Over the course of this summer, Scott and I have hustled to make our front porch a place we love to hang out; a second living room, if you will. The patio was a huge selling point for us, and what started as a drab and poorly constructed space was slowly transformed into a welcoming, bright and cheery lounge. But what’s the perfect space for an afternoon drink if you can’t share it with your friends? We knew we’d want to host a lot more gatherings with our most recent project, and at the same time, our crew has voted our front porch as the official gathering spot as the summer winds down. Hosting a casual dinner – whether it’s for 4 or 10! – shouldn’t be stressful, so we put that to the test and came up with 5 ways to host an effortless picnic with friends.

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For almost 6 years, Scott and I lived in a less than 700 square foot condo. Last summer, we doubled our square footage when we moved into a house down the street, and to say that our cleaning routine has shifted would be an understatement! (Not to mention, we’ve been renovating room-by-room ever since, causing quite the dust storm on the daily.)

During this transition, our little family grew from a three pet household to four, and between juggling full-time jobs and everyday life, we’re often asked how we’re able to keep things looking clutter-free and feeling fresh while keeping pet fur at bay. Here are five tips and shortcuts that work for us, allowing us to live our lives and not be a slave to the chore list.

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I don’t know about you, but occasionally I get a little fed up with the Internet. Yes, I marvel at how the answer to every question under the sun is always at my fingertips. And I would literally be lost without my iPhone as I check for directions every time I’m going somewhere new. But every so often, I just want to shut it all off and go incognito.

I’ve tried doing a “digital detox” a couple of different times with mixed success. Hurricane Sandy interrupted my first attempt. I was visiting my sister on the West coast and broke my no-phone rule to check on friends and attempt to reschedule my flight home. My second attempt was a weeklong break from social media this past winter, which was harder than I thought.

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When the temperature starts to heat up, the last thing that I want to do is turn on the oven and bake something. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to eat dessert. So, I keep a few no-bake recipes in my back pocket for when I need something sweet to bring to a summer party or BBQ.

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Gone are the days of wedding-themed disposable cameras being fixtures of the reception table place setting. Now that nearly everyone carries a far better camera in their pocket at all times, the number of photos taken at weddings has grown exponentially. From the wedding procession, to the ceremony, to the first kiss, there are likely to be guests capturing every moment, along with the professional photographer, of course. But should you really be pulling out your phone during the ceremony? Probably not.

© Fat Orange Cat Studio

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