my “kitchen kid clutter drop zone” problem, solved (ish)

Home Decor

My “Kitchen Kid Clutter Drop Zone” Problem, SOLVED (ish)

Drescription

When we designed the house and put the kitchen here (because it’s the best southern light) we knew that we were asking for kid clutter. My genius plan to train the kids to go around the house to the mudroom (expertly executed by locking the kitchen door and giving them candy each time they dropped their stuff in the mudroom) lasted approximately 2 days. Not because they didn’t want the candy or because they couldn’t be trained but because they, like many kids, would hold it all day if you know what I mean, and getting inside IMMEDIATELY was the priority. Plus when it’s raining this entrance just makes more sense. Also, if they did drop everything in the mudroom, in the morning when we are scrambling to get them out the door, they would have to go backtrack to get their stuff, walk around the house, and blah blah. We are always scrambling so adding inefficiencies doesn’t make sense. That’s all to say that this is our defacto kids drop zone and it’s not just them – twice a week we have anywhere between 4 and 7 kids over to play. So this area has to work MUCH HARDER than other areas in the house to help my sanity.

How We Styled It For The Reveal

When we styled it for the OG photo shoot a year or so ago, I styled it to be pretty also not knowing how much use it would get. You see since the outside was under construction until last June we couldn’t even ask them to go around the house to the mudroom (and the plants helped mask the construction out the window). But yeah, that big plant quickly died (under my sister’s watch, sorry Katy to publicly out you LOL) and while I loved the other stuff there, we needed the space for backpacks and coats.

The Kid Clutter Problem SOLVED (LOL, It’s Never Solved But BETTER)

So here’s what we did – First, we hung those hooks into the fridge cabinet (which I was terrified to do, TBH). I bought this vertical hook set last year from Target for the front entry but since no one uses that door, I stored it and then installed it here. The lower ones are great for the kids and since there are multiple we can really load it up (and we do). The shelf is for their Gabb watches which they pop off as soon as they are home, stick them on their chargers, and the last thing they put on before they leave the house. The bench is now for their bags (no pretty tray for mail, that happens in the pantry and our vintage secretary).

These three baskets have SAVED US. Two are for shoes and one is for our day-to-day sports stuff that we are ALWAYS scrambling to find (basketball shoes, cheer shoes, ultimate frisbee gloves, frisbees, basketball, cleats, etc). Does that mean that the kids always put things away in the right spots? NOPE. But they are so much better. And when I go to put things away I can re-org the sports stuff which sets us up for a better week (when we had just one basket it was all too mixed up).

Now obviously it doesn’t look like that – there are usually 4-6 coats on the rack and big bulky backpacks on the bench, but the kids had those at school and I’m a stylist so there was no way I was going to style with ugly coats and hats. Sorry!

Here is what it looked like before I did this all:

On the left is what it looked like on a random Sunday and on the right was the clean version later that day. I was NOT set up for success, y’all.

I thought that the coats blocking the window might bug me, but it doesn’t AT ALL (we clearly have a lot of light in here). The only thing that still happens is that longer coats can knock the kid’s Gabb watches off their chargers easily. But with a few cord tacos and velcro stickers, the chargers stay in place without falling off or looking messy.

The plant pot is a recent Target purchase (SO CUTE) and the new to me vintage rug actually goes in the hallway but I wanted to show it off because it’s so beautiful (thank you Sheba from Blue Parakeet!). All in all it’s a solid 60% better. I still have to remind the kids to put their shoes in the basket, and not just throw their coats on the bench but it’s just so much less of a thing. And if you are wondering if we are glad that our mudroom is where it is, we sure are – we need it for all of our pasture boots on that porch (full of mud and literal shit) and its where the kids dry off and hang their towels after getting out of the hot tub.

While the first shot is more eligible to be in a magazine and is more fun for your eye to look at, the third is far more functional for our family. CLUTTER PROBLEM (mostly) SOLVED.

Japanese Aralia Is the Quirky Bloom You Should Add to Your Garden Now — How to Care For It

Japanese aralia, also called paper plant or Formosa rice tree, is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that can be planted or grown in a container in temperate gardens or kept as a houseplant. With foliage that hints at a tropical location and striking blooms, it is a plant you'll enjoy year-round. Japanese Aralia Care As an evergreen garden shrub or small tree, Japanese aralia has a rounded, spreading form and can reach up to 19 feet tall. The dark green leaves have a palmate form and make long-lasting foliage for flower arrangement. White or cream flowers that resemble drumsticks appear on new growth stems in late fall and black fruit develops in winter from the blooms. The plant can be grown in a container on a shady patio or as a houseplant in colder hardiness zones. It is quite popular with deer, so aim to protect it or keep it inside. If grown as a houseplant, Japanese aralia seldom blooms or develops fruit. Light If you have a shady garden, this is an excellent shrub choice, as it prefers partial to full shade. It can only tolerate about 2 hours of direct sunlight before the leaves are scorched and turn brown. If growing in a container, it should not be placed in direct sun. Find a low-light spot inside and a shady corner of a porch or patio. Soil A highly adaptable plant, Japanese aralia thrives in clay, loam, or sandy soil that can be acidic, neutral, or alkaline. However, you'll see larger, faster growth in soil that is nutrient-rich with organic matter. Container-grown plants work well with any commercial potting soil. Water Soil should be kept evenly moist. However, once established Japanese aralia can survive short periods of drought. Add a layer of mulch to help keep the soil moist in the garden. Reduce watering amounts in fall and winter when the plant is not growing as quickly. Temperature and Humidity The plant prefers temperate to warm temperatures outside and inside with moderate to high humidity. Protect the plant from drying winds. Fertilizer Fertilize regularly with a balanced NPK granular or liquid fertilizer except in the winter when the plant is not growing as much. Where and When to Plant Outdoor planting should be done in a shady area of the garden that receives around 2 to 4 hours of sunlight, preferably morning sun. The plants must be shaded to avoid the harsh afternoon sun. They are ideal as accent specimens, coarsely textured shrubs for mixed borders, or as an irregular screen or hedge. Plant in the garden in early spring after the last frost or late fall before the first frost to give the plant time to settle into the garden. Keep well-watered until the plant is established. Pruning and Trimming Japanese aralia can be pruned or trimmed at any time to maintain it's shape. Late winter is the best time to prune because blossoms will only appear on new growth. How to Propagate Japanese Aralia The best time to propagate Japanese aralia from a cutting is when there is new, green growth. You'll need a small plant pot with good drainage, potting mix, rooting hormone, and clean garden pruners. From Clippings Choose a tender stem with no blooms and cut 4 to 6 inches from the tip of the stem just below a leaf node. Remove any leaves from the lower half of the stem. Fill the container with potting mix and water it well to moisten. Use your finger to poke a hole a few inches into the soil surface. Dip the cut end of the cutting in rooting hormone powder and shake off any excess. Place the cutting in the hole and pat the soil gently around the stem to hold the cutting in place. Put the cutting in a warm place that gets a few hours of bright, indirect light. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. After a few weeks, give the cutting a gentle tug—you'll feel resistance if it has rooted. Once the cutting has rooted, you can repot, if desired, and care for it as usual. From Fruit Seeds The plant can also be propagated from seeds gathered from the fruit that appears in the winter. Soak the fruit and crush them to extract the seeds. Sow the seeds in a well-draining seed-starting mix in a seed tray. Keep the soil warm and moist with bright, indirect light. Once the seeds germinate, thin the plants as needed. When each plant has a few sets of leaves, transplant them into individual pots. Common Pests and Plant Diseases Keep an eye out for aphids, mealybugs, scale, thrips, and spider mites on both garden plants and houseplants. Treat these pets as soon as possible to keep them under control. Overly moist soils may lead to root rot and yellowing leaves. Common Varieties 'Camouflage': Variegated foliage with big splashes of yellow, lime, and green. 'Murakumo Nishiki': The leaves are patterned with yellowish-gold with irregular dark green borders resembling brocade fabric. 'Spider's Web': The edges or the entire blade of the leaves are speckled with a white variegation. 'Variegata': The ends of the variegated leaves show traces of white or yellow. Potting and Repotting Most Fatsia japonica houseplants should be repotted every couple of years to prevent them from becoming rootbound. Roots coming out of the drainage holes or if the plant isn't producing new growth are indicators that it needs a larger pot and fresh potting soil. Gently remove the plant from the pot by tapping on the sides to loosen the soil. If the roots are growing in a circle, gently pull them apart and shake out the soil. Fill the new container about one-third full of soil and add the plant, spreading the root system. Add enough soil to fill the container within one spare inch of rim. Water well and keep the soil moist but not soggy.

How Many Cucumbers Should My Plant Grow? Plus Tips for Boosting Your Yield

Cucumbers are one of the easiest plants you can grow in your summer garden, but just how many cucumbers you can expect to harvest from a single plant depends on several different factors. Some of it depends on a gardener's level of experience. The weather, cucumber variety, and whether or not the cucumber plant is trellised properly can also impact the number of fruits it will produce in a season. Want to boost your cucumber yield? Follow these guidelines to get the most out of your cucumber plants this summer. What Determines the Number of Cucumbers Per Plant? A cucumber plant can produce more cucumbers during the growing season than you might expect. Depending on the variety and growing conditions, a healthy cucumber plant can yield anywhere between 15 and 30 cucumbers during its lifetime. Varietal Differences There are more than 100 known varieties of cucumbers, which come in all shapes and sizes and fall into one of three categories: Monoecious Cucumbers These open-pollinated cucumber varieties produce both male and female flowers, which need to be pollinated by a pollinator such as bees. For every female flower grown on a monoecious cucumber plant, 10 to 20 male flowers will grow. If pollination doesn't occur, the female flower will drop off the plant and the cucumber fruit will not grow. Gynoecious Cucumbers These cucumber varieties grow all female flowers, increasing the chance for a high yield of cucumbers. These cucumber plants tend to fruit earlier. However, if not planted alongside a variety with male flowers, the female flowers may not all get pollinated, and therefore may not generate fruit. Parthenocarpic Cucumbers The most productive type of cucumber falls into the parthenocarpic cucumber category. These types of cucumbers don't require pollination in order to produce fruit, allowing the plant to be more productive. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best-growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Proper Nutrients Cucumbers are heavy feeders, meaning you need to water the plants frequently and fertilize them during the growing season to maximize harvest. To ensure your cucumber plants have all the nutrients they need, it's best to feed them weekly as soon as they start to produce flowers. To get your cucumber plant to produce more flowers, apply a phosphorus-rich fertilizer. As soon as fruit begins to form, make sure you're watering consistently. Regular Harvesting Frequent picking is essential for prolonging your cucumber harvest. When producing fruit, a plant's goal is to successfully reproduce. The more regularly you harvest the mature fruit, the longer the plant will continue producing flowers and growing new fruits. Gardening Mistakes That Result in Fewer Cucumbers These are the most common mistakes gardeners make when growing cucumbers than can affect the number of fruits a plant produces. You're planting cucumbers in the wrong spot. Cucumber plants need space to vine out and sprawl. If you're planting them in a compact space, they won't have the room to grow large enough to produce flowers and fruit. Cucumbers do best when they have a trellis to climb up. There's not enough sun. Cucumber plants need a lot of sun to thrive—at least eight hours per day. You neglect the soil health. Cucumbers are heavy feeders and need well-drained soil that is rich in nutrients. Boost your soil health by mixing compost into it. There aren't enough pollinators. Most cucumber varieties rely on pollinators such as bees to pollinate female flowers. To help this happen, add pollinator-friendly plants to attract these helpful insects to your garden. How to Maximize Your Cucumber Yield To get more cucumbers out of your crop, be sure your plant has the right nutrients from the start. Add compost to the soil and feed the plants with fertilizer when the cucumber plants begin to produce flowers. When planting your cucumber plants, select a spot that gets at least eight hours of direct sunlight. Once they start produce fruits, pick the cucumbers regularly and frequently. The more often you harvest fruit, the longer the harvest will last. To ensure they stay healthy, monitor your plants for signs of insect damage or disease and treat as soon as possible. The healthier the plant, the higher its yield will be.

When and How to Harvest Dill For the Freshest Flavor Without Killing Your Plant

Dill plants benefit from repeat harvests, regenerating new growth for fuller, bushier plants. Start harvesting when plants are 5 to 6 inches tall with four or five sets of fronds. Harvest dill seeds for pickling when they are bright green. Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a full-flavored, annual herb that completes its life cycle in one season. Harvesting equates to pruning, which means more growth and a full, bushy habit. Done correctly, you'll enjoy dill for fresh use throughout the growing season. Leaves, flowers, and seeds are all edible. Find out how and when to harvest each part of the plant, along with tips for preserving and storing dill for use over winter. When to Harvest Dill Start harvesting dill fronds when plants reach 5 to 6 inches tall with four or five leaf-bearing stems. This herb grows rapidly, so you can start snipping fairly early in the growing season. For best flavor and moisture content, plan your trip to the herb garden in mid-morning, just after dew has dried but before the heat of the day sets in. Repeat harvests generate new growth to extend the plant's life cycle. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! How to Harvest Dill Dill features upright, branching growth with delicate, alternate, fern-like leaves or fronds. Harvested correctly, plants regenerate, putting out more stems and leaves. Use a small snipper to avoid bruising or stripping stems. Here's what to do. Select a plant with four or five fronds, Use your snipper to make a sharp cut across the leaf stem just above the growth point on the main stem. Look for tips of new fronds starting to emerge along a central stem to locate the right spot. Continue harvesting additional leaves and stems with this method, but remove no more than one-third of the leaves at each cutting. The first few harvests will be small, but the amounts increase as the dill plant puts out new growth. How to Harvest Dill Seeds Once flowers open, flavor concentrates at the top of the stems. Seeds form one to two weeks after flowers appear. For pickling use, harvest heads when seeds are bright green. Yellow seeds aren't quite ready, while brown or black seeds indicate flavor and moisture loss. Cut stems just below the heads and store them whole in plastic bags in the refrigerator or freezer. Fresh dill seeds retain the best flavor for pickling. To harvest seeds for saving, wait until they turn brown or black on the plant. Cut stems just below the heads, tie them together, and place or hang them upside down in a paper bag. Once they're completely dry, shake the bag to separate seeds and stems. Harvest leaves with flower heads After dill flowers, leafy growth ceases so this is a good time to harvest most of the remaining usable leaves on your plant. Tips for Storing Dill Freezing fresh dill is often recommended as a better method for storing, however, it depends on your taste and preference. Freezing preserves color and holds flavor longer. Drying initially concentrates on a spicier flavor with less green taste. Wash dill, run it through a salad spinner, and allow it to dry before storing. Wrap clean, fresh dill stems in a moist paper towel or place leaves in a plastic bag. Keep them in the refrigerator crisper drawer for up to two weeks. Leaves can be dried in a low oven or dehydrator. Or tie several stems together and hang them in a dry location out of direct sunlight. Store fresh leaves and seeds for pickling in plastic bags in the freezer for up to 12 months. Expect some flavor loss after six months. Store dried leaves and saved seeds in glass bottles or jars in a cool, dark cupboard. Seeds remain viable for three to five years. Dried leaves lose their green flavor initially, but can be kept for several years.

I Travel 120+ Days Per Year—These Are the Rules Everyone Should Follow to Avoid Overpacking

Summer travel season is in full swing—and while jetting off to your dream destination is the fun part, the prep? Not so much. From squeezing in all your favorite fits to making sure your beauty essentials pass TSA, packing can feel like a full-time job. Whether you're a chronic over-packer (guilty!) or always getting flagged for rogue liquids, we’ve got insider tips to take the stress out of your suitcase. Enter Christina Zilber, founder of Jouer Cosmetics, globe-trotter extraordinaire, and packing pro who travels more than 120 days a year and has visited over 35 countries. While CZ calls Paris and Los Angeles "home," the jet-setter spends about four months out of the year traveling. In fact, her jet-setting lifestyle helped inspire her brand, Jouer's, mantra: "multitasking makeup that goes the distance." She has honed a signature approach to packing light—as in, she fits an entire getaway's worth of clothes and products into a single carry-on. Packing light, CZ says, "is about traveling with intention: emotional clarity, minimal baggage, and a thoughtful edit of what truly matters." Here, her rules for getting rid of unnecessary baggage. Christina Zilber, founder of Jouer Cosmetics, frequent flyer, and packing light expert 01 of 09 Pack Sample Packets Instead of Bottles On your next beauty shopping trip, make sure to grab some sample packets of skin and hair care. CZ packs shampoo and conditioner sample packets instead of bottles. "Sample packets don’t spill, they don’t weigh you down, and they won’t make your bag smell like a salon explosion," she explains. "Leave the full sizes at home and travel like a pro." 02 of 09 Limit Your Shoes to Four Pairs When you pack, choose no more than four pairs of shoes, CZ recommends. "Pack a walking shoe, sneaker, heel, sandal or boot. Four shoes. That’s the law—one for walking, one for sweating, one for dancing, and one for the weather," she says. 03 of 09 Skip Packing Cubes Skip packing cubes and lay clothes flat instead. "While packing cubes are cute, they take up precious real estate," CZ explains. "Flat and folded wins every time with less bulk, fewer wrinkles, and everything in plain sight." 04 of 09 Replace Hard Toiletry Cases With Soft Ones "Hard cases belong in overhead bins; not in your suitcase. Soft-sided toiletry bags mold to the corners and make packing a dream," she says. 05 of 09 Rewear Your Pants The fashion rule of thumb CZ swears by: Pack one bottom per day, and then swap tops and shoes at night. "Your pants don’t care if they’re worn twice," she says. "Change your top and the vibe to save pounds and pack like a smart stylist." 06 of 09 Start With Your Calendar—Not Your Closet This is key, CZ says; "Plan activities and outfits before packing." Packing actually starts with your calendar, not your closet. "Know what you’re doing and dress for it every day and every night." Doing so will cut down on a bunch of extra outfits that you won't even wear and add weight to your suitcase. 07 of 09 Choose a Neutral Color Palette When packing your fits, choose a simple, neutral color palette, CZ advises. "A limited palette means unlimited outfits because black, white, and denim go with everything and never look tired." 08 of 09 Pack Makeup Multitaskers Bring products that offer two-in-one benefits. "Pack multitaskers like cheek and lip sticks," CZ says. "A swipe of color that works on both lips and cheeks? That’s one product doing double duty and taking up half the space." 09 of 09 Curate Your Cosmetics "You don’t need your full glam arsenal on vacation," CZ says. "A lip oil, concealer, cheek and lip stick, hydration, and coverage in the lightest way possible will have you looking glowy and gorgeous."