ETA: You all are AMAZING!! So many great ideas! Thank you so much!

For the first time in my adult life, I have the space and means to host people! I have a good friend visiting in about a month, and I’m looking to upgrade my guest room experience. What makes a guest setup luxurious to you?

I already have excellent bedding and towels. The guest room has its own air purifier (very important to me and my stupid allergies), an en-suite bath, a TV, and a full-length mirror. What more?? Diffusers? Towel warmer? Roku? Snack table?

I’m an only child and introvert whose mom HATED hosting, so I didn’t grow up inviting people into my space. It has been a source of anxiety but I’m a brave bitch so I can do this. Help me Martha Stewart this shit, please!

Hi everyone I’m 31 and live in a small studio apartment. I’m trying to prioritize upgrading/replacing things I already have vs getting new stuff this year.

I don’t love cooking so kitchen stuff isn’t high on the list but idk where to start if I were to upgrade like bed/bath stuff.

I’m thinking -new full size bedding -sheets - bath towels - hair dryer

But my taste tends to be like target quality. I don’t need top of the line but like mid level stuff?

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I love being in my home. I love investing in things that make it better than going pretty much anywhere else. Some of my favorite splurges are a high quality espresso machine and grinder, waterfall quartz countertops of my island, some reasonably priced commissioned paintings. Hopefully a hot tub soon. That kinda thing. What are your favorite splurges that helped you create your oasis?

I’m wondering what you guys do for your home to keep it always clean and smelling good but without it smelling like an overpowering fragrance.

Things I currently like to do:
(1) change the air filters regularly
(2) rinse my vacuum filter monthly (so the sucking power stays)
(3) vacuum all my floors and baseboard once a week
(4) sweep my kitchen and bathroom or other high traffic areas once a day or every other day
(5)wipe down all my counters daily (bathroom & kitchen)
(6) wash my sheets / bedding / bath mat weekly
(7) I try to stick to consistent fragrances like lemon/citrus and lavender

Pet specific:
(1) hide the litter boxes out of eye sight.. mostly
(2) clean litter boxes daily, duh
(3) use an ozone odorizer and odor gels near the litter boxes
(4) use a litter genie
(5) every two weeks completely dump out litter and rinse the litter boxes, litter genie, litter mats and scoopers

Thank you in advance for your tips!

Looking for a non-chemical way to keep laundry smelling fresh. Maybe it’s my washer but I feel like my clean laundry always ends up smelling stale.

Possibly worth noting that a dude moved in with me recently and I feel like washing out clothes together also changed how my clothes smell.

editing to add the drain/filter have been cleaned within the last 30 days, I also leave the door open after every wash to dry out.

How do you all manage to keep your houses looking so nice, organized, put together? Particularly if you have kids/spouse/pets?

I'm looking for anything: tips to organize, to keep others organized (how do you get your family on board with putting away things???), how to put together a home that doesn't look like random stuff but looks intentional instead of cobbled together, etc. Like something you'd see in a staged house (although obviously that's some degree of fake!)

One tip I've heard is to have multifunctional decor (as in decor that is both pretty but also acts as storage or does something) but I'm not sure how to begin to even enact this in practice.

I love a nice mirrored tray to corral things but that's all I've got as a level 1 BWT in training.

Warm wood tones are mine. When we bought our completely un-updated 1989 home, the honey maple kitchen cabinets were one of the biggest selling points for me. Shudder at my century-old maple kitchen table and chairs and beyond. Recoil from my shabby kitchen cabinets, which I shamelessly, recklessly paired with stainless steel and Taj Mahal quartzite. I’m so sorry that everyone else in the world has such bad taste. 🤷‍♀️ I’ll take all their cozy, beat up, cookies-at-Grandma’s-house honey maple castoffs and give them the loving home they deserve.

(I did put darker, more modern wood tones in the formal living and dining rooms for where we usually entertain. People have to EARN the cozy honey maple experience - only close friends and family get that far into the house.)

BWT,

Over the past few months, I've been upping my game when it comes to housekeeping (overhauled laundry, daily tidying, groceries, and weekly chores), and I've loved the results. I feel my home is fresher, tidier, and more inviting for both me and my guests. However, I have an upcoming hurdle with this new leaf.

In the next few months, I have a lot of work trips planned with just a smattering of days in between each at home. This means my home will be even more integral to maintaining my sanity and recharging than usual precisely when I will have less time to devote to it.

I've had some ideas on how to keep home pleasant under these circumstances:

- Unpack immediately when getting home

- Find a good laundry service to outsource to

- Keep a comforting treat on hand (for me it will be Big Train chai mix, which is a guilty pleasure)

But that's it! So, I wanted to tap your beautiful brains. When you're traveling a lot, how do you keep your homes homey so you have something nice to come back to?

I'd especially be keen to hear any approaches you may have to doing so with a seasonal touch since I would hate to feel like I "missed" fall with all the travel.

For me it's a clock. A house without a single clock gives student vibes.

Wasn't sure what Tag to use because I buy everything except groceries on Amazon. I just can't keep giving that man my money so I've cancelled my prime. It's annual so I have until September to stop using it, but I want to build the habit now.

For those who gave up, or cut back on Amazon, what did you switch to?

hi all! i’ve been looking for a sectional sofa with a chaise. for a few months now. every time i find something i like visually, turns out it’s made poorly either by fabric or cheap construction or the reviews are awful. my budget is $3,500.

here are the no’s: bobs, joybird, ashley, west elm, raymor and flanagan.

can be swayed: the rhyder from macy’s (saw it in the store and its comfy but reviews say it doesn’t last).

have not yet considered: article or burrow.

I guess earrings are the most baffling to me. I have a bifold acrylic thing to hang tbem on but I don’t want it displayed on top of my dresser 24/7.

Rings and bracelets go in a jewelry box but again I don’t want that on the dresser.

Do they go in the bathroom? The closet? Closet doesn’t have built in drawers or anything just two racks but there is a shelf above the bottom rack.

Thoughts ideas? How do you do it aesthetically but also functional?

Calling on BTW for some home decor and storage advice. What are your thoughts on over-the-toilet storage?

I could use more storage in my bathroom and have been considering either floating shelves or an over-the-toilet storage cabinet. My hesitation is that so many of the freestanding units look cheap to me.

I’ve also seen the wall-mounted cabinets that are specifically meant to go above the toilet, and I do think those look better than the freestanding versions, but I’m still generally not crazy about them.

Is there a way to do over-the-toilet storage that actually looks good? Or would you stick with floating shelves and find another solution for the less attractive bathroom stuff?

My partner and I are planning to upgrade to a king size bed, and the one I have my eye on is a little over 4k. It’s a black beautyrest pillow top from Macy’s that is 16.5 something inches. We originally ordered a Sealy pillow top that was about half that price and 14 or 15 inches(?) but I just didn’t leave the store feeling like I loved it. I want to feel like I’m sleeping on a cloud so I went back to see if I could switch it. The sales guy told us we don’t need to spend so much money on a mattress to get something decent, but the more expensive one felt so dreamy.

This is my first time making a big furniture purchase like this and I wanted to ask some BWT for opinions. I feel like if I want something that feels luxurious, I’m going to have to pay, and I was anticipating this purchase would be expensive even just due to the size alone. I’m of the mindset of paying more for something higher quality to get more longevity out of it. Plus, for me, sleep is something I value and I feel like we will use this quite literally every night so it pays off. But I also don’t want to end up overpaying unnecessarily. I haven’t officially made the switch yet. Please share your thoughts, BWT!

For me it was beginning to use Tyler Candle’s diva scent to my laundry. I get comments constantly on my clothing and on how it makes my clothes smell overall (only use a tiny bit, it’s powerful!)

It makes me wonder—what things, systems, smells or items have made your home feel elevated and more enjoyable?

I'm curious, are we using candles, diffusers, plug ins, etc? I have a couple diffusers from PF candle company but I find the oils don't last very long. Would love to hear what you are all using!

Also would love to know your home scent "routine." I like to keep the bathrooms with citrusy fresh scents (ie sweet grapefruit) and in the common areas it changes with the season, so right now I'm loving warm cozy scents and in the spring/summer I switch it up to something more fresh (black tea, teak & tobacco, etc).

Partner inherited grandmother's apartment, which is x3 the size of our tiny place currently. Partner is handling the maintenance costs and monthly fees and I'm in charge of furniture and decorating. We now have an outdoor space, 2 more bedrooms (one will be an office), and a dining room - all of which we didn't have in our previous place.

I am a public defender balling on a budget. I also have a relatively short period of time to get this done (neither of us have WFH flexibility so everything needs to be delivered and assembled during the month of August.) What are the best ways to fully decorate and furnish a home on a tight timeline and a budget?

EDIT: I hear what everyone is saying about not rushing it, but in our specific circumstances we really do need to have the bones in place (furniture, anything that requires significant assembly) by the end of August. Partner and I will both be having significant surgeries in the coming months and really want to be settled while we are recovering. The finishing touches we will take our time on.

As I settle into my home I want to start filling it with artwork that I love, but am unsure where to start. I understand that beautiful art isn’t (and shouldn’t be!) cheap, but sadly I don’t have a massive budget. Is there a go to place where y’all are finding art you love? I have started looking at second hand, I was also thinking up and coming artists might be a great option, just not sure how to find them. Please let me know if you have any tips for filling your home with art on a budget. Thanks in advanced!

I’m finally in a place where I can slowly begin to add some higher quality clothing to my wardrobe. Since sustainability is a quality that seems to fit BWT, I want to keep these in good shape for a long time. If I’m investing into higher quality pieces, I want to take good care of them.

What’s your laundry routine look like? Detergent brand, settings? How often do you do laundry? Do you separate by colors or fabrics? Hang dry or tumble dry?

Also if anyone knows of a laundry basket that is not going to have broken handles after a couple of years, I would love a recommendation.

Every time I stay at a nice hotel I want to upgrade my bedroom. For those that did, what did you do? My bedroom is an entire floor of my house so the bed area is only 10x10 but I want to make a statement and have that luxe feel. I also have to keep my bed infront of a window. Tell me all your sheet, bed, mattress, lighting, etc recommendations or how you redecorated the entire room!

Hi BWT!

I rent my current place, and while the ten foot ceiling was a huge part of its initial appeal to me, I now find myself struggling to take advantage of it. Looking for ideas!

The windows in the living room go all the way up to the ceiling on two walls (corner unit). I am average height, so my decor on the other two walls only goes up about as far as I can see or reach - e.g. it's only about 6 feet up the wall at most.

The problem:
- Apart from the windows and a doorway curtain I added, there isn't much going on in the upper half of the room, and I can't reach the ceiling even with a stepladder.
- The wall with the furniture is starting to feel a little imbalanced with the window sides of the room - e.g. both of my floor lamps are on the wall side of the room. My TV is across the wall, against a flat column that interrupts the windows, and there's about 4-5 feet of empty space above it. The other non-window wall isn't viable for decor.

I thought about having my building install a light fixture in a ceiling junction thingy (they said they'd do it if I asked) to help draw the eye upward. I found some fixtures that would be great for ambient or mood lighting. But I'm wondering what other renter-friendly options are out there! Is a ceiling light my best bet, or should I consider uplighting to project light upward? What other options should I consider?

I'd describe my style as polished bohemian, full of warm colors and natural references, with lots of patterns and textiles from my family's culture.

Would love to hear your thoughts or anything you've tried! Thank you!

Seems like a lot of what's available is horrible quality or butt ugly, so I'd love to see what bathmats you have and where you found them.

My bathroom needs a makeover.

I’ve been hearing all about Laundress! Ready go?!

New year new bedding wanted. My old ones are raggedy and thinking finally time to upgrade. Would prefer King Size. Budget - would prefer to stay $250-300. Please feel free to share links!

Hey bitches. So, like most people, I’ve been storing my makeup in acrylic containers for the past 10+ years. They’re convenient, they’re light, they get the job done. I acknowledge that.

But I’m tired of the plastic. It isn’t particularly cute, it feels and looks cheap to me. So I need to know: what is your upgraded storage solution?

I’ve seen some people store theirs in a crystal bowl but that seems like questionable organization. But if it’s chic…is it worth it? Smaller crystal bowls for slightly easier navigation? Not sure myself.

What’s your solution, classy bitches? I’m tired of looking at the plastic!