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When the entire country catches you sleeping with the colleague next door, you might find yourself asking “what if”. “What if I had just splurged on a romantic Airbnb stay instead of getting those Coldplay tickets?”
Listen, I’m not here to condemn or condone cheating but I am here to promise that when you and the mistress… uh I mean Mrs… are a guest in my home, your stay will be confidential and your bedding will be comfortable. Lets dive into 3 important considerations for any sleep spaces.

Stains happen and it’s much better if they happen on something that is fully machine washable. Your kid has an accident, throw the mattress topper in the wash. You happen to drool in your sleep, thank goodness for zippered pillow covers. Your college kid just got back from a shady hostel in Santa Monica, don’t worry, there are zippered and bug proof mattress covers available in every size. I’m hoping you’ll take my word for it and add these to your shopping list so your guests can sleep at ease.

To protect my guests as well as my assets, I invest in hypoallergenic mattress and pillow covers. It’s important to not only provide these, but to make sure to remove and wash frequently. No need to break the bank either. I opted for the popular brand Allerease. Even something as cost effective as this can reduce allergens that could disrupt a good night’s sleep, prevent unwanted pests, and extend the life of your mattress or pillowcase.

I was raised on “just because it’s on sale, doesn’t mean you have to buy it”. However, if I’m looking for a high end look at a lower cost, I always scour the clearance section. Something like this pillow cover will be durable and fashionable. My purchases from Ballard Designs have upheld the test of time and continue to impress.

I always offer my guests two standard pillows on each bed. There are usually a few throws for decor. The bonus is the extra pieces in my linen closet that I don’t have to worry about covering. That way, if the renter needs more comfort on the bed, they can add their own. This prevents cleaning burnout as I’m only changing sheets and pillowcases that were actually used. My favorite pillows are from Target and aren’t available anymore but they were only about $15 and came with a built in zippered cover for cleaning ease. Highly recommend getting a few extra for your home just in case two per bed is not enough!

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Top July Buys, Organization Tip of the Week, and Favorite B2S Sales

Preparing for School

With school keeping on a virtual path, I put together a list of unisex go with everything pieces for the kids. Home school or home playground essentials – including some “boo boo” ice packs for any bumps and bruises they might get when sibling wrestling has gone wrong. I also linked my favorite (I’ve bought them in every size since Ken was born) no slip socks for your new walker and no stink socks for your “won’t sit still” preschooler.

Easily Organized Home Schooling Tip of the Week:

Create a mobile organizer for all of your child’s school supplies. Whether it be a craft cart like this one, or a desktop carousel, you’ll be able to keep your child focused and motivated to get their work done no matter their age! Use code 20MADEBYYOU for 20% off.

Through 8/15/20
Until Stock Lasts
I’m a huge fan of these!
20% off 8/13-8/17/20

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Keep or Ship Vol. 2

I was getting ready for bed last night and noticed I’ve added a few new products to my simple nighttime ritual this week. Recapping my recent purchases and why I know you’ll love them as much as I do!

This Pajama Set!

I’ve finally grown tired of sleeping in uncomfortable t-shirts they give for free at the the Superbowl 5k and looking disheveled while wearing them. As a good intro to sleep sets, I searched for a low cost option first. Selling for under $25, by no means is this an extravagant purchase but it’s cute and I don’t feel shy walking around a shared vacation home in it. The material isn’t silk *obviously* and it doesn’t feel like it so I won’t tell you it does. BUT it is very breathable, stiched nicely, and washes well. Mine has gone through a few cycles without any problems. Click here for the 6 available colors (including a classic black that I will for sure be buying).

A Lighted Magnifying Mirror

At under $30, this is in my Top 5 purchases of the year for sure. To sum it up, it’s a travel rechargable 7x magnifying mirror. To give you more detail, the base suctions securely to any surface, the mirror itself has a magnetic piece that makes it removable from the suction so you can travel easily across country or from room to room. The light is rechargeable with the micro USB cable provided but one single charge lasts at least a month! The light has multiple settings giving you the perfect lighting for any time of the day and it automatically turns off if left on too long.

This Hanging Toiletry Bag

Get a lot of organizing bang for your buck with this piece! Four compartments keep your necessities accessible on the road while still being compact enough to add to your carry on. For some context, I’ve had my junky toiletry bag for 8 YEARS! The PVC was torn, there was only one big compartment. I don’t know why I was so attached to my previous bag but this new one should be arriving today and it’ll be a game changer.

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Beach Essentials for the Family

Tap for link to all items

Sitting inside for our last day of vacation because of the tropical storms that are rolling through and I’m reflecting on the fun the past 2 weeks have brought our family. Obviously, traveling anywhere with your whole family is a process but for me, the beach requires the most preparation. First off, I’m not a huge fan of sand and I try to minimize my time in the sun. Two things you can’t avoid at the beach. This means I’m constantly on the hunt for gadgets and tools to make our beach days easier and more care free. Below I’ve highlighted a short list of items that will add convenience to your vacay.

Tommy Bahama Cooler Chair

You may have already seen this chair line your beaches but if you don’t already own one, here’s why you should get to ordering now. I found them online for $79/3pk. There are shipping costs but each chair ends up costing less than $40 and should last you a lifeti

  • It is a backpack chair so lightweight and easy to carry.
  • There are two pockets in the back, one for your belongings big enough to hold your towel and a book, and another to keep snacks and drinks cold.
  • There is a cup holder and cellphone holder with a privacy flap.
  • It fully reclines to sleep position and has an attached pillow.
  • We’ve had ours for 6+ years and it has yet to rust!

Rio Brands Sun Shade

This sun shade will provide you relief from the UV rays even on the days too windy to keep an umbrella in the sand. It is adjustable and easy to carry and store. To travel with it, collapse and store in your folded Tommy Bahama chair. So simple!

Neoprene Tote

Ladies, this is my new favorite find. My sister’s girlfriend introduced me to this gem of a bag that is made from the same material as scuba suits! If you click the photo, it’ll take you to a budget friendly find. Sand falls right off of it when you pick it off the beach and it’s so easy to keep clean. It also comes with a wristlet for easy access to your cash and cell phone, say if the ice cream man comes rolling through and you need to run!

Microfiber Beach Towel

This brand makes towels that are fast drying and aren’t bulky and – BONUS have really fun prints. Your kid will get a kick off of sitting on a shark and it might even deter them from stepping their Sandy feet all over it. Doubtful but it can’t hurt to try!

Swim Trunks with Built-in Diaper

Parents – this is not a drill! I found a swim diaper that actually works. Don’t expect it to keep your baby dry – not even disposable swim diapers can achieve that. It will, however, keep the other business in whether you use it solo or double up with a disposable one for pool days. Trust me, I’ve gotten a lot of use out of these swimmies and even got the reusable swim diaper for my baby girl before she was potty trained.

Powder Pouch Sand Removal

Unless you’re staying a block from the beach, chances are you’re heading from the beach unrinsed straight to your car. Wipe off sand with ease with this compact gadget. Need another excuse to buy this? Imagine this… Your child is ready for a snack but just finished building a sandcastle. Wipe away the sand from their hands with this and they’re ready to snack on!

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Keep or Ship Vol 1

March 13 hit and I was in a teeny bit of a funk when it came to shopping. I had recently decided to minimize the online shopping so I could see and feel my purchases to better describe them on my LiketoKnow.It page. See, there are so many items I LOVE when I see in store, but it is a lot more difficult to advocate for a piece if I haven’t tried it on! Well, being that we are in month 3 of malls being closed and it being a little difficult to browse stores (not wanting to risk bringing the virus into my home), I’ve had to get a little creative. Luckily return windows are longer and pre-paid shipping is an option. End intro to my recent shopping spree. The below items are all pieces I’ve received this past week and my un-biased opinion on whether I am going to KEEP or SHIP back to the brand.

**Hint – the pictures below will send you to my LiketoKnow.it where you can shop all items!**

Women‘s Fashion

Oof. I went a tad overboard this week with this category. As you can see, my closet was in need of a big refresh in every category but I was mainly searching for easy tops to wear all season.

My refresh started on the right foot with this faux button up tie tank and pink flutter sleeve tee. They are both so versatile and lightweight without being sheer. I would obviously recommend a nude bra but other than that, pick a skirt, shorts, pants.. heels, sneaks… the outfit options are endless! I plan on wearing the woven visor with both of these outfits perfect for walking on the boardwalk or sitting on the beach. The neutral ribbed long shirt (second from top left) was really comfortable but the neckline didn’t work for my broad shoulders. I will be returning this item but I highly recommend for slim body types.

On to the Free People bodysuit I tried on in my stories last week. Oh boy – it did not look good on me at all but when I posted it, I had so many ladies message me saying they have the exact top and they loved it. So, if you have a longer torso than myself, please buy it! The quality is fantastic and the buttons are easy to snap back together (which is oddly hard to do on some others). I bought them to go with the tie waist paperbag shorts (middle right) that I absolutely love!

The Red Hot Chili Peppers graphic band tee dress is long enough to cover the booty and can be worn with denim or leggings. Pair with the denim blue bike shorts I bought (bottom right), and the reebok classics and you have a great retro summer look for running errands or going out for a casual date with friends. Speaking of bike shorts, the bright pink bike shorts were also a hit! Quite a few of you asked for the link so I’ll just keep that here for future reference. They went perfectly with the baby blue UO hat, Puma chunky sneakers, and the graphic skeleton shirt (that I bought to rock on July 4th weekend).

Last but definitely not least… In fact, it may be my favorite purchase of the week. This bleach dyed sweater. Yes, I’m too lazy and will probably mess up my own if I try to DIY so I bought one. This is sooooo soft and the fit is perfect. 10/10 would recommend for everyone.

Beauty

After seeing this Powder Pouch in action – I had to snatch it up. I hate sand and live a mile from the beach. This was the perfect solution! I’ve linked it in 2 places because it has been selling out on Amazon.

Ok – our junky Ikea lighted mirror broke just a week after purchasing it. This one is cordless and comes with a USB charger. It has a very strong suction and can also be detached from the suction part for easy packing. The light is dimmable and the brightest is perfect for make-up application.

I’ve heard of these face razors for a while now and finally gave it a try. I’m slightly addicted. It’s an easy and inexpensive addition to my beauty regimen. They don’t cut your face like I was worried they would and the blades are still sharp enough to get all the pesky hairs around your face. I use it with a moroccan oil and it gently exfoliates my skin as well.

kids

In case you missed it, I have two children. June is 4 and loves all things rainbow. I’ve recently decided to start letting her shop with me because she never wears the items I’ve picked out for her and her taste goes all over the place. Online shopping is no different. She picked out the pants, jumpsuit, and 2pk of dresses herself. The shoes were my selection but she has a new love for pineapples so I knew these would be a hit and she needed flip-flops for the beach.

Now Ken is a different story. I still shop for him and he was in need of shorts! It’s getting hot here and oh boy does he look adorable in shorts. These linen ones are breezy and the drawstring helps with the fit. The terry cargo shorts are thicker so they’re good for the cooler summer temps.

June recently got a gift card to Amazon so I let her pick out a fun toy. She bought a twerking Llama and it’s actually pretty funny and not as annoying to have around the house as I would have thought!

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Shared Spaced // Dining & Kitchen

I fell in love with some counter stools recently and now we’re in the market for coordinating dining chairs to compliment them. Since our kitchen area is open with room for dining, I’m popping in to share options and tips on how to to create a cohesive and clutter free look for your shared kitchen/dining space.

Instagram @roxyhetz

1. Who’s sitting here?

Aside from the obvious tip of measurig the height of the stool, ask yourself who’s spending the majority of their time in this chair! For us, we needed a back so our children didn’t fall off. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked them to keep their hands to themselves while they’re eating here so this was a major must.

2. How big is the overall space?

Our kitchen area would look too cluttered with stools that you could see when not in use. Like I said above, we wanted a back for our chairs but I made sure they didn’t peek too high above the actual counter to avoid the clutter.

3. Have you found your aesthetic?

Get on those Pinterest boards and find your look! No, it doesn’t have to be matchy matchy but it should be cohesive. I can’t wait to find the perfect set to complete our space but until then, I’ll be searching for some inspiration all over the place! Tap here to catch a glimpse into the vibes I’m feeling for our kitchen.

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5 Top Tips for an Easy Spring Refresh

Practicing being Safe at Home may have you discovering dark corners of your home that don’t get the T.L.C they deserve. Today, I’m rounding up 5 popular and frequently used spaces in your home that need extra care these days and how to accomplish a sparkling refresh without having to open your wallet!

1. Your Kitchen Sink

I’m starting with the area that is most important to me. Sometimes I notice it being the most neglected in homes. Simple tips to keep it always looking fresh are to:

– Sweep excess food down the drain with a sponge. Food and beverages can stain your sink surprisingly quickly and can leave a layer of gunk in the corners. Give your sink a quick rinse after you finish washing dishes.
– Frequently wash your dish draining racks. I’ve mentioned I like to keep a minimalistic drying rack on my counter – easy to clean and put away if I need extra counter space. I make sure I clean it once a week so my dishes are not resting over standing moldy water! Click here and here for my favorite dish racks! The second is intended for baby bottles but we use it for everyday items! So versatile and I highly recommend it.
– Keep a microfiber towel nicely folded by your faucet. It’ll help you remember to immediately wipe down the inevitable splashes from your dish washing!

2. Your Coffee Table

I’m so guilty of leaving coffee rings on my table. We had coasters – nice ones – my kids broke them. I know I can get unbreakable and universally chic ones like this but also, we could never remember to use them. Instead, we got an easy to clean removable tray to put on the table. If something spills on it, we just grab it by the handles and take it straight to the sink. It’s only purpose is to set drinks on (we have the coffee table books set elsewhere) so that space looks clutter free and tidy 99% of the time and it’s so satisfying. Here is one I absolutely love!

3. Your Bedroom

Make your bed every morning and hang your clothes back up when you undress at night!! We have an unspoken morning and nightly ritual between the two of us. No doubt, we break the rules on nights we’ve had too much wine or on mornings we had too much wine the night before… ;-). BUT anyway, here is our routine if you’re looking to add some simple tidying to your life.

AM: Wake up, open blinds to let some kind of light in, make bed and fold pajamas nicely to be set somewhere for the evening. If you sleep with a glass of water on your nightstand, take it to the kitchen to be washed.
PM: Remove clothes, immediately put dirty clothes in hamper, hang/fold and put away clean clothes, put on PJ’s. Do a quick scan of the room and put away any lingering pairs of shoes, accessories, articles of clothes. You’ll wake up the next morning feeling accomplished and a little more zen than if your room were cluttered with yesterday’s things.

4. Your Bathroom

Do you keep beauty/self care items on the counter? Get yourself a small organizer with compartments to separate by category. We have this one and it is sorted like this: My products on the left, things we both use in the middle, and his items on the right. Truth be told, I might use two compartments but… whatever. It’s space efficient and keeps things looking so much more organized during the day. The organizer is under $10 and an added bonus is that, since everything is in one container, we can pick it all up and wipe down the counter when needed.

5. Your Home Office

Last but definitely not least in this day in age. Where are you running your business while at home?

If you saw my post on Instagram, I wrote this post from the comfort of my sofa. What you didn’t see in the post was my notebook, multi colored pens and highlighters, and product print outs. After I’ve completed my daily blog or social post, I tuck away the assortment of desk clutter and sort it nicely in this bin. Sure, we have a home office as well but my husband is currently using it for his job and I’d much rather be feet up on a sofa with my laptop while he’s crunching numbers into Excel on his desktop. Either way, it’s so important to keep the paper clutter organized so you can stay on task during this period of staying safe at home. If you don’t have the budget for new accessories, simply take a stylish binder clip to your stacks of paper to keep them looking tidy. Bonus: This lessens the worry of your young children grabbing a pile of papers and throwing them across the room too!

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New Year, New Home

Are you ready to get rid of the clutter in your life? Here I am, signing in to tell you what exactly to do with common items from the top places in your home that you may have overlooked.

10. Bathroom
TRASH: Did you know that your bath and body care has a use by date after you open it? RealSimple magazine breaks it down pretty simply here. There is a special symbol on the back of your product with a number on it. That is the expiration date! From now on, write the date you opened it on it so you know when to toss!
DONATE: Women’s shelters will take unopened products from hotel stays! Recent fun fact courtesy of my sister after I complained to her about my husband’s toiletry hoarding habit when he travels for work. I will be making an effort to do this in 2020. I made a pretty serious pledge last year to create less waste and one purchase that significantly helped with that was a reusable menstrual cup. After donating tampons and pads to a women’s shelter, go out and buy the Saalt Menstrual Cup. They last 10 years, are cost effective, and can be worn for up to 12 hours. Seems like a no-brainer and I’m so glad I made the switch last year!

9. Bedroom
TRASH: Stained pillows should go! I have a cost-saving tip for future pillows so you don’t have to toss them every year… Buy a waterproof/bed bug protection pillowcase. They will save your pillow from drool, greasy hair, and keep it fresh much longer.
DONATE: Old blankets and towels can go to animal shelters! They are usually in desperate need for these items to comfort the crated animals. Bonus: Take over a bag of food for them too while you’re at it!

8. Office
TRASH: Do you need 50 pens all collected from hotels, restaurants, your office? I really don’t think so and honestly, half of them probably don’t even work. Toss them now!
SELL: Did you promise yourself you’d use that fancy camera you bought last year but never did? List it on Facebook Marketplace for that lucky photographer. I’ve had some serious luck on that page.

7. Living Room
TRASH: Nothing. Seriously. You should be able to find a home for your furniture and/or storage bins & baskets. If you can not then….. SELL (again) on Facebook Marketplace. I really prefer this to craigslist btw. Think outside the box with rearranging your furniture and get creative with storage bins. I am constantly moving my bins from the pantry, to my closet, to the living room depending on need. If we get a new toy for the kids, likely I already have a perfect bin for it’s storage.

6. Playroom
TRASH: Toys that are broken. I also use this as a lesson to get my children to play with their toys nicely. If they break it and it can not be fixed, it goes in the trash and they know it. Sorry kids…

DONATE/SELL: Toys that are not age appropriate and video game consoles that have not been used in a year.

5. Pantry
TRASH: Expired food – duh! Also, plastic containers without lids and broken chip clips. You know, go through your cabinets real quick and toss useless items!

DONATE: Did you get extra canned corn for the holidays? I’m sure you can find a way to cook with it but you probably won’t. So go ahead and drop it off to a food shelter.

4. Wardrobe
FIX: Do you have pumps with a worn out heel? Take them to a shoe repair now! If you don’t know of a local one, there are also some dry cleaners that will repair these. Also, watches that need new batteries should be repaired. They’re going to waste in your closet and watches are very much so fashionable these days.

3. Garage
SELL: It’s been a while since I got on a bike and I don’t think it’s going to happen any time soon. This means I should say goodbye and sell it to someone who can use it. Also looking at some surfboards that are collecting dust from our “just moved out here” days.

2. Backyard
TRASH: Moldy outdoor cushions! To save yourself some money in the future, buy yourself a nice outdoor cover. We bought these after our old cushions were ruined by pine sap.

1. Car
TRASH: Last but not least – do a quick scan of your car. Get rid of the gas station receipts and food wrappers (don’t worry, I’m guilty of eating and driving too). Toss those old detail wipes you kept in your car because you were >definitely< going to keep your car clean with them before they dried out.

Let me know in the comments below if I’ve missed anything or if you need any more help decluttering your life!

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Decor Packing Prep-Talk

This year there is only 4 weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas as opposed to last year’s 5. Have you started decorating for the season of giving yet? Have you started shopping for the actual ACT of giving yet? Right, me neither. Here to drop some helpful tips and hopefully get your season on a more organized path before it’s over.

Since we went away for Thanksgiving, I decided to get out the boxes of ornaments and decor early and start placing them around the house (peek the corner of June’s room above). I’m a day after Thanksgiving tree buyer and we usually keep it simple with one bin of decor but now that my daughter has a vision of her own for every season, I really need to find a more efficient way of storing everything. In the process of unpacking everything, I learned how ABSOLUTELY disorganized I was with my seasonal goods. It’s actually scary. Luckily, I have a major vision for how I want my garage organized and I can’t wait to share the completed project with you once my Amazon finds arrive in the mail. Keep scrolling for my organization wish-list.

  • If you have nutcrackers and delicate trees, I found a comprehensive storage bin with room for all of your delicate decor items as well as ornaments. Click here. I ordered it and it should be waiting for me when I return from vacation. Already can’t wait to pack up everything!
  • For the family with the extra large tree. This container has double duty ornament compartments.
  • If you have a more neutral home and don’t have a garage to hide bins, this gray bin is more aesthetically pleasing for storage in linen closets.
  • Start off the season annoyed by tangled lights? Fret no more, there’s obviously a bin for that!

Ok. I can’t stress this enough, YOU NEED TO PREPARE FOR ORGANIZATION. Plans don’t just fall into place for the items you own. Systems don’t create themselves! This season is stressful for some because of the hosting, the decorating, the cooking… all of it. If you need help prepping for any of those above things (sure, I have some recipes if you really want it), please contact me! I’m itching to bring some order to your life.

XOXO.

Easily Organized | Roxy Hetzel29B4A01E-7FC5-4A25-9C9C-021CF0C4F98A

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Crafting Season

For me, crafting season starts promptly on October 1 every year! It’s time for me to take out my iPad and get on Pinterest to find the year’s biggest trends in pumpkin painting. We hosted a pumpkin decorating day for some friends and our kids and what kind of organization blog would I be if I didn’t link this super convenient craft storage that made the craft a little easier.

For those die-hard pumpkin carvers reading this, go about your awesome ways but for those in warmer climates (where your pumpkin would rot if carved) read on for some inspiration.

This below design caught my eye this season. I associate Gingham with cozy farmhouse decor and associate that with cozy fall days. I love that I can use this pumpkin further into the season even pushing on winter transitional decor.

I even attempted this little DIY and did a pretty decent job! Check back on my Instagram page to see how I style it.

Holland Avenue Home Gingham Pumpkin Tutorial

Another style that hasn’t outstayed its welcome after centuries of use is the designs on traditional African mudcloths. If you’d like to incorporate this trend into your Halloween decor, here’s a simple tutorial from Homey Oh My.

Homey Oh My Mudcloth Pumpkin Tutorial

The following pumpkin DIY is a fun spin on another trend, the Morrocan leather pouf. If you’re not a fan of the bright colors of the Fall season or if you’re like the blogger behind the below post, this tutorial might be just what you need!

Leather Pouf Ottoman Pumpkin DIY by Quartz and Leisure

I can’t end this post without a diy pumpkin with a hint of spook to it. During our pumpkin crafting party this weekend, a friend went with a spiderweb design! It turned out so cool and he made it his own by adding spiders and shadows. Magia Mia has some great Halloween inspo and DIY projects for you so give her site a follow. Check out these no carve pumpkins she shared.