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Floradise

A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

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 back in good shape.

Ways I keep my home (mostly) tidy:

  • Declutter regularly. I’ve done several rounds of decluttering starting several years ago. I was most inspired by “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” when I read it in 2016. I am now watching Marie Kondo’s show on Netflix and it’s brought on another urge to declutter, even though I just got rid of bags of stuff before the holidays. This time my husband seems to be onboard as well, which is exciting!
  • Store things in baskets in closets.  I 100 percent agree with Kondo’s method of storing things in baskets and boxes.
  • Show my daughters how to put things away when they are done with them. When I play with my daughters, or watch them play, I always help them put toys away when we move on to another activity, or I suggest to V that she put her toys away.
  • Find a home for everything you keep. This is true in our home except in the basement, which we need to tackle this year. I like for everything to be put back in its home as soon as possible after use.
  • Don’t shop for things we don’t need. We don’t buy too many toys, for instance. For us that means buying toys on birthdays or Christmas and rarely in between. We buy clothes only when a new season is approaching or when there is a specific need. Another example: We buy shoes for the girls as they grow out of old shoes or for us when the need arises.
  • Don’t go to bed with a messy kitchen or home. I do a quick sweep every night before going to bed and make sure things are at least in the room they belong in, if not fully put away. I try to do all the dishes so we don’t wake up to a mess. I don’t always clean surfaces, but they will at least be clear of stuff. (I put things on the stairs that need to go upstairs and bring them up next time I go. A basket could be useful for this.)
  • Keep only certain toys in the living room. Toys mostly stay in the bedroom. If toys are brought downstairs they must be being played with. If not, back to the toy chest they go! Sometimes they stay in the living room all day and we don’t mind, but for the most part we put them away when the girls move on to something else (or V puts her own toys away).
  • I don’t display things on shelves unless I really love them. We actually don’t even have many shelves in the new house currently, so no need to fill them! We decorate our home with things that have meaning to use or that are useful. 

That’s pretty much how I keep our home mostly tidy. Yes, we have our bad days when our house is what I would call a disaster. Again, my house is not always clean, but it’s often clutter-free. I think if it’s challenging to keep a clean house, especially with kids or dogs, one can perhaps keep it tidy in between cleanings. I am looking forward to our next round of decluttering to see how much more calming our environment can become.

Do you have any tips for keeping a home tidy? Share them in the comments!

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Related posts:

Review of “Life-Changing Magic”
Decluttering before the holidays

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Postpartum Workouts: Week 1 Recap

Welcome to a new fitness series! I joined a gym last week so that I could restart my fitness journey. Yes, I have worked out since having a baby, but it hasn’t been consistent. I want to change that, so I’m sharing recaps of my workouts as I try to get back into my fitness routine. I’m recapping this both to inspire others to start, even if it’s slowly, and to hold myself accountable. If anyone reading this is also trying to meet a fitness goal, I’d love to be virtual workout buddies. Share your goals in the comments!

Week 1 Workout Recap:

Note: You will notice my workouts were not intense or long on my first week. That’s because I know my body and I am not in the best shape. I want to show how even just a short workout can help in the long run.

Monday-Tuesday: No workout. It was New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. We signed up for the gym membership on NYE and then went to the gym to tour it and grab our passes on the first.

Wednesday: .5 mile run and 15 minutes on the stairmaster. I then did 15 minutes of light yoga and bicycle crunches. (I was sore for three days from this.)

Thursday-Friday: No workout.

Saturday: .25 mile walk on the treadmill to warm up, followed by a 1-mile run. We then did about 15 minutes of yoga and bicycle crunches.

Sunday: Yoga Sculpt class at a studio. This class combines yoga with using free weights and strength training exercises like squats and lunges. It also includes a section on working the core. I estimate we did about 150 lunges holding weights and at a fast tempo. I had to take several water breaks. The instructor was like a drill sergeant, but I appreciate the intense workout.

Reflections and tips:

  • Don’t worry about starting slow or taking it easy. Yes, you want to get a good workout in, but you also don’t want to hurt yourself. Stretching is important, as is drinking enough water and allowing your body time to recover.
  • Mix up the workout to keep yourself engaged. I have always enjoyed a mix of yoga, running, and strength training.
  • Don’t worry about what others think. There will always be people who are annoyed at the newbies. Focus on yourself and ask for help when you don’t know how to use machines. Many gyms offer a free training session when you first join, and the trainer can help with the machines.
  • You don’t need the fanciest shoes, workout clothes or gear, at least not to get started.

Note: I am not a fitness trainer. These are just tips that I follow and that work for me. For the best fitness advice consult a professional.

Shop for my yoga towel and yoga mat**:

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Recent Cruelty-Free Beauty Empties, Vol. 13

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I haven’t shared my beauty empties in quite a while, but I’ve still been using cruelty-free products since my switch a couple of years ago. Most items in my most recent round of empties are super affordable yet work just as well as higher-end products. I’d also love to hear what products you’re loving in the comments!

Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash: I have mentioned many times on this blog how this is my go-to cleanser because it’s gentle, works and isn’t tested on animals. It’s also inexpensive.L

Wet ‘n Wild PhotoFocus Foundation: I really like how my skin looks in this foundation and the shade Desert Beige matches me perfectly. It’s an affordable drugstore foundation that many people rave about.

Colourpop Brow Boss pencil: This was such an easy pencil to apply, but I honestly can’t remember if I was wowed by it. I remember liking the color black-brown, though. I purchased it after a beauty guru suggested it. It’s affordable if you’re looking for a drugstore option to try.

Wet ‘n Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Lipstick in Give Me Mocha. This was my favorite lip shade and I’m sad I don’t own it anymore. I need to buy it again but I’ve been trying to use up more of my other lip colors. I highly recommend this and it’s only about $5!

L.A. Girl OOMPHD! Mascara. I wasn’t wowed by this mascara. It’s decent enought, but I keep trying different mascaras and always come back to the Essence Lash Princess, which is only $5.

OLEHENRIKSEN Glow Cycle Retin-ALT Power Serum: Influenster sent this to me to try. It is a purple serum that contains a natural retinol alternative. It gave me glowy skin, but I looked up the price tag and I doubt I would purchase it again. I appreciated the gift, though!

What products have you recently used up?

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Related posts:

Recent Empties, Vol. 12
RECENT EMPTIES, VOL. 11
RECENT EMPTIES, VOL. 10

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My Review of the Nested Bean Zen Sack

** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.

After seeing ads for the Nested Bean Zen Sack and Zen Swaddle incessantly on Facebook, I was intrigued. I had been Googling sleep related questions, so it’s no surprise I was seeing this product everywhere online. The posts claimed to help your baby sleep better in just a few nights, and after more than three months of being woken up every 2-3 hours, I was willing to try anything. I purchased the Zen Sack sleeping sack for Addi around the time we wanted to start sleep training.

The Nested Bean Zen Sack is a sleeping sack for infants that is available in 13 designs. Sizes are available in three options: 3-6 months, 6-12 months, and 15-24 months. I have used sleeping sacks like the Halo and the Ergobaby and liked those, but this one claimed to be different thanks to its weighted pressure pad on the chest that is supposed to mimic a parent’s touch. If the baby is a tummy sleeper it can be worn backwards, too. Addi has been sleeping on her tummy, but I keep the pad on her chest and she doesn’t seem to be uncomfortable that way.

I purchased the Stardust Pink option in size 6-12 months. When I opened the package, I was impressed by the quality of the material. It looked like it would be perfect for the winter time to control Addi’s temperature. It has a two-way zipper on the side that goes around the bottom, which makes diaper changes or putting it on easy. The shoulder straps have two sets of snaps that make them adjustable.

Keep in mind this was before sleep training, but I did see an improvement in her sleep. On the first night she wore the Zen Sack she woke at 2 a.m. and then not until almost 6 a.m., which is about when she had been waking for the day. On the second night, she woke up twice. She woke up three times on the third night. On the fourth night she had a five-hour stretch, which was long for her at the time. On the fifth night she woke up three times.

We reached out to Nested Bean for their free sleep advice, which they say they offer, and they offered this suggestion: “To help her get used to falling asleep on her own, try gently rubbing/patting the weight of the sack, while she is in the crib (fully awake). This will help your baby associate the weight of the sack with you soothing her to sleep. Do this until she dozes off.” Another tip: “When she wakes throughout the night, try the gentle/patting again, until she falls asleep. Of course, if she is hungry or needs to be changed, you can take her out of the crib, but otherwise TRY to avoid taking her out! At 7 months, she is nearly ready to stay in the crib all night, and needs your help understanding that it’s okay to stay there. If you find that the gentle patting works to help her fall asleep, try to gradually decrease the amount of time you spend doing this, so she can eventually do without it!”

Soon after this, we began trying to let her fall asleep in her crib in conjunction with using the Zen Sack, and sometimes other sleeping sacks when it’s in the wash. Addi now wakes usually once a night (if she’s not sick or teething). She has had stretches as long as nine hours since then. Last night she slept nine and a half hours, fed and then slept another two hours. Her sleep stretches can be anywhere from 5-6 hours to about nine on a really good night.

My final thoughts:

I like the Zen Sack and think it’s well made based on my almost two months of use. It has held up well to many washes and it has a cute design. Despite some reviews saying babies have slept through the night in just a few nights I would not expect a miracle product (unless your baby is already a good sleeper). But when used in conjunction with teaching your baby healthy sleep habits, like implementing a routine, it can definitely help both baby and parents sleep better. I would definitely purchase another Zen Sack.

Related post:

Baby Product Gift Guide for On-the-Go Parents

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My 2019 Goals and Guiding Word

It took weeks for me to figure out my 2019 goals. I had to really think about what it is I hope to accomplish. The person I wanted to be a year ago is not the same as the person I aim to become now. Some priorities have shifted, and some goals I previously saw as unattainable are now aspirations I think I can make happen if I commit to them. 2018 has been wonderful for us. We bought a house and grew our family, and all my attention and energy went toward that. In 2019 I hope to refocus some of that attention on my own goals outside of motherhood and marriage. While family will always come first, I have career and self-development goals that are also important to me. With that in mind, I’m sharing my 2019 goals in hopes of inspiring some of your own. I hope you’ll share your goals or guiding words with me in the comments!

Make fitness a priority again and run two half-marathons. I want to bring back fitness posts, which have taken a hiatus in the past year during pregnancy and afterward. I want my energy back and I’d love to not be out of breath when I walk up the stairs while holding the baby or carrying laundry. Also, working out has always helped relieve my anxiety. This goal is more about committing to my health and fitness, and then using that newfound energy to meet my career and family goals.

Replenish our savings. I saved in 2018, but a lot of it went toward replacing the lost income I had from taking maternity leave, which was unpaid besides short-term disability payments. I want to increase our savings and set aside separate funds for becoming self-employed. I also want to explore new avenues of making money.

Travel to a new place as a family. Iceland, Seattle, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas are on my wish list, but we are still discussing possibilities for travel in 2019. Our travel plans all depend on my husband’s work schedule and on a major decision we just made, which I’ll share later. (We also have a wedding in Virginia.)

Sell photography services/prints. I have always loved photography, and I’d like to do more of it. I’m not trained professionally on it, but I have learned a lot from workshops, classes and watching tutorials. I recently had a collaboration in which I was hired to shoot video and photos for marketing materials, and I really enjoyed it. I want to do more of that in addition to selling prints of my photographs.

Blog consistently and pursue sponsorships with brands I love. In 2018 I nearly tripled my blogging income, something I am proud to have accomplished. I want to continue that growth while doing something that brings me joy. I would like to double my blogging/editing income this year while continuing to partner with brands that I think readers would like or benefit from.

Those are my main goals, but I’ll be thinking about other self-care and career goals, too. What are your 2019 goals?

My Guiding Word/Word of the Year

Abundance.

This word has come up a lot lately, which I’m taking as a sign that I need to refocus on this mindset vs. on scarcity. I’ve been focusing on the money and energy traveling outward instead of the abundance heading my way. It’s not just about money, either. I put so much of my focus on time I don’t have instead of maximizing the time I do have each day. 2019 is about changing my perspective in that way.

Do you set a word of the year? What did you choose for 2019? How did you do on your 2018 goals?

 Related posts:

Favorite Self-Help Reads
5 Ways to Improve Your Photography
Beating the Sunday Scaries

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Christmas at the Flora House

This has been a special Christmas for us: It was the first in our new house, and it was Addi’s first! V had some new traditions, too.

Our Christmas recap:

I love our tree this year despite never finding a tree topper after ours broke. I plan to also purchase a new tree skirt next year.

We chose to stay in Chicago for Christmas this year vs. traveling to Arizona or Kentucky. We wanted to continue our own tradition of having Christmas morning breakfast and then opening gifts together. Our tree had lots of gifts that were sent to us by our family members, and we let the girls open a couple of them on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas Day.

The weekend before Christmas we had a mini Cookie Day, a tradition for the Flora family in Kentucky. We missed it this year because traveling to Louisville was challenging for us over Thanksgiving and we weren’t sure we could do it twice in month. Graham’s parents drove to Chicago to visit for the weekend, which was so nice. We exchanged gifts (They gave us a birdhouse!) and made many batches of cookies.

We didn’t make it to Brookfield Zoo, Breakfast with Santa at Chicago Botanic Garden, Lincoln Park Zoo or Christkindlmarket this month. Those events had been on my radar, but we just couldn’t make them happen this year. We aren’t fully adjusted to being a family of four and chose to make things easier for ourselves. My hope is that next year we will have more energy and have things more figured out. We did make it on the CTA Holiday Train, though, despite a little mishap. It’s one of our favorite family traditions.

Addi was able to meet Santa a couple of weeks ago. She stared at him and seemed puzzled by the strange man holding her, but at least she didn’t cry!

I wasn’t sure what to put in Addi’s stocking or what presents Santa should bring her at 8 months old. She ended up getting blocks, stackable rings, a fish toy, teethers, an Oball gift set, and a Fisher Price Laugh and Play Puppy. I also bought her a Cuddle + Kind doll, which provides 10 meals to children in need. V has a successful year and Santa brought her all the gifts on her wish list. (We allow her to make a list of five things she would like every year. We then purchase an additional gift(s) from us as her parents.) I saw a post around social media about the four-gift rule for children, and that seemed like a great idea and wonderful, but it’s not something we will do. We like to give our children whatever we would like to get them, and what the budget allows, and don’t think any parent should be shamed for their gifting choices. Whatever works for your family is best! Speaking of gifts, my wrapping was not that great this year. It’s a miracle that the wrapping even got done. ha!

A new tradition for us this year was matching Christmas pajamas, except my plans were foiled when the men’s sizes ran out weeks before, after I had already ordered the girls’ pajamas. I was hoping they would be restocked but they never were. I wasn’t able to find all of our sizes at any retailer that sold matching family pajamas. Next year I shall be on the ball and order them early!

Hope you had a wonderful holiday if you celebrate! What are your favorite traditions?

Related posts:

CTA Holiday Train 2018
Flora Family Cookie Day 2017

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Riding the 2018 CTA Holiday Train in Chicago

We continued our tradition of riding the CTA Holiday Train in the Chicago area this year. If you’re not from Chicago and have never heard of it, it’s a holiday-themed train that only runs on certain L Train lines at scheduled times. In 2016 and 2017 we caught the train on the Red Line, which runs north-south through the city. This year, we picked the Purple Line in Evanston because we live in the village next door.

The holiday train was set to stop at Central Station in Evanston at 5:38 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, so we left our house at 5:10 p.m. to give us enough time. We parked in a garage next to Evanston Hospital, where Addi was born, and walked over to the station. Several other parents with young kiddos were also waiting for the train with us. It was due to head north to Linden, the last stop on the Purple Line, before turning around and heading back south. We waiting until almost 6 p.m. when the delayed holiday train finally arrived. Addi was starting to get a bit impatient because she’s not used to being in a carrier much anymore and she wants to crawl around. V. too, was starting to lose her patience.

When the train got to our station, the excitement of seeing Santa through us off and we didn’t board in time! It was the biggest fail. The doors closed as I tried to walk on and we were left in disbelief. Luckily for us, the train came back about 10-15 minutes later and we boarded then! It was another short train ride, but one that V loves and remembers.

I recommend picking a couple of dates and times to ride the train to give you a backup plan in case something happens. It’s definitely worth the ride, because kids love it and the elves pass out candy canes and buttons. It’s so fun for them!

Have you been on the CTA Holiday Train?

Watch a video of our ride!

Related posts:

2016 CTA Holiday Train
2017 CTA Holiday Train

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Lessons From “You Are A Badass Every Day” to Carry Into 2019

I had no idea Jen Sincero, who wrote the original “You Are a Badass” as well as  “You Are a Badass at Making Money,” was coming out with another book. I was so excited to see this in Audible’s bookstore, and I bought it immediately. “You Are a Badass: How to Keep Your Motivation Strong, Your Vibe High, and Your Quest for Transformation Unstoppable” is a short read (with a long title) full of affirmations and reminders that you can listen to all at once or break up daily for a boost. It’s meant to be a supplement to your “spiritual journey” and her other books. I chose to finish it all at once, but I bookmarked lessons to revisit every once in a while. 

Lessons to take into 2019, courtesy of Jen Sincero:

  • “The excellent thing about success is that it always comes down to one simple thing: the decision to keep going until you reach your goal.” “Success requires commitment.” If you are working toward a goal and want to give up, remember this.
  • Be careful of who or what you surround yourself with and how you spend your time. Pay attention to your thoughts when you are with certain people or when you watch or do certain things. Surround yourself with people and things that inspire you.
  • When you’re feeling lazy or busy, remember “all the tiny bits matter in a very large way.” 
  • “Act like your future successful self.” Think of your current situation as a stepping stone to future success or goal.
  • Think about how far you have come when you get discouraged. Remember how what you have now might have once seemed impossible to attain, but it’s now your new normal. I think about this when I remember when I couldn’t run at all, or when I had thousands in credit card debt. Now I can run marathons if I train, and I have no credit card debt weighing me down.
  • “When you succomb to fear, you are under the illusion that you can predict the future.”

The entire book is only one hour and 38 minutes long. It’s a quick listen (or read) but one that is worth it if you’re lacking inspiration or you are into self-development books. The timing for reading this is perfect as we head into the new year. 

Have you read Jen Sincero’s books? What did you think?

Buy the “You Are A Badass” books**

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You Are a Badass
You Are a Badass
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Ways to Beat the Sunday Scaries

Raise your hand if you suffer from the Sunday Scaries. Are you waving your hand as you read this? Lately the Sunday Scaries have hit me hard, probably because all I want to do is hang out and relax with my family over the holiday season instead of working during one of the busiest times of the year at my editing job. I’ve been thinking about ways to beat those worries on the weekend and I’ve come up some ideas to help myself and others reset and recharge for the new week. Let’s go into Monday with motivation and excitement rather than dread, shall we?

Ways to beat the Sunday Scaries:

  • Change your perception. You are never really done with your to-do list, so why worry excessively about it? There will always be more work to do. But you can’t get back time you’ve spent worrying or ignoring your basic needs. Worry about tomorrow robs today of its joy.
  • Spend part of the day or the whole day with nothing planned. Give yourself a break, if you can. I try to limit myself to only one set of plans per weekend. Doing something each day of the weekend only makes me feel more exhausted come Sunday night vs. well rested.
  • Do something that brings you joy. Ideas: Painting, yoga, running, walking around a garden, watching a movie, etc.
  • Make fun plans for Monday. Examples: Set up dinner or happy hour plans with a friend or treat yourself to your favorite dessert. Make time to do something you love on Monday after work to give yourself something to look forward to.
  • Laugh. Watch a funny movie or TV show.
  • Use a journal or planner to jot down a “brain dump” of thoughts, goals and to-dos for the week. Do this on a weekend so that you go into the week with a plan and it doesn’t seem so intimidating. I create a to-do list, but I limit what I designate for each day. I never want to overwhelm myself. I try to stick to just one errand per day, if possible. For blogging, for example, I will schedule time to start a blog post, and then finish that post on another day. I try to take photos for posts all at once so I’m not trying to squeeze in shooting and editing in one day.
  • Perform a self-care task like getting a massage, repainting your nails, taking a long bath, etc. Also make sure you are drinking enough water and eating well.
  • Stay off social media. Stop comparing what you are doing with what you are seeing on your Instagram feed.
  • Spend time with people you love and who will uplift you.
  • Make time for church, meditation or self-reflection.
  • If it’s job dissatisfaction that is causing your Sunday Scaries, make a plan to change your situation. Research education, other jobs, mentors or other ways to improve your career satisfaction.

Do you ever feel the Sunday Scaries? What do you do about them?

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Related post:

How to Improve Your Confidence

A’s 8-Month Update

This has been a major month in terms of milestones for Addi. She has changed so much in a short time, and this phase has become my favorite so far. I love watching her do new things and learn every day.

Sleep: After waking 3-5 times a night every night since she turned 4 months old, we decided it was in our family’s best interest to attempt to teach her to fall asleep on her own. It’s been less than a week and she is already sleeping better and going down for naps more easily. We are attempting as gentle an approach as we can.

Feeding: She’s eating three meals a day now along with breastfeeding and drinking breast milk or formula from a bottle. We are mostly feeding her purees, but we are slowly introducing chunkier foods and letting her self-feed.

Stats: I am not sure what her weight is now. She is in 9 or 9-12 month clothes and wears Size 3 diapers.

Highlights:

She pulled herself up to stand in her crib, so we had to lower the mattress.

She started army crawling at first but is now fully crawling, though she is still a bit unsteady.

She still smiles and laughs constantly.

She loves to drink water from her sippy cup and can hold her own bottle.

She still protests when mom and dad walk away.

She places her hand on mine when I say high-five.

She loves to splash around during bath time and now sits on a nonslip mat vs. in a bather.

She wants to grab EVERYTHING.

She still doesn’t have teeth.

We also had her passport photo taken and submitted the passport applications for both the girls, and we are excited for future trips as a family.

That’s it for today’s update. I’ll share another as she gets a bit older and we have hit more milestones. Do you have a kiddo(s)? Share a fun update in the comments!

 

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Related post:

Flying With a 2-Month-Old Baby
Adelina’s 4-Month Update

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