Aurelia Butler

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

If you think your ceiling fan is only worth turning on in the summer months, think again. There are actually two directions your fan can spin, each one circulating air in an entirely different way. While many homeowners don’t think twice about the way their fan spins, it’s definitely worth checking — not only does the direction of the fan help maintain cooler temperatures in the summer and warmer ones in the winter, it can also save you some money in energy costs as a result. Our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab are here to explain how this simple tip can be implemented at home for a warmer (or cooler) space, depending on the season. Which way should your fan spin for each season? If you’re hoping to keep your house warm for the winter, you’ll want to make sure your fan is spinning clockwise. “This will push warm air that’s rising to the ceiling back down into the room, making the space more cozy,” says Dan DiClerico, director of the home improvement and outdoor lab at the GH Institute. “Come summer, set the blades to spin counterclockwise to cool the room.”How do you switch between settings? Prasert Krainukul//Getty ImagesIf your ceiling fan is remote control-operated, there should be a button that allows you to change the direction of the fan. Oftentimes, it looks like a reverse symbol, or a circle with revolving arrows. Conventional ceiling fans typically have a physical switch that’s located in the middle of the fan near the pull string and lightbulb. Flip it either up or down to change the direction of the fan’s blades. Tip: If you have a conventional ceiling fan, make sure to turn the fan completely off before hitting the switch. How can your fan help you save money?While you’ll still need to turn on your heat or air conditioning depending on the season, your ceiling fan can help lessen energy costs by functioning as a helpful heating or cooling tool. In the colder months, your ceiling fan (when spinning in the clockwise direction) will push rising warm air back down so you won’t need to run the heat as much. When you switch the fan’s direction in the warmer months, it’ll circulate air, cooling you down and in turn reducing your desire to crank up the AC.According to the U.S. Department of Energy, adjusting your thermostat by around seven degrees during the day could trim your heating and cooling costs by as much as 10 percent throughout the year. That works out to a couple hundred dollars worth of savings for the average homeowner. 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

Homeowners have long embraced the appeal of open kitchen shelving — the easy access to dishes; their airy feel, especially in small layouts; and the opportunity to put decorative objects on full display. In factBut now, a recent Kitchen Trends report from the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has found that a growing number of homeowners are trading open shelving (and open pantries) for concealed kitchen storage that keeps clutter under wraps. The NKBA surveyed more than 500 kitchen and bath professionals (designers included), and discovered that 87% said homeowners prefer pantry designs concealed behind cabinet doors or panels to maintain a polished look. What’s more, 66% believe walk-in pantries and butler’s pantries will be all the rage in the next three years. Revamp Your Cooking Space“The appeal of open shelving lies in its ability to create an airy, layered aesthetic – one that works beautifully for clients with a highly curated collection or a disciplined sense of organization,” says designer Lara Apelian. “But in practice, the realities of daily life often call for a more tailored, efficient approach. Concealed storage – whether through custom millwork, integrated pantries or seamless cabinetry – provides a sense of refinement and cohesion, allowing the kitchen to feel like an uncluttered oasis.”Designer Mikel Welch agrees: “Many people are moving away from open shelving because it collects dust and can easily look cluttered unless you know how to keep your stacks of plates and bowls perfect. Concealed storage, like cabinets and pantries, keeps things organized and hidden, making the kitchen look cleaner and more functional. Plus, it allows for smarter features like pull-out shelves and hidden bins, all while offering more privacy and a streamlined aesthetic.”Aimee RyanDesigner Sharon Sherman of Thyme & Place Design believes there’s another reason for the rise in closed kitchen storage. “Driving this (trend) is a desire for organized spaces, which bring calm. It reduces the stress to keep exposed items clean and neat, placing the design emphasis on the beauty of the cabinets.”But like many design choices, there’s a downside, too. It’s mainly the lack of room, according to Colleen Bennett of CBB Design Firm. “The con is that it just takes up a lot of space in the kitchen, especially if you don’t have a scullery,” Bennett says, noting that she prefers this clean kitchen aesthetic as a way to free up countertops. Curious about how to make a kitchen full of closed cabinetry look as chic as possible? Consider the below tips from designer Emily Ruff of Cohesively Curated:3 Ways to Elevate Kitchen Cabinets Design: Emily Ruff; Carina Skrobecki Photo✔️ Prioritize function. Start with the sizes and locations of your appliances, and then build out your cabinetry plan from there. “We tend to use almost all drawers for base cabinets, as it is a lot more functional than cabinet drawers with roll-outs,” says Ruff. “We also aim to create symmetry around the range and around the sink when possible, which helps to make sure our tile layouts are symmetrical as well.”✔️ Aim for visual interest. “The key is to leave space elsewhere for artwork or tile to have the spotlight, so it isn’t just cabinet doors as far as you can see which makes a kitchen feel closed in,” Ruff says. “We always start with choosing the countertops, especially natural stone, and then we choose the cabinetry color from there. Your cabinetry color has to be a tone that looks good in the lighting of your kitchen, but also that plays nicely with your stone.”✔️ Pick your hardware wisely. While it might seem like a simple detail, hardware has a way of elevating kitchen cabinets. Ruff suggests mixing your hardware to make a statement. “Don’t just put the same style and size pull on every cabinet and call it good. We like to put knobs on cabinet doors, pulls on drawers and vary the size of the pulls so it fits the size of the drawer well.”Here are some guidelines: Under 24″ drawers get a 4″ pull; over 24″ get a 6″ pull; and over 33″ get an 8″ pull Appliance pulls for panel-ready appliances should be different from pulls in the rest of the kitchen, and make sure you go for at least 12″ or 18″ for larger refrigerators and freezers. Consider cabinet latches on smaller cabinets up high or cabinets under the sink — areas you don’t open/close multiple times a dayMore Kitchen Design InspirationMonique 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