The start of the new year always inspires me to declutter. I like to make sure I reassess the things in my home so that it never becomes unmanageable. That's what drew me to the title "The Minimalist Way: Minimalism Strategies to Declutter Your Life and Make Room for Joy" by Erica Layne. She promises to help readers stop living a life of hustle and overwhelm by decluttering their lives, not just ... Read more
My 34th Birthday Wish List | Minimalistic Gifts
It's hard to believe I'll be 34 in just a few weeks. As I get older I find that my wants are fewer and fewer. In reality all I'd like is to see family and friends, though now that we live far away from most of them that doesn't happen often. A text or call from loved ones will make my day on my birthday. It's still fun to think about what I'd like to get, though. Each year I like to share my ... Read more
Checking My Cruelty-Free Beauty Empties on the Think Dirty App
I love sharing my most recent cruelty-free beauty empties and my thoughts about them, but this time I wanted to also search the Think Dirty app for their scores. Think Dirty is an app that lets you scan or search for products to see whether your cosmetics and personal care products contain any toxic ingredients. I have used the EWG database to check my products in the past, but I've fallen out of ... Read more
Unique Date Ideas in Chicago
A goal I haven't shared yet for this year is to go on more dates with my husband. We don't regularly schedule date nights, but I'd like to change that. As Valentine's Day approaches it's a good time to figure out plans, whether you're a married couple, longterm partners or just started dating. I'm sharing five experience date ideas in Chicago. Rage Room: I have wanted to do this since seeing a ... Read more
Eco-Friendly Holiday Tips
Something that's been weighing on my mind is how much waste is created each holiday. I feel torn between wanting my children to have the toys they want for Christmas and buying all the things, but worrying about the environmental impact of shopping/consuming. Beyond that, the season has a lot of celebrations, and with those come gift wrap, travel, single-use plastics and more. I've been thinking ... Read more
My Experience Ordering Warby Parker Glasses
** This review of Warby Parker glasses contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. I have seen countless ads for Warby Parker that intrigued me. What appealed to me was the at-home try-on. Trying on glasses after an eye appointment is never fun for me because I am overwhelmed with all the options and I don't usually have ... Read more
Thoughts on “The Burnout Generation” on Audible Originals
When I saw the cover for the Audible Original "The Burnout Generation," I knew I needed to listen to it. It is a follow-up to journalist Anne Helen Petersen's article on millennial burnout written in January 2019. Many people reached out to her after the article, "How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation," was published, sharing their own stories of burnout. Petersen explores burnout by ... Read more
How We Keep Our Plants Alive During the Winter
We may not always be successful but for the most part Graham and I are able to keep our plants alive during the winter. We've learned some tips over the years on how to make sure your outdoor plants don't die during the long, cold winter months here in the Chicago area. Bring the plants indoors. This is obvious, but they just won't survive outdoors! We move the planters inside to the place with ... Read more
Favorite Products for Home Organization
** This post contains affiliate links to home organization products. I receive a small commission for purchases made after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. I consider myself an organized person and I like my home to be tidy and organized as well. Becoming a parent has made me look for even more ways to be organized because it ultimately saves me time and reduces my stress. ... Read more
Easy Updates to Make Your Home Better
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WandItAway #CollectiveBias You don't need a large budget to transform your home into a more relaxing place. My husband and I have spent the past year doing as much work on our home as we could by ourselves and many of the changes were small but had a big effect. Small updates can make ... Read more