Category: life

Recap on 2020

Published on by blonde rosieLeave a comment

I’ve never been a fan of New Year’s Eve because of all of the pressure to do something Instagram worthy and then have this “new me, new year” mentality. I do like to take some time to reflect on this past years accomplishments because I think we should appreciate where we started 365 days ago. I went through my photos on my phone and wrote down my accomplishments for each month. It makes it easy to actually remember what I actually did and appreciating all of the trips and events in the last year. More importantly, I can see what worked and what didn’t work so I know where i can improve. This past year had some big decisions to make and some big (expensive) changes. The start of 2019 was a little slow which made me feel stagnant. I wanted a change in my day to day life and boy, did a lot change in the later half of 2019! With a new job, a new house, a lot of unpacking and getting settled in the new house, as well as adjusting to new routines – wow it’s been a busy few months!

January // nothing eventful, It made me want to make a few changes in my life.

February // first Valentine’s Day with J, trip to DC

March // celebrated J’s birthday at Barcade

April // explored Philly on the weekends

May // Started a new job, mom was diagnosed with breast cancer

June // family reunion in Philly for cousins graduations, trip to North Carolina for moms surgery, work trip to New York City for work event

July // trip to Avalon, NJ, trip to Pensacola, FL to meet the Jake’s family, trip to Ocean Grove, NJ, signed lease to our first house together

August // moved into a house with J, anniversary trip, parents came to visit to see the new house, family trip to NJ, trip to North Carolina to see parents

September // organized big week long event at work, college alumni event

October // pumpkin picking, fall things

November // trip to North Carolina for Thanksgiving with both of our families

December // Christmas sights in the city, car was totaled in an accident, spent Christmas in Florida

Recently my life has been really busy with settling into our new house, long hours at work and I feel like there is always something that has to be done. I’m excited to get back into a routine and let things slow down for a bit in 2020. It’s rare that I have a weekend to do nothing and with some extra planning during the week I hope to have more relaxing weekends. There is still a lot I want to do in Philly and Jake and I have a few trips planned for 2020. Another really important goal is to budget and save money. We also have to buy a new car after mine was totaled in a hit and run in December. It seems that every time things start to slow down, life like’s to get busy again! I have a lot of goals and a lot of things I want to accomplish this upcoming year which I will be sharing in future blog posts to hopefully inspire one of you.

How Keeping My Home Clean Helps My Mental Health

Published on by blonde rosie2 Comments

I like to consider myself a clean person. I have my weekly routine of tidying up, laundry and changing my bedding that helps me stay on top of everything. However recently, life has been so busy that I just haven’t had time to clean. I thought going to bed without putting my dishes in the dishwasher to get an extra five minutes of sleep would be worth it but at the end of the week, I now needed more than 5 minutes to clean the house. So starting in January, I am doing a deep clean of my house and going back to my routine to keep my home clean… Does anyone else like to do a deep clean in January?

Bathroom
I keep a small plastic bin of cleaning supplies in our hall closet next to the bathroom so I can make cleaning easy and convenient. Be sure to have a roll of paper towels, a cleaner with bleach, a multi-surface cleaner, and toilet cleaner so you have no excuses not to clean the bathroom! At night while I do a face mask or use mouthwash, I will clean the sink and countertops and I can get everything clean by the time I need to wash the mask off.

Vacuum
I used to never vacuum because it was such a pain until I bought myself this cordless vacuum. Now when I see a mess, I immediately clean it up and do a quick walk through the house while I have the vacuum out. Once a week, I will vacuum the floors and pick up pet hair on the couch and it only takes me minutes to keep the house dirt free.

Bedding and Laundry
On Saturday mornings, I bring all of the laundry to the basement and sort it by color in baskets that I keep by the washer. Since I have enough clothes that I don’t need to do laundry every week, I can pick out the clothes that I need to wash and leave the rest in the hamper for the next week. On Sunday mornings, I strip the bed and bring the sheets to the basement to get washed. Under our bed, I have a storage container of sheet sets so I can immediately make the bed with fresh sheets. After too many times of bringing sheets down to wash and then forgetting to do it until late Sunday night, now I just swap out the sheets right away. Once a month I will wash the other blankets and duvet cover.

Containing Clutter
Having a two story house is great until I need to clean and put everything away. I keep a fold up storage cube at the bottom landing of our stairs and at the top of the stairs to collect items that need to be brought up and brought down. Everytime I go up or down the stairs I can pick up something and put it back where it belongs. It takes time but then it doesn’t make cleaning so overwhelming.

Kitchen
We take the trash out on Sunday nights and go through the fridge to toss old leftovers or expired food before we bring it to the curb. We are pretty good at keeping the kitchen clean and I like to wipe down counters and load up the dishwasher while I cook dinner. I’m a big multitasker so I like to clean up while I watch tv or wait for dinner to cook.

After work I rarely have any energy so I like to do my cleaning on the weekends. I found that when I keep up with a routine, cleaning is easy and it’s easy to keep up with. One day I will have enough money for a maid, but for now I spend my Saturday mornings cleaning! I love coming home to a clean home and cleaning has always been relaxing to me. There’s just something calming about organizing a drawer or finding a better system for my linen closet.

Cleaning My Home with Grove Collaborative

Published on by blonde rosie5 Comments

I love having a clean home. So much so that I actually look forward to cleaning on the weekends. But I have to admit, it’s been a bit of a challenge to juggle moving into a house and trying to keep it clean while we still unpack. I needed the right products to help me clean and get it done quickly!

I got all of this for only $50 with my first order!!

I had been wanting to try Grove Collaborative since forever and finally made a purchase on the website after visiting my parents house a few weeks ago. Grove Collaborative makes it easy to shop clean, environmentally friendly products that work as well as having really cute cleaning supplies! I am way too excited about a cute tray for next to the sink ha! I ended up getting a free tray with my order as well as a tray with a sponge holder attachment so I use the second tray to hold miscellaneous kitchen items like the salt and pepper and such.

The Grove Collaborative makes it easy to shop because all of your favorite brands are on one website and all of them are delivered to your front door! No more running out of something or walking up and down the aisles trying to find that one item that you need.

Also, did you know that you get free products with your first order?? This makes it the perfect chance to try a new product to see if you like it. Just use this link to make a purchase to try out Grove Collaborative and get free products with your order.

How I Deal With the Sunday Scaries

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I’m writing this post on a Sunday night as I procrastinate before going to bed. I still have a few more things to get done tonight but like most Monday’s, I am getting a little anxious about starting another work week. The Sunday Scaries usually start on Sunday morning and my brain goes into over drive making me create unrealistic to do lists and freaking out that I won’t be able to get everything done. I’m sure I am not the only one who goes through this… hopefully? I’m only four months into my new job and there is still so much for me to learn. Each day is unpredictable no matter how much I try and over plan and over prepare. I organize meetings for the practice group and there are a lot of logistics that people don’t realize, update charts with data and putting out fires before anyone realizes that something didn’t go to plan! I’ve made an effort to not just mope on the couch and stress about the things I haven’t done on Sundays and actually enjoy my weekends.End

1. Your Work Week Properly
Do you just drop everything at 5pm on a Friday and rush out the door because it’s finally the weekend? Yeah, I used to do this and then would stress on Sunday night because I couldn’t remember if I did xyz or I would get stressed about the upcoming week because I had no clue what was coming up. Now on Fridays, I make sure that I get everything done for the week even if that means that I stay at work a little late. I also go through my Outlook calendar for the upcoming week and make my to do list for Monday morning. Once I go over what I have coming up, then I don’t feel so overwhelmed before I step into the office. Just knowing that I finished up the previous work week and there is nothing outstanding on my to do list helps me feel more confident.

2. Saturdays are for Errands. Sundays are for relaxing
Gosh, this rule alone has changed my weekends dramatically! I try to make it a rule that I do my errands; grocery shopping, trips to Target, adulting, cleaning the house, etc. on Saturdays. With everything out of the way, I have all day Sunday to relax and take things slow instead of rushing and feeling drained Sunday night. I’ll leave laundry and change the sheets for Sunday morning because it’s something that I can always do it during the week and I have plenty of clothes to get me through the month!

3. Shower Before 7pm on Sundays
I shower at night and if I’m not careful, I will procrastinate and not shower until close to midnight on Sunday nights. This is a recent rule for me and I already see a dramatic difference in my night time routine. When I shower and wash my hair earlier in the day, I actually have time to let my hair air dry and style before bed! No more going to bed after a quick shower and wet hair!!

4. Meal Prep for the Week while You Make Dinner
One of the reasons I am so burned out during the week is because I just don’t have the time to pack a lunch or snacks for work. If I don’t bring a lunch with me, I will just go all day without food and then have no energy when I get home from work. Now on Sundays while I cook dinner, I spend a few extra minutes to pack easy grab and go containers of food for the week.

5. Tell Someone About Your Sunday Scaries
I honestly could not get through the week without Jake. He’s my voice of reason to calm me down when I am freaking out about getting everything done and reminds me that I need to sit down and enjoy my weekend! It’s nice to vent about what you are stressed out about and help enforce that work/life balance. It’s also really nice to share responsibilities with. Some Sundays, I will go to bed and Jake will clean up the kitchen or will stay up to finish the laundry. After talking about what causes me to get stressed out, he has stepped in to help take a few of things off of my plate so we get things done faster and have more time to relax on the weekends. If you don’t have a significant other, do your grocery shopping with a friend, Facetime with a friend while you clean your apartment or talk to your mom when you need some encouragement to keep you going.

An Easy Guide to Grocery Shopping

Published on by blonde rosieLeave a comment

Some people hate it and some people love grocery shopping. For me, I can’t start my week on a good foot unless I go grocery shopping so I know I have what I need for the week. My schedule during the week is always busy so I try to get my grocery shopping done on Sundays so I can meal prep that night and be ready for the week ahead. With some extra planning, I can keep my grocery bill reasonable and prevent myself from buying lunch every day. Food delivery is sooo easy these days so I try and limit it to just maybe once a week as a special treat and try not to rely on it when I’m starving. The worst feeling is being hungry and not having food at home because I didn’t plan better. Over the years, I have created some easy tricks to make grocery shopping easy and useful for the week.

Create a note in your phone just for grocery items. It makes shopping so much easier and you’re more likely going to remember that thing you ran out of while using if you put it into your phone. If you live with a roommate or a significant other, you can add people to a note so more than one person can view and make edits to it.

Create a menu for the week so you can go to the food store knowing what you actually need for the week. It’s silly to plan on eating sandwiches all week and then realizing in the middle of the week that you ran out of bread! After work, I spend most nights sitting on my couch snacking on something trying to figure out what I’ll have for dinner but I’m too tired to think of something. This is where the meal plan comes in and I can get started on dinner knowing I have all of the ingredients that I need.

Try couponing or taking advantage of sales in the grocery store. There are some items I only buy if there is a sale and then I stock up on items if it’s a buy more and save sale. This is when I stock up on pantry staples like mac & cheese, soups, cereal – basically anything that I can quickly turn into a meal when I have zero motivation to cook!

Avoid pre-cut and snack sized items if you can. I love to eat fruits and veggies throughout the day. While it would be easier to grab the pre-cut fruit containers and individual size snacks, I have found it so much cheaper to buy regular sized fruit and veggies and cut them up and then make individual bags of snacks for myself.

Before you go food shopping, make note of what already is in your fridge. For some reason, I always buy more of certain items because I forgot I already had them in my pantry. Are there items that never go used? Are there items you always over buy? These are the things you should pay attention to so you know what to buy and what not to buy.

If you are on a budget, make a list and only buy the items on that list. Yes, there are always chips that end up in your cart or cookies that look delicious when you walk by the cookie aisle. However, if you budgeted for only a certain amount of items, be sure to stick to your list and avoid the cookie aisle! While most people think that fresh produce is what makes your grocery bill so high, it’s actually the snack foods that always add up very quickly.

Finally, be nice to the planet and bring your own grocery bags! It also helps me be mindful of what I’m purchasing so I don’t buy too much. I like shopping at Trader Joe’s because they use paper bags which we then use as a recycling bin at home.

Below are some of my must have items that I buy every week! Let me know what your must have grocery items are in the comments.

  • Eggs // Are not just for breakfast! Hard boiled eggs are perfect for an easy lunch.
  • Yogurt // I grab a yogurt every morning on my way out the door in the morning. Easy and filling breakfast!
  • Quaker Oatmeal Packets // These are perfect for keeping at work for an easy breakfast!
  • Bread // Can’t go wrong with a sandwich for lunch or dinner.
  • Frozen Veggies // My freezer is always full of them so I can eat healthy and make a quick dinner.
  • Lettuce // If I have lettuce in my fridge, I’m more likely going to make a salad for dinner. It always gets eaten so it’s a great way to encourage me to eat healthy.
  • Baby Carrots // Oh my gosh, I eat so many bags of these a week. They are a lunch staple for me.
  • Pasta // So much pasta in my pantry for the I’m too tired to make anything for dinner nights.
  • Seasonal Fruits & Veggies // I like to buy them at Trader Joe’s because they are so affordable.

Easy Ways To Save Money

Published on by blonde rosieLeave a comment

No one really talks about how much moving actually costs. Luckily a few months ago I started to cut back my spending to have more of a cushion in my checking account and thank goodness I did! There are costs of having to pay for two places, the usual moving fees like security deposit and such and then the actual moving costs. Once we found our dream home, I quickly noticed that more money was going out of my account than going to my savings account so I had to be really careful where I spent my money. Some things I have been doing recently to save money are…..

Try a “No Shop Month”

This normally would terrify me because I like to shop and I’m guilty of buying coffee instead of making my own for those mornings I am running late. But for July, I really did stick to it because I created a financial goal of being able to get our dream house. I knew that if I went to Target, I would buy things I wouldn’t need. I went to the food store with a list and only bought the essentials. There is always going to be something to eat in your kitchen so look again before you order food and there will always be something to wear in our closets.

Create a Coffee Station to Cut Back on Buying Coffee

I love my Starbucks but I can easily make a cup of Starbucks coffee for like 50 cents at home and bring it to work. To make my mornings easier, I have everything I need, coffee thermos, K Cups, Keurig machine filled with water and ready to go in the morning.

Review Monthly Spending

Take a look at where you shopped a lot the previous month and see what expenses you can cut. Spotify with ads is not the end of the world for a few months or check to see if your food apps automatically reload when they run low on funds. Try a month or two without a few things and see if you really miss them.

Create a List Before You Go To The Grocery Store

This is where I saw the most savings in July. Normally, I would stock up on the basics and food for dinners and lunch once a week. Instead of buying more food than I could eat in a week, I cut back and stocked up on pastas, tuna and frozen veggies since they don’t go bad. It’s not great long term but I was able to save money fast! It also helped knowing I was moving soon and didn’t want to waste food.

Meal Prep

I’m sure you are sick of everyone talking about meal prep but there is a reason why everyone does it. Because it works! Going to work with food helps prevent me from buying lunch at work and then buying dinner on nights when I’m too busy to spend time in the kitchen.