This cheap ingredient cleans almost anything.

...and it's not baking soda!

View in Browser  SHOP GH+ MEMBERS SUBSCRIBE   Welcome! I'm sure you know by now that I am always looking for ways to make life a little tastier and more enriching. Join me as I share some of my learnings and insights on the job here at Good Housekeeping. My Family Room Has a Door — Turns Out I'm Accidentally On Trend for 2025 Have you ever noticed how trends sneak up on you? Like suddenly you're living something without having realized it? This week I've been diving into some lifestyle shifts we're seeing bubble up for 2025, and honestly, they're showing up in my own home in unexpected ways. I should clarify — these are some of the more noticeable patterns we're noticing, not rules for how you should live. Here's what's catching our attention lately: CLOSED-CONCEPT LIVING Walls Are Back, Baby! The pendulum is swinging away from open floor plans. We're seeing a return to rooms with actual doors and walls — spaces designed for specific purposes that offer privacy and quiet. Funnily enough, the main floor of my home is essentially open-concept, and I love it that way! Our kitchen sits right in the center with living and dining areas flowing around it. When we have friends over for dinner, nobody in the kitchen misses a moment of conversation. MODERN GREAT ROOM: This is a pic of Grey and I from a shoot we did a few years back for our sister magazine House Beautiful. As you can see, it's a space where we relax, entertain, cook, dine and hang out — it's all about togetherness, but there's no privacy! But here's the twist: We also have a family room. With a door. An actual, closeable door. That's where our only TV lives. I'll curl up there to watch British detective shows on Acorn or maybe one of the Korean dramas on Netflix, usually with a project in my hands (though I find I make too many mistakes when I try knitting while reading subtitles!). And I also have an office whose key feature, besides all my favorite books, is the door. QUIET REFUGE: My office is where I spend the days that I work from home — intentionally separated from anyone and anything that might be going on in the rest of the house...with the door closed. That mix of spaces feels right for us — "open" for a sense of connection and "closed" for focus and quiet. That's the thing about trends, they're not prescriptions. They're just observations of how people are living. Post-pandemic, everyone seems to be craving spaces that can shift and breathe with us. READ WHY DESIGNERS SAY OPEN-CONCEPT IS OUT SLEEP, SLEEP, SLEEP Getting the "Right" Rest Is Our Obsession The sleep wellness movement is going nowhere but up. I recently got an Oura ring that has completely focused my attention on my own sleep patterns (though I'm still deciding whether this level of awareness is helpful or just another thing to worry about!). Sleep tech is everywhere: sunrise alarm clocks, sleep-tracking wearables, cooling sheets that feel like they're straight out of a sci-fi movie. Weighted blankets, ergonomic pillows—we're trying everything from military sleep hacks to Nordic sleep routines. Have you heard about the "Scandinavian bed" approach? Separate duvets for couples. Sounds radical, right? But think about it — we don't share pillows. Why should we battle over blankets?  Apparently it's been popular in Europe for decades, but it's catching on here for reducing blanket tugging and letting each person control their temperature. WAR OF THE COVERS: Here is the bed of our creative director, Melissa Geurts. Check out her story about experimenting with the Scandinavian bed. GET ALL OUR BEST TIPS TO SLEEP BETTER TONIGHT CLEANING NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE It's the Digital Age of Sparkling Surfaces! Our cleaning guru Carolyn Forté recently did an "Ask Me Anything" on Reddit where she fielded nearly 1,000 questions — and over a million people followed her answers! Cleaning continues to be one of our most popular topics no matter where you get our content. QUEEN OF CLEAN: Carolyn says hello from inside the GH Cleaning Lab to everyone on Reddit before her AMA which featured questions about everything from how to load the dishwasher to removing the toughest stains. I'm still amazed that 3.1 million of you watched our TikTok  "Things You Didn't Know You Could Machine Wash." Turns out, both Millennials and Gen Zers are surprisingly hooked on fresh cleaning tips and trusted product recommendations. GET CAROLYN'S TOP CLEANING ADVICE COUNTERTOP COOKING Kitchen-Gadget Paradise Last year was when I first really noticed this trend. I was at friends' for dinner when they mentioned that the entire meal was created on the counter — they had never even fired up the stove or oven. Since then, countertop appliances have only multiplied. The Ninja Creami (and its offspring, the Creami Swirl) lets you transform frozen fruit, ice cream or sorbet into soft-serve desserts. Air fryers, multicookers and toaster ovens are handling tasks that used to require traditional cooking methods. At GH, we're developing more recipes specifically for these countertop innovations. DINNER'S READY: Here are the top 3 appliances on our counter. The air fryer (center) is used every day...multiple times! We roast Brussels sprouts, broccoli and potatoes; and cook salmon filets and chicken skewers in it (so much easier and faster than using the oven or grill). The pasta maker (right) crafts fresh noodles from scratch in less than five minutes! SHOP OUR BEST AIR FRYERS CHECK OUT OUR BEST MULTICOOKER CUSTOMIZED HOLIDAYS We're Putting Our Own Twists on Tradition At Good Housekeeping we love ALL the holidays! But the latest trend is to create personalized versions: Friendsgiving, Galentine's, midday "Old Year's Eve" parties — even the "Lollidays," a recently coined GH fave. The holidays are getting a total remix. READY FOR SPRING: We believe no one needs an official occasion or holiday as an excuse to decorate with pretty details like this pastel-shaded wreath. What trends are you noticing in your own home? Have you found yourself leaning into any of these without even realizing it? Or maybe you've been intentionally swimming against the current? I'd love to hear! FIND EASY EASTER & SPRING DECOR IDEAS TRENDING STORIES | SOME OF MY FAVES THIS WEEK Costco's Newest Shed Looks Like a Tiny Home Imagine your outdoor space organized and looking its best — when you get this bonus "retreat"! READ NOW This Cheap Ingredient Cleans Almost Anything ...and it's not baking soda! From pots and pans to laundry and more — our Cleaning Lab has your back.  READ NOW Here's Why JOANN Closing Is Such a Big Deal I totally agree with Sarah (a crafter like me on our team) that fewer creative supplies is sad for everyone. READ NOW I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned. I had big ambitions for getting things done around the house last weekend, but life got in the way, so I'm hoping to get back on track this week. Wish me luck (again!). And don't forget that next week is Sleep Week — a wonderful opportunity to focus on getting more of that glorious, do-nothing health habit. See you soon! JANE FRANCISCO | jane@goodhousekeeping.com   Follow Us Unsubscribe | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Good Housekeeping is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2025 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779