Table of contents for September 2021 in Real Simple

CARS. IN ALL MY YEARS of buying automobiles, I’ve never once gotten the salesperson to come down on the price. I’ve read articles about negotiating; I’ve watched YouTube videos in which former salespeople divulge their upselling tactics. All to little effect. In fact, I find the whole dealership thing so distasteful that I buy the most dependable cars I can find, then drive ’em for a decade or more. The first time I negotiated a car purchase—as a fresh-faced college graduate—I somehow managed to walk out having paid more than sticker price. My father laughed, then made sure to note it in his annual Christmas letter. Count me psyched about the trend toward dealerless car buying. I’m looking at you, Carvana and Cars.com. You get me. Ferrets. My kid is…

CUTE CARRYALL This bag keeps food cool in transit—and the pattern is easy to spot in a crowded office fridge. TO BUY: Lunch Satchel, $36; us.thesomewhereco.com. RINSE AND REPEAT Wash produce at the office sink using this mini colander that slips into a storage container. TO BUY: Mepal Ellipse Fruit & Veggie Pot, $22; didriks.com. 1 CLEAR WINNERS Ditch disposable straws for these bicolor glass beauties. The set comes with a brush for easy cleaning. TO BUY: Glass Straws, $25 for 6; store.moma.org. 2 FLAT PACK This slim, insulated bag easily fits inside most totes for a less cumbersome commute. TO BUY: Lunch Case, $34; us.thesomewhereco.com. 3 SPLIT DECISION Banish soggy salads with this leakproof jar, which has a separate container for dressing or crunchy toppings. TO BUY: Jar to…

Raise your hand if you’ve unearthed forgotten leftovers—like last month’s (or last year’s?!) moldy lasagna—from the back of the fridge. It’s estimated that an American family of four jettisons $1,800 worth of food annually. One way to actually eat all the good stuff is to change how you store things, says Joe Yonan, food and dining editor at the Washington Post and author of Cool Beans. “I put all our leftovers in glass jars or containers. I’m trying to avoid buying any new plastic, and glass is so easy to clean,” he says. “At a quick glance we know what’s inside, which means we’ll be more likely to use it.” Money saved and less food wasted? Win and win!…

BUDGETING Best for Answering “Where Does All My Money Go?” Qube Money WHAT IT IS: The app separates your money into “qubes,” digital versions of the paper envelopes used in the popular cash-envelope budgeting method. Create a qube for each category—food, travel, utilities—and fill it with the amount you plan to spend. Instead of doing the math in your head to figure out how much you have for takeout, just open the app and select the appropriate qube, and the funds will be transferred to the linked Qube Card. WHY WE LOVE IT: Clarity about your cash flow is “the foundation upon which your financial house is built,” says Manisha Thakor, a Smart Money Awards judge (see page 47 for more info on our experts). Beyond getting you to create…

SKIN Winky Lux Ombré Blush Compact Three shades—shimmery highlighter, satiny peach, and matte fruit punch—are in one spot. Apply separately or swirl together for golden-hour skin. TO BUY: $20; target.com. Uoma Beauty Say What?! Foundation This buildable matte base comes in 51 shades, and each has ingredients best suited for your tone. Fair hues pack microalgae to soothe redness; dark hues are spiked with tomato extract to boost luminosity. TO BUY: $39; walmart.com. L’Oréal Paris Bambi Oversized Mascara The eye-opening results rival those from a professional lash lift. The spiky, plastic brush stretches hairs for clump-free, doll-like lashes—yet the formula is a cinch to remove at the end of the day. TO BUY: $10; walgreens.com. Neutrogena Rapid Firming Peptide Contour Lift Cream This light cream boasts a derm-developed tiny firming…

THE TEARS WEREN’T spilling out of my eyes yet, but apparently I was displaying the glassy, far-off stare my family had come to call “Mommy’s about-to-cry face.” My husband, Steve, sitting across from me at our kitchen table, held his fork halfway to his mouth. My 16-year-old Olivia breathed, “Uh-oh, not again.” And their twin, Sophia, whose humor I count on to defuse many a mommy meltdown, pretended to hit Video on her phone and said dryly, “Hashtag family dinner, teeth-baring emoji.” Tonight’s trigger? Olivia wasn’t making eye contact with me. I was trying to connect, but they were looking at their sister while answering my open-ended questions. (I’d planned them!) I felt that familiar tingle of despair and thought, “Liz, don’t take it personally.” I reminded myself that, developmentally,…

WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA WITH CHARD AND PINE NUTS ACTIVE TIME 25 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 4 12 oz. whole-wheat spaghetti2 bunches Swiss chard3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for serving3 anchovy fillets3 cloves garlic, sliced¼ tsp. kosher salt, plus more for water½ cup toasted pine nuts or chopped toasted walnuts or almondsCrushed red pepper and flaky sea salt, for serving (optional) BRING a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, 9 to 10 minutes. Do not drain. (You should be able to complete next 2 steps before pasta is finished cooking.) WHILE water is coming to a boil, slice stems out of chard leaves and cut stems into 2-inch lengths. Chop leaves. HEAT oil in a large sauté pan over medium. Add…

ON THE WEB A Whole-House Decluttering Guide Ridding your home of junk calls for commitment, elbow grease—and our genius room-by-room organizing tips. Find all the motivation you need to wage a war on unwanted items at realsimple.com/clutterfree. IN THE KITCHEN Healthy Choices 24/7 Keep hunger—and hanger—at bay when you stock your pantry with the satisfying and nutritious options at realsimple.com/bettersnacks. BEHIND THE SCENES Luvvie Ajayi Jones @luvvie Daily uniform: A fedora, a graphic tee, and some joggers. Personal motto: Always underpromise and overdeliver. Describe your perfect day: One that involves nothing more than talking and laughing with my loved ones—preferably by a beach and under the sun. Read Luvvie’s essay about her name on page 28.…

Meet the Owner ERIN WHEELER While designing the guest room of her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, Erin knew what she was going for: the eclectic and layered coziness of a boutique hotel. The designer and stylist behind the website Sunny Circle Studio says her secret to success was letting herself have fun. She wanted the decor to make people smile; a unique wallpaper inspired by her love of vintage art does just that. Among the eye-catching patterns and textures are thoughtful touches—blackout curtains, plenty of hooks—to ensure guests enjoy their stay. Get the Look FOLLOW A FORMULA To achieve the quirky boutique aesthetic, Erin incorporated all her favorite design elements: blue hues, stripes, playful prints, midcentury pieces, and a vintage rug and portraits. The different pattern scales keep the…

WHEN YOU’RE FLAGGING, what you need is a quick fix—and not the triple-latte kind: Caffeine may disrupt your sleep and compound the problem. Instead, perk up on the double with these simple tricks. Shake up Your Routine If the part of our brain associated with motivation and pleasure (a.k.a. the nucleus accumbens) doesn’t get certain stimulation, the brain sends signals that cause drowsiness, according to a study in Nature Communications. That may explain why we feel tired when we’re bored. One way to fight that fatigue is to mix things up. “Rearrange the furniture. Sit somewhere different. Pour the milk into the bowl before your cereal,” suggests Alice Boyes, PhD, author of The Healthy Mind Toolkit. “Changing your routine in the tiniest ways can have an effect on sluggishness.” Bonus:…

A $5 COFFEE THAT LED ME TO MY HUSBAND In 2019, I was training for the New York City Marathon and stopped at Starbucks after my workout. It was there I met my now husband. A year and a half after that coffee, we’ve been through a pandemic, the death of both my parents, and a quickly planned microwedding. —Jessy Warner-Cohen, PhD, a psychologist in New York City An Old House My husband and I should not have bought an old house. We can’t be trusted with a screwdriver. Nevertheless, there she was: a 1930s Tudor, with a soaring ceiling in the living room and a basement full of mold. Taking care of this house is like playing Whac-A-Mole. Every time we get something fixed, something else starts leaking. But…

The White Shirt This is the one you’ll want to put on for work, weekends, and even fancy events. The one that looks polished yet laid-back, crisp but never see-through. Crafted from sturdy, very lightweight Supima cotton, this button-up is a year-round staple. The length is just right for layering the shirt under a sweater—or making it the main attraction. Menswear Shirt in Good Cotton, $275; theory.com. The Tall Boot Some boots are made for walking, whereas others seem to be made for pinched toes and buyer’s remorse. These classic genuine leather kicks belong firmly in the former category, thanks to a cushy padded insole that keeps your toes cradled and pain-free (even after hours of traipsing). Prepare to live in these from early fall through late spring. Gia Tall…

1 CHILL DOGGY If you’re heading out for a long walk, dunk this UPF 50 shirt in water and put it on your pup. As the water evaporates, it cools down your hot dog. TO BUY: Top Paw Cooling Sun Protection Tee, $13; petsmart.com. 2 SEAT MATE This grippy silicone tray clips to the passenger seat, creating a level surface that will keep a phone, bag, laptop, and even pizza box in place. TO BUY: Stupid Car Tray Elite, $45; stupidcartray.com. 3 BUZZ OFF, BUGS Take this rechargeable lantern to the park or your patio. It attracts flies and mosquitoes with UV light before zapping them with an electrical current, not chemicals. TO BUY: Personal Zapper, $30; skeeter-hawk.com. 4 SCHOOL TOOL Send your little one back to class with this…

BEST COLD BREW Rise Brewing Co. Original Black Nitro Cold Brew Coffee The added nitrogen creates froth at the top of the can or glass—far more than any other nitro option we tried. Made with organic coffee beans, it’s mellow and bright, naturally creamy, and just the right amount of bitter (even without sweeteners). In fact, it’s pure coffee—two cups in one can! TO BUY: $3 for 7 oz.; at grocery stores. BEST PLANT-BASED Califia Farms XX Espresso Nitro Draft Latte With Oatmilk This nondairy pick has a subtle oat flavor and a delightfully luscious texture. TO BUY: $3 for 7.5 oz.; at grocery stores. BEST MOCHA LATTE High Brew Coffee Dark Chocolate Mocha The classic duo—coffee and chocolate—pair up for a sip that’s sweet enough to be decadent but…

Rest your eyes on the petals. Inhale and imagine holding the flower in your hand. Is it sun-kissed and warm? Or cool like grass on a late summer evening? As you exhale, follow the natural path of your gaze. Where are the colors the brightest? The deepest? Allow any worry or stress to dissipate as you visualize the seed that bloomed into this wondrous flower. Like the blossom, you have the ability to root and thrive, to anchor and release. How do you want to grow this season? What seeds can you plant now? Inhale and consider the possibilities. —From MyLife, a personalized mindfulness app…