What I Published in August 2022

Photo by Kelly Dawson

August is usually an interesting month, as far as freelancing goes. 

Editors are often on vacation, and so are sources, making it especially tough to get a deadline let alone meet one. In the past, I’ve planned around this by taking on a few extra assignments in the spring and early summer. But this year, I didn’t have to be so strategic. Instead, I was asked to be Architectural Digest’s resident “how-to” girl — kind of like Andie Anderson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but with actual work. I had to write a bunch of cleaning stories for the publication, which appealed to me for two reasons: One, it’s a slight departure from my regular interior design beat, and two, I’m routinely excited to learn about the many unsuspecting ways I’m living in filth. 

Case in point: I had no idea washing machines had to be cleaned. Like, on the inside. I also didn’t know that there was a setting for this necessity on the very washing machine I’ve used for years until I was working on a story about it. I squealed when I spotted it on the dial, as if I had found $20 in a dirty jean pocket (I did not). Then I told as many people as I could about this feature, and how to use it. Please, invite me to your parties. 

The funny thing about freelancing is that it’s easy to amass a heap of knowledge just by accepting an assignment. I did copywriting at a bank for years, and learned how to save and invest from corner-office experts in the process (I also learned a lot about franchising, so hopefully one day I can realize my dream of owning a Taco Bell). Countless interviews with designers and DIYers have made the paint section of a box store much less intimidating, so much so that it took me 10 minutes to pick out the “right” white for a living room based on the amount of light it gets — and the proper finish, too. And now, because of this how-to beat, I know that white vinegar is pretty much the saving grace of any cleaning routine. Seriously, never run out of it. 

So, this month was uncharacteristically busy, but as always, I found details in the work that made it fun. Perhaps it’s a personality trait of mine, but if I’m destined to sit at a desk for most of the week, then I hope to find all the silver linings I can that’ll make me smile. 

Here’s what I published in August: 

Architectural Digest: How to Clean a Microwave: Quick and Easy Hacks You Can Try Right Now

Architectural Digest: How to Clean a Keurig—All You Need Is 30 Minutes and White Vinegar

Architectural Digest: How to Clean a Shower Head and Get Rid of Mineral Buildup

Architectural Digest: How to Clean Your Coffee Maker in Just 30 Minutes

Architectural Digest: How to Clean a Cast-Iron Skillet Without Ruining Your Cookware

Architectural Digest: A Family’s Prewar Apartment Reno Gets Its Inspo From Colorful European Style

Apartment Therapy: I Helped My Parents Give Their Decades-Old Bedroom a Modern New Look

Dwell: Budget Breakdown: A Couple Roll Up Their Sleeves to Revamp a Colorado A-Frame for $164K

Dwell: A Santiago Couple Build Four Cabins—and a New Life—in Chile’s Lakes District

Real Simple: A Living Room Embraces the 'Mountain Living' Look—Without Leaning Too Far Into a Theme

Real Simple: An Annapolis Home's Laundry Room Is Repurposed into a Clever Office With Storage