Blog Posts by Good Housekeeping

A closet filled with tangled tops and mismatched shoes is tough to navigate in the morning. If you're tired of the hassle and disorder, put a stop to it with these easy habits.

• Where to begin: Hold your own once-a-year fashion show. Empty the closet, then try on each garment in front of a full-length mirror. Does it fit? With what outfits and on what occasions will you wear it? Does it need mending? Will you ever be able to get out that ink stain? Separate pieces into four piles: keep, mend, donate, throw away. Follow the same steps for shoes. Now you can start organizing the keepers, eking out extra space with over-the-door storage and hanging shelves.
  
  Discover 25 Ways to Clean Out the Clutter
  
  

• Toss mismatched hangers: Their irregular shapes take up more space, and the wire ones that dry cleaners use are hard on your clothes. Try a coordinated set, like the Huggable Hangers ($14 for 12, HSN; hsn.com).

• Keep your clothes stored by outfit: For example, store

Problem: You love your clothes, but they just don't last long enough. Yes, you love to shop for new clothing, but you'd also love to keep your favorite frocks looking their best, for as long as possible. We have the fixes for your biggest clothing problems.

The Problem: Dingy Whites
Believe it or not, many mixed-color garments, like white sport socks with blue trim, can be whitened safely by using chlorine bleach. Follow label directions, spot-testing the bleach first, then add just the recommended amount. Don't use chlorine bleach on any item whose label clearly cautions against it.

Learn how to remove stains from anything using bleach

The Problem: Faded Blacks
Just as whites don't stay white, black clothing often fades to, well, off-black. This happens because the excess dye that's put on when the fabric is made so it looks really black in the store wears off quickly. Add to that a trace amount of chlorine in wash water and soon you're seeing gray. While there's no fix-it once

Delicious spring vegetables are now available at your local farmers' market and grocery store. But how on earth do you get the kids to enjoy them too? Roast them - it's that simple,

Sharing that tip is one way of contributing to the Let's Move campaign launched by Michelle Obama and the White House. The campaign's mission is to make school lunch choices healthier and to make fresh, healthy food more affordable and accessible. Helping kids get healthy and be fit is an issue about which I care deeply. It was championed by Good Housekeeping in our March issue, in which we offer delicious, healthy roasting recipes for readers and their families.

This effortless technique makes vegetables as sweet as candy and creates a crust as crisp as fries. My daughters love the crunchy edges and juicy centers of roasted Brussels sprouts, so I made a big batch, tossed with grapes and olive oil and simply seasoned with salt and pepper, for a play date. The kids gobbled them up. When my brother-in-law

Craving a midday snack but not the extra calories? Opt for one of these satisfying 100-calorie snacks and you'll be thrilled with your decision.

Sweet Treats

• 1 Whole Foods Market Two-Bite Brownie
• 1 Healthy Choice Mocha Fudge Swirl Bar
• 1 pouch Keebler Sandies Right Bites Shortbread Cookies
• 1/2 cup Sharon's Lemon Sorbet with 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 Skinny Cow Fat Free Fudge Bar
• 1 Nestlé Butterfinger Stixx
• 12 chocolate or vanilla Miss Meringue Minis
• 5 Nabisco Nilla Wafers
• 3 Country Choice Certified Organic Ginger Snaps
• 1 Deep Chocolate Vitamuffin Vitatop
• 1 Blue Bunny FrozFruit Chunky Mango Cream Bar
• 1 pouch O'Coco's Organic Chocolate Crisps

Fruits & Veggies

• 2 cups raspberries
• 1 cup mango chunks
• 28 grapes
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/2 medium cantaloupe
• 15 strawberries dipped in 1/4 cup Cool Whip Lite
• 1/2 small apple with 2 teaspoons peanut butter
• 45 steamed edamame

Summer vacation is just around the corner, and just because times have been tough doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself and your family of a fun vacation. With a little planning you can enjoy a great getaway without forfeiting the college savings fund.

Time it right
Try surfing the Web for wallet-friendly airfares Mondays (after 3 p.m. ET) through Wednesday nights, says Rick Seaney, CEO of farecompare.com. That's the window airlines have been using lately to clear out their extra seats. They usually post fare increases on Thursdays, which competitors match on Fridays through Sundays, so even though the weekend is your most convenient time to hunt for bargains, it's when you'll find the fewest.

Find the best destination for a family vacation

Find secret sales
Try the airline equivalent of a private sale by signing up with airfarewatchdog.com. It can help you find the best-kept secrets in air travel: "promo code fares," offered by individual airlines for select dates and routes.

It's easy to add springtime cheer to your Easter table! We'll show you how to make the perfect centerpiece or display colorful eggs with these DIY ideas. You can also find 4 more clever craft ideas and our most popular Easter dinner recipes and spring desserts here.


Extra Speckle Here's a spot-on Easter decorating idea: Showcase DIY speckled eggs in a nest of wheatgrass. First, dye hard-cooked eggs in pastel shades. Then make flecks: Dilute brown acrylic paint with water until it's the consistency of cream. Dip an old toothbrush into the paint and, with the brush a few inches from the egg, run your finger across the bristles, splattering paint onto the shell (lay egg horizontally, splatter, let dry, rotate, and repeat). To arrange, turn over a ceramic bowl; place a terra-cotta pot base on top. Pile up eggs; tucking in cut wheatgrass to make a nest. But note: These eggs are adorable, not edible.

Get Recipes for Sweet Springtime Desserts



Hop to It Easter treats are in the bag,

While you shouldn't micromanage your child's social life and friendships, there's one time, however, when you absolutely need to intervene: if you're concerned for your kid's physical or mental safety. Jodi Campbell, supervisor of public education at the mental health organization KidsPeace, worked with a couple whose 13-year-old son was having trouble sleeping. With a little prodding, they found out that a former friend not only had "dumped" their son, but also was encouraging others to bully him at school. Fortunately, the situation was resolved when the parents contacted the school.

If it's not an in-school issue, don't automatically call the other parents, says Campbell. "Regardless of where the problem happens, a guidance counselor is a good first resource," she says. "The school will tell you what they can and cannot do to help, and can often make very good suggestions." Other options include pediatricians, ministers or rabbis, therapists who specialize in adolescents, and

I was appalled to see that in the last two weeks, four recalls have been issued by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) on children's hooded sweatshirts from four different manufacturers because they didn't comply with the CPSC guidelines. (Related: Stay up-to-date with the latest recalls) The reason this is so upsetting to me is that these guidelines were issued way back in 1996! Certain states have even made it illegal to sell kids' jackets, sweaters, and coats that have drawstrings. The fact that the recalled products come from small companies is simply no excuse. Any manufacturer that's making and selling items to the public, and let's face it, particularly for kids, should know and follow the industry standards that were put in place to keep us all safe. (Related: Children's products recalled because they contain lead) Too many times in the apparel business, I've seen manufacturers ignore the guidelines either because they didn't know they existed or because they got in