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Emily Fazio

Home Improvement & DIY Specialist

Emily Fazio is a Home Improvement and DIY Specialist and the author behind Merrypad, a home improvement and DIY lifestyle blog. Emily develops content for Discovery including HGTV.com and DIYNetwork.com, among other influential interior design and homesteading websites. Her partnerships include companies such as Legrand, Sherwin-Williams, Stihl, and Kohler. Emily studied at St. Bonaventure University.

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Forum Comments (3)

Need Help Maximizing Space in a Small Apartment
In my experience, intentionally choosing multifunctional furniture, organizing closets, and organizing kitchen cabinets really makes a big difference in giving you more space.

Cabinets and closets are a great place to use inserts and racks to maximize upper and lower spaces. In kitchen cabinets or linen closets, you can store off-season items like holiday decor or wardrobe pieces that you don’t need to reach regularly. Under-bed storage is also great. There are thin, narrow storage containers you can use. If you have a lot of stuff, vacuum-seal bags can help compress it down.
What's the best way to clean walls?
Always clean walls from top to bottom. Start by dusting, then wipe them down with warm, soapy water. I usually fill a bowl with dish soap and water to get it nice and sudsy.

Work in broad strokes and clean entire wall sections from edge to edge—don’t just clean small patches, or it’ll look uneven. Doing full sections helps avoid smudges and streaks.

Know that high-traffic areas like hallways or kitchens might need cleaning a few times a year, while bedrooms might only need it once annually. If you have pets or kids, more frequent cleaning is usually necessary. It depends on how much traffic the wall gets.
Best ways to safely clean wood furniture?
If the furniture is finished or polished, a soft, dry cloth and furniture polish are ideal. If it’s unfinished, regular dusting is the best option. Once unfinished wood gets stained, it’s very hard to clean since it absorbs liquid quickly.

Co-authored Articles (8)

DIY Guide to Hanging Window Boxes on Your Home's Exterior

Learn steps for installing a window box on regular or vinyl sidingWindow boxes are a beautiful way to add color and style to your home’s exterior. They are very versatile, as you can choose any color and plant that you...

How to

Level a Door

An uneven door can be unsightly and annoying, especially if it keeps catching and sticking to the door frame. Luckily, there are a few ways you can fix the issue and make your door level again. If the door itself is unev...

How to

Hang a Door

Hanging a new door in a door frame seems like a simple task, but doing it incorrectly can result in uneven gaps in the spaces around the door, or worse, a door that won't even latch. Following these steps will help you t...

How to

Install a Flat Panel TV on a Wall With No Wires Showing

Mounting a TV on your wall allows you to watch it comfortably without using an entertainment center, but the cables may look messy when they hang down. While it’s against electrical code to run your TV’s power cable ...

How to

Hang a TV on a Plaster Wall

Mount a TV like a pro with this easy guide Plaster is a very durable way to cover walls, but its strength is also a downside when you’re hanging things around your home. A heavy object like a TV has to be anchored to t...

How to

Recaulk Kitchen Counter Where It Meets the Backsplash

If the caulk where your kitchen counter and backsplash meet has worn away over time, it may be time to recaulk the area. Fortunately, this is a simple project you can do yourself. To help you out, we'll walk you through ...

How to

Remove Caulk

When caulk has lost its effectiveness, it needs to be replaced. Before you can apply new caulk, though, you'll need to remove the old stuff. Some of the principles used in removing caulk can also be used to remove caulk ...

How to

Eliminate Dog Smell

Having dogs in the house can be such a delight. They provide companionship and love, but they can also stink up your house if you’re not careful. In order to get rid of the dog smell in your house, you’ll need to tar...