Articles by Shana Levy McCracken

Nobody wants to waste food, but most of us do it — in fact, quite a lot. The average American wastes 20 pounds of food per month, according to the United Nations. If you’re like me, you’d like to get that number down. But how? There are actually quite…

This time of year, giving and receiving gifts can feel like a burden rather than the joy they are intended to be. A generic gift exchange can feel so hollow, especially for those of us who would like to carry our earth-conscious practices from the re…

Summertime is the season of visits and visitors. We can all make a guest room look cute, but will your guests truly be comfortable in it? The only way to be sure is to stay there yourself.

Summertime is the season of visits and visitors. We can all make a guest room look cute, but will your guests truly be comfortable in it? The only way to be sure is to stay there yourself.

I attended my first estate sale when I was about 7 years old. Our elderly neighbor had passed away, and, peering out the window, I spied the tables set out in her front yard. Intrigued, I set out with a handful of coins and was delighted by the treasu…

Growing up with a single mom and no other family nearby, I felt pretty rootless as a kid. My mother has often recounted the story of the elementary school psychologist who showed her a picture I drew of myself with very large, dark feet. The psycholog…