
In the latest issue of Real Simple, I spotted an article that was absolutely perfect for this month's theme of
Small Changes. "Ready, Set, Redecorate" shows how several families, with the help of redecorators, were able to reimagine their homes by simply rearranging their furnishings. That's right — not a vase, lamp, or frame was added from outside sources.

Between shooting films, spending time with her beautiful daughter
Ramona, and looking lovely at the
The Met's Costume Institute Gala, you'd think that Maggie Gyllenhaal would have her hands full. However, she still has time to give back to the city of New York: Maggie's teamed up with
Real Simple and
Design on a Dime for the fourth-annual Design on a Dime charity event, which will benefit
Housing Works in New York.
Taking place from Thursday, May 8, through Saturday, May 10, at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City, the Design on a Dime Benefit will feature designers such as Casa favorites
Charlotte Moss and
Jamie Drake

Dusting: a simple, crucial, and often overlooked task of housekeeping. No pointing fingers here, but you may have noticed that letting dust accumulate amounts to a heavy-duty grime job that's not good for your house or your immune system. What you might not know is that new houses are more likely to acquire dust quickly because they don't have the air circulation that older, draftier homes do.

I just came across a Real Simple tip that is arguably the simplest way to
renew your cramped closet, and I felt obliged to share. Hang a second rod below the existing rod to store short clothing items like scarves, pants, tops, and sexy minis. You don't need a handyman for this installation; you can buy an extendable rod with rubber stopper ends to fit your space perfectly.

Plastic bags: It's hard to escape them. Even though I bring cloth bags almost everywhere, I still have a collection of plastic grocery and department store bags. At Casa, I've told you how to
make a cool bag out of plastic bags and I've also given you tips on
what can and can't be recycled.