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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.

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Less Stress Travel Prep

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Real talk: I’ve had a hard time adjusting to being a transplant in a state across the country from my home sweet home. Luckily for me, we’ve had many opportunities to fly back East in the past 7 years. Now that we have two kids to tow around and two dogs to find care for while we’re gone, we don’t exactly “hop” on a plane anymore. It’s more like tripping over our own feet the whole way until we’re comfortably seated in my Dad’s car at PHL.

Despite the craziness, it’s hard for us to turn down a wedding invite, a big birthday bash, or a holiday visit. So that means we have to make it work!

I’ll save the “how to get through the airport” for another post because today I want to share some tips on how to prepare yourself for any trip. Whether it’s a weekend staycation, or a month long trek, I think you can take away some helpful information from this post.

2-3 days before travel:Dump every hamper into the wash. The liklihood of you loving something in your hamper is pretty high so get it washed and dried in time. 
*Give yourself extra time to hang dry any favorite delicates like your comfy Lulu’s you can’t get on an airplane without.

1-2 days before travel:Tackle the stack. Start with the youngest traveler (if their clothes are significantly smaller) so you can budget room for the rest of your stuff. 
Yes, if there’s extra room in my bag after every one is packed, I tend to add an extra pair of shoes I don’t NEED but would love to have with me.
*Put outfits together and select pieces that are easy to mix & match.
When you get each family member’s stack of clothes figured out, put them all in a central location. This usually ends up on our bed since all packing is done in our room.

1-2 days before travel: Take out those packing cubes! The jury is still out on these for some people but I’ve been using ours for every vacation since I bought them about 5 years ago and they’re a lifesaver. It alleviates a lot of the packing stress when trying to fit clothes for 4 people in one suitcase. After doing a bit of research for my blog readers, I discovered there’s a difference between compression cubes and packing cubes so if you’re looking to stay organized, there are A TON of options. Ours are not technically compression cubes but they do an amazing job so I’ll link them here.

0-1 day before travel: Pack toiletries. Do you have any travel size goodies? I try not to hoard these but they’re frequently given as stocking stuffers and my husband takes them from E.V.E.R.Y hotel he stays in. This drives this clutter free blogger nuts but I try my best to go through them before buying anything from the dollar bin at Target. I’ll give you a sneak peek on how I organize those when I get home.

If you have travel size of all essentials, then no need to do this day-of but I bring a few full-sized items that I use every morning and I don’t like starting my day with a little bit of make-up so this goes in my luggage last. I’m talking husband-yelling-at-me-that-we-have-to-go last.

Travel day: Close up your suitcase and weigh it. We don’t have a handheld suitcase scale but our digital floor one does a good job at keeping us below the limit. I’m not sure a handheld one is a must-have and I don’t have any good tricks for storing this rarely used gadget. Unless you have a habit of over-packing or you’re known to travel with Persian Rugs in your bag (ok, that’s me sometimes), don’t buy a luggage scale.

*Our go-to bag used to weigh 17lbs! What a joke!! I donated that bag to someone who needed it for non-airplane travel and put this Calpak set on my Christmas wishlist. Ok fine, I ended up buying it for myself… At only 10.3lbs for the 30″ bag, they are so lightweight and simple and the design is so cute, I just had to have them!

So, I haven’t always been a stay at home mom (should those words be capitalized? Insert thinking face emoji here) but it is nice to be able to do laundry and pack while I work from home and there are still quite a few obstacles that come my way. Did this above “schedule” work out for you? Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions on my routine or have any ideas that have worked for you!

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Deep Freezers the Right Way

Since I’ve started this blog, I’ve had a few good friend’s reaching out to pick my brain or even suggest future posts they’d like to see. Well, I LOVE that! It gets me excited for my next move in this venture.

The other day, my dear friend sent me a text requesting fridge organization tips. She has a deep fridge which can lead to wasted food since your it all just ends up mixed together with no order. She has just welcomed her second baby into their family and she’s working hard to stock up the freezer for her return to work. The bags were piling up and unfortunately forgot to do the lay flat while freezing trick so the bags were bottom heavy and taking up too much room. Her exact text to me was “it gives me anxiety and I feel like there’s gotta be a better way”.

There definitely was a better way so let’s get into it…

Luckily for her, I was returning some items at Ikea and found the perfect deep freezer tool! I found these lidded bins (picture below is a link to item) that would be great for stacking in her drawer. They keep her milk sorted by month and it’s ok that the bags aren’t all flat because she doesn’t need to see it when she opens the drawer. Only when it comes time for her little one to go through them. They come in multiple sizes so I’m sure you can find one that works for your dimensions. I stacked two of the larger ones in her freezer to store her milk.

Sockerbit Lidded Box from Ikea

As always, don’t forget to check out my Instagram page here for more motivation on how I used these Ikea bins to create a satisfyingly organized freezer drawer!

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Stop Calling it Junk!

In an effort to give more purpose to the storge in your home, lets work together on eliminating the “junk spaces” in your home!

In all seriousness (and I’m hoping you can relate), I don’t only have one drawer dedicated to random finds… For example I opened our game night cabinet the other day to find a GRAVY BOAT in next to my puzzles, next to a pile of cookbooks, next to some deflated balloons. I have an entire cabinet dedicated to serving dishes and a bookshelf fit for those books but for some reason, I crammed them all in one teeny space. I’ve always had an eye for practical organization but we all take off sometimes so I’m not going to beat myself up about it. Recently I’ve been looking at these spaces and wondering if I can come up with a list of ways to keep them from turning into junk spaces again. Then it dawned on me that we don’t need a list.. we just need to remember to: CREATE PURPOSE!

Ok just kidding, this blog post would be boring if we didn’t have a list so let’s do the following:

  1. Think of where in the home the space is and whether you can categorize by the most common item found in that space.
  2. Take the basic rules of organization and empty, sort & TOSS. Does every pen in your drawer work?? Now’s the time to check and toss. Also, maybe you don’t need 20 black pens? Unless you’re a caligrapher, chances are you don’t… so TOSS!
  3. Create a new home for the loose items you find in the space. Can your batteries be moved to a utility closet? Is there a paperclip that can be put back in the office? Why is your gravy boat next to your puzzles? All questions I’ve asked myself in the past week.
A junk drawer turned stationary drawer

I didn’t start writing this post to tell you how to organize your junk drawer but to, better yet, eliminate it!

Doing so will help you take better care of your belongings. No more crumpled bills you forgot to pay. No more expired bottles of tylenol taking up space in a drawer… It’ll also alleviate some of the anxiety of not knowing where to find those things. If you open a cabinet or a drawer and it immediately gives you a headache, please do yourself a favor and empty it out now.

What’s your most recent junk clean out and what did you turn that space into? Leave a comment below!

If you need some good drawer organizers, click here.

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Green Home Without the Green Thumb

I have always loved the color green. There’s something special about every shade. From emerald to mint and everything in between, your space can really pop with a hint of the color. For an added bonus of oxygen and purifying benefits, create that pop with a live plant! Your home will look so much more put together and complete with a plant in a pretty pot or basket.

You don’t need to be a green thumb or have all of the time in the world to care for some of the most beautiful house plants and I’d like to challenge you today to go to that local nursery you’ve been eyeing up and treat yourself! Before you do that, check out my list of favorite resilient houseplants below. Thanks for reading. Comment below with easy care tips or to let me know what your favorite resilient houseplant is!

THE DUMB CANE

Diffenbachia – aka Dumb cane

I bought this pretty plant at a Home Depot as an impulse buy and boy am I happy I did. Plant it in a moisture retaining soil and water with a couple of ounces just once a week and you’ll have a quickly growing plant. Please note that it was easily 1 foot shorter when I first bought this and grows in both in filtered sun and darker spaces (though growth will be slower).

THE UMBRELLA TREE

Shefflera – aka Umbrella Tree

I snagged this beaut almost 2 years ago at a pop-up shop for a very talented designer, LA plant girl. Check out her instagram, she has the most beautiful selection of curated pots and plants of every variety. This plant did take a bit to make happy. I had it in my son’s room and, unfortunately, not much light gets in there so it was wilting and looking sad. Once I moved it to a spot with filtered light, it came back to life. It hasn’t grown since I bought it but I’m ok with that because it fits my space. I’ve only been giving it a shot of water once a week. EASY!

THE CHINESE EVERGREEN

Agalaonemas – aka Chinese Evergreen

Local nursery find! This one was sitting a dark corner of our local nursery so I knew I had to have it. I actually ended up putting it on my nightstand (what a nice thing to wake up to) which obviously gets a lot of sun (see pic). It’s FLOURISHING! And it makes me smile every day. I just noticed a bloom on it today too and I was definitely not expecting any flowers from it! Honestly, it is in the same plastic pot & soil I first bought it in and I water it every few days with the small amount of leftover drinking water I keep beside my bed. See, EASY!

THE ELEPHANT EAR

Caladium – aka Elephant Ear

This plant came into our home already pre-planted in a pretty pot I bought from my favorite home store – Kate Lester Home. I moved it into this terracotta pot because it went with my daughter’s decor better and the original pot has a much better home now in our loft anyway. Since her room is full of sun all year round, I have to water it more frequently but it doesn’t take much to keep it healthy. It can survive in shady areas so go pick one up if you have a darker room that needs a beautiful pink/green plant!

THE DEVIL’S IVY

Epipremnum Aureum — aka Devil’s Ivy

How can you go wrong with a plant by this name? Why they gave it this name should really get you excited. Named because it is almost impossible to kill and stays green even when in dark spaces. I’m very seriously considering moving it to my powder room (with no windows) so I’ll update you on it’s reslience later. BONUS – it is drought tolerant and very easy to propegate so you can add more to your home!!

THE ALOE PLANT

Aloe Vera

Last but definitely not least is the Aloe plant. June picked the above one out herself and I found the perfect home for it on her bookshelf. I water it probably once a month and it not only stays alive, but is growing beautifully in the little amount of soil it has! It’s such a funky little addition to her bright room and I’m definitely adding more to our home very soon.

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Clear Out/Clean Out

Today’s project was pretty simple and straightforward and I just had to share my success with you! My client was a (my) very independent 3 year old. She needed to be able to reach her every day essential articles of clothing and I needed to get rid of a lot of the junk I was hoarding since she was born. Head over to my instagram page @easily_organized to check out my closet organization highlights to see the progress report!

Lets start with my tip of the day…

Tip 12: Start decluttering by completely emptying and cleaning out the space. I threw every single thing out of the closet. Sure, it may have made the bedroom look extremely scary and the project kind of daunting but I find it’s good to get a glimpse of everything that’s taking up space in there. Also, when you do this, it’s so much easier to get a good deep clean. So grab your swiffer and collect all the dust! Just so you know, I didn’t throw everything onto the floor without order… I kept the dresses together, the shoes in a pile…etc. I’m not totally crazy.

Tip 13: Frequently re-evaluate the items in your closets/cabinets. I only found about 3 or 4 articles of clothing that didn’t fit June anymore because of how often I purge. Donate anything you don’t use. This may seem cliché but I’ll add a slight spin and recommend you let others borrow these items until you may need them again. Maybe make an arrangement with a friend that you’ll pass on your child’s clothes if they promise to do the same when/if you decide to have another one. Stop holding onto things you do not need! Fine… I may not be as sentimental as most people but I really enjoy knowing someone else is making good use of something we used to love.

Tip 14: Categorize the pieces in your space. If it’s clothes then sort by season first and then by color. Closets like this with a lot of hanging space can accomodate for holding your seasonal gear year-round. I had previously kept the sweaters all together when, in fact, a few sweaters were only for winter weather or snow and most were meant for SOCAL mild weather. Now I have snow gear and cold weather items together and out of the way since we hardly use them.

Tip 15: Maximize the use of your current storage baskets. I was so proud of the fact that I didn’t have to go shopping to create this look! It really just took me dumping out the baskets I had and finding a proper home for everything in them. For example, I had bathing suits jammed into a basket when they should have been easier to find since we use them all year. Now, the basket on that shelf holds goggles, small pool toys, and her floatie. I strongly believe in a common sense organization method. You don’t need to add every bin or basket to a space to make it easier to navigate. Make sure you’re using the bins you currently have before buying any new ones! That might just create new clutter.

Check out the before photo below! What a simple yet pleasing transformation! What do you think?

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Daily Rituals

Raise you’re hand if you have a roommate? Yes, I’m including children and spouses in the equation. Well, those roommates might not be on board with your resolution to keep the household organized. Try to get them on board with the below list of easy to perform daily rituals!

  • Make Bed – It is so nice to walk through a house full of made beds. If you have young children, get them used to the idea by encouraging them to at least put the pillows back at the head of the bed and arranging their stuffed animals in a fun way.
  • Empty Clean Dishwasher/Dishrack: It makes life so much easier when you can put dirty dishes in the dishwasher without wondering if there are clean dishes in there. Also, how are you supposed to keep the sink clutter free if there’s a bunch of dishes in the dishrack?? Just do it! It only takes 5 minutes out of your morning.
  • Plan Dinner – Make sure you have something defrosted or maybe even something ready to throw in a crockpot. I’ve linked my favorite one for you here. You can even brown meat in it before you set it to slow cook! If you take the time to plan dinner, you can make sure you have the ingredients you need ahead of time.
  • Pack Lunch From Leftovers – After you’re finished eating, assess the leftovers you have and see if you can make a creative lunch for your next day. I wish I could get motivated to meal prep but I feel like this is a more exciting way to change up your daily meals and it’s so much easier! Just take the protein you ate for dinner and throw it in with some salad or veggies and rice and you’ve got a tasty meal! Chris bought these containers and I made fun of him at first but we get so much use out of them.
  • Wash Dishes/Run Dishwasher – My last Instagram post was all about keeping a clean kitchen. No one wants to wake up to smelly food in the sink that can also leave unsightly stains!
  • Put Dirty Clothes in the Hamper – Either that or hang up the clothes you wore that day that didn’t get stinky. Don’t just throw your jeans on the closest armchair, find its home so it’s easy to get ready the next day.
  • Lay out Clothes – I’m not a morning person so when I was rushing to get to work or the gym early in the morning, it was so nice to already have everything ready to go. Do it the night before so you don’t start off your day feeling rushed.
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Playroom Finds

Click on image to Pin!

My home decor is mostly neutral so I wanted to create a space for my children to play that was full of color and fun. Luckily for us, our home has a large closet under the stairs that I immediately had a plan for!

My Aunt set up a playroom very similar when we were younger. It was a cozy space with a play kitchen in it. I recreated it with my own colorful spin!

Below are a few items I have either purchased or have been gifted and greatly enjoyed by my children. Clockwise from top:

  • My rug is a vintage heirloom from Iran but this Navajo Diamond Southwestern Area Rug is just as colorful and so much fun!
  • These fruits and veggies can be used in neutral playrooms as well because of the cute bins they come in. Great for sorting exercises!
  • Instruments like this are easy to mount on the wall with velcro command strips!
  • Ikea has some great Montessori themed play toys. This kitchen is no exception and very reasonably priced!
  • We bought this booster seat for my son to eat snacks in while I did housework but we used it for so much more! In fact, it’s currently strapped to our dining chair because he’s still using it at 18 months old.
  • When June was a baby, she would play with every nesting doll-type toy she could find. This was a gift from my brother and I’m happy to say my son is now playing with is 2 years after we got it! Great activity for them.
  • The letters I used are unfortunately sold out but I found a very close match!

This post contains affiliate links. At no cost to you, I may receive commission if you make a purchase.

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Finding a Home

If this wasn’t your home, would you be able to figure out where everything was?

My mom came to help me with the house after I gave birth to our second child. Being that she lives across the country, we don’t see each other as often as we’d like but we always make the most of it when we do. Our homes are also constantly changing during the time we’ve spent apart.

If you know her, I’m sure you can imagine that she is amazing to have around during a major life change. My mom is terrific with kids, is the best cook in the world, and has this calm demeanor that I’ve always aspired to emulate.

One day, while she was being super mom in the kitchen, she looked at me and said “Rox, your kitchen is so easy to navigate. Everything makes sense.” I felt this wave of pride come over me. Why? Because I’ve never really looked at myself as an extremely organized person BUT for someone to feel just as at-home in your kitchen as you, yourself, does… Well, that is something to be proud of.

This brings me to my tip of the day:

Before you make a purchase, think ahead of where it’s home will be. Find a home!

I’m sure you’re thinking “OK, but what about gifts?” There’s an easy solution for this. Keep cabinets coordinated by category so you can immediately add your newest addition to your home.

Tips for smarter smaller kitchens:

  • Maximize space by mounting kitchenware.
  • Use expandable drawer organizers.
  • Place measuring cups in a drawer/cabinet closest to your prep area.
  • Place pots and pans near the oven.

Tips for smarter larger kitchens:

  • Do not force yourself to use all available cabinets. If budget allows, consider converting cabinets into beautiful and fresh open shelving.
  • Keep items off your counter and take advantage of extra drawer space. These spice drawer organizers are a must have!

What are your favorite ways to stay organized in your kitchen? Drop me a note below!

roxanaabdollahi Blog, home
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.

roxanaabdollahi Blog

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.