Latest Posts

A stack of gray towels.

Quince Turkish Spa Towel Review

Published by welcomeobjects

I first mentioned Quince’s Turkish Spa Towels in a roundup of favorite household buys after moving into my new apartment. Now that I’ve used them for about five months, I thought I’d write a more thorough review.

** This post contains affiliate links, but was not produced in partnership with any brand. I bought these towels myself. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. As always, all opinions are my own and I only write about items that interest me. **

Quince makes three types of towels: Turkish Spa Towels, Turkish Quick-Dry Bath Towels, and Organic Turkish Waffle Bath Towels. There seems to be organic cotton and regular cotton versions of at least some of these. Currently, the waffle towels are organic, but not the other two. But back when I shopped for my towels in the fall, the spa towels came in both organic cotton and conventionally-grown cotton.

UPDATE 1/26/24 – Quince has expanded their towels offering. Now there’s even more types, plus bath sheets (which are larger than towels): Turkish Waffle Bath Sheets, Ultra Plush Bath Towels, Ultra Plush Bath Sheets, Waffle Terry Bath Towels,  Waffle Terry Bath Sheets, Ribbed Quick Dry Bath Towels, Ribbed Quick Dry Bath Sheets. Please note that the towels I reviewed here (which are 700 gsm) are not offered anymore. Instead, there have been replaced by Turkish Classic Bath Towels, which are a thinner at 550 gsm. The Ultra Plush Bath Towels are 800 gsm, so the towels I bought in 2022 were in between.

Fibers & Feel

Made of long-staple Turkish cotton, they feel luxuriously thick and soft. When I say luxurious, I mean that they rival any fancy hotel towel I’ve encountered.

The Turkish Spa Towels are the thickest of the bunch at 700 grams per square meter. (By comparison, the quick-dry version is 500 gsm.) Made of long-staple Turkish cotton, they feel luxuriously thick and soft. When I say luxurious, I mean that they rival any fancy hotel towel I’ve encountered. And even though they’re plush, they don’t take too long to dry. (Though in humid weather I’m learning they they take longer, so I think I’ll switch to something thinner for summer.) In my experience, they don’t get linty either.

At 27 x 54 inches these bath towels are a bit smaller than other brands. I have some Hotel Collection towels from Macy’s that are 30 x 56 inches. But I don’t really notice the difference in size when I’m using them.

After five months of use, these towels remain soft and plush. Some towels actually feel rougher as you use them. Why? Because manufacturers typically treat towels with fabric softener to make them feel fluffy in the store. The softener wears off after successive washings. In this case, I noticed no drop-off in softness with the Quince towels.

The only issue is that sometimes after washing them, a long string or two may appear. Is this because the washing machine is battering the towels, causing the loops of the towels to come undone? Or is it a sign of not-the-best quality? I’m not sure. I guess I’ll see how these continue to wear over time.

They also take longer to dry in the dryer than other towels. When I take them to the laundromat, they are always the last item to dry since they need more time. And that’s with me defying the care instructions, which say tumble dry low, and using the high heat setting instead.

A hand holding up the corner of a gray towel to show how thick it is.

I find the Quince Turkish Spa Towels nicely thick.

Pricing

Quince sells their Turkish Spa Towels in sets of two for $39.90. The organic ones cost me $5 more for the set. (Though perhaps the price would have gone up if they had them in stock? The organic waffle bath towels are $49.90 for the set.)

That makes them a pretty good deal. The Hotel Collection towels retail for $36 each — though you can probably snag them for less on sale or with a coupon. But this is not an apples-to-apples comparison because it’s unclear what kind of cotton the Hotel Collection towels are made from. It just says “ultimate micro cotton,” which makes me think they are a lesser, short-staple cotton.

Like the Quince towels, the Wirecutter’s top pick, Frontgate Resort Collection towels, are also long-staple Turkish cotton woven to 700 gsm. One towel costs $40, though they are larger at 30 x 58 inches. But you can get twice as many towels at the same price with Quince!

However, one thing that Frontage towels have over the Quince ones is that they’re OEKO-TEX certified, meaning meaning they’re free of harmful substances. Though Quince has a OEKO-TEX logo on their sustainability page, there’s nothing on the listing for each bath or bedding product that indicates they’re certified free of toxins.

I wrote to Quince’s customer service to ask about certification for its bedding and bath items. A rep replied that “as a new company, we have not received [certification] yet — but I can guarantee our bedding meets the standard 100 by OEKO-TEX organic!” The rep said they were working with their suppliers. “When our vendor partners update their certification, we update ours accordingly.”

Choices (not a lot of them)

I have no complaints about the towels themselves, but the offerings could be better.

For one, their towels come in only two colors: white and gray. This works for me, as I happen to have a white, gray, and black color scheme going on with my shower curtain. But if you’re wanting another color, you’re out of luck.

UPDATE 3/19/23 – Browsing the Quince site today and noticed that Quince expanded the color offerings. In addition to white and gray, they now come in ivory, silver, and mineral (a dark blue).

Also, there’s not a lot of flexibility when it comes to obtaining exactly how many towels you might want. You can buy a set of two bath towels. Or, for $35 more, you can buy a bundle that also includes two hand towels and two face towels. But you can’t buy the hand towels or face towels on their own. Want to buy two bath towels and eight face towels? You can’t.

In my case, after I used the gray spa towels for a while, I decided that I wanted the matching hand towels. But there was no way I could get them without buying the whole bundle. And I didn’t need the whole bundle. I just wanted the hand towels. I ended up finding some hand towels at TJ Maxx that were close enough in color and feel. But I would have preferred getting the perfectly matched hand towels.

Lastly, they seem to have a problem with keeping stock. Many times, things are sold out. At present moment the spa towel two packs are sold out, though you can still buy the bundle. When I bought my towels, it was the other way around.

Ordering Experience

Quince ships directly from the factory, so things might take a little longer to arrive depending on where they’re coming from. These towels shipped from Turkey. My shipment was delayed by a week, too, though not through any fault of Quince’s. I had put down my first initial and last name on my mailing address, and apparently Turkish customs did not like that. Quince had to contact me to get my full first name to add to the address.

Even if we disregard the fact that I ran afoul of customs, shipping did take noticeably longer to arrive since these towels were traveling internationally. But they were well worth the wait. I stand by my statement in my prior post that these are the best towels I’ve ever owned.

If you’re interested in trying Quince, here’s my referral code, which will take $20 off your first order. It will also generate a credit for me, so thank you! This helps me keep trying out products for review.

Pact Apparel Review: Summer Styles

Published by welcomeobjects

Now that I live in a place with actual seasons, I need summer clothes. My existing wardrobe is not equipped to deal with hot and humid NYC summers. So, I recently ordered several items from Pact. Happily, I’m keeping every item from my order.

About Pact

Pact is a company I can get behind for their practices. They use chemical-free dyes and organic cotton. They’re also fair trade certified, producing in factories in India (where most of the world’s organic cotton is grown).

Pact says organic cotton consumes 81% less water than conventionally-grown cotton and makes a point of listing how much water is saved on each product listing. However, the generally-held belief that organic cotton uses less water appears to be a myth. A recent report by the Transformers Foundation concludes that, “There is no known critically-reviewed correlation between organic cotton farming and reduced water consumption in cotton farming.” Nevertheless, I prefer organic cotton because it doesn’t use synthetic chemicals and synthetic pesticides.

** This post contains affiliate links, but was not produced in partnership with any brand. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. As always, all opinions are my own and I only write about items that interest me. **

The company also walks the walk when it comes to their packaging. They use paperboard mailers and boxes from recycled materials. Plus, the polybags that the clothes come in are biodegradable and won’t leave behind microplastics. They should break down in a few years, not thousands. How? Microbes in the bag will eat the plastic!

I tried items from Pact’s Harbour and Field lines, which are made of a mix of organic cotton and hemp. (30% hemp for Harbour and 20% for Field). The Harbour fabric feels a bit thinner and breezier, reminiscent of linen, while the Field fabric is thicker and has a bit of a nubby texture.

A hand holding up some black fabric. The fabric is a little see-through in that light can pass through a bit.

The fabric for Pact’s Harbour items, which are 70% organic cotton and 30% hemp.

Close up of some clothing fabric, in gray and golden brown.

The fabric for Pact’s Field items, which are 80% organic cotton and 20% hemp.

OK, on to the clothing reviews.

Harbour Tabbed Short

I’ve probably mentioned more than once on here that I only have one pair of shorts suitable for leaving the house in. So shorts was high up on my shopping list. The Harbour Tabbed Short looked promising to me.

Here’s a 5′ 9 model with a 25″ waist wearing size S.

A white model wears a muscle tee and shorts with sandals.

Harbour Tabbed Short – $55 ($48 on sale)

And here’s 5’4″ me with a bigger waist (I wear a 27-28 in jeans) wearing S.

Two views of a person with black hair wearing a tank top and shorts. The shorts are longer in the first image.

Harbour Tabbed Short: Worn with the longer length (left) and cuffed once more (right).

Sizing & Fit: With an 8.75″ rise, I consider these mid-rise. They fit true to size. However, the waist does run tighter in these shorts than the Pact Essential Sweatshort. The elastic initially left light marks on me, though I suspect they’ll loosen up after more wears. (UPDATE: They did.) When measured laying flat, the Harbour Short is a little less than an inch shorter across the waist than the Essential Sweatshort in the same size, a significant difference. So size up if you like a loose fit.

Design Details: Tabs on the side allow you to adjust the length. You can fold up the hem and secure them with the tab, which makes the inseam 1.5″ shorter. These shorts also have pockets in the front as well as pockets on the back.

So far, I like these. They’re lightweight and they don’t wrinkle too much.

Field Reversible Tank

The word “reversible” caught my attention. I love a convertible piece of clothing. So of course I had to try this tank top.

Here’s a 5’11’ model with a 34″ bust wearing a S.

An Asian model wears a tank top, shorts, and sandals

Field Reversible Tank – $45 ($36 on sale)

And here I am wearing the S in golden brown, which reminds me of Dijon mustard.

Two images of a person wearing a tank top. The tank top has a V neckline in the first image and a rounded neckline in the second.

Field Reversible Tank: Wear either side on the front.

Sizing & Fit: True to size. I have a 33″ bust and generally wear a S in most brands. The length works OK on petite me, though I prefer tucking it in to shorten it.

Design Details: I love that you can wear it with the V or scoop in front. In this way, it’s similar to Vetta’s Textured Shell (which I reviewed here). But I find the cut of the Pact tank more comfortable and easier to wear. Both sides are equally comfy.

A person with black hair standing on the sidewalk outside some homes, wearing a mustard-colored tank top and rust colored pants with leopard print shoes.

Pact Tank Top // Vetta Pants // dr. Liza Flats [review] // Lo & Sons Bag // And since we can see my bra strap, Bra [review]

I like this so much, I want another one. I keep checking to see if the sandshell color (worn by the model above), has restocked in my size. But every time I check, more colors sell out in more sizes. Things seem to sell out fast on Pact’s site! This tank top comes in five colors, but I wish there were more. Why isn’t there a black? I demand black so I can make a faux romper with the Harbour Short.

Field Racerback Dress

I ordered this racerback dress because it looked like it might be good for really hot days when you don’t want anything too close to your body.

Here’s a 5’11” model with a 34″ bust wearing M.

An Asian model wears a gray tank dress

Field Racerback Dress – $65 ($57 on sale)

And here I am wearing a S.

Two views of me, a person with black hair, wearing a racerback tank dress from the front, and from the back.

Field Racerback Dress: I can never quite figure out how to line up my bra straps exactly. Close enough.

Sizing & Fit: True to size.

Design Details: I feel like they got the details right with this one. It skims the body and thankfully doesn’t show my belly pooch, but it’s also not too shapeless. The high-low hem adds some visual interest.

Harbour Midi Dress

This dress was a bit of an impulse buy. I don’t really need another black dress. But I wondered how it might look on me. If I were in the store I would definitely try it on, so I ordered it and here we are.

Here’s a 5’11” model with 34″ bust wearing a size S.

An Asian model wears a midi dress in mariner stripe.

Harbour Midi Dress – $118 ($103 on sale)

And here’s 5’4″ me in a S.

A person with black hair wearing a black midi dress outside in a park, standing next to a column. She has a hand in a pocket.

Harbour Midi Dress // Camper Shoes (old)

Sizing & Fit: I ordered this in both S and M because reviews online complained that the top part is small. But that was not the case for me. It fit true to size. However, I have a small bust. If you are busty, I can see it not being roomy enough on top.

Design Details: A classic design. It has a full skirt, a U-shape on the front and back — and pockets! Do note that the buttons on the skirt part are decorative, not functional, so you can’t unbutton the whole thing. The belt is removable.

This came in some fun striped patterns as well, such as the mariner stripe that the model is wearing, but also a pink and blue striped pattern called stucco that you can see on these bermuda shorts. Alas, those patterns are sold out. It’s only available in black now. However, I’ve seen the striped versions briefly pop back now and then in a size or two.

Shopping Success

Overall, I’m happy with all these pieces. I’ve only had them for a short while, so I can’t speak to how they’ve worn. But if they’re anything like my Pact sweats (reviewed here), they’ll hold up great through wears and washings. I cold washed and hang dried everything and there was no shrinkage or fading. (You do have to iron the shorts after washing to keep the tabbed hem from being twisted.)

Finally, I have some summer clothes!

BTW, everything is on sale this Memorial Day weekend on Pact’s site.

If you’re interested in Pact and there’s not a sale taking place, use my coupon code WELCOMEOBJ15 to get 15% off your first order.

A display in an Everlane store with a stack of easy shorts.

Fitting Room Review: Everlane Air Tank & Easy Short

Published by welcomeobjects

It’s been a while since I’ve written a fitting room review. (Thanks, pandemic.) But I’m back! In my search for summer clothes, I recently went to Everlane to try on a few things: the Air Tank and Easy Short.

The Air Tank

The Everlane air tank in walnut brown.

Air Tank – $30

The Air Tank seems to be the cousin to the Air Cami, which did not work for me due to the cut. (Air Cami review here.) However, I did like the fabric, which is a super lightweight, thin cotton — perfect for disgustingly humid and hot days.

Here’s a 5′ 10″ model wearing a size small.

Here’s a closer look at the tank top in a color called walnut. I didn’t see this in the store, but I think it’s a nice shade of brown. The Air Tank currently comes in six colors.

And here’s 5’4″ me wearing an XS in a color called iced coffee. For reference, I’m a dress size 4-6 and wear a small (and sometimes XS) in most brands.

Sizing & Fit: I find that Everlane generally runs big when it comes to tops. So this runs a bit big. But the sizing is consistent to other Everlane shirts. The XS was the right size for me. When I tried the S, the arm holes were too big and showed my bra.

Design Details: I appreciate the placement of the scoops. The front isn’t too low. And while the back is low, it doesn’t show the back of your bra. I also like the not-too-long length. (The XS is 21.5″ in length.) Perhaps it’s not a good fit if you have a long torso, but it’s handy for pairing with high-waisted bottoms. If you wear it tucked in, there won’t be too much material to tuck.

I can see myself buying this tank in several colors. At $30, though, I’m going to wait for it to go on sale.

UPDATE 6/1/22 – I ordered the air tank in walnut, and the color is lighter in person. (Couldn’t quite capture the shade. It’s even lighter than this photo in real life.)

UPDATE 6/10/22 – OK, after having some time to try on the Air Tank, I can now report that it stretches in the arm hole area, so much so that my bra became visible from the side. Plus, it kind of sticks out in that area, which you can see below. I really liked the cut, but I’m sorry to say I can no longer recommend it because of the substantial stretching. Disappointing!

The Easy Short

The Everlane easy short in pewter green.

Easy Short – $50

The Easy Short seems to be an iteration of the Easy Chino Short (my review here), a prior Everlane pull-on short with an elastic waist and lightweight cotton twill fabric. The fabric content is 98% cotton and 2% elastane.

Here’s a 5′ 8″ model wearing a size 0.

Here’s 5′ 4″ me wearing a size 4 on the left and a size 6 on the right.

A person with black hair takes a selfie in a fitting room. Wearing a tank top and shorts.

Easy Short in canvas. Wearing size 4 (left) and size 6 (right).

Sizing & Fit: I am a 4 or 6 in bottoms these days (probably more like a 6 if I’m being honest with myself). I wear a 28 in the Everlane Original Cheeky Jean and a 27 in the Way-High Jean. I tried on both the 4 and the 6. They felt similar in the waist (though of course tighter in the smaller size), but the leg was much roomier in the 6. The 4 was more flattering for me. So, I guess these run true to size in the waist, but big in the leg.

Design Details: The Easy Short have a lot going for it that sounds good: elastic waist, pockets, a 5″ inseam, and a high-ish rise (10.88″ in the size 4). While casual, they can be dressed up as well. They look cute on the model. But on me, I felt meh about them. Maybe it’s because they were so wrinkled in the store? (Which makes me think they’d be wrinkled always.) Or that they just don’t look good on my short legs? The roominess of the leg gave serious auntie vibes.

They feel comfortable. Perhaps a darker color would be more flattering and better at hiding wrinkles.

The Air Tank and Easy Short are just two of Everlane’s summer offerings. I was on my way to an appointment, so I didn’t have time to try on everything that caught my eye. I’m also curious about the Air Muscle Tank and Linen Boxer Short.

UPDATE 5/26/22 – These two items are now marked down as part of Everlane’s Memorial Day Sale.

The Air Muscle Tank

UPDATE 6/10/22- Alright, I ordered some things during the sale and here’s a try on of the Air Muscle Tank. It seems wider in the shoulders than other muscle tanks. Which is maybe why it kind of puckers out at the side at the arm pits. Not a keeper for me. Maybe good for someone with wider shoulders?

You can find a directory to all my Everlane reviews here.

11 pieces of clothing, folded neatly, plus 3 pairs of shoes and a bag, all on a white surface

Everything I Wore for 6 Weeks: A Capsule Wardrobe

Published by welcomeobjects

What do you pack when you’re living out of a suitcase for six weeks? In my case, just 14 items. (16 if you include bags.)

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have already seen my 14 x 42 capsule wardrobe (14 items worn over 42 days). But I thought I’d pull everything together into a proper post. Whether you’d like to try a capsule wardrobe to streamline getting dressed every day or you’re interested in what to pack for a trip, I thought it might be helpful to show a real-life example of what I wore over a chunk of time.

I pulled this particular capsule wardrobe together last fall to housesit for a friend. Because of the hectic nature of my life at the time (I was packing up everything I owned to move across the country), I pulled this wardrobe together in about 10 minutes. This is not a brag. Usually I’d spend some time thinking through what pieces to pack. But I was short on time and just had to grab stuff and go.

That ended up being a good thing, because I grabbed items that were tried and true. Hmm, maybe I should set a timer every time I pack for a trip from now on!

** This post contains some affiliate links, but was not produced in partnership with any brand. **

OK, here it is. Everything I wore for six weeks. (Sorry, I don’t have one of those cute little wooden clothes racks that other bloggers seem to have. All I had at this apartment where I was housesitting was the bed to take photos on. And the lighting wasn’t great.)

11 pieces of clothing, folded neatly, plus 3 pairs of shoes and a bag, all on a white surface

Yup, that’s it: 11 pieces of clothing, 3 pairs of shoes, and 2 bags (one not shown).

What I packed:

  • 1 puffy down vest
  • 1 lightweight anorak
  • 4 shirts
  • 1 hoodie
  • 1 sweater
  • 3 pants
  • 3 pairs of shoes
  • 1 purse/belt bag
  • 1 tote bag (not shown)

As you can see, I have a color palette going on. This made it incredible easy to get dressed. Everything went with everything. The base layer was black or black and blue. Sometimes I added a pop of color with the maroon anorak or some of the shoes.

OK, let’s take a closer look at each category.

Four shirts neatly folded into squares. Two are black, one is blue, one is blue and black.

Shirts (from left to right, first row to second row):

  1. Oak & Fort Boxy Shirt
  2. Eileen Fisher Brushstroke Top [review]
  3. Vetta Boyfriend Shirt [review]
  4. Everlane Shrunken Cotton Shirt

Though the colors are limited, there’s a good variety in these shirts. The Oak & Fort shirt is more casual (it has a sweatshirt-like feel), while the Eileen Fisher one, which is made out of silk and cotton, has a slight sheen to it and feels elegant.

The Everlane button down is classic. (I wish Everlane still made this shirt. The proportions are perfect for a petite.) And the blue Vetta shirt is convertible, which means I can get several looks out of it. I mostly wore it with the V-neck and buttons in front, but you can also turn it around for a rounded neckline. It also works as a layering item worn open as a cardigan.

Three pairs of pants folded.

Pants

  1. Eileen Fisher Cotton Cropped Pants [review, similar]
  2. Everlane Easy Chinos [review, similar]
  3. Everlane Track Joggers [review]

I kept it simple and went with black for all three items. I was going for comfort here, as evidenced by all the elastic waists. Usually I’d have a pair of jeans in here, but this was during a time when none of my jeans fit comfortably and I hadn’t gotten new ones yet.

The Eileen Fisher cropped pants are made from a jersey material while the Everlane chinos are more crisp. But they serve a similar purpose. In the future, I’d swap out of those pants for a skirt for more variety.

A purple hoodie and a black sweater, both folded into squares.

Sweatshirts & Sweaters

How about one of each?

  1. Pact Hoodie [review, similar]
  2. Everlane Cotton Boatneck Sweater [review]

A maroon anorak and a blue puffy vest.

Outerwear

  1. A New Day Anorak [review]
  2. Uniqlo Ultralight Down Vest

Got my bases covered with something lightweight for warmer days and a down vest to add for cooler days.

Three pairs of shoes: slip ons, animal print sneakers, yellow slide sandals.

Shoes

    1. Allbirds Wool Loungers [review]
    2. New Balance 574s
    3. DV Slides

These are all on the more casual side. I was doing a lot of walking and knew the Allbirds and New Balance sneakers would be comfy. I didn’t end up using the sandals all that much due to the weather being not particularly warm. In retrospect, I should have chosen a pair of flats instead.

That’s 14 items. I also packed my trusty Everlane Pocket Tote [review] and Lo & Sons belt bag [review] — something that can haul a lot and something for when I just need to carry a few essentials.

Here are a few of the outfits that came out of this capsule:

A person wearing a face mask standing outside wearing a maroon jacket, blue shirt, black pants. A person wearing a face mask inside a kitchen at Ikea wearing all black.

A person wearing a face mask and all black jumping in front of a rock wall. A person standing in front of a green wall, with hand on hip. Wearing black and blue shirt, with a blue shirt over it, and black pants.

A person standing in front of a wall with white painted leaves, holding a stack of books, wearing a blue and black top and black pants. A person standing on a median in San Francisco wearing a black base layer, a maroon jacket, a red face mask.

This capsule wardrobe served me well for the activities of daily living: working from home, shopping, and running errands. It also worked for outings to restaurants with friends, a trip to the museum, and easy hikes.

While I did tire of wearing the same things by the end of six weeks, this capsule wardrobe reinforced to me that I truly don’t need a lot. I can stretch 14 items, which all fit in my carry-on suitcase by the way, into lots of outfits. Not thinking too much about what to wear every day was also refreshing.

Three skirts on metal skirt hangers with coated clips.

The Best Slim Space-Saving Skirt Hanger

Published by welcomeobjects

Welcome to part 2 of my hanger review, which is all about skirt hangers. In part 1, I shared my pick for the best slim space-saving shirt hanger. Then, I searched for the best slim skirt hanger, which turned out to be more challenging.

When I moved across the country recently, I ditched all my skirt hangers. (I don’t recall the brand, but they were chrome.) While they were sturdy, they had one big problem: they gripped too hard, leaving marks on many of my skirts. This led to me trying to protect my skirts by placing a foam layer between the skirt and the clips. But the clips instantly flattened the foam. So then I cut pieces of cardboard to go over the foam. This double layer of protection went on all my skirts before I clipped them.

This was way more work than I wanted just to hang up my skirts.

My Skirt Hanger Search Criteria

In searching for new skirt hangers, here’s what I looked for:

  • Durability
  • Ease of clipping
  • Sturdy and grips well
  • Does not damage fabrics
  • Slim and space-saving

Sherry from Save Spend Splurge told me that she favors skirt hangers with a clamp design. These don’t leave marks, she says. However, I’m working with limited closet space here, so I wanted something slimmer. This limited my search to hangers with clip designs.

I ended up testing out three different hangers. I tried each hanger on several skirts of differing materials, from polyester crepe to wool. Each skirt was left alone for three days on the hanger before I checked on it.

The skirt hangers that I tested:

  1. Marie Kondo Serene Matte Metal Pants & Skirt Hanger
  2. Mawa Non-Slip Pants & Skirt Hanger
  3. Helthlyes Adjustable Pants Hanger 

Marie Kondo Serene Matte Metal Pants & Skirt Hanger

Marie Kondo partnered with The Container Store on a line of home organizing goods, including hangers.

Price: Sold in a set of 3 for $8.99, the Marie Kondo skirt hanger is the priciest of the ones I tried.

Construction: Aluminum and bamboo. The bamboo on this skirt hanger looks really nice, though it doesn’t add anything function wise. (The aluminum bar goes through the center of the bamboo.) The clip itself is metal, though the padding that grips the clothes is plastic. I also noticed small plastic discs on the outside of each clip. Perhaps to help keep the clip in place?

A hand holding open the clip on a Marie Kondo Container Store skirt hanger.

Close up of the clip part of the Marie Kondo Serene Pants & Skirt Hanger.

Pinch Situation: These hangers leave a thin mark on some items. Note the “teeth” marks on the pink skirt (made of a polyester) and the wool blend skirt.

Three images of clip portion of a Marie Kondo hanger and the impressions they left on skirts.

The Marie Kondo Serene Pants & Skirt Hanger left marks on some fabrics.

What I Liked: This hanger is the most aesthetically pleasing of the bunch with its clean and minimalist look. The aluminum comes in white or black.

What Concerned Me: The plastic parts. How durable are they? What if they break after a couple years and ruin the hanger?  

Mawa Slim Skirt Hangers

Since I ended up choosing the Mawa Silhouette Ultra-Slim Shirt Hanger as my every day hanger pick, it only made sense that I should try the skirt hanger from this brand.

Price: I bought these on Amazon, where the price fluctuates, and was able to snag them at $2.22 a piece. However, the current price is the same as the Marie Kondo hangers at $3.00 a piece.

Construction: Alloy steel with a non-slip rubbery coating.

A hand holding open the clip part of a Mawa skirt hanger.

Close up of the clip part of the Mawa Non-Slip Pants & Skirt Hanger.

Pinch situation: Compared to the Marie Kondo hanger, the coated clip on the Mawa hanger spreads pressure across more surface area. This hanger left a more gentle mark when it left a mark. You can see a slight impression on the pink and beige skirts below, which are both made from polyester.

Three images of the clip portion of a Mawa skirt hanger and the impressions they left on skirts.

The Mawa Non-Slip Pants & Skirt Hanger left less noticeable marks.

What I Liked: These gripped the best. They were gentle but still sturdy.

What Concerned Me: This hanger is the smallest all around. It’s 12″ across whereas the Marie Kondo hanger is an inch longer. The hook on the Mawa hanger is likewise small and barely fits on the wooden rod in my closet, which measures roughly 1 3/8″ in diameter. I need to grab the hanger by the stem of the hook in order to remove it from the rod. The hook part also jiggles because it’s not soldered on. It is kept in place between two bumps of metal on the bar. Due to these two factors, it’s kind of hard to move them on the rod. They get stuck in place when I’m trying to browse and push a bunch of garments over.

Closeup of the hook part of the Mawa metal skirt and pants hanger

Two small bumps on the bar keep the hook of the Mawa Non-Slip Pants & Skirt Hanger in place.

Helthlyes Adjustable Pants Hangers

I found the last option, the Helthlyes Adjustable Pants Hanger, on Amazon.

Price: At $15.99 for 10, they are the cheapest of the bunch at $1.60 a piece.

Construction: These looked similar to the Mawa ones with metal construction and a rubbery coating. Plus, the hook part was larger.

A hand holding the clip part open on a skirt hanger.

Close up of the clip part of the Helthlyes Adjustable Pants Hanger. Note the protrusions on the inside of the clips.

Pinch Situation: While the clips are coated, there are raised lines on them that extend down into the clip part and make contact with your clothes. They leave marks. Behold the little vampire marks on the beige skirt below.

What I Liked: Well, they’re sturdy. But honestly, I did not like these. Given their similar look to the Mawa hanger, I thought these might be the solution. But nope, the quality isn’t as nice.

What Concerned Me: These hangers pinched the hardest out of the three. They also require more pressure to open the clip. I think they’d be hard for someone with arthritis to use.

The Winner

A metal skirt hanger from Mawa holding a pink skirt.

The Mawa Non-Slip Pants & Skirt Hanger is my pick for its gentle grip.

If my wooden rod was skinnier, it would be a no brainer. The Mawa are the gentlest while still having a good grip. But the small hook part of the Mawa made them a bit of a hassle to get off the rod. I wondered if I should go for the runner up hanger, the Marie Kondo one.

After sharing my dilemma with a friend, she asked why didn’t I replace my rod or try to plane it. I thought about borrowing a car to buy a new rod. But in the end, I decided to sand it to slim it down. While the hangers don’t fit perfectly now, they fit much better. So far, I’m pleased with the hangers. No more ridiculous double layer of cardboard and foam to protect my clothes!

UPDATE 11/9/24 – After the supports for my wooden rod failed, causing it and my clothes to crash to the floor, I’ve since installed a metal rod, which has a skinnier circumference and doesn’t cause any problems with the petite hook of the Mawa hangers. Also, while looking to get more of them, I just discovered there’s a longer version of the Mawa skirt hanger that’s 15 3/4″ in length.

This post contains affiliate links but was not produced in partnership with any brand.

Light link cherry blossoms, and brownstone buildings in the background.

Low Buy 2022: Q1 Shopping Check-In

Published by welcomeobjects

It’s spring and I’m loving all the cherry blossoms and flowering trees. I’ve started to wash and pack away my warmer sweaters. I pretty much only wash my cashmere and wool sweaters once a year — when I’m cleaning them to store them away. (More on clothing cleaning and storage here.)

With the change of seasons, I thought it’d be a good time to check in on my consumption. While I didn’t set any specific shopping goals for this year, for the past five years I’ve aimed to have a low buy year. And 2022 is no exception. So far, I’m doing great. In the first quarter of this year, I’ve only bought two pairs of Everlane Original Cheeky Jeans in different colors, which I reviewed here.

I’ve also been slowly going through my wardrobe to weed. So far, I’ve removed 10 items from my closet (12 if we’re counting jewelry). As I purge, I keep a list and write down the reasons why I’m getting rid of things in my wardrobe. “Doesn’t feel like me anymore,” is one of the top reasons lately, along with the usual issues with fit. One thing I learned this time around is that while I like the idea of jackets with asymmetrical collars, I don’t like to wear them in real life. I decided to sell two jackets with this design.

I also started making a spreadsheet of all the items in my wardrobe. And honestly, I’m not sure why. I didn’t start the spreadsheet with any specific intention (like tracking wears). I just like making lists, so I guess it’s a natural thing for me to start a spreadsheet. As I’m listing each item, I categorize it not only under a broad category (like pants or skirts), but also a subcategory (casual? special occasion?). It’s another way of seeing what I have by quantifying things.

As we approach summer, I suspect that my shopping will pick up. Coming from San Francisco, where hot days were not common — they did happen, but when they did, they felt like freakish global warming events — I don’t have much in the way of cool summer clothes. I’m not well prepared for hot, humid NYC summers. (Guess I better shop for AC units too.) I’m also yearning to add some fun pieces, like colorful dresses. But I haven’t come across anything that’s really calling to me yet. Yes, consider this an invitation to drop links to dresses you love.

Welcome Objects 2022 Wardrobe Count To Date
Additions: 2
Number of Additions That Are Secondhand: 0
Subtractions: 10

What I Read & Watched

Ikea is making its secondhand furniture business permanent in the U.S. after a successful pilot program. The program applies only to used IKEA furniture (but not to beds, upholstered items, lighting, and various other items). I’m glad to see them doing this. It keeps things out of the landfill and promotes reuse. As one person interviewed in the article says it probably won’t impact Ikea much financially either way, but it provides a customer benefit.

When I moved recently, I sold or gave away a lot of my furniture, a good deal of it Ikea. But I would have considered taking part of this program. It would have saved some hassle of trying to get rid of things one by one. Sellers get store credit, not cash, for their wares. But I don’t mind. I mean, when I landed in Brooklyn, I ended up at Ikea to buy all sorts of things, including plants and food.

Speaking of Ikea food, here’s a more in depth story about an Ikea store with a rooftop restaurant and how the company continues to evolve. The subhead asks, “Will a vegetarian-leaning menu and rooftop terrace take Ikea from a furniture store to a full-on lifestyle brand?”

I also saw Everything Everywhere All at Once in the theater (mask on) and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I loved it so much. It’s a blast, but also heartfelt. This is the immigrant family representation I didn’t know I was looking for!

Slim, black hangers with clothes on them on a wooden rod in a closet.

The Best Slim Space-Saving Hanger

Published by welcomeobjects

I remember when I discovered those thin flocked velvet hangers, the ones first made popular by Joy Mangano. I was living in a studio apartment in San Francisco without much closet space. My clothes needed to fit into an Ikea wardrobe. The velvet hangers were a revelation. Compared to the plastic tubular hangers I was using before, I could pack in way more with the velvet hangers. Over time, I switched all of my hangers to the velvet ones.

** this post contains affiliate links **

But one thing I didn’t consider was their longevity. Lately, whenever I pull one of these hangers out, there’s a good chance it might snap in my hand.

Three broken black velvet hangers

These flocked velvet hangers were not made to last. I never know when one is going to break on me, but it seems often.

I didn’t buy these hangers thinking I’d need to replace them. It just didn’t occur to me that hangers could break so easily. Perhaps the plastic has gotten brittle over time. (I’m not sure how long I’ve had these hangers. About seven years?)

And that, dear reader, is how we’ve come to today’s post about reliable slim hangers. Because I’ve been researching hangers after my big move.

My Hanger Search Criteria

Here’s what I looked for:

  • Thin – Because I still need to pack a lot into a small space in my NYC apartment
  • Sturdy – None of this breaking apart in your hands stuff
  • Non-slip – Can’t have clothes falling onto the floor
  • No Bumps – Must be sized appropriately for petite me. (I generally wear XS or S.) Hangers can’t be too big, which can lead to funky lumpy shapes in the shoulders.

The hanger that met all these requirements was the Mawa Silhouette Ultra-Slim Shirt Hanger.

A black slim Mawa hanger on a white surface.

Mawa Silhouette Ultra-Thin Shirt Hanger – $50.75 for 20 from Mawa. However, they are currently $39.99 for 20 on Amazon. (But the price varies. I was able to snag them at $37 for 24 on Amazon.) You can also find them on Wayfair and Food52.)

Mawa makes these hangers in Germany out of rolled metal. The company says they are committed to sustainability and environmental protection though their website is light on specifics. Mostly, they tout their hangers as being “free from toxins and harmful substances” such as heavy metals, formaldehyde, and phthalates.

While Mawa makes various styles, from the Euro Collection (designed specifically for items with wide necklines) to the BodyForm Collection (for coats and suits), I went with the Silhouette Collection for an every day shirt hanger. This line comes in two widths: standard (3/8″) and ultra thin (1/8″). Being tight on closet space, I went for the ultra thin, which is true to its name.

Two hangers placed on top of each other for comparison.

A size comparison between the Mawa hanger and a flocked hanger.

What I Like the Mawa Silhouette Ultra-Slim Shirt Hanger

  • They’re lightweight, slim, and strong. Mawa says each hanger can hold up to 8 pounds. (I have not tested this limit though.)
  • The hangers have an anti-slip coating. In my experience, clothes stay put, though it’s not 100%. Occasionally a tank top will fall.
  • The small size is petite friendly. The hanger measures 15.75″ across. (A con, however, for larger-sized or wide-necked clothing.) There’s even a petite version of this hanger that’s 14″ across should you need something smaller.
  • They’re designed to avoid weird shoulder bumps. The gently sloped curve of the hanger seems to work. I haven’t noticed any bump issues.
  • These hangers also come in an array of colors. I’ve found them in black, white, red, copper, silver, blue, pink, and yellow. It’s nice to have options. I ended going with black, which may be a little boring, but it came out to be the cheapest. Also, most of my clothes are dark, so I figured black would work well visually with my wardrobe.

Drawbacks

  • The price. At $1.60 to $2.50 each depending on where you buy them, they’re pricey compared to other hangers. (Though for some reason the petite ones are cheaper if you need 80 of them at once.) A flocked hanger goes for 60 cents each at Target. (Or only 45 cents each if buying 100 at a time.) A handsome wooden hanger from Ikea goes for about $1 a piece.
  • I’ve found that when a couple of these empty hangers are next to each other, sometimes they stick to each other. But this isn’t a big deal.
  • The only other issue I’ve run across is that the hook part of the hanger is a bit small. The wooden rod in my closet is approximately 1 3/8″ in diameter. While I can place the hangers on them no problem, they face a little resistance when I want to remove them. Sometimes, depending on where they are on the rod — it seems some parts of the rod are slightly thicker than others — I have to hold the hanger at the stem in order to extract it from the rod. Is this annoying? A little bit. But not as annoying as having hangers break on you. This shouldn’t be a problem with metal rods, which are thinner.
Closeup of the hook area of two hangers. One is larger than the other.

Size difference in the hook part of a flocked hanger versus the Mawa hanger.

I started with a 24-pack of these hangers in November and soon bought another pack. So far, so good. I’m quite pleased with them and how well they’re working out for petite clothes. My plan is to buy a new pack every now and then to replace my old hangers as they break. Even though these Mawa hangers are pricer than other brands, I’m hoping the price translates to better quality and durability.

What about skirt hangers? Good question. That entailed a more complicated search. I’ll share my pick for the best slim skirt hanger in another post.

A person with black hair standing outside in front of tall straw plants, wearing the Everlane Cheeky Jean in brown with a red-orange cardigan.

Everlane Review: The Original Cheeky Jean

Published by welcomeobjects

My only clothing purchases so far this year have been a couple pairs of jeans. With my size changing during the pandemic, I only owned one pair of jeans that fit: the Everlane Way-High Jean (reviewed here). Time for some more! I’ve had my eye on the Everlane Original Cheeky Jean for quite some time, but they were out of my size in the colors I liked for a while. With restocks and new colors coming in, I finally gave them a try.

** This post contains affiliate links, but was not produced in partnership with any brand. I bought these jeans myself. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. As always, all opinions are my own and I only write about items that interest me. **

The Original (or not so original) Cheeky Jean

The Original Cheeky Jean is so named to differentiate it from the ’90s Cheeky Jean, a similar Everlane jean. But these aren’t actually the original originals. These are an updated version.

The current late 2021/early 2022 iteration (what I’m calling 2.0) is an update on their first Cheeky Jean design. Here’s how they’re different, according to Everlane: “We updated this with an even higher rise, a straighter leg, and a raised back-hook seam that lifts and tightens.”

To add to the confusion, Everlane also made the Japanese Denim Cheeky Jean, which Everlane says “was previously known as the Original Cheeky Jean.” These were also known as the Cheeky Straight Jean from about 2017-2020, from what I gathered reading older posts from other bloggers. So, there’s at least three versions of “Original Cheeky Jean” out there: version 1.0 (probably called just “The Cheeky Jean”), the Japanese denim ones, and version 2.0. Maybe there are other ones that I missed. (I haven’t been closely monitoring this situation over the years.) If you’re shopping for these jeans secondhand, be careful! Make sure you’re getting the version you want.

One way to get more info is to ask sellers to take a photo of the inside tag. The Japanese denim ones were made in Bien Hoa, Vietnam, which should be listed on the tag. The 2.0 ones have “The Original Cheeky Jean. Organic Cotton” printed on the tag, as well as the location of the factory: Colombo, Sri Lanka. You can also ask for measurements. The 2.0 jeans have a higher rise at 11 3/4″ while the Japanese denim ones (and I assume the 1.0) version are 11″.

Also, there is a Curvy Cheeky Jean. It has the same high-rise, straight leg look as these various Cheeky Jeans, but Everlane adjusted the hip-to-waist ratio for those with hourglass shapes. (Which is not me, so I didn’t try them. But maybe they’re for you!)

Fabric Details

I initially ordered the Original Cheeky Jean in the washed midnight color. From the photo on their website, I thought they’d be a very dark blue. But what showed up was more of a mid blue.

Two images of the same pair of jeans: the stock photo is to the left and shows a darker blue. The actual item is on the right.

Everlane Cheeky Jean in washed midnight: As seen on the website (left) and what I received (right).

While this is not the first time the color of an item didn’t line up with what I expected while shopping online, it’s the first time it happened with Everlane. Usually, I find their photos to be pretty accurate.

I ended up sending these back after taking a poll on Instagram. (Thanks to everyone who participated!) While the washed midnight is not bad color at all — quite a classic one — it’s not for me. Shortly after I sent this pair back, Everlane released some new colors, so I rebought these jeans in coal (black) and clove (brown).

Fabric: The fabric is a 13 oz denim, a medium weight that’s similar in feel to the Way-High Jeans. They’re 98% organic cotton and 2% elastane. The tags say they’re low-stretch, which seems accurate to me. They do stretch a bit as you wear them, but not substantially so.

Everlane Cheeky Jean in two colors: black and brown, from the front.

The Everlane Cheeky Jean in coal and clove.

Everlane Cheeky Jean in two colors: black and brown, from the back.

The black rear tags on these feel like fabric, whereas on other Everlane jeans they’ve been made out of leather. Note, also, the “E” on the back pocket, which is new. Everlane jeans that I purchased in prior years — and even in the fall of 2021 — didn’t have this bit of branding.

Everlane claims these jeans are their cleanest yet. They use Roica® V550 yarn, “the first stretch yarn worldwide that isn’t made with harmful chemicals. This innovative fabric, along with the use of microplastic-free dyes and recycled trim, has allowed us to be one of the first companies to make denim that doesn’t dirty the planet.”

Where It’s Made: The Hirdaramani Factory in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which has been certified carbon neutral. While Everlane often links to a page about each of its factory, there is no page for this one. Previously, it seemed that all of their jeans were coming from the Saitex factory in Vietnam (some of their jeans still come from there), so this is a newer vendor for them.

How the Original Cheeky Jean Fits 

Here’s a 5′9″ model wearing size 27 regular in clove, according to the Everlane site. I wonder if she might actually be wearing the ankle length, though. They looked cropped. While the Original Cheeky Jean comes in both ankle and regular lengths, the clove colorway seems to be available only in ankle length.

And here I am wearing the same jeans in size 28. I’m 5′ 4″ so the ankle length falls like regular length on me. (As a petite person, I’m grateful for the ankle length option.)

Everlane Cheeky Jean in brown as worn on a person with black hair, shown from the front and back.

Original Cheeky Jean in clove  // Everlane Shirt [discontinued, similar] // dr. Liza flats [review]

Sizing: These fit true to size. I went with my normal size, a 28. For reference, my hips are about 37″. The inseam for the ankle length is 26.5″. The regular is 2″ longer.

Fit: I was looking for something with a straight, slightly tapered leg and these deliver. These jeans hug at the waist and hips and then gently skim the leg. Regular readers will know that I only wear high-rise jeans, and these also check that box for me. Everlane says the rise is 11 3/4″, but my tape measure says they’re more like 11 1/2″.

These jeans nip in at the waist. My body shape is kind of straight, so they’re a bit snug for me at the waist. Ditto with my thighs, which are almost too powerful for them. These jeans are not uncomfortable, but if I just ate a big meal, these would not be the pants I’d reach for. All in all, they fit snugger in the waist and thighs than the Way-High Jeans. Also, I noticed some color to color variation. The black pair felt tighter than the clove pair. I find the shape flattering all around, including the back. The high back pocket placement accentuates the booty. After all, they’re called the Cheeky Jean.

How they Wear: I’ve had these jeans for a little over a month, wearing them multiple times a week. They keep their shape throughout the day. No bagging out. No stretching a whole size. They feel pretty consistent. I washed them inside out, air dried, and they washed nicely. Over the years, I’ve found Everlane denim to be of good quality and these are no exception.

What’s the difference between the Original Cheeky Jean and the ’90s Cheeky Jean?: They’re quite similar, but there are differences: One is the fabric. The ’90s Cheeky Jean is 100% cotton while the Original has a touch of stretch. Second, the cut is a little looser in the leg with the ’90s ones. Third, the ’90s version has a button fly where as the original have a zipper fly.

I personally prefer the fit of the Original Cheeky Jean. I also can’t be bothered with button flys. So, the originals — or version 2.0 anyway — it is for me. Overall I’m happy with the fit. Styling wise, the leg works with just about everything in my wardrobe, so I find them easy to wear. Yes, I am here for that mom jean look!

UPDATE 2/24/23 – After wearing the black pair nearly every day for three weeks on vacation, I must report that they do stretch out more than I initially thought. It felt like almost a whole size! However, I’ve lost a couple pounds since I originally wrote this post and wearing them daily was admittedly kind of excessive. (I was purposefully packing very light on this trip.) So, keep that in mind. But if you’re between sizes, I’d size down to accommodate for the stretch.

I’ve reviewed a lot of Everlane over the years. You can find a directory to all my Everlane reviews here. If you found my review helpful, please consider shopping through my link. Thank you!

A gold Kallax bookshelf on gold legs with blue Drona storage cubes.

Easy Ikea Hack: Adding Legs to a Kallax Shelf

Published by welcomeobjects

Today I’m sharing a super easy Ikea hack: adding legs to a Kallax bookshelf.

Reasons for Adding Legs to Ikea Shelves

Why would you want to do such a thing?

1. It looks cool. Adding legs instantly elevates (pun intended!) the look.

2. It could make accessing stuff a little easier.

3. Depending on the height, it could create some storage space underneath.

4. In some buildings, you might have vents or radiators near the baseboards. Raising your furniture keeps from blocking them.

5. It helps with vacuuming. On the one hand, you’re creating more area to vacuum when you raise furniture off the floor. But on the other  hand, I feel like you can really get around a piece of furniture and vacuum better when it’s off the floor.

Using the Ikea Kallax as a Dresser for a Small Space

In my case, I wanted to turn a Kallax shelf into a dresser. The bedroom in my Brooklyn apartment is only 10 by 10 feet. A queen bed takes up most of the space. While I could probably squeeze a dresser in, opening it would be awkward. There’s just not enough space to both open the dresser and stand in front of it.

Most dressers are 18″ deep. Kallax is 15 3/8″ deep and those couple of inches make a difference. I also figured that cube storage is easier to access in a tight space than pulling out a whole drawer. (Another option is the Eket cabinet, which is even smaller at 13 3/4″ deep. Ikea even sells its own legs for the Eket.)

A gloss gray 2x4 ikea kallax bookshelf

Ikea Kallax in high gloss gray (color no longer available) – $99.99

To store clothes, I added Dröna foldable storage cubes. (I’ll write another post about how to organize clothes in storage cubes. It’s a bit of a challenge since at 13″ tall they’re deep.)

A glossy gray Ikea Kallax bookshelf with blue Drona storage cubes.

Drona storage box – $6.99 (These used to be $5, but Ikea recently raised prices on a lot of items, probably due to supply chain issues.)

After I loaded up my things in the Kallax, though, I didn’t feel satisfied. Visually, it just seemed kind of heavy, especially in such a small room. So I decided to add legs. Raising it by 6 inches also made it a better height in relation to the bed.

Where to Buy Furniture Legs

There are lots of places that sell furniture legs. Honestly, shopping for the legs was the most time-consuming part of this whole process. A few places to look: home improvement stores, Amazon, and Etsy. There are also companies that specialize in this, like Prettypegs. (A word of caution: Etsy bills itself as a marketplace for handmade and artist-made items. While some folks on Etsy are artisans and woodworkers, there are lots of manufacturers that list to the platform and crosspost to Amazon too.)

For me, my requirements for furniture legs were:

  • Brass or gold colored — I thought that would look best with the high gloss gray of my Kallax
  • Adjustable since I live in a 100-year-old building and the floors can be uneven
  • Available for purchase in a quantity of 6. To be on the safe side, I opted for 6 legs to better distribute the weight. But some sellers only offer furniture legs in sets of 4.
  • Budget of $35

I ended up buying these gold-colored aluminum legs on AliExpress. They took about a month to ship from China.

gold cylinder furniture legs

a gold furniture leg, showing the base and the leg.

Assembling the Legs onto Kallax

Adding the legs to the Kallax didn’t take long for me and the Mister. First, we placed the legs where we wanted them. Then I taped them down with painters tape.

A 2x4 Kallax bookshelf in gray with legs placed on top

Next, we made pilot holes with a nail. Just a few taps will make a hole to help guide the screw in.

The base of a leg on a Kallax, held down with painters tape. A hand is nailing a pilot hole through the base.

Then, we screwed the plate into place. Because Kallax is kind of hollow — the frame is chipboard or fiberboard, but the inside is a honeycomb filling structure made mostly of recycled paper — it’s not hard to use a screwdriver by hand.

A hand using a screwdriver to screw in a metal plate.

But of course, things go faster with a drill if you have access to one.

Hands using a drill to screw in screws to a metal plate on a Kallax bookshelf.

Once we had the metal plates in place, we screwed on the legs.

A hand screwing in a furniture leg onto the metal base connected to a gray Kallax bookshelf.

OK, here they are all in place. Time to flip it over!

Six gold legs attached to a Kallax bookshelf.

Tada!

A gray Kallax bookshelf on gold legs.

Here’s where our Kallax lives. See, I’m not kidding about it being a small room. My nightstand (the Knarrevik) is right between the bed and Kallax, so I only keep things I don’t need to access often in that bottom left cube.

A gold Kallax bookshelf on gold legs with blue Drona storage cubes.

I wish I had room to take an after photo of my Kallax with legs from the front view. But in between the very first photo in this post and this last one, my bed arrived. So, I can no longer get a clear shot of the Kallax from the front. I even contemplated moving the Kallax out to another room to get a photo for the sake of bloggery, but eh, that’s a lot of work. (If you’re curious about the bed, check out my review of the Thuma bedframe and Saatva mattress I decided on.)

It’s a small change, but I feel like the legs make a difference. It looks a little more luxe. Plus, I like to tuck my slippers under it.

If you’re thinking about adding legs to a Kallax shelf, go for it. It’s an easy transformation.

UPDATE 7/1/22 – I just noticed that Ikea is finally offering their own legs for Kallax. They sell this square-legged metal base in white and black for $27. I don’t remember seeing this option when I was furnishing my apartment in the fall of 2021, so it must be new. (The oldest review on their site for this product is from December 2021.) Not bad! Of course, hacks are still the way to go if you want a different look.

The Saatva HD mattress on a bed frame, as viewed from the side.

Saatva HD Review: This Mattress Saved My Back (plus, a promo code)

Published by welcomeobjects

When I moved in the fall, I needed a new bed. While I knew what bed frame I wanted to buy right away, the decision around which mattress to get took much longer. I checked out at least a dozen brands, from established big names to newer brands.

Well, it’s no surprise from the title of this post, but what I ended up buying was the Saatva HD mattress. In this post I’ll go into the shopping process, the components of the mattress, and my experience with it.

I’ll also share my Saatva referral code and some tips on how to save money at the end of this post.

My Mattress Criteria

I limited my search to mattresses I could see in person. Guess I’m kind of old school that way. Even though many direct-to-consumer brands promise free delivery and a generous trial period, it seemed like an inefficient way to find a mattress. Particularly for someone as picky as me.

Because everyone has different preferences, I should tell you my mine. I’m a back sleeper. Here was my criteria:

  • Firm. I learned that I prefer firm beds when I traveled in Asia. Mattresses there are generally much firmer than American ones.
  • Good for bad backs. I’ve been having lower back pain, so supporting my back is a high priority.
  • Low motion transfer. Motion transfer refers to how much you can feel it when someone you’re sharing the bed with moves around or gets in or out of bed.
  • Quality materials.

About Saatva

I learned about Saatva from a friend who has a bad back — like went-to-the-ER-because-of-debilitating-back-pain bad back. Saatva is a luxury mattress brand that began in 2010. They design with backs in mind. “Every Saatva mattress is engineered for pain-free sleep, with dedicated lumbar zone support to promote healthy spinal alignment,” says their website.

The company also touts eco-friendly materials. As far as I can tell, that means using organic cotton and foam made from renewable oils.

Saatva started as an online business. But luckily for me, they have a showroom in Manhattan, so I could check out the goods in person. (There are also showrooms in San Francisco and Washington, DC.)

Visiting the Saatva Showroom

Saatva was the last mattress brand that I looked at. By the time I got to them, I had already lay awkwardly under bright ceiling lights upon many a mattress in showrooms. My experiences with these other mattresses was OK. Most of them felt more or less the same to me, and not quite as firm as I wanted.

The one exception was the Temperpedic Pro-Adapt, a memory foam mattress that touts NASA-developed materials and felt noticeably firm. (NASA invented memory foam, so really, any brand using memory foam could make this claim.) At $3,300 for a queen, it also cost more than what I had just sold my old car for. The wait for one of these mattresses was at least two months. The memory foam comes from factories in Texas that have been trying to catch up with production ever since the February 2021 freeze that shut down power across the state for days. I did not want to wait that long or spend that much.

When I lay down on it, I thought, “Wow, you can tell this one is the most expensive.” What can I say? It just felt the nicest.

I visited the Saatva showroom intending to buy the Saatva Classic, their most popular mattress. It’s an innerspring mattress with a euro pillowtop. A queen retails for $1,695. This mattress comes in three firmness options. In order of increasing firmness, they are: “plush soft,” “luxury firm,” and “firm.” But in the store, I realized the Classic had more motion transfer than I liked.

Next, I tried Saatva’s memory foam mattress, Loom and Leaf, which comes in two levels of firm. A queen retails for $2,099. This mattress felt firmer than the Saatva Classic and had less motion transfer.

Lastly, I checked out the Saatva HD, a hybrid mattress with innersprings and foam. It only comes in one level of firmness, though the website strangely doesn’t mention what level of firmness it is. At $2,795 for a queen, it was the most expensive option out of the three. When I lay down on it, I thought, “Wow, you can tell this one is the most expensive.” What can I say? It just felt the nicest.

In terms of firmness, it felt firmer than the Saatva Classic, but comparable or just a touch less firm than the Loom and Leaf memory foam mattress. It also came in at the middle when it came to motion transfer. In retrospect, I realize now that I’m not sure what level of firmness the mattresses in the showroom were. Was I trying a luxury firm or a firm in the Classic? Assuming that the Classic I tried was a luxury firm, their most popular model, which is rated as a 5-7 — the higher the number, the more firm it is — I’d say the HD is a 7-8.

I went back and forth between the Loom and Leaf and the HD. Both offer pressure relief, though in different ways. The Loom and Leaf has “ultra-premium 5-lb memory foam and high-density foam layers” that contours to the body. The HD touts a “Patented Lumbar Zone® Technology” that adds “enhanced support for your lumbar region, while 5-zone natural latex offers excellent pressure-point relief.”

Memory foam mattresses have more of that sinking-into-the-bed feeling, whereas with the hybrid HD there’s more of a lay-on-top feel. In the end I asked the sales associate which type of mattress (innerspring versus memory foam) was better for back pain. When he said innerspring, that was the excuse I needed to splurge on the pricier Saatva HD.

Components in the Saatva HD Mattress

The saatva hd mattress on a bedframe.

HD stands for Heavy Duty, something I learned later on the website, not in the showroom. Saatva markets the HD online as “the first luxury heavy duty mattress for bigger bodies.” “Specifically engineered to comfortably support people weighing up to 500 pounds, our heavy duty hybrid innerspring mattress delivers optimal support in every sleep position.”

Now, I am not part of this demographic. I’m actually a small, petite person. The Mister also isn’t part of this demographic. In the time it took for the mattress to arrive, I worried that I had chosen wrong since we are not the intended audience. But, it turns out I didn’t have anything to worry about.

What’s inside this mattress? Here’s a graphic I grabbed from their website.

A diagram of the components of a Saatva HD mattress showing 6 layers.

There’s a 3″ pillow top made with breathable organic cotton. (Or 2.3″ — the website description has two different measurements for the pillow top. I think it’s closer to 3″.) Next come the natural latex foam and memory foam. These go on top of 12.5 gauge recycled steel coils. I am by no means a mattress expert, just a person seeking better sleep, so I don’t feel equipped to evaluate the HD’s various components and how they compare to other mattresses.

But I will say I tried to compare these coils to the ones on other mattresses, and a lot of other brands don’t list the gauge. Then again, Saatva doesn’t list the gauge size on its Classic mattress. This makes me think the 12.5 gauge is thicker than most. Saatva claims they are 25% stronger than the industry standard. You can find all the specs here.

All these components make for a heavy mattress. It’s also tall at 15.5″. The Saatva HD requires a solid surface to support its heft. Slats on a usual platform bed won’t cut it. Saatva sells its own foundation for this mattress. But the sales associate said I could use my own bed frame so long as I added a solid layer. He recommended that we acquire some 1/4 inch plywood to place on top of my slats. (You can see how it looks in my review of the Thuma bedframe.)

A closeup of the corner of the Saatva HD mattress.

The Saatva HD features a substantial pillowtop.

My Experience with the Saatva HD Mattress

The mattress was available 12 days after I ordered it — faster than the estimate of up to three weeks that they initially gave me. White glove delivery into your home is included in the price. Delivery was excellent. The delivery company they work with in New York City worked with care. They maneuvered this heavy mattress into my small bedroom, which was a little bit of a challenge since I have a narrow hallway.

A closeup of the top of the Saatca HD mattress with tufted buttons.

The cover is made of organic cotton.

Saatva has a generous 180-day trial period. If you’re not happy with their mattress, they will refund you and pick it up. They do charge a $99 fee for pickup, but I think that’s fair. I’m halfway through the trial period, but I don’t see any need to send this mattress back.

Though this bed was designed for someone bigger than me, I find it works for me. Here’s my impression of various aspects of the mattress:

Motion Transfer: As I mentioned before, motion transfer was not the best out of all the mattresses we tried. (The memory foam mattress was better.) But it’s not too much of an issue for us. Though I do sense my partner getting in and out of bed, it’s not bothersome.

Edge Support: Edge support is great. Not too much sagging when you sit at the edge of the mattress.

Feel: Though the mattress is firm, it’s not hard. I generally don’t care for pillowtops, but in this case, the pillowtop provides a cushy luxe feeling that compliments nicely with the firmness. Overall, it’s still a pretty firm mattress. If you prefer a mattress that contours more to your body, this one probably isn’t for you.

Temperature: Saatva says the cotton cover, natural latex, and open coils help promote air flow and keep things cool. In my experience, it’s working. I tend to heat up as the night progresses. With my old mattress, I used to wake up in the middle of the night to shed layers. So far, I don’t sleep hot on this mattress.

Back Support: Most importantly, how did this mattress affect my back pain? With my old mattress, I woke up daily with a sore lower back. Initially, I still woke up with a sore back (though less sore) with the Saatva. But one day, a few months into sleeping on the Saatva HD, I realized that I no longer woke up with any back pain! Since then, I’ve only woken up with a sore lower back once when I slept for a rare 10 hours straight.

The tag on the Saatva HD mattress with has an American flag and says "The environmentally friendly ultra-premium luxury mattress. Made in America."

Saatva mattresses are made in America.

Value & Final Thoughts

The $2,795 price tag for a queen mattress was more than I initially wanted to spend. But waking up without back pain is worth it. Sure, there might be another mattress out there that’d ease my back pain just as well and cost less. But, time is also money as they say, and I’ve already spent a good deal of time researching. The materials and construction of the Saatva seem excellent and luxe. I’m not mad about spending this much money for a quality mattress with a 20-year warranty.

I also saved several hundred dollars on the price by buying the mattress during a promotion. And there always seems to be a promotion going on. If there isn’t, Saatva offers a standing discount of $225 on purchases of $1,000 or more for certain professions, including teachers, health care workers, first responders, military, and civil servants.

Overall, I’m very pleased this purchase. Though I ended up going with the HD, all of their mattresses seem like good options to consider. I just recommended the Saatva Classic to a family member who wanted a more medium firm mattress. And now I recommend Saatva to you.

If you’re interested in Saatva, here’s my referral code, which will take $100 off your order or $1,000 or more. When you click through to the site it should say, “$100 Referral Offer” at the top. (I will also receive a monetary gift, so thank you!)