Author: Barbara Green

Learn five ways to make your child's small room look and live a lot bigger! Perfect for grandkids, as well...

This flexible furniture can't be outgrown.

5 tips for improving their bedrooms for better sleep

Keep nosy neighbors at bay.

Five ways to repurpose your leftover wine corks.

Five clever ways to reuse your empty wine bottles (and avoid neighbor judgment on recycling day).

Did you know that 54% of all respondents to a Marketwatch.com study report that they have a man cave? Real estate agents also report that having a man cave in the home has become a strong selling point. If you…

There are sneaky little things lurking in your home that have slipped in below the radar.

Want to create summer fun for kids on the cheap? Get to the dollar store and stock up on pool noodles. The first idea calls for 4 noodles and 6 bean bags (or anything else you want to use as…

Do you dread the cries of "Mom, I'm bored!" before school has even ended? Plan ahead with these five tips to keep your kids occupied and happy at home this summer. The first idea is to outfit a shelving unit…

So many families look forward to Memorial Day because it gives them a three day weekend to kick back and relax and enjoy the start of summer fun. We are doing an injustice to our kids if we don't educate…

One thing that is as guaranteed in life as much as death and taxes is that kids have a lot of stuff! In order to have them be able to find what they need and for you to maintain a…

Spoiler alert: Elegance is in.

Over and over this week I heard parents talking about sending their children to Grandma and Grandpa's house for spring break. This past weekend I got away myself and went to the mountains for a couple of days. While there…

According to the Center for Disease control, allergies among children are climbing. Food allergies are up 5%, skin allergies are up 7%, while respiratory allergies are up a whopping 17%. Modern manufacturing is rife with chemicals which are contributing to…

Every parent wants their child to be an original thinker and a success in school. New research suggests that one of the keys to developing these traits in a child is encouraging creative and imaginative play. Especially since schools are…

Fabrics and finishes no longer have to sacrifice good looks for durability.

Piggy-backing on last week's column about keeping kid's rooms clean, I thought I would give some quick and easy cleaning tips to use at your home. After all, spring is only 14 days away. Now you can get an early…

Parents have such good intentions when decorating their child's room. They find the perfect paint color, the best bedding, and all the special finishing touches. But that same bedroom often becomes a battleground. In a recent online poll of 1000…

One would have to have been living under a rock to not hear the lamenting from parents with kids home all week due to ice and snow. So this week's column is fodder for fantasy. Spring is only 28 days…

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Why not spread the love in your home with these cute Valentine's Day decorations that can be crafted with your kids? The first one is so easy! All you need is a tall,…

Did you know that the State of Maryland has banned bumper pads? The City of Chicago has, too, while the legislature of Illinois is considering making the ban statewide. The National Institute of Health has advised against the use of…

A lot of people resolve to be more organized when a new year begins. Why not try and get your kids into organizing, too? If this habit is instilled at an early age it will help them to be more…

Kids and beautiful interior design don't always go together. But with the right type of space and some good planning you can really make design magic happen! Here is a special bonus room to give you some inspiration. If you…

We live in a time and place where so many of us are blessed beyond measure, yet there are still too many people who are suffering and feeling loss. Why not take this last week before Christmas and instill in…

Christmas is such a fun time for children of all ages. I loved decorating trees so much that when I was married and living in a big house with my husband and kids we had 8! There was one in…

Don't you love this time of year? The beautiful decorations bring a festive look to homes and businesses. Making treasured family memories is also another special part of the holiday season. Why not combine the two and make memories by…

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I hate that so many stores are opening on Thanksgiving Day and hope that not enough people shop that day to make it worthwhile next year. But for those of us staying home and creating…

We fill our homes with beautiful furniture that looks great, but with kids at home we have to look a little deeper and make sure we keep safety in mind. For example, these tall cabinets are absolutely gorgeous, but as…

As I reported last week, I made my semi-annual trip to the International Home Furnishings Market and came back with some interesting new looks in kids' furniture. My last post reported on the boys, this week it's the girls' turn.…

Twice a year, designers from all over the world make a pilgrimmage to High Point, North Carolina to visit the International Home Furnishing's Market. We walk miles and miles through showroom after showroom in search of the latest and greatest…

The greatest gift you can give your child is the love of reading. Start early by reading to them, and then encourage them to continue reading as they grow. Both of my children (now 22 and 28 yrs old!)  are…

Do you have rooms at home that you walk by and think "What a waste!"? Perhaps you have a living room that never gets lived in? If you switched out this storage ottoman coffee table for your ordinary coffee table…

Everywhere you go this time of year you see pumpkin. Whether it is Pumpkin Spice Latte, or pumpkin scented candles, or piles of pumpkins decorating doorsteps, you simply can't escape the pumpkin. But if you are one of those people…

Do you love a home improvement bargain? Are you handy with a power screwdriver? How about a saw? If so, you are going to love these pallet projects for families. Since you can get used pallets for little to no…

We're all familiar with the saying "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy," but there should be another equally important quote "If kids don't sleep, parents don't sleep, either." It is so important for children to sleep well in their…

One thing every parent complains about is the amount of papers that float around after the kids go back to school. It can be hard to keep track of everything unless you have an easy to use system. My friend,…

Back to school is such a bittersweet time. On the one hand, your nerves are probably shot and you can't wait for the kids to go back to school. On the other hand, once school starts, you've got homework, sports…

Living with kids can be expensive, so it is always helpful to find ways to save. One way is to shop second hand stores like the Habitat for Humanity Restore which allows you to turn someone else's trash into your…

Just as DIckens wrote in A tale of Two Cities, living with kids can be described as "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Of course the best times are the smiles, the hugs, the…

Are your kids creative masters this summer? Do you love all the artwok but struggle with what to do with it all? Pretty soon they'll be back in school and bringing lots of papers home that they'll want to show…

Do you struggle with keeping your home in order? Do your kids have too many things and not enough space to store them? Don't feel alone, lots of parents struggle with the same issues but I've got 5 Keys to…

Have you ever rushed your kid to the emergency room after he/she fell into the sharp corner of a coffee table? The shape of a coffee table may seem like a benign decision, but accidents do happen. This round table…

Are you looking for new ways to entertain your kids at home this summer? Do you struggle to keep them active on rainy days? I've got some innovative ideas that you and your kids will both enjoy. Ping Pong is…

Dust mites and bed bugs may hit the news regularly, but the dangers of your bedding go much deeper than creepy crawlers. Standard mattresses are made from petroleum products and are full of harmful chemicals. These chemicals can cause a…

While the real estate market is picking up for grownups there is an entirely new market for kids. Luxury playhouses are here to cater to your child's fantasies and quest for adventure. The Little Tykes plastic playhouses just don't cut…

Sometimes writing this column makes me feel so old!! While I love sharing ideas for living a beautiful life with kids, it serves as a weekly reminder that mine are grown and gone. It also reminds me of how much…

The calendar may read spring, but the temperatures are hot hot hot! Today I've got some hot products to keep your kids cool and comfortable this summer and beyond. The first product is for bathtime. Take the guess work out…