Spruce Ideas, Tips & Guides

Thrift store shopping often requires more imagination than money—a challenge easily accepted by many DIYers. But don’t let a lack of tools or advanced know-how keep you from giving secondhand furniture a glorious new life in your home.

There are many ways to upgrade your home, whether refurnishing your basement or simply changing the lighting in your kitchen. But if you're lost on which ones to invest in, look no further.

We all know that it's pretty hard to maintain a flourishing garden and yard in the hot summer months. But of course, some outliers do bloom amongst the sunshine and continue to grow throughout the fall and winter months.

If your refrigerator has a built-in ice maker, you probably use it frequently. Whether your freshly made ice keeps your water frosty during the day or serves as an after-dinner drink spruce up, the machine can stay busy and needs to be cleaned accordingly. Although modern fridges typically warn you when the water filter needs to be changed, they don’t tell you when the ice maker needs a good scrubbing—so cleaning out the ice maker is often a neglected household chore.

There is no plant in the landscape as stunning as hydrangeas. There, I said it, and I stand by it. They're a truly show-stopping (yet surprisingly low-maintenance) option for so many different environments, from coastal to mountainous.

If you're into thrift shopping, you may have noticed that, unfortunately, many items come with a musty «thrift store smell» that can be seemingly difficult to erase. However, it turns out that deodorizing your finds is easier than you may have thought.

I absolutely love outdoor lanterns—the ambiance they create at night is unmatched in the summer. But, one thing I don’t love about candles is the wax itself. If it leaks out and leaves ugly wax stains on any linens or fabrics, that's annoying enough.

While you can decorate and enjoy a private backyard just the way you like—or at least within the confines of an HOA’s rules—the elements of a shared courtyard or patch of grass should consider the group rather than the individual homeowners. «While some may not find this ideal, fostering a sense of community in these shared outdoor spaces can provide a sense of enjoyment,» says Joe Raboine, VP of Design at Oldcastle APG, parent company of Belgard Here are some tips on how to make the most of communal space. 

Thrifting and antiquing are great ways to decorate on a budget while expressing your own, unique style sustainably.

So you’ve hit the jackpot at the thrift store and found the vintage sofa of your dreams at a deep discount. But then you spot something that could turn this scene into a nightmare—an ugly stain on the fabric that looks at least half as old as the furniture itself. With a bit of patience and the right cleaning technique, there’s an excellent chance you can remove the stain, revive the fabric, and enjoy your “new” furniture for years to come. Below, we're sharing six foolproof ways to remove stains from thrifted store finds.

Heading off to college soon? While university life can be daunting to think about, packing doesn't have to be. It's no secret that dorms are notorious for their small living quarters, which means packing is a strategy.

While college is a major change for students, it’s also a big transition for parents. Parenting from afar can be overwhelming and confusing, but one of the best ways to tackle this is to get prepared and plan ahead.

Anyone who appreciates a cute front door knows what a great first impression a beautiful color makes. That's why selecting the perfect color to don your door can be a big task—but thankfully, we have some expert help.

Confession time: my green thumb is completely nonexistent. I struggle to keep the beautiful flower bouquets I bring home alive for as long as I can remember.

People put a lot of effort into creating a functional, comfortable home, with every room set up for their particular needs. An outdoor living room is the perfect space to lounge and entertain, which is why it's essential to curate a space that you and your family love.

Moving is stressful. But moving into a cramped dorm room you’ll be sharing with a roommate for studying, sleeping, hanging out, and eating ramen noodles is next-level hectic. Not only do you have to quickly unload a carload’s worth of stuff to get you through the semester so someone else can take your parking spot, but you’ll likely have to deal with weepy family members while at it.

When creating a beautiful outdoor space, you often start with an empty space. Expansive backyards, empty decks, and beautiful front porches are easy to fill with plants, lighting, and furniture.

One major rite of passage for any thrifter is attending their first estate sale. Unlike shopping at a flea market, you get to peruse one person's life collection.

Cleaning the house makes you wish for a magic machine that can do it for you. And turns out, you have one right in your laundry room—the washing machine, of course.

Since heat naturally rises, most homes with a second story face unbearable temperatures in the summer months. This can make your surroundings almost impossible to lounge in or sleep in (after all, who likes sleeping in buckets of sweat?)

When it comes to cleaning and organizing methods, I find the ones I use the most are the ones that give some loose structure to get you started, but then easily segue into a bigger cleaning and organizing session.

Perfecting your garden is a process of trial and error. And sometimes, when you’re in the thick of it, it’s nice to call in an expert for some sage advice or words of encouragement.

Every gardener knows that when the weather warms, it's weed-killing season. Weeds can harm your garden and lawn and steal nutrients your precious plants need. On top of that, they take away from the outdoor aesthetic you've worked hard to create.

If you've dealt with stubborn stains that won't budge, don't get down about what you're doing wrong. While you can try all kinds of laundry hacks, from dish detergent to pantry staples to stain removers, the answer might be more straightforward: it actually might come down to the temperature of your water.

New bed sheets are always a luxury we can't wait to sleep on. If you're like us, you can't wait to pull out your new sheets, make your bed, and get a good night's sleep (once you've narrowed down your favorite bed sheet type, of course).

As far as all of the pieces that make up a bedding set go, pillowcases are the most important to keep clean. Your pillow makes prolonged contact with your hair and skin oils—and, if we're being honest, sometimes drool.

There are so many great gardening hacks out there. From using eggshells as fertilizer to creatively sourcing free plants, we all know you can create a stunning outdoor space with plenty of things you can't buy at your standard garden center.

We love heeding advice from the pros on pretty much everything when it comes to home organizing. From top tips for minimizing clutter to advice for clearing out an overstuffed closet, professional organizers know best.

Dearest gentle readers, are you dreaming of a day frolicking through pastel flower beds, idling away in romantic gardens? Well, if you’ve caught the latest season of «Bridgerton», that wouldn’t be surprising.

One of the most satisfying gardening jobs is laying mulch for the first time. When done well, it creates an instantly defined, crisp appearance to your garden beds, and can make any landscaped area look polished and beautiful. 

When bugs and critters are ruining youral fresco dinners, backyard plants, or countertop fruit baskets, it's tempting to turn to DIY pest solutions that promise to banish them in an instant.

If you’d asked me a decade ago how I fare with houseplants, I would have told you, without question, the answer is horrible. Every plant I brought home seemed to die, no matter what.

“Adulting” catches up to you subtly, like getting excited about a good linen napkin or choosing takeout on the couch over a crowded bar. For Victoria Justice, part of embracing her adulthood is reflected by her love of laundry day. 

Right now, my house is in a state of limbo. Between two small children, our fairly extensive cottage renovation, and life in general, it makes me want to deep clean everything while also fearing there’s no real point. At least, not until we’re out of limbo. 

While we love keeping an eye on what’s trending in outdoor decor here at The Spruce, we’re also well aware that just because something looks great doesn’t always mean it's worth buying.

Planting and maintaining a thriving garden isn’t all knowledge and natural instincts—there can be an element of luck, too. Your plants’ success can be out of control with influences like rain, wind, and other weather. But fortunately, one elements can be managed to a certain extent: water.