Aurelia Butler

Everyone has that one retail chain that gets them every time. You walk in with the intention of buying a few items at most, but somehow you leave with a cart full of stuff. HomeGoods is that store for me.
So when HomeGoods offered me a complimentary shopping trip, I couldn’t have said “yes” faster. What’s more, they gave me access to interior designer Beth Diana Smith, who shares my eclectic aesthetic and offered pointers to enhance my shopping experience. (Check out Beth’s recent HomeGoods haul for her New Jersey home — it doesn’t disappoint.)

HomeGoods in Glendale, NY.
Monique Valeris

Since I’ve been working remotely as Good Housekeeping’s senior home editor and caring for my two young children, a few spots in our Brooklyn apartment have gotten out of control, to say the least. I’ve been wanting a few more decorative pieces to add personality to my space for the season, as well as some organizational items to help keep clutter at bay. And with Beth’s guidance, I felt confident that a fall home refresh could be easy and affordable. Beth’s top tip: “This is the time of year where there’s no HVAC going, your windows are open, and you’re cozying up with a throw, and being still,” Smith says. “When it comes to fall decorating, I’m focused on accessories and comfort.”
I made two safe trips to my local HomeGoods and thanks to Beth’s advice, I’m happy to report that I found exactly what I needed for my space. Here’s what I ended up purchasing for our bathroom and living room.
BATHROOM

My bathroom shelves were in desperate need of organizational solutions for bedding, towels, and cosmetics.
Monique Valeris

Baskets in varied sizes bring order to the bathroom shelves. 
Monique Valeris

Considering that I write about all things decor, it’s no surprise that I have a lot of bedding and towels. While many might think this is a good problem to have, they can easily take over your space if you’re not careful. Every time I tried to fold them neatly, they would end up looking disheveled just a few days later. I needed a smart solution to store them in style. To maintain a polished look, Beth suggested finding eye-catching baskets to complement my existing collection. I knew I wanted at least one round basket to create visual interest, and since Beth said “the funkier the better” when it comes to baskets, I had to snag a round C&C California design with trendy fringed detail for $29.99. It has just enough space to hold our most-used towels.
Beth also directed me to think beyond round basket designs. “To maximize the space on each shelf, look for something that’s a rectangle or square,” she said. She was right. I found a few rectangular woven baskets that resolved the issue. One is adorned in white stripes and the other’s large woven pattern is a great focal point against the wood shelving.
I finished the look by filling a glass hurricane I already owned with gold gilded pine cones and placing a ZZ plant on one of the upper shelves for a spa-like vibe.
LIVING ROOM
Now that we’re home more, my living room has become a multifunctional space. From serving as my daughter’s classroom to being a comfortable spot for lounging, it has become the hub of our home, possibly more than the kitchen. For that reason, it only made sense that it should make more of a statement, and the area next to its entrance felt lackluster to me. Not only was it bland — my kids grew accustomed to piling up their toys there, so it became even more unsightly.
When I visited HomeGoods, I wasn’t exactly sure what furniture would work for this space. However, as soon as I entered the store, my eyes fell on this striking upholstered bench for just $150, and it had the exact dimensions necessary for the area. The pattern reflects my love of bohemian-inspired pieces and the pops of mustard played up the beauty of the fall season. It was the right piece of furniture to brighten up our cozy living room, which receives very little natural light. I sent Beth a photo of the bench, and she immediately approved it, mentioning that she loved its legs. Score!
All I had to do was choose the right accessories to dress it up. Since Beth told me to find something “that brings a little joy,” I wanted a great piece of artwork in a white frame ($16.99) to complement the bench’s mustard hue. Thankfully, I found a rather minimalist piece, featuring white dots that remind me of umbrellas. It’s an instant mood booster and the white frame adds a fresh touch to the room. I also bought a long navy-and-white lumbar throw pillow ($29.99), and draped the bench with a black-and-white throw that HomeGoods gifted to me a few months ago. Like Beth, I enjoy layering pillows and throws, so it’s a no-fail combination to give the bench warmth and character for the cold months ahead.

This area of the living room became a dumping ground for my kids’ toys. 
Monique Valeris

An upholstered bench and a few accessories pulled this living room spot together.  
Monique Valeris

It was time to find a new spot for the black table lamp.
Monique Valeris

A brighter table lamp and patterned rug are just what the living room needed.
Monique Valeris

Once I completed the bench arrangement, it was time to tackle our ever-growing gallery wall and replace a black table lamp that was long overdue for an upgrade. To update the gallery wall, I reworked pieces that were already in my possession. I incorporated a few family photos, including one of my daughter as a newborn, and finally decided to hang a chalkboard in a charming vintage brass frame that I already owned. I asked my daughter to write the word “Live” on the chalkboard as a sweet reminder to make the most of the challenging times we’re in right now.
And while I love the black-and-gold table lamp that’s been in my living room for years, Beth felt it was time to bring in some color. Luckily, I came across a great table lamp for $49.99. The farmhouse-style lamp features the same mustard shade as the upholstered bench — so perfect! It helped the living room feel cohesive and was the jolt of energy the space needed. I added a washable diamond patterned rug ($19.99) right by the door to make the room feel more homey.
Shopping at one of my favorite stores, especially after being in quarantine for so long, was just the retail therapy I needed. It was fun to find new ways to rearrange the furniture and decor I already own, and it was a thrill to seek out statement pieces to showcase more of my design style (especially at such a great price).
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3M TB Quat Disinfectant Ready-to-Use Cleaner
homedepot.com
$5.88

Before you roll your eyes at the idea of adding more to your already overflowing to-do list, consider this: Taking a few beats each day to check off cleaning tasks, says Carolyn Forte, Cleaning Lab Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute, can actually save you time in the long run, not to mention cut down on harmful germs and bacteria lurking in your home. (An absolute must these days!)
Cleaning these important spots as you go with the right tools — soap and water, a broom, or a quality disinfectant like 3M TB Quat Disinfectant Ready-to-Use Cleaner — before you hit the hay each day will make the weekend workload that much less.
Tidy the entryway
There’s a reason this area of your home is a hotspot for clutter, dirt, and germs: It’s an area trafficked by each and every person who passes through your door. You don’t have to bust out the mop every day to make it feel cleaner — just do a quick touch-up. Make sure dirty shoes and muddy boots are in their rightful place and toss any stray items into a designated catchall. While you’re there, quickly spritz and wipe any surface, like the console table. And don’t forget the doorknob, which is possibly one of the highest-touch spots of the house. For best results, spritz with a product specifically labeled as a disinfectant, let sit for the recommended amount of time on the packaging and then wipe dry.
Wipe down kitchen counters
When you think about everything that touches your countertops — food, mail, car keys, backpacks, you name it — it makes sense they’re similarly prone to a buildup of germs. To keep your kitchen cleaner, give countertops a quick wipe down every day. Like handles, all you need to do is wipe them clean with soap and water, let dry, then hit them with a disinfectant spray. If you opt for wipes, use as many as it takes to keep the surface wet for the required amount of time to disinfect.
Squeegee shower walls
Regular upkeep is the easiest way to beat hard water buildup and grout, says Forte, who recommends running a squeegee over tile and glass doors after every use. This will help dry the wall in record time, which will prevent mildew stains and cut down on cleaning time later on.
Lighten your laundry load
You don’t have to do a load of laundry every day — or even every other day — but by tackling some laundry-related chores every evening you can make your designated laundry day a little bit easier. Task each family member with picking up any clothes before bed, tossing dirty duds into the hamper (pro tip: invest in a bin that has two compartments, one for lights and one for darks) and replacing clean ones on hangers or in drawers. Don’t forget to toss any dish and hand towels into the dirty pile, too. Even if they don’t look dirty, a USDA-funded study deemed dish towels the most contaminated spot in the kitchen. And those small hand towels in your bathroom are similarly soiled, since often multiple people use them more than once per day, says Forte.
Clean dirty dishes
It’s tempting to leave your plate after expending all of your energy on dinner prep, but leaving leftover sauce and crumbs not only makes washing dishes harder the next day (just think about all that stuck-on grime!), it can also attract bugs and other critters. If you really can’t lift another finger, rinse plates and utensils and before calling it quits. This way, you won’t end up with dried-on bits, but you can do the lathering (or run a dishwashing cycle) later.
Give the stovetop a once-over
Since most of us are cooking more, you can save yourself a lot of time and elbow grease — plus eliminate any germs and bacteria caused by food spills and splatters — by giving burners and/or grates a quick wipe down once they’ve cooled. Like dirty dishes, the longer messes sit, the more they bake on and the harder they are to remove, says Forte. In some cases, this type of grime can even affect the performance of your stove. The good news? As long as you have a quality cooktop cleaner, getting the job done is as easy as spritzing, waiting, then wiping.
Sweep the kitchen floor
Before retiring for the day (you deserve it!), give the floor a quick sweep or hit it with a stick vacuum. You don’t have to do the whole house — just the highest-trafficked room, like the kitchen, will do to prevent unwanted critters. Just bust out your broom or something that picks up dust and loose dirt, and you’ll be done in no time at all.
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Natalie Abraham

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