This week I’m kicking off a new series focused on how to get organized for the New Year! I feel so good starting a new year knowing that my home and life are well organized.  It’s like a breath of fresh air for me.  Bear with me, today’s post is a little wordy, but I’m sharing how to get organized in 10 easy steps (and keep it that way).  These tips will lay the foundation for my posts over the next three weeks as I walk you through tackling some of the most difficult areas of the home to organize!  I hope you’ll follow along and organize your home alongside me as I get mine in order for the New Year! READ MORE

One of my favorite things about Christmas decorating is how cozy the house feels when all of the decorations and lights are up.  I just want to light the fireplace, grab a cozy blanket, and sit in quiet looking at the tree.  (Not that it ever happens, just saying, I’d like that)!  This year, my decorating was really pretty simple.  I did my normal mantle decorations, the tree, and the EASIEST table decorations ever.  Remember my Fall tablescape?  Here’s how I swapped it out in under 5 minutes for Christmas!  I swapped out the Fall leaves in the centerpiece for mini trees from the dollar bin at Target.  I also swapped out the painted pears for pieces of greenery and laid my plaid fabric a different direction.  Done!  Seriously – 5 minute swap.  Doesn’t get any better than that when you’ve got a 2 year old “helping” you decorate!

When I’m choosing decorations for holidays, I like to plan them around some of my mainstay pieces so that decorating for each holiday isn’t much work.  For my mantle, I always have the black framed mirror and my white distressed candle holders.  Then I add in a flower or greenery accent appropriate for the season.  Here’s my mantle for Christmas!

Continuing the theme of easy decorating swaps, I did the same thing with my display corner in the kitchen.  I printed an art piece that I purchased from Etsy, put it in the black frame, and added my white Santa sign.  Pretty easy decorating!

What’s your favorite Christmas decoration?

I’m back today with another gift guide for you!  This time its the 2016 Gift Guide for Moms and I’m focusing on the busy mommas that never slow down to do something for themselves.  This list is everything that busy momma will want to feel pampered, relaxed, and loved this winter!  (Hint, hint hubby).  😉

1. Nespresso Evoluo Machine I have this machine and I absolutely LOVE it!  I’m a total coffee addict, so for me to start my day off right, I love to get up before anyone else in the house, make my latte (this makes just plain ole’ cups of coffee too!), and sit with my warm cup in peace.  Even if just lasts five minutes. It’s probably the only five minutes of peace I’ll have all day.
2. Skincare – I love to be spoiled with my two favorite brands of skin care that I really never buy for myself (Naturopathica and Eminence Organics.  It seems like a lot to spend on me and I’d rather spend the money on the boys!  But, when my husband gifts me either of these, I feel totally pampered every time I use them!  My favorite line from Eminence is their Stone Crop line.  My favorite product from Naturopathica is their Calendula Essential Hydrating Cream.
3. Books – As part of my morning coffee routine, I love to read from a book that fills my cup and gets me ready for the day.  My top two picks right now are Grace Not Perfection by Emily Ley and Pressing Pause: 100 Quiet Moments for Moms to Meet with Jesus.
4. Matching pajamas.  I don’t know why, but when I wake up in the morning with a cute set of matching pajamas on, I really feel like I’ve got my act together!  Maybe because there’s a high likelihood that I will be in them for a couple hours after I wake up.  🙂  I’m loving these from J.Crew!
5. Athleta’s Ponte Moto Pant.  You guys, I’m living in these pants these days!  They are so incredibly comfortable but look dressy and hold their shape all day!  I have two pairs already and I realllllly want more.  They go with absolutely everything – from sweaters to button down shirts, to tees!  I also love the zipper detail!
6. Athleta’s Totes Dorbs Deux bag.  I have this bag and it goes everywhere with me.  It’s big enough to fit diapers, my laptop, bottles, you name it!  But not so big that I feel overwhelmed by it.  It’s also super comfortable to wear!  There’s also an adorable backpack version!
7. Cozy plaid blanket from Pottery Barn.  This is just so soft and cozy – a must have for those chilly mornings and evenings!  I love to curl up on the couch and read at the end of the day with Noah and this is the perfect blanket to snuggle with!
8. Emily Ley’s Simplified Daily Planner.  This is an absolute must-have! This planner is beautiful, simple, and perfect for a busy mom.  I love opening my planner each morning and seeing a well organized day.
9. Hire a maid!  I don’t think I know any mom that wouldn’t love a break from housework to do something relaxing!  Have someone else clean the house once while she goes out to lunch with a friend or wanders aimlessly around target with a coffee.
10. Spa Day – whether it’s getting her nails done, a massage, or a facial, every mom needs an hour to relax.

I know I’ve said it at least a hundred times, bu Fall is my absolute favorite season!  I just love the colors and scents of Fall, sweaters, boots, and of course, the amazing PSL (pumpkin spice latte)!  I always look forward to decorating my home for Fall.  With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought I’d share with you a few tips for creating a gorgeous Fall tablescape.

A few years ago I built a wooden container to use as my Fall tablescape.  I’ve continued to use that box ever since, just changing out the filler for it by season.  I absolutely love it because it’s beautiful and versatile, yet low enough that it doesn’t block guests’ view of one another.  This year, I wanted to dress it up a little.  I recently attended a market here in Kansas City where I saw people using simple pieces of fabric as table runners.  What a cool, easy way to add interest to your table!

Here’s how I built the wooden container.  I don’t have pictures of the process because I built this box years ago, but I can show you the finished product!

I used:

3 boards 30″ x 3 1/2″

2 board pieces 3 1/2″ x 2 3/4″

I cut the boards to size and then used wood glue and a few nails on the edges to secure it.  I then added upholstery nails to add a decorative and rustic touch.  I stained the box a color that coordinated but didn’t exactly match my dining room table.  (The box is a touch lighter).  I also cut and stained a smaller piece of wood that fits down inside the box for those times where I want to elevate the contents inside.

To add something special to my tablescape for Fall, I picked up a gorgeous gray and white plaid fabric at Hobby Lobby.  This really could not be any easier – just fold the fabric to the size you want and lay it on the table!  Really, no sewing or taping!

I found gray toned wood chargers at World Market and knew they would be perfect under my Anthropologie white plates!  I used napkins that I already had to add another layer on each place setting.  I then used a chalky gray spray paint to dress up a few pears that I had used as a vase filler in the past.  By setting the pears on top of each place setting, it really pulls the whole look together.

What’s your favorite way to decorate your table for Fall?

One of the areas that I’ve struggled with the most over the years is how to organize the pantry.  No matter what system I’ve tried, it seems to become a complete mess within days of organizing it!  I have no idea how it happens.  After spending an embarrassing amount of time one afternoon searching for chocolate chips, only to realize I had TWELVE bags of them, I decided it was time for a major pantry overhaul!  I apparently also needed to do some baking.

Really….twelve bags of chocolate chips.

Here’s a before picture of my pantry.  Messy, I know.  Now you understand why I couldn’t find anything.

 

An organization project like this can be overwhelming.  Here are my top 3 tips for organizing and the 5 simple steps I used to tackle my pantry organization project. (Note: we did a home remodel in between the time I took the before/after pictures, so the cabinets are now white!).

3 Tips to Make Organizing a Success

1. Only keep what you actually use or need.
2. Give each item a specific home!
3. Label.  This allows other family members to understand your organization system.

5 Steps to an Organized Pantry

Step 1:  Take everything out.  And I mean EVERYTHING.  As you take items out, sort them into piles.  As you sort, check the expiration date on everything and toss out the old stuff.  I usually sort into the following categories:

Items for baking (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, my twelve bags of chocolate chips, etc).

Breakfast (pancake mix, syrup, cereal, bread, oatmeal)

Canned goods, vinegars, and oils

Kid food (goldfish, crackers, rice cakes, squeezy pouches, fruit cups, juice boxes, milk boxes)

Pasta, rice, and sauces (pasta sauce, enchilada sauce, bbq sauce)

Step 2: Throw out or donate anything that you really won’t use.  Be honest, that jar of dip that would be the ‘perfect party appetizer’ for the party you will never get around to having can probably go.  🙂  Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.

Step 3:  Find pretty containers to pour pantry items into (bags of flour, sugar, pancake mix, cereal, granola, baking powder, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, oats).  I used glass containers from the Container Store.  For things like flour, make sure the mouth of the jar is wide enough to get at least a 1 cup measuring cup in.  I love being able to measure right out of my container!

Step 4:  Label your containers.  I love these labels.  They are easy to put on the containers, easy to write on, and I think the chalkboard look is so cute!  I’ve had these on for months now, and they look as great as they did when I first put them on!

Step 5:  Put everything back in.  Be sure to wipe down all of the shelves before you put everything back in!  I have five pantry shelves, so my shelves are organized in the same order as the list above (baking, breakfast, canned goods, kid food, pasta).

Having everything labeled and specific shelves for like items has meant that we’ve actually been able to keep it organized!  Really – it’s been about 7 months now and my pantry really, truly is still this organized.  And with extremely minimal effort.  Once in a while I check expiration dates, but I have not needed to do a major re-organization!  You know me; a pretty, organized space makes for a happy momma!  The best part is that Noah knows exactly which shelf is his!  He is so proud of himself for being able to open the pantry and get out his own snack.  I hear a lot of, “I do it, Momma!!!”  He’s two.  🙂

How do you keep your pantry organized?

In keeping with the Fall theme this week (since you know how much I love Fall!), I thought I’d share a little about decorating your home for Fall.  I like to keep my Fall decor really simple.  Here are my tips for simple ways to add a splash of Fall into your home!

First, add small pops of color.  In my kitchen, I already have a plant and sign on a wooden cutting board.  To bring a little touch of Fall into the space, it’s as simple as just adding a bright orange pumpkin.  It gives a little, subtle color.  This pumpkin happens to be a plate and bowl, so it’s handy for Fall entertaining!

For my coffee table, I want something with a little color, but that has a low profile and won’t take up too much space.  Oh, and it has to be kid-proof.  Noah likes to play at the coffee table, so I don’t want to have to constantly move something up and out of his way.  Here’s what I came up with for my coffee table!

To switch it up and add more color, I can easily sub in a live mum plant.  Get creative and use something with your favorite Fall colors!  Real pumpkins (white or orange) would also be beautiful.  I originally had white pumpkins in this basket, but within minutes of Noah noticing them, I realized I would soon have smashed pumpkin all over my rug.  Hence the stick pumpkins!

My second tip for decorating for the Fall season is to make it cozy!  I love to put my favorite super soft blanket under the coffee table.  It makes it look cozy and is always within reach from the couch for chilly nights!  There’s really nothing better in the Fall than snuggling up with a hot drink and a cozy blanket!

My third tip for decorating for Fall is to keep it neutral….kind of.  Using a neutral palette with just one pop of color makes for a clean look.  For my fireplace mantle, I kept everything a cream tone and only used color in the leaves.  It makes the leaves really pop and prevents the mantle from looking cluttered.

My fourth tip for decorating for Fall is swap out, don’t add!  For every Fall decoration that you bring out, take something existing down.  For example, the pumpkin in my kitchen replaced a white flowering plant that used to be in that spot.  The centerpiece on my coffee table replaced the stack of magazines that had been there.  I also did a simple pillow swap in the basket by the fireplace by putting in a pumpkin pillow.

Today I’m going to walk you through how to create a stylish coffee bar!  We recently remodeled our house.  As part of that project, I wanted to make use of a nook in the kitchen that had no functional use as of yet.  I got the idea for a coffee bar after seeing so many cute pictures on Pinterest.  Being a coffee lover myself, I decided that was a perfect use of space!  I did, however, want it to be slightly more functional than just being a coffee bar.  It now functions as my coffee bar/blogging office and I love it!  There’s nothing like having a coffee machine right next to me to keep the blog posts coming!

Our contractor built the coffee bar so that it would exactly fit the space .  I wanted it to have some rustic, raw elements, but still look pretty.  To start, I drew out a sketch of what I envisioned.  I added metal rods in an “x” pattern on each end, both for a decorative element and to help stabilize the table.  The top is solid wood that we stained using a mix of two stains.  (Sunbleached by Rustoleum and Jacobean by Minwax).  We then put two layers of polyurethane on top to seal it from coffee stains!  The drawers are a custom height to fit my favorite coffee mugs.  Here’s a look at the coffee bar as it was being built:

To make this coffee bar function as a workspace for me as well, we drilled a hole in the back of one of the drawers to run power cords.  I store my blogging necessities in that drawer (laptop, phone charger, notebooks, pens, and my beloved planner).  The power cords run through the back of the drawer to a power strip mounted on the bottom of the coffee bar.  This hides the plugs from view (and from kids)!  The other drawer holds my coffee mugs, Nespresso coffee pods, and my mini whisks for whipping up amazing lattes!

Once the coffee bar was built and everything was dry, it was time to style it!  My favorite part!  I added a skinny shelf from The Container Store and a hanging bar from Ikea for mugs.  These adorable mugs are from Williams Sonoma.  When I saw the little espresso mugs with each of the boys’ initials, I had to have them!  Over time, I’ve switched out the pictures on the shelf, but I always make sure there is something there that speaks to me.  I love making my coffee first thing in the morning with a reminder of my mantra for each day.

I’m not a morning person.  Never have been.  My mom says that when I was a baby, I would stay up late at night watching Johnny Carson and sleep in until 9 am.  9 am is still my preferred wake up time.  I can’t remember the last time I got to sleep in until 9 am, but it’s still what I prefer.  Here are a few ways I’ve learned to shorten the morning routine and a few of my favorite products that have helped me do so.

1. Shower and dry hair the night before.  This way, I can hand the baby off to my hubby and give myself some time to relax and wind down at the end of the day.  This does however mean that my fine hair is super flat and funky in the morning, so I use Alterna Caviar Dry Shampoo to perk it back up.  Works like a charm.
2. Find easy, but put-together hairstyles and accessories.  I love a put together bun or a basic ponytail with a cute, dressy headband or hair tie.  My favorite all-day comfortable headbands are from Alter’d State.  For a messier look, I love Goodies Spin Pins.
3. Set out your clothes for the week on Sunday night.  If there are any pieces that I need to steam (I hate irons, but I don’t mind the steamer), I do it on Sunday.  My outfits are then organized by day and ready to quickly pull off the hanger and put on in the morning.  If you really want to get organized about it, hang the coordinating jewelry in little jewelry bags with the outfit you plan on wearing it with.  I love White House Black Market jewelry and use the little bags they put the jewelry in when you buy it.
4. Make ahead smoothies.  These are seriously my life saver in the mornings.  They give me energy and keep me full until lunch.  I got the smoothie base recipe here and my all-time favorite is the Pomegranate Blueberry!  Have fun with it and create your own combinations!

How do you get out the door on time in the mornings?