We've shared our love for garbage bowls before, but that devotion may only be because we don't have this: a trash chute built right into the countertop! The idea behind a garbage bowl is to have somewhere to toss yours scraps while you're cooking, so how convenient to be able to just slide them into a hole and send them right into the trash or compost bucket below!

There's really no point to cleaning your place top to bottom right before guests arrive. If they're any fun at all, they're going to make a bit of a mess, right? But you want them to think your house is clean, even if you just shoved those yet-to-be-unpacked suitcases under the bed seconds before you opened the front door with a smile. This is how I clean my house in ten minutes or less.

You may not think you know Normann Copenhagen, but chances are you'd recognize a few of their classic pieces. (Remember this peeler? Or this tea egg? Or these fun beater whisks?) Fans of modern design also know that you can find Normann Copenhagen pieces at stores like Horne, Huset, and The Modern Shop, but the brand has its own online webshop as well where you can peruse and purchase the full beautiful line.

Dinner parties can be messy affairs: a wine glass topples over; a small plate of appetizers gets knocked off the coffee table; an enthusiastic guest bumps into the beverage cart. That's what happens sometimes when you gather a group of people together to enjoy some good food and wine. To minimize the stress (and your guest's embarrassment — because, let's face it, we've all been there) here's a handy tip: prep a cleaning kit beforehand to have at the ready for quick cleanups!

One reason many people shy away from copper cookware is the price but the other oft-cited reason is the maintenance. Copper pots will quickly lose their shine and if you care about such things, you would need a Downton Abbey-sized crew to keep things ship-shape. Me, I actually don't care for shiny copper and the few pieces I own have taken on a lovely, varied, matte patina. Still, they occasionally need a little cleaning up, so I was fascinated to read an article on the Kaufmann Mercantile website that recommends two very unexpected ingredients to clean copper. More

Q: Can I use oven cleaner on a stainless steel pot without damaging it? The bottom has some "burnt on" residue and a plain scrubbie pad has not made a dent. Any suggestions?

Sent by Barb

Q: I have an old dirty oven, but I don't like using harsh cleaning products and I don't feel like scrubbing on my knees all weekend! Can an oven without a self-cleaning function still clean itself, maybe by leaving it on 500 degrees for a day? Any advice would be appreciated!

Sent by Kate

I can't believe I'm going to admit this on the Internet and destroy my green cred, but here goes ... I use paper towels. Not a lot of them, and not every day, but enough to make me feel a bit uncool. More

Rachael Ray didn't invent it, but she did give a memorable name and widespread popularity to one of the kitchen tools I can't cook without: the garbage bowl. Let's take a moment to appreciate this humble workhorse of the kitchen.

I'm always so inspired by dream kitchens like this cottage kitchen in Maine or any one of these gorgeous, glamorous spaces. I appreciate the details, materials, the layout, all the finer things that make it special and swoon-worthy. But sometimes too much day dreaming can make me feel a little deflated when I walk into my thoroughly average and unspectacular rental kitchen. Has that ever happened to you? Most of us probably don't cook in our dream kitchen. Instead, we deal with our kitchens' quirks and inconveniences on a daily basis.

But your kitchen can still be a place that you love and cherish, a place you enjoy, not merely tolerate. These 10 small changes are easy upgrades, but they'll go a long way towards making you feel more organized and uplifted in your kitchen. More