GoodyBlog

Organization Inspiration

I haven't done any spring cleaning yet (I always find something more fun to do instead...imagine that!). But I'm getting inspired thanks to Pottery Barn Teen, of all places. They've got some surprisingly sophisticated and pretty organization tools, like these sunburst canvas bins. I'm loving their dry-erase bins too. They'd be perfect for helping little kids learn to clean up: It'll be easier for them to figure out where their things belong if you draw a picture of whatever type of toy is stored inside.

Plug of the Week: Home Improvment Made Easy

When Marni Jameson isn’t writing for Parents, she’s dishing out very practical and funny home-decorating advice in her syndicated column “At Home with Marni Jameson." Her new book, The House Always Wins, is about how you can create your dream home—but a real-world, budget-friendly dream home that actually works for a family, not a spartan, spotless showroom. And the book isn't all how-tos: Marni has two daughters, one of whom wants gorillas and elephants painted on her bedroom walls and a “furry phone,” so she’s also got great tips on finding a sane compromise when your kids make crazy decor requests. You can order a copy here or enter to win one by sending her your most horrific remodeling tale.

Genius (and Green) Laundry Detergent

I just finished my first bag of Dropps laundry detergent, and I'm officially sold on this product. Dropps are pre-filled packets of  detergent that you can just pop in your washer when it's time to do laundry. This has two really great benefits: 1. Less environmental waste because there's no giant plastic bottle to throw away, and the pre-filled packets dissolve in the wash. 2. I don't have to carry a giant plastic bottle to my laundry room (living in NYC, this is a huge plus) or find space in my apartment to store said giant bottle. Nor do I have to measure out the detergent—inevitably getting it all over my hands and clothes and smelling like cleaning supplies for the rest of the day. So yay to Dropps for making a product that makes my life easier and the environment healthier! ($24.99 for 60 loads worth of detergent)

Clever Toy Storage Solution

If your house is in serious danger of being overtaken by your kid's stuffed animals, check out this toy storage/plushy seat combo from Boon. When your child is done snuggling with her cuddly pals, all she has to do is stuff them in this fuzzy bag and voila—she's got a pretty awesome beanbag-esque chair. Take a look at all the cool colors and styles here.

Spankin' New Headlines

Every mom loves beautiful baby photos, but are fancy ultrasounds of fetuses safe? Chicago Tribune

A good marriage is good for your blood pressure and a bad marriage is—you guessed it—bad for your blood pressure. Yahoo! News

A new California program modeled on America’s Most Wanted is targeting the 10 worst child support evaders. LA Times

Fear of food poisoning: Is washing your veggies in tap water good enough? Newsweek

More celebs contemplate trading in their baby photos for big bucks. New York Daily News

Original photo via

No More Broken Dishes

Family dinner hour is always a bit frenzied, so by the time you're ready to wash the dishes, your powers of concentration and coordination probably aren't at their peak. And if you're pretty clumsy to begin with (as I am), you end up chipping and dropping all the delicate stuff you couldn't put in the dishwasher. So before I destroy all the glassware I own, I'm going to try out these Grab & Dry Gloves from Wishing Fish ($14.95). Yes, these giant white gloves will make me look like Mickey Mouse, but I'll gladly resemble a half-dressed Disney character if it means I can keep all my kitchen gear in one piece.

Spankin' New Headlines

Why you should take the TV out of your kids’ bedrooms. New York Times

Men do more housework than ever before—and that may lead to more sex. Yahoo! News

Gym class may help girls do better in academic subjects. USA Today

Keeping the chaos under control when you have multiples. Washington Post

Original photo via

Smarter Sipping

If you spend way too much time cleaning up your toddler's spilled drinks, this alien-like Boon Fluid No-Spill Toddler Cup just might save you from endless Swiffering-duty. It looks bizarre for a reason: The handles are ergonomically designed for a toddler's tiny hands. It also has a specially angled spout that lets kids sip without having to tilt their head waaaay back (a common cause of spills.) You can get it for $6 at giggle.com.

Tote Your Laundry In Style!

I love this new Sex and the City dry cleaning bag. It's a re-usable way to transport clothing to and from the dry cleaners, and features a classic Carrie quote.  Très chic and très green! The 100% organic cotton bag is designed with a drawstring at the bottom to bundle dirty clothes to the laundry, and also functions as a garment bag with a zipper down the front.

Make your dry cleaning experience even greener by going to a cleaner who uses "wet cleaning," an environmentally friendlier process that uses specially formulated detergents. Go here to find one near you.

Spill It: The Junk in Your Trunk Whole Car

Is your car a black hole for all the various junk you (and especially the kids) accumulate? I don't have a car anymore (don't need one in the city) but when I did, my trunk was just brimming with crap. I'm a pretty neat person but somehow those pesky odds and ends just couldn't escape my car's tractor beam pull.

So we're asking, out of total nosiness because we think it's fun: What kind of stuff is stashed (and mashed) in your car (not just the trunk!!) right now?