Blog Posts by Real Simple Magazine

James BaigrieTurn old jump rope, dish towels, newspaper, and more into great gift packaging

Wrap Wine Bottles with Dish Towels
Original Purpose: Drying dishes.
Aha! Use: Transforming a bottle of wine into a gift. Reality check: A crinkly Mylar bag makes a wine bottle look like it came from outer space, not from the heart. By wrapping a bottle in an attractive dish towel (or linen napkin, fabric remnant, or piece of craft-store felt) tied with a nice length of ribbon, you can turn the perfunctory hostess gift into a proper holiday -- or any-day -- present.
How to Do It: Place the bottle along one side of the fabric so that the bottle's top meets the top of the fabric. Fold up excess material at the bottom over the bottle, forming a pocket of sorts. Then roll it evenly and secure at the neck with ribbon.
Reward: Good taste and tastes good.

Tie Up Kids' Presents with Jump Rope
Original Purpose: Playing double Dutch.
Aha! Use: Tying up a child's present. Jump-start a trend in the

James BaigrieWhen you turn 40, lose a beloved pet, or show up for your first day of work, it helps to have some coping mechanisms

How to Handle a Milestone Birthday
Mark Twain once said that wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. So instead of seeing a plastic surgeon for a round-number birthday, why not celebrate your smiles? Party planner Colin Cowie likes to mark milestones with rituals. "They focus energy on the person being celebrated," he says. "At a friend's 40th birthday, I asked each guest to write a birthday wish on a piece of silk, then tied the pieces together and draped the knotted garland through the branches of a tree," under which everyone ate dinner. He has also asked guests to write wishes on cards, then placed the cards in a beautiful box for the host. If the above sounds too festive for your mood, Kansas City, Missouri, psychoanalyst Marilyn Metzl says to "go someplace special that you've always wanted to visit." Patty Marx, author of You Know You're 40

Manfred Koh How to Choose: Look for kale with richly colored, dark green frilly leaves that have a little spring to them. Avoid those that are yellowing or wilted, a sign of age.

How to Store: Keep kale unwashed (moisture speeds decay) in a plastic bag in the coldest section of the refrigerator, which is usually in the back.

Shelf Life: Because kale contains a lot of water, it doesn't last long once it has been bought. Use it within 1 to 3 days of purchase for the tastiest results. Kale that has been sitting around can develop a strong bitter flavor.

Best Uses: Kale has a slight cabbagey taste but none of the bitterness of some other greens, like broccoli rabe. Remove the leaves from the tough center stalk before sautéing or adding them to salads. Try adding 2 cups chopped leaves to a pot of soup. Simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Kale is also a good substitute for spinach.

Learn How to Protect Your Produce at Real Simple.

Manfred Koh How to Choose: A variety of cabbage, collard greens

Greg ClarkeSpend? Save? Invest? Financial advisers give their two cents on 18 common (but vexing) money dilemmas

Setting Up Your Financial Planning Team

Use a financial planner or organize and plan your finances yourself?

What to Do: Get help from a pro. Financial planners can help you organize your current finances and conceive a long-term plan to meet your goals (like upgrading your home or securing a target retirement income). Even if you understand personal finance, it's hard to be objective about your own spending and savings patterns. Ask a friend who has had success with a planner for a referral, or visit the site of the Financial Planning Association (www.fpanet.org).

Hire an accountant to do your taxes or prepare your own tax return?

What to Do: If they are straightforward, do your own taxes. If you're a salaried employee with regular deductions, interest, and dividends to report, say, you can get by without using an accountant. Software programs like TurboTax ($10 to

Bob Hiemstra Imagine a world where your clothes are always just where they're supposed to be, nothing gets lost, and you always find something to wear. Feels great, doesn't it?

First, you winnow your wardrobe to a manageable minimum; then you install a system of rods, shelves, and drawers so intelligently planned that it's almost impossible to put anything back in the wrong place.

This system was designed for a typical closet -- two feet deep by six feet wide by eight feet high.

For $135, you can put together a group of inexpensive storage pieces that produce a quickly assembled, serviceable space. For around $325, you can have a sturdy wire-grid system that gives you more durability and flexibility and more features. (The catch: You have to spend a day installing it yourself.) And for $600 to $1,000, you can have almost anything you want. You'll get more rod space, shelves where you need them, a no-clutter system of shoe storage.

Don't you feel better already?

See Real Simple's

Lucas AllenIngenious toys and gadgets for children of all ages

Trumpette Baby Moccasins, $38
Baby gets her shine on with these adorable leather shoes that come in three sizes, up to 24 months. Also in silver.
whotelsthestore.com

Sami Flip-a-Face Puzzle, $20
Toddlers can create their own creatures by mixing up the snouts on this cute wooden toy. Each animal face hides a different one underneath.
fao.com

Funslides Face-Off Frenzy Powerband Hockey, $50
Turn the living room into an arcade with this "air hockey" rink (essentially a bottom-less frame that can expand to 34 by 64 inches). The puck slides on any surface -- even carpeting. Game on!
funslides.com

See 7 Priceless Presents at Real Simple.

Lucas AllenShown from top:

Sukie Iron-On Craft Pad, $13
Spruce up a plain white T-shirt with one of 30 retro transfers from British design studio Sukie. (Machine washable and dryer-safe.)
amazon.com

Suck UK Cardboard Classic iPod Speaker, $40
For

Time Inc. StudiosHere's the best way to store your fine china and silverware so that it's protected -- and ready to use as soon as you need it.

What You Need: China, a quilted dinnerware storage set, acid-free tissue paper, bubble wrap, silverware, white chalk, cheesecloth, resealable plastic storage bags

Follow These Two Easy Steps

1. Protect china in quilted packs

Choose quilted dishware packs that match the size of your china pieces. Before placing your china in the appropriate pack, wrap each piece in acid-free tissue paper. Place a layer of bubble wrap between each piece. Fill quilted pack to the top, then zip and store.

Aha! Acid-free tissue paper prevents discoloration.

Tip: If you don't have a quilted dishware set, a corrugated cardboard box works well.

Learn How to Set a Formal Table at Real Simple.

Time Inc. Studios2. Store silver to prevent tarnish and scratches

Roll each piece of silver in acid-free tissue paper or unbleached cotton muslin (found at fabric stores). Be sure

Maura McEvoyWith great ease, you can transform packaged pastry dough into playful yet sophisticated desserts

You may not be serving Grandma's recipes at your gathering, but your invitation can still convey old-fashioned charm. To make the one pictured above, download the template and print it on standard card stock (shown: Solid Collection 8 1/2-by-11-inch sheets in Kraft, 25 cents each, www.papercompany.com). Punch a hole in the upper-left-hand corner and tie a knot using bakers' twine or kitchen string.

Buying Supplies for Your Dessert Buffet

Party by Numbers

Aim for these quantities if you would like to send guests home with leftover pastries.

For eight people: 80 pastries, 4 bottles of wine, 2 pots of coffee
For 16 people: 160 pastries, 8 bottles of wine, 3 pots of coffee
For 24 people: 240 pastries, 12 bottles of wine, 5 pots of coffee

At Your Service

It's entirely acceptable to set out a mishmash of dishes, alternating styles as you stack them. If you don't own