture evaporate faster and allow air to circulate in the bathroom. Forté argues, “enough air still circulates around the sides and the top for the walls and tub to dry with the curtain drawn.”Shower walls actually dry “pretty quickly,” adds Forté. With an open shower curtain, moisture is trapped in the folds of your curtain or liner, which take much longer to dry. Pro tip: Plastic curtain liners can be machine washed on a warm, delicate cycle and dried on low heat for a few minutes.More From Our Cleaning ExpertsAlyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine, in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries. More

Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more. More

From sharing a bedroom growing up to renting a one-bedroom apartment in New York City as an adult, I’ve involuntarily become quite familiar with the process of decluttering throughout my life. I’ve filled up bags of clothes to donate, given away boxes of knick-knacks and recycled old electronics time and time again. Whether I like it or not, decluttering is a big part of my life. So when I came across the latest viral organization method, I was intrigued. The 30 bags in 30 days challenge has over 20 million posts on TikTok, and users are swearing by it. As a city dweller with an overstuffed apartment, I decided to do some more research on the trend before testing it out myself. More on DeclutteringWhat is the 30 bags in 30 days challenge?In order to complete the 30 bags in 30 days challenge, you must fill up one bag’s worth of stuff you don’t need every day for 30 days. You can donate, throw away or recycle the clutter afterwards. “Completing the 30 bags in 30 days challenge has been incredibly helpful for me as someone with ADHD. Breaking it down into manageable daily tasks keeps me from feeling overwhelmed,” says Brittney Babbitt of @littlemissfitbrit. “Plus, the bag can be any size, which makes it flexible and realistic for my energy levels and day-to-day activities.”Although decluttering every day for about a month sounds like a great way to get organized, I still had my doubts. Are most people really able to stay consistent for 30 days? Is 30 bags a realistic amount of stuff? Is there some sort of plan that works best? I spoke to five professional organizers to find out more. Should you try the 30 bags in 30 days challenge?To put it simply, you should try the challenge if it motivates you. However, it’s important to note that the trend isn’t for everyone. “Some people find it manageable because it breaks decluttering into small, daily tasks. However, for those with busy schedules or decision fatigue, it can feel overwhelming. It can be especially tough toward the end when obvious clutter is gone and the harder, sentimental decisions arise,” says Lynda Reider, founder and chief clutter cutter of Cut the Clutter RVA. If you’re someone who finds several smaller tasks more manageable than a couple larger ones, the 30 bags in 30 days challenge is a clever way to keep yourself accountable. But if you like to get things over with in fewer, larger chunks, this might not be the trend for you. Still, organizers share tips and modifications you can make to the challenge as well as other decluttering methods to try out. Tips for trying the trend:Start small: “For example, one cabinet of drink ware and coffee mugs or one category of all the medicines and first aid items in the home,” says Lindsay Melvin of Orchid Organizing. Remember, bigger isn’t better: Schae Lewis, CPO® certified professional organizer and owner of Mission 2 Organize LLC, suggests filling a grocery-sized bag each day.Don’t overdo it: Victoria Tran, founder of Sorted, recommends setting a 15-minute timer to keep it manageable and celebrating small wins every day. You can even set a reminder in your phone to keep yourself on schedule. Make a plan: “Identify clutter hotspots so you don’t waste time each day deciding where to focus. Start with easy areas such as expired items in the pantry or the medicine cabinet,” says Reider. Designate a decluttering spot: “Choose a location that is removed from your daily living space, if possible, and big enough to hold everything in one spot,” says Lewis. More decluttering methods:AndreyPopov//Getty ImagesDaunted by the thought of adding another daily task to your list? Don’t worry. Tonia Tomlin of Sorted Out suggests filling one bag every week instead. If you want to keep up with the pace of the challenge, use a larger bag so the amount of decluttering stays the same. And if that still doesn’t motivate you, consider one of these alternative methods:Set it aside: “If you are weary of letting go, place items in a box and set a reminder for a future date. When that date rolls around, and you haven’t needed any of the items in that box, you can donate the items with peace of mind,” says Tran.One in, one out: “This is a more realistic goal for most of my clients. For every new item you bring into the home, you get rid of one,” says Tomlin.The four-box method: “Label boxes keep, donate, trash and sell to sort items easily,” says Reider.Related StoriesLaura Millar (she/her) is the assistant lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home design. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2024, she wrote for NBC’s TODAY.com, where she covered everything from entertainment news to pop culture updates.  More

Like a cup of coffee in the morning or walking barefoot on the beach, fresh laundry is one of life’s simple pleasures — the type of thing that makes you breathe a sigh of relief and leaves you with that warm and fuzzy feeling. So it’s important to make the most of every single load. From using Downy Blends Scent Beads to minimizing annoying static, here’s how you can do just that.1. Add Scent Beads to Each LoadTake a shortcut to scent and softness with the Downy Blends Laundry Scent Booster Beads, which come in three serene scents: Seaside Spa, Meadow Rain, and Toasted Vanilla. They’re powered by breakthrough dual-bead technology: Freshness beads are deposited onto garments to leave behind a long-lasting scent, while softening beads dissolve during the wash cycle to coat and soften the fibers. All you have to do is pour the beads into your washer before you add clothing, then run the machine for towels, blankets, clothes and more that smell as good as they feel. 2. Warm Up Clothes in the DryerNo one likes leaving the warmth of their bed on a chilly winter morning. Ease the blow by tossing your clothes in the dryer while you take a shower or do your hair and makeup. This way, your outfit will be nice and toasty when it’s time to get dressed. You can even try this hack when winding down for the day: Put your pajamas and a blanket in the dryer before curling up on the couch to watch your favorite show or read a few chapters. PonyWang//Getty Images3. Say Goodbye to StaticGetting “shocked” by your own clothes is irritating, but there are steps you can take to minimize static buildup. Static electricity is caused by the friction of fabrics rubbing together, so softening garments with Downy Liquid Fabric Softener can lessen that friction in the wash cycle. Downy Dryer Sheets also help soften clothes (and reduce static). Dry air is another contributor to static cling, which is why your clothes might seem more prickly during the winter months. Consider running a humidifier in your home to help increase the amount of moisture in the air. 4. Fold Laundry With Dryer SheetsWhen it comes to achieving maximum freshness, how you store your clean laundry is just as significant as the products you use in the washer and dryer — especially for items you won’t reach for anytime soon, like winter blankets (or, come summertime, fleece sheets). Place Downy Dryer Sheets between the folded bedding and clothes to maintain that just-washed scent for as long as possible. 5. Deep-Clean Your Machine Regularly If you don’t take care of your washing machine, your laundry might not get as fresh as you want it to be. Routinely wipe down the washer’s drum, rubber door gasket (if you have a front-loading machine) and dispenser drawer to maximize the benefits of your detergent and Downy Blends Laundry Scent Booster Beads. Using washing-machine cleaner tablets once a month can also help. More

While there’s no one quick fix to make laundry day easier, the key to making this mundane task more manageable is a combination of using the best tools at your disposal — the best washing machines, the best stain removers and the best detergent, for starters — and creating systems that ultimately save time and effort. And it all starts with the hamper you’re tossing your dirty clothes into. While there are many great laundry baskets available, depending on your needs, divided hampers can help streamline the process from the start. Here’s how, according to Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab Executive Director Carolyn Forté. The Best Divided Laundry HampersBest OverallPottery Barn Seagrass Handcrafted Divided HamperNow 20% OffBest ValueSimple Houseware Double Laundry Hamper with Removable BagsBest With Removable LidJoseph Joseph Tota Laundry Hamper Separation BasketNow 24% OffBest With Ironing BoardWhitmor 3-Section Rolling Laundry SorterSaves timeWith a divided hamper, you can separate your laundry into categories — most commonly, lights and darks — right from the start. When it’s time to do laundry, you won’t have to spend additional time sorting a huge load into different piles. Instead, everything in one section can go in one load; everything in the other in a second.Minimizes mistakesSorting clothes, whether by color or fabric type, helps avoid mishaps like color bleeding or shrinking. While standard two-section hampers are generally reserved for lights and darks, some have additional compartments.Depending on your sorter’s size and number of sections, one compartment can be reserved for hand-washables or dry-clean items, so these don’t get inadvertently mixed with machine-washable clothes and potentially damaged. Similarly, you could use one section for stained items that need extra pre-treating.Feels more manageableStarting with one huge pile of laundry can make the task seem overwhelming — like something you might want to put off for another day. But when you divide your laundry into more manageable sections from the start, the job can feel more approachable.Many divided hampers even have removable sections, making it easy to transport just one section to the washer and dryer when doing a single load.Easier to divide and conquerIf you share the task with someone else in your household, a divided hamper may make it easier to split up the workload. One person can tackle the darks, while another handles the whites. Assuming space allows, a divided hamper is also a great solution for siblings who share a room — each person claims one side of the hamper, eliminating squabbles about whose turn it is to do laundry.More of the Best Laundry HacksBrigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more. More

Everyone has a store they can get lost in for hours on end. For me, it’s HomeGoods, the home decor chain that’s known for amazing deals.If I happen to have a day off, chances are you’ll find me happily pushing my cart through aisles upon aisles of cozy bedding, kitchen essentials, abstract wall art, table lamps, you name it. I might be on a mission to find something specific (a new wooden cutting board, perhaps?), or on days when I’m feeling adventurous, I’m open to discovering quirkier gems (like the hand-carved wooden jewelry box I’ve owned for years). For me, it never gets old, and I love that I never know what I’m going to find.Since I’ve been shopping at HomeGoods for ages now — and I have years as a home design editor under my belt — I figured it was finally time to reveal my best shopping tricks. Here’s how to get the most of your next HomeGoods run.Courtesy of Monique ValerisThis is me, on the hunt at HomeGoods.Go early.I can’t stress this enough: Shopping at your local HomeGoods right when it opens is the best strategy. Early in the day, the store is well-stocked and as organized as it can be. Later on, you risk battling through crowded aisles (with carts in tow) and missing out on a well-rounded selection of the best products.Visit on a weekday.In my experience, shelves are more likely to be fully stocked during the week. That said, I’ve found that Mondays can be hit or miss, as staff may still be replenishing stock from the weekend rush. I personally prefer visiting my local store on Thursdays because, by then, I know they’ll have a good assortment of products across a range of categories, ready for weekend shoppers.That said, during a recent visit to a New Jersey location on a Monday afternoon, I saw several staffers busy restocking the shelves. One of them mentioned that shipments usually arrive on Mondays, and I still had a pleasant shopping experience, despite the flurry of activity around me.Courtesy of HomeGoodsBefriend a salesperson.If you’re serious about finding a specific product — say, bedding from a particular brand — it helps to build a rapport with one or two staff members at your local store. Once you’re on friendly terms, they might give you a heads-up when that elusive item finally arrives in store. Think of it as networking for your shopping needs: Just being nice and having a photo on hand to show exactly what you’re after can really pay off.Look out for red price tags. In case you aren’t aware, HomeGoods and other TJX Company stores (TJ Maxx, Homesense and Sierra) use red price tags to indicate clearance prices. Of course, it never hurts to browse the dedicated clearance sections, but I’ve had more luck spotting items with red price tags peppered throughout the store. Search every nook and cranny. Most shelves are packed with layers of products, particularly pillows and artwork, so you’ll need to get into the trenches and shift things around to find all the hidden gems. I’ve often discovered amazing products buried at the back of shelves, wedged between stacks or even misplaced in the wrong section of the store. These hidden gems are golden opportunities — take your time exploring the store, and you might just strike gold.I remember once purchasing a woven storage bin for my bathroom toiletries. A few days later, while reorganizing my bathroom shelf, I realized I needed a matching bin. Initially, I panicked, but then I headed back to that same HomeGoods. To my delight, I found the exact same bin tucked away at the very bottom of a stack, behind a bunch of other bins. I couldn’t have been more thrilled!Don’t skip the bedding and towels.Stearns & Foster pillows. Vera Wang comforters. Lauren by Ralph Lauren sheets. Calvin Klein towels. If you’re serious about finding high-quality bedding and towels at low prices, make it a habit to check the bedding and towel section of any HomeGoods store. The best part? The towels are often organized by color — an absolute dream for anyone decorating a room with a specific color palette. Monique ValerisA treasure trove of towels and bath linens, spotted on a recent shop.Always check the kitchen section. I usually find the best deals in this section of the store. Whether I’m hunting for a pack of new dish towels for a holiday like Easter or Christmas, or need a new baking pan to perfect my banana bread recipe, HomeGoods has me covered. On a recent visit, I spotted elegant white dishes from Mikasa, and in the past, I’ve found small Le Creuset baking dishes in white and cerise (the brand’s popular bright red shade).I also never buy wooden cutting boards anywhere else — whether for everyday meal prep or to complete my charcuterie board presentations, HomeGoods is my go-to.Monique ValerisThe cutting board offerings at my local HomeGoods.Be open to discovering new brands.In my experience, brand names don’t always guarantee quality. Often, I’ve discovered that high-quality products can come from lesser-known companies. This is especially true when I’m exploring new home decor trends or need multiples of an item for a special occasion — like cloth napkins or colored glassware.Don’t pay full price for defective items. Like any store, you might occasionally fall in love with an item that’s not in perfect condition — perhaps a small chip on a platter or a tablecloth with a few snags that can easily be hidden with a great centerpiece. In these situations, don’t hesitate to speak up and ask the cashier if they can offer a discount. They may be able to accommodate you after checking with the store manager. Feel free to put items on hold. How many times have you spotted the perfect piece of furniture or striking wall art at HomeGoods, only to pass on it because you weren’t sure how to get it home? Don’t let that happen again. Just ask any cashier to place the item on hold at the register. I once used this service for an entryway bench — I paid for it and returned later that day with a larger vehicle to bring it home. Score!More Shopping Tips and TricksMonique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand’s home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, “What’s in My Cart.” More

Swatching your wall is a time-honored way to see how a shade will look in your room. The catch? Since most people spot-test a teeny, tiny part of their wall, you may not be understanding a color’s full impact. Instead, designer Eva Bradley asks her painters to create “a large-scale brush out on a movable sheet.” “The larger size makes it much easier to see the full effect of the color, and being able to move the sample from wall to wall allows us to observe how light interacts with the paint in different areas of the room,” she explains. “This is especially helpful in spaces where lighting varies dramatically, because it ensures the color feels consistent and balanced throughout.”Copy this idea at home by grabbing a piece of poster paper, throwing on a fresh coat and attaching it to your wall with some painter’s tape. And, of course, feel free to move this sheet around as needed. Keep in mind that the paint color might look slightly different once you add it to your walls, but this will give you a general idea of how a color interacts with natural light.Photo by: R. Brad Knipstein Photography More

You can’t escape laundry. Whether you live alone or with family, it always seems like there’s a load (or three) to tackle. But what you can potentially escape is a higher-than-necessary energy bill when doing your laundry. How? Consider doing laundry during non-peak hours. “Running your dryer at off-peak hours, if your utility offers them, is a great way to save money,” says Carolyn Forté of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Care & Cleaning Lab. “For safety’s sake, though, never run your dryer while you are out of the house or overnight when sleeping. In the event of a fire, you’ll need to address it promptly.”Related StoryHow off-peak hours work:Depending on where you live, your energy company might charge you less to use your dryer during non-peak hours. During the summer, most off-peak hours fall between the late evening to early morning (9 p.m. to 8 a.m.), and in the winter, mid-day to early afternoon (noon to 2:30 p.m.), and then late evening to early morning (9 p.m. to 8 a.m.). Although, it will be different depending on your utility provider and where you live. For instance, SRP, which provides service to central Arizona customers, offers an off-peak price plan rate of 9.28 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) (versus 22.95 cents on-peak) in May, June, September and October, and 9.55 cents (versus 12.15 cents) off-peak from November through April. (The peak hours are 2 to 8 p.m. from May to October; and 5 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. from November to April).ConEdison, which serves New York City and Westchester County, has off-peak hours from midnight to 7 a.m. The rate is 2.49 cents per kWh. Some companies, however, include a surprising monthly meter charge. For instance, I called PSEG’s customer service department (which serves New Jersey), and was told that in order to get the off-peak hour rate, I’d need to have a Residential Load Management meter installed on my property. There’s a one-year commitment and a monthly meter charge of $15, although there’s no installation fee. “We’d love to see utility providers stop charging consumers for the smart meter, since they benefit too from all the data they’re able to collect from the connected devices,” says Dan DiClerico, Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. DiClerico adds that utility companies with the highest adoption rates of time-of-use plans tend to do the best job of teaching customers how to benefit from the technology. DiClierico also notes that the pricing isn’t perfect, and it certaintly won’t work for everyone (especially people who are working during off-peak hours). That said, it might be worth giving your local energy company a call to discuss its off-peak plans, or do a little research on their website to confirm what’s available in your area.Other ways to reduce your energy bill when doing laundry: See these helpful tips from the cleaning experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy:Even though you should read clothing care labels, you can typically wash items in cold water.Clean your dryer’s lint filter after every load. It helps to maintain your dryer’s performance and prevent fires from lint build-up.Don’t make your dryer work harder than it has to. Avoid over-drying your clothing.When the weather permits, dry your clothes outside. No yard? A clothes drying rack in a sunny indoor spot will do the trick.GH’s cleaning pros swear by the “shake method” when drying clothes. Simply shake each item before you place it into the dryer. This prevents your laundry from balling up, which will make items dry much faster and more evenly.Keep in mind that demand drives energy costs. So, if people are using their appliances more in the warm-weather months, chances are they’re being hit with a higher energy bill compared to the winter season. That said, it’s always a good idea to try to decrease your energy use and keep more money in your wallet while you’re at it. More Laundry AdviceMonique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand’s home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, “What’s in My Cart.” More