Real Simple April 2023

WHY ARE YOU SO AWESOME? The question popped into my head as I read the reader responses for this issue’s installment of Your Words (page 12). When Hannah Dorough—she’s the editor who gathers your quotes from email and Instagram—sent the column my way, I was floored. We asked you what you’re doing to live more sustainably, and the answers flooded in, as varied as switching to reusable kitchen towels, capturing shower water for plants, and vacationing without a car. We got so many answers, in fact, that Hannah created a whole presentation to lobby for an extra page to fit more of them into the magazine! (Hannah’s pretty awesome too.) All this is to say that we know you’re already doing it: You’re taking steps small and large to conduct yourself…

Jennifer King Lindley WRITER Overwhelmed by news of climate change? Jennifer dug up tips to help us all cope. (Flip to page 57.) How do you unwind? By talking to my identical twin. We totally get each other. (No, we never switched places in school.) Favorite item at home: An oil painting of a racehorse named Nightlight. It used to hang in the Ritz-Carlton hotel bar in Boston. I imagine the stories it could tell! A (good or bad) dream you’ve had recently: I have a recurring nightmare that all my teeth are falling out and I’m frantically shoving them back in. Chelsea Kyle PHOTOGRAPHER Chelsea shot our awesome cover and the graphic pics in the eco-friendly cleaning story on page 94. Where is your happy place? Anywhere outdoors—and ideally during sweater weather. The best vacation you’ve ever taken: I got to fly in a…

ON THE WEB 11 Little Changes for a Greener Home Trying to treat the earth better? We support that! Learn easy things you can do to green up your routine at realsimple.com/goinggreen. IN YOUR KITCHEN 8 Recipes for a Super-Special Easter Brunch No matter who’s on the guest list, we’ve got menu ideas to please every bunny, er, body. Hop over to realsimple.com/easterbrunch to check them out. IN YOUR CLOSET 7 Sustainable Clothing Brands for Your Next Workout Crush this weekend’s run with an outfit that helps you look good and feel great about the impact you’re making on the planet. Go to realsimple.com/workout and shop our favorite eco-friendly activewear brands. IN YOUR WALLET Smart Savings REAL SIMPLE readers can score 15 percent off the multitasking brow serum from our road test on page 30! Enter REALSIMPLE23 at checkout on grandecosmetics.com.…

We’ve been going vegetarian four days a week. It’s so fun trying new recipes and seeing how satisfying meatless meals can be. @BABSTURNER87 Shampoo bars! No more plastic bottles feels so good. @WHISKEYANDWALKTHROUGHS My partner and I took a vacation without a car. We brought our bicycles onto the train and rode or walked everywhere for four days. @ALLYSONK51 Ditching paper towels. I got $15 worth of cloth towels from the dollar store and put them in a cute basket on my counter. I only use the paper stuff for oily spills. I’ve had the same roll under my sink for eight months now! @GLOBALJOJO I started saving all my vegetable scraps in a freezer bag. Once it’s full, I make veggie broth. @KRISTINDAFFERNER When I’m waiting for my shower to heat up, I capture the water in a bucket.…

FOR SELF-CARE, HOME CARE & ALL YOUR OTHER CARES Furniture ROOM & BOARD The company’s Urban Wood Project upcycles materials salvaged from buildings slated for demolition, storm-damaged trees, and more. The result? Cool, almost bespoke industrial pieces. Room & Board is also working toward going entirely electric and using only sustainably sourced wood. ROVE CONCEPTS Head here for modern pieces made with modern practices. Many Rove items are crafted from FSC-certified wood (harvested responsibly, with limited environmental impact) and fabrics like vegan suede, which is 50 percent recycled polyester. INSIDE WEATHER These midcentury modernish pieces are all sorts of good. They feature FSC-certified wood, Oeko-Tex (i.e., nontoxic) fabric, and stuffing made of recycled plastic bottles. One sofa repurposes about 200! FLOYD In 2021, Floyd launched the online resale shop Full Cycle. There, you can score preloved but well-maintained pieces…

With better weather in sight, it’s time to think about zhuzhing up your backyard. Take a cue from Memphis-based interior designer David Quarles IV (@david.quarlesiv). His amazing deck is featured in Embrace Your Space, a new book filled with organizing ideas and stylish upgrades by REAL SIMPLE associate editorial director Katie Holdefehr. David added weatherproof textiles (rug, pillows, and cushions), brought in ambience with rattan pendants (use battery-powered puck lights for a wire-free fix), and finished things off with plenty of potted plants. Swoon. ON TREND Fluted Furniture Because everything’s better with ridges. (Just ask a potato chip fan.) Milly Bed, $1,742; joybird.com Sculptural Fluted End Table, $499; eq3.com Harper Sideboard, $1,199; castlery.com Fayette Fluted Bar Cabinet, $1,599; crateandbarrel.com Roth Ottoman, $450; mcgeeandco.com WHICH IS BETTER? H2Woes Going green isn’t always black and white. We tapped Veronica…