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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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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.