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
My Thoughts on “Living Well, Spending Less”
After taking a break from listening to audiobooks on Audible, I felt compelled to start the new year with a self-development title that aligns with my 2020 goals. I chose "Living Well, Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life" by Ruth Soukup because that book sounded like the perfect fit and choosing it aligns with my goal to save more and spend less. The book begins with the author's spending ... Read more
Simplifying Lessons from “Lightly” by Francince Jay
My most recent Audible listen is "Lightly: How to Live a Simple, Serene and Stress-Free Life" by Francine Jay. What intrigued me about this audiobook is that it's not just about decluttering, it's about simplifying in all aspects of life. It's about making relationships, daily life, your home -- everything -- lighter. I found this came into my life at the perfect time. I'm sharing some simplifying ... Read more
How Clutter Sneaks Into Your Home
Lately I've been thinking about just how often I feel the need to declutter and how much stuff makes its way into my home. I think it's easy to find yourself overwhelmed with belongings nowadays. I'm sharing some of the ways items find their way into your house, whether you want them or not! My hope is that if you're overwhelmed you can at least identify and maybe cut back on some of the ways ... Read more
Eco-Friendly Swaps to Make for Earth Day
** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! In honor of Earth Day, which is on April 22 this year, I'm sharing ways I plan to implement more eco-friendly practices this month. To be honest, I've gotten away from trying to be as green as possible in the past year, mostly out of ... Read more
Practicing Minimalism as a Parent
Minimalism is different for everyone. My practice of minimalism is not going be the same as anyone else's. To me, minimalism means finding the right amount of stuff for me, an amount that doesn't feel overwhelming. It doesn't have to mean having a certain number of items. It's having what you need and what you enjoy but not an excessive amount -- not having more than you need and use. I aim for ... Read more
How I Keep My Home Tidy
I like to keep a tidy home, though that doesn't mean it's always perfectly clean. (There's obviously a difference between clean and tidy!) I am someone who becomes anxious in a messy home, so I've always worked hard to keep our house mostly clutter-free and organized. With kids it's become more a challenge and our home does get messy sometimes, but for the most part it's a quick process to get it ... Read more
Why the Holidays Are a Perfect Time for Decluttering
I recently decluttered yet again, but this time I did it differently. In previous declutters I would take everything out and sort through items one by one, KonMari style. I don't have that kind of time to devote to decluttering in my current phase of life, so this time I tackled my simplifying in a different way: I decluttered as I went. What this means is that when I would open a drawer to grab ... Read more
Inspiration From “The Year of Less” by Cait Flanders
**This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! My most recent Audible listen was "The Year of Less" by Cait Flanders, who apparently also has a popular personal finance blog I was not familiar with. This book was in my Audible recommendations after listening to "Girl, Wash Your ... Read more
Spending Ban Update and Lessons
** This post was originally published in April but has since been updated. In March I shared my goal of doing a pre-baby spending ban on certain categories. I wanted to stop unnecessary spending, especially it comes to dining out, before our baby is born so I can focus on financial goals. Now I want to provide a spending ban update and lessons I learned in hopes of inspiring those who want to ... Read more