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Storage cubes offer a versatile solution for organizing any space in your home. “They can double as decor, so while adding them creates a functional and organized space, you can also spice up your rooms,” says professional organizer Shaniece Jones, who is the founder of One Woman Army Closet Design & Organization. With Jones’ tips in mind, we researched top options of various sizes, materials, and colors. Our favorite is the highly durable and eco-friendly Way Basics Eco Stackable Connect Cube, which is part of a large collection of modular storage bins and cubbies....

When researching toys for a 9-year old boy, we looked for picks that are age-appropriate, have adequate safety measures in place, and help them learn about the world around them. Some of our favorite options include a challenging STEM-based toy from ThinkFun, a Marvel themed guessing game from Skillmatics, and an archeology set with real fossils from National Geographic. Here are the best toys for 9-year-old boys. The object is to build a tower that will take the marble from the starting point designated on the challenge cards to the target tower....

While extensive lacerations can take time, effort and considerable skill to repair, small nicks and tears can be fixed with little effort and the right supplies. And these products can restore discolored or faded leather nearly to its original appearance. We researched leather repair kits based on their effectiveness, contents, ease of use, and price. Our top choice is the FORTIVO Leather and Vinyl Repair Kit. It contains patches that apply easily, without needing heat, and can come very close to matching the area needing repairs....

We researched the best underlayments on the market, assessing floor type compatibility, ease of installment, quality, and overall value. Our favorites include options for laminate floors, like the Roberts AirGuard 5-in-1 Floor Underlayment, concrete floors, like the Eco Cork Foam Premium 10-in-1 Underlayment, and tile floors, like the DUROCK Cement Backer Board. Here are the best flooring underlayments. Other benefits are that this underlayment reduces noise and sound transmission and works with radiant heated floors....

Our top pick, the Airthings View Plus Radon & Air Quality Monitor, measures temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide as well as hazardous radon. Here are the best air quality monitors. The View Plus can also act as a hub for other Airthings monitors around your home. It connects to your WiFi network to receive and send information. Fortunately, set-up is easy, and you don’t need to run any wiring. You can hang it on the wall or put it right on a shelf or table....

We spent hours researching celestial maps from the most popular home decor brands. Our favorite, the SeventyEightDesign Custom Star Map, is a beautiful print that can be personalized to show stars at a particular date, time, and location. Here are the best celestial maps available online. Owners say the prints they received are just as beautiful as the photos and note that the seller is a breeze to work with....

With pointers from Epstein in mind, we researched standout options of various shapes, sizes, and fill materials. Our favorite is the Pillowflex Synthetic Down Insert, an exceptionally plush cushion that holds form with ease. Check out the best pillow inserts below. You can really feel the silkiness and weight of the fill through the cotton-poly shell, and you won’t have to worry about feathers poking through the fabric. This pillow holds its shape remarkably well, a perfect choice for creating the coveted hand-chop indentation....

We spent hours researching the top tool bags available online, evaluating storage capacity, durability, and quality. Our favorite, the CLC Custom LeatherCraft Multi-Compartment Carrier, has 50 pockets, is easy to carry, and provides quick and easy access to small and large tools. Here are our favorite tool bags. For a large, durable tool bag that checks all of the boxes, we love the Custom LeatherCraft 1539 Multi Compartment Carrier. This polyester tool bag can handle all of your tools without stretching, cracking, or breaking, and it’s designed to make it very easy to spot what you need and grab it quickly....

We researched more than a dozen two-player card, dice, and board games, considering factors like intensity, price, and age range. After narrowing down our top picks, we deemed the Sequence Board Game as our best overall two-player game, thanks to its high entertainment value, versatility across multiple ages, and high replay value. Here, our favorite two-player games on the market. If you think a little healthy competition is good for game night, then you can’t go wrong with Sequence, a versatile strategy game you can play with two people or a large group....

Our at-home testers—who all have different sleeping styles and preferences—spent several days and nights testing duvet covers from the most popular bedding brands, evaluating comfort, quality, size, and durability. Our best overall pick, the Parachute Sateen Duvet Cover, is made of high-quality Egyptian cotton, has a super soft feel, and comes with corner ties to keep it from shifting or bunching. To find the best fit for your duvet, textile expert Saana Baker suggests measuring your duvet and paying attention to the cover’s dimensions: “The dimensions don’t have to be exact, but they should be close,” she explains....

After speaking with Deborah Young to better understand jersey sheets, the materials they’re made from, and what makes them unique, we researched dozens of brands and read countless customer reviews to find the best ones on the market. Our personal favorite is the West Elm Cotton Cloud Jersey Sheet Set, which not only offers a feel that’s super cozy but is also OEKO-TEX and Fair Trade certified. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they include no-cost shipping....

When researching the best rain barrels, we evaluated products based on their size, capacity, material, style, and overall performance. Our top pick, the RTS Home Accents 50-Gallon Rain Water Collection Barrel, offers rugged, weather-resistant construction and plenty of convenient features, including a filtering screen and dual overflow valves. Here are the best rain barrels. Dual overflow valves prevent water from flooding your outside wall if the barrel fills up. It can also be connected to other barrels to collect more water....

Our favorite is Rifle Paper Co.’s Luxembourg Peel & Stick Wallpaper, which is easy to apply and boasts a stunning design. Scroll down for the best removable wallpapers tested by The Spruce. What’s more, this temporary wallpaper comes off effortlessly without leaving even a trace of residue. Reapplying the sheets is also easy, so don’t sweat it if you get the alignment slightly off the first time. Thanks to the high-quality, user-friendly construction, even a peel and stick novice could get it to look professional....

But within the broad definition, there are many ways to practice composting. Simple on-site composting in which pretty much all organic scraps and refuse (except for meat products) are heaped together and allowed to decompose. Vermicomposting uses red worms to hasten the breakdown of organic materials. Windrow composting is high volume composting using long rows of organic materials that are aerated regularly. Static-pile composting involves piling up organic matter to be broken down by bacteria....

Tips on Framing, Painting, and Classic Style “My dad is British and very much has traditional taste. He taught me that framing is so important. How a piece is matted and framed can make or break the piece’s moment. My dad had a little house painting company as a teenager, and I have a lot of memories of us painting together growing up. I am really particular as a designer about how painting is done and paint quality....

What Lacquer Thinner Is Lacquer thinner is a strong liquid thinner and solvent. Containing up to ten ingredients, lacquer thinner is a compound with mixture ratios that vary between manufacturers. Lacquer can sometimes be too thick to brush on or spray. If thick lacquer is applied, the resulting finish may be bumpy, pitted, or have an orange-peel effect. In the same way that water thins out the molecules in water-based products, lacquer thinner has the right chemical properties to separate (or thin) the molecules in lacquers....

Drainage Is Critical Adequate drainage might be the single biggest factor in determining if container-grown plants live or die. In a garden bed, excess water percolates down to deeper layers of soil and runs off into surrounding areas. However, if a container or the potting soil doesn’t drain well, plants can drown or rot. All containers must have adequate drainage holes for excess water to drain. Containers intended for indoor use are typically sold with a matching saucer....

Shakespeare used the meanings of flowers to enhance his storylines, as in Hamlet, when poor Ophelia laments ”There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember: and there is pansies, that’s for thoughts.” Even dashing Leopold, in the movie “Kate and Leopold,” knew better than to send a woman orange lilies. Letting Flowers Speak for You Trying to plan a garden based on the meaning of flowers might not be as wise as designing around the plants’ growing requirements or coordinating colors, but it can be a lot of fun when creating a floral display or a bouquet of flowers to give as a gift....

In the world of furniture, we are shifting, too. Although our homes don’t necessarily reflect our staunch political perspectives or overall world views, per se, they do showcase a lot about our personalities and what we care about. Our consumer habits say a lot about who we are. And over the past few years, these habits have changed dramatically. In particular, furniture sales are changing. We are buying less, buying differently, and buying items that we perhaps haven’t before....

Sure, I could’ve gone the custom framing route, but that’s pretty expensive and is something I generally save for my investment pieces only. I also am a bit impatient when it comes to decorating and couldn’t have been more excited to get my two new pieces up on the wall. Custom framing can often take a couple of weeks at minimum, and I didn’t want to splurge and wait! Additionally, because I have a lot of artwork and not a ton of space to display it, I find myself rotating various prints out fairly frequently....