13 brilliant transformations and tips from families working and learning at home {issue 27}

Plus, a list of weird yet clever cleaning tools from Amazon.

Apr 8, 2021 No. 27 Our home is constantly evolving: the basement alone has been a craft room, a learning space, and a makeshift movie theater. In this week's feature, we get a look into home transformations families made (and plan to keep!) this past year.     13 Brilliant Transformations and Tips from Families Working and Learning at Home When the world shut down last year, parents and kids were faced with all kinds of challenges, and everyone learned that the idyllic place to work, study, and Zoom goes beyond buying the perfect desk.   Some families are still fine tuning their spaces to this day. There are a lot of considerations to juggle, after all. Now, as life begins to slowly shift back to normal, it doesn't mean ditching these newfound wisdoms.   So, in that spirit, we talked to more than a dozen parents about how they coped with working and schooling from home. Read on for more ideas, tips, and products to get the most out of the space you already have. read more > cubby ❤️ It's National Poetry Month, and we're sharing some of our favorite poems and books throughout April. This excerpt, by Brenda Hillman, is a stunning meditation on abundance and loss, captured in an everyday moment.   From the poem "Food" from Bright Existence. Copyright © 1993 by Brenda Hillman. Reprinted with the permission of Wesleyan University Press.     eat     5 Bento Box Lunches My Daughter Finishes Every Time Salmon, edamame, and lots of noodles: here's how my daughter eats (and learns!) at her Japanese school. read more >     10 Quick and Easy Pasta Recipes for Busy Weeknights Cheesy taco casserole, a lighter version of mac-and-cheese (yes, it exists!), and skillet pastas ready in two shakes. read more > play     My Daughter and I Tested the Top Face Masks for Kids — Here's the Best One My daughter and I tested for comfort, accessibility, and (of course) style. Check out our top pick! read more >     This Boredom Jar Is Foolproof — And Free! Rainy day blues? Put in twenty minutes for — literally — hours of fun. read more > live     9 Weird Yet Clever Cleaning Tools We Found on Amazon Jazz up the cleaning game with some surprising and delightful finds. read more >     This Kitchen Went from Basic to Beautiful After This Family Gave It a Pink Makeover See how these homebodies brought their warm, Boho-Scandinavian style into a cheery 1980s bungalow. read more > cubby finds: sweet citrus baby blanket clementine plush kitchen towels orange print ask maxwell I like to get ready before my son wakes up in the morning, but lately, he's been waking up when I start walking around in the morning! He's got a sound machine in his room but the floor does creak in the hallway. Any ideas on getting a creaky floor to stop creaking? Or helping a kid sleep past 5:30 like he used to? — Emily Dear Emily,   Thanks so much for this question, because:   a.) a quiet morning with children still asleep is one of the most precious things in life and   b.) I had to do a bunch of research to find you an answer and it was FASCINATING.   Here's what I found. This fix should be really easy and really satisfying. read more > Maxwell Ryan is a father and was an elementary school teacher in NYC before founding Apartment Therapy. He'd love to answer your question: askmaxwell@cubbyathome.com ( trust us ) A medical quandary Unsubscribe or Manage Your Preferences  View this email in your browser  Apartment Therapy is full of ideas for creating a warm, beautiful, healthy home. If we've inspired you, we may receive a share of purchases made through this email. Apartment Therapy Media 270 Lafayette Street, Suite 1300 New York, NY 10013 ABOUT | CONTACT US | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE