Lauren Gould

No Particular Order is offering 28% off a birthday bundle through 16 August to mark founder Margot Lee’s 28th birthday. The bundle includes a guided journal, Everything Birthday Card, Acquaintance Cards and a travel diary. The writer recommends the brand’s products for screen-free reflection, dating and travel, drawing on personal use of its Volume One Journal, Acquaintance Cards and Off the Grid Travel Journal.

A paper daily planner from Papier has helped the writer manage detailed tasks, deadlines and appointments alongside Google Calendar, which remains useful for broader scheduling. The planner divides each day into timed scheduling slots, priorities and a longer to-do list, creating a low-screen, calming organizational ritual. The writer also recommends Papier’s academic planner and reading journal, and Sakura gel pens, while noting that Papier’s financial planner may be the next step in an ongoing effort to improve personal finances.

Five elementary school teachers recommend screen-free activities designed to compete with the creativity, agency and immersion children find in digital entertainment. Suggestions include classic strategy games such as Uno, Battleship and Ticket to Ride; construction and fine-motor activities using Unifix cubes, magnetic tiles and puzzles; homemade escape rooms and STEM challenges; and outdoor games built with pool noodles and sidewalk chalk. The teachers emphasize child ownership and interactive play, while Epic! is offered as a more constructive screen-based option for children who still insist on using devices.

A writer recounts wearing Salomon XT-Whisper sneakers during a two-week trip to Tokyo and Kyoto, averaging about 19,000 steps a day. The shoes prevented blisters and aches, provided useful grip and breathable comfort, and complemented six different outfits across flights, shopping, dining, cafés, hiking and sightseeing. Minor drawbacks included a broken lace, nonmatching replacement laces and a lack of waterproofing, but thicker socks kept the writer’s feet dry in the rain.

Six children aged nine to 12, along with several younger children, describe the items they want for the new school year. Their choices include sour and spicy snacks, personalized and mechanical pencils, sports shoes and jerseys, squishy toys, matching supplies, plain clothing, fuzzy notebooks, character stickers, backpacks, lip gloss, keychains, and Five Nights at Freddy’s lunch and water bottles. The list reflects Gen Alpha preferences for comfort items, collectibles, recognizable characters, practical school gear and fashion trends.

Air fryers can help keep homes cooler in summer while handling far more than french fries. Samantha Erb and Niki Webster recommend using them for corn, roasted tomatoes, complete meals such as curries and chicken fajitas, and desserts including brownies, fried Oreos and cookies. Liquid-based dishes require a solid, leakproof cooking base, and adding oil helps prevent dry food. The article also highlights Drexel Food Lab testing, recommends several olive oils, and promotes the Our Place Wonder Oven Pro during Nordstrom’s anniversary sale.

Christmas in July has become a popular but unofficial American summer tradition, with festivals, themed parties, holiday movie marathons and early gift shopping taking place across the country. The tradition is traced to a 1933 summer camp celebration in North Carolina and later became connected to advertising, military gift planning and retail promotions. While commerce and inflation-related shopping pressures have helped sustain it, participants and cultural historians also describe the holiday as a whimsical way to break up the slow, hot weeks of summer.

Early July retail promotions are presented as a useful opportunity to buy holiday gifts before the busy season and potentially reduce financial pressure. The Guardian’s Filter editors selected 12 products they had tested or previously recommended, including winter clothing, electronics, travel accessories, home appliances and holiday décor, and checked price histories to distinguish genuine discounts from misleading markdowns. Deals include discounts of up to roughly 50% or more, although availability is generally limited to late July.

Nordstrom’s anniversary sale runs through 9 August and discounts more than 18,000 clothing and accessory items. The guide selects 17 fashion deals recommended by the writer, stylists and other experts, covering tops, jackets, denim, socks, leggings, shoes, sunglasses and travel accessories. Standout recommendations include the Reformation Hudson Knit Tank, Aligne Mavis Reversible Jacket, Good American straight-leg jeans, Birkenstock studded sandals, ASICS Novablast 5 running shoes and Bonobos’ Oxford shirt, with discounts ranging from roughly 13% to 50%.

Scorching temperatures and wildfire smoke are keeping people indoors, prompting recommendations for seven screen-free activities that range from board games and puzzles to guided journaling, indoor grilling, resistance band workouts, watercolor painting and using a top-rated e-reader. The selections are drawn from expert-tested reviews emphasizing quality, creativity and ease of use, offering engaging alternatives to screen time during extreme summer weather.

Piecework’s eclectic summer-themed jigsaw puzzles, now discounted, highlight the rising popularity of “grandma hobbies” among younger generations. The company’s founders emphasize design-forward puzzles and have expanded the brand through collaborations and a recent acquisition of Areaware. Personal reflections underscore puzzles’ appeal as calming, offline activities, while several featured designs illustrate the brand’s growing cultural presence.

Expert guidance highlights the importance of cleaning surfaces before disinfecting to ensure effectiveness, choosing products that match pathogen classifications, and applying disinfectants daily during illness. Proper dilution, dwell times, and consistent use help prevent flu transmission, with recommendations for specific cleaners and tools that balance potency and surface sensitivity.

Strength training after age 40 can counter age-related muscle loss and improve overall health, with experts emphasizing simple equipment, compound exercises and bodyweight movements. Trainers recommend resistance bands, dumbbells and cooling tools, along with modifications for mobility issues. Managing perimenopause symptoms through hydration, breathable clothing and cooling towels helps maintain consistency. Recovery practices such as controlled breathing, yoga, adequate sleep and Epsom salt baths support hormonal changes and reduce stress.

A runner training for a summer half-marathon highlights nine essential items that improve comfort and hydration in hot weather, including breathable clothing, supportive footwear, electrolyte mixes, and sunscreen. The recommendations emphasize sweat‑wicking fabrics, durable construction, reliable tracking features, and convenient hydration solutions. Several products are praised for enhancing performance, reducing discomfort, and maintaining skin health during long, hot runs.

A curated selection of customized wedding gifts offers couples memorable and practical keepsakes, ranging from monogrammed towels and engraved knives to personalized puzzles, illustrations and travel accessories. Contributors highlight items that balance sentiment and utility, emphasizing customization as a way to make gifts stand out among traditional wedding presents.

Three popular clothing rental subscriptions were tested for everyday wear and special events, revealing major differences in selection quality, fit, and customer service. Armoire was the least recommended due to dated styles, website glitches, and a stressful return dispute. Rent the Runway performed well for event-focused outfits and offered high-quality, clean garments despite some odor and minor wear issues. Nuuly ranked highest thanks to its broad range of trendy styles, well-maintained items, and easy return process, making it the most versatile and user-friendly option.

A Taylor Swift appearance wearing a royal blue “Stevie Knicks” T‑shirt sparked demand for New York Knicks–themed merchandise during the 2026 NBA Finals. While online marketplaces offer similar versions, shipping delays may limit options before the next game. A stylist recommends local print shops or custom services for quick replicas, and DIY approaches using basic supplies provide alternatives. Secondhand platforms offer unique apparel but may not arrive in time. Spurs fans are encouraged to adapt their team colors with simple clothing options.

Recommendations for improving cats’ wellbeing include walking them on a leash, enriching indoor environments with puzzles and enclosures, and protecting home furniture with appropriate accessories. Additional sections offer curated picks for travel gear, non-alcoholic beer testing, seat cushions, skincare products, and fitness tools, drawing on contributors’ testing and expert advice.

Stylist Liz Teich outlines effective methods for removing a range of stains from white clothing, highlighting the advantage that undyed fabrics offer when using strong stain removers. She recommends specific products for different stain types, including gel removers, dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, micellar water and carpet spray, emphasizing cold washing and avoiding heat to prevent stains from setting. For garments that cannot be salvaged, she suggests dyeing them to extend their life. The guidance also includes maintaining fabric brightness and handling stains on furniture and accessories.

Six tested products are recommended to ease back and muscle pain, including a neck wedge, slip‑on shoes, a memory‑foam seat cushion, a stable lap desk, a massage gun and a heating pad. Contributors describe how each item provided comfort or reduced strain during daily activities or injury recovery, highlighting affordability, ease of use and practical pain relief benefits.

A blind taste test in New York compared Guinness with its non-alcoholic version, Guinness 0, as interest in alcohol-free beer grows. Ten participants rated flavor, aftertaste and overall quality, with only about half correctly identifying the non-alcoholic option. Testers offered mixed opinions on both beers, noting differences in richness, effervescence and finish. Despite slightly lower scores for Guinness 0, many found the two versions difficult to distinguish, underscoring the strength of the alcohol-free formulation.

A roundup of the 10 products most purchased by readers in May highlights popular items ranging from superfood rice and cast-iron cookware to travel accessories, organizational tools, coffee gear and nostalgic photo printers. Buying trends were influenced by Mother’s Day, graduations and Memorial Day sales, with strong interest in practical home goods, gifting items and travel‑friendly products.

A decade-old wooden cutting board serves as the basis for a three-step care routine focused on washing, oiling and moisturizing to preserve durability and prevent warping or cracking, with John Boos products highlighted for maintenance. Additional recommendations include non-toxic pans, bath sheets, under‑seat travel backpacks and recovery gadgets for back pain, alongside concerns raised by a Texas investigation into potential PFAS use in Lululemon leggings.

Experts explain that PFAS in leggings contribute only a small portion of overall exposure compared with drinking water and food, though sweat and frequent wear can increase limited skin absorption. Washing PFAS-treated clothing can release the chemicals into wastewater, adding to environmental contamination. Researchers advise focusing on reducing major exposure sources through water filters and product choices rather than discarding existing leggings. Many brands use PFAS intentionally for water and stain resistance or encounter them unintentionally during manufacturing. Certifications such as OEKO-TEX and GOTS can help consumers identify PFAS-free options, with brands including Mate The Label, LNDR and REI offering certified alternatives.

A reviewer recounts how her mother became attached to a pair of Brunch’s plush house slippers and ultimately kept them, prompting an informal follow‑up interview about their comfort and durability. The slippers are praised for support, cushioned soles, ease of cleaning, and suitability for daily household tasks, with the mother confirming they have held up well over months of use.

Seven last‑minute gift ideas are recommended for Mother’s Day, including flowers, subscription services, clothing rentals, wine selections, tea assortments, meal deliveries and book memberships, along with chocolate, food‑storage containers and sleep masks. The newsletter also notes controversy over FBI director Kash Patel gifting personalized bottles of Woodford Reserve, a bourbon otherwise praised for its quality. Additional product picks include top‑rated chocolate bars, organizational tools and travel‑friendly sleep masks, offering practical options for varied interests and needs.

Grandmothers Shannon Nelson and Gail Rudnik share their advice for meaningful Mother’s Day gestures, emphasizing thoughtfulness, small digital touches, homemade meals, and maintaining family harmony. They also highlight preferred gifts ranging from chocolates and flowers to socks, salon visits, and practical household items. The piece includes recommendations from the Guardian’s Filter team for cookware, earbuds, plastic‑free containers, laptop backpacks, and e‑readers, many of which are currently offered at promotional prices.

Graduates and recent alumni recommend 22 practical or sentimental gifts ranging from personalized items to useful technology, jewelry, home goods and travel essentials. Their suggestions highlight a mix of affordable options, long-lasting investment pieces and thoughtful mementos to support new graduates entering work and adult life.

Guidance on reselling unused clothing online emphasizes choosing the right platform, researching similar listings, providing detailed information, taking clear photos, and staying active to build credibility. Additional recommendations from stylists highlight spring wardrobe updates for men and women, along with reader-favorite household items and tested upgrades such as showerhead filters and THC beverage options.

Growing concerns about microplastics and PFAS in kitchens have increased interest in safer cookware and storage alternatives. A series of tested recommendations highlights top-performing plastic-free or non-toxic items, including a titanium non-stick pan, bioplastic cutting board, glass and silicone food storage containers, a lightweight cast-iron skillet, a durable coconut-fiber scrub brush and a ceramic induction-safe cookware set. These products aim to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals while improving functionality and ease of use.