Easy-clean "scrubbable" paints let you have the finish you want - flat to glossy - in busy family spaces

1. Choose Your Paint… Wisely!
Decorators agree, a freshly painted color scheme is one of the easiest ways to update a room at minimal cost. Nowadays most paint brands offer easy-clean – termed “scrubbable” – paints in all sheens, including popular flat. These durable paints are an ideal choice for updating family spaces in easy-clean style.

Add kid-friendly color and style with throw pillows in outdoor fabrics, like Sunbrella

2. Add Pop with Fashionable, Functional Fabrics
Another decorator trick – freshen up seating areas with colorful throw pillows. Some kid-friendlier choices include throw pillows with removable washable covers or easy-care faux suede and microfiber fabrics. Pillows in outdoor fabrics offer an array of easy-clean colors, patterns and textures that look great indoors, too.

3. Stash Toys in Style
Storage-style furniture, accent pieces and decorative boxes are great ways to store away kid’s toys in family spaces. Add a few storage cube footstools in seating areas, stash a mini-trunk under an end table, or place a few stacking baskets in a corner. These strike the perfect balance between practicality and style for kid-friendly living spaces.

Durable decorative melamine plastic trays make great break-resistant accents in or out of the kitchen

4. Accessorize with Kids in Mind
Keep headaches – and cleanup – to a minimum by accessorizing family rooms with kids in mind. Breakable accents and collectibles are best displayed on mantles or higher shelves. In kid-accessible areas consider adding decorative touches like containers, candlesticks and figurines made from break-resistant materials like wood, acrylic, resin or metal.

5. Step Up Floor Style with Easy-clean Rugs
Area rugs add style and comfort to any room, but they’re a magnet for kids’ spills and smudges. To combat this, consider using outdoor rugs in busy family spaces. Rugs made for patios and outdoor rooms offer textures and colors that mimic indoor versions, but are made of easy-clean, moisture- and mildew-proof fibers. They’re easy to spot clean for minor spills and, unlike indoor rugs, they can be taken out and hosed down for a deep-down clean.

Please share your ideas for family-friendly living and home style in comments — we welcome guest posts, too!

Start at the Bottom with Individual-sized Crusts
Ready-made mini pizza crusts are handy for MYO pizzas but they can be a little pricey. If you don’t want to spring for Boboli or similar packaged crusts, give Pillsbury’s refrigerated pizza crusts a try and just cut them to size. Or pick up a few french loaves in the bakery for french bread pizzas. And don’t forget the bread aisle. A full pita bread round makes a great individual thin crust pizza, plus it’s on the lighter side.

Top With the Usual Suspects
Set up a pizza bar with sauce, mozarella cheese and a variety of toppings so everyone can build their personal favorite. Premade pizza or spaghetti sauces both work great, or make your own in just minutes. Combine a can of tomato sauce, a teaspoon each of oregano, basil and olive oil and a dash or two of garlic powder. For a thicker sauce, stir in a spoonful of tomato paste. Make quick work of chopping vegetables  – and entice the kids to pitch in – with a finger-friendly quick-chop tool like our Vegetable Chopper.

Add a Twist with Alternative Toppers
Don’t be afraid to challenge tastebuds! Grab a jar of premade alfredo sauce (try Ragu’s lite version – yum!) and some precooked fajita chicken at the store, and add some fresh spinach leaves and sliced mushrooms for a gourmet pizza any restaurant would be proud to serve. Or go even further by substituting monterey jack or feta cheese in place of mozarella. And remember this chef’s tip for “white” pizzas – spread a light layer of olive oil over the crust before adding alfredo sauce to keep it from becoming gummy.

Pop the pizzas in the oven and the movie in the player. By the time the previews end you’ll be enjoying a family night that begs an encore performance.

Please share your own great ideas for family nights in comments — we welcome guest posts, too!

I love it that much.

No, instead I’m at work suffering through the knowledge that my husband and daughter are right now at home, together, with the leftovers of last night’s banana pudding.

Well, probably not anymore.

Luckily, I grew up with my grandmother’s make-it-in-10-minutes Jell-O version, and I can whip up a replacement in no time – and I will tonight! Even though my foodie friends have tried to break me with caramel and homemade custard versions aplenty, this is still my favorite. It must be my personal comfort food.

So here’s my Grammie’s recipe. Give it a try next time you want to whip up a quick treat for all – or just for you!

Quick Banana Pudding

Total time – 20 min till ready to eat. (But best after 2 hours in the fridge!)

1 large box Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding

1 large box Jello Instant Banana Cream Pudding*
(*Small is OK if you can’t find large, just adjust the Milk down 1 cup. 2 Vanillas work, too)

5-1/2 Cups Milk

2-3 Bananas

4-5 Handfuls Vanilla Wafer Cookies

1 Regular size container Whipped Topping

Layer the vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 9″x13″ casserole dish. Whisk the pudding and milk together, pour or spoon 3/4 of the pudding over the cookies in the casserole dish. Slice the bananas and layer over the pudding. Mix the whipped topping together with the remaining pudding and spread over the banana layer. Refrigerate till set. Wait at least 10 minutes before eating if you’re in a hurry – but it’s best after 2 hours in the fridge.

Variations:

Use a smaller, taller dish for more cookie/pudding/banana layers and top with whipped topping layer. It’s really pretty in a trifle dish or clear bowl with wafers lining the side, too.

For a party, make individual pudding parfaits in cute glasses or desert dishes.

Use real whipped cream.. or like my foodie friends, make your own custard. It just takes a little longer. (Seriously? I can’t wait that long.)

Countertop composters come in several styles, from stainless steel to renewable bamboo.

I admit I’m not likely to be the greenest gal in the crowd, but I try to do my part. So I’m always thrilled to find products that make “doing my part” easy — and countertop composters do just that.

These compact, trashcan-style containers are made to sit on the kitchen countertop so you can easily collect food scraps during meal prep. But don’t be fooled by the name  — you don’t actually compost in countertop composters. They’re really geared for collecting scraps in a tidy, odor-free manner, so you can tote them to the compost pile every day or two.

Get kids involved in composting with kid-sized, trashcan-style countertop composters

I find countertop composters are much better than simply collecting scraps in a bowl for a few reasons. One, they have a lid with a charcoal filter that absorbs odors — so if you don’t take it out overnight, the smell won’t give you away.  Two, they’re pretty cute on the countertop and are even kid-sized, so they’re a great way to get kids involved in greener thinking – and maybe even meal prep.

And if you’re not too hot on the idea of cleaning your countertop composter each time you dump it, biodegradable composter liner bags can help keep it squeaky clean.

Biodegradable composter bags keep countertop composters clean

If you’re already composting – or considering giving it a try this Spring — a countertop composter can certainly make it easier to put your family’s food scraps to work in the garden… instead of the landfill.

Flat, Gloss, Eggshell... Oh, My! Which Paints are Best for Busy Family Homes?

Over the years, customers and website visitors have asked our opinion on the best paint types and finishes for busy family spaces, nurseries and kid’s rooms. While we’re not professional painters, many at KidSmartLiving.com seem to make a hobby of painting our homes, so we feel qualified to tackle this question. 

Happily, it’s an easy answer… 

Since paint formulation and finish have as much impact on long-term satisfaction as color choice, selecting durable paints with easy-clean finishes is key.  Here’s a look at the basic differences between interior paints commonly found in home improvement stores, plus some low-maintenance ideas for painting high-traffic areas and busy kid spaces. 

The Basics: Interior Paint Types and Finishes
Water-based latex and oil-based enamel are the two most common paint types used for home interiors. Oil-based paints were once considered to have a more durable, easier-clean finish than latex, but that’s no longer the case. Today’s fast-drying water-based latex paints rate higher in scrubability than oil-based paint, and that’s not all. Latex paint emits far fewer smelly VOC’s (volatile organic chemicals) than oil-based paint, making it the ideal choice for busy family homes. 

Interior paints also come in several finishes, referred to as “sheen,” which describes the amount of reflection or shine the painted surface has when dry. Listed here from the lowest sheen to the highest sheen, paint finishes range from; matte, flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, gloss. Semi-gloss and gloss are usually reserved for trim and cabinetry while walls generally are painted in a less glossy finish, usually flat or eggshell. 

Durability and Cleaning: It’s in the Finish.. or is it?
Years ago, satin or semi-gloss wall finishes were popular for dirt-prone high traffic areas since they were easier to clean. But nowadays, decorator-inspired flat and eggshell wall finishes are far more popular and paint manufacturers have responded in kind. Lower sheen finishes are now formulated to be as scrubbable and easy to clean as the semi-gloss of old, so there’s no need to sacrifice style for cleanability. 

Faux Finishes: Worry-Free Solutions for Busy Spaces
Faux finishes such as ragging or sponging are fun, creative and very livable options for kids rooms and other busy family spaces. Along with the variety of textures you can create, faux finishes tend to hide dirt and fingerprints. And if disaster strikes in the form of a crayon, it’s easy to camouflage with a few strategic sponge pats. When painting a base coat to faux finish over, choose a satin or semi-gloss which won’t absorb the top coat too quickly, allowing you to get creative with the faux layer. 

Our Faves?
Regardless of finish, our hands-down favorites are Home Depot’s Behr Premium Plus and Premium Plus Ultra (with the built-in primer) – both offer great coverage, durability and cleanability and are priced well. In fact, Consumer Reports 2011 agrees with us  and lists these Behr paints as a top value.  We also love Sherwin Williams’ ProClassic Semi-Gloss for trim, especially if painting over an oil-based paint — it’s expensive but goes a long, long way.

For example, last year we had more than 60 friends over to watch the game, race an all-day minibike rally in the side yard, sip hurricanes (it was the Saints day, after all) and generally have a great time. Looked like alot of fun from the kitchen!

I’m determined this year will be different – especially since the day before I’m chaperoning an all-day school competition for my 12-year old. Yikes!

So instead of stressing, I’m pulling together a game day menu idea that provides plenty of fan-friendly grub for all comers and lets me take part in the party, too. And since most of my friends love to cook I know we won’t be short on food…

I’m having a Superbowl Chili Cook-Off… With Prizes!

Chili is an easy make-ahead game day favorite and there are a jillion variations - plus, we’re in Texas, so it just makes sense. Instead of making three or four pots myself (aka: work) I thought, why not give everyone a chance to show off their favorite recipe?

Here’s how I’m doing it…

First, I’m offering some game-inspired prizes to entice cooks - and every entry gets a prize like this football-shaped serving tray, or a cool set of plastic mugs. So it’s friendly, our voting system won’t be for the ”Best,” instead, we’ll vote for things like “Prettiest Color,” “Best Smell,” “The Most Ingredients,” and so on.

For serving, I’m putting together two serving bars;  a “Frito Chili Pie Bar” (it’s a Texas thing) with Frito chips, shredded cheese and diced onions. The other is a Hot Dog Bar with basically the same fixin’s, but with hot dog condiments, too. To make mingle-eating and cleanup easy, we’ll serve on these cool Mingle Easy disposable party plates.

What could be easier?!? I’m definitely looking forward to Superbowl Sunday (Feb. 6) this year!

I’m, of course, entering my favorite chili recipe, a slightly altered version of Wick Fowler’s 2-Alarm Chili, and we’ll just see who wins the award for “The Most Like Canned Chili.”

If you have more than one child sharing a bedroom — or are just plain short on space (and who isn’t these days?) — here are a few easy, fast and inexpensive tips to keep little clutterbugs organized.

Make Easy, Low-Cost Storage with Versatile Plastic Crates
Plastic storage crates offer durable, versatile and easy-access storage options with a low price tag. Use crates to organize existing shelves, extend dresser-top display space upward, or expand under-bed or closet storage space. You can even stack 9-12 together as a “wall unit” — just snap the crates together or secure with plastic zip-ties, then attach the unit to the wall with a furniture strap to help prevent tipping. Since they’re washable, plastic crates are an especially practical choice for storing craft supplies for a budding artist. You’ll find functional, fun plastic storage crates at any discount store or home store.

Wicker and Plastic Baskets are Functional and Decorative, Too.
Colorful baskets make wonderful storage containers for children, and these days you can find very durable, wicker-like baskets that are actually made of easy-care plastic.

 Use large baskets on the bedroom floor to hold favorite books and magazines — look for large hamper styles with lids, or mid-size stacking sets for this purpose. Smaller baskets may be placed on bedside tables, dressers or countertops to house hair clips, jewelry/accessories and lightweight collectibles. Shop for basket bargains at unexpected places such as yard sales, flea markets, import stores, discount stores and gift stores, then customize with a few coats of spray paint. Once you master this easy craft project, you may discover that you are having such fun that you must paint a couple of baskets for the living room or your own bedroom.

Style tip! Try working with two colors, one sprayed over the other, then lightly sand through the top coat in spots to achieve a slightly distressed cottage basket look. Seal with a coat of clear in matte or gloss.

Find Great Spaces Below with Bunk and Loft-Style Beds
Bunk beds and loft-style beds offer vertical sleeping areas that are great space savers for older children. Loft beds generally are built high up and enclosed on three sides. The last side is open and features a ladder that is placed against the loft to provide access to the bed. Underneath, the loft bed provides ample storage space where bookcases, desks or chests-of-drawers may be built-in, stackable crates utilized, or seating added.

When shopping for bunk beds and loft style beds, quality counts! Search for the best quality, sturdiest frame that you can afford, built to current safety standards. Bring your child with you when you are shopping and allow them to “sample” the unit. Remember that the bed will be holding your most precious possession each and every day and night: your child!

Expand Hidden or Forgotten Spaces for Maximum Storage

Under the Bed: Maximize the under-bed space of any style bed in your child’s room by utilizing low-clearance storage baskets made for this purpose. Also consider washable cloth storage bags to store out-of-season clothing in under-bed areas. Add more under-bed space and create a decorator look by lifting the bed frame using sturdy BedRizers – this idea is best applied in older children’s rooms because of the increased bed height. Also, a trundle-style daybed without the trundle mattress underneath offers loads of underbed space in a kid’s room.

In the Closet: You can maximize a child’s closet space in a number of easy ways: try adding a low chest of drawers to walk-in closets; hanging a shelf organizer from the rod (we like the sturdy plastic style from Wal-Mart); stacking storage crates on the upper shelf to add vertical space; or hanging an adjustable shelf set on the back of the door for videos, toys, shoes or knick-knacks.

On the Walls: Wall-mounted shelves are great display and storage additions to any kid’s room. Children from 4-5 years of age are generally old enough to safely access books, toys and videos displayed on lower, well-secured wall shelves, but be sure to mount shelves out of toddler reach to prevent pull-up or climbing accidents. Try adding shelves over windows to display fragile collectibles and hold storage boxes full of memories – all safely out of reach.

Here are some great ways to make the most of shoestring-budget decorating projects.  If you’re stuck for ideas on how to make low-cost, high impact changes to your home, check out my list of must-see shows; “Design Cents,” “FreeStyle,” “Mission Organization,” and “Design on a Dime” on HGTV, and “Sell This House” on A&E. Each of these offers loads of inspiration and creative solutions that cost little to nothing.

Looking for No-Cost Decorating Ideas? Start at Home…

Design Tip Number 1: Shop… At Home
When was the last time you rearranged your furniture? Now go one step further. Have you swapped major pieces or decorative accents between rooms lately? Try shopping your own home to create a fresh look at no cost – it’s easy and as budget-friendly as it gets.

Swapping out decorative pillows, artwork, rugs, or a few accent pieces between rooms is a simple job; and rearranging larger pieces such as chairs, shelves and wall units within – and between – rooms can create a whole new feel. And don’t forget to scour closets and storage areas for useful finds. Need inspiration? Watch a few episodes of “FreeStyle” and “Design Cents” on HGTV for scads of no-cost room redo ideas.

Design Tip Number 2: De-Clutter Your Way to Style
Often, the basics in a room are fine but any sense of style is lost in the clutter. Culprits include too many accessories clustered on tabletops, accent furniture-lined walls, and stacks of magazines, books, DVD’s, toys, games, and such. In these cases, a good clean-out can feel like a room makeover for free.

To de-clutter, grab some moving boxes and mark them: Keep, Trash, Donate, Another Room, and Store. Begin sorting, working around the room until the floor, table and shelf surfaces are clear. Then look at your furniture with a critical eye. Remove fussy fill-in pieces that serve no decorative or useful purpose. Keep pieces that you like, especially those that can be used for storage.

Once you know what you want to keep in the room, begin putting it back together. Don’t be afraid to move furniture or pictures, and remember Tip no. 1 – you just might find the perfect accent for this room in another. To see no-cost clutter clearing solutions in action, watch a few episodes of “Mission Organization” on HGTV.

In Decorating, a Little Can Go a Long Way…

Design Tip Number 3: Paint Your Way to High-Impact, Low-Cost Style
Decorators differ on many things but virtually all agree that a coat of paint is the fastest way to perk up lackluster style on a tight budget. A fresh coat of paint is just that – fresh. It covers smudges and wear to bring a sense of clean and new to a room. Updating walls takes just a few gallons of paint, and clever uses of color can tie a look together more effectively than hundreds spent on new furnishings.

If you like your existing wall color but still want something new, try painting one accent wall or sponge an accent color right over the existing paint on a wall or two. Check the “oops” bin at the paint store for great deals on accent wall paint – you might find the perfect color for just a few dollars.

In just a day’s work, painting a room or a few accent walls can wash away decades of drab, usually for less than $50. Need ideas? The designers on A&E’s “Sell This House” are masters of turning rooms around with bit of paint.

Design Tip Number 4: When in Doubt, Light it Up
Give an instant makeover to dark or dreary-feeling rooms with new or repurposed lighting. Regardless of color scheme and furnishings, most any room can be invitingly styled with proper lighting using a few tips from the pros.

In large bedroom and living areas, forego stark overhead lights that cast hard shadows and make rooms feel cramped and small. Instead place table, floor and small accent lamps in appropriate places to create a comfortable wash of soft light. You’ll find stylish yet inexpensive lamps in most home and department stores and even consignment shops – or shop your other rooms and storage nooks for no-cost finds.

Lighting curio cabinets, bookshelves and display cabinets also combats the shadows while highlighting interesting pieces and collections. Installing inexpensive under-cabinet accent lights and strip lighting couldn’t be easier with sleek new battery-operated and plug-in styles. These lights are ideal for lighting kitchen workspaces, too. See the many ways inexpensive lighting can be used as a decorative tool on “Sell This House.”

***
I hope some of these ideas help light that spark of inspiration (while keeping the wallet closed) for your upcoming home decorating projects. I’ll be working on our guest/room office this weekend – starting with the De-Clutter tip, then moving on to the Shop.. at Home tip. Happily, I painted just before school started — one down…

Please share any great ideas you have!

Now, I was both a Girl Scout and a member of a camping family, so I am all about S’mores – and I might even say, an afficionado. I’ve eaten my way through a forest of graham crackers (or the lazy alternative – Fudge Grahams), a river of chocolate and clouds of perfectly toasted (ok, sometimes singed) marshmallows – and the trend continues with my own daughter who loves them. But we don’t camp too often, nor do we have many cozy fires in Houston, so a gadget that successfully creates a microwave version, I admit, intrigues me.

Unfortunately, past microwave S’mores experiences have been, though comical, not terribly successful. Have you ever microwaved a marshmallow? They quickly expand to alarming proportions. Fun, yes. Conducive to successful microwave S’mores? Definitely no.

Brother to Mr. Potatohead? No. Smore's Maker? Yes.

So, along comes a bizarre device with… arms…  and, of all things, a water reservoir (are we to boil the marshmallow?). It reminds one of a distant cousin of Mr. Potatohead. But, humor and criticism aside, if smores are on your (or your kids’) list of must-have treats, the Microwave S’mores maker really works.

I mentioned earlier that marshmallows have rapid growth spurts in the microwave. The odd parts of this device combat this tendency and actually make microwaved S’mores work. The water creates moisture so the marshmallow doesn’t dry out and get rubbery and the arms actually keep them from over-expanding. 

This item definitely passed my test, so I ok’d it for the KidSmartLiving collection. If you have kids (or are still a kid yourself), and have a little extra storage space, it’s a fun and inexpensive addition to your kitchen treat makers.

Cheers!
Krista

Our Sensible Scents video takes a look at what you might want to look for, and some to avoid, when it comes to choosing kid-smart air fresheners for your busy family home.