Decorating Tips & DIY Tutorials

In 2013, Melissa started Polished Habitat to share her skill of mixing decor & organization to add style & function to everyday life at home.

Her work has been featured in print in Better Homes & Gardens and Room to Create Magazine, and online by HGTV, House Beautiful, Buzzfeed, & more.

In 2018 & 2019, Melissa was named as a Style Maker by Better Homes & Gardens. In 2019, she was also short-listed by the Amara Blog Awards for Interior Styling, International Division.

Need to reach Melissa?
Email: Melissa @ PolishedHabitat.com

The Prepared Home Book Launch!

BIG NEWS! It’s hard to believe this is real, but my book, The Prepared Home, can be ordered now! The book truly is a culmination of things I’ve learned in different parts of my life. Before I wrote about organizing and decorating, I worked as a project specialist for a hospital. Over the years, one of the projects I ... Read More about The Prepared Home Book Launch!

Where to Start with Big Organizing Projects

While I love solving issues around our house, I like helping others even more. In a recent newsletter, I asked readers to share the biggest struggles around their home. While all the responses were great, one of them instantly stood out because it was such a relatable question. It's something that I struggle with myself. ... Read More about Where to Start with Big Organizing Projects

7 Spice Storage Ideas

A couple of years ago, we switched from using a spice cabinet to storing spices in a kitchen drawer next to the stove. While having a spice drawer has been the perfect solution for us, I know it won't work in every kitchen space. I've seen some other spice storage ideas that provide easy access in a variety of kitchen ... Read More about 7 Spice Storage Ideas

Home Organization Products: The Best Storage Containers, Drawer Organizers, & More

Over the years, I've narrowed down the best home organization products through a lot of trial and error. Last month, I sent a box of clear drawer organizers back because I strayed from my favorites to see if something cheaper would work. Unfortunately, the less expensive versions were so thin and brittle that several were ... Read More about Home Organization Products: The Best Storage Containers, Drawer Organizers, & More

10 Things to Declutter Every Fall – Fall Clean Up Series

Adding a fall clean up routine to your year is a great way to get the house ready for the holidays with less stress! Spring cleaning gets all the attention, but I don’t know anyone that has time to declutter, organize, and deep clean their entire home each spring. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that ... Read More about 10 Things to Declutter Every Fall – Fall Clean Up Series

Tips for Falling Asleep

This post is sponsored by Natrol®, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. I’m the first to admit that I’m not a joy to be around the next day if I don’t get a good night’s sleep. Not getting enough sleep multiple nights in a row leads me to feeling physically ill and completely non-productive, so I have ... Read More about Tips for Falling Asleep

How to Prevent Clutter Before it Starts

In the past, I've written about different techniques for dealing with clutter in your home, like the root cause worksheet that helps things STAY decluttered. But there's actually a very important step before anything we've talked about before. Shopping. More specifically, our shopping habits have a huge impact on ... Read More about How to Prevent Clutter Before it Starts

How to Label Storage Bins On a Dollar Tree Budget

One of the most important, but often overlooked, parts of my home organization process is labeling your storage containers, bins, or totes. I talk about this step in every organizing project I do because it's the key to keeping things tidy long-term. In the past, I've shared my favorite labeling tutorials using my ... Read More about How to Label Storage Bins On a Dollar Tree Budget

Kitchen Deep Cleaning – Checklist & Tips

While things like the kitchen counters are cleaned daily, you won't regret doing occasional deeper cleans of your kitchen to keep it fresh and sparkling. I decided to create a checklist after seeing how dusty the light fixtures over our island had gotten. It's just not something in our normal line of vision while cleaning, ... Read More about Kitchen Deep Cleaning – Checklist & Tips

How to Store Candles

Candle storage has always been a bit of a problem in our homes. They're usually round, often breakable, and come in a wide range of sizes from tiny tealights to big tapers. Each of those characteristics presents a different storage challenge. For years, candles have been haphazardly placed all around the house wherever they ... Read More about How to Store Candles

How to Stock a Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer with a Pantry Staples List

While this year has been challenging for our family, friends, and most of the world, I try to remind myself regularly of the parts that have gone well. For Corey and I, our approach to dinner and food shopping has been totally transformed. The pantry, refrigerator, and freezer are stocked completely differently. We always ... Read More about How to Stock a Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer with a Pantry Staples List

How to Get Motivated to Clean

There's no question that 2020 has been a difficult year. It's solidified my core belief that your home should be a place that recharges you in every way. That means the decor should reflect your own unique style and the organization should make your life easier. But general tidiness has to come first. Clutter can counteract ... Read More about How to Get Motivated to Clean

7 Common Home Organizing Mistakes

As I've organized each room of the house, I've noticed certain characteristics of the containers and products that really work long-term compared to others the let us slip back into clutter. I now think through each of these previous mistakes before making any purchases so I can get it right the first time. ... Read More about 7 Common Home Organizing Mistakes

How to Organize Scarves

Fall and winter are right around the corner. For me, that means scarf season has arrived! This is the perfect time to look through your own scarf collection, donate any you don't need, and organize the rest. With every home having a different closet configuration, I thought it would be fun to show you a few clever ways to ... Read More about How to Organize Scarves

How to Organize a Bathroom Closet

Six years ago, I organized our bathroom closet and went bold with the paint. It worked well for us for the first several years. Here's a reminder of what it looked like then. With all home organization projects, a time comes that you realize your needs for a space have changed. If you don't adapt, things get messy. ... Read More about How to Organize a Bathroom Closet

Personalized Herb Planters with Cricut Maker Tutorial

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine. It's been a while since we've added a new humorous touch to our home, and this sure seems like the right season to add some joy! Every time I pay for fresh basil at the store, I remind myself that I should be growing it in the kitchen ... Read More about Personalized Herb Planters with Cricut Maker Tutorial

Game Closet Organization (Before & After)

Backyard Patio & Landscaping Before & After

Entryway Organization & Decor

Backyard Makeover – Before Photos & Plans

How to Customize a Wood Serving Tray with Cricut Joy

How to Save Time on Housekeeping – Yeedi K650 Tips

Invisible Floating Bookshelf – Small Space Storage

Cube Storage Ideas

Decluttering Closets & Cabinets – Ebook & Bundle Sale

New Year’s Letter Board Quotes

Buffalo Check Christmas Decor – Infusible Ink Coaster

How to Keep Rugs From Sliding

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