Category: life

When I told my mom that I put the 50th bag of clothes to donate in my car, she asked me if it was a little soon to be nesting. I’ve always enjoyed cleaning and organizing, but lately this has been taken to the extreme. Room by room, cabinet by cabinet, I would go through everything and just get rid of it if it didn’t bring me joy. I have a tiny bedroom closet, so my off-season clothes are in plastic bins in the basement, all labeled, and it’s a whole process to change out my closets season after season. Last fall, I was putting away summer with summer clothes that I didn’t even get a chance to take out of storage or even wear. Also, as hard as it is to write, my body is not the same as it was, and after years of dieting, I have accepted that this is it. For so long, I held onto clothes that fit me for years, and then just one day…. they didn’t. I’m proud that I’ve lost weight, but I also had to accept that I will never have that body in my twenties again. So I opened all of the bins and held up clothes that haven’t been worn in a long time and threw them into a bag to donate. Each season, I do a closet swap, I do the same thing, and PURGE. There are more than 10 empty plastic bins that once held clothes in my basement. In the beginning, it was hard to let go of clothes because they held a memory or the “what if they fit again”. But after a few months of purging, I’ve been actually enjoying filling up bags of things to donate. Shoes, coats, bags, clothes, home decor…. I got rid of A LOT.

I used to love going to HomeGoods, walking around, and buying a few things because they brought me joy. Now, when I walk around, I get overwhelmed with how much is on the shelves. It’s now turned into I only go there when I need to buy a specific thing, and that’s it. That rush of excitement of shopping isn’t there anymore. Now I would rather have a clean house and not have clutter in storage.

I went from watching people on the internet share their hauls and latest finds to people cleaning their houses on TikTok. If a post starts with “This shirt is a must-have” I quickly keep swiping because now I get more of a rush getting rid of things than buying things.

Also need to note that since I got rid of sooo much stuff, cleaning the house on Sundays got a lot easier. Fewer clothes in my closet means more room to hang, and laundry days are a lot easier.

My office/guest room went through an audit and doesn’t have as much clutter or items stored in there anymore. That room was rarely used so it turned into the place where things go that don’t have a place. Now it’s ready to be easily cleared out to be turned into a nursery if that day ever comes. Our kitchen has every gadget you could ever need, but as a couple, we really do cook a lot. Now I’m more intentional about when I food shop, only buying one of something and using up what we have before I buy more. I think growing up with a big pantry and a Costco membership, I got so used to “backstock,” but I found myself buying more ketchup before I checked the backstock pantry in the basement.

These days, I just want less. Less to clean, less in storage, less stuff. However, my book collection is extensive since I started to read a lot in the last two years. But now there is room for my books. I do have a lot of water bottles, but my new thing is to have a filled water bottle in every room, so I always have one in arm’s reach. I did, however, get rid of a bunch of water bottles I got for free or that I never use anymore. It’s called balance! I got rid of all of my jeans and pants and bought a ton of new ones that actually fit. Before, I would have a pile of jeans that hadn’t fit in years, and I would get so discouraged when I would try to put them on or see them sitting on a shelf.

And on that note, I’m going to go to the basement and find some more items that I’m ready to part with.

That burst of nice weather has me finding ways to be outside more. Right now, I’m thanking myself for cleaning up the backyard a few weeks ago. I raked up all of the leaves, swept, and sprayed down the patio furniture so I could bring out the cushions. Last weekend, I spent all day Saturday on the outdoor couch reading a book and lying out in the sun. I felt like a depleted battery just lying there soaking up that sunshine to recharge. After work, we have been changing out of our work clothes to walk down the street to go get ice cream or an Aperol Spritz before heading back home to make dinner just to find reasons to be outside. With my new job, I can work from home a few days, so I’ve been spending my lunch breaks outside working in the yard or just bringing a book outside to read for a few minutes. As soon as my work day is over, I shut my laptop, and I’m back out there.

Even with the recent chilly weather, it’s hard to stay indoors watching TV. Last Spring, I fell in love with going on a long walk while listening to an audiobook. I wanted to get outside but didn’t want to spend money, so this was an easy way to leave the house (without my wallet!), Some days, I would go to Wawa, grab a sandwich and drink, and head to the park to read a book. There is an area by our house with a big hill that has a lot of steps to get to the top. When I want a workout but don’t want to drive to the gym, I’ll throw on some workout clothes and walk to the steps to run up and down them until my legs are begging for rest,and I run back home.

This time of year is the perfect time to start some new hobbies * outside *. Whether you like to move or you prefer sitting, there;s something to do outdoors.

Start a garden
start taking long walks
sit outside and read a book or scroll on your phone
work on an art project….outside
yoga

I can’t remember the last time my brain truly powered down. You know that feeling when you sit down for a minute, but instead of relaxing, your mind immediately starts scrolling through a mental to-do list? The laundry, the email you forgot to answer, the thing you should be doing instead of sitting there. It’s like the tabs in my brain are permanently open.

Life has a way of filling every inch of space we give it. Some things, of course, are nonnegotiable — the day job, the responsibilities, the routines that keep everything moving. But then there are all the unexpected extras. The errands that turn into three more stops. The quick task that becomes a whole afternoon. Suddenly, you’re on a side quest you never even signed up for.

Last Saturday was exactly that kind of day. I spent the morning running errands, bouncing from one place to the next. By the time I finally pulled into the driveway, I was already drained. The list of things I had planned to do that afternoon was still sitting in the back of my mind, waiting — but honestly, I didn’t have the energy to even start.

I carried everything in from the car, put the groceries away, and then I did something I rarely let myself do: I sat down on the couch. And for a moment, I just stayed there.

That’s when it hit me. Something has to change.

How do I actually make space for myself — real space — without immediately feeling guilty about it?

I made a list of ideas.

long walks while listening to audiobooks
I started doing this last Spring and I can’t wait for warmer weather to start it again. I’ll put on some leggings and sneakers, grab a cup of coffee or a sandwich from Wawa and make my way to the park to sit on a bench and enjoy my snack before making my way back home. It quickly turns into an hour walk and “just one more chapter”.

cooking dinner
I know this is going to sound weird, but I love to cook dinner at the end of the night alone. I will put on a show on the iPad and enjoy that alone time to cook and then tidy up the kitchen. Sometimes we have to get creative on how we can enjoy our hobbies and get that much needed alone time in our day.

baking
My coworkers benefit most from this! I try to bake once a month and bring in baked goods for coworkers to enjoy. On Sundays, I throw a banana bread into the oven or make a cake for special occasions. It’s more fun to bake for others to enjoy and gives everyone something to look forward to.

sunday baths
If you also suffer from the Sunday Scaries, let me introduce you to Sunday baths. Even if you don’t have a bathtub, you can still take an everything shower. I have a ton of bath bombs, salts, and bubble bath to make them special. I try to spend a good amount of time in the bath to tell my body to unwind and relax. Then I apply the best lotions and skincare afterward, before getting into bed with a book.

skincare
Pick out a few serums and moisturizers that are your favorite. Now leave them out for you to get to easily. Apply every day! I always get a lot of compliments on how healthy my skin barrier is at my Botox appointments and it’s because I’ve been dedicated to a strong skincare game for years! Your future self will thank you! You don’t need expensive skincare just whatever works for your skin.

make an appointment
Schedule a hair or nail appointment in advance. You know if it’s on your calendar that you won’t make an excuse not to do something special for yourself. Once a month, I like to schedule something selfish for myself in advance to make sure it gets done!

book a trip
Doesn’t have to be far away or fancy. But having a trip planned gives you something fun to look forward to!