I Tried "Rage Cleaning" in My Tiny New York Apartment and Left It Sparkling

And for some of us with roommates, that can be an unfortunate reality. I tried TikToks rage cleaning trend to help me get through this and boy, did it work wonders. What Is Rage Cleaning? Thomas Northcut / Getty Images Rage cleaning is, what I believe to be, a new name for a very old tradition. It might not work for everybody, but it sure worked for me. Want more cleaning and organizing tips?...

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 181 words · Melissa Reyes

I Tried "Swedish Death Cleaning" and It Completely Changed My Space

Thisdecluttering methodisn’t as dark as it sounds and makes life easier on your loved ones. A thorough declutter was long overdue in my home, so I decided to try out Swedish death cleaning. It helped me organize my space and also develop additional perspective on life. Kseniya Ovchinnikova / Getty Images We reached out organizing experts Erica Thompson and Morgan Ovens to further discuss. Do you really need those old books you haven’t opened in years?...

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 391 words · Kyle King

I Tried 3 Methods to Keep My Roses Fresh, and One Was the Clear Winner

Tessa Cooper I know I’m in the minority here, butValentine’s Dayis my favorite holiday. I love the cheerful pops of red and pink it offers after a cold and gray January. My intense admiration of flowers is another main reason this day ranks so high in my book. Tessa Cooper This year, I decided to do a little experiment ahead of the holiday. The Experiment Controls For each method I tested, I used roses from the same single bouquet....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 368 words · Lisa Baldwin

I Tried 3 Viral Hacks to Keep Pumpkins from Rotting—and This One Actually Worked

I gave the hacks a test run on my own pumpkins and here are the results. I even carved (or tried to) the same face onto each picture-perfect pumpkin. Below is the lineup of hacks that I tried: Want more gardening tips? Right to left: Hairspray, bleach, coconut oil, control.Lauren Landers All three treatments were easy to apply, although the coconut oil was slightly messy. Day 5 The difference in the pumpkins was undeniable by day 5....

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 171 words · Julia Smith

I Tried 4 Viral Methods to Keep Flowers Fresh, and the Winner Surprised Me

The Spruce/ Nishaa Sharma Confession time: my green thumb is completely nonexistent. I struggle to keep the beautiful flower bouquets I bring home alive for as long as I can remember. I added a bit of flower food to my control vase and got to work setting up each hack. The Spruce/ Nishaa Sharma The third method I tried was the penny hackand this took the most time to set up....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 247 words · Chelsey Smith

I Tried a New Cleaning Strategy, and Now My Husband and I Both Swear By It

I made the chore chart when my husband and I were about 90 days away from our wedding. Thecleaning strategywed been deploying before that was that all mess was communalwe canbothclean it up! But that wasnt happening. The Spruce / Jason Donnelly The microwave was dirty, dust was everywhere, and the duvet hadnt been washed in Im-not-telling-you-how-long. Something had to change. We discussed divvying up chores and having individual responsibilities....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 294 words · Cody Davis

I Tried a Sponge vs. a Scrub Daddy, and the Winner Left My Dishes Squeaky Clean

But then came the Scrub Daddycould this smiley sponge really rid me of my dishwashing disdain? I quickly found out the hype was very, very real. Here was the verdict after putting a regular sponge and a Scrub Daddy head-to-head. The Spruce / Melissa Epifano I found the texture a little strangeit felt more like a pumice stone than the original dishwashing utensil. Then came the Scrub Daddycould this smiley sponge really rid me of my dishwashing disdain?...

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 304 words · Erik Wagner

I Tried All of My Mom's Organizing Hacks and My Room Has Never Been Neater

But as I got older, I began to really understand the importance of keeping my space organized. Although this transformation didn’t happen overnight, I really have one person to thank: my mom. And I figured I’d pass along these words of wisdom. The Spruce / Jason Donnelly However, it’s important to take a deep breath and not fret. My mom emphasizes the importance of targeting your clutter piles, but categorizing them as well....

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 192 words · Brian Johnson

I Tried Cleaning My Kitchen With Lemon, and I Loved the Results (And the Smell, Too!)

Dougal Waters / Getty Images My husband and I both value a clean, tidy home. Often, it can feel like were treading water when it comes to home maintenance. As a result, I always love a great, natural cleaning hack. Dougal Waters / Getty Images Recently, desperate for a softer solution, I decided to give this beloved citrus hack a try. Why Do Lemons Work for Cleaning? These help lemon juice function as an antibacterial, antiseptic, and bleaching agent....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 297 words · Jennifer Ramirez

I Tried Dryer Balls Versus Sheets in My Laundry, and There Was a Clear Winner

Unlike in the U.S., tumble dryers arent common. A lot of homes have acombination washer and dryer machineand weirdest of all, its often in the kitchen. While this can vary widely, were currently in a house with exactly that. The Spruce / Sarah Lee Although the dryer works fine, its notgreat. Plus, the loads usually come out wrinkled andfull of static, especially in winter. Recently, I decided to find out if either dryer balls or laundry sheets would improve my life....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 326 words · Christina Brown

I Tried Dryer Sheets vs. Fabric Softener, and There Was One Clear Winner

The Spruce / Ana Cadena Who doesn’t love soft, static-free laundry? And for many of us, added fragrance gives us the sense that our clothes are fresh and clean. Here are the results. The Spruce / Ana Cadena Fabric softener is added during the rinse cycle in the washer. It is this residue, often silicone-based, that makes fabrics feel silky. you’ve got the option to create aDIY versionthat contains fewer chemicals and offers similar results....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 364 words · Carolyn Jones

I Tried Liquid Detergent vs. Pods in My Laundry, and the Results Surprised Me

The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija Over many years and for changing reasons, mylaundry routinehas varied significantly. Now, Im firmly a fan of detergent pods anddryer balls. Has my laundry gotten duller and have my stains gotten more stubborn? The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija For the most part, this has been fine. I decided to switch to detergent and see if that helped. Trying Liquid Laundry Detergentand My Thoughts For the next load, I switched to detergent....

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 205 words · Mary Hernandez

I Tried Making a "Purse Station," and It Finally Got Rid of My Clutter

Part of the problem is the fact our entryway system leaves much to be desired. What Is a Purse Station? It works even better if you might keep your purses nearby for quick accessories-of-the-day choosing. Jamie Grill / Getty Images Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Will It Work for Me? I couldn’t imagine having to pack or unpack my bag if I was on a true time crunch. Ashley Chalmers / The Spruce...

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 125 words · Kathleen Shelton