While I don't want to brag, I'm told whenever I have guests over that my house smells nice. I'm quite obsessed with making sure that everything smells pleasant, since I remember growing up with cat smell. But, most of the time anything that helps improve the smell of a room or home tends to add harmful chemicals to the environment. Here are some ideas I've found to make your home smell extra pleasant.
1. Flowers. Not even living flowers are necessary. I have a bouquet of dried lavender hanging on my bathroom wall, which not only adds decor and color, but a delightful smell. The steam releases the oil from the flowers each time you shower, so the scent is constantly renewed.
2. Essential Oils. Take a bath. Add sweet basil, eucalyptus, lavender or rosemary essential oils to your tub. Not only will you make your skin smell incredibly delicious, but the whole house will smell amazing.
3. Candles. Remember that lighting a match trick? It works. Find some soy candles that contain essential oils and place them strategically around you home. Or beeswax candles. They have a fairly neutral smell, but do contain a very light honey scent.
4. Baking soda. Absorb the smelly things in your home. Put some in a pretty bowl and find an inconspicuous home for it. This way, not only are you trying to add pleasant smells but you're taking the yucky ones away.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sister Bonding
Yesterday I receive a text from my dad that asks about my 14 year old sister, Olivia visiting for the week. It's currently her spring break and she decided she wanted to spend it with me! Aw :). So they drove up last night and now we're finding fun girly things to do. Right now, that includes taking clothes to the consignment store and getting a haircut, among other various errands I had to run today.
While on the topic of consignment stores, I'd like to recommend to people who don't really want to sell their old clothes through Ebay due to not enough time or energy, take it into a consignment store before the Goodwill. For those who are trying to keep their finances in check, this is a great option for getting rid of the cluttered clothes. Those clothes cost you quite a bit of money initially, so just tossing them isn't such a great plan. While donating is an excellent option (and believe me, the consignment store will not take everything. They only took a few of my items), you can still make a few bucks and donate at the same time. Just donate the rest that they won't take!
Once your closet is cleaned out DO NOT BRING OTHER CLUTTER IN! It's tempting to see all the room and decide to fill it up again. But unless it's something that looks incredible on you, don't buy it. You don't want more clothes that you only half like. Find clothes that make you feel and look amazing.
And that's my little piece of advice on closet cleaning, since I've been going at it for the last week. Have a wonderful day!
While on the topic of consignment stores, I'd like to recommend to people who don't really want to sell their old clothes through Ebay due to not enough time or energy, take it into a consignment store before the Goodwill. For those who are trying to keep their finances in check, this is a great option for getting rid of the cluttered clothes. Those clothes cost you quite a bit of money initially, so just tossing them isn't such a great plan. While donating is an excellent option (and believe me, the consignment store will not take everything. They only took a few of my items), you can still make a few bucks and donate at the same time. Just donate the rest that they won't take!
Once your closet is cleaned out DO NOT BRING OTHER CLUTTER IN! It's tempting to see all the room and decide to fill it up again. But unless it's something that looks incredible on you, don't buy it. You don't want more clothes that you only half like. Find clothes that make you feel and look amazing.
And that's my little piece of advice on closet cleaning, since I've been going at it for the last week. Have a wonderful day!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Meet Me on Monday
It's time for another Monday. I am exhausted and not ready for another week, but here it is. Thank goodness I only have four weeks left of classes. Only four Mondays left to wake up early for school before I have an entire summer to enjoy. Here is the Meet Me on Monday blog hop from Never Growing Old
1. If you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
2. Do you write your blog posts in advance or the day you post them?
3. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
4. What is your favorite candle scent?
5. Coffee or tea?
1. If you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
2. Do you write your blog posts in advance or the day you post them?
3. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
4. What is your favorite candle scent?
5. Coffee or tea?
A Beautiful Week
I have given up on marathon training. Running so much has killed my body (knees and back in particular) so I've decided this isn't something that I can keep doing. But, with the return of Spring, and my awesome "new" bike, I will get outside and ride around town. It doesn't appreciate hills, but that will just tone things a little better ;-)
Now I'll have more time to get into a regular yoga practice again, since running was taking up most of my extra time. I'm really looking forward to school being done soon (only four weeks of actual classes left!) so I can get into a nice routine that doesn't revolve around school schedules.
This is my current read right now. I'm continuing to try downsizing my life, reducing all the excess clutter and spending more responsibly, which this book emphasizes. So far I've made it through sorting through my closet and currently have three bags full of clothes that I no longer wear or just don't feel good about wearing. I don't know why I insist on keeping things around that I don't look good in (or don't feel good in). I love the "wear 80% of your wardrobe" philosophy presented in the book. The average woman wears 20% of her wardrobe. That's so silly! I have a specific set of clothes that I love to wear and I wear all the time, but there's this entire chunk of clothes that I just don't like at all. So I'm taking the bags to the local consignment shop and seeing if they want them. At least I could make a little money from them. After that, to Goodwill they go! I do recommend this book to those who need a little more help reducing clutter, organizing their home and ultimately managing their money better. It isn't your typical boring personal finance book. It's a good read.
And now, for the most exciting news! I am a winner this week--TWICE! I know I've mentioned The Bright Side Project before. They give away daily prizes from contributors and designers who offer up their products. To enter, you answer a fun question related to whatever the prize is and the contributor chooses the answer they like best. And I was actually a chosen one! This beautiful belt is by Veronica Vartic, an independent Belgian designer who creates unique accessories.
The second most exciting win was this incredible Spanish Steps dress by Shabby Apple. Freckled Laundry, one of my favorite blogs I follow, was doing a giveaway and I was randomly chosen! I was so excited last night, I was literally dancing around my living room and I kept telling Erik about it all night long. It made for a very exciting end to my week, that's for sure. I cannot wait to receive this dress! I will probably have it forever (as long as I fit into it forever). This is exactly the style I've looked at whenever I've thought about my wedding (not engaged, just one of those girls). So pretty.
And that's my week. I hope you all are enjoying your Sunday!
Now I'll have more time to get into a regular yoga practice again, since running was taking up most of my extra time. I'm really looking forward to school being done soon (only four weeks of actual classes left!) so I can get into a nice routine that doesn't revolve around school schedules.
This is my current read right now. I'm continuing to try downsizing my life, reducing all the excess clutter and spending more responsibly, which this book emphasizes. So far I've made it through sorting through my closet and currently have three bags full of clothes that I no longer wear or just don't feel good about wearing. I don't know why I insist on keeping things around that I don't look good in (or don't feel good in). I love the "wear 80% of your wardrobe" philosophy presented in the book. The average woman wears 20% of her wardrobe. That's so silly! I have a specific set of clothes that I love to wear and I wear all the time, but there's this entire chunk of clothes that I just don't like at all. So I'm taking the bags to the local consignment shop and seeing if they want them. At least I could make a little money from them. After that, to Goodwill they go! I do recommend this book to those who need a little more help reducing clutter, organizing their home and ultimately managing their money better. It isn't your typical boring personal finance book. It's a good read.
And now, for the most exciting news! I am a winner this week--TWICE! I know I've mentioned The Bright Side Project before. They give away daily prizes from contributors and designers who offer up their products. To enter, you answer a fun question related to whatever the prize is and the contributor chooses the answer they like best. And I was actually a chosen one! This beautiful belt is by Veronica Vartic, an independent Belgian designer who creates unique accessories.
The second most exciting win was this incredible Spanish Steps dress by Shabby Apple. Freckled Laundry, one of my favorite blogs I follow, was doing a giveaway and I was randomly chosen! I was so excited last night, I was literally dancing around my living room and I kept telling Erik about it all night long. It made for a very exciting end to my week, that's for sure. I cannot wait to receive this dress! I will probably have it forever (as long as I fit into it forever). This is exactly the style I've looked at whenever I've thought about my wedding (not engaged, just one of those girls). So pretty.
And that's my week. I hope you all are enjoying your Sunday!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday Four Fill-In
It's finally Friday!! And as I'm skipping my Organic Chemistry class today (I missed my alarm and Statistics was cancelled), I'm now spending my time filling out the Friday Four Fun Fill-In from FeelinBeachie
1. If I don’t drink water in the morning, my day feels off. If I forget to get a drink of water first thing before I leave the house, sometimes I'll forget any other water until early afternoon if I didn't bring my water bottle to school or work. It's really terrible, so this is one thing I really try to remember.
2. When someone walks into my house for the first time, they usually comment on how cute it is. For those of you who don't know, I live in a hobbit hole. It was built the year before Idaho became a state, so everything is pretty short and while the real estate agents list it as a one bedroom, it really is a studio as the bedroom has no door. So "cute" is the only way to describe my home.
3. Every time I see the movie, ______, I cry. There is no movie that I will repetitiously cry to. Grey's Anatomy, however, was one TV show I would always cry through.
4. My feet feel best when they are doing absolutely nothing. On the couch resting is usually the best.
1. If I don’t drink water in the morning, my day feels off. If I forget to get a drink of water first thing before I leave the house, sometimes I'll forget any other water until early afternoon if I didn't bring my water bottle to school or work. It's really terrible, so this is one thing I really try to remember.
2. When someone walks into my house for the first time, they usually comment on how cute it is. For those of you who don't know, I live in a hobbit hole. It was built the year before Idaho became a state, so everything is pretty short and while the real estate agents list it as a one bedroom, it really is a studio as the bedroom has no door. So "cute" is the only way to describe my home.
3. Every time I see the movie, ______, I cry. There is no movie that I will repetitiously cry to. Grey's Anatomy, however, was one TV show I would always cry through.
4. My feet feel best when they are doing absolutely nothing. On the couch resting is usually the best.
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