Uncommon Knowledge
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Last April, when Bed Bath & Beyond held its store-closing sales after declaring bankruptcy, I popped into one of its Manhattan locations and found the shelves almost completely stripped of inventory, snagged by earlier shoppers who’d been quicker to the liquidation bargains. Dwell’s senior home guides editor Megan’s experience at another Manhattan location, though, seemed slightly less chaotic, and even in small but not insignificant ways gratifying. So last week, when Dwell’s managing editor Jack Balderrama Morley dropped a tweet in a team Slack channel pointing out the “crazy sales” at another major retailer, Joann, which on March 18 announced it filed for bankruptcy, and said: “Maybe a writer wants to go and see what home design can be pulled out of a dying store?” I bravely volunteered. Most of the online reactions I’d seen to Joann’s bankruptcy were more focused on corporate details than implications for crafters, but I assumed the news would circulate widely enough in at least some corners of TikTok’s DIY universe that the sales would generate a fairly quick clean out.
To be clear, my putting myself forward is only notable because from where I live in Manhattan, a trip to the craft store—or any department store, really—is a vastly different experience than in the suburbs. The Hudson, Ohio-based chain, which has operated for more than 80 years, has roughly 800 stores nationwide (all of which the company said will continue to operate as it restructures its finances). But none of those stores are in Manhattan, or even Brooklyn. Long Island has three locations, and there’s one in Scarsdale, about an hour’s drive north of my apartment (closer to Connecticut in actuality). Across the Hudson, there’s a Joann store in Paramus, New Jersey. Depending on the time of day, the drive is anywhere between 30 and 50 minutes.
My girlfriend and I have a Zipcar membership that we use almost solely for the purpose of completing another task that’s a vastly different experience when you live in New York City: grocery shopping. Every other month or so, we go to a Trader Joe’s outside of the city to stock up on groceries that we can drive home, not carry. We were due for another Big Shop and had also been talking about crafting over the weekend, since the forecast was gross and rainy. In Paramus, there’s a Trader Joe’s all but three minutes from Joann. So Paramus it was. We were making a Saturday of it.
The arts-and-crafts store, formerly known as Jo-Ann Fabrics, was a big part of my childhood. (Full disclosure: I was blissfully unaware of the 2018 rebrand and had been using the former moniker up until I learned about the recent bankruptcy filing, and am still having a tough time adjusting to the name change, in true millennial fashion.) In the early 2000s, the Jo(-)ann (Fabrics)(!) on the side of Highway 101 in Corte Madera, California, was where I bought fabric for weekly sewing classes with Winky Cherry (I’m serious), a kids’ sewing teacher and author, I’m just learning, who taught out of a downstairs room in her home. It’s where I found felt and appliqués for the DIY poodle skirts I wore to school sock hops. It’s also where I found the fabric, pom-poms, and ribbons I tasked my adult neighbor, whose children I babysat, with fashioning into a jester costume for me one Halloween; one side had blue fabric with a moon pattern, the other a maroon background with suns. There were elastic cinches at the wrists and ankles that created frilly cuffs. In retrospect, it was quite a vision for my young mind to conceive of, but stylistically…misguided.
Before last weekend, I hadn’t been back to one of the stores since that time in my childhood. One of Joann’s competitors, Michael’s, has locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and I sadly did not retain any sewing skills from Winky Cherry’s classes, so these days the selection there or at Blick Art Materials—of which there are many in New York City—does the trick for my occasional craft projects. I was expecting the scene to be somewhat depressing: sparse aisles stocked with the same art supplies you can now order to your front door on Amazon, piles of worse for wear fabric collecting dust, and nary a shopper born after the turn of the millennium (and that’s being generous). The latter, from my observation, was true, but other parts surprised me.
The clearance sale shelves at the front of the store, marked 25 percent off, were haphazardly stocked as though either winds of eager customers had already blown through them, spoiling any prior display order, or the employees had simply gathered items from other aisles—a partially unwound yarn bundle, decorative stickers, children’s trinkets, and, unexplainably, a pack of popcorn seasoning, and quickly dumped them in this section, knowing any real organization efforts wouldn’t be worth their while.
We set ourselves a $200 budget, keeping in mind a few DIY projects we discussed prior, and knowing that we like to keep a stock of craft supplies for impromptu projects, so this sale would be as good a time as ever to spend somewhat freely. First, we popped over to the bead aisles to scope out the four for $10 deals. We picked 15 bead strands—with between 10 to 40 beads per set, depending—and a roll of clear cord (for later necklace-making projects). We also grabbed a small organizer to keep the beads in; not on sale, but something we felt necessary, and reasonable for $4.50. The next aisles had some of the biggest steals we encountered: 10 for $5 on two-ounce acrylic paints, 50 to 70 percent off fine art canvases, and 25 percent off other art supplies, from paint brushes to sets of paint, pens, and colored pencils. We added a 10-pack of 8×10 canvases and two 5×5 canvases to our shopping cart, along with a 24-tube acrylic paint set and a few larger paint tubes, plus a can of black spray paint and some wooden semicircle cutouts for a DIY mirror project.
We walked toward the next part of the store we knew had something we wanted: fiber filling to revive our couch cushions, which we assumed we’d find near the fabric department. Between there and the robust yarn section, it felt, for a second, like we could be in any big box retailer of the home goods ilk. You could buy outdoor rugs, plant stands, picture frames, and storage containers just like what’s in stock at Target or Home Depot. In my memory, the Jo(-)ann (Fabrics)(!) of my youth was much less home decor-oriented.
Still, the crafts and sewing storage items were marked 50 percent off, so we grabbed three collapsible bins in the style of Hay’s recycled color crates for the space above our kitchen cabinets at $5.99 each. I also picked out an 11×14 black picture frame, with visions of repainting it with a two-tone trim using our new acrylics set. We grabbed two large bags of the fiber filling—40 percent off, $17.99 each—and at some point along the way picked up a five-pound bucket of air-dry clay, which ran us $6.99.
Every five or so aisles we’d pass another shopper, which, compared to the experience of shopping at most major retailers, is essentially like walking through a desert, but I’d imagined something much more vacant. I realized I was likely conflating my understanding of bankruptcy with the idea of returning to a forsaken mainstay from my childhood, so to see other customers at all made me feel like the place was sufficiently busy.
The general energy in the store, however, reminded me otherwise. At one point, I heard an exasperated yell from the next aisle, “Is it so hard for people to put things back where they fucking belong?!” I obviously had to check whose Public Display of Begrudge this was; when I walked past, there was only one woman, wearing a Joann apron and organizing inventory.
In the fabric section, we had to squeeze our cart past a plastic storage bin with wet floor signs on either side that was blocking most of the walkway in order to catch droplets from a ceiling leak. I saw another millennial-looking couple talking to a woman at the service counter and wondered what they were there for, feeling an instant sense of curiosity and camaraderie with the other shoppers visibly under 60. We thought about buying some fabric to fashion a small curtain/cabinet skirt to hide our eyesore kitchen trash area, but decided against it—mostly due to decision paralysis, but also because we weren’t sure anything from the fabric selection would even really improve the situation. (As a kid, the actual quality of Jo-Ann’s Fabrics was not something I noticed, apparently.)
At checkout, the sweet (older) cashier winced as our balance climbed and offered to add an extra coupon that was typically only available online to bring our total down. It seemed like she hadn’t rung up a $184.17 tab for anyone in a long time.
Our first DIY project was the easiest: we added the stuffing to our couch cushions, which have formed light indents in various spots because of my bad habit of WFH…from the couch. Then, we took some of the beads and Gorilla Glued them to a glass vase we already own. I painted the black picture frame with two blue acrylics and put a Really Bad Portrait of us from the Upper West Side flea market in it. (I’m still battling my partner to let us hang it up in the bedroom.)
Next, we spray-painted the wooden semicircles black and Gorilla Glued them to the side of our Ikea Hovet mirror, inspired by furniture we saw at Originario on a recent trip to Mexico City. (We still have enough left to do the same with another black mirror in our dining room.) We used some of the quick-dry clay to make a small, foot-shaped catchall—again, inspired by ceramics we saw in Mexico City. We’re still deciding on what to paint on the canvases, but now we have the supplies at the ready for when inspiration strikes. In fact, we’ve barely scratched the surface of what we bought on our haul, so that trip will last us many more DIY projects. And, should the clearance sales continue and we decide we want more bead deals or actually do want to give that cabinet skirt a try, our receipt has a promo code that can be used on Joann’s website, so we won’t have to brave another visit.
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Source: dwell.com
Maximalism home décor is the “in” home design trend for 2024 and includes bold colors and unique pieces. By using maximalism for staging, sellers can highlight a home’s features and personality.
CHICAGO – Allie LeFevere describes her maximalist Chicago home as colorful and eclectic. When she and her husband moved into their home four years ago, she didn’t have a specific design in mind.
“I just wanted the house to feel vibrant,” says LeFevere, founder of branding agency Obedient. She wanted “a representation of our lives and the places we’ve explored and the memories we’ve made.”
The philosophy behind maximalism decor is “more is more,” according to Jean Whitehead, a senior lecturer on interior design at Falmouth University in county Cornwall, England. Bold colors, textures and unique pieces define this style, elements of which Vogue magazine says are “in” as design trends for 2024.
Going maximalist in your home can seem daunting and expensive — but it doesn’t have to be, say those who favor a bold aesthetic. Here’s how to achieve a maximalist look on a budget.
“One of the more economical ways to explore maximalism is through vintage and antique things that are available at thrift stores and estate sales,” says Daniel Mathis, who runs the Instagram account Not A Minimalist with over 70,000 followers.
Mathis’s home in Oklahoma City showcases his maximalist style, including many pieces purchased second-hand. To get a good bargain, Mathis suggests waiting until the last day of an estate sale when prices are typically reduced.
Alex Ammar, a certified financial planner and owner of Paradox Financial based outside Orlando, Florida, recommends setting a budget and decorating in stages.
“You might have different budgets for different tiers of interior decorating,” Ammar says. Second-hand and discount stores are great for decor and accent pieces, while you may spend more on distinct furniture, like a sofa.
Maximalism can mean applying your own creativity to a space. Be bold with reinventing old furniture or items you have around the house. When Mathis fell in love with the Southwest design of a rug, he used the fabric to upholster an armchair in his sitting room.
For a simpler project, you can individually frame travel photos or children’s artwork and hang them together to create a gallery wall above a couch or along a hallway.
Finding ways to reimagine pieces already in your home adds a layer of individuality to the decor while saving you money. Look through your home for items that could use a boost, and browse art and home supply stores for ideas and tools you may need to revive them.
Including noteworthy pieces in your decor is a way to create a one-of-a-kind space —- and it doesn’t have to be pricey. Keep an eye out for items that stand out to you, and be flexible, which can mean building up a collection over time or making minor alterations to a piece.
Mathis started collecting rare Ozark Roadside Tourist pottery about seven years ago. He currently has 150 pieces of the multi-colored, marbleized pottery.
“That’s maximalism for me,” says Mathis. “It’s about lots of color, lots of patterns … but I tried to do it in a very intentional and curated way.”
He purchased his first vase for $50; now, similar Ozark Roadside Tourist vases can sell for nearly $1,000.
LeFevere says her favorite piece in her home is an antique pie cabinet with mesh screens that she painted pastel green to match her kitchen.
“I’m not cooking any pie in my life,” LeFevere says, but the piece is “just really cool.”
LeFevere and Mathis both highlight the importance of knowing what you like while staying open to designs that surprise you. LeFevere visits sites like Pinterest to find styles or decor she likes and saves the images to a Google doc.
Similarly, Mathis built his personal style by clipping photos from decor magazines. He says the fun in maximalist design is the process of discovery.
By knowing what you like, you’ll be able to assemble pieces to fill your space, whether you find them in a thrift store, create them yourself or invest in a special piece.
Ammar says it’s also important to know yourself when it comes to money and how you manage expenses that arise from redecorating, especially if you’re financing purchases.
“If you’re the kind of person who can handle carrying debt, then it can be a really beneficial way to accelerate your timeline,” he says.
Maximalism is about having a home that reflects you and your life rather than any prescribed blueprint. Fill your space with color and mementos to create an aesthetic that brings you joy every time you walk in.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Source: floridarealtors.org
We tapped designers, furniture makers, and even Shea McGee for their expert knowledge on the hottest trends of 2024.
Have you ever looked around your living room and suddenly realized it was overwhelmingly outdated? You’re no expert, so what exactly was out of style might have been hard to put your finger on — was it that lampshade with the tassels you found in your mom’s storage unit 10 years ago, or maybe the shag rug you bought when your 10-year-old was first born? — but you knew. While it might’ve just hit you, we don’t mean to alarm you but it’s possible your home decor has been out of style for a while. Just like fashion trends, interior design fads change rapidly.
Unlike fashion, however, interior design is more of a niche interest and its evolution isn’t exhibited as widely as it is for other style sectors, like apparel or accessories. Maybe it’s because what you wear is more often on display than what’s donning your walls. But if you have to look at it every day, you should like what you see. And if a room is looking dull to you, we’re here to help you bring it back to life.
Don’t worry, we’re not about to suggest you overhaul your house every season (or every year, or even few years, for that matter). Sure, something that’s “in” today can go out of style tomorrow, but swapping out a couch to stay current isn’t exactly practical for your budget or the environment. Thankfully, there are small tweaks you can make to ensure your space feels fresh, even if you keep the majority of your furnishings the same. Take it from Byron and Dexter Peart, twin brothers and co-founders of ethical home goods marketplace Goodee: “We generally don’t approach interior design in terms of aesthetic trends but are more of a mindset or philosophy that supersedes the physical style and appearance of spaces,” they tell Katie Couric Media. “We believe that when designed with purpose, interiors have the power to encourage experiences and enhance well-being.”
Sometimes, it’s about bucking the trends entirely. Rob Natale, chief of design at furniture brand Sixpenny (whose chic, ethically sourced couches you may have stalked on Instagram), says, “If a style speaks to you, go for it! Don’t worry if it is or was trendy.” He adds, “Go with your gut and fill your home with things that make you happy — except maybe bouclé, with all due respect to bouclé. It was really trendy there for a while.”
Abbey Stark, interior design lead at IKEA, prioritizes making a house feel like a true home and a reflection of the people who live there. “Let’s leave behind anything that doesn’t reflect your personal style. Homes should speak to your aesthetic and tell your story.”
If you want an update that will be on-trend, catch up on and shop the latest innovations below.
“We’ve been living in a beautifully neutral world for the last several years, and while the minimalism of a soothing palette will always be a classic, I anticipate far more emphasis on colors, mixed patterns, and bold spaces,” says Natale, who at his own brand offers an array of gem-toned slipcovers to easily change up the look of your furniture as you see fit.
Considering that Stark hails from IKEA, she naturally leans into the Scandi design style, which is “focused on being joyful, expressive, colorful, and contemporary.” She suggests combining bright and muted tones to give the vintage style a refreshed appearance. “Think colored glass, warm wood tones, and muted color palettes with fresh, new pops of color.”
If you’re more of a decor extremist, you’ll appreciate Kelley Mason’s approach. The associate art director at Lulu and Georgia leans into what she dubs “color drenching,” where you decorate a room with a single color throughout “for tonal saturation.” In other words, say goodbye to boring, neutral spaces!
“We’re excited to see a continued shift in blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living,” Byron and Dexter Peart say. “Whether your home has a lush backyard garden, rooftop terrace, or balcony, outdoor furniture and furnishings like weather-resistant rugs, durable cushions made of recycled materials, and durable tableware with keen design sensibility create comfortable and inviting outdoor oases.”
They mention that plant-filled interiors aren’t going anywhere, either. “This not only brings the natural environment inside but also encourages healthy breathing and provides calming benefits as we tend to our indoor gardens.”
Natale agrees: “Bringing the outside in will always be in style, so selecting a color palette based on the nature around you is such a wonderful way to make a space come alive.”
Want to get this look on a budget? Mason has some great advice: “My favorite tip to update your space without spending any money is to go foraging for florals and greenery. In your own backyard, the neighbor’s house (with approval of course!), the local park, or beyond, a quick snip of a sculptural branch or bouquet of wildflowers will give dramatic impact to any space and it’s totally free.”
It should be no surprise, but a home should look and feel lived in — it shouldn’t have the sterility of a museum. “We’re all getting more accustomed to the idea of home serving multiple purposes,” Natale says. “Many of us still work from home for at least a few days each week. Investing in products that can subtly transform a room and turn it into a multi-functional space is such a fantastic way to get more use out of it.”
If you have kids or grandkids (like Katie!), you may understand that loose toys and games can quickly swallow a space, so children and their things are often relegated to a certain area to try and contain the chaos. However, that practice is definitely changing. “We’re excited to see more of an emergence of intergenerational living spaces that welcome and encourage grown-ups and the little ones to work, rest, and play together in common areas,” the Pearts say.
As we know, a lot of people are choosing not to have children these days — but this trend doesn’t only apply to humans. “Notably, this communal orientation is also becoming more evident with our four-legged family members: Pet furniture like beds, floor mattresses, blankets, and toys are now being made with eco-conscious materials, design sensibility, and artful aesthetics, a welcome integration into thoughtful households,” they note.
You can also interpret this trend as incorporating washable furniture and rugs, dual-purpose designs, or artfully displaying essential kitchenware. Heck, even storage bins for kids’ toys have become more stylish.
You’ve most likely heard of both “quiet luxury” and “tenniscore” in terms of fashion, but have you thought about incorporating some of these trends’ key principles into your interior design? Shea McGee, the interior designer behind McGee & Co. says, “TikTok calls this tenniscore, and though it’s mainly a fashion trend, we’re incorporating the racquet club aesthetic into our interior styling.” Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean decorating your living room with sports goods.
McGee explains, “In the closet, you’ll find this trend in cable-knit sweaters, loafers, pleated skirts, and tube socks. In interiors, you’ll find it in crisp whites, creams, playful greens, cabana stripes, rattan, chambray, and pristine lawns.”
Mason is also a fan but notes you can embrace it subtly by “taking traditional preppy details and combining them with modern details, luxe materials, and moody tones.” She adds, “I love this look with patterned upholstery, vintage oil paintings, and touches of metal and leather.”
The boom of direct-to-consumer furniture, bedding, and just about anything else you can think of has certainly made it easier to shop online, but the experience and designs can lack intimacy and individuality. Lots of designers are stepping away from products that can easily be bought en masse from big box stores, opting instead to shop vintage or go to local artisans for products they need.
“As social media continues to accelerate and amplify seemingly endless and short-lived interior design trends, what we’re most excited to see is an emergence of interest in and discovery of local and global artisan-made crafts,” the Pearts say. “We love home goods that embody the stories, spirit, and traditions of the makers that create them.”
This trend can take form in how you approach sustainability: “It’s easy to prioritize the performance fabrics [that big box stores tend to offer], especially in homes with pets and kids, but as we all continue to make more conscious decisions about the materials we live with, the more attractive all-natural, non-chemically-coated fabrics become,” Natale explains. And those can be harder to find online.
Hand-woven baskets, hand-quilted blankets, hand-carved wooden trays, hand-painted ceramic bowls, and handblown glassware resonate with those looking for a deep, meaningful human connection between their belongings and those who make them. Take it from the Pearts: “So often, high-trending interiors have a sameness and repetitive nature; a living space well adorned with artful crafts has a unique ability to add color, texture, whimsy and personality to one’s home.”
For McGee, she’s seeing an emphasis on crafts originating from Italy, probably thanks in part to Tomato Girl Summer and White Lotus season 2. “Italian-inspired design is back in a big way, in ways that are both nostalgic and contemporary. You’ll be seeing this a lot in elements like Murano glass, ironwork, plaster, ceiling medallions, marble, and busts or sculptures,” she says.
Source: katiecouric.com
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Source: housebeautiful.com
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I’ve been told that life is about living in the moment.
But are you living with intention?
Intention means to be aware of what you want, and your desires should align with your purpose.
If they don’t, it can lead to a feeling of not knowing who you are or where on earth life is heading. And without those two things happening in unison – clarity and direction – then any type of accomplishment becomes difficult if not impossible (see my personal story below, for example).
So how do you live with intention?
For many people, life is a struggle.
We are constantly told that we need to do certain things and be a certain way in order for us to feel fulfilled or happy.
While this may sound like good advice, it can lead some of us down the wrong path–especially when our lives are already suffering from a lack of motivation or direction.
In this post, we will discuss seven reasons why you should consider living your life with intention now rather than just letting life lead you. Also, this may change your perspective on life.
There are great benefits that come along with living your life with intention and what it means to live without limitations.
Most importantly, there will be questions you may want to ask yourself which could help get you started on the right path going forward.
Either way, to live life with intention, you must take action now!
This is an intentional practice of living more intentionally, with a greater focus on self-care and mindfulness.
Intentional living is a lifestyle that encourages you to identify your priorities and values.
This means that it matters more than ever before because people are gradually becoming clearer on what they want in life and how they can achieve those things.
It is not an easy task but one worth taking up if you’re ready for the challenge, as there will be greater clarity of focus when pursuing this goal.
Intentional living means that we are aware of what’s going on in our lives and make conscious decisions about the things we want to do. It also implies being present, stopping for a moment, reflecting, and thinking about what’s happening.
When you live intentionally it gives your life meaning because you will see progress over time as opposed to just fixing things or achieving goals by ticking them off a list.
Intentional living is a lifestyle that allows for more time to experience love, laughter, happiness, and appreciating the intrinsic value of simpler things.
Saying I appreciate you is important.
In these exploratory questions below, we looked at what makes you happy, how you spend your time, and your future plans.
It is important to live intentionally because you will have a life that is more meaningful, purposeful, and rewarding.
You are able to make decisions about what you want out of your life and know what is most important to you.
In this busy world, it is easy to get caught up in the rat race. Simplify your life and spend time doing what matters most requires living with intention.
We need to be mindful of how we choose our day-to-day activities so that they serve a greater purpose.
By living intentionally, one can live a happier and healthier life. Purpose in life is correlated with happiness.
Intentional living is a lifestyle that focuses on reflecting and making conscious decisions about what’s in alignment with your values.
This approach to life helps you live more meaningful, satisfying lives by taking time out of each day to consider who you are, what matters most to you, and how might be able to change the course of your life for the better.
It only takes 7 minutes per day for intentional reflection.
In a short amount of time, the benefit is it allows you not only to think about what is in alignment with your values but also how you might be able to change the course of your life for the better.
And that’s the point of intentional living: to live your life with intention.
These 7 reasons are not only worth pursuing now but also in life’s present moments where there is no need to wait until tomorrow because it can be done today!
You will be able to live a life more spontaneously and deeply, with intention.
By living each day more deliberately, you will find greater peace bliss, serenity in your day-to-day life, and increased meaning in a world where things and people repeatedly start to look the same.
Living a life with intention and purpose is going to be one of the best decisions you can make. Why? The power that comes from living a deliberate life will impact every area of your being.
A person’s life is often focused on daily tasks, work, and going through the same routine day after day. This focus has its benefits, but it also entails forgetting about important goals that a person has set.
With the abundant distractions in our lives, we seek the next big project (or social media) to distract us from what we need to focus on.
In times like these, it becomes difficult to make the “life decisions” that will lead us closer to success.
Happiness is a choice, and so are meaningful relationships. Time well spent will be a joyful day.
Managing your expectations will improve your life, making it harder for you to get too disappointed.
Perception of ease is attainable when you make healthy lifestyle choices and become reliant on an inner sense of what is worth.
You’ll feel more relaxed knowing you are saving your time for the activities that matter: conversation, cooking dinner with friends, sitting on the couch working on your weekend project, and reading a book.
Maintaining your lifestyle and personal growth should be a top priority in your personal development plan since it is impossible to get back any time you waste.
This should not have to be a life of hustle.
In this life, you have time for time activities with meaning and purpose.
You have to find your 100% pure motivation and encouragement in this journey of life!
By setting goals and aligning your priorities, it will transform the way you live your life and have a fulfilling time.
Our focus on this post resonates with a well-timed message to help facilitate personal growth and success- with empowering and easy steps.
Learn how to make money goals and a vision board.
You’ll have the freedom to live life how YOU want to live it.
You will have the freedom to set and achieve objectives using the resources you have.
You will love how it keeps you balanced, since your world is always changing, and the results will show on your path to success.
One of the ways to achieve this is to understand the real meaning of time freedom. More importantly, you need to figure out how to live with time freedom dominating your day.
Since the idea of pursuing happiness can be vague, you have to define the truths about living this free life and live more intentionally.
In these times, many are foregoing happiness in favor of sacrificing something to feel secure within their careers or daily overexerting themselves by trying to “keep up with the Jones.” You deserve clarity of how you want to spend the remaining years you have.
This answer will vary from person to person and situation to situation because you have the freedom to design the life you want.
With so many distractions and options, it can be hard to find your way. Whether you’re looking for love, fulfillment, or a career path, this mantra is the life guideline that will provide clarity and stay true.
Living Life with Intention turns the phrase “figuring it out” into a guide to the life you love.
It is about being aware of what matters most and prioritizing it in a way that helps you reach your goals. Intentional living is not just for those seeking blessings or divine guidance; anyone can benefit from this approach – whether they be spiritual seekers or simply trying to improve their quality of life.
This is how can I have an intentional life.
Intention is a conscious choice to act in a certain way. Purpose, on the other hand, is something that we do because it’s part of our core values and who we are as people. Intention helps you live life with purpose and intention.
The difference between Intention and Purpose:
– Intentions are short term goals or actions. These are things you do today to achieve your purpose.
– Purposes are your long term goals or actions. This is whys why you are doing the things that lead up to your intentions.
In addition, purpose also means that you are doing something for a larger reason than just the goal or action itself.
Intention and purpose are different because the intention is short-term, while purpose is long-term. They correlate to each other on how you live your life each day.
Intention is defined as the direction or goal of one’s thoughts and actions. Even though people may be living their lives without intention, life still has a direction.
In order to live life with intention, one must think about their actions and their consequences of them. The consequence could be something small such as not picking up an item at the store that you needed to buy, or it could be something monumental such as not staying in a relationship that you feel is no longer healthy for you.
The point of living life with intention is to make the best choices for oneself, one’s family, and one’s future.
In order to do this, you must answer these soul-searching questions.
For most people, this is difficult because it requires you to consider how you want to live your life.
There are many ways that one can do this, and the answer will be different for everyone. However, it is important to do this with intention and intentionality.
Make a picture of what your life would look like if you were living that perfect day and make it as detailed as possible.
Find a quiet place to sit and be still for at least 10 minutes.
Think about:
Now, how can you live days like that more often?
In order to make a change, you must first decide what is important to you. This process can be difficult and painful, but it’s necessary in order to keep yourself motivated towards your goal.
It is important to decide what your personal values are and use them as a guide for making decisions in life.
This is a process that starts with thinking about what your personal values are. This can be difficult to do in the abstract, but it is helpful to think of your values as being somewhere on a spectrum between your beliefs and what you do.
Do this exercise like you were an outside person looking in. What would that person say about you? What do you value in life?
Your life of personal values will be necessary in order to live with intention.
Your vision for life is what makes all the difference in how you live your day-to-day life.
Core values are the guideposts that lead you along your path to fulfillment and happiness. By looking back on moments when you feel proud or happy, it’s easier to find out what is important to you and how those things can be expressed through your actions today.
A simple example could be:
My vision for life is to be happy and healthy. I want to live a long, fulfilling life with the love of my family and friends.
If you have never created a vision board, then this vision board planner will help you out!
Think about everything you believe you belong on your list of “have tos.”
Those things you feel like you must do. Some examples of these are “you have to go,” “you need to eat,” and “I have to do my homework.”
Now, take a birds-eye observation… do these “norms” and “have tos” serve you well?
Are these “norms” the reasons why you are not living your life with intention?
Take inventory of what you actually have to do every day and eliminate all that does not serve your goals.
Relaxing intentionally is a process in which one seeks to achieve a temporary escape from stress and the overwhelming pressures of everyday life.
This is something that is HARD to do when you first attempt to relax.
It is important to take some time for yourself.
Unwind from a busy day and get back into the life of intention by choosing low-energy activities that re-energize you.
During quiet time, spend time intentionally uncovering ways that help you relax.
Ultimately, living life with intention is about curating a life based on things that really matter.
You can do this through intentional time management and making sure you are spending your time in the way that makes the most sense for yourself. This will help you to be more clear on what it means to live intentionally as opposed to just being dictated by society’s standards or guidelines.
This is something that you deserve to do.
Furthermore, intentional living is about being present and aware of what you value.
It is a shift from striving for the life that others think you should be leading to embracing the one that feels good. Intentional living allows us to find more room for love, laughter, happiness, and appreciate all those things we often take for granted in our daily lives.
It doesn’t mean giving up on your goals or aspirations but rather finding rhythm so they feel true instead of false like many other pursuits.
Living a life of intention will impact the world on what you believe in.
This is a step necessary for personal growth, which leads to accomplishing more things than you ever thought possible.
With true reflection, it will take time to figure out your values and decide what they are.
Intentional living is about more than just paying bills and going to work each day — it’s about giving your life a purpose. It means considering every decision from all perspectives that are relevant to the kind of life you want
You just have to start questioning every single action you take.
This is how can we live an intentional and purposeful life.
More importantly, did I answer the questions you have about this topic? Let me know in the comments if I can help in some other way!
Your comments are not just welcomed; they’re an integral part of our community. Let’s continue the conversation and explore how these ideas align with your journey towards Money Bliss.
Source: moneybliss.org
Do you want to make money from your phone? I have been making money from my phone for many years now, and it’s a great way to make extra income or even a full-time income! Your phone can help you make money in many ways too. You can sell things you don’t need or use…
Do you want to make money from your phone?
I have been making money from my phone for many years now, and it’s a great way to make extra income or even a full-time income!
Your phone can help you make money in many ways too. You can sell things you don’t need or use your skills on freelance platforms. Answering surveys, selling photos, or being a virtual friend can also make you money, all from wherever you are comfortable.
Below are the best ways to make money from your phone.
You can earn money with your phone by answering surveys. Companies pay for your opinion, and you can do this whenever you have free time, such as when you’re just sitting on the couch watching TV with your phone in your hand.
Surveys are like a bunch of questions that companies ask to find out what you like or what you think about something. They might ask about the food you eat, the games you play, or even about your shopping habits.
You answer these questions, and in return, they give you money, points, or free gift cards (such as free Amazon gift cards) as a way to thank you for your time.
Some of the paid online survey companies I recommend are:
Here are 11 Paid Online Survey Sites if you want to learn more.
I have done many paid surveys over the years, and I love how I can answer them right from my phone and whenever I want. I can answer them while watching a video, during a lunch break, before or after work, and more.
You can use your phone to take pictures and make money. Selling stock photos is a fun way to make money through passive income without actively working for it.
Not all photographers need a fancy camera to start. Your phone can work perfectly and the newest smartphones can take great, high-quality photos. My phone can take great pictures and it wasn’t super expensive – it’s just a normal Android phone.
With stock photography, you can upload pictures you’ve taken with your camera or phone to a platform like Depositphotos. When someone buys one of your photos, you earn a commission.
Websites, companies, and blogs use stock photos for many reasons. Businesses use them to improve their content, websites, or overall appearance when they might not have the time to take all the photos they need.
I personally often use stock photos in my blog posts, and I know many others who do too. The pictures throughout this article (yes, the one that you are reading) are all stock photos.
Stock photography includes pictures of things such as:
Recommended reading: 18 Ways You Can Get Paid To Take Pictures
Making money through your phone is possible with grocery and food delivery apps like Instacart. As an Instacart Shopper, you get paid to shop for groceries and deliver them to people who order online.
Getting groceries delivered is a service that lots of people are using more and more. I’ve used it a few times when I didn’t have time to go shopping or didn’t have a car.
With this job, you have the freedom to make your own schedule, and you can get paid pretty fast – sometimes the same day.
Delivering groceries is a popular side job, and all you need is a valid driver’s license, a car, and your cell phone.
You earn money for each delivery and get to keep all your tips. Platforms like Instacart and Shipt can help you make around $15 to $20 per hour.
Learn more at Instacart Shopper Review: How much do Instacart Shoppers earn?
JustAnswer is a site where you can make money by using your phone to help others. If you have skills or knowledge in a particular area, you can answer questions and earn cash.
JustAnswer states that you can make $2,000 to $7,000 a month as an expert answering questions online on their site.
People ask questions, and the site matches them with an expert who can answer. For example, someone might ask how to change their oil or why their cat is sick. As an expert, you’ll be answering questions and giving personalized help through text chat.
There are experts in fields like mechanics, doctors, lawyers, veterinarians, home experts, appraisers, computer and tech experts, and more.
You can work whenever you want from your computer or cell phone, and you get to choose which questions you want to answer.
To get started, apply online on JustAnswer. They’ll verify your credentials (every expert on this platform is verified by a third party and needs to have licenses, education, or employment in their field of expertise). Once approved, you’ll have a quick meeting with the JustAnswer team to learn how to use the platform.
It takes about one week to become verified, and you can receive payments through direct deposit, PayPal, or Venmo.
Recommended reading: 28 Ways To Get Paid To Text
When you want to make money with your phone, DoorDash is one way you can do that. DoorDash is a gig app where you deliver food to people.
Working with DoorDash means you’re part of the gig economy, delivering restaurant meals to customers. You have the flexibility to pick your hours and decide when and where you want to work.
Depending on your location, you can deliver food with a car or by bike.
The app is your main tool for the job, and it shows you your orders, where to go, and how to get there.
Your earnings depend on each delivery. You can make $2 to $10 or more, plus tips.
Please click here to sign up for DoorDash.
Fiverr is a way to make money from your phone as it’s an online platform where people do all sorts of online work, like writing, designing, or making videos.
Some services you can sell to make money from your phone include:
When someone buys your service from your listing, they pay Fiverr. Fiverr takes 20%, and you receive 80% of the funds after a 14-day pending period.
Another popular platform somewhat similar to Fiverr for freelancers is Upwork.
If you’re looking to make money from your phone, RentAFriend could be an interesting choice. This platform allows you to get paid for being a friend.
As a RentAFriend, you might respond to text messages and have phone conversations with the person. You can be a friend in person, over video chat, or through text messages, depending on your preference.
With RentAFriend, you set your own hours and the price for your time. Earnings can range from $10 to $50 per hour, depending on what you decide.
Here’s how it works:
People join this site to find a friend and someone to talk to, and that’s where you come in.
Papa is a website where you can chat with older adults, help them around their house and with shopping, and more.
You’re simply giving them some extra support with their day-to-day tasks, and you can earn money right from your phone for some of these tasks.
As a Papa Pal, you get to set your own schedule. The amount you can earn per hour varies depending on your location.
If you’re a licensed therapist, you might like making money using your phone with BetterHelp. BetterHelp is an online platform where therapists help people.
You can work with clients by chatting, phone calls, or video calls. You’ll need good internet and a private place to talk.
As a therapist on BetterHelp, estimated earnings are around $100,000 per year for working 40 hours per week. You can also work part-time at around 5 to 15 hours per week and earn around $8,000 to $27,000 each year.
To join, they require at least 3 years of experience in therapy for adults, couples, or teens.
There are many money making apps where you can get paid to play games on your phone.
Game apps pay real money rewards because they earn money through ads and in-app purchases. To motivate you to keep playing their games, they share a portion of their earnings with you.
Here’s a quick list of the top game apps that pay real cash:
When selecting gaming apps to make money, it’s important to check reviews and understand how you receive your earnings. Be cautious with apps that require payment to play or promise rewards that seem too good to be true. Also, keep track of the time you spend playing games to make sure it is worth it.
Recommended reading: 23 Best Game Apps To Win Real Money
UserTesting is a way you can make money by trying out websites and apps. Companies will pay you for your honest thoughts on how easy they are to use.
To participate in tests, you’ll need a computer or a smartphone, an internet connection, and a microphone. Some tests may also require a webcam.
When you test websites, you look out for things that don’t work well or can be confusing. Your feedback helps companies improve as they want real opinions, not just quick answers.
Here’s how it works:
Payments are usually made through online services like PayPal.
I have personally paid someone to do a UserTesting review on this site, Making Sense of Cents. It’s a great way to see what a stranger thinks of your website and they gave me tons of helpful tips and let me know what changes I should make to make my website better for readers.
If you have stuff you don’t use anymore, selling it online can be a smart way to make some money. Your old phones, clothes, games, and books could be worth something to someone else.
And, you can do all of this right from your cell phone!
Whether you have old things around your home that you want to sell or if you want to start a reselling business, there are many apps that make it easy to sell stuff right from your phone.
Some of the best selling apps are Poshmark for clothing, Worthy for jewelry, Facebook Marketplace for local sales, and Decluttr for electronics.
I have personally sold many items over the years on various sites to make extra income. At one point, I even had a small reselling business. So, I understand firsthand how helpful these sites and apps can be!
You can earn money from your phone by selling your data through apps. These apps pay you for the data you don’t use. You might be concerned about safety, but in most cases, it is safe.
These apps usually operate in the background, helping companies understand how people use the internet. Data apps aren’t full-time jobs and you won’t get rich from them, but they can be easy side gigs.
Honeygain is one app where you can earn cash, and you get paid for data you’re not using. You just install the app, and it runs without you doing anything extra.
You receive payment based on the amount of traffic passing through your connection, with Honeygain paying $1 for every 10 GB of traffic.
If you love sharing photos and videos, Instagram can be a great way for you to make some extra money with your social media accounts.
I have made income from Instagram over the years, and while it’s not my full-time income, it is a fun way to make money from my phone.
This is because you can start an Instagram on whatever niche you want, such as fitness, travel, fashion, family, and more. So, you may be able to have a lot of fun managing and growing your social media account.
Then, you’ll want to make sure you regularly share high-quality content, use relevant tags, post reels, and interact with your audience to steadily increase your follower count.
You can actually make money just by walking! There are apps that track your steps and reward you for staying active. You can download these to your phone, start walking, and watch your steps turn into rewards.
Sweatcoin is one app you might like. If you’re over 13 and have a smartphone, you can join. It changes your walking into points that you can use. You can get stuff like gift cards or even support charities.
Getting paid is easy:
Some apps might hook up to a fitness tracker. This way, if your phone isn’t with you, you won’t miss out on any steps.
Below are answers to common questions about how to make money from your phone.
You can make money on your phone by selling things you no longer need on apps like Decluttr or through your own store on platforms like Shopify. You could also complete online surveys, sign up for market research, or perform tasks on gig economy apps.
One way to make passive income from your phone is to sell stock photography. You could take pictures from your phone, and then sell them over and over again online!
Teenagers can earn money from their phones in their spare time by taking online surveys, performing tasks, selling products online, or using apps that reward users for maintaining good habits, like staying active.
There are many ways to make $100 a day from your phone, such as selling items online and signing up for gig jobs like Instacart.
The fastest ways to make money with your phone include taking surveys, using cash back shopping apps (because you may shop online a lot already!), playing games that have real rewards, and delivering groceries or meals with gig apps.
There are many ways to make money from your phone for free, such as answering surveys, selling items that you already own (such as old clothing that you no longer wear, CDs, DVDs, or old devices that you don’t use anymore), driving for Uber, delivering groceries with Instacart, and more.
Apps like Instacart, Papa, and Uber are all good ways to make side hustle money with your phone. There are many other ways that I didn’t mention above that are good options, such as Fetch Rewards (scan your receipt from grocery shopping), Acorns (micro-investing app for your spare change), Ibotta (a grocery shopping app), Neighbor (rent out your storage), Lyft (drive others around), TaskRabbit (sell your handyperson services, such as building furniture), OfferUp (selling stuff that you no longer need), and Rakuten (get cash back on your online shopping).
These apps are available on both Google Play stores and the iOS app store.
I hope you enjoyed this article on the many ways to make money from your phone.
As you can see from the above, there are many ways to make extra cash from your phone, from part-time gigs to full-time income. Whether you have an Android or Apple phone, there are many ways on the list above that you may want to try out.
What do you think is the best way to make money with a phone?
Source: makingsenseofcents.com
A dog owner has come up with an ingenious way to make an essential piece of dog care equipment blend into her home decor, and in half a day.
Anja recognized the necessity for a crate to give Cookie the Australian Labradoodle her own safe space. But the pet owner, who lives in Belgium with her husband and their dog, was dissatisfied with the crate’s appearance in her living room.
“I hated the ‘black cage’ in our living room, but Cookie really needs this as it is her own safe space to rest, ever since she was a puppy. So, my husband came up with the idea to cover it up,” she told Newsweek.
And with a bit of time and some DIY skills, the owners managed to upcycle the imposing item of dog equipment into a stylish piece of furniture.
Dog crates serve multiple purposes, giving dogs a secure environment for rest, training, and transportation. However, they have been subject to controversy, with critics raising concerns about prolonged confinement and potential misuse. Despite that, many dogs, like Cookie, find their crate to be a place of comfort.
Earlier this month a Shih-Poo called Cheddar melted hearts with the way he took himself back to his crate when he was done socializing.
Anja’s project involved using strips of birch plywood, attaching it to the edges of the crate, to give it a chic Scandi-style appearance alongside the couple’s couch.
“We don’t really know [the cost] actually since we used a lot of materials we already had,” Anja said, but she added that the entire transformation only took around 12 hours.
“It really blends in now; it doesn’t bother me anymore. And it’s a fun and not-so-difficult project to do yourself,” Anja said, encouraging others to give the dog crate DIY a try.
The couple aren’t the first owners to do custom DIY for their pet, like the Montana-based dog owner who made a custom tennis-ball catapult for his dog Olive to play fetch with. Some dogs have even been caught on camera helping out their humans with a bit of DIY.
Anja shared the project on her Instagram page @cookie_the_doodle_ where people have been left impressed with the idea.
“Looks so nice!” said one user. “Amazingly beautiful.”
While another viewer wrote: “Ooh it does match better in the interior.”
“Omg how did you do this?” said another. “Our crate is such an eye sore in our living room I would love to do that.”
Do you have impressive and inspiring DIY projects you’d like to share? We’re looking for the most creative and ingenious ones! Send them in to [email protected] and they could be featured on our site.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Source: newsweek.com
Kim Duong is the senior shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, overseeing shopping coverage online for all things fashion, lifestyle, beauty, and sex. When she’s not musing about which products are actually worth your hard-earned cash, she’s also writing (sometimes slightly unhinged) fashion content in print. You can find her previous writing in Refinery29, InStyle, Travel + Leisure, and StyleCaster. Follow her on Instagram for bottomless cute dog content and did-that-really-happen-to-me story times in her highlights.
Hannah Chubb is the lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.
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Source: cosmopolitan.com
Want to learn how to get free furniture? Do you want to transform your living space without breaking the bank? Here’s a guide on furnishing your house without spending any money. Whether you’re looking for sofas, beds, dishes, or other household items, there are ways to get free furniture. Today you’ll learn: You may be…
Want to learn how to get free furniture?
Do you want to transform your living space without breaking the bank? Here’s a guide on furnishing your house without spending any money.
Whether you’re looking for sofas, beds, dishes, or other household items, there are ways to get free furniture.
Today you’ll learn:
You may be able to get furniture for pretty cheap or even free. If you are looking to save some money, then finding ways to get free stuff can help you spend less money.
Below are 11 places that give away free furniture.
Facebook is one of the best places to find free furniture near you. By utilizing Facebook Marketplace and local community groups, you can score the furniture pieces you need for your home.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to finding free furniture on Facebook.
It’s important to be safe when arranging pickups and meeting people online. Stay safe by meeting in public places, bringing someone with you, and letting someone know where and when you plan on meeting this person.
The Buy Nothing Project started in 2013 and the main purpose is to get free things that you need without having to go and buy more things.
These groups encourage recycling and giving items a second chance rather than throwing them away when you no longer need them.
To get started, find and join a local Buy Nothing Group on Facebook. You can search for groups specifically for your city. Read and understand the group rules for the Buy Nothing Group and regularly check the group for new posts.
If you see a piece of furniture you’re interested in, respond to the offer politely and express your interest. You can even share why you need the item, so the person knows it’s going to good use.
Buy Nothing Groups are incredible communities for sharing, getting, and giving support to others. If you have the means, consider giving things to the Buy Nothing Group when other members of the community need something.
My sister has given away a ton of free furniture in local buy-nothing groups such as a sectional couch, TV stand, coffee table, bed frames, dressers, outdoor furniture, and more. There are lots of decent furniture pieces that you may be able to find in your local buy-nothing group as well!
Craigslist is another great spot for finding free furniture for your home.
Here’s a list of tips to find free furniture on Craigslist.
When meeting with people from Craigslist, it’s important to coordinate a spot that is safe and well-lit. It doesn’t hurt to bring a friend with you and let someone know where you’re meeting the online person and at what time.
Freecycle is a network of local groups for people who want to give away stuff and receive items for free. Here are some tips for finding furniture on Freecycle.
Contribute to the community when you can by offering items you no longer need. And as always, prioritize safety when arranging pickups. Let someone know your plans and choose public places to pick up furniture.
You can possibly get free furniture from friends and family, especially if they are looking to declutter or upgrade their home with new furniture.
Let family and friends know you need furniture. Be honest about your situation and clearly communicate the type of furniture you’re looking for, whether it’s a couch, table, bed, etc.
In a casual setting, such as at a family dinner, mention that you’re in need of furniture for your place. People may be more inclined to offer items they no longer use.
You could even make a Facebook post simply asking if anyone has any furniture they no longer want.
To make things as easy as possible, offer to pick up the furniture from your friend or family member. They’ll probably be really happy to get rid of the furniture and have more space in their home.
Hope To Dream is a program by Ashley Furniture with the main goal of providing free mattresses and bedding to children in need. This program operates through partnerships with local organizations and charities.
The qualifications for the Hope To Dream program include:
The Ashley Furniture free bed assistance program is a helpful one to look into if you are looking for free furniture for low income families.
Here is more information on the Hope To Dream program.
Salvation Army accepts furniture donations, but sometimes they sell their furniture items at a high price. If you are low-income, you may qualify for Salvation Army free furniture vouchers.
The Salvation Army gives free furniture vouchers to people in need as part of their assistance program.
To get support, contact your local Salvation Army and ask about their assistance program, specifically related to furniture. Explain your situation and provide any required documentation to assess your eligibility for assistance. You may need to provide proof of your financial situation and ID.
Some Salvation Army locations conduct interviews as part of the application process. Once the application process is completed, the Salvation Army will inform you of your outcome.
If approved, the Salvation Army will provide you with furniture vouchers.
Dumpster diving is a unique way to score free furniture, but it’s important to approach this activity with caution and respect for local laws and safety.
Here are some tips for dumpster diving:
It’s also handy to bring gloves and a flashlight. If you’re unsure about the legalities of dumpster diving, it’s best to check with local authorities.
College campuses are a gold mine on move-out day. Students throw away items they no longer need or cannot take home with them ALL THE TIME.
You should find out when the official move-out dates are for the colleges near you. These dates are always online on the college’s website.
On move-out days, arrive early to the campus where students are likely to leave items. Carry tools such as a screwdriver or wrench in case you need to disassemble furniture so that it can fit in your car.
As always, make sure to inspect furniture for damage, pests, and other issues.
NextDoor is a social networking platform that connects people in the same neighborhood or community. This is a great spot for finding free furniture locally.
To get started, sign up for NextDoor and verify your address to join the specific neighborhood community where you live. Browse the “Free” section as members are constantly posting items that they are giving away for free.
You can even set up alerts for specific keywords. Set up alerts for furniture-related items, so you can get notified as soon as someone posts free furniture in your area.
If you aren’t having luck searching for items on NextDoor, consider creating a “Wanted” post. Be specific about the items you’re looking for and why you need the item.
While, this will take some time, because furniture is not cheap, one way is to earn free gift cards.
You can earn free gift cards by answering online surveys and doing other online tasks, and you can use these gift cards to help you get free furniture.
So, this would work like this – You could get free gift cards to places like Amazon or TJ Maxx as a reward for answering online surveys or earning points in other ways. You can simply collect gift cards until you reach the amount that you need to buy your wanted and essential household items.
Some of my favorite rewards sites are:
I recommend signing up for all of them so that you can get the most surveys and tasks possible, which will then pay you with more gift cards.
My sister gets free gift cards all the time, and just the other day, she logged into several of the accounts that she is signed up for (such as Fetch Rewards and Swagbucks) and turned in her points. This led to her getting $275 in free Amazon gift cards. She personally likes to wait until she has a lot of gift cards that she can redeem at once, like for furniture!
Recommended reading: 16 Real Ways To Earn Free Gift Cards (Amazon, Target, Visa)
Below are answers to common questions about how to get free furniture.
The best places to find free furniture are Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Buy Nothing Groups, and college or university campuses (on the last day of the semester before summer break).
Wherever you get furniture, it’s important to inspect items thoroughly for cleanliness and functionality before bringing it home.
If you or your family is low income, there are several ways you can get free furniture.
Here are some tips:
When getting free furniture, it’s important to prioritize safety and take certain precautions. When getting new furniture, make sure to inspect the item thoroughly. You don’t want to take items home with infestations like bedbugs or cockroaches.
You will also want to clean the furniture before bringing it inside your home by using appropriate cleaning agents to disinfect and sanitize. It’s also important to check for recalls on furniture. You can check the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website to search for recalls.
I hope you learned some new ways when it comes to how to get free furniture.
Finding free furniture is possible with the right resources and patience. Resources, like Buy Nothing Groups, NextDoor, and other platforms, have many options for people in need of free furniture.
Whether you are looking to furnish a small apartment or a big house, there are many places to get free furniture near you.
What’s your favorite way to find free furniture?
Recommended reading:
Source: makingsenseofcents.com
A new year brings a fresh start. Maybe in 2024 you’re trying to refresh your skincare routine or resolving to read more. But as you work on yourself, don’t forget to give your home some TLC.
This year is bringing unique and luxurious styles to the forefront of home décor. There’s an abundance of home trends to embrace—from textured fabric to textured walls, dainty bows to soft round edges, and even glamorously ornate stylings.
While you don’t need to abandon your style, let these trends serve as inspiration for ways to refresh your space. Here are the top 10 home décor trends of 2024.
Move over velvet—bouclé is the latest fabric everyone wants. Made of looped wool or synthetic fibers, bouclé is a textured fabric often coming in soft pastel and neutral colorways. Nick Drewe, a trend expert at Wethrift, spotted bouclés rise in popularity, especially on TikTok; the hashtag #bouclechair has over 62.4 million views on the social media site.
To join in on this interior design trend, go for this chic, yet affordable chair from Drew Barrymore’s line at Walmart, which has a rotating base and comes in an darling shade of sage or a sleek white.
Beautiful Drew Chair
Lounge in style with this luxe rotating chair.
Credit:
Reviewed / Meri Meri / McGee & Co.
There’s no limit to what season bows can be used in.
Yes, maybe you just put away bows for the holiday season, but they’re not going anywhere. Bows are everywhere—from clothes to hair, and now your home.
These dainty ties add a feminine flair to your home design. Bows is one of the most versatile design trends of 2024. They can go anywhere, like your table with delicate taper candles from Meri Meri, and even your bathroom with this sweet shower curtain by McGee and Co.
Multi Bow Taper Candles
You’re sure to see a surge in ‘coquette’ home décor this year.
Lillian Linen Shower Curtain
These bow accents are subtle, but will offer a different feel.
Credit:
Reviewed / Ruggable / Holli_zollinger
Pantone’s “Peach Fuzz” should absolutely be on your mood board this year.
The Pantone Color of the Year is Peach Fuzz, a cheery color ready to brighten up your home’s color palette. It’s a vibrant pastel that works wonderfully as a decorative pop of color.
Ruggable, which makes our favorite washable rugs, has an exclusive line featuring Pantone Peach Fuzz. We love this tufted rug that features a playful geometric print. Or, you can go all out with a peachy accent wall using Spoonflower wallpaper.
Pantone Peach Fuzz Neutral Grid Play Tufted Rug
Peach Fuzz can add that pop of color you need.
Peach Fuzz Pantone Color of the Year Wallpaper
A bold accent wall is calling your name this year.
Credit:
Reviewed / BedThreads. / CB2
Try adding deeper earth tones to achieve a moodier vibe around your home.
Brown is the new go-to shade of neutral. While black, navy, and gray usually get all the attention when it comes to neutrals, 2024 is the year of brown. Not only is it a perfect compliment to the vibrancy of peach, but it’s a gorgeous way to add depth and warmth.
Bedding is an easy way to incorporate brown into your home. Refresh your bedroom with a set of cozy linen sheets in a deep cocoa color like these from BedThreads. Or, try brown curtains for a moody display. These curtains from CB2 are a rich brown that will make your home feel luxurious.
Cacao 100% French Flax Linen Bedding Set
You’ll feel luxurious sleeping atop these earthy linen sheets.
Chocolate Brown Velvet Window Curtain Panel
Feeling moody going into the new year? Try these floor length curtains.
Credit:
Reviewed / Orren Ellis / West Elm
Make waves with curvy furniture that is both unconventional and distinctive.
This year, rather than going for sharp, angular pieces of mid-century modern furniture, try rounded curves. This softer approach, especially through furniture, can make a statement.
Have fun with a new coffee table that swaps hard edges for smooth curves. This cloud-like coffee table is unique and cultivates a dreamy living room vibe.
Or if you’re in the mood for a new couch, try this low-profile curved sectional from West Elm.
Bothnian Cloud Shape 4 Legged Coffee Table
This abstract coffee table is the perfect mesh of modern and contemporary home décor.
Laurent 2-Piece Wedge Chaise Sectional
You’ll dream of sinking into this eccentric sectional.
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Reviewed / 2modern / Yona Furniture
In 2024, we’re using less wood and more cardboard.
Sustainability continues to be an important pillar of this year’s home design forecast, with cardboard furniture trending as one of the greenest ways to furnish your home.
You’d never think that cardboard could be sturdy enough to hold your mattress, but it is! Cardboard is one of the most sustainable fibers as it’s made from recycled materials rather than newly harvested ones—and it can be surprisingly sophisticated.
Cardboard furniture may be rising in popularity, but it’s been around for almost 50 years. The Wiggle Stool by Frank Gehry is crafted from perforated cardboard and makes a contemporary and stylish seat.
Yona makes cardboard bed frames that are supremely sturdy, holding over 7,000 pounds. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money but want the cute platform bed style, a cardboard frame is worth a look.
Wiggle Stool
A cardboard stool that takes upcycling to new levels.
Yona Cardboard Bed
Yona Furniture’s cardboard pull out bed is great for the environment.
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Reviewed / Brewster
Faux brick walls are a thing of the past—try faux concrete instead.
Industrial style stands the test of time, but it’s getting a new look in 2024. Rather than steel, exposed brick and natural wood, it’s the year of concrete. This rough, natural material adds some nice texture to your home. It looks best in bathrooms and kitchen backsplashes.
However, if you can’t build a concrete wall in your home, you can still get the look with wallpaper. This Brewster wallpaper looks like concrete, so you can create a statement wall masterpiece.
Quimby Grey Faux Concrete Wallpaper
Don’t worry, this faux concrete wallpaper is renter-friendly.
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Reviewed / Astoria Grand / Rifle Paper Co. x Cloth & Company
Maximalists will appreciate the appeal of bold metallics and eye-catching florals.
Some of the most popular movies and TV shows of the past year—think White Lotus, The Gilded Age, and Saltburn—feature ornate backdrops full of European-inspired homes with gorgeous plastered walls and rich fabrics. For the maximalists, tuning into this ornate style will feel natural.
This style embraces plaster and concrete walls decked out with gold trim and bold pieces of artwork.
Bring the style to your own home with gold accessories and satin florals. Hang your photos with a gold ornate frame like this one from Wayfair that’s beautifully decorated.
Rifle Paper Co. makes furniture in their gorgeous prints and this settee looks like it’s out of a stunning villa.
Greyson Wood Picture Frame
If simplicity isn’t your thing, try a fancier frame for your favorite photos.
Rifle Paper Co. x Cloth & Company Louie Settee
This settee comes in 12 different eye-catching patterns.
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Reviewed / Merola Tile / MSI
May your next home DIY project be filled with new tiles and a satisfying end result.
When it comes to tiling, this is the year to go bold. While crisp white tile is a popular choice for bathrooms and kitchens, it’s a little dated. In 2024, go for patterned tiles. We love floral patterned tile that can deck your walls and floors.
If you don’t want to stray too far from white tiles, this mosaic tile comes in a simple black and white floral motif.
For something a little bolder, this porcelain tile features a gorgeous blueprint that will make your home stand out.
Metro 1 in. Hex Matte White with Flower
Replace old backsplashes and tile flooring with a dreamy upgrade.
Encaustic Tamensa Matte Porcelain Floor and Wall Tile
These tiles looks like they’re hand-painted with a glossy sheen finish.
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Reviewed / Jinchan / Home Decorators Collection
Don’t forget to upgrade your windows with the rest of your home.
After years of embracing colorful lights inside your home with sunset lamps and smart bulbs, it’s time to embrace your home’s natural light.
To let in all the light possible, reassess your curtains—without sacrificing privacy. Instead, try keeping shades on just the bottom half of your windows. Short cafe curtains, like these striped ones from Amazon, are cute and allow light to drift in, creating a sense of airiness in your home.
If you don’t want to abandon blinds, install top-down-bottom-up blinds that are light-filtering and also allow greater flexibility of coverage.
Striped Tier Curtains
Pinstripe curtains that can make any kitchen look farmhouse-chic? We’re sold.
Cordless Light Filtering Cellular Shades
Filter light to your liking with these cordless shades.
Source: reviewed.usatoday.com