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CONTENTS

introduction

PARTONE:ORGANIZINGgettingyourhandsdirtyyourbetter(orworse)halfgoodpracticestoss,store,keepclothingfurniturekitchenbathroomandlinensofficeandpaperworkbookshelvesbonuswheretotosssentimentalitemsstoragesolutionscleangreenroom-by-roomstoragesolutions

PARTTWO:DÉCORmoreisless—sortofdosanddon’ts:shoppingforsecond-handfurnituregodoubledutymakeitmobile

lightenupgetonthefloorgetreflectivefengshuibasicsaddinterestaccessorizegonaturalroom-by-roomdécorsolutions

PARTTHREE:ENTERTAININGovernightguestsbigparty,smalleverythingelsekeepitcleardosanddon’tsforbeingagracioushostorhostesskeepingitcooldecorateprepthebathroomfeedingthemasses(akapartyplatters)havesignaturedessertsdosomesemi-homemadesetthebarhaveasignaturescentoccasion-by-occasionsolutions

apartmentglossaryacknowledgmentsabouttheauthor

INTRODUCTION

There are nearly 25million of us that live in apartments in theUnitedStates.Andifbuilders’reportsaretrue,andtheaveragehomesizesaregettingsmallerfor the first time in decades—including those multi-dwelling spots we’recrammedinto—we’vegotevenlesslivingspaceinourfuture.Addinthenewlydeveloped big-city micro-apartment concept, and our living experience islooking a lot like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (without the hedgehogcroquet—we hope).But just like age ain’t nothin’ but a number, small squarefootage doesn’t need to relegate your space to an overstuffed sausage. It’s allabouttakingcontrolofyourbelongingsandfindingwhatlayoutsworkbestforyour space. With just a few habit changes, organization fixes, and designelementsyoucaneasily live large inashoebox.Afterall,aman’shomeishiscastle.

Definingyourspace.Definingyourself.Beforeyoustartdecorating,organizing,andhosting,you’vegottomakeroomtoknow yourself. Define your needs and wishes for your home. Realisticallyunderstand your capabilities. Sure, we’d all love to be as crafty as MarthaStewart and EricaDomesek ofPS IMade This…, but if you don’t have thetime,spaceoractual interest,you’reonlycreatingmoremess—physicallyandmentally.Andwhilewe’re on the subject, take some time to clear yourmindwhileyou’regettingallthisthinkinggoing.Ameditativespiritcanhelpyoufeelcenteredandbalanced,andinturncreateahappyhome.

Three-minutemeditationSitquietly.Thatmeansyou’vegottoturnoffallthetechnologythat’sbuzzingaroundyou.Sitwithastraightback,yourheadbalancedevenlyoveryourshoulders.Feetcanbeon

thefloororfoldedundercrossedlegs.Witheyesclosed,focusyourbreath.Followthesensationoftheairasitentersyouandpassesthroughoutyourlungsandbody.Placeonehandonyourabdomenandfollowthebreath.Noticethesensations.

“Thosewhocannotchangetheirmindscannotchangeanything.”

—GEORGEBERNARDSHAW

APARTMENTHISTORYFUNFACTS

•Romanslivedinapartments.Egyptiansdid,too.•Romanplebs (peopleof the lower tomiddle classof ancientRome) lived inmulti-family dwellings called insula. The first floor served as commercialspace,while the toplevelswerelivingquarters.Thelowerunitsof thesix-orseven-storybuildingsweremoredesirable.

•Egyptianmultiple-family,hi-risedwellingsdatebacktothefifthcentury.Thebuildings grew to as high as 14 stories in the 11th century and had rooftopgardensthatwereirrigatedviaox-drawnwaterwheels.

•It’sbelievedthattherambling,yetprecise,stonestructuresbuiltbytheancientChacoansofwhat isnowNewMexicohousedareasofworship, commercialspaces,anddwellings.Thesophisticatedbuildings(circa850–1250)containedupto700roomsspreadoverfourtofivestories.

• Parisians of all classes have lived in apartments since the 17th century.Wealthier residents occupied the lower floors.Domesticworkers lived in theupperatticquarters,whichwereaccessibleonlybystaircase.

•Tenements onNewYorkCity’s lower east side date back to the 1830s. Thedwellingsweremostlyrailroadstyleandhousedimmigrantworkers.Thefirstapartmentbuildingforthemiddleclasswasconstructedin1870sbyRutherfordStuyvesant,who sought to create the “French flat,” an affordable, communalliving experience. The building boasted cold runningwater—a luxury at the

time.

Whoareyou?Nowthatyou’regoodandrelaxed,it’stimetothinkaboutwhatyoureallywantout of your home. Step one in managing your space is a simple test ofpersonality. Are you a yogi, a baker, a candlestick maker? Are you a DIYdoyenneorapersonal-styletumblrqueen?Identifythethreethingsthatyoulovemost—beautyproducts, baking cupcakes, reading first editions—anduse themastheanchors toyourdesignaestheticandorganization.Forexample:Surfers,useyourboardsasdesignaccents.Leanthemupagainstthewallandhangyourfavorite caps and everyday totes from the nose. Fashionistas, use a wall as agallery space for bags.Tack nails into a brickwall or affix hooks above yoursofaandhangyourmostpreciousChanelandAlexanderWangpurses like theworksofarttheyare.

AnswerthequestionsThere’saThreeQRulethroughoutthisguide.KeepacheatsheetinthenotessectionofyouriPhoneoronyourdesktop.Whenitcomestotheitemsyoualreadypossess,aswellasthosethatyou’rethinkingofbringingintoyourtinyspace,askyourselfthesethreequestions.

1.What’sitsfunction?2.Howdoesitmakemefeel?3.WouldIsaveitinafire?Limit the amount of sentimental items in your possession—do you really

needtoholdontothatplasticcupfromyourfirstrockconcert?Mostthingsinyour home should servemore than one purpose—youwant to be able to callupon them to do double duty.Once you knowyou can honestly answer thesequestions for everything frombronzedbabybooties tonotes fromhigh-schoolalgebra,you’rereadytostarttransformingyourpetitepadintoagrandabode.

PARTONE:ORGANIZING

“Simplicityistheultimatesophistication.”—LEONARDODAVINCI

GETTINGYOURHANDSDIRTY

Before you can get into the fun part of implementing ingenius new apartmentsolutions,there’ssomeelbowgreasethatneedstobeworkedintoyourspace.

HaveavisionLikemostthingsinlife,pullingyoursmallspacetogetherneedsaplan.Avoidahodgepodge of style, stuff, and furniture that just looks like an overcrowdedmishmash.Writedown threegoals foryour livingquarters:Doyouwant it tolook chic, streamlined, and modern? Cozy, vintage, and sunny? Use youranswers to “Who are you?” on page 6 as a guide. Having the broad strokeconceptswill aid in furniture selection.Beware of falling into thematch trap.Beingtoomatchy-matchycanmakeasmallspacelooklikeamini-versionofafurnitureshowroom.Instead,pickpiecesthatblendincolorandbalanceinscaleandproportion.Later,introduceitemsofunifyingcolorandstyle.

“Inordertoseekone’sowndirection,onemustsimplifythemechanicsofordinary,everydaylife.”

—PLATO

DeclutterFact:Pilesofpaper,mountainsofmagazines,andinessentialstuffaccountsfor40%of the cleaning needs inAmerican households.Getting rid of clutter notonly tidies up your space, it also decreases stress. Psychologists say having adisorderedhomecanleadtofeelingsofanxiety,guilt,andothernot-so-funstuffliketheinabilitytoproperlyrelax.Takeadeepbreath.Gettingridofthemessistheeasypart;it’skeepingitthatwaythatcanbethechallenge.Tip: Declutter one space, one room, one drawer at a time. Attempting tomultitaskwilljustcreateajumbleofbothyourthingsandyourmindset.

“Simplify.Simplify.”

—DAVIDHENRYTHOREAU

SPEEDCLEANINTHREESTEPS

1.Contain the clutter.Use a basket to collect stuff that’s floatingwhere itshouldn’t be. Return the items to their proper place in your home andpitchthosethatyoudon’tneed.Oldreceipts,we’retalkingtoyou.

2.Dustandvacuum.Everythinglooksdrearier(anddirtier)withevenalightsprinklingofdust.Quicklyrunamicrofiberclothovertables,bookcases,and shelves. (The fabric traps bitty bunnies.) Further spiff up with aspeedyvacuumsweepoverthefloorsandfabricfurniture.

3.Wipedown.Thebathroomandkitchencaneasilygetaone-waytickettogrimecity.Luckily,stoppingthembeforetake-offiseasy.Afterpreparingfood, run a sponge over the stove, countertop, and sink. Use anantibacterial, pre-moistened towelette towipe down the bathroom sink,tub,andtoiletonceaday.

JustdoitProcrastination doesn’t benefit anyone. Make it a habit to deal with tasksimmediately.Therearenodishwashingfairies,norwilltheCinderellabirdshelpsweepawaythedust.Andlet’sbereal,thelongeryouwait,theworseitgets—caked-on,weirdfoodstuffrequireswaymoreelbowgrease.Soinsteadofsettingyourself up for hard labor down the line, sort and tossmail as it arrives andreturnanythingthatyouusetoitsproperhomeuponcompletion.Remember:It’sjustaseasytotossyourday’soutfitontheflooras it is toplaceitbackinthecloset.Ifyoucan’tletgooftheI’ll-just-leave-it-for-nowmentality,see“Makealandingstrip”onpage12.

“Truelifeislivedwhentinychangesoccur.”

—LEOTOLSTOY

MakedatesWhen it comes to exercise, healthy eating, and other good habits, a slew ofstudiesshowyou’remorelikelytostickwithsomethingifyouschedule it—inpen.(Sinceapaperplannercanaddtotheclutter,makecleaningappointmentsinyour Google calendar with reminders.) Schedule a deep house clean—floors,bathroom,andinsideofthefridge—twiceamonth.Setasideacoupleofhours(Saturdaymorningsbeforeyogaare agreat time).Putonyour favoritemusic,podcast,orbook-on-tapetostokeyourenergythroughouttheproject.See“CleanGreen”onpage32fortipsonscrubbingupinahealthyway.

Similarly, make reorg appointments with yourself quarterly. Review the“Toss,Store,Keep”strategies foundonpage13. If something isn’tworking—likeyourkitchenaccessoriesdrawerisoutofreach,oryourlandingstrips(page12) havebeen abandoned for landing fields across various surfaces—comeupwithanewmethod.Akeytoremainingclutter-freeishavinganeasysystemthatactuallyworksforyourlifestyleandhome.

“Toimproveistochange;tobeperfectistochangeoften.”

—WINSTONCHURCHILL

YOURBETTER(ORWORSE)HALF

Nomatterhowgood(orbad)yourrelationshipiswiththepersonyoulivewith,it’s rare that you’ll perfectly see eye-to-eye on design and cleaning habits.Havingastraightforwardplaninplacefordécorandchoredelegationiseasierthan trying to tackle things issueby issue,whichwill just endupmakingyouseemlikeanag.

HowtocombineyourstuffYou’vehadthemove-intalk,sonowit’stimetochataboutthemerge.AccordingtoasurveyconductedbyeBayClassifieds,54%ofAmericanshavetenduplicateitemswhentheymoveinwithasignificantother.Sowhetherit’switharandomroomie,along-timepartner,oranage-oldbestie,oddsareit’stimetotrimthefat.Take stock. Make an inventory list of furniture and appliances. Use yourpersonalityquizonpage6andyourspacevisiononpage8 to figureoutwhatyouneed,andwhatcanrealisticallyfitinthespace.Vote. Start with the doubles. Whose coffeemaker is in better shape?Who ismoreattachedtotheirgrandmother’ssilver?Thenwhittledownthesingleitemslikevasesandclocksthatmaytakeupspaceinthecombinedhome.Startover.Ifyoucan’tagreeonwhosecouchiscuter,itmaybetimetochooseanewone.Together,decideonitemsthatphysicallyfityourhomeaswellassuitbothofyourpersonalities.Sharethespace.Rememberthisisnowajointhome,whichmeansyoushouldboth feel comfortable in the abode. Items should reflect both of you andyourcombinedneeds.

Threetricksfordealingwithamessyroomie(orspouse!)There’salotofthingsyouloveaboutthem,

butthefrequencywithwhichtheycleanthebathroommaynotbeoneofthem.1.Dividemy-side,your-side.Defineyourspaceandyourroomie’s.Bedirect

aboutyourcleanlinessexpectationsanddiscussdoable—andrealistic—choredivision.Ifyou’retheonestartingthenegotiations,trynottobeoverbearingwhenyoutalk,oryoumayjustmaketheissuemessier.

2.Distinguishbetweenfilthandmess.Oneispotentiallydangerous(toxicmold,vermin,ohmy!),theotherissimplyannoying.IftheproblemisamessyJesse,createacatchallboxforhisstuff.Whenyoudoaspeedclean,putallofhisitemsinabasketandplaceitonhissideoftheroom.

3.Hireapro.Forgetfightingoverthechorewheelandpoolyourresourcesforabimonthlydeepclean.Bonus:It’llalleviateyoururgetonag.

Note:Safetyhazardsshouldbeaddressedwithyourlandlordordormmanager.

“Housekeepingain’tnojoke.”

—LOUISAMAYALCOTT

SQUAREFOOTAGESTATISTICSWhat’s an apartment? It depends on where you go. Here are some of theminimum living sizes in cities across the world: • Boston: 450 square feet •BuenosAires: 96.8 square feet •Chicago: 125 square feet •Los Angeles: 250squarefeet•Miami:950squarefeet •NewYorkCity:400squarefeet •Paris:96.8squarefeet •SanFrancisco:290squarefeetBut thefuture issmall;hereare proposed sizes for micro apartments in some U.S. cities: • Boston: 300square feet versus current legal size of 450 square feet •New YorkCity: 250square feet versus current legal size of 400 square feet • San Francisco: 220squarefeetversuscurrentlegalsizeof290squarefeet

GOODPRACTICES

Youknowwhoyouare—you’vefoundabitofmindfulcalmandgainedavisionof your space (and the one you’re living with if that’s where you’re at), butbefore you can put on your decorator’s cap, you’ve got to get organized. Ifyou’re easily distracted, set an alarm on your phone to help focus your timelimits.

CreatezonesWhether you live in a 375-square-foot studio or a 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom apartment, the number one key to keeping it clean, pretty, andfunctioningisassigningahomebaseforeverythingyouown.Cordonoffareasthat servespecificpurposesandplaceanything thatcorresponds to such there.Obviously,thekitchenisforcookingandeating,butareyouacrafterthatusesthe stove and sink a lot?Think about allocating a drawer or overhead cabinetspaceexclusivelyforyourtoolsforprojects.Ifyoudon’thavespaceforadesk,delineateaportionofyourcredenzaorbedside tableasyour techcenter (page24). Immediately remove anything that doesn’t correspond to the zone. Andstrictlysticktoazone’sfunctionanduse.

MakealandingstripLet’sfaceit—noone’shomeactuallylookslikearealestatelistingatalltimes.And there are very fewpeoplewho can realistically keep their places lookingvisitor-perfect24/7.Avoidcreatingchaosbycontainingyourprocrastinationtoalanding strip.Use the top of your desk or a surface by your entrance to stackmailandotherpapersthatyoudon’tfeellikedealingwithimmediately.Onceaweek, edit the pile, recycle or shred the garbage, and respond to any formalinvitations and bills. You may also consider a landing strip in your bedroomarea. Choose a chair or bench to drop yesterday’s outfit, this morning’s gymclothes,andlastnight’sdatenightpumpsinasingleplace.Cleanitoffweekly,ortheaforementionedchaoswillensue.

TOSS,STORE,KEEP

MAJORPROJECTALERT!It’stimetousetheThreeQRuleineveryroomofyourhome.Hereisaroom-by-roomguidethatwillhelpyou.Takeouteveryitem you own, hold it up, and ask yourself three questions: Does this have afunction?When’sthelasttimeIusedit?Howdoesitmakemefeel?Ifyoucan’tdefineanyofthethree,that’sanimmediatetoss.Ifithasanactualfunctionbutyoudon’tparticularlyloveit(likethatbeat-upTVstandyourboyfriendbroughtfrom his frat house), hold onto it until you’ve found a suitable replacement.Whilethereareplacesineveryhomeforsentimentalitemsthatdon’treallyhaveapurpose,yourhouseisnotthemuseumofyou.It’salivingspaceandifyourstuff gets in theway, you’re defeating yourself. It’s a good idea to have fourboxesorpileswhenexaminingeachsubject.Labelthem:Keep,Trash,Donate,andPutAway(foritemsthatdon’tliveinthedraweryoufounditin).Aimtodothispracticeoncequarterly.

CLOTHING

IfMichelleObama andAnnaWintour can repeat their favorite cardigans andslingbacks,socanyou.Anoverstuffedclosetdoesn’tactuallygivemoreoutfitoptions, just more—you guessed it—clutter. Immediately toss anything that’sstainedbeyondsalvation.EdityourclosetusingThreeClothingQs:1.HaveIwornthisinthepastyear?Ifyes,anditfits,itstays.Iftheanswerisno,youneedtodofurtherinvestigation.Ifyouhaven’tputitonin18months,nofurtherthoughtisneeded;itshouldgetrecycled.See“WheretoToss”onpage26.2.Isthispiececlassic?Blueblazers,blackcardigans,andcrispwhiteshirtsare

alwaysinseasonformenandwomen.Thesamecanbesaidforballetflatsandtailoredjeans(see“Sixclothingitemseverywomanshouldown”onpage14and“Sevenclothingitemseveryguyshouldown”onpage15forclassicclosetpieces).Getridofanyitemsthatscream,“Hey!I’mfromtheNixonadministration”or“IwentontourwiththeGratefulDead”or“DoesanyoneknowthewaytoWestBeverlyHigh,youknow,90210?”Vintageitemsthathaveaclassicshapeandstructurecanstay.IfAudreyHepburnorGeorgeClooneywouldwearthepieceinquestion,it’sakeeper.Oneexceptiontotheclassickeeperrule:ifyouanswer“no”tothenextquestion.

3.Doesitfit?Don’tkeepthingsthatyouthinkyoumaywearonedaywhenyoulosethoselastsevenpounds.Anddon’thangontoanythingthatmakesyoulookanythinglessthanyourbest.Textfriendsimagesofyourselfinpiecesthatyou’reonthefenceabout.If the itemhassentimentalvalue(more it-belonged-to-a-relativeandlessI-

met-the-person-I’m-currently-dating-wearing-this-flannel) and finally—this iskey!—ifitiswellmade,itcanstay.Classic,specialoccasionitems(avintagefurwrap,acashmerecarcoat)canliveinyourclosetforyearswithoutuse.

“Trendsmaycomeandgo,butstyleisforever.”

—YVESSAINTLAURENT

Sixclothingitemseverywomanshouldown1.LBD.Office,event,evencourtroomappropriate,thelittleblackdressisa

number-onemust-haveoneveryfashioneditor’sneedlist.Chooseasheath;itcanbeworndayornight.

2.Blackornavyblazer.Awell-cutjacketpairswitheverythingfromjeanstoLBDs.Chooseastylethataccentuatesthewaist.Shyawayfromstyleswithspangledbuttons,whichcanlookdated.

3.Darkwashjeans.Fadedwashescanlookjuvenileandinappropriate,whiledeeprinsedenimcangofromtheofficeandhappyhourtotheplayground.Afitted,flaredcutjeanisuniversallyflatteringandelongatestheleg.

4.Trenchcoat.Anotherclassicandtimelessoutfittransformer,abeltedtrenchcanfinishanylook.Bonus:Thewell-fashionedcoatcanfitacrossfluxesinweight.

5.Tailored,collaredshirt.Theconsistentthemewiththeitemsonthislististhattheyallmakeyoulookchicandeffortlesslypolished.AcrispwhiteshirtwithFrenchcuffsaddsabitofsophisticationtoanybottomchoice,includingjeans.

6.Neutralcashmeresweater.Simultaneouslywarmandlightweight,agrayorcaramelV-neckcanlayerwithoutbulk.

SevenclothingitemseveryguyshouldownGettingthatclassic,handsome-guylookiseasierthanyouthink.1.Navysuit.Alightweight,woolnavysuitisnotonlyclassic,itcanbewornin

anyseason,foranyoccasion(wedding,jobinterview,courtappearance).Keepthelooktimelesswithasingle-breast,three-buttonjacket.Anothertip:Optforflat-front,cuff-lesspants.

2.Blackdressshoes.Youcan’texactlypairyourspiffysuitwithapairoftrainers,right?Theblackshoeinanoxfordstyleisappropriatefootwearforboththeofficeandevening.Chooseshoeswithminimalstitchingtoretainasenseoftimelessness.

3.Bluedressshirt.Awhiteshirtcanlooktooformalwithyoursuit,whileawell-tailored,lightblueoxfordpairswithasuit,chinos,andjeans.Itcanevenworkunderahoodie.BrooksBrothersmakesanon-ironversion,whichcanbetossedinasuitcaseorgymbagwithouttheworryofwrinkles.

4.Chinos/khakipants.It’sbeensaidthatthesepantsaresoversatileyoucansleepinthem.Technicallyspeaking,khakisarethemorecausalofthetwo,buterronthesideofDockersforauniversallyflatteringfitinnaturalcottontwill.Chinoslookbestwithflatfronts.Hemorrollanystylesthataretoolongintheleg.Bonus:Youdon’tneedtoironthem.

5.NeutralV-necksweater.Weartothebarsortotheoffice.Fact:CollaredshirtsfitbetterunderV-necksthancrewstyles.ChooseacutthatfitsthecollarwellwhilestillworkingwithacausalT.Lightweightcashmereisperfectforamoreformallook.Navypairswellwithkhakisaswellasjeans.

6.Canvassneakers.Runningshoesaretoo“I’mliftinglater”andthetoeshoesdon’ttranslateintoanysituationwell.Aneutralcanvassneakiscoolforattendinggamenightoranightgame.Dependingonyourprofession,theymayalsoworkoncasualdays.

7.Leatherjacket.Everybody’sgotabitofbadassinhim.Awell-cutleatherjacketlooksgoodinanysituationthatdoesn’trequireasuit.Lookforslimcutstyleswithlimitedhardware.

(SOME)SYNONYMSFORSMALLWhen you find yourself trying to describe your apartment, you can get a lotmorecreativethanjustsayingit’ssmall.Youcouldtellpeopleit’s…

babybantambite-sizedbittycozydinkydwarfishfinehalf-pintintimateitsy-bitsyLilliputianlimitedlittle

micromicroscopicminiminiatureminikinminimminutemodestnarrowpetitepicayunepiddlingpint-sizedpocket-sizedpunyruntyscantyscrubbyshrimpyslightsmall-scalesparesparseteensyteenytoytoyliketriflingtrivialweeYoumayalsoseesomeofthesewordspopupindescriptionsfromthereal

estatesectionassynonymsfor“notawholelottasquarefeet.”

ThedifferencebetweendatedandvintageVintageisthecatchalltermforsecond-handclothingorfirst-rungarmentsfromapriorera.Vintageclothingtendstobeclassicinshapeandstyleandholdsupwhenremovedfromitsoriginaltimeperiod.Generallyspeaking,clothingthatdatesfrombeforethe1920siscalledantique.

Keeping (and shopping for) vintage pieces can be a bit tricky, since thewrongmovecanmakeclothesappearoutofstep.Threetipstodealingwitholdclothes:1.Bealabelsnob.Designerpiecesandnaturalfiberskeeptheirshapeovertheyears.Lookfortheunioncardontheinseam.Usuallysquareandabout½inchby½inch,theseindicatethegarmentwasconstructedintheU.S.beforethe1980s.Commontagsread“LadiesGarmentWorkersUnion”and“MadeinU.S.A.”2.Keepit“modern.”Choosesolidcolorsoverpatternedpieces.Largegraphics

canlookdated.3.Inspectthehardware.Tears,catches,andmissingzipperteethcanlook

sloppy.Skipbuyingbags,shoes,orscarvesunlesstheyareperfect.Dittoforfitonsweaters,pants,andskirts.

“Fashionchanges,butstyleendures.”

—COCOCHANEL

FURNITURE

Likeyourclothing,furnitureismeant tobefunctionalaswellasstylish.If it’stoo much of one and not enough of the other, you’ve got a problem. Whenfurnishingsdon’tfitphysicallyoriftheyjamupthesenseofflowinyourhome,yourspacefeelsevenmorelikeamatchbox.Sincefurnitureisbothbiginsizeand investment, it can be a littlemore difficult to partwith pieces that aren’tworking, but you can do it. Toss anything that’s stained or severely damaged.Scratchesonwoodentablescanbesandeddown,butgashesinupholsterymaycallforapro.(See“Cleverreuse”onpage29fortipsonhowtogiveyourthingsanewlife.)UsetheThreeFurnitureQstomakethebreak.It’seasierthanyouthink—promise!1.What’sthefunction?Duh,thesofa’sjobistobeaplacetosit,chat,watch

TV,usemylaptop,andsometimessleep.Butthepointhereis:Doesthecoucheasilytransformintoabed?Doesithavebuilt-instorage?Aimtohavepiecesthatarenotonlymultitaskers,butthatcanalsobeusedinavarietyofsituations.Ottomanswithstoragecompartmentscanbeusedasanextraseat,coffeetable,footrest,orbedsidetable.

2.Doesitfit?Nothingscreams,“Welcometotinytown!”likeoversize,prominentTVorcomputerscreens.Ifyouaren’tKevinSpaceyorShondaRhimes,doyoureallyneedthelargestflat-panelLCDintown?Howaboutthatsectionalyoujusttrippedoveronthewaytoyourdesk?Massivepiecesnotonlyhogpreciousrealestate,theyalsomakesmallareasappearmoreminiscule.

3.Howdoesitmakemefeel?Ifyourdesk-slash-dinnertable-slash-craftingareamakesyourfacedoTheScreameverytimeitcatchesyoureye,itmaybetimetosaybye-bye.Yes,thetableissuperfunctional,andsureitfitsinthespace,butthekeytobuildingahomeismakingitfeel,well,homey.Carefullyselectitemsthatnotonlyserveafunction(preferablydoubleduty),butalsomakeyoufeelhappy.

ThreeapartmentnecessitiesEveryapartmentneedstoaddressthesenecessitiestobecalledhome.Allthe

otherstuffisgravy.1.Sleep.Homemaybewheretheheartis,butitisalsofundamentallytheplace

wherewerestourwearyheads.Andhavingadedicatedsleepingspaceiskeytocreatingahome.Whetherit’saMurphybedoraCaliforniaKing,yourcribneedsabedthat’scomfortableandfunctional.(P.S.Wespendathirdofourlifesleeping,sowemightaswelldoitsweetly.)2.Sit.Yourbeddoesn’tcount.Everyoneneedsaplacetohaveamomentofrepose.Asofa,wingback,Eames,orreclineristheperfectperchtowatchTV,readabook,putonyourshoes,orsimplydaydream.

3.Eat.Havingasturdy,dedicatedplacetoenjoythefruitsofyourlaborandthebaconitbringshomeisn’tmerelyadult,it’shuman.Butnoteveryoneneedsabanquettable.Chooseatablethatfitsyourspaceandlifestyle.

“Homeisthenicestwordthereis.”

—LAURAINGALLSWILDER

STEPSTOMEASUREAROOM

1. To get themost precisemeasurement, use a 50-foot tapemeasurewith theassistance of a friend. That way you’ll have help keeping it straight—abiggie to assure precision—and you’ll have enough tape to measure longwallsifnecessary.

2.Measurethewidthandheightofwalls,andthelengthofthefloors.Toensureyou’vegot anactual square, andnot a curvature,measurediagonally fromcornertocorner.

3.Runthetapeoverthewindows,length-wiseandwidth-wise.Notehowfarthewindows are from the floor and tops of the ceiling. Alsomeasure aroundradiators,iftheytakeupfloorspace.

Thelow-downonfurniturewoodGenerallyspeaking,

furnitureisconstructedofthreetypesofwood—hard,soft,andengineered.Hardwood. Sourced from deciduous trees—oak, maple, mahogany, teak,walnut,cherry,andbirch—piecesofthistypearesturdy.Thewoodtendstobeair-and kiln-dried to remove all moisture. Furniture made of hardwood is themostexpensive(andheaviesttomove,whichisgoodtokeepinmindifyou’restillsortoftransient).Softwood.Coniferoustreessuchasfir,cedar,andpinetendtohaveareddishoryellow color. Since they grow quickly, furniture of this type is less expensivethan hardwood. Softwoods tend to scratch or dent easily, therefore they needmorecare.Veneer.Thinlayersofvariouswoodsareadheredtoplywoodorothermaterialsto create a wood-finish appearance. The benefit of this process is to curbconsumercost.Some furniturecomes inmultiplewoods,which is acomboofhigh and low. Often, cheaper legs will be stained to match a higher qualitytabletop.

KITCHEN

The hearth is the heart of the home. The kitchen feeds us both literally andfiguratively.Not only should it be spick-and-span clean at all times, but yourkitchen area should also reflect a healthy life view. And as we know, adeclutteredspaceisabalancedspace;usetheThreeKitchenQstoachievethat.1.Howlonghasitbeenhere?Mostfoods,evencannedones,haveashelflife.

CaptainObvious,right?Butyou’dbesurprisedhowmanyout-of-datecansandbottlesaretakingupvaluablecabinetrealestate.Althoughyoucanholdontomanyofthemforupto18months,aimtoconsumecannedfoodwithinayearofpurchase.Somelow-acidfoodscanbestoredfortwotofiveyears.Immediatelytosstinsthatarebroken,punctured,bulged,orrusted,astheymayhavebotulism.Makesureyouproperlydisposeofexpiredjarredfoods,sothatnohumanoranimalwillconsumethem.Placethecaninadoubleplasticbagandtapeitclosed.Handlewithglovesifopenedorpunctured.

Flour,sugar,andotherdrygoodsshouldbebug-free.Throwoutanythingthatsmellsrancid.Sincebakingpowderandmanyspicescanlosetheirpotency,restockeverysixmonths.Andjustlikeaspirationalclothes,aspirationalfoods—gojiberries,cold-pressedflaxoil,alifetimesupplyofchia—needtobegiventheheave-hoifyoudon’tactuallyeatthem.

FOODLIFERS

Ifstoredproperly,somefoodscanstay(nearly)foreverinthecabinet.Sealthefollowinginairtightcontainersinacoolareaawayfromsunlight,andyou’llbesetforlife.

Honey. Sweet news: This treat is edible indefinitely. If it crystallizes, simplyplacetheopenedjarinapotofwateratmediumheat.Stirhoneyuntilyoulikethe viscosity. Extend the shelf life of honey’s sweet cousin, maple syrup, bystoringitinthefreezer.

Pure vanilla extract. The expensive powerhouse counterpart to the imitationcalledforinnearlyallbakedgoodsistheEnergizerbunnyofthespicerack.

Rice. As long as it’s contaminant-free, you can enjoy your favorite rice (nomatter the grain) whenever you like. However, the oil content in brown ricemakesitslifespanalittleshorter.

Hard liquor. Although the taste and aroma fade gradually over time, distilledspiritscanstillbeenjoyedinasnifterorinafavoriterecipe.

Distilled white vinegar. The ultimate kitchen multitasker has incrediblelongevity.

Salt.There’sareasonit’stheworld’soldestspice—itnevergoesstale.

2.Isitchipped?IfyoucanrepurposethebonechinateacuportheLibertyprintsaladplate,youcanconsiderkeepingit.Butgenerallyspeaking,anythingthat’sbrokengetsthehastaluegotreatment.Teacupsmakecutevotiveholders,budvases,orbathroomvanitystorageforbobbypinsandhairelastics.Placethoseoldplatesunderplantstocatchwater.However,don’tfallintothesentimentaltrap.Ifyoucan’tthinkofadifferentuseimmediately,sorry,Charlie,itdoesn’tmakethecut.Dittoformismatcheditems,rustedorbentsilverware,andwarpedcuttingboards.

3.What’sitsfunction?TheVitamixmakesjuices,theKitchenAidmixermakespasta,andthetoastermakestoast,butdoyouuseanyofthoseitemsmorethanonceaweek?Iftheanswerisyes,theitemstays.Doyoumakeitlessthanonceaquarter?Umm…well,thenit’stimeforaCraigslistpost.Inadditiontotossingthespecialtyitemsthataren’tused,it’stimetochuckthecookbooksthatshouldberenameddustbooks.Scanorclipanyrecipesyoudouseandcollatethemintoasinglebookorontoyourtablet.Edityourmountainofplasticcontainers.Tossanythatdon’thavetopsorarewarped.Trashexcesscovers,too.Donateoryardsalethepineapplecorer,theknivesthatbarelycutbutter,andanythingelsethatdoesn’tadequatelyperformitsfunction(see“WheretoToss”onpage26).

AccordingtotheDukeCenteronSustainability,14%ofhomefoodpurchasesarewastedduetoeitherspoilageorbeingdiscardedas

scraps.

HowtocleancookwareEnamel.Althoughthelabelmaysay“dishwashersafe,” it’sbest tohandwash

withaspongeandwarmsoapywater.Asoakmaybenecessarytoremovestuck-on residue. Make sure the pan is properly cooled before placing under coldwater,oryouruntheriskofcrackingtheenamel.Copper. Spongedowndirectly after usewithwarmwater and soap.To avoiddiscoloring,useacoppercleanertopolishthepan.Stainlesssteel.Clean immediatelywithaspongeandsoapandwater.Removestuck-on food or stubborn stains with a powdered cleaner. Rinse with warmwateruntilthereisnolongerthesensationofgrit.Nonstick.Neverusescouringpadsorpowderedcleaners,whichcandamagethecoating.Insteadcleanwithsoapywaterandasoftsponge.

BATHROOMANDLINENS

Yes, it’sgroundzeroforpersonalbusinessandgrooming,but thewashroomisalsoaplaceforrelaxation.Comeon,admitit,you’veoftendreamedofhavingaspaorasteamroomathome.Now,Ican’tgiveyouanextra-deep,jettedtub-for-twoinyourteensyspace,butgettingridoftheexcessstuffandclearingoffthesurfaceswillinstantlyinfuseyourbathroomwithasenseofcalm.Startingwiththemedicinechestandmovingdownthroughthevanityanditssurfaces,usetheThreeBathroomQs.1.Howoftendoyouuseit?Let’sbereal.Ifthelasttimeyouusedthatcrimp

ironwaswhenaPatBenetarvideodebuted,getridofit.Dittoforthehandcreamyouboughtonthatskivacationthreeseasonsago.Smallspacesseemevenitsybitsierwhenshelvesarepacked.Tossanypartially-usedproductsthataren’tinthecurrentrotation.(See“Whentobinpersonalproducts”onpage22.)Sendmostofyoursamplesizesstraighttosee-you-latertown.Theexception—ifyouhostout-of-townguests,useafewtocreateabathroomcaddy(seepage63).ChecktheexpirationdateonmedicinesandmakesureyourOTCsarecurrent.

2.Howmanydoyoureallyneed?Soyou’vegotalipbalmaddiction,butdoyouactuallyrequireeighttinsofRosebudSalve,sixteenChapsticks,andsomeotherrandobrandsyoupickedupbecauseyoulikedthepackaging?Takeoutthedoubles,trips,andquadsofitems.Tossanythingbeyonditsprime.(Youshouldhavedonethatinstepone,butIknowyoufeltlikeyouneededthatextrabottleofshampoo,justincase.)So,pitchitnow.Thenallowyourselftokeepasinglebackup.(Theexceptionhereistoiletpaper.)Placetherestoftheunuseditemsinaboxfordonation.See“WheretoToss”onpage26forwheretodonate.Alsoremoveanythingfromthebathroomthatdoesn’treallybelongthere,suchasexcessdecorativepieces.Again,asleekspaceisasereneone.

3.Whatisthecondition?Bathlinensthatarestainedortornlookdumpy.Andthat’snowaytofeelaftercleansing.Tossanythingthat’sthreadbarewhileyouareatit.Again,getridofexcess.Chancesareyouaren’tgoingtobehostingaplatooninyourtinyapartment,sodoyoureallyneedadozenbathtowels?

Threewaystosafelydisposeofdrugs1.Turnthemin.Yourbestbetforpitchingoldmedsresponsiblyisamedicinetake-backprogram.CallyourlocallandfillorgototheU.S.DrugEnforcementAdministration’swebsite(justice.gov)fordetails.2.Mixitup.Taketheolddrugsandcombinethemwithkittylitterorused

coffeegroundssothey’retoomessedupforanyone(oranypet)togetinto.PlacethemixtureinasealedZiplocbagandtossitinyourgarbagecan.Donotcrushthepills.Note:Medicatedpatchescannotbedisposedofinthismanner.

3.Flush’em.Becausetheycanbelethaltothosewhodon’thaveaprescriptionbutusethemanyway,somemedicationsneedtobedisposedofimmediately.Olderones,however,areabittrickier,assomemedicationscancausemoreharminthewaterstream.Gotofda.govforalistofflushablemeds.

Note:Nomatterhowyoudisposeofyourdrugs,make sureyoublackout theprescriptioninfo.

EVERYHOUSESHOULDHAVEAFIRSTAIDKITGet a waterproof, spill-proof container. In it, divide supplies into two bags—wound supplies and medications—along with important medical contact andinsuranceinfo.WoundSupplies•Acebandage•Adhesivetape•Band-Aids,allsizes•Non-adhesivepads(forcovering burns) • Safety pins • Scissors • Sterile gauze pads • TweezersMedications

•Anestheticsprayorlotion(forbugbitesoritchyrashes)•Antibiotictopicalcream (for cuts and simple wounds) • Antiseptic wipes • Hydrocortisoneointment•Oralantihistamine

WhentobinpersonalproductsHoldingontotheshavingkityougotwhenyoufirstsproutedstubbleor

thatglittereyeshadowyouboughtforthe*NSYNCconcertisnotonlyaclutterproblem,it’sanickyissue.Oldpersonalcareproductsarebacteriabreedinggrounds.Skincareproductscanalsoloseefficacyovertime.

Whentotoss

OFFICEANDPAPERWORK

It’salive!OK,that’sabitofanexaggeration,butoftentimestheleaningtowerofmail, important docs, and photos on your desk (or portion of your kitchencounter thatcatchesyourpaperwork)canbecomeoverwhelming.Excesspaperis the number-one source of clutter in our homes. And like a bad weed, itspreads.Seriously,checkandseeifyou’vegotpaperinthebathroom,bedroom,kitchen, living area, and, oh, is that a newspaper in your bed?Use the ThreeOfficeQstoedityourmaillandingstrip(seepage12)andVIP(veryimportantpaper) piles. Paying any bills and responding to invitations immediately isimportant,soputtheinfoinyouriCal.Dependingonyourclutterbugtendencies,youmayneedtodoamonthlypaperpurgeasopposedtoaquarterlyonefortheotherareasofyourhome.

CLUTTERBYTHENUMBERS

•Anapproximate44%ofjunkmail isneveropened.Call888-5OPTOUTtogetoffcreditcardsolicitationlists.Emailoptout@abacus-direct.comtostopthestreamofunwantedcatalogs.

•Twenty-threepercentofadultspaybills latebecause theycan’t find them.Go paperless for statements and bills or consider enrolling in automaticpaymentplans.

•AccordingtotheNationalAssociationofProfessionalOrganizers,wespendoneyearofourliveslookingforlostitems.

•Atwelve-foot-highwallcouldbebuiltfromNewYorkCitytoLosAngeleswithallofthepaperthrownoutintheU.S.eachyear.

1.WillIneeditagain?Therearefewdocumentsthatareactuallynecessarytokeeponfile.Taxdocumentsareone.Alsoholdontomortgage,creditcard,bank,andinvestmentstatementsforaluckysevenyears.Samegoesfordeductiblebusinessreceiptsandbills.Storewarrantiesanduserguidestogetherinanaccessiblespot.Labeleverythingand,ifyou’vegotspace,

collectthedocumentsintobinders.Nowlet’stalkaboutallthosereceiptsfromthenailsalon,thedrugstore,heathfoodstore,puppyfoodsupplyplace,magazinekiosk,andlastweek’shappyhour.Iftheyaren’tbusinessexpensesordeductible,whataretheydoing?Thequickanswer:gatheringdust.Shredanydocumentsandjunkmailthathavesensitivematerials.ReusetheshreddedpapertostorefragileitemslikeChristmasornaments.Haveoldnewspapersaround?Usethepagestostoresweaters(itcankeepmothsaway).

Givecatalogs,magazines,andunusedclippingstherecycletreatment,orbetteryetusethemaswrappingpaper.Ifyou’reholdingontotheCrateandBarrelandAntropologiecatalogsfordécorinspiration,ripoutthepertinentpages.Labelandcreateafolderforthetearsheets.Dothesameforfashioncut-outs,recipes,craftprojects,andthelikefrommagazinesandnewspapers.Noneedtogooverboard-Type-Awiththelabels;dowhatyoufindappropriatenotwhatyouthinksomeoneelsewoulddo.Color-codethefoldersforeasierorganization.Ifyoustorephotosandprivatelettersinyourofficearea,usetheThreeSentimentalQsonpage28forhandlingthoseitems.

2.Canitbedigitized?WhenwasthelasttimeyoupoppedinaDVDormixtape?MoveyourfavoriteVeronicaMarsepisodesontoyourharddriveanduploadallyourmusicaswell.Scanmortgagestatements,receipts,andbillsthatneedtobestoredfortaxpurposes.Evenbetter,precyclepapersbysigningupforpaperlessbilling.Cometaxtime,youcansimplyprintthestatementsfromyourinbox.Considerpayingyourbillsonlineandoptfore-mailedreceiptswhenpossible.IfyouuseAmericanExpress,theyofferahandyend-of-the-yearfunctionthatcategorizesyourtransactions.Gothroughyourpilesofthumbdrives.Consolidatewhatyoucanontoafewandrecycletherest.Theyareseriousdrawerjunkers.Whileyou’reatit,sweepupyourinboxesaswell.Remember:Astreamlinedsystempromotesacalmmind.

3.Whatdoesthatcordattachto?Admitit,thatbundleofwiresatthebackofyourdeskhasbeentheresincethePalmPilotlaunched.ClearoutanychargersandreusablebatteriesthatcorrespondtotechnologythatdatestothefirstBushpresidency.Unusedcellphones,CDplayers,andiPodsshouldbeproperlyrecycled.See“WheretoToss”onpage26fortips.Getridofbrokencords,non-functioningplugs,andanythingelsethatdoesn’twork.

CreateatechcenterInvestinsomecordtamersormakeyourown(see“DIYCordStorage”onpage24).Harnessall chargeabledevicesand juice themupatadesignateddockingstation.ConsidertaggingplugswithIDstickers.Useanoldpapertowelrolltostoreextensioncordsthataren’tinuse.Seethatcassettetapecaseyou’reaboutto toss? It’s the perfect see-through container for iPlugs and the iPod factory-issueheadphones.Ifyouneedbatteriesforanything,storethemnearby.

DIYcordstorageCordCatchall. Yoke all your juicers into a single unit behind your desk (orcredenza or wherever you’ve zoned your tech center.) Still have yourBlockbustercardorsomeotherlaminateddetritusthat’sindisuse?Withahole-puncher,punchasmanyholesasyouhavegadgets.Cutasingleslicefromtheedgetoeachholewithscissors,andslideinyourcards.Admittedlyit isn’t thesturdiest solution, but it’s better than attack of the killer cords. If you’reconcernedabouttheaesthetics,spraythecardwithaquickhitofpaint.CordBox.Tame theDVD,TV, computer output cable, and the like in aDIYbox.Acardboardmediabox(foundattheContainerStore,HomeGoods,oronAmazon)worksbestbecauseit’ssturdy,butinapinchashoeboxcanfunctionaswell.WithanX-Actoknife,cutoutasmanyholesasplugs.Reinforceeachholewithabookplate(foundatanycraftstore)orothersturdysticker.Placeapowerstripintheboxandplugeverythingin.Labeleachhole.Note:Monitortheboxtoensureitdoesn’tgettoohot.DockingStation.Thoroughlycleanoutaflat-shapedplasticbottle(shampooormoisturizerbottlesworkwell).Usingyourphoneasameasuringtool,sketchouttheshapeandsizeyou’dlikethecradletobe.Itisagoodideatokeepthefrontlower,soyoucanseemessagesasyourphone ischarging.Cutalong the linesusinganX-Actoknife.Keepthebackofthenewlycreatedbaskethigherandcuta hole about the size of a socket. Spray paint the container orwrap in fabricusingglue.Slidetheplugintotheholeandsockettoattachtothewall.

THREERULESTODIY

Nearly7%ofushavebeen livingwithunfinishedDIYprojects formore than

twoyears.Don’tbeastatistic.1.Finishwhatyoustarted.Don’tstartanewprojectuntilyou’vecompleted

anyworksinprogress.Writedownwhateverisoutstanding,andprioritizethe list. If there’sanythingyourealisticallyaren’tgoing to finish,eitherhiresomeonetodoitforyouortossit.

2.Manageyourexpectations.Beforeyou takeonanewDIY,askyourself:DoIhave theskillsand tools todo this?What isa realistic timeline tocompletetheproject?AnddoIhavethespaceinmyhometodothis?

3. Enlist a partner. Sometimes it’s easier to get motivated and stick to aschedulewhen you’ve got a teammate. If you’d ratherwork alone, setcraftingdatesinyourcalendar.

BOOKSHELVESBONUS

Althoughnotaroomorreallyazone,bookshelvesarebothanecessarystoragesolutionandapotentialcluttercollector.Rulenumberone:Don’tdoublestackbooks.

AndaskyourselftheThreeBookshelfQs:1.DoIloveit?2.DoIreadit?3.CanIfindthisinfoonline?Classicscanstay,butonlyifyouactuallyrereadorreferencethem.Clearout

oldtravelguidesandotherreferencetomesthatsimplygatherdust.Groupbooksthatmakethecutbysubjectandsize.Filingthembycolorampsupthedesign-yfeelofyourshelving.Also,keepsomeopenspace—itdoesn’tlookascluttered.Another trick: Store coffee-table books horizontally to break up the lines andaccessorizewith sentimental items. If you can keep it tidy, consider using thebooksyoudon’tneedtoaccessregularlyasasidetableinthelivingroomorbythebed.Neatlystackthem(hardcoversworkbest)totheheightofthefurniturearmorbedandtopwithatasklampandvaseofflowers.

“Nofurnitureissocharmingasbooks.”

—SYDNEYSMITH

WHERETOTOSS

OK,younow(hopefully)haveanabsolutelymassivepileofthingsyou’regoingto get rid of.But just because it’s on your toss list doesn’tmean it should gostraighttotheDumpster.Therearesomethingsthatcanliveonwithoutyou.

GARBAGEBYTHENUMBERS

• The Garbage Path, aka Garbage Island, a collection of trash floating in thePacificOceanisbelievedtobethetwicethesizeofTexas.

•Americans produce 50million tons of electronic gadget waste a year. Onlyabout20%ofthatisproperlyrecycledaccordingtoTheEarthDayNetwork.See “Where toToss”onpage26 for how to dispose of your electronics therightway.

•Theaveragepersonproduces4.3poundsofwastedaily,accordingtotheDukeCenterforSustainability&Commerce.

•About34millionstonsoffoodiswastedannually.Lessthan3%wasrecycledin 2009, according to research conducted at Duke. See “Three Steps toCompostatHome”onpage34forcomposttips.

•TheUnitedStateshasmorethan3,500landfills.•Morethan7billionpoundsofPVC(themostcommonplastic)istossedeachyearintheU.S.,reportsearth911.org.

•Americansuse1billion—yesthat’sa“b”—plasticbagsayear.•Eachyear,360millionpairsofshoesaretrashedtoU.S.landfills.• Paper and packagingmaterials account for approximately 30% of thewastesenttoAmericanlandfills.

•Therearebetween6and15millionhoarderslivingintheUnitedStates.

GiveitanewhomeAsthesayinggoes,oneman’strashisanotherman’streasure.Andjustbecauseyour violin hasn’t been played since your sophomore year doesn’t mean

someoneelsecan’tmakebeautifulmusic.YardSales.Everythingcanbesoldatastoopsaleoryardsale.Makesuretheitemsarecleanand ingood-workingorder.Coordinatewithneighbors togetabiggerreachanddiversityofofferings.BigTicket Items. Craigslist and eBay are great sources for big ticket items.Craigslistisalsoperfectforselling(orjustgettingsomeonetohauloff)furniturelikesofasandmattresses,whichbecauseofthebedbugepidemicinrecentyearsinmostmajormetropolitanareascannolongerbeacceptedbymanynon-profitorganizations.Scourthesitesforcompetitivepricing,andpostitemswithgood-qualityphotos.Clothes. Old clothes can be sold or donated. Buffalo Exchange, a recycleboutique, has a number of outposts across the country. The stores buy gentlyworn,currentstylesofclothingandaccessoriesandconsignhigher-priceditems,onoccasion.Manyresaleshopsconsignaswell.Thetermsofacceptancevaryateach local consignment shop, as do the fee structures. If you have a load ofgentlyworndesignerpieces,exploreTheRealReal.Thisonline,members-onlyresale boutique employs fashion editors to assess and curate a selection ofvintagegoodies.Ifyou’relookingsimplytodonate(andgetataxcredit),dropoffcleanclothestoyourlocalSalvationArmy,Goodwill,orchurchthriftshop.Theseplacesalsoacceptanyotherkindofworkinghouseholditems,aswellasbooks,music,andmagazines.Anotherpossibilityisspecializeddonationdrives:Donatemydress.org forpromand specialoccasion frocks;Dress forSuccess isall about work-and interview-appropriate clothing and unopened makeup forwomen;OneWarmCoatisanationalcoatdriveinitiative.OutdatedElectronics.Old technologycanbe recycledat retailers likeApple,Staples,andBestBuy.Gazelle.combuysusedgadgetsofallkinds.DonateyourusedcellphoneatanyVerizonlocationfortheirHopeLineprogram,whichhelpsvictimsofdomesticviolence.OrgiveittoCellPhonesforSoldiers,anon-profitforactive-dutymilitaryfamiliesandveterans.Housewares and linens. Housewares are best donated to Goodwill centers,Freecycle, or postedonCraigslist.Donateold, clean linens to animal shelters.They’ll take slightly torn sheets, blankets, and towels that otherwise can’t bedonated.Magazines,books,andothermedia.Magazines,books, andothermedia canfindnewhomesatthriftstores,nursinghomes,andfamilyshelters.BeautyProducts.Unusedbeautyproductsarewelcomeatanywomen’sshelterorBeautyBus,anon-profit thatcreatespop-upsalons in thehomesofwomen

andmenwhoarehomeboundduetoillness.Freecycle.Forsomeitems,considerjoiningtheFreecycleNetwork.Justasthenameindicates, thisnon-profitorganizationisanonlinematchsystemforyouroldstuffandsomeonenearbywhowantsit.Thesystemworksviceversa,soifyou’reonthehuntforaTVstand,thismaybeaplacetolook.Donationsaretaxdeductible.Hauling services. More appropriate for total house clean-outs, 1-800-GOT-JUNK, a full-service disposal company, removes furnishings, unwieldyhousewaresand,youguessedit—junk—forafee.

Swapyourstuff:ThreestepstohostaswappartyGetridofyourstuffwitharegiftingfête.1.Theprep.Anevenamountofguestsisideal.Createabalanceofitems,

styles,sizes,andpersonalities.Putinstructionsontheinviteastowhatyou’dlikegueststobring(clothes,housewares,books,orjustonecategory)andthecondition—clean,gentlyworn,ornew,forexample.Alsosetaminimumandmaximumnumberofitems.Thegoalistogetridofstuff,notaccumulatemore.

2.Theparty.Serveclassicsnacksandappetizers.Seerecipesstartingonpage75inPartThreeforideas.Haveeachguestdoashowandtellwiththeitemstheybrought.Anyonewhoisinterestedraisesahand.Piecesthathavemorethanonetakergetputintoa“fight”pile.Whenshowandtellconcludes,takeoutthefightpile.Havegueststryonthoseitemsinquestionormaketheircaseforwhytheyneedit,andhaveimpartialpartygoersdecidewhoisbetterfitfortheselection.

3.Theclean-up.Haveanimmediatedonationstrategy.Anythingthatisn’ttakenshouldberemovedfromyourhomeattheendoftheparty.Remember,thisisastrategytogetridofclutter!

SENTIMENTALITEMS

Take a deepbreath.Although itmay seem like the hardest part of your purgeprocess,it’salsogoingtobethebiggestspacesaver.First,rememberyourhouseisnotyourveryownGraceland.Yourhomeisafunctional retreat that reflectsyourpersonality,notaplace thatpayshomagetoyourpast.Soclearout thoseballetshoes,thattrumpetsheetmusic,andallthekindergartenself-portraits,andinviteyourcurrentlifein.YoumayfeelsomeobligationtoholdontotheteasetfromAuntMargieortoolchestfromGrandpaSteve,butif itdoesn’tsuityourlifestyle,it’snothingmorethanadustcollector.UsetheThreeSentimentalQstoassessyourextraspecialand—let’sfaceit—notsospecialthings.1.Whatdoesitsayaboutyou?Amajorityofoursentimentalclutterdoesn’t

necessarilyserveapurpose.Ifyouholdontothingsofmemory,theyshould,likeallofyourthings,befunctional.Ifthepurposeisnolongervalid—yourhighschoolpromdressoryourstuffedpal,Teddy—it’sheadingtowardthedustbin.However,certainitemsthatdefineyouoryourexperiencesdeserveasecondlook.Onethoughtasyoushufflethroughyourbelongings:howthecastofCSIwouldclassifyyou.Wouldtheysayyouareapackratwhoholdsontooldmail?Orcouldtheycallyouaromanticwhovaluedacollectionofloveletters?Translation:You’vegottoprioritizeyourstuff.

Besuretotoucheachitem.Andgowithyourgut.AnythingthatgivesyouwarmfuzziescangointoaKeeppile.Ifyoufeelabitehaboutyourcollectionofnotesfromthe5thgrade,placeitintheNotSurepile.Gobacktothem.Stillfeelingmezza?Placetheminalabeledbox.Whenyoudoyournextquarterlypurgeandyouhaven’ttakenalookattheinsides,it’sadioso’clock.IfyoureallyneedaphysicalrecordofyourcrushonTommyBrady,selectthebestofthecollectionandtosstherest.

Acknowledgethatheirloomsneedsomeextraattention.IfGrandmother’ssilverandyourgreat-grandpa’spipefromhiscrossingdon’tsuityourlifestyle,storetheminasafeplace,orconsidertradingwithafamilymemberforsomethingthat’smoreyourjam.

2.Canitbedigitized?Itdoesn’ttakeaPhDinspatialrelationshipstofigureoutthatasinglecomputertakesuplessspacethanapileofvideos,photoalbums,CDs,andotherstuff.Compactyourmediaontoyourlaptop,and

scanphotosorimportantletters.Someorganizationbloggersswearbydigitalscrapbookscomposedofimagesofformerlyfavoreditems—concertticketstubs,MickeyMouseears,shotglassesfromyourVegasvisit—thatyou’venowrecycled(see“StorageSolutions”onpage29forgivingyourthingsanewhome).Iftheitem—asweater,stuffedpuppy,orsofa,forexample—can’tbedigitized,askyourselfwhereitwilllive.Remember:Everythingneedsaspecifichomeinyoursmallspace.

3.Wouldyoubringittoadesertisland?We’veallgotthattotallyfrivolousitemthatwe’dbringonatrektotheBlueLagoon(andladies,waterproofmascaradoesn’tcount—it’stotallynecessary!).Ifyourdog-earedcopyofWinniethePoohmakesthelist,itstays.Theseitemsshouldbeproudlydisplayed.

STORAGESOLUTIONS

Now that you’vewhittled downwhat you need to the bare essentials and thethingsthatmakeyouhappy,it’stimetofigureoutthebestplacesforeverythingto live.Leaveno surfaceunexplored fornewpossibilities, noemptycontainerunconsideredforitsstoragevalue.

CleverreuseAsk any politician, image is all about the packaging. Re-imagine commonhouseholditemsintoseriousstorageMVPs:•Stashunrulyplasticbagsinavacanttissueboxorpapertowelroll.Plasticantibacterialwipecontainersareanothergreatoption.

•Storeyourcamerainawaterprooftravelsoaptray.Craftingneedsandhairaccessoriesalsofitwellintheinexpensive,plastic-coveredtrays.

•Thoroughlywashouttunacans,thenplacetheminajunkdrawer,underthebathroomsink,oronthetopofyourdesktocontainerrantoddsandendsthathavenoclassificationbutareimportantenoughtokeep.

•Useatowelracktohangcleaningproductswithtriggerhandles.•Houseshoesinanoldwinebox.Turntheboxonitssideandslideyourshoesintoeachcompartment.WraptheboxinfabricaffixedwithModgePodge(availableatcraftstores)togiveitamoredesign-ylook.

•Dryersheetsarereusesuperstars.Useoneasalintremover,acomputerscreenduster,oranironsoleplatedegunker.Tossoneinyourvacuumbagorlinedrawerswitheco-friendlysheetsforafreshscent.

•Youcookexactly15timesayearsowhocanblameyouthatyoudon’thaveatrivet?Amousepadworksjustaswell.Justmakesureitdoesn’thaveaplasticcoating,whichcanmeltoffwhentouchedbyahotpan.

•Expensiveshoesandbagsoftencomewithadustbag,aclothsackthatprotectssolesfromclosetwearandensuresthebottomswon’tsoilanythingelse.Ashowercapwrappedaroundapairofshoesdoesthesamething.

•Avintage(ornew)pictureframemakesaperfectdrinkstray.Placeasolidpieceofpaperintheframe.It’lllookmorefunctionalandlessrepurposed.Orlineitwitholdhotelkeycardsforacoolconversationalpiece.

•Stackbanglesaroundalonecandlestick.Chooseonewithadeepreservoirarea;itcanbeusedasabudvase.Cutthestemdownsotheflowerwon’ttoppleover.

•Cutpiecesofcorkboardintofour-inchsquares.It’safashionableandquickiewaytomakecoasters.

•Placeabentoboxonyourdesktocorralofficesupplieslikepaperclips,Post-Itnotes,andiPodchargers.Usethecompartmentalizedcontainerstoorganizeyourfantasyfootballstatsanddifferentteaminfo.Orrefashionabentoboxasajewelrycaddy.Themultiplecompartmentscanhouseyourearrings,bracelets,andnecklaces.

•Placeanapkinholderonyourlandingstrip(page12)toserveasamailcollector.Dishdryingracksmakegreatfileorganizers.Chooseoneinbrushedmetalforanurbandesigntouch.

•Anaccordion-stylewoodenwinerackisacleverwaytostowafewtowels.Rollthemupandslideintotheslots.

•Inthebathroom,asilver-platedmintjulepcupisjusttherightheighttoholdmakeupbrushes,disposablerazors,andtoothbrushes.Cleaned-outDiptyquecandleglassesworkjustaswell;thegraphiclabelslookchicinanyspace.

ThinkverticallyBesidesbeingaboutvirtuallynothing,oneofthehallmarksofthe’90scomedyphenomSeinfeldwasthebikehangingfromtheceilingin theapartmentof thenamesake character. Copy that idea. It’s a good one. Hang oversize sportingitemssuchastheaforementionedbikeoryourskisclosetotheceiling.Alsogoupwithanyshelvingunitsyoumaybringin.Store things thatyouwon’tneeddaily, such as seasonal items like your Christmas decorations or your BBQnecessities in attractive containers. Not only do streamlined, vertical storagespacesdeclutter thefloor, theyalsohelpyourplace lookbigger. It’sa trickontheeye—havingstoragesolutionsupdrawsthefocustowardtheceiling.

THREEQUESTIONSFORSHOPPING

Now that you’ve uncluttered, youwant to keep it thatway. Think before youbuy, andabideby the In/OutRule.Theconcept is simple:For everythingyoubring intoyourhomeandcloset,you’vegot toditchonecomparable item.It’s

prettyself-explanatory—buyanewsweater,tossanoldone.Expandontheideaandweighspaceversuscostwhenmakingpurchases.Gooddealsaren’tsogoodwhenyoudon’t have an inch to storeyet another pair of jeans.Youmay alsowanttoinstitutea48-hourwaitperiodbeforebuyingsoyoucanfigureoutwhatisgoingtogettossedbeforeyoupurchasewhateveritisyouhaveyoureyeon.Forclothes:

1.Doesthisfitmewell?2.Doesitvibewiththeotheritemsinmycloset?3.WillIwearitmorethanonce?

Forgadgets:1.Whatisitsfunction?2.HowoftenamIgoingtouseit?3.DoIownsomethingthatdoesessentiallythesamething?

Forfurniture:1.Whatisitsfunction?2.Doesitcoordinatewithmyvisionandcurrentdécor?3.Whatarethecleaningandfabric-careinstructions?

Forhomeaccessories:1.Whatdoesitsayaboutme?2.Whereisitgoingtolive?3.Doesitcoordinatewithmyvisionandcurrentdécor?

UsethedoorsThekeytolivinglargeinashoeboxistoutilizeallavailableareas,andthebackofyourdoorsaretheepitomeofsuchspaces.TheContainerStorespecializesinall thingsType-Aorganization,andcarriesahostofback-of-the-doorsolutionsfrombasketstohooks.(AsdoesAmazon.)Ifyou’reacrafter,placeyourgearinbasketslinedalongtheinsideofyourclosetdoor.Storegymequipment,knittingyarns,andwrappingneedsinover-the-doorshoehangers.Ofcourse,youcanuseashoeholderforitsactualfunction,butmanyprefertostoresolesonshelvesintheclosets,orinstackedclearplasticboxes.Inthebathroom,maximizecabinetdoorsbyaffixingminiholders(liketheonesusedinsidehighschoollockers)forQ-tipsandyourtoothbrush.Magneticspiceracksalsodothetrick.Intheoffice,affix a clear folder to the back of a door and fill with important papers thatrequirequickaccess.

SeeitOutof sight,outofmind.Andnever is thatmore true than inorganization. Ifyour stuff is crammed into drawers and packed into your closet, you’re lesslikelytoseeit,whichmeansyouwon’toftenuseit.Andifyoudon’tuseit,youloseit.Createstorageareaswhereitemsarerecognizableinthreesecondsflat.Employ stacking shelves, see-through containers, and labels to make thingseasilyaccessible.

Repeat:BasketsandtraysBasketsandtrays.Containmentiskey.Makeahomeforyourlinensinalargeweaved hamper. Create a bin for gloves and scarves, and toss magazines instructuredcratesplacedbythecouch.Trayscreatetheperfectenclosedareafortop-of-the-vanity itemsin thebathroom,decorativepiecesanderrantgroomingproductsthatareusedtoooftentobestoredindrawers.

DressupthefurnitureAskirtedtable,bed,orsinkhasalittlesecret.It’shidingnot-oft-usedstuffinaprettyway.Repurposeashowercurtainortakeanoldcurtainandadhereittothesink or open shelving unit usingVelcro ormulti-purpose glue.Choose a boldgraphicprintthatwon’tshowdirtoruse.Inthebedroom,dressupanightstandto house bags or shoes below; conceal crafting needs,wrapping supplies, andmediaundertheTV.

AddanentryIt may seem counterintuitive to take up space directly at the door, but it’sactuallya space saver. Just like the landingstrips (page12), theentryway is adedicated space for itemsyoualwaysuse.Place abookshelf byyour entranceand store shoppingbags, shoes, umbrellas, andmittens.Leave a dish for keysandoutgoingmail.Oraffixsomehooks(vintageones lookfashionable) to thewall to hang coats, canvas bags, and more. Having an on-the-go zonestreamlinesyourentirehome.

Createautilitycloset

Errantbrooms,Swiffers,andotherhouseholdproductscreateaclunky,clutteredmess. Cordon off an area in your closet that’s specifically dedicated tocontainingcleaningproducts,tools,andlaundrysupplies.Affixhangingclipstothewall,freeingupfloorspaceforbootsorgardeningsupplies.

CLEANGREEN

Make room under your sink for more shoes or your climbing equipment bygoinggreenon thecleanscene.Swapout theendlessoversizebottlesofharshchemicals for a host of everyday kitchen grime-ridders like baking soda andwhitevinegar.

ThreeitemsthatyoushouldkeepinyourarsenalareawetSwiffer(placeanoldT-shirt over the pad to dust); a handheld vacuum, like aDustBuster; andantibacterialwipes,whichcanspotcleananysurfaceinajiffy.Optfortheonesinanenvelope—theytakeuplessstoragespace.

While you’re getting all downwithMother Earth, keep foldable shoppingbagsonhand.Storethemonthehooksaffixedtothebackofthecabinetdoorsand always keep one in your car or purse. Baggu has a host of stowable,washableofferingsincutecolorsandstyles.

GREENWORDS

Downcycle.Firstusedintheearly’90s,thisprocessconvertsuselessproductsorwaste into new materials of lesser quality. For example, when plastics arerecycledtolowergradeones.

Precycle. The practice of reducing garbage by purchasing items that generatelesswaste.

Recycle.Asynonymfordowncycle.Theaimofrecyclingistoreducewastebymeltingandreusingittocreateaninferior-qualityproducttotheoriginal.

Reuse.Atwo-prongedpracticewhereitemsareeitherrefashionedforanewuseorconventionallyreusedforthesameoriginalfunction.

Upcycle. The opposite of downcycling, the term refers to the practice ofconvertingwasteoruselessproductsintonewmaterialsofsuperiorquality.Theprocesscommonlyresultsintextiles.

DIYcleanBaking soda. The ultimate powerhouse when it comes to clean, this littlemiracleworkercanpolisheverythingfromteethtoyourtub.Leaveanopenboxinyourfridgeoronthecountertoptoabsorbodors.Tuckitbythestovesoyourentire apartment doesn’t smell like last night’s dinner. Before vacuuming,sprinkleitonyourrugs—it’llremovepetodors.Tocleanpots,mixwithabitofdishwashing soap (just avoid using on aluminum, as it can tarnish). Use thatsamepastetoscrubyourtub.Addadroportwoofyourfavoriteessentialoilforanantibacterialboostandalessmedicalscent.See“DecodingScents”onpage87.White vinegar. Packed with antimicrobial properties, vinegar kills mold,bacteria, evenweeds.Dilutewithwater in a 1-1 ratio and spritz straight ontobathroom tiles and grout. Let it sit for 15minutes, before scrubbing. Perk updingy silver by soaking in a mix of ½ cup of white vinegar with threetablespoons of baking soda for two hours. Rinse with cold water and drythoroughly.Lemon. Polish wood with two parts olive oil and one part lemon juice.Similarly,agallonofwaterwithfourtablespoonsoflemonjuicecaneffectivelycleanmirrors.Aclothdippedinstraightlemonjuicecanremovestainsonvinyl.Afteryou’veused the juice,youcanutilize thecitrushalf asa sponge for thesinkoryourfingernails.Salt.Removewaterandheatringsonyourfavoritewoodtablewithathinpastemade of salt, lemon juice, and oil. Place on the effected area and lightly buffaway using a cloth. Polishmetalswith salt diluted in vinegar. Add a dash oflemonforbrassfixtures.Aspirin.Tosstheheadacherelieverintothewashingmachinetobrightenwhites.Rubbingalcohol.Useawater-dilutedblendtocleanmirrorsandwindowsandotherreflectiveservices.Witchhazelworksaswell.

ROOM-BY-ROOMSTORAGESOLUTIONS

Bedroom

BUILDOUTTHECLOSETSTheeasiestwaytoexpandyourstoragespaceistocustomizeit.Sweaters,pants,skirts,andshoesgetmorebreathing roomwhenacloset ismore thana singlehanging bar. The Container Store has a host of solutions that you can use totweak spaces for your specific needs, with installation service. Ikea also sellsclosetmodular systems, as doAmazon andBed,Bath&Beyond.Also, thinkaboutshoeandbagstorage.Doesitneedtobeinthecloset?OrwouldyouratherhouseyourcollectionofAdidasinamoreartfulmanner?Onceyou’vebuiltoutyourclosetspace—don’tforget toutilize thedoors—optforhuggablehangers.Theyoccupylessspacethantheplasticonesandaremorestreamlinedthanwirehangersyougotfromthedrycleaners.

CUSTOMIZEACLOSET

Createyourowncloset.Eschew thestore-boughtkits forapersonalizedclosetfashionedwith plywood, cut into 16-inchwide pieces.Measure and cut downintosmallerpiecesasneeded,makingsuresectionsareevenlymatchedtocreateboxesandshelves.Secureboxestoeachotherwithscrews.Thensecure to thewall (use drywall anchors for a more sturdy finish). Drill holes for the rods,whichshouldbeapproximately11.5inchesfromthebackwall.

Sectionedoff.Toadd insult to injury, it’sverycommonforsmallspaces tobecompletely closet-free. Portion out a storage section in either a corner or longwallarea.Note:Bumpoutthemeasurementsbyafewinchestohangacurtainordoorstothesystem.Thenhangamodularsystemconnectedtoaflatwallora

personalizedone(seeabove).

Hangingsystem.Thisisthecheapestandeasiestsystemtoimplement.Selectacornertohousetherodandcutawoodendoweltosize.Screwtwocrownbolthooks into theceiling.Looptwine into thehooksandsecurelyaroundtherod.Andthereyouhaveit—aninsta-storagearea.

ACCESSORIZEInvestindécorpiecesthataremorethanjustprettyfaces.Antiqueglovemoldsmake fantastic storage/display sites for necklaces and other jewelry. Place aselectionofglasscylindersofvariousheightsandwidthsonthewindowsill.Inthem,catchaccessories,colorfulscarves,reclaimedhardware,oranyotherlittlethingyou like collecting.Orhang a corkboard for storageof similar items, aswellasbaseballcaps,belts,andties(affixhookssotheydon’twrinkle).Chic-ifythelookandcoverthecorkwithafavoriteimageblownupinblack-and-white.

MAKETHEBEDAmadebedmakeseverythingappearthatmuchmorepulledtogether.Happinessbonus:Studiesshowthatpeoplewhomaketheirbedsinthemorningaremoreproductive.See“ThreeStepstoMaketheBed—Properly”onpage55fortipsondressingyourbedhotel-style.

DIYOLD-SCHOOLSOLUTIONMurphyBed:Buildthebedboxusingmedium-densityfiberboardorplywoodasthebase.Framearoundthemattresswith1”x12”boardscuttosnuglyfit.Usenailstosecure.Atthepivotpoint,screwinhinges.PositiontheMurphybedonitssideandutilizethesurfaceasacredenza.Paintorwallpapertheplywoodtoseamlesslyblendwithyourhome’sdécor.Positionbookcasesaroundthebedto

camouflageitfurther.

Kitchen

CLEARTHECOUNTERAgadget-freecounterspacecanmakeatinykitchenlookabitbigger(ascanaglass-tiled backsplash). Ditch the mondo coffee maker for a French pressinstead.Thesmallstrainer-likemechanismcanalsosteeptea,frothmilk,infuseoils,andassistinmakingbabyfood.Considerswappingoutadishrackwithanultra-absorbentkitchencloththatcaneasilybestashedawaywhenguestscome.

DECANTStop the avalanche of dry goods and invest in sets of canisters. Removepackagedfoods, rice,andpasta fromtheiroriginalwrappersandstore inglasscontainerswith lids.The jarsshouldbeuniforminstyleandstackingabilities.Considerlabelingthemtoeasethewhat-are-youguessinggame.Anthropologie,Target,andPier1Importssellwide-mouthjarswithchalkboardlabels.

TAKEOFFTHEDOORSIt may seem a bit counterintuitive when you want to hide your mess. Butremovingthecabinetdoorscanactuallykeepyouorganized.Neatlystackplatesandglasses,andlinethelowershelveswithyourglassfoodcanisters.Painttheinsideofthecabinetsthesamecolorasyourwallstogivetheillusionofawiderarea.

THREESTEPSTOCOMPOSTATHOME1.Placeanaeratedbucket(Williams-Sonomasellsthem)underthesink.Anold,

covered coffee canworks just aswell. Cut a few holes in the bottom andplastictop.Placeadishbelowthecan.

2.Addabitofsoilandshreddednewspapertothebottomofthecan.Placefoodscrapsontop.Turnoveronceaweektoaidindecomposition.

3.Oncethecomponentsarenolongeridentifiable,usethecompostasfertilizerinyourplants.Orrecycleatyourlocalfarmers’market.

Livingroomandoffice

MOUNTITStreamlineyourspaceandeliminatetheneedforanextrapieceoffurniturebymountingyourdeskonthewall.DesignWithinReach,CB2,andIkeaallcarrysome great floating desk options. Choose a style with a flip-out drawer for aquick declutter trick. If you’re hesitant to drill something so permanent to thewall, choose a storage system (bookcase or cubby arrangement) with afunctionalsurfacespaceforalaptopandotherdeskneeds.

RINGTHECEILINGAmplifytheceilingheightanddrawtheeyeupwithbooksstoredbytheceiling.Hangashelfabout20inchesfromtheceilingorrestabovethedoor’shighsashorwindow frame.To limit theappearanceof clutter, line the shelfwithbooksaccordingtosizeandcolor.AffixastringofLEDlightstotheshelfifthespacelookstoodark.

CREATECOFFEE-TABLESTORAGE

Slide baskets under your sofa side table to contain clutter.Measure the spacefromthefloortothebottomofthetableandinvestintwobasketsthatcaneasilyslideinandoutofthatarea.Inthem,placeyourextrathrows(morethanoneonthebackofyourcouchcanlookmessy),magazines,andremotecontrols.

Bathroom

BECADDYHarnessallyourgroomingproducts(includingrazors,makeupbrushes,andthehair dryer) into a plastic cleaning caddy. Under the sink, use stepped shelforganizerstocreatemorestoragespace.Storemakeup,Q-Tips,andcottonballsindividedsilverwaretrays.Placeanyproductdoublesinatackleboxandlabelwithmaskingtape.

SWINGHang a three-tiered fruit basket from the ceiling above the tub. Fillwith facewashes,loofahs,andotherbathaccessories.Placeitinthecorner.

USEAWINECRATEScour your local fleamarket for vintagewooden boxes,which are the perfectsizeforstoringtowels.Turnitonthehighside,andutilizeitasasidetableforasurface. Inside, stack rolled towels. Place fresh flowers, your toothbrush, andsoaponthetop.Containanyaccessoriesinatrayoranopenjewelrybox.

PARTTWO:DÉCOR

“Beautyofstyleandharmonyandgraceandgoodrhythmdependonsimplicity.”—PLATO

MOREISLESS—SORTOF

Unlike putting lipstick on a pig, how you dress, decorate, and furnish yourshoeboxhasahugeeffectonnotonlyappearanceandfeeling,butalsofunction.Color,furnitureselection,andaccessoryplacementcanmakeyourlivingspaceappearbigger.Yes,it’strue!Asyoulearnedinthefirstsectionofthisguide,howyouuseeachsquareinchandeachiteminyourhomeiskeytolivinglargeinasmallspace.

PlayitstraightOverstuffed furniture can make a small space look, well, overstuffed. Largerpieceswillwork better if they have sleek lines andmuted colors.Bold printsappear not only dated but also way bigger than they actually are. Since thelargestpieceoffurnituresetsthepaceandscalefortherestofyourplace,makesureitisn’toverpowering.Youknowthatsectionalthatyou’vegottocrawlovertogettothephone/bathroom/anythingelseinyourapartment?Yeah,um,it’snotworking.See“WheretoToss”onpage26fordonationsuggestions.Optforlow-slungsofasandchairs,whichcanappearlessdense.Also,goforgams.Choosecouches and other stuffed pieces that show their legs. Draped or coveredfurniturelegsmaskthefloor,makingyourspaceseemsmaller.

COUCHEDBYTHENUMBERS

Full-size:Themostcommonsofastylemeasuresmorethan78incheswide,butgenerallynomorethan84inches,andusuallyhasthreefullcushions.

Apartmentsofa:Measuresanywherefrom66to77incheswideandisnomorethan40inchesdeep.Armsaresmallerandthereareusuallytwocushions.

Love seat: Consists of two cushions and is shaped more like its full-sizecounterparts(withhigharms).Generallymeasure58 to60 incheswideand35inchesdeep.

Sleepersofa:Alsocalledasofabed,thisgenerallymeasures70incheswideandabout 90 inches when fully extended. Queen-size sofa sleepers are about 84incheswideandthestandard90inchesopen.Somecanbeaslongas109inches.Twinsizes(54incheswide,85inchesopen)arelesscommon.

Futon: The classic bi-fold futon is available in queen and full. The morecommonofthetwo,thefullmeasures75incheswide(withoutarms)andis54inchesextended.Thequeenisbiggerat80inchesby42inches.

MapitoutTakeoutapieceofgraphpaper.(Itwillbeeasiertoseespatialproportions.)Onit,sketchoutyourspacelookingfromabove.Markoutthedoorsandwindows.FashionPost-Itnotesorpiecesofconstructionpaperasfurnituretokens.Movethemaroundtheapartmentblueprinttogetanideaofyourspace’sbestlayout.During this exercise you’ll alsowant to keep the number three in yourmind.Designexpertsagreethreefeetistheoptimalspaceforpassageways(wheretwoor more people need to go by each other), getting in and out of chairs, andopeningdrawers.Inotherwords,it’sthex-factorforflow.Ifyoucan’tekeoutthree feet foryourdresserdrawers, chooseanalternative storage solution.Forexample, a repurposed bookcase or a curio cabinet can house your sweaterswhilegivingyouspacetomovearound.Butkeepinmindyourvisionofspacefrompage8 to keep things cohesive.Also think about howyou’ll incorporateyour personality and sentimental items when you sketch the layout of yourhome.

FocusAvoid the temptation to fill your homewithmultiplemini furnishings.Whileyoumayfeellikethesmallstaturewillworkinyourspace,inreality,itwillendupjust lookingcluttered.Insteadthekeyiscreatingasinglefocalpoint.Dressyour room around the largest items in the room—your antique armoire, thedoubleIkeaBillybookcase,andyourdaybed.Placethelargepiecesinstrategicspots to draw the eye to the special characteristics of your room. Considersituatingthecouchonadiagonaltoelongatethevisualspaceorusebookshelvestoseparateaworkspacefromthelivingarea.Seepage38formorespacedividertips.

Ifyou’rewithoutonemainstagefurnishing,considerusingalargepieceofart to achieve the same effect.A conversation piece on thewall also can alsoalter the space relations since it draws the eye away from thepopulated floor.Anothertrick:Keepthefloorrug-free.Itcreatestheillusionofmorespace.

FINDZEN

Minimalism is a tenant ofZen, theBuddhist offshoot that seeks complete andabsolutepeaceofmindandbodythroughsimplicity.

1.Continuetoeliminatephysicalclutterfromyourhome.Ensureeverythinghasanassignedplace.

2.Choosesolid,simple,functionalfurnishings.3.Selectamutedcolorpalette.4.Utilizecomfortableflooring.5.Placeyourbednexttoanaturallightsource.6.Enhanceyourspacewithcalming,naturalscents.See“DecodingScents”

onpage87fortips.7.Placegreenplantsaroundyourhome.See“Kill-proofPlants”onpage53

fortipsoncaringforplants.8.Removeelectronicexcess.

DivideandconquerChances are your small space is more like a single room, and you’ve got todividethatspaceinto“rooms”tocreatealivingroom,diningroom,office,andpossibly bedroom.Delineating your shoebox into distinct and functional areasmakesorganizationeasierandcanhelplifebealittlemoreZen.See“FindZen”onpage38fortipsongettingZen.

MAKEAFURNITUREFRONTIERLINE

Aconsole tablebehind thesofacanbeusedasadesk,whichcanseparate thebedfromthepublicareaofyourapartment.Strategicallyplacedbookcasesalsodo the trick. A light-reflecting credenza or even a TV console can mark theseparationbetween the room’sdistinctuses.Byperformingdoubleduty, thesetypes of room dividerswon’t take up toomuch floor space. If you’re low onclosetspace,thisisagreatwaytointroduceawardrobe—useitasafrontierline.See“CustomizeaCloset”onpage33forcloset-makingtips.

USERUGSASBORDERCONTROLInsteadofpositioningfurnitureinthemiddleoftheroom,literallyplacealineinthe sand with floor coverings. Place a remnant of carpet under your desk orextend a runner across the foot of your bed to mark the separate areas. Thedifferenttreatmentswillimpartadistinctvibetoeacharea.

CREATEAWALLOFCURTAINSOr use screens to physically demarcate the space.Choose shades or draperiesthataretranslucentenoughtoallowthemovementofnaturallight.Ortiebackthecurtainswhenthebedroom,forexample,isnotinuse.

SPACEITOUTSimplyplacethebedontheothersideoftheroomfromthecouchforavisualseparationofspaceanditsuse.Thekeywiththisremedyistogiveeachmajorpieceoffurnitureaspatialborderofaboutsevenfeetfromtheother.

OpenupYourinstincttoplaceallyourfurniturealongthewallsisthewrongone.Lining

up furnishings can actually create a crowded sense. Instead, float pieces awayfromthewallingroupings.Creatingclearanceawayfromthewallscreatestheillusion of more space. Again, the magic number is three. Gather your sofa,coffee table,andacredenza,forexample.Useabenchoryourcouchasabedfootboardandsetacoffeetablenearby.Orsetupadeskspacewithachairandoversizefloorlamptogether.Toensureflow,keeppassageareasfree.

SocozyHomeiswhere theheart is. It’saplaceofsecurity,comfort,andwarmth.Andsometimesyouandyourdesignsenseareabitmorecocoon-likethansleekandopen. It’s actuallyeasier tomakeyour small spacecozyasopposed tobigger.So, you may as well embrace it. Deep saturated colors on the walls orfurnishings,heavyfabricdraperies,andornaterugscanalldothat.Darkwoodsand animal prints aremore cozinessmakers. Of course, you don’t want yourplacetolooktoomuchlikeavampire’slair,sokeepyourplacewell-lit.Anditshouldstillbeclutter-free.BeingpackedtothegillsjustmakescozylookmessyandabitlikeMissHavishamliveshere.

DOSANDDON’TS:SHOPPINGFORSECOND-HANDFURNITURE

Vintagefurnishingsareagreatwaytointroducepersonalitytoyourplaceonabudget. Purchasing second-hand furniture is also earth-friendly. Sincemerchandisechangesdaily,makeregularvisitstoyourlocalfleamarkets,thriftstores, and consignment shops. Apartmenttherapy.com has a handy weeklyroundupofCraigslistpicks.UseeBayalertsforkeepingupwithnewpostings.Note:Tobeconsideredvintage,piecesmustbeat least30yearsold.Antiquesare100orolder.

ONLINEVINTAGEFURNITURESOURCES

eBay.Thebigdaddyofonlinesellers,thisauction-siteisabonanzaofallthingspre-owned.Tip:Searchformisspelledbrandnames.

Etsy. Individual sellers are showcased at a single source. Best bets includedesigndetailsandaccentpieces.

Craigslist.TheClassifiedsoftheInternetage,thelistingserviceoffersanarrayofcash-and-carryfurnishingoptions.

OneKingsLane.Thisfree,membership-onlysalesiteshowcasestightlycuratedselections based around design themes and lifestyle needs. Sister site Joss &Mainisasimilarconcept.

Goodwill.Operatedby thecharityorganization, shopgoodwill.comauctionsaneditedselectionfromshopsacrossthecountry.

GovDeals.Awarehouseofgovernment-confiscateditems,thissitesellsfurnitureandfineartnexttoofficeequipmentandcarsandothermachinery.

Do:Inspect

Dobothavisualandaphysicalinspectiononce(ortwice)over.Takealookatthematerialsandqualityofthepieceinquestion.Dothedrawersopenandcloseeasily?Isthewoodorveneerevenandnotwarped?Also,carefullyexaminetheupholstery for tears, marks, and odors. Certain fabric styles are easy to fix(covering benches and tacked-on cushions just need a new swatch and a gluegun); others require a pro.Vintage plastic cushions should be pliable and notcracked. Don’t forget to take a seat. Test furniture for comfort as well asfunction.

Do:LookattheinnerbeautyChoose high-quality, functional itemswith goodbones.Lookbeyond the uglycolors and rusted accents. Those cosmetic accents can easily be changed tocomplement your design sense.Richly pigmented paint like that fromValspardoeswonderstowakeupapiece.Andswitchingouthardwareisaninexpensivewaytomakeyourpurchaselookmoremodern.Similarly,repurposeitemstofityourneeds.UseavintagebarcartasaTVconsole,storeshoesinabookcase,orfashionabedsidetableoutofahigh-backchair.

Do:MeasureImaginethemajorbummerifyournew-to-you-score-of-the-centuryhastostayon thestoopbecause itdoesn’t fit throughyour frontdoor.Keepmeasurementnotes in your phone. Note the height, width, and diagonal width of yourpassagewaysanddooropenings.Make sureyoumeasure inside thedoorframefrombottomrighttotopleft.Inordertomaneuveritwell,furnitureshouldbeatleastfourinchessmallerthanyourhallway.See“StepstoMeasureaRoom”onpage17fortips.

Don’t:HesitateHeretoday,gonetomorrow.Neverwassuchanadagesotrueaswhenshoppingforvintage.Stockisgenerallylimitedtosinglepieces.Ifyoulikesomethinganditfitsyourneedsandbudget,pullthetriggerandpurchase.

Don’t:BuytobuyAgooddeal isonlygood ifyouneed the item.Don’tget sweptup in the$30

pricetag.Ifthepiecedoesn’tworkinyourhomeordoesn’thaveafunction,it’snolongeradeal.SeetheThreeFurnitureQsonpage17forshoppingtips.

Don’t:GoreproWiththeindustrial,patina-lookdoinggangbustersthesedaysamongtheinteriordesign set, there’s a plethora of fakes.Manufactured inAsia, these pieces arelighterand less sturdy than theirvintagecounterparts. Ifqualityanddurabilityareapriority,lookforamaker’smarkorsealonthebottom.

Bargainbonus:HowtohaggleEverythingisnegotiable,especiallyatfleamarkets,estatesales,antiquestores,andonCraigslist.

SIMPLYASKIfitemsaren’tmarked,thepricesaren’tsetinstone.Askthesellerforherbestnumber.Orbeginthehaggleyourself.It’sagoodideatoaskforadiscountof⅓offthequotedprice,andbargainfromthere.

NOTETHECONDITIONIfanitemischippedorscratched,you’remorelikelytogetadiscountthanifitisinperfectcondition.Usethatasyournegotiatingpoint.

MAKEMULTIPLEPURCHASESAgroupbuymeansmoremerchandise ismovingout,and that’softengroundsforalowerpriceonthetotal.

FOLLOWTHERULESManyantiquestorespostpricingguidelines.Ifthere’safirmstance,don’tpushtheissue.

GODOUBLEDUTY

Nosurpriseshere—multipurposefurnishingsareseriousspacesavers.IkeaandCB2sellheadboardswithshelving,asdoesPotteryBarn.Storeseasonal itemsandguestlinensinavintagechest,thenuseitclosedasacoffee-orbedsidetable.Place a cushion on top of a horizontal Ikea Lack shelf et voilà, you’ve got abench.TheshelvingunitcanalsobeutilizedasaTVconsoleandroomdivider.Vintagefilingcabinetscanhousemorethanpaperwork.Andofcourse,thesofasleeperandthestowottomansaretheultimateapartment-friendlypieces,asaredaybedswithtrundles.

DIYSTORAGEBEDS

Platformstoragebed:Createaframethesamesizeasyourmattresswithaseriesofrectangularstoragecubbies.Screwaseriesofplywoodslatsacrossthecubesto secure them to each other and reinforce the base. Add a solid piece ofplywoodoverthecriss-crossedslats.Securewithscrews.

Bookcaseheadboard:Startwithanassembledstandardbookcase.Placethebedagainst the wall. Center the bookcase horizontally over the bed. Screw theshelvingunitintothewall.Makesureeverythingisproperlysecuredtothestudswith cleats. Embellish with wallpaper or paint. Storage cubes and floatingshelvescanalsobeused.

MAKEITMOBILE

Bymaking furniture easy tomove, you canmake itwork for you in a ton ofscenarios.

PutitonwheelsWe’ve talkeda lot about flow—it’s thebalance, theenergy, and feelingof thehome. It’s also the blueprint for how people move physically and visuallythroughout your home. So it stands to reason that having furnishings that areeasy to shuffle can improve the flow. Put a console on wheels and it can beshifted to the corner and set up as a bar for your annual champagne party.Awheelie nightstand can be repositioned as a side table. A bed on casters or acoffeetableonskatescanalsobemovedwithlittleeffort.Bonus:Cleaningthefloorisasnap.Castersareeasytoattachtothebottomoffurniture.Fixedwheelsmoveinasingledirection;swivelsaretruetotheirname.Screwthewheels toheavierpieces,aslightchairstendtomoveontheirown.Also,whennotonthemove,placewheelsincastercups,availableatSearsandAmazon.

FolditawayRolling with the furniture on wheels concept, choose furnishings that can bemoved,folded,orrepurposedinasnap.Foldingkitchenislandscreatemoreprepspace and can double as a serving station at dinner parties. Drop-leaf diningtablescaneasilybeexpandedfordinnerparties, thencontractedandusedasaconsole.Nesting tablesare theperfect solution toextra surfacearea,andgoodold-fashionedfoldingchairsinvitegueststotakeaseat.Tuckfoldedchairsunderthe bed or alongside the fridge when not in use. Floor pillows (available atUrban Outfitters,West Elm, and Bed, Bath & Beyond) can also create moreseating.Orintroducepoufs.OriginallyfromNorthAfrica,thecollapsiblestoolscomeinavarietyofcolorsandfabrics.CheckEtsyandFab.comforoptions.

LIGHTENUP

WatchHGTVandyou’llseedesignersembracingwallcolor.Whileitdefinitelyinfuses personality to a space, it can also make it appear cozier. Dark huesabsorb light, thusmakinga roomseemsmaller. Insteadofgoingdeep, choosecreamy-infused, neutral colors in cooler tones. In addition to showcasingyourhome’snaturallight,suchcolorsalsocreatetheillusionofmorespace.Ifwhitewallsaretooclinical,optforicyblues,tawny-tonedneutrals,paleyellows,coolgreens, andmutedgrays.Complementwallswith trimworkpainted in lightercolors. The effect is a roomier, airier space. Similarly, painting large furniturepieces—armoiresorchestsofdrawers—thesamecoloras thewallscanwidenouttheroom.Paintingtheinsideofabookcaseorstoragecubealsoimpartssuchanillusion.

FIFTYSHADESOFNEUTRAL

Arosebyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet.Synonymsforbasiccolors:•Beige:biscuit,buff,caféaulait,camel,cream,ecru,fawn,khaki,mushroom,natural,neutral,oatmeal,off-white,sand,tan,taupe

•Gray:ash,ashen,charcoal,dove,granite,gunmetal,heather,oyster,powder,silvered,slate,stone

•White:alabaster,antique,chalk,cornsilk,lace,lily,linen,milk,ivory,opal,paper,pearl,seashell,snow

•Yellow:amber,banana,blonde,canary,champagne,chiffon,citrine,golden,goldenrod,honey,lemon,saffron,straw,sunshine,topaz

LettherebelightFact:Anyroomappearslargerwiththesunstreamingin.Somuchsothatnaturallight visually expands exponentially compared to other tricks. Keep yourwindowswideopen—visually—allowing light tocome in. Ifyou’vegota lessthanmilliondollarview,placenaturalelementslikeaterrariumorflowersonthe

sill.You’llcamouflagetheuglywhilestillcelebratingthenatural.Formoretipsonplantssee“Kill-proofPlants”onpage53.

Isyourapartmentnorth-facing,orareyourelegatedtoabasementlevel?Uselighting to enhance the illusion of space. Skip the single overhead light. Andditchanythingthatgivesoffabrashdepartment-storefeel.Swapouton-and-offonlyswitchesfordimmersonceiling lights—recessedsystemsandchandeliersworkbest.Scattersoft-litlampsaroundyourspace.Situatethemabout18inchesfrom thewall to create the illusionof depth.And space themabout three feetfrom each other—this will allow the light to bounce across the walls, againplaying a spatial visual trick. In the kitchen, affix under-cabinet lighting torefreshthespace.Pinkbulbsimpartasoftglow.

TreatyourwindowsAlthough wide, open windows allow the most light, they can also have anunfinishedlook(nottomentionthelackofprivacy!).Dresswindowswithsheerdrapesthatallowthemaximumamountofsunshine.Goforlightweightcotton,linen,orlacefabricasopposedtoheavycanvasorvelvet.Andstickwithsolidcolors and monochromatic designs, which maintain the illusion of depth. Tiebackcurtainsduringthedaytoallowthemostamountofnaturallighttostreamin.Amplifytheeffectevenmorebymatchingthecurtainstothewalls.Anothervisual trick: Hang your drapes wider and longer than the windows. It willelongate the illusion of the window, therefore psychologically inviting morelight.Ifyousimplyhatetheconceptofdrapes(hey,wegetit,theycantakeuploadsofsurfacespace),optforsemitransparentshadesmadeofmaterialssuchasricepaperthatallowthemaximumamountoflight.

GETONTHEFLOOR

Just likePepsiorCoke, JenniferAnistonorAngelina Jolie,dawnordusk, thequestionoflightfloorsordarkultimatelycomesdowntopersonaltaste.Ononehand,we’vegotthebasic,clean,andwideningeffectofnatural,beige,andotherneutral-tonedflooring.Ontheother, thedarksurfaceshaveasophisticatedandanchoring look that tend to leave ahome looking “finished.”Somealso say adarker floor has a more homey feel. No matter which you choose, go for auniformtreatmentofthecolor.

ORIGINSOF“CARPET”AND“RUG”Carpet:MiddleEnglish, fromMiddleFrenchcarpite, fromOldItaliancarpita,fromcarpire“topluck,”modificationofLatincarpere“topluck”

Rug: Middle English rug rag, tuft, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin toNorwegiandialectruggacoarserug,OldNorseroggtuft

GoaunaturelParquetlooksdatedandcanconfusethecohesivelookofthehome.Ifoptingfordark,it’sbesttostickwithnaturalelements—wood,stone,concrete,cork—andtrue-to-life finishes in lieu of carpeting,which can be a bit overpowering anddense. Ikea, Home Depot, and Lumber Liquidators have wide selections oflaminatewood-likeflooring.Note:Darkfloorsneedtobedustedmoreoften.

Lovetheoneyou’vegotIfyoucan’tchangetheflooringandyou’vegotsomeold-schoollinoleumtilesthatjustwon’tgetclean,spreadoutarug.Althoughrugstendtomakeaspacelooksmaller,acleanfloorisbetterthanashabbyone.Chooseaneutral-coloredrugtoopenupthespace.Largeprintscanaddanelementoftexture.Ifyou’resqueezed intoastudio,opt foramonochromaticdesignora tone-on-toneone.Rugscanalsobeusedtodelineatespaces.See“Divideandconquer”onpage38fortips.

GETREFLECTIVE

Stopmeifyou’vereadthisbefore:Thekeytocreatingabiggerfeeliscreatingoptical illusions. Glass tops, clear furnishings, and transparent surfaces arefunctional without weighing down a room. The real super stars in thisdepartment are mirrors and other reflective surfaces. Mirrors reflect light,makingyourspacebrighterandexpandingthesenseofdepth.

Mirror,mirror,onwhichwall?Placethemonthewallsandthroughoutyourhometoamplifythesenseofspace.Situate a largemirror near thewindow to invitemore natural sunshine. For adramaticeffect,propanoversizeoneagainstthewall.Itwillreflectalargepartof the entire room and augment the proportions. Mirrored cabinet and closetdoors have a similar effect. Energetically, mirrors are also positive. In thepracticeoffengshuitheyareoftenusedtoenhanceqi.Placeamirrorfacingtheentrancetoyourhometorepeltheentranceofnegativeenergy,forexample.Toincreaseyourchancesofhealthandwealth,situateamirrortoreflectanyplants,candles,orfireplaces.Seepage47formorefengshuitips.

MIRRORHISTORY:FUNFACTS•TheEgyptiansusedmirrors.Venetiansdidtoo.•The firstmirrors arebelieved tohavebeenpolishedobsidianglass,which issourced from volcanoes. The oldest remnants were found in what is nowTurkeyanddateto6,000BCE.

• Historians believe that Egyptians crafted ceramic bowls with the expresspurpose to fillwithwater and use asmirrors.A little later, in 4000 to 3000BCEMesopotamia,itisbelievedthatpolishedcopperwasusedasareflectivesurface.

•Formanyyears,itwaswidelybelievedthatmirrorswerefirstinventedbytheChineseduringthelateShangDynasty.Theywerefashionedfromamalgamsofsilverandmercury.

•During theRenaissance, amethod similar to theChinesewas used until the

16thcentury inVenice,whenaglasscoatingwas introduced to the formula.Mirrorswerestillconsideredluxuriesatthetime.

•In1835,aGermanchemistinventedsilveredglass(essentiallyacoatedglass),theprecursortomodern-daymirrors.Itallowedformassproduction.

FENGSHUIBASICS

Literallytranslatedas“wind-water,”theancientChinesepracticeoffengshuiisthepracticeofobjectorientationtocreatethehealthiestqi(pronouncedchee),orenergy flow. Recently, the concept of feng shui hasmelded into a concept ofmoving possessions around to create a positive energy balance and tangibleresults (e.g., better health, better luck, better job).While thepractice is highlynuanced,thereareafewquicktipstokeepinmindbeforeyoubeginorganizingyourspace.

Everyhome is divided intonine categories.Each speaks to a different lifesituation. To enhance that section or corner of your life, certain colors andobjects(thinkmirrorsandplants)shouldoccupythatspace.Yourentrancepointservesasabaselineforthefollowingchart:

Careerandlifepath.Whatisyourcallinginlife?Doyouhavethebestjobforyou?Whiteandblackhelpcalluponthepowerofyourlife.Glassandmirrorsserve as reflections as how the world sees you. Avoid earth-tone colors andsquare-shapeditemshere,whichcanmuddythepath.Helpful people and travel. In addition to being the area that helps call uponthosewhomakeyour lifeeasier (andhappier), this section isalsoaboutbeingtreatedfairly.Silver,gray,andreligioussymbolsinviteassistanceintoyourlife.

Placingabellheresignifiesyouwant tobeheard.Avoidhavingyourgarbagepailorlandingstrips(page12)here,astheycansuckawaypositiveinfluences.Creativityandchildren.Some feng shui experts suggest tackling this areaofyourhomefirst,asitisthebirthplacetonewconceptsandinspiredideas.White,yellow, and cylindrical-shaped objects invite imagination. Fire and the colorsassociatedwithitareano-nohere.Relationships and love. To ensure harmony with others, this area must bebalancedatalltimes.Candles,freshflowers,andmirrorsdrawpositiveloveandenergy. Placing a storage unit here invites a relationship filledwith unneededbaggage.Fameandreputation.Easy,LadyGaga,thisisn’taboutyourulingtheworldinameat dress, it’s about how theworld sees you. It’s about your integrity andhonesty.Fire itup.Thecolor red, loadsof lights,andwood(asymbolof fire)heatupyourrep.It’salsoagoodideatoplaceyourTVhere.Glassandmirrors(symbolsforwater)extinguishanypowerhere.Prosperity.Morethanmoney,thisareareferstohavingthegoodthingsinlife.Unsurprisingly, green and gold positively influence this area. But purple—thetraditional color of royalty—is the major power broker here. Dust, dirt, andbrokenitemsconjureupthefeelingofbeing—youguessedit—broke.Family. In addition to steering your relationshipswith those bound by blood,thisareaalsoaffectsyourdailynecessities(rentmoney,mac’n’cheesebudget,chocolate, shoes).Usewoodsandgreenshere;anythingmetalorwhitepushesaway the flow of easy conversation or relationships. It’s a good idea to placefamilyheirloomsinthisarea.Skills and knowledge. How do you learn, store, and use information?You’llreallywanttoampupthisareaifyou’reinschool,orifyouaretakingonanewproject.Ifyourkitchenfallsintothiszone,stockitwithhealthfulfoodsthatcanfeed themind.Your bar cart should find another home, however, since it cancloudyourjudgment.Booksdowellhere,clutterdoesnot.Keeptheareasleekandorganized.Health.Thiscenterareaencompassesallaspectsofyourlifeinadditiontoyourphysicalwell-being.Earthelements,symbolsoffruit,andmutedtonesenhancethe elements of overall balance and health. The exception is wood, whichtranslatesintoadisruptionoftheearth,andshouldbeavoidedhere.

Newhomebonus:Threegoodlucktipsforbeforeyou

movein1.Nevercarryanoldbroomintoyournewhome.Itcarriesremnantsofthe

past.2.Burnwhite sage.Waft the smoke around the entire home to banish any

spiritsorlurkingnegativeenergy.3. Sprinkle salt at the doorsills and windows to prevent evil spirits from

entering.

“Luckisbelievingyou’relucky.”

—TENNESSEEWILLIAMS

CULTURALNOTIONSOFLUCK

Nomattertheculture,it’straditiontowardoffbadluckfromenteringthehome.•Norsetraditionequatesacornswithgoodfortune.Putasingleacornonyourwindowsilltodeflectlightning.

•TheEnglishandotherEuropeanshanganupward-facinghorseshoeoverthehome’sprimaryentrancetoinviteluck.

•Crosseswardoffevilandaresaidtosafeguardthosewhowearthem.Hangoneinanypartofyourhomeforprotection.

•Anauticalstaristhesymbolofguidanceforsailors.•InChina,paintingthefrontdoorredisconsideredgoodluck.•Amezuzah(doorpost),traditionallyapieceofparchment,isfastenedtotherightsideofthedoorframeofJewishhomesinkeepingwithmitzvah(morallaw). Its placement symbolizes that God and the Torah (holy book) areentering.

•Elephantscombatbadomens.Placeonenearyourwindowtokeepnegativeforcesfromentering.

•Thecricket,aluckysymbolinmanycultures,isthesignofprosperity,goodfortune,andabountifulharvest.

•Thehamsa—aniconofahandpopularinNorthAfricaandtheMiddleEast—protects against the evil eye.Literally translated as “five,” thehamsa is

alsoknownasthe“handofFatima”orthe“handofMiriam.”•AcrossthecolonialAmericas,thepineapplewasseenasasymbolofwarmwelcomeandhospitality.

ADDINTEREST

Atruismofdesigningsmallspacesis thatneutralsdowonders.Thecooltonesvisuallyopentheareatogiveanillusionofmoreroom.Butabunchofflat-tonedbeige,cream,andoatmealdoesnotawelcominghomemake.Texturedoes.Youcaneasilymakeanecrusofaandsandruglookinvitingbyintroducingtexture.Simply put, the concept is to include awide variety ofmaterials, fabrics, andtonal patterns. Introduce faux throws or area rugs, chenille blankets over thecouch, or silk scarves as table runners, for example.Keep inmind that heavytexturescanoverwhelmaroom,solimitthevelvettosmalleraccents.

SeethroughThere’s something oh-so Casino-era glam about furnishings made of Lucite.Acrylic glass resin, known commercially as Perspex, Plexiglas, and theaforementioned Lucite, is a lightweight, shatter-resistant alternative to glass.Andfurnishingsmadeofthisstrongmaterialtakeupnovisualspace.Theirformand function is a boon for amplifying small quarters. Nesting tables are anawesome alternative to side tables and nightstands, and consoles appear to befloating above the floorwhenmade of a sturdy Lucite. Such furnishings alsoappearsleekandglam,withahintofartsy.Avoidmakingyourhomelooktoothemeparkfuturisticandsticktoahandfulofsee-throughpieces.

DOSANDDON’TS:CARINGFORLUCITEWhile sturdy and flexible, some extra loving should be taken when cleaningyourresinpieces.Douseasoft,non-abrasivepolishingcloth.Alint-freebambooonecanbelessharshthanwipesmadeofothermaterials.Do cleanwith hot soapywater.Your daily dish soapwill do, or opt for themulti-purposeCastilesoap.IlovethelavenderscentbyDr.Bonner.Formoreonscentssee“DecodingScents”onpage87.Do dry with another non-abrasive cloth. A used one may have someunforeseenabrasives.Don’tuseapapertowel.Itcanscratchthesurface.Don’tuseWindexorFantastic.Theycancloudthefinishanddeteriorate theacrylicovertime.Don’tplaceacrylicpiecesneardirectheatsources.Whilenothingislikelytomelt, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Place rubber trivets on surfaces beforeplacinghotplatesonthem.

ACCESSORIZE

“Theonlythingthatseparatesusfromtheanimalsisourabilitytoaccessorize.”Thank you, Steel Magnolias. It’s the best way to display our personality,interests, likes, and passions. And that extends to the home. Sure, in a smallspaceyou’llwant todecoratewithaccents thatare functionaland fashionable.Trays, baskets, and containers fit that bill.Utilize that oversize strawbag youscoredatamarketinBotswanatostashblanketsbythesofa.Containvasesandcandlesticks on a funky plastic tray. Store magazines in colorful baskets thatmeldwithyourdécorvision.But inaddition tousingutility items,accessorizeyourhomewithpiecesthatreflectyou.Displayyourprizedpossessionsaroundyourhome,acrossdifferentsurfaces.Showoffyourcollectionofvintageglobesalongthecredenzaorusethespacetoshowofftheinterestingvaseyoupickeduponsaleatyourneighborhoodboutique.Howeveryouchoosetoexhibityouraccessories,it’sagoodideatogrouptheminthrees.Thelookislesschaoticandmorecohesive.Keepaccentpiecesdust-freetofurtherreduceaclutteredlook.

HowtobuyartBuying art is an emotional (and sometimes pricey) proposition. Some tips topickingtherightartworkforyou:Gowith your gut. Pull the trigger if the piece speaks to you. Don’t buy artbecauseyouthinkitwillimpressyourneighbors.Choosesomethingthatcreatesanemotionalresponseinyou.Look at design magazines (or websites). While pinning rooms, take extranoticeoftheartonthewalls.Useitasaguidewhenshopping.Whenbrowsing,noticewhatyoulike.Isitwatercolorsorblockprints?Thisisagoodindicationofwhatkindofartworkonwhichtofocusyourowncollection.Black-and-white compositions are easy to introduce, no matter your designsense.Vibrantgraphicprintsarealsoagoodbetforart-buyingbeginners.Atlocalgalleries,printsandphotostendtobelesserpriced.Asktotakeapieceon approval. You may have to pay something, but it can be refunded if theartworkinquestiondoesn’tworkinyourhome.Gotomuseums.Giftshopsstockobjectsandprintsfrompopularexhibits.Stay

awayfromtheNighthawksandMonaLisareprosinfavorofsomelesserknownworks.Shopatstudentfairs.Largegraphicabstractselectionsstandthetestoftime.You can always reframe. Sleek,modern borders spruce up fleamarket findsandmakeconcertpostersappearmore refined.Makemultiplepieces look likepartofawholewithcoordinatingframes.Whateveryoubuy,theartshouldbeinkeepingwithyourhomedécorinbothpaletteandsize.

ONLINEARTSOURCESTiny Showcase. Each week, the online gallery sells a new limited edition

originalworkforaslowas$20.Since2005,theoutfithasdonatedaportionofallsalestocharitiesoftheartists’choice.

Etsy.Theenormousarts-and-craftscollectiveshowcasesadizzyingrosterofartistsacrossavarietyofmediums.

GiltHome.Thehigh-end,members-only,flash-salesiteshowcasesavarietyofworksbywell-knownnameslikeBanskyandParvezTajnext toaselectionfromup-and-comerslikelytoshowatthenextArtBasel.

OverstockArt.com.With less originalworks andmore oil reproductions ofthemasters,thissitehasashop-by-roomfeatureandacoolfunctionthatallowsyoutouploadapictureofyourroomtoseehowthepiecefits.

ArtRiver.A tightly edited selection of prints (some limited editions) frombig-namemodernmasters.

MOMAStore. Prints byWarhol, Pollack,Dali, and othermarqueemodernartists sit next to designer furnishings, accessories, and arty takes on kitchentools,amongotherhousewares.

ThreestepstocreateagallerywallAscatteringofsmallwallaccentscreatesthesenseofclutter.Instead,placelike-conceptwallhangingstocreatealargersingleappearancethatcanbethefocalpointofyourroom.1.Pickatheme.Tomakethegallerycohesive,it’simportanttoselectitems

alongthesamethemeorcolorpalette.Black-and-whitephotos,forexample,

haveanartylook,whileimageswithavarietyofbluesadddimension.Also,selectsimilarstyleframesthataresimple.Ikea’sRibbaserieshasmattesandvariousfinishesfordifferentprintsizes.

2.Definethespace.Insmallhomes,thegalleryconceptworksbestonafocuswall(overthecouchorbehindthebed,forexample).Startwithtwotofourframedprintsplacedatthesameheight.(Note:Leaveeightinchesbetweenthebaseoftheframeandthetopofthefurniture.)Varythedistanceandorientationbetweenthem,addingimagesuporout.

3.Evolve.Changeoutpieces;addnewones.Aswitheveryaspectofyourhome(andlife),allowyourcollectiontogrowtofityourneedsandinterests.

Note:Needamorehands-ontutorial?Gotogradybugdesigns.comforatemplatekit.

HaveasignaturecolorWithallthisneutralvibegoingontoexpandthelookofyourteensyhome,youdon’twanttoveerintohospitalsceneryfromGirl,Interruptedterritory.Havinga signature color gives an accent to your home while showing off yourpersonality. It facilitates your ability to coordinate accessories, art, and otherdécorelementssothattheyblendandcreateacohesivelook.Justrememberthattherecanbetoomuchofagoodthing.OverdoingthefireengineredtouchescanquicklyturnyourspaceintoToonTown.

Extendyour signaturehue tootherareasofyour life, likeentertainingandgift giving. It saves time when you can consistently defer to the Kelly greenribbon.Andit’sadetailthatpeoplewillremember—everygirlknowsthequalityofagiftinsideabrightblueboxandthoseredenvelopesleteveryoneknowthenewestreleaseisinit.

DECODINGCOLORSWhitesignifiesinnocence,purity,andgoodness.Someculturesusewhiteasthecolorofmourning.Goldisthecolorofwealthandprosperity.Black, actually the absence of color, is associatedwith power, authority, evil,and,inrecenttimes,elegance.Yellow, the color of the sun, is often associated with happiness. It alsosymbolizespeace.Inliterature,thetonehasillustratedwomenwithhysteria.Blue imparts tranquility.However,somesay it increasesproductivity,which iswhy thehue is also associatedwith corporate cultures.Those shades aremost

oftenthecoldtones;othersimpartasenseofpeace.Brownisearthy.Itisalsosaidtostimulateappetite.Red is the color of both passion and caution. Some cultures see it as a luckycolor.InAsia,manybrideswearshadesofred.Green,inadditiontomoney,reflectsnatureandfertility.Itissaidtosymbolizebothrenewalandjealousy.Purpleisthecolorofroyalty.ItwassaidtohavebeenCleopatra’sfavorite.

PANTONECOLOROFTHEYEARSince the year 2000, the first name in color, Pantone (the company thatspecializes in pigment production and owns a patentedmatching system), hasdeclaredanannualhuethatpermeatesthezeitgeist.

2013Emerald2012TangerineTango2011Honeysuckle2010Turquoise2009Mimosa2008BlueIris2007ChiliPepper2006SandDollar2005BlueTurquoise2004Tigerlily2003AquaSky2002TrueRed2001FuchsiaRose

2000Cerulean

“Thepurestandmostthoughtfulmindsarethosewhichlovecolorthemost.”—JOHNRUSKIN

GONATURAL

Fact:Living thingsperkup theplace.Notonlyare theya symbol for lifeandnature,butstudiesshowthatlookingatplantscanhelpalleviatethesymptomsofstressandencouragerelaxation.Someresearchershavefound thatpeoplewithplants in their environment are more productive. Plus, plants can boost theoxygen levels in your house. Group plants together or along thewindowsills.Place theminunexpectedplaces like in thebathroomoronabookcase toaddinteresttoyourdécorscheme.Treatyourselftofreshflowersonaregularbasis—it will add color and a bit of cheer. Remove dead plants or flowersimmediately;they’redust-collectorsandcreatebadjuju.Considerusingfruitasanaccent.Placeclementines, lemons,orapplesinasquatvaseasadisplayonyour tableordesk.Taking thefruitoff thecountertop isaspace-saverandall-overenhancer.

“Imusthaveflowers,alwaysandalways.”

—CLAUDEMONET

THREE STEPS TO CARE FOR FRESH-CUTFLOWERS1.Keepitsimple.Chooseasingletypeofflowerinasinglecolor.Nomatterthe

bloom,it’llstilllookchic.2.Keepitsmall.Trimstemsonanangleandplaceinasmallervesselthanyou

wouldoriginallythink.Alargevaseneedsloadsofblooms.Avintagejuiceglassisagreatalternative.

3.Keepitclear.Leavesunderthewaterlinecauserotmorequickly.Changethewatereverytwodays.(Useaturkeybaster tosuckuptheliquid.)Andaddfreshflowerfoodoranaspirinwithnewwater.

Kill-proofplantsYoudon’tneedamembershiptothegardenclubtokeepsomehealthygreeneryinyourhome.Note:Lessismore.Ingeneral,over-wateringisworsethanunder-watering.Air plants. Don’t let the name fool you, these mini plants still need to bewatered.Dampentherootsandleavesonceortwiceaweek.Flaccid,rolled,orwrinkledleavesareasignofdehydration.Aloe Vera and succulents. These juice-hoarders love bright light and needwateraboutonceaweek.Neverlettheplantssitinwater—theywillrotfromtherootup.Bamboo.Said tobring luckandgood fortune, theseAsianplants like indirectsunlightandatleastaninchofwateraroundtheredrootsandstonesinavase.Cacti.Justbecausethesearenativetoaridareasdoesn’tmeantheydon’tdrinkH20. They do, but onlywhen the plant is a bit shriveled. Leave out of directsunlight.Spiderplants.Thecatsofplantsbecausetheyseemtohavemultiplelives,thesesturdy guys love sunlight (a yellowish tinge on leaves signifies the want formore).Watertherootseverytwotothreedays,orwhenthesoilisdrytotouch.

KitchenherbgardenHerbs—you need them to make your food (and cocktails) more flavorful. Abunchofyourfavoritesmakeanicehouse-warminggift.Gather some terracotta pots. Thematerial allows the plants and soil properaeration.Placemini ones on a single tray to keepyour indoor garden lookingsleekandpurposeful.Mixupthesoil.Ahealthycombooftwopartssoil,onepartsand,andatouchoflime is optimal for the health of your plants. Avoid the mess of blending ityourselfandaskyourlocalgardeningcenterforamix.Let the sunshine in.Herbsdobestwith loadsof light.Many, however, don’tlikedirectsunlight,soplacebyawindow,notinit.Hydrate. If thesoil isdry,yourplantneedswater.Feedyourherbswithplantfoodaboutonceeverytwoweeks.Enjoy!Usescissorstosniptheleaveswheneveryouneedtoaddbasil toyourrecipe.

ROOM-BY-ROOMDÉCORSOLUTIONS

BedroomYouwantthisroomtobedreamy,butthatdoesn’tmeanyouhavetocutdownonitsutility.

JUSTFLOATThere’snoneedtosacrificeabedsidetableandreadinglampjustbecauseyourbedroomisarefashionedcloset.Utilizeyourwallspace.Cutafloatingshelftoan appropriate size and affix it to thewall beside the bed.Ormount a skinnyhorizontalbookcase.Lampscanbesecuredtotheheadboardorwall.Ifyouarereally short on space, invest in a storage bedwith shelving on the side of theheadboard.

MOVETHEPEGBOARDWALLOUTOFTHEKITCHENMount the material on any wall for extra storage of books, bags, scarves, orthoseknick-knacksyoujustcan’tpartwith.It’salsogreatasaheadboard.(Howto:Cutdownapegboardtobetween2x4or4x4.Usingdrywallanchors,screwthroughthepegboardandsecuretothewall.Painttheboard.Addhardwareandfloatingshelvesasdesired.)

DOWNSIZEConsider swapping out a queen-size bed for a full. Select a non-headboard,platform style to eliminate theneed for a box spring.Youcan retain adequateunder-the-bedstoragespace,whileoccupyinglessspace.

THREESTEPSTOMAKETHEBED—PROPERLY

Tossing the covers onto the bed doesn’t cut it. Creating a neat bed (think:“military-style”and“hospitalcorners”)alsocreatespeaceofmind.Here’show:

1.Startwithablank slate.Laya fitted sheeton topof themattress.Makesureeachcornerproperlyencirclesthoseofthemattress.Tuckthehemsofthesheettightlyunderthemattress.

2. Evenly spread a flat sheet over the folded one. The pattern should befacinginward(orthe“wrong”way).Alignthetopofthesheettotheheadboardandmakesuretheendsextendbeyondthefootofthebed.Standingbythecenterofthebedatthefoot,pullthesheethemtowardyouintoacrease.Folddowntoforma triangle andpull taut before tuckingunder themattress.Repeat on theotherside.Smoothawayanywrinkles.

3.Foldoverthetopsheetacoupleofinchesawayfromtheheadboard.Layoutaduvetandtopwithpillows.

KitchenWithjustacoupleoftricksyoucanmakeyourkitchenworkharderforyou.

ADDANISLANDMorethanasurfaceareaforprepping,thekitchenislandcanhelpwithstorageneedswhilealsoservingasabreakfastbar.Chooseonewithampleshelvingandasturdyfinish,suchasabutcherblock.Putitonwheelstomoveinoroutofthekitchenasneeded.

LETTHEREBELIGHTAwell-litkitchenappearsbigger.Affixlightsunderyourcabinets.Addaglass(orareflective)backsplashtofurtheramplifytheillusionofspace.Orconsiderhanging a chandelier. The delicate light can enhance a cramped kitchen bydrawing the eye upward. Traditional candelabra styles impart an air ofsophistication;asputnikhasamod,urbanlook.Mastertheamountoflightwith

adimmer.

MAKEDIAGONALSLayfloortilesonadiagonaltoenhancetheillusionofmorespace.It’savisualtrickthatmovestheeyeawayfromstricthorizontalsandsmallcorners.Keepthepatternsimpleandusetilesmadefromnaturalmaterials.

Living/DiningroomYou’ll probablybe spendinga lotof time in this space, soyouwant it to feelgood.

DOUBLEUPOpt out of a single coffee table and use two side tables or ottomans instead.Unlikethesingleandoftenchunkierpiece,thedoublescanbeeasilymovedoutofthewayforparties.Makesuretheyarethesameheightanddesigntokeepthelooksleekandpulledtogether.

AIMHIGHWhen selecting a daybedor sleeper sofa, look for onewith a high and sturdyback.Itismoreformallookingthanthelow-slingstylesandwillgiveyourhomelessofadorm-roomvibe.Don’tforgettheseattest.Sitonthecushionstoensurethey are firm. Single cushion styles tend to give way less than the separatedpillowtypes.Iforderingonline,seeifyoucanfindabrickandmortaroutposttodotheseattest.Returningfurnitureafterithasbeendeliveredcanbeahassle.

DRAWACIRCLE

Balanceall the straight lines and sleekanglesyou’ve implementedwitha fewroundpieces.Moroccanpoufs,circularsidetables,androundcoffeetablesallowtheflowofyourhometofeelmoreorganic.Andinvestinaroundleafeddiningtable.Such furniture pieces also counteract any sensationof living in an alleythatsomanystraightlinesmayevoke.

BathroomCreatingagreatbathroomcanmakeanyapartmentfeelbetter.

MOVEINAmp up the function of your washroom with some non-traditional bathroomfurniture.Ifthespaceallows,addachestofdrawerstostoretowels,linens,andperhaps your unmentionables. Use the upper drawers for toiletries and otheraccessories. A bookcase alsomakes a fabulous linen storage space, as does asmallcuriocabinet.Asturdychaircanworkaswell.Sidetablesarealsohandy.Useonetodisplayhandsoaps,perfumes,andcandles.Stashyourtoiletpaperinthedrawers.

SEECLEARLYClunky showerdoors andopaqueglass canmake a space feel smaller.Switchthemoutwithclearglass.You’llexpandthesensationofleewaybyaboutthreefeet—an enormous amount in tight quarters. Choose a door without a heavyframe.

PICKUPMaximizeyour floorspacebymovingyourbathmat.Whennot inuse,store itoverthesideofthetub.Orrollitupandstashunderthesink.Byhavingitoffthefloor,you’llenhancetheappearanceofspace.

PARTTHREE:ENTERTAINING

“Inwinethereiswisdom,inbeerthereisfreedom,inwaterthereisbacteria.”

—BENJAMINFRANKLIN

OVERNIGHTGUESTS

Intheoldendays,peoplestayedattavernsorsetupcampunderthestars.DuringAmerica’s Gilded Age, aristocrats entertained overnight guests in their grandhomes.NowyourfriendsaretakingapageoutofEdithWhartonandbunkinginwith you, albeit without the glamorous balls. You can, however, ensure yourguestshavejustasamazingatimeeventhoughyou’reshortalady’smaidandabutler.Thekeytohavingovernightguestsistomakethemfeelwelcomeenoughthat you appear as themost gracious hostess ever, but not somuch that theyoverstay that welcome. Like most things in life, the devil is in the details.Providing the right linens, activities, and meals ensure happy guests and ahappieryou.

“Guests,likefish,begintosmellafterthreedays.”

—BENJAMINFRANKLIN

WHAT’SAGUEST?Thedictionarydefinition:•Onewhoisarecipientofhospitalityatthehomeortableofanother.•Onetowhomentertainmentorhospitalityhasbeenextendedbyanother intheroleofhostorhostess,asaparty.

•Onewhopaysformealsoraccommodationsatarestaurant,hotel,orotherestablishment;apatron.

•A distinguished visitor to whom the hospitality of an institution, city, orgovernmentisextended.

• A visiting performer, speaker, or contestant as on a radio or televisionprogram.

Originsof“Guest”•Old English giest for stranger, enemy; related to Old Norse gestr, whichdates to before 900; Gothic gasts, Old Saxon, Old German gast, Old

Slavonicgostî(Some)SynonymsforGuest• bedfellow, boarder, boon companion, caller, client, companion, company,confidant, confidante, crasher, customer, dinner guest, drop-in, ephemera,fellow, frequenter, habitué, hanger-on, houseguest, inmate, invitee, lodger,mate, messmate, out-of-towner, partaker, partaker of hospitality, patron,recipient, recipient of one’s bounty, regular caller, renter, roomer, sharer,sojourner,tenant,transient,vacationer,visitant,visitor

CommunicateBefore your out-of-towners descend on your home, hammer out the details oftheir stay.How longwill they bewith you?Will they be seeing other friendswhile in town?Get to know their goals and expectations for the trip. If yourguests areplanningon seeingaBroadwayshowor trying toget intoaLakersgame, ticketsmay need to be purchased ahead of time. If you don’t have thespaceinyourscheduletoprocuresuchitems,emailyourgueststhebestticket-gettingsources.Also,letthemknowyourschedule.Ifyouhavetoworkortakeanimportantexam,adviseyourguestsaheadoftimeandmakesuggestionsastoactivitiesduringthattimeslot.“I’vegottomeetmystudygroupforanhourtheday before you leave, would you like to see the library where we meet? Itsarchitectureisprettycool,”forexample.Also,considerloopingyourfriendsintoyour usual day-to-day routine; consider extending an invitation to join you inyouryogaclassorbookclubmeeting.

“Whatistheremorekindlythanthefeelingbetweenhostandguest?”—AESCHYLUS,ANCIENTGREEKPLAYWRIGHT

CreateanitineraryThekeytohavingaminorguestfootprintalloveryourplaceistogetthemoutofthereasmuchaspossible.Forsignificantlylessmess,encourageyourgueststodostuffoff-site.Foreveryperson thatcross-references travelguidebooks tofigureoutthemostinterestingsitesinyourarea,there’sonethatcan’tnamethemajormetropolitanairportthey’reflyinginto.So,createamini-tour.There’snoneed to be bossy about it, simplymention cool art installations, your favoritecoffeeshops,oranywalkingpathsyouthinkyourguestsmayenjoy.Itisalsoa

goodideatoincludeafewactivitiesthatarefree(yourlocalmuseumonFridaynightandthemovienightonthebeach).Havemapsonhand(thelaminatedonesbyStreetwiseareeasytoclean,store,andreuse),aswellasalocalguidebook.Inpermanent marker, highlight your local subway stops, bus access points, orhighway exits. Also write your cell phone number on it and a list of taxiproviders. Tailor your itinerary suggestions for your guests—sports fans maywant to know about the backstage tours at Fenway, fashion freaks will lovehearingaboutthenewconsignmentboutiquenearyouroffice—andthegracioushostessinyouhitsitoutofthepark.

“Guestsbringgoodluckwiththem.”

—TURKISHPROVERB

WORLD’S10MOSTVISITEDTOURISTSITESTheworld’s iconic spots areonevery traveler’smust-see list. If you livenearone,bepreparedforafieldtripwithyourguestsorgivetheminsidertipsonthebest(read:crowd-free)timestovisit.

1.TimesSquare,NewYorkCity:39millionvisitorsayear2. National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington D.C.: more than 35

millionvisitorsayear3.TrafalgarSquare,London:morethan25millionvisitorsayear4.MagicKingdom,LakeBuenaVista,Florida:17millionvisitorsayear5.DisneylandPark,Anaheim,California:14.7millionvisitorsayear6.NiagaraFalls:14millionvisitorsayear7.Fisherman’sWharfandGoldenGateBridge, SanFrancisco:13million

visitorsayear8.TokyoDisneylandandDisneySea,Japan:13millionvisitorsayear9.NotreDameCathedral,Paris:10.6millionvisitorsayear10.DisneylandParis,France:10.6millionvisitorsayear

Inviteintwos

Waitup,hold aminute,didyou just read that correctly?Thequickanswer is:Yes.Admittedly,itseemscounterintuitive;doubletheguestamountanddoublethe space they occupy. OK, that’s true, but the value in having a couple ofovernight visitors versus a single is in their ability to entertain each other.Together,they’llbeabletogosightseeing,whichtakesthepressureoffofyoutoentertain24/7.

Threerulestoovernightguestifyouhaveroomies1.Ask.Clearanyinviteeswithyourroommate.Itisasmuchherspaceasyours.

Discussarrivalanddeparturedates(theyshouldbefirm),aswellassleepingarrangements.

2.Respect.Ifappropriate,alertyourgueststoyourroommate’shabits(sheworksnights,sokeepitdownduringtheday).Inthebathroomandkitchen,steeryourpeepsawayfromherbelongings.(See“Stockthefridge”onpage63and“Createabathroomcaddy”onpage63.)Dittoforhergadgets.

3.Include.Noonelikestofeellikeathird(orfifth!)wheel:Evenifyouaren’tBFFs,inviteyourroomie.Havehertagalongonyourvisittotheneighborhoodparkortocheckouttheinstallationyouheardshe’sbeeninterestedinseeing.There’snoneedtoextendaninvitationforeverysingleactivity,justtheonesyouknowshe’llhe’llenjoy.

MakeasetofkeysYes, yourguests arehere tovisitwithyou, but they are alsohere to seewhatyourawesomecityhastooffer.Providethemwithkeystoyourcastleandtheywon’tfeelastieddowntoyourneedsandviceversa.Assignastoragespotforyourguestkeys,eitherwiththeirlinensortechcenter.

CentralizethetechnologyIntoday’siWorld,hostingovernightguestsalsomeansdealingwithwires—gobsof them. Set up a charging station next to an open outlet or electrical strip.Assigna trayorashallowmediaboxforall thingsguest tech.Ifyourguest ismessy,clearlylabelthetechcenterwithaneonsticky.KeepyourWiFipasswordthere,aswellasanyremoteandDVRinstructionsyourguestmayneed.Noonewantstoexperienceawhat-happened-to-my-Parenthood-episodes!?meltdown.

TRAVELAPPSConsider addinga list of someor all of thesehandy travel apps inyourguesttechcenter.They’regreattouseontheroadorwhenyouareathomebase.WeatherChannel.Nomatterhowmany timesyour localnewsstationpraisesthepoweroftheDopplerradar,itrarelyseemstobeontarget.Thisfreeappforeverykindofhandhelddevicegives forecastsby thehourandfor thenext tendays.OpenTable.Thinkofthisastheassistantyouneverhad.Thefree-across-devicesappallowsyoutosnagreservationsat thebestarearestaurantsandemailsyoutheconfirmation.Yelp. Looking for hot haute foodie spots?Employ this app, a loyal restaurantreviewsitewhereusersarehonestwithboththepraisesandthepans.Uber. A cashless personal driver? Sign me up! Register on Uber’s companywebsite and request a cabvia the app at any time.Textmessages confirm thecar’sestimatedtimeofarrivalandwhenithaspulledup.Yourcreditcardonfilemeansneverhavingtopaythedriverdirectly.MetrO. Like its cousinHopStop (which is limited tomajorAmerican cities),this freebie is all about helping you navigate the public transportation systemlikealocal.Bestroutesandtraveltimesareclearlymappedoutwhenyoukeyinyouroriginanddestination.FreeWiFi Finder. You know Starbucks is always good for a hotspot. But ifyou’reinapinch,usethisfreeforAndroidandAppletooltodoexactlywhatitsname indicates—pinpoint the open (and gratis) WiFi networks in yourimmediatearea.Bonus:GoogleTranslate. In a foreign country? This app listens and repeatsphrasesandwords inmore thansixty-five languages.Ask“what’s fordinner,”forexampleandtheappwilltellyou,“cequiestpourledîner?”

SmileA happy host is a gracious host.Welcome your guestswith genuine gusto. Ifyou’veproperlypreparedyourhome(andexpectations),thevisitwillbefun(aswellaspainless).Enjoyyourcompanyandenjoyshowingthemyourcity.Uponarrival,reviewyourguests’plansfortheirstay.Beflexiblewithanyadditionsorsubtractions.Don’t feel pressure to do absolutely everything on theirmust-do

list.Ifyou’veseenStrawberryFieldsonceaweekforthelastthreeyears,agreetomeet them afterward for a decadent sundae at the famous ice cream parloraroundthecorner.

“Visitsalwaysgivepleasure—ifnotthearrival,thedeparture.”

—PORTUGUESEPROVERB

ClearoutUsetheadventofguestsasanexcusetocleanupandcheckinwithsomeoftheorganizingmethodsyouperfectedinPartOne.Removeexcessclutterfromanyrooms or areas that your guestswill be using.Also considermoving some ofyourfurniturearound.Now,I’mnotsuggestingyouchangethepositionofyourcouch—although now that we’re on the subject, do you think it would lookbetterinfrontofthewindow?Thisismoreaboutreexaminingtheflowofyourhome inconsideration formorebodies.Thinkabouthowyouandyourguestsaregoingtopasseachotherinthehall.Ifyouhaveacredenzajuttingintothepathfromyourbedroomtoyourbathroom,forexample,maybeitneedsanewposition. Or perhaps your dining table needs to swing over in a differentdirection to make space for the air mattress and suitcases. In the bathroom,assignaparticularportionof thesink top foryourguests’Doppkit, anddon’tforgettohaveextraTPinplainview.Designateasimilarareainthekitchenandofficeareaforatechcenter(seepage24).Aimtodoalltheheavyliftingatleastthreedaysbeforethearrivalofyourgueststoensurethenewlayoutworks.

THELOW-DOWNONSHEETS

Bamboo. Celebrated for its green sensibility, this cloth is fashioned from finefibersof thegrass-likeplant.Sheetsmadeofbambooaresoft to the touchanddon’twrinkle.

Egyptian cotton. True to its name, this material is exclusively sourced in theNorthAfricancountry.Itsstrength,sumptuousness,andlongevityareallthankstoEgypt’sgrowingseason.Toampuptheluxefeel,mostEgyptiancottonsheets

haveathreadcountofatleast200.

Silkfiber.Themostswishofallsheetsaremadeoftheextra-strong,extra-long,extra-soft,naturallywovenfibersof thesilkworm.The traditionof fashioningsheetsfromthedelicate-to-the-touchmaterialdatesback3,000years.

Cotton jersey. Unlike most sheet materials, jersey (and its cousin flannel) ismeasured by ounces ofmaterial per square yard of fabric,which explains thecost-friendlyaspect.Madeofblendedcottons,thefeelbecomessofterovertimeandisoftenusedforchildren’sbedding.

Muslin.Thetoughversionofcottonisstrong,yetabitroughtothetouch.Sheetsmadeofmuslinhavealowerthreadcountthanmostat128toabout140.Alsopreferred for children’s bedding, muslin sheets tend to pill after multiplewashings.

Percale. Wrinkle-haters choose this mid-thread count material, which iscomposedofacotton-polyesterblend,andthereforestayscrease-free.Theclothistightlywovenandholdsupagainstmultiplewashings.

Linen. Hypoallergenic and antibacterial, this natural fiber is fashioned fromcotton.Althoughitfeelsluxurioustothetouch,linentendstowrinkleandneedstobetreatedgently.

CreateaguestroomIfyou’reluckyenoughtohavearoomwithadoorthatcanbeclosed,assignitasguestquarters,evenifit’sjustforthismoment.Moveyourdesktothecorneroftheroomandallowenoughfloorspaceforanairmattresstobeblownup.Prepthespaceandlinenspriortoyourguests’arrivalsoyoucanenjoythevisit(see“ThreeSteps toMaketheBed—Properly”onpage55). Ifyoucan,clearoutadraweror two in the room foryourguests toutilize.Or assigna tucked-awaycornerasasuitcasestoragespot.Usetheseatofanextrachairasasidetableandplaceafewcitymagazinesandbooksaboutthelocalareaontop.Alsoconsiderputtinga task lamp,abudvase(a repurposed juiceglass filledwith threerosebuds),andabottleofwateronthechairseat.

Now,ifyouareinthesans-extra-roomcorner,youcanstilldelineateaguest-specificspace.Ifyourcouchordaybedisservingastheguestroom,repurposethesidetableasabedsideone.Layoutthemags,books,andwaterthere.And

carveout a bit of floor space for the guest baggage.Protect your floorwith aprettyfabricremnantorbeachtowel—it’llalsoclearlydemarkthespace.Ifyouare using the couch as a guest bed, place the folded sheets on the back, toindicatethestoragespotthroughoutthelengthofthestay.Showyourgueststhemechanics of the air mattress, sofa bed, or trundle. Bo Concept makes coolottoman-bed convertibles. A roll-away feather bed is another great guest bedalternative. It can be folded and stored when not in use. Always have moreblankets at the ready—offer the decorative throws from your couch.Considerpullingthelivingroomcurtainsclosedforabettersleep.

InvestinarollingrackIt can be used to hangwet laundry, as a coat rack for your next party, and aclosetforyourout-of-townguests.What’smore,youcanpositiontherackasaprivacyshield foryourpalswhoarecampingoutonanairmattressorcouch.BigboxretailerslikeKmartsellcollapsibleracksthatcanbestoredunderyourbedorsofawhennotinuse.

SwitchplacesIfyouareentertainingacoupleoralatesleeper,youmayconsiderdonatingyourbedroomforthestay.Nowdon’tbeamartyraboutit,itcanactuallyhelpkeepyour home tidy.Bygivingyour guests a roomwith a door, you’ll be keepingtheirstuffoutofthelivingroomandoutofsight.You’llalsogivethemasenseofprivacy.Placeanyclothesyoumayneedonyourrollingrack,inatidypileinthebathroom,orinyourentryway(seepage31).Sleepingonthesofamayfeelabit likeavacationathome—youcanwatchTVfrombed.Andyou’llhavethefreedomtowakeearlyforyourAMFlyWheelwithouthavingtotiptoeoveranextendedsleepersofa.Olderguests(read:yourparentsorin-laws)willcertainlysleepmoresoundlyinarealbed.Note:Ifyouhavearoommate,thisisthebestsolutionforhostingovernighters.

MakepreciousprivateEvenifyourguestisn’tabulltypeinachinashop,hemaynottreadascarefullyasyou.Moveyourgrandmother’sTiffanylampandotherdelicatepiecesoutofreach.Placethemonhighershelvesofsecurestationarystorage.Bookcasesandcredenzasmaygetbumped.Similarly,removeanyitemsyoudeemintimatefrom

yourpublicspaces.Stashtheminyourbureauorinsidethecloset.

WashupDust bunnies are not invited. It should gowithout saying, (but I’m remindingjust in case), before you open your home, the floors should be swept, thebookcasesdusted,andthecluttercontained.Butyoushouldalsopayattentiontoyourlinens.Noonelikestosleepinstorage-scentedsheets.Doaquickloadofyoursheetsandtowelsbeforeyourguests’arrival.Tossanall-naturalsachetinyoursignaturescentinthedryer.(TraderJoe’ssellsearth-friendlyreusableonesinavarietyofscents.)Inlieuoffolding,rollsheetsandtowels—itnotonlytakesuplessspace,italsopreventswrinkling.Considerassigningacertaintowelsetcolor to each guest. It eliminates confusion and ensures nobodywill be usingyours.

MakerulesYou don’t need to be a bossy boots about it.Make like a job interview:Turnyourshoebox—albeitcute—livingstatusintoastrength.Uponwelcomingyourguests, provide some snacks (see “Insta-party foods” on page 83) and do thegrand tour. Along the way, highlight anything youwant your guests to do orobserveinyourhappiesttoneever.Forexample:“Here’sthebathroom.Asyoucanseeit’sBarbie-size,soafteryourshower,pleaseplacethebathmatoverthetub and your towel over the curtain bar.”Make similar statements for storinglinensand luggage. Ifyou’reafraidofnoise,blame theneighbors. “Heyguys,thedudedownstairsisacrazy-birdaboutfootsteps.Hedoesthebroombangnomatter thehour, so if you cankeep it down, thatwouldmakemy life easier.”Aimfornomorethanfiverules—toomanyandyourguestsmayforget.Ifyourequirethingslikecoastersandslippers,showthemtoyourguestsuponarrivaltoyourhome.Paperslippersareeasytostoreunderthesink.Gotanyweirdticstoyourplumbingorshower?Explicitlybreakdownanysortofdetails.

CANIHELP?TheDosandDon’tstorespondingtotheage-oldquestion.

Do:Beclear.Makespecificrequeststhatareeasyforyourguesttohandle.Askhertosetoutthesilverwarefordinnerandclearlyexplainwheretheknivesare

kept.Havehimbusthetableandpilethedishesnexttothesink.

Do:Bringitup.Don’tbeafraidtoaskyourguesttohelpyoupeelpotatoes/feedthedog/foldupthesofabed.She’scrashingonyourcouchfreeofcharge,andshouldbeabletohelpoutinaminimalway.You’renotbeingataskmasterbyaskingforhelpwhenyouneedit(orwanttochatwhileyou’regettingthesaladready).

Don’t:Lie.Demurring the request forhelpbecauseyoufeelbaddoesn’tmakeyouanymoregracious.Infact,itcanmakeyouabitresentful.

Don’t:Go overboard.Unless your guest has taken up permanent residence onyour airmattress, asking that she complete chores above themenial can be aburden on her. It can also bemore of a hassle for you. Fielding the litany of“whereisit”questionsandthe“howdoesitwork”queriesonabigtaskcanbemoretime-consumingthandoingityourself.

AssignawaterglassYou know that more than one glass in the sink of a mini-house looks like athousanddiscardeddrinkingvessels.Giveyourguestspint-sizeglassesthataretheirstouseforaguathroughoutthelengthoftheirstay.Showthemyourwaterdispenser and any nuances to using it. Hint: Check Target’s sale section forcolorfuloptionsthatareeasytodistinguishfromeachother.Whileyou’reatit,encourage your pals to help themselves to the snacks and breakfast food. See“Stockthefridge”belowformoreinfo.

StockthefridgeLet’s be clear, you aren’t your houseguest’smom, so there’s no need to haveendless pans of baked ziti and a lifetime supply of tuna salad sandwiches onWonderwith the crusts cut off.But having some key items in the pantry is agraciousandtime-savinggesture.Ifyou’vealreadygotthesnacksforaninsta-party (see page 83), simply supplement with a few personalized options. Forexample,ifyourpaliswildaboutcoffee,havesomebeansfromalocalroasterallset.Orifyourcousinissuperexcitedaboutcheese,introducehertothelatestofferingfromyourCSA.She’llappreciatethepersonalizedgesture.Also,evenifyoudon’teatityourself,getlightbreakfastfood.It’sthecheapestandeasiestto

stock and the most difficult one to forage when you’re out of your element.Selecteasy-on-the-prep-timechoiceslikemuffins,bagels,wholepiecesoffruit,and cold cereal. Do a kitchen tour, pointing out the way to use certain(necessary)appliances—coffeepot,toaster,dishwasher—aswellasthefoodandsnacksthatareopenseason.

“Wedarenottrustourwitformakingourhousepleasanttoourfriend,sowebuyicecream.”

—RALPHWALDOEMERSON

SetamenuParedownyourprephoursandincreaseyourvisitingtimebydecidingonmealoptions ahead of time. Shop and prep anything ahead of your guests’ arrival.Heatingupaquicheisa loteasier thanwhippingitupwhileattendingtoyourguests’ needs.When you coordinate the visit with your out-of-towner, assesshowmanymealsyou’llbeeatingathomeandwhat,ifany,foodallergiesneedtobeconsidered.Thenyoucanaccuratelymakeyourshoppinglist.

CreateabathroomcaddyWhat is it about toiletry bags that make them seem inherently chaotic? Youshouldhavealreadydemarcatedaplaceforyourfriend’sthingsinthebathroom,butgoingastepfurtherbenefitsyouboth.Setoutabathbasketfilledwithguest-onlygoodies.Considergettingawaterproofcontainer thatcanbe taken inandoutoftheshower—uprightplasticsilverwaretraysworkaswellasacaddy.Orchoose a mesh bag kit (Amazon and Bed, Bath & Beyond carry such kitstargeted toward collegekids).Place a few thingsyourguestsmayneed in thebag—travelsizesofshampooandmoisturizer,extrahairelastics,aminibarofsoap,individualpacksofAdvil.Alwayshaveanextratoothbrushandtravel-sizepasteonhand.It’ssomethingyourguestissuretoforget.Encourageyourout-of-townerstoleavetheirstuffinthecaddyaswell;it’llcontrolthemess.Afterherdeparture, tossanyhalf-usedbottles.Revaluateyourcaddywheneveryoudoacluttercleanout(seepage8inPartOne).Whennotinuse,stashthecaddyunderthesinkorinacloset.Don’thaveaninchofspaceforyetanotheritemtostore?

Utilizeashowercurtainwithbuilt-inpockets.

TOWELSBYTHENUMBERS

Bath towel.Most commonlymade of terry, the absorbent (andmost commonsize) rectangular-sizeclothmeasuresabout30 inchesby58 inchesand isusedpost-shower,swim,orbath.

Bathsheet.Abitbiggerat35inchesby60inches,thebathsheethasthesameuse.

Handtowel.Madeofthesamematerial,thisrectangulardryingclothmeasuresabout16inchesby24inches.Truetoitsname,it’susedforthehands,althoughbecauseofitssizemanypeopleuseittodrythefaceaswell.

Beachtowel.Usuallymeasuringlongerthanabathtowel,butnotaswideasabathsheet, thebeachtowelisgenerallyusedasaplacetolieorsituponwhenstretchedoverthegroundorsand.

Sports towel. This ultra-absorbent synthetic cloth is used by competitiveswimmers. Once saturated it can still absorb water after being wrung out.Microfibertowelshaveasimilarabilitytoabsorb,whiledryinginaflash,whichmakes the lightweight, synthetic material popular at campsites and amongbackpackers.

Tea towel.Also known as a dishtowel, this rectangular clothwas traditionallymadeof linen. Inmany18th centuryEnglishhomes, the servantswerebarredfrom drying fragile china, instead the woman of the house used this delicatetowel.

Turkish towel. It is widely believed that the modern towel was invented inTurkey. This term refers to a longer towel made of a rough material that isfashioned in uncut loops, which are so tightly wound that they don’t showindentations.

Oshibori.Literallya“hot towel,” this small finger towel ispresented todinersbefore the meal at Japanese restaurants. Some airlines distribute the folded,heatedclothstopassengersoninternationalflights.

Towel animals. Although their origin is unknown, many attribute Carnival

Cruiselinesasthefirstcompanytofashionanimalshapesfromfoldedtowelsatturndownservice.Akintoorigami,thepracticeisnowquitecommonamongthecruiselinesandmanyall-inclusivehotelchains.Themostpopularconfigurationisadove,themostcomplicatedamonkey.

TidyupNowthisdoesn’tmeanyoufollowyourguestsaroundwithabottleofFantastikanda rollofpaper towels. It’smoreaboutcontrolling themess. Ifyourcouchsurfers are staying for more than a night, help them store the air mattress ortrundlethefirstthinginthemorning.Andemploytheirassistance.Ifnecessary,explain themechanicsof thesofabed,again.Replace toiletries in theirbasket.And mention it as you do so. But do it in a non-nag way. “Hey, I put thetoothpasteintheguestcaddy,soyoucanfindit.Mybathroomissmall,butit’seasy to lose trackof things,”forexample.Remember,youareagracioushost,notaharpie,sodoitallwithasmile.

DitchthecookingAnotherwaytoofferacustomizedexperienceisinthefoodyouchoosetoserve.Insteadofmussingupthekitcheneveryeveningofthestay,whipoutthetake-outmenus.Eachpersoncanchoosewhatshelikes,andsinceyou’reonlyusingplates,notpotsandmorepots,clean-upisacinch.Gracioushostessbonus:Youcanintroduceyourgueststocuisinethey’venevertried.Avoidtheluretoservethe meal straight from the take-out containers. Instead, bring out your prettyplatesandrealsilver.

Note:Unlessyou’rehostingaFoodNetworkstaroramajortypeA,declineyour guest’s offer to cook; the clean-up will likely end up with you. Trysuggestingafavoritebrunchplaceordinnerspotinstead.

TAKEOUTBYTHENUMBERS

•The averageAmerican eats 76%ofmeals at home.That number includestake-out,saystheNationalRestaurantAssociation.

•Adultsconsumed,onaverage,11.3%of theirdailycalories fromfast food

duringtheyears2007–2010.Fifteenpercentofthosepeoplewereages20–39.

•Thereareapproximately threebillionpizzassold in theUnitedStateseachyear. Americans eat 350 slices per second, according to the NationalAssociationofPizzaOperators.

•ThirteenpercentofAmericanconsumershaveusedtheInternettoplaceanorder for take-out or delivery according to the National RestaurantAssociation.

•ThefivemostpopulardaysforpizzadeliveryareSuperBowlSunday,NewYear’sDay,NewYear’sEve,Halloween,andThanksgivingEve.

•Italian,Mexican,Chinese,andpizzawerethemostpopularrestauranttypesin 2011, according to a survey conducted by Living Social and MandelaResearch.

“Itisnotthequantityofthemeat,butthecheerfulnessoftheguests,whichmakesthefeast.”

—EDWARDHYDE

FollowupAgoodguestwill followupwitha thankyounoteoremail.Butyoucanbeatthemtothepunchwithaquicknotetomakesureshearrivedhomesafely.Textabout how much you enjoyed the visit, specifically call out a memorablemomentor two,andpossiblyattachaphoto.Nowisalso the time toplant thereciprocationseed.Ifyouhadadifficultvisit,suggestthenexttimeyoumeetup,ittakeplaceonamoreneutralplayingfield.

PutitbackOK, that was fun, but now—woo-hoo!—your home is your own sweet homeagain.Immediatelyuponyourguest’sdeparture,putawayyouronly-for-couch-surfers items. Store the visitors’ tech center (page 60) and activity ideas info(page 59) for your next houseguest, as well as the bath caddy. Strip the bed,washthelinens,andtakeoutthetrash.Ifyouhavetime,domorethanaspeed

cleanandplaceanyfurnitureyoumovedbacktoitsoriginalposition(unlessofcourse,thepiecesworkbetterinthenewspot).

BIGPARTY,SMALLEVERYTHINGELSE

Whether game day, holidays, or a just cause day, entertaining at home is anextensionofyourpersonality.Butdoingsoinacrampedapartmentcanseemabit daunting—I mean, hello, where are all these people going to fit? A fewtweaks to your home’s layout and a quick repurpose of your items and, voilà,yourhomeishosting-ready.Also,haveafewstandbyentertainingtricksinyourarsenal.

PARTYHISTORYFUNFACTS

•Tribalwarriorsentertainedintheirhomes.Greeksdid,too.•Theancientpashtunpeoplewhoinhabitedtoday’sAfghanistanandPakistanheldproperhospitality in thehighest regard. In fact, itwasa tenantof thetribal“codeof life” thatdates to thefirstmillenniumBC.Tribes,whichatonetimestretchedfrommodern-dayIndiatoTurkey,wererequiredtograntasylumtoanyonewhoasked.Thedemonstrationofhospitalitywasdoneandexpectedwithoutthenotionofrecompense.

• The ancient Greeks regarded xenia (hospitality) as a divine right. Theconceptofxenia is inclusiveof bothguests andhosts. It states that a hostmustprovidefood,drink,andabath,aswellasapartinggift.Theguest,inturn,isexpectedtobecourteousandnotaburden.

•TheancientIrishhadasimilarviewofhospitality.Celticlawrequiredahostprovide food,drink, abath, andentertainment to anyonewhoappearedonhisdoorstep.Aguest,forhispart,wasexpectedtoabstainfromviolenceorargumentsafteracceptingthehospitality.ThelawaimedtoencouragetradethroughoutEire.

• There’s a five-step approach to the traditional Hindu duty of hospitalitycalled atithi devo bhavah (loosely translated as “the guest is god”). Therituals include the host’s offering of fragrance, to put the guest in a goodmood; a lamp, to signify the availability of the host; fruit and milk, fornourishment; rice, which is often dyed and smudged at the forehead as a

symbol of unity; and flowers, a gesture of goodwill that symbolizes themakingofsweetmemories.

•Theterm“southernhospitality”wasfirstusedmid-1830s.Itreferredtotheopenness andwillingness forAmericans living south of theMason-Dixonline to provide enough food for anyonewhomay be around atmealtime.Properlyaddressingoneanother(assirorma’am)andbeingchivalrousarealsopartofthegentileways.

MakeanassessmentTakeagood,longlookatyourstudio/dormroom/800-square-foottwobedroomand calculate exactly how many people can fit comfortably for your event.According to domestic doyenne Martha Stewart, the average room cancomfortablefitthirtypeople(oronepersonperfive-tosixsquarefeet),standing.Keepthatnumberinmindwhendraftingaguestlist(see“CreateaGuestList”onpage66).Also, think about the theme or goal of your party. Is it a casualSunday Patriots viewing session? Or is it a housewarming cocktail? Gamenights, baby showers, and Oscars parties will need more seating than a NewYear’sbashorano-giftsbirthdaycelebration,soedityourguestlistaccordingly.In general, you can expect a 20% decline rate on your invites. Imagine yourguestsmoving around the space anddancing to the latestBeyoncéhit.Or seethemsocializingbythebuffetorchilibowl.Whatdoesyourpartylooklike?Inthis pre-planning stage think about any furniture changes and décor additions.Getbroadstrokesaboutmenu,music,and,ifapplicable,activities.It’salsothetimetogetyourparty-throwingteamtogetherifyou’regoingtoneedhelp.

“Hearnoevil,speaknoevil—andyou’llneverbeinvitedtoaparty.”

—OSCARWILDE

CreateaguestlistTherearejustafewbasicstepsyoushouldconsiderwhenmakingaguestlist.Mixitup.Aroomfulloflawstudentsmayleadtoanuanceddiscussionofcivilprocedure;abunchofbloggerscouldconcentrateonanalytics.Makesureyour

listhasahealthyassortmentofprofessions,hobbies,andpassions.Ensure thatalthough they have different interests, they’ll enjoy socializing together. Forexample, your roommate from your abroad program in Ecuador may enjoylearningaboutyourpalfromPilates’stintasaSpanishteacher.Host a “party” person. Everyone knows that one guy who is a hit in everysocialsituation.Hisenergyisinfectiveandhe’sgoodatgettingpeopletalking,takingtheall-hands-on-deckpressureoffofyou.Only have desirables. Your party isn’t the time to mend fences with a co-worker.Keepyourguestlistfilledwithpeoplewhowanttobeatyourpartyandwhoyougetalongwithwell.Theonlyexceptionisyourneighbors(see“Invitetheneighbors”onpage71).

WHAT’SAPARTY?Party:Agatheringofpeoplewhohavebeeninvitedbyahostforthepurposeofsocializing,conversation,orrecreation.Foodandbeveragesaretypicallyserved.

Celebration:Apartyheldinhonorofacertainperson,day,oroccasion.

Shower:Throwninhonorofaspecificguestuponmarryingorhavingababy,itisagathering to specificallygift thepersonofhonor.Historically, thepracticecamefromthedowrytradition,whenapoorwoman’sfamilymaynothavethemoney to entermarriage. It alsomirrors the trousseau (hope chest) customofcolonialAmerica.

Teaparty:Alate-afternoongatheringcharacterizedbytheuseofformalserving-andsilverwareandawomen-onlyguestlist.

Soirée:From the sameFrenchwordmeaning “eveningperiod” andLatin seromeaning“late,”thisisareceptionorpartyheldatnight.

Cocktailparty:Firstusedin1928,thetermisexactlywhatitis:aninformalorformalgatheringinwhichcocktailsareserved.

Dinnerparty:Anoccasionwheredinner is served, either at abuffet or formaltableseating.

Potluck: Traditionally speaking, the term refers to food provided for anunexpectedguestor“what’sinthefridgesurprise.”Itthenmorphedintoamealwithnoparticularmenu,forwhichIrishwomencookedtogetherinasinglepot.Itnowreferstoaneventtowhichattendeesareaskedtobringadishormeal.

Mixer:Aget-togetherwiththespecificpurposeforgueststomeetoneanotherinaninformalsetting.

Kaffeklatsch: An informal gathering over coffee, which generally includes agossipsession.

Clambake:Yes,it’sanoutdoorpartyonthebeachwhereseafoodiscookedoverheatedrocks,butit’salsoreferstoanoisysocialgathering.

SetthesceneAswithinteriordesign,flowisatenantofagreatparty.Yes,it’stheimpressionofopenspaceinyourhome,butinthiscase,it’sliterallyhowyourguestsmovethroughout your home and interact with each other. So unless you are aprofessional party house, chances are the way you’ve got your small spacearranged isn’t the most conducive for a festive gathering of more than one.Translation:Youmayhavetomovesomethingsaround.Nowthere’snoneedtouprootyoursofaandbed(unlessofcourseyouhaveaMurphythatcansoeasilybe stored into thewall).But if you’re in a studio, consider coveringyour bedwithafestivesheetortableclothtotransformitfromyoursleepingcocoonintoamore party-appropriate seating area. This will also protect your duvet frombecomingfiesta-worn.Ortossloadsofthrowpillowsonthemattresstoinvoketheideaofalaid-backlounge.Moveanythingthat’sinthemiddleoftheroom—coffeetables,ottomans,etc.—outtowardthewalls.Andutilizethesurfacespacefordécor items,extendedbuffetstations,or lean-tosforguests.Seatingshouldalsobeclose to thewall toencourageminglingandmovement.But,note, thiscan be a tricky one. Toomany occupied seats along thewall runs the risk oflookingseventhgradedanceinsteadofsuper-funpartyoftheyear.(Agoodruleistohavelesschairsthanpeople.)Considerunfoldingchairsastheneedarises.Youalsowanttoensureyou’vegotamplespacearoundthebarandfoodareas.Onewaytodothisisbyseparatingthebuffetandcocktailstations.

CleanitupItmayseemabitduh,butit’sveryimportanttokeepyourhometidyforguests.HostingapartyinamessyspaceisakintoascenefromAnimalHouse.Skipthespeedclean in favor for thedown-and-dirty, full-on scrubbing session.Aim tocomplete the project a day or two before the event. That way you won’t be

moppingthekitchenfloorminutesbeforeyourguestsarrive.It’llalsogiveyoutimetopreparefood,hangdécor,anddoother last-minutepreps.Doaquickiespeedclean(see“SpeedCleaninThreeSteps”onpage8) justbeforeyoudonyourprettypartydressorspecialoccasionduds.

GodoubledutySounds familiar, doesn’t it? Well, it is a mantra for dwellers of spatiallychallengedhomes.Ifyou’reentertaininginateensycrib,you’vegottoexploitallyourresourcesandrepurpose.Clearoutashelfinyourbookcaseforplates,napkins,anddishes.Usethetopofacredenzaasabuffet.Dressupyourdaybedtobemoreconducive for seating.Andconsider fillingyour squeaky-clean tubwithiceandbevies.Anothertrick:Throwatableclothoveranironingboard(ifyouhaveone)anduseasaservingtable,orutilizethesurfaceofyourdesk.

KEEPITCLEAR

Aswe discussed in the first section, cluttermakes everything appear smaller.Keepsurfacesfreeandclear.Inthebathroom,restricttheitemsonyourcountertohandsoap,acandle,andflowers.Storeeverythingelseunderthesink.Takethesameapproachtoyourkitchenanddesk.Ifyou’rerepurposinganysurfaces,limit the items on them to the party’s function. Extend the clear concept tohallwaysandcentergatheringareaofyourparty(see“Setthescene”onpage67formore information).Youwantpeople tobeable tomoveandsocializewithease.

EmbracethebarconceptEvenifyourealisticallyhavethespaceforasit-downmealforeight(OK,atighteight),considergivingeverythingthebuffet treatment.It takesthepressureoffofasinglespot,helpsyourcompanymovearound,andgivesyourparty—youguessedit—flow.Thebarconceptdiffersabitfromthestraight-onbuffetasit’saninteractiveselectionoffoodordrinkoptions.Think:Makeyourownsundaeparty.Itinvitesgueststocreatetheirfavoritedishesandcustomizeselectionstotheir taste. Giving the option to personalize their food and drinks also scorespoints in thegracioushost column, as it shows thatyouare interested in theirlikes andwants. It also eases up on your prep time in the kitchen.More thanthreebarconcepts,however,andyou’vegotabottleneckatthefoodarea.

THREESTEPSTOTHEBESTPLAYLIST1. Set goals.What’s your party’s jam?Are you hosting aMad Men–style

cocktailpartyorisityourannualYankeeswap?Selectagenreoftunesthatjibewithyourgathering’svibe.

2.Makesets.Thinkoftherhythmandpacingofsongs.Groupthemtogetherinsetsofthree.Besuretoincludecrowdfavoritesandsomeclassicpartytunes.

3.Label.EverycrowdhasawannabeDJ.KeepyourplaylistsclearlymarkedsoDJMess It Up doesn’t accidentally put on your homage toMandy

Patinkin.Note:Themusic’svolumeshouldbeloudenoughsothatpeoplehavetotalk

overitslightly.

DIYbars

CHAMPAGNEBARTherearefewthingsthatsay“funtimes,”likealittlebitofsparkle.•Settwoopenedbottlesofchampagneattheendofyourcocktailservingarea.Atleastoneshouldbechilledineitherawinechillerorabucketofice.(Don’thaveabucket?Useyoursinkorfillacolanderwithiceandsetoverabowl.)Setanunopenedbottletheretoo—itinvitesgueststohelpthemselves.(Read:Notinterruptyouwhenyouareattendingtootherpeople.)Storetheotherbottlesreadilyaccessibleinthefridge.

•Setoutsomeglasses.Plasticflutesareaneasyoption.Makesureyou’veproperlyattachedthebottoms.

•Offertwoorthreejuicemixers.Cranberryjuice,pearjuice,andlemonadeareallyummyoptions.

•Inramekinsorjuiceglasses,setoutafewfreshfruitoptions.Strawberriesaretheexpectedaccruement,butIpreferpomegranateseeds,blueberries,andpeachslices.

•Tocurbcosts,getacaseofProsecco(Astoriaretailsforabout$10abottleversusthe$65ofVeuveClicquot).Often,awinestorewillnegotiatethepricewhenyoupurchaseacase.

BRUSCHETTABAR•Sliceatoastedbaguetteormakegarliccrostini(seerecipeonpage76).Presentonawoodencuttingboardorotherflatsurface.

•Placethreetoppingchoicesinsmallprepcupsorramekins.Setacoffee-sizespoonorcheeseknifeineach.

DOSANDDON’TSFORBEINGAGRACIOUSHOSTORHOSTESS

Do:Createicebreakers,Don’t:MakethemhokeyThere’sadifferencebetweenintroducingtwoguestswhoyouthinkwillhititoffbecausetheysharealovefortheSpanishnationalsoccerteamandgoingaroundtheroomsoeveryoneatyourpartycannametheirfavoriteGirlscharacterandwhy.Facilitatesocializingbypresentingguestswithconversationpointsthatlinkthemtoeachother.

Do:MakeguestsfeelappreciatedMinglewithyourguestsandaimtospendasignificantamountoftimevisitingwitheveryone.Thankthemforcoming.Andpersonallyescorteachguesttothedoorwhensheisreadytoleave.Ifappropriate,haveaplateofleftoverspreppedfor the taking.Also,havea taxinumberatyourfingertipsforguestswhomaynotbeabletodrive.

Do:EnjoyyourselfAs the hostess or host, you’re the party’s focal point.Translation:You set thetone.Yes,you’reresponsibleforthefoodanddrink,butifyou’relockedinthekitchen or trapped behind the bar, you’reworking, not partying. Looking andfeelingstressedoutabouteveryone’sfunactuallymakeseveryoneelsefeel thesameway. Instead,enjoyacocktail,dancewithyour friends,andhaveagoodtime.

Don’t:OverlookthedetailsThedifferencebetweenagreatbashandamehoneisinthefineprint.Makesureyou’veproperlystockedthebarandhaveenoughfood.Andassessyourguests’needs.Don’tletsomeonesitinthecornertweetingalone—unlessit’stoInstathefunshe’shaving.

Don’t:BerigidDon’tbeLucyfromPeanuts.JustbecauseyouwerestokedonplayingakillerroundofCelebrity,doesn’tmeaneveryone’sdownwithit.Bewillingtomassageyourplansonthefly.Ifyouwereexpectingagamenight,buteveryonewouldratherwatchthepresidentialdebateinstead,goforit.Guestswillappreciateyourflexibility.

“Ifyouwou’dhaveguestsmerrywithyourcheerBesoyourselfOrsoatleastappear.”

—BENJAMINFRANKLIN

KEEPINGITCOOL

There are somebasic thingsyoucando tomake theparty a lot easieronyoubefore,during,andaftertheraucousgoodtime.

CreateacoatclosetIfyou’vegotaseparatebedroom,youcanassignyourbedasthejacketcatchall.Inastudiothat’sprobablynotanoption.Clearoutaspecificarea(yourlandingstripchair,page12,isagoodoption)tostorecoatsandbags.Yourentryway(seepage31) is another great one. If you have a rolling rack, situate itwith extrahangers in a conspicuous spot.Or consider clearingoffyourdesk andplacingfoldedcoatsthere.Don’thangthecoatsonyourshowercurtainrod—itwon’tbeabletohandletheweight.

Also, spread out a welcome mat. Many apartment buildings have rulesagainst storinganythingoutsideyourdoor.Buthavingawelcomematatyourdoor foronenightwon’tgetyoufined.Guestsare likely towipeoff their feetbeforeenteringifthere’samatattheentrance.Ikeahasavarietyofstylesthatdon’tlooktootemporary.

THESHOESDEBATE

Whether it’s a question of respecting your downstairs neighbor or protectingyour hardwood floors, you never wear your shoes in the house. But can youreasonablyexpectpartyguests to remove theirshoes?Theshortanswer isNo.Etiquetteexpertswidelyagreeit’srudetorequiredinnergueststoremovetheirshoes.ExceptionsincludemuddyWelliesandsnowyboots.Ifyoucan’tsuspendyournoshoesrulefortheevening,adviseguestsbeforetheyarrive.Andprovideslippers(orpaperbooties).

Stayoutofthekitchen

Aswe’ve discussed, a big part of your role as host(ess)with themost(ess) isinteracting with your guests and having a good time yourself. Make sureeverything is totally prepared before guests arrive. Have your bar and buffetstocked. Ifyouplanonbringingoutmore foodata laterpoint in theevening,have it prepped andplated.Light all the candles and set yourdimmerson thelamps. Give yourself enough time to pour a cocktail or glass of lemonwaterbeforeguestsarrive.Runningarounduntilthedoorbellringsisjuststressful.

ControlthechaosThere’s pretty much nothing worse to dealing with a party post mortem thanhaving to clean up a complete and total disaster zone. Plan ahead and you’llavoidsuchheadaches.Placeyourgarbagecaninaconspicuousplace.Labelitaswellasyour recyclingbins.Point themout toyourguests tohelpyou inyourefforts.Everynowandagaindoaquicksweepofthebuffetandbar.Combineanythingasneeded,andtrashusedpaperplatesandnapkins.Immediatelyplacedirtydishesinthedishwashertoavoidpilingupinthesink.Anoverflowingsinkisanumberonespacecruncher.

InvitetheneighborsUnless you’re hosting a shower for a specific guest of honor, the neighborlything to do is include the people who live in the building. Extend a genuineinvitation to your immediate neighbors (directly above, directly below, andoneither side). Depending on your relationship they’ll decide on whether theirpresence is appropriate. But it is their choice to make. Slip a note or formalinvitation under their doors with all the pertinent info. Include your phonenumberaswell.You’drathertheycallyouwithanoisecomplaintinsteadofthepolice.

“Nothingmakesyoumoretolerantofaneighbor’snoisypartythanbeingthere.”

—FRANKLINP.JONES

DOIKNOWYOU?Howtodealwithpeopleyoudidn’tinvite:

Ifyourfriendshowsupwithanuninvitedplusone,don’tmakeabigdealoutof it.Agracioushost alwaysmakesmore roomat the table.Don’t showyourannoyanceandcommentonthelackoffood.Takethehighroad:Makethatgirlwho stole your roomie’s boyfriend feel as comfortable as those you invited.There’sanexception,however.Ifthepersonisadrugdealer,privatelyexplaintoyour guest that you are uncomfortable. And firmly ask that he escort hisuninvitedplusoneelsewhere.

HowtosaveadyingpartyTherearefewthingsworsethananenergy-freefiesta.Hereareafewpointersonhowtopumpupthejam:Circulate the foodand theword.Minglewithguests andencourage them tospeakwitheachotherasyoupassaroundyourfavoritedishes.Dimthelights.Giveamoreintimatefeeltoyourfiesta.Considerbreakingoutaspecialbottleofchampagnetomakethepartyfeelmorespecial.Makesureyouacknowledge the guest who provided the bubbly and introduce her to someothers.Useitasaconversationstarter.InthewordsofLadyGaga,“justdance.”Pumpuptheboogie-downtunesandgettwoorthreepeopletojoinyouinadance-off.It’llgettheenergylevelup.

DECORATE

Dress up your place to reflect the festive nature of your gathering. Now, thisdoesn’tmean stringing four-leaf clovers from the rafters, plastering shamrockdecals on thewalls and putting green food coloring in your beer. Instead, useaccentpiecestoevokeyourparty’stheme.Colorfulcocktailnapkinsdothetrick,asdofestivetablerunnersorrepurposedscarves.Chooseflowersthatreflecttheseason—red roses are perfect for your Christmas party and Fourth of Julygathering, deep orangeGerber daisies are great for a Thanksgiving or harvestdinner.Alsoplaywithcenterpieceideas.Placepinecones,lemons,orChristmasornamentsinclear,geometricvases,forexample.Anddon’tforgetthecandles.Keep tapers and pillars the same color throughout your apartment (white andmetallicsarebest).Hint:Stashtapersinthefreezertopreventwaxdripping.

PREPTHEBATHROOM

The powder room set-up is just as important as the décor and buffet. It’s anextensionofyoursenseofhospitalitytohaveaperfectlypresentedbathroom.Ifyou haven’t already, clear off your countertop. Stash your toothbrush in thevanity and place your perfume bottles under the sink. Set out a festive handtowelorindividualguestnapkins,andgetyoureverydaybathtoweloutofthere.Youdon’twantguestsusingit.Ifyouhaven’tanyspace,tossitinyourhamper.Avoidthegooeysoapsituationandputapumpsoapinyoursignaturescentonthesink.Placeafewbudsinajuiceglassandlightacandleonthebackofthetoiletoronanout-of-thewayshelf.Last,butdefinitelynot least,haveenoughtoiletpaper.There’snothingmoreembarrassingforaguestthanhavingtohuntdownTP.Take it outof thepackagingandplace in anoversizeglass cylindervaseorgatherinagalvanizedbucketinclearviewofthetoilet.

FEEDINGTHEMASSES(AKAPARTYPLATTERS)

Inasentence:gosmall(plates).Tapas,mezze,picada,it’sallthesameconcept—appetizer-sizeservingsofavarietyofdishes,orinrestaurant-speak,smallplates.It’saculinarynotion(muchlikethemake-your-ownbruschettabelow)thatgivesdiners a mix of various tastes. As a hostess, it helps you in the clean-updepartment—most tapasare finger foods,whichmeansnoutensils.Thekey topullingoffagreatmezzeishavingbite-sizefoodswithtastesthatcomplementandcoordinatewitheachother.Doingsoalsoself-editsyourshoppinglist.

TAPASAROUNDTHEWORLD

Althoughtheoriginisstillupfordebate,tapaswereservedupwithanyorderofbeerandwineatmostbarsacrossSpainforcenturies.Todaythetermreferstoavarietyofhot(meatballs,friedcalamari,sautéedmushrooms)andcold(tortiallaespañola, jamón serrano, Manchego cheese) dishes that are emblematic ofSpain’sgastronomyandareservedoffamenufordinneroralate/lightlunch.•Literallytranslatedas“snack,”picadaisgenerallyaselectionofcolddishes—olives,ham,cheese—inArgentina.

•Served fromGreece to Syria, themezze is a celebration of the bounty ofMediterraneancuisine.Althoughtheselectionsvaryfromcountytocounty,nearlyeverymezzeshowcaseslocalcheeseandseafood,curedmeats,olives,andmarinatedvegetables.

•Linked toboth the traditionof tea tastingand the tradeof thefamousSilkRoad,dimsumreferstoindividualorbite-sizeportionsoffood.Manydimsum restaurants have rotating carts filledwith steamer baskets offering anarrayofdumplings,buns,potstickers,andotherfingerfoods,suchasspareribsandspringrolls.

• InChile, restaurantsoffer tablas,hotandcold samplesof foodmostoftenserved on an oversizewooden dish.Tablas are generally thematic (Italian,sweet,vegetarian).

•OntheHawaiianislands,meetingupforcocktailsincludesenjoyingapupuplatter, or a group of appetizers. The big plates meant for sharing oftenfeatureeggrolls,spareribs,friedwontons,andbeefteriyaki.

•Thali,whichmeans“plate”inHindi,isanarrayofvariousdishesservedinsmall bowls placed on a round tray served in India andNepal.Rice, dahl(lentils),yogurtsauce,andchutneyaccompanybowlsofvegetarianormeat-basedselections.

• Finger sandwiches, olives, and other snack-like dishes called cicchitti aretraditionallyservedasalatelunch,withlocalwineatbarsinVenice.

• Although translated as “side dish,” Korea’s banchan are small plates ofshared food that are served along with individual servings of rice. Thenumber of banchan presented in the center of a Korean table directlycorrespondstothenumberofpeopleseated.

•Technically, theItalianantipasto is thefirstcourseofameal.But it’sside-by-side presentation of cured meats, various cheeses, anchovies, olives,mushrooms,pickledveggies,andmoreonasingleservingdishiswhysomepeoplegroupantipastiplateswithtapas.

Pretty(easy)partyrecipesThesesupersimplerecipescreatedbyAlisonMahoney,TheSingingBaker,willgiveyoumoretimetoprepyoursmallspaceandyourselfforyourbashoftheyear.

TomatoBruschettaMakes8–10servings2pintsofmulti-coloredgrapetomatoes¼cupoliveoilfreshbasilsalt and pepperCut the tomatoes

intoquartersandchopbasil.Placeinabowlandsprinklesaltandpepper.Drizzle¼cupoftheoilandmixthoroughly.Letsitandmarinateinitsjuicesforatleast30minutesbeforeserving.

WhiteBeanBruschettaMakes8–10servings1 (16-ounce) can of cannellini beans 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, grated¼

teaspoon red pepper salt and pepper to taste⅓ cup olive oil 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary, roughlychoppedDrainthecanofcannellinibeansandplaceintoamedium-sizebowl.Addonion.Grateorfinelyslicethegarlicintoapasteandaddtothebowl.Sprinklewithredpepper,salt,andpepper.Pourintheoilandrosemaryandmixtogetherwithaspoon.Marinateforatleast30minutespriortoserving.

PeaPureeMakes10–12servings1(10-ounce)bagoffrozenpeas⅓cupParmesancheese1tablespoonfreshlemonjuicesaltandpepper

totaste⅓cupoliveoilThawthefrozenpeasinhotwater.Strainpeasandplaceintoasmallfood

processoralongwiththeParmesancheese,lemonjuice,salt,andpepper.Givethepeasaquickspininthefoodprocessorandthenslowlystreamintheoliveoiluntilentirelyincorporatedandsmooth.Storeupto3daysintherefrigerator.

CrostiniMakes24pieces1baguette3clovesofgarlicoliveoil

Preheatovento350°F.Slicethebaguettein¼-inchdiagonalslices.Rubeachsliceofbreadwithgarlicandplaceonabakingsheet.Lightlydrizzlebreadsliceswithoil.Toastintheovenfor10–15minutes,untilthebreadiscrispy.ServewithTomatoBruschetta(page75),WhiteBeanBruschetta(page76),andPeaPuree(page76).

MAKELABELS

OMGtheveganisabouttobiteintoaprosciutto-stuffedfigandyouareontheothersideof theroomdancing.There’snothingyoucando tosaveher in thismoment, but having your food and cocktail options properly labeled takes theguesswork out of the gluten-, dairy-, peanut-free allergy decoding. There’s noneed to invest in escort cards (althoughWest Elm always has cute ones andAnthropologieoftenhasarobustselection in theirsalesection).Optforheavystock paper—I always use index cards—folded and cut down to size.With aSharpie, clearly label the dish or cocktail: for example, Spinach salad withroastedBrussels sprouts, shavedparmesan, andoliveoil;Margaritawith freshsqueezedlimejuice.Toupthefestivefeeling,addastickerordecaltothecornerofyourlabel.Ifyouhavearoommate,youmayalsoconsiderlabelingdoorsthatarenotguest-accessible.

MiniQuicheMakes243eggs,slightlybeaten1½cupsheavycream2 tablespoonsflour2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded 1

pinch of nutmeg 2 tablespoons instant minced onion 1 (10-ounce) package of frozen spinach,thawed Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a mini cupcake tin with non-stick cooking spray. In amedium-size bowl, beat the eggs and cream together until well blended. Add the flour, cheese,nutmeg, and minced onion. Squeeze all of the water out of the thawed spinach and place atablespoonofspinachatthebottomofeachcupcakecup.Poureggmixtureoverspinachandplaceintheovenfor15–18minutesoruntilset.Letstandfor15minutesbeforeserving.

Mixandmatchyourstandardofferingwithquickievariations:•ReplacetwocupsofSwisscheeseforthecheddarcheese.

•Add¼ofapoundofham(coldcut)cutintosmallbite-sizesquares.•Replacecrumbledfetacheeseandbite-sizepiecesofasparagusinsteadofcheddarandspinach.

PutitonastickFinger foods give you the easiest clean-up.Andwithout having to hunt downutensils,yourguestsaremorelikelytoenjoyyourfood.Varyingthepresentationcanmakeyourselectionsappearmoreappetizing.Sureyoucanuseskewersformeats,butyoucanalsoplacecolorfulveggiesandfruitsonastickforabitofflair.

GreekSaladSkewersMakes16¼cupfetacheese,cutinto¼-inchcubes8grapetomatoes,cutinhalf8pittedKalamataolives,cutin

half¼cupoliveoil¼teaspoonofsaltandpepper¼teaspoondriedoregano1cucumber16smallskewers In amedium-size bowl, toss the feta, tomatoes, olives, olive oil, salt, pepper, and

oregano.Setaside.Onthediagonal,slicethecucumber¼inchthick.Cuteachsliceinhalfandaddto thebowl.Letmixture stand for at least15minutesbeforeplacingon the skewers, alternatingtomato,cheese,cucumber,olive.

CapreseSaladSkewersMakes16½cupBalsamicvinegar16minibuffalomozzarellaballs(bocconcini)16grapeorcherrytomatoescut

inhalf16freshbasilleavesoliveoil16smallskewersPourvinegar intoasaucepanovermedium-highheatandbring toaboil.Remove

fromheatwhen the vinegar is thick, syrupy, and shiny. Set aside.Alternate cheese, tomato, andbasilleafonskewers.Drizzlewitholiveoilandthebalsamicsyrup.

WatermelonSkewersMakes162cupswatermelon,cutinto½-inchcubes½cupfetacheese,cutinto½-inchcubes2 teaspoons lime

juiceapinchof salt¼cupfreshmint leaves16smallskewers In a bowl, tosswatermelon, feta,lime juice, andsalt andmix together.Chill for15minutes.Alternatewatermelon,mint leaf, andfetaonskewers.

“I’mintoverycolorfulfood.Obviouslylotsofflavor,butIthinkweeatwithoureyesfirst,soithastolookgreat.Thepresentationhastobe

great.”

—GIADADELAURENTIIS

PASSAROUND

There are two reasons people don’t eat the food at parties. One: They areembarrassed to be seengrazing at the buffet.Two:They are having toomuchfun.Doago-aroundwiththefood—itwillkeepyoumovingthroughtheparty.Or,assignthetasktosomeonewhoisaskingtohelporsomeonewhocanhelpcreateconversation.Also,considerunveilingnewtreatsatadifferentmomentofyourparty.It’llregenerateinterestinthebuffetlaterintheevening.

HAVESIGNATUREDESSERTS

Having a fewmarqueedesserts anddishesmakesplanning aparty a snap.Aswith colors and scents, signature dishes are your calling card (or your brand,dear blogger). It’s also an enticement to guests. If you’re known for the bestpeanutbutterchocolatechipcookiesacrossthreecounties,it’syourmilkshake—it brings all the boys to the yard.Aim to have a few sweet and a few savorytreatsinyourarsenal.Stickwithyourmix-and-matchconcepttoofferavarietyoftastes.

“Cookingislikelove.Itshouldbeenteredintowithabandonornotatall.”

—HARRIETVONHORNE

SERVINGPIECESEVERYHOMESHOULDOWNTrays. Platters can hold cold cuts, cooked meats, veggies, pasta, and fruit.Repurpose(andwash!)traysthatyouusefordécor.

Largebowls.Salad,chips,andprettymuchanythingcanbepresentedinmixingbowls.

Cereal bowls. A good substitution for ramekins, cereal bowls can holdcondiments,nuts,andolives.

Sixsilveroversizespoons.Keepthepatternbasic.Mix-and-matchplatesblendwell together, not so for silver.Add two or three serving forks, depending onyourneeds.

Asetofcheeseknives.Use thesoftcheesespreadersfordips,aswellasBrie.Thehardier knives can slice your “homemade”pizza (see recipe onpage 82),somewine-dippedsalami,and,ofcourse,cheese.

MiniChocolateCupcakeMakes241cupmilk(cansubstitutesoy,almond,orricemilk)1teaspoonapplecidervinegar¾cupsugar

1½teaspoonsvanillaextract⅓cupgrapeseedoil(oranylight-flavoredoil)1cupflour⅓cupplus2heapingtablespoonscocoa¾teaspoonbakingsoda½teaspoonbakingpowder¼teaspoonsalt

Preheatovento350°F.Pourthemilkandapplecidervinegarintoameasuringcupandsetasidefor3minutes.Thenpourthemilkmixtureintoamedium-sizebowl.Mixinsugarandvanillawithyourmixersetonlow,slowlyaddingoil.Sifttheflour,cocoa,bakingsoda,bakingpowder,andsalt,overtheliquidingredients.Mixonmediumspeeduntiltheingredientscometogether.Placedecorativemini-cupcakelinersinamini-cupcaketin.Filleachhalfwaywithbatter.Bakefor10–12minutesoruntilatoothpickcomesoutclean.Letcoolbeforefrosting.

BasicChocolateButtercreamFrosting½cupbutter(2sticks,onewarmed,onecool)1teaspoonvanillaextract4cupsconfectioner’ssugar,siftedanddivided3–5teaspoonsofwater⅓cupcocoa

Mixtogetherheatedbutterandvanilla.Foldincoldbutter,2cupsofsiftedconfectioner’ssugarand2teaspoonsofwater.Mixonlow.Addremainingsiftedsugar,cocoa,and2tablespoonsofwater,andmixonhighfor5minutesoruntilyouhaveacreamytexture.Addanotherteaspoonofwaterifthefrostingistoostiff.

ShortbreadCookies3WaysMakes24cookiesCOOKIES½cupbutter(2sticks),roomtemperature½cupgranulatedorconfectioner’ssugar2cupsflour½teaspoonsalt¼cupdriedcranberries¼cupchoppedwalnutszestofoneorange

TOPPINGS⅓cupwhitechocolate,melted⅓cupbittersweetchocolate,melted1tablespoonorangejuice1–2teaspoonsgrapeseedoil

⅓cupdarkchocolate,melted

Preheatovento350°F.Breakupbutterinabowl.Addsugar,andbeattogetheruntillightandfluffy.Addflourandsaltandmixuntilthebattercomestogether.Separatethedoughintothirds.Inthefirstsection,addcranberriesandwalnuts.Rollintoalog.Chillandsliceinto¼-inchpieces.Placeonaparchment-paper-linedbakingsheet.Addtheorangezesttothesecondsectionofbatter.Rollintoalog.Chillandsliceinto¼-inchpieces.Placeonaparchment-paper-linedbakingsheet.Useyourfavoritecookiecuttertocreateshapeswiththefinalsectionofdough.(Chooseonesthatcoordinatewithyourparty’stheme.)Placeonaparchment-paper-linedbakingsheet.Bakeeachsectionofdoughfor7–10minutesoruntiltheedgesareverylightbrown.Coolcookiesbeforedecorating.Drizzlemeltedwhitechocolateontothecranberry-walnutcookies.Mixmeltedbittersweetchocolate,orangejuice,andgrapeseedoil.Diporange-flavoredcookiesintothemixture.Dipshapedcookiesintomelteddarkchocolate.

AppleCrispMakes8servings6GrannySmithapples3tablespoonsbutter,divided1teaspooncinnamonpinchofnutmeg½teaspoongingerpinchofsalt¼cupwater¼cupbrownsugar1cuprolledoats¼cupflour

Preheatovento350°F.Sliceapplesinto¼-inchslices.Melt½tablespoonofbutterinaskilletonmediumheat.Addapples,cinnamon,nutmeg,ginger,andsalt.Sautéuntilfruitisalittlesoft.Addwaterandcover.Cookforanother3minutes.Removefromheatandpourmixtureintoacasseroledish.Inasmallbowl,foldtogetherremainingbutter,brownsugar,oats,andflourwithaforkuntilthemixtureismoist,butstillcrumbly.Pourdryingredientmixtureontopofapples.Coverwithtinfoilandbakefor15minutes.Uncoverandbakeforanother15minutes.Servewarmwithbourbonwhippedcream.

BourbonWhippedCream1cupheavycream2tablespoonsconfectioner’ssugar1–2capfulsofbourbon(ortotaste)

Inachilledbowl,blendtheheavycreamandconfectioner’ssugaronhighuntilsoftpeaksform.Addbourbonandmixuntilhighstiffpeaksform.Note:Don’tover-mix,unlessyouwantsupersweetbutter.

DOSOMESEMI-HOMEMADE

Anotherwaytoparedownyourpreptimeistousewhatyourmothergaveyou—pre-madeingredients.Ifyouliveinamini-homewithabarelytherekitchenthatdoesn’tevenhaveanoven,you’llhavetogosemi-homemade,soembraceit.Aswithyoursignaturedishes,selectafewkeyoptionsthatdon’toverwhelmwiththe“Icameoutofabox”vibe.Also,decantanduseservingware.Noonewillnotice thepaperplatesyousetouton thebuffet ifyoupresent thenoodlesaladinajadeiteservingbowl.See“Dressitup”onpage84formoreinfo.

“Peoplewholovetoeatarealwaysthebestpeople.”—JULIACHILD

“Homemade”PizzaMakes9squarepieces1 eggplant olive oil salt and pepper to taste 1 large red onion, sliced 1 package store-bought pizza

dough1wholeheadofgarlic,roasted½cupfetacheese½cupmozzarella,shreddedPreheatovento 350°F. Slice eggplant into ¼-inch slices and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt andpepper.Placeslicesontoabakingsheetandroastinovenfor20minutesoruntilcaramelized.Inafryingpan,sautétheredoniononmedium-lowheatuntiltransparentandsoft.Ruboliveoilontoasheetpanandstretchyourroomtemperaturepizzadoughtofitthepan.Ruballoftheroastedgarlicinto thedoughanddrizzlewithoil.Fanroastedeggplantandcaramelizedonionsover thedoughandgenerouslysprinklewithcheese.Bakeintheovenfor30minutesoruntilthedoughisagoldenbrown.Letstandfor5–7minutesbeforeslicingandserving.

Mixandmatchyourstandardofferingwithquickievariations:•Replaceartichokeheartsfortheeggplantandusericottacheeseinplaceofthefeta.•Garnishwiththinlyslicedprosciutto,arugula,shavedParmesan,andalightdrizzleoflemonjuiceinplaceoftheeggplant,fetaandmozzarella.

RoastedGarlic1bulbofgarlicoliveoilSetoventohighbroil.Sliceoffthetopofthebulbofthegarlicanddrizzle

witholiveoil.Wrapinaluminumfoilandbroilfor30minutesoruntilthegarlicisgoldenandsoft.

INSTA-PARTYFOODS

Agoodhostessisalwaysreadyfordrive-byguests.Keepafewsnacksonhandforthosepeoplewhowerejustintheneighborhood.

Hummus.Thistangyspreadcoupleswellwithcrunchyveggiesandcrackersofallkinds.Putbetweenbreadforasandwich.Orkeepacanofgarbanzobeansinyourcabinets.Addabitofoliveoilandgarlicandblendwell.Voila,hummus.

Ricecrackers.Thesegluten-freediscspairwellwithhummusandcheese.Theyarealsoprettytastyontheirown.

Ahardcheese.SpanishManchegocheese seemssomuchchicer thancheddar,buteitherpairswellwithalmonds,driedfruit,andricecrackers.

Babycarrots.Dipinhummusorsalsa.

Driedfruit.Thesesweettreatsaddcolortoanyplate.TossinaglassofProseccoforaquickiechampagnecocktail.Addwithalmondstomakeatrailmix.

Almonds. Classier than peanuts, these nuts pair well with any sweet or saltysnacks.

Grapesorfreshberries.Freshfruitaddsapopofcolor,ahintofsophistication,andsomepropernutritiontoaplate.

Prosecco.Champagne’scheapercousinwowsthesocksoffofimpromptuguests.Placeinthefreezerforabout10minutestochill.

DressitupIt’sallinthepresentation—fromjobinterviewstostore-boughtcupcakes,thekeytomakingthebestimpressionisenhancingthelook.Whenentertaining,bringouttheservingware.Evenbaggedsnackslookchicinthepropervessel.Putchipsinacrystalbowl;displayastore-boughtcruditéonaLuciteplate;arrangeWhiteCastleburgersonasilvertray.Thepiecesdon’tneedtobeallmatchy-matchytolookgood.Theysimplyneedtobesturdyandreflectiveofyourpersonality.Oneachtray,display

morefoodthanyouinitiallyneed.Thatwayyouwon’thavetorefillthroughoutthenight.

SETTHEBAR

Now that you’ve got the menu set, it’s cocktail o’clock. The bar should beseparatefromthefoodsothatpeoplecanaccesseachwithouthassle.It’salsoagood idea to position the bar in the corner of the room to avoid any bottle-necking.Likeotherthingsinyoursmallspace,youcanoptoutofthefullsize.Insteadof a fully loadedcocktail cart,offerguestsbeer,wine, anda signaturedrinkpreppedinapitcher.Thecocktailshouldjibewiththevibeofyourfiesta.Ilove anyversionof theBellini (the traditional,whichwas created at theglamCipriani Hotel in Venice, is a mix of Prosecco and peach puree). And whodoesn’tfindwhitewinesangriarefreshing?Ifyourbestgirlfriendisthegrandedametypewhosimplycan’timbibeanythingexceptextradirtymartinis,gentlyremind her a day before the gathering that your menu doesn’t include hercocktail of choice and she should plan accordingly.Don’t forget to have non-alcoholicoptions.Sparklingjuicesareagreatalternative.

Youmay also consider going clearwithyour beverage choices. In a smallspace,it’seasyforaglassofredwinetogetjostledandspillontoyourneutral-tonedcouch.Keepingthecocktailchoicessimplecanalsohelpstreamlineyourplanningprocess.

“Here’stothealcohol,thoserosecoloredglassesoflife.”—F.SCOTTFITZGERALD

CocktailRecipesWhiskey,likechampagne,isapartypowerhouse.ServedneatithasaMadMenthrowbackfeel.It’seasilyblendedintoclassycocktailsandit’sfuntoshootwithaBudchaser(latenightonly,ofcourse).

WhiskeySmashThisMintJulepcousinissimplertomakeandjustasrefreshing.2–4lemonwedges

4mintleaves1ouncesimplesyrup(or1teaspoonfinesugar)2ouncesbourbonwhiskeyice,tofillshaker

Muddlelemonand3mintleavesinacocktailshaker.Addsimplesyrupandwhiskey.Fillwithice,andshakevigorouslyforabout30seconds.Strainandgarnishwiththeremainingmint.

NewYorkSourTheamped-upWhiskeySourhasanairofsophisticationthatmakesitappearmorecomplicated.2ouncesbourbonwhiskey1ouncesimplesyrup(or1tspfinesugar)juicefrom3–4lemonwedgesice,tofillshakerandglass½ ounce fruity redwine (Shiraz orMalbec) Pour the whiskey, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a

cocktailshaker.Fillwithice,cover,andshakevigorouslyforabout30seconds.Strainintoaglasswithfresh ice.Holdaspoonover theglassandpour thewinegentlyonto thespoonso thewineflowsoverandfloatsontopofthebeverage.

PicklebackThisnew-to-the-scenecombo(itisbelievedtohavelaunchedinBrooklynin2006)isarefreshing—anddifferent—tastethataddsdimensiontotheliquor.1shotIrishwhiskey1shotpicklejuice(it’s thebrinefromyoureverydaypickle jar!)Pourwhiskeyandpickle juice into

separateshotglasses.Drinkthewhiskeyimmediatelyfollowedbythepicklejuice.

PunchbowlCocktailsMixingupasingletakestimeandcantakeyourfocusoffyourguests.Combinethesecocktailspre-partyandyou’llhavemoretimetoboogiedown.

French75Theultimateclassicchampagnecocktail,thisconcoctionaddsanairofsophisticationtoanygathering.16ouncesgin8ouncesfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice

6ouncessimplesyrup(or6teaspoonsfinesugar)½teaspoonofgrenadine(orbitters)ice,tofillbowl32ouncesdrychampagne

Inapunchbowlcombinethegin,lemonjuice,simplesyrup,andgrenadine.Stirwelluntilblended.Justbeforeserving,stiriniceandchampagne.

WhiteWineSangriaAtwistonthetraditionalversionmeansspillsareworry-free.2ouncesbrandy⅔cupfinesugar3oranges,sliced1peachornectarine,sliced1lime,sliced1lemon,slicedice,tofillbowl2bottleswhitewine

Combinebrandy,sugar,andfruit.Stirandletstandovernight.Addiceandpourinwinejustbeforeserving.Mixwell.*Note:Youcanmakethislessboozybysubbingonebottleofwinewitha½literofclubsoda.

RumPunchDidtwowordsevergotogethersoseamlessly?It’sapartyfavoritefortworeasons—it’sacinchtomake,andittasteslikevacation.1cupfreshlimejuice3cupslightoramberrum2cupspineapplejuice2cupsorangejuiceice,tofillbowlorpitcherfruitslices,forgarnish

Pouralltheingredientsintoabowlorpitcher.Chillforanhourintherefrigerator.Addiceandgarnishwithfruitofyourchoice,asmuchasyoulike.

HAVEASIGNATURESCENT

Lavender, vanilla, or sandalwoodnot onlymake your space feelmore homey,they’ll also camouflage any last minute cleaning you did before yourparents/newboyfriend/oldcollegeroommatearrives.Nowyoudon’tneedtogetall séance-y with the candles; room sprays (organic ones, not the chemicallysmellingnumbers)andreeddiffusersalsoimpartadelicatearoma.Whenyou’rehosting a party, strategically scatter candles around your home, adding to theambiance.Also, avoidusing theoverhead lights.Use lamps in addition to thecandles.

FAVORITECANDLEBRANDS

MunioCandela:Madeofpuresoywaxwithcottonandwoodwicks,theseearth-friendlycandlesarescentedwithwildherbsandpackagedinrecycledjars.

Diptyque Paris: The granddaddy of luxurious home fragrance, this Frenchcompany offers an array of classic aromas, intoxicating blends, and limited-editioncandles.Travelsizesandreeddiffusersareawallet-friendlywaytoenjoythechicParisianscents.

Archipelago: Hand-poured and long-lasting, the candles from this organiccompany are less expensive than the others on this list due to the varyingpercentagesofpuresoyused—it’sneverlessthan70%.

Red Flower: The perfect apartment-size candles feature intoxicating aromasculledfromfreshflowers,zestyfruits,andnaturaloils.

Mrs.Meyers:Thegreencleanbrandof-the-momenthasayummyselectionofsoycandles in the same scents—lavender,geranium, lemonverbena,basil—asitscruelty-free,organichouseholdproducts.

Votivo:Apioneerintheluxurycandlemarket,thiscompanyboastssomeofthemost recognizable scents—Red Currant, Amber, Sea Island Grapefruit—incandles,incense,roomsprays,reeddiffusers,andmore.

Whytoinvestingood-qualityscentsItmayseemsillytoblowbigbucksoncandles,whenyouliterallywatchthemburn.Butthereareabunchofreasonstoinvestinyourscents.They’re better for you. Lower-grade candles use cheaper wax, which canproducealotofsootysmokeandburnwithanoilysmell.Lookforcandlesmadeofsoy.They’refreeofthetoxinstolueneandbenzene.Thescentsarejustright.Cheapcandlestendtohaveoverlyperfume-yscentsand sour top notes. Tapers made of beeswax have a pleasant, faint aroma ofhoney.They last longer. The cotton, braidedwicks of expensive candles burnmoreevenlyandslowlythantheircheapercounterparts.Theirglassesarewider.Taperedjarstrapairanddon’tletthescentcirculateasevenly.Sootcanalsobuildupontheneck.Note:Makeyourcandlelast—alwaysclipthewickbeforelighting.

Candlesarepurchasedby70%ofU.S.households,andareusedatleastonceaweek,accordingtothe

NationalCandleAssociation.

DecodingscentsAromatherapy has a powerful effect on mood. Scents can help alleviate theeffectsofstress,anxiety,anddepression.Eucalyptus, Australia’s most famous plant, is stimulating, cooling, andrefreshing. It has been found to counteract the feelings of sluggishness andexhaustion.Lavender’sscenthasacalming,sedativeeffect.Somestudieshaveshownthatthescentoflavendercanpromotesleepinessinthosewhosufferfrominsomnia.The aromahasbeen shown to increasebrainwaves associatedwith relaxationaccordingtotheSmellandTasteFoundationinChicago.Lemonoilhasbeenlinkedtoanimprovementinalertnessandconcentration.Italsoalleviatesthefeelingsofdepressionandanxiousness,accordingtoresearchfromOhioStateUniversity.Peppermint, in addition to soothing the respiratory system, is said to beenergizing.Italsopromotesalertnessandmemory.Rosemary’sscentcancauseanincreaseincognitivefunctioninbothspeedandaccuracy,accordingtoavarietyofstudies.There’salsoevidencethatrosemary

isamood-booster.Ylang-ylang,asymbolofloveandever-lastinghappinessinMadagascar,issaidtoupliftmoodandoutlook.

OCCASION-BY-OCCASIONSOLUTIONS

Now that youknow the basics on how to generally throw the best party ever,here are some details to make sure each kind of party you have will be asmashingsuccess.

BrunchBrunch is the perfect occasion to utilize the bar concept (see page 85). Cutbagelsintofourthsandtoastsomeintheovenbeforeguestsarrive.Arrangethemonaplatewithhummus,creamcheese,Tofuttispread,lox,andpeanutbutterinramekinscloseby.Makesureyousetoutaspoonorspreadknifeforeach.Whipup a few frittatas or quiches (see recipe page 77) and serve them at roomtemperature,alongwithothergoodies.Thechampagnebar(seepage69)workswell,too.Butreallydon’tforgetthecoffee.Peoplecometobrunchexpectingitandloadsofit.Makeamajorpotofcoffeeandkeepithotinathermalcarafe.Ifyoudon’tdrinkjava,pickupatravelerpackatDunkinDonuts.Again,createacoffee bar with milk options—skim, cream, and chocolate almondmilk—andspices(cinnamon,sugar).

Birthday/HousewarmingAlthoughtraditionallythesetwoeventsincludegifts,it’sconsideredrudetoaskpeopleforpresentsforyourself.Instead,treateithereventsimplyasa“just’cuz”partywith your favorite tunes, foods, and décor.Keep inmind, however, thatguests at a housewarming party, which is generally held within 120 days ofmoving in, expect agrand tourof thenewplace.Note: Ifyour friendsare thegift-givingtypes,specify“nogifts,please.”Doyoureallyneedmoreclutter?Ifyou’rehostingahousewarmingandneedstuff,considercreatingaregistry.

TRADITIONALHOUSEWARMINGGIFTS

The origins of “housewarming” are up for debate. Some point to medievalFrance and the celebrationof the completionof a newhome.Others talk of a

Norsetraditionakintothe12daysofChristmas.Whateverthegenesis,theactofopeningone’shomeincelebrationofitsnewnessbecamewildlypopularinthe1970s inAmerica. If you’re trying to figure out what to bring, or decipher asomewhatoddgift,youcanrefer to this list forsome traditionalgiftsgiven toblessahouse:•Bread.Thatyourcupboardswillalwaysbefull.•Broom.Thatyourhomewillalwaysbecleanandfreeofevilspirits.•Candles.Thatyoumayhavelightthroughthedarkesttimes.•Coins.Thatyoumayreceiveluckandgoodfortune.•Honey.Thatyoumayalwaysenjoythesweetnessoflife.•Knives.Thatyourhomemayalwaysbeprotectedfromintruders.•OliveOil.Thatyoumaybeblessedwithhealthandwell-being.•Plants.Thatyourhomemayalwayshavelife.•Rice.Thatyourlovemaymultiply.•Salt.Thatlifeheremayalwayshaveflavor.•Wine.Thatyoualwayshavejoyandnevergothirsty.•Wood.Thatyourhomewillhavestability,harmony,andpeace.

JustbecausepartyHost friends for a party just because and use all the tips you learned in thepreviouspages.Tomakeitalittlemorememorable,infuseyourfiestatoreflectthe season or theme. Give away mini-candies at Halloween, make somegingerbreadcookiesatChristmas,anddecoratewithcolorfulDayoftheDead–flagsonCincodeMayo.

ShowerBeforecoordinatingthedateandmenuwiththeguestofhonor(bride-ormama-to-be)defineyourspaceconstraints.Clearlyexplainthebuffetandbarlayout,aswellaswhere thepresentopeningwillhappen.Sectionoffanareaaway fromyourhome’sentranceforthegiftcollecting.Makesurethereisenoughspacetoplaceachair.Yourguestofhonorshouldopengiftsfromthatposition.Ensureall guests have a clear view and, if necessary, scatter floor pillows so thateveryone has a seat. Also discuss décor options with the bride; decorationsshouldreflecttheweddingtheme,atleastindirectly.Haveflowersorfruitbowlsin thecolorofherbridesmaiddressesordecorate thebuffetareawithnautical

accents, forexample.Keep theentirepartywell lit. (Note: If sheprefersasit-down experience, consider moving the celebration to a restaurant or eventspace.)

BachelorpartyAlthoughabitmore in thedebaucheryrealm,suchfeteshavesimilaritieswiththe shower. You’ve got to scope out your space and bar constraints ahead oftime.Loadsofboozeandlittlelightaregenerallyhallmarksofstagparties.Talktoyourguestofhonorabouthispreferreddatesandactivitiesofchoice.Ifpokerishighon the list, considermovingyour furniture around tohighlight agametable.Ifoutside—ahem—entertainersareexpected,prepthespaceaheadoftimewithachairofhonorataneasy-to-reachspotfromthedoor.

PotluckAsix-packandapotatomaymake the ideal Irishmeal, but apretty,balancedmealandaniceparty itdoesnot.Makeadetailed listofwhatyouwant/need.Speak toyourguests andplayup their strengths. If your cousindoesn’t knowhowtospello-v-e-n,nevermindhowtoturnoneon,askhertohitWholeFoodsfortheirgreatvegancake.Specifyhowmanypeopleyouneedtofeedandwhatexactlyyou’dprefer,chocolateovercoconut,forexample.Setupthepartyusingbarandbuffetconceptsandmakesureyouhaveenoughplates,silverware,andservingware.Alsostockuponplasticcontainerstopackleftoversforeveryone.

Holidaymeal(Thanksgiving/Christmas)This occasion is a bitmore formal than the others and youmaywant to hostpeopleforasit-downmealaroundatable.Toincreaseyoursurfacearea, layapieceofplywoodoveryourdeskordiningtable.Coverwithafestivetablecloth.In the kitchen, set up food buffet-style (itwill keep the table clear). Store theplywood under your bed when not in use. Note: The ideal number of dinnerparty guests is six to eight. It keeps the conversation interesting, while notdividingittoomuch.

Gameday/AwardsnightSince the goal of the gathering is to watch TV, keep the food selections to aminimum.Makesurethetastescoordinatewitheachotherandplacethemoutofviewof the television.Thatway, thosechattingat thebuffetwon’tdisrupt the

gamewatching.Don’tbe ashamed tomakeyourgatheringBYOC(bringyourownfoldingchair)ifyoudon’thaveenoughproperseating.

ImpromptuDing,dong.Nothatisn’ttheopeningsoundofHouseHuntersInternational,it’syourowndoorbell.Andafewfriendsjusthappenedtostopby.Iftheygiveyoutheblessingofatexttellingyoutheyarearoundthecorner,doaspeedclean(see“SpeedClean in Three Steps” on page 8) and light candles in your signaturescent (page87). Spread a tablecloth over your credenza, desk, or dining tableanddecantyourinsta-snacks(see“Insta-PartyFoods”onpage83) intoservingdishes.

APPENDIX

APARTMENTGLOSSARY

LearnthelingotosettingupyouridealHouseBeautifulwiththesekeytermsforspace,decor,andtheoveralllifeinthefablaneyoualwaysdreamedof.

What’sanapartment?Broker-speak may seem like something of a foreign language. Read on forexactlywhat“abachelorapartment”means.Alcovestudio:Justasthenameinfers,there’sanichethatisoftenusedasthebedroom area. “L studio” is another name for such a layout. Junior one-bedrooms are actually larger alcove studio apartments with an oversize,windowlessrecessaccessedbyadoor.Nomatter thesize,alcovesdonothaveclosets.Apartment building: A multi-story structure that houses three or moredwellings within a single building. Also called “apartment house,” “block offlats,”“towerblock”and“high-rise”or,inBritain,“mansionblock.”Convertibleapartment:A studio, one-, or two-bedroomdwelling that allowsforatemporary,pressurizedwalltocreatemorebedrooms.Alsocalled“flex”or“flexible.”Duplex:Anapartmentofanysize,splitintotwofloorswithaninteriorstaircase.ATriplexisspreadacrossthreelevels.Efficiency: Another name for a studio, although this apartment tends to havecook tops in lieu of full stoves and is often smaller than a studio. In somemarkets,theefficiencyisalsocalleda“bachelorapartment.”Gardenapartment:It’snotabasement-leveldwelling,butamultiple-unitlow-riseresidencehavingconsiderablelawnorgardenspace.Insomecities,gardenapartmentsareground-floorabodeswithoutdoorspace.Junior four: A one-bedroom apartment, generally with one and a halfbathroomsandadiningareathatcanbeconvertedintoasecondbedroom.Loft:Usuallyalarge,openspace,aloftapartmentispartofaconvertedfactoryor warehouse. A loft tends to be a single room with oversize windows, highceilingsand limitedbuilt-inclosets.Live/work loftsareexactlywhat it soundslike, spaces thatare legallyzoned forbothconductingbusinessanddwellings.

Socalled“SoftLofts,”areunits innewlyconstructedbuildingsthathaveopenfloor plans and high ceilings. They are also often referred to as “loft-style.”“HardLofts”areapartmentsinconvertedfactories.One-bedroom:Thisdenotationdirectlyreflectswhatit is:anapartmentwithaseparatedbedroomandlivingarea,dividedbyadoor.Eachhaswindows.Andthebedroomhasaclosetorstoragecubby.One-bedroom,plus:Aone-bedroomapartmentwithanadditional,windowless(andoftencloset-less)alcovearea.Penthouse:Thoughtechnicallythisisaunitbuiltintotheedifice’srooftopandrecessedabittohavelargeterraces,itisoftensimplymarketedasoccupyingthetopfloor.Pied-à-terre:LiterallytranslatedfromFrenchas“footontheground,”itreferstoapart-time residence,generallyanapartment ina largecity that isused forpartofortheentirework-week.Railroad:Alsoreferredtoasa“shotgunapartment,”thelivingspaceisdividedintoaseriesofadjacentrooms.Studio: The smallest kind of living arrangement, the space encompasses thekitchen,livingareaandbedroominasinglearea.Thebathroomisseparate.

Design101Savethischeatsheettodecodingscaleandsize:Balance: The distribution of weight throughout the room. A space can besymmetrical(think:twowingchairsflankingacoffeetable),whichtendstobemore formal looking, or asymmetrical,which canbe achievedwith theuseofmultiplesmallitemsplacedacrossfromalargerpiece,suchasasofa.Line: This refers to the physical space of the room. It can be augmented,diminished,orenhancedbyusingfurnishingsandaccentpieces.Horizontallinesimpartthesensationofrelaxation;verticalonesaremoreformal;diagonalsgivethefeelingofmotion;andcurvesbringasoftnesstotheroom.Proportion:Therelationshipbetweenfurnishingsinthesamespace.Rhythm:Alittlemoreesotericandinnateintermsof“getting”it,thiselementreferstotheuseoftexture,pattern,andlines.Scale:Theproportionoffurnishingsinrelationtoyourspace.Insomeways,italso speaks to the user’s function. For example, a kid’s chairwould be out ofscaleinachildlesshome.

What’sacouch?Yeah,it’sthatcomfythingyousiton,butthedistinctionsdon’tendthere.Chesterfield:Firstcommissionedbythe4thEarlofChesterfield,thisstylesofafeatures the same height arms and back and quilted fabric, usually leather. InCanada,thetermisoftenusedinterchangeablywith“couch”and“sofa.”Couch:OriginallyfromthemiddleFrenchwordcoucher(tosetinplaceortoliedown)thisisthetermcommonlyusedintheU.S.,Australia,andNewZealand.Traditionally,itreferstoanarmless,chaise-likepieceoffurniturewithataperedback.Daybed:Acrossbetweenabedandacouch,adaybedusuallyhasaback,sidesandatrundle(amattressonaframewithcastersthatstoresunderneath).Divan: During the Ottoman Empire, mattresses were laid along the floor orslightlyraisedonaplatformorframe.InEuropeinthemid-18thcentury,divansbecame backless, armless couches designed as a bed and often found in theboudoir. Today’s divans most resemble the “fainting couches” of the 19thcentury,whichhaveonlyonesectionofthebackraised.Futon: Generally cotton-filled, thismattress is used in a frame as a bed/sofacombo.ThewordoriginatesfromJapanandreferstotraditionalbeddingthatisstoredduringtheday.Settee: A medium-sized sofa with arms and a back, this term is oftensynonymouswithaloveseat.Sofa: Derived from a variety of sources—the Arabic suffa (carpet, divan),Turkishsofa,andtheItaliansofà(raisedcarpetfloor)—thistermisdefinedasalongupholsteredseatusuallywitharmsandaback,andoftenconvertibleintoabed.Squab: Sometimes used as a synonym for couch, this generally refers to acushionforasofaorchair.

What’sarug?Although the origins differ (see page 45), the words “carpet” and “rug” areessentiallyinterchangeable.Infact,thedefinitionofthetwowordsisexactlythesame:aheavyfabricusedasafloorcovering.Techniquesandfabrics,however,vary.Someofthepopularoptions:Braided:Syntheticornaturalstrandsareplacedtogethersothattheyappeartobewoven.Braidedrugsaremostoftenfoundinareaoraccentsizes.Embroidered: True to its name, this is a series of fiber stitches into another

fabricbase.Hooked: The simplest style of rug is constructed byweaving strings of cloththroughameshofsturdyfabric.Needlefelt:Generallyusedincommercial,high trafficareas, thesecarpetsaremade of fibers compressed onto a textile such as foam. They are oftenmanufacturedinChina.Tufted:Themostcommonofcarpetstyles,thesemachine-maderugsaredoublebondedtothebackingtohavemorestabilityandlongerdurability.Woven:Producedona loom, thepile (densityof thecarpet fibers) areevenlylooped into the rug’s backing. There are two styles of woven—plush or cut,whichisbundlesofyarnstandingstraight,andberber,whichreferstoathickeryarnatevenlevels.Theyaregenerallymadeofnaturalfiberssuchaswool,jute,andsisal.Duetothelabor-intensivenature,thistechniqueoftencreatesthemostexpensivetypeofrug.

Greetingaforeignexchangeguest?Comosedice“welcome”aroundtheworld:

Ahlanwasahlan:ArabicHuãnyíng:ChineseBienvenido:SpanishWelkom:DutchTervetuloa:FinnishBienvenue:FrenchWillkommen:GermanKalósorísate:GreekAloha:HawaiianBaruchhaba:HebrewBenvenuto:ItalianKangei:JapaneseMilewidziany:PolishDobropozhalovat:RussianKaribu:SwahiliYin-dee-ton-rab:Thai

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Althoughasmallspace,nothingiscreatedinavacuum,andI’mgratefultothosewho have helpedme on this project.Major props tomy ground team—MariaMahoney (for proofreading and research assistance), Iván Guillot Boyer (forlate-night dinner making and some research assistance), AlisonMahoney, theSingingBaker,(forcreatingthoseyummypartyrecipes),andBillMahoney(justbecause).Mil gracias tomy editorKatherine, who in addition to being supercool, made the process a breeze and had an amazing spidey sense of when Ineededanencouragingemail.Thisbookwouldn’thavebeenmadeifitweren’tfor thesupportandencouragementofRobinWesten.Andaspecial thankyou,Myrna Blyth, myMachu Picchu companera, for introducing us. Thanks alsogoestotheteamatBridalGuideforbeingsosupportiveandflexible.

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR

Jenna Mahoney is a Brooklyn-based magazine editor and writer. Shespecializes in travel,weddings,beauty,andhealthy lifestyles.ShehasbeenonstaffatBridalGuideandFitness.HerworkhasappearedinShape,Self,Allure,Redbook, andNew York Magazine, among other magazines. Online, she hascontributed to AOL’s That’s Fit, Sephora’s Beauty and the Blog, BettyConfidential,andtheToryBurchblog.