How to Enjoy (not just Survive) Winter

Last week, Winter Storm Jonas had me feeling like I wanted to just give up and move to the Caribbean. (But then again, who doesn't want to give up and move to the Caribbean? Even a mild snow or slight drizzle could evoke that desire.) I kept thinking: I just want to be warm again! Our city kept referring to the storm as an "unique snow event." As if the snow had ascended from the ground rather than falling from the sky. We had to deal with salt-encrusted floors,  hip-deep snow drifts, no parking, and housebound days. 
What a nightmare right? 
Anyone who knows me knows that winter is a difficult month for me. Often, I find myself becoming depressed and anxious. This year, I'm determined to find ways to combat the winter doldrums. Instead, I want to enjoy--not just survive-- winter. 
If you feel the same way, here are a few suggestions of making the most of the colder months. 
1. Play in the snow Go big or go home: build a snow fort or a snowman. If it's out there, you may as well bundle up and enjoy it! Have you ever made snowcream? Give it a try this winter!
2. Invest in proper winter clothing My first year in Maryland, my winter wardrobe was tailored for Georgia winters: light jackets and cowboy boots. I was not prepared for real snow or real wind. Every day, I was miserable as I walked to work because I wasn't dressed appropriately for the weather. Invest in a puffy jacket and some lined, laced boots. Get you some tread, because you're going to need it. And you'll be glad you've got it.
3. Plan your summer vacation or a weekend getaway Start planning your dream vacation somewhere warm. Come up with a travel budget and start saving. Create a Pinterest board for your tip and dream of the summer sun. Or, if you're able, plan a quick weekend getaway. Even if it's not super warm, it still boosts the mood to get away. 
4. Bake a yummy dessert I love baking during winter. It's probably not good for my waistline, but see no. 10 for that solution. Plus, baking means you get to stand beside a warm oven. 
5. Try out a new or challenging recipe. Try something new in the kitchen! Mark and I made ground turkey tacos for the first time ever this week, and we LOVED them. Yes, more than likely, I'll be blogging about it. 
6. Help out your neighbors-- shovel their walkway Doing for others can really brighten your day, especially if others can't do for themselves. Do you have an elderly neighbor who can't clean their walkway? Do it for them! Plus, shoveling snow is a great way to get some exercise on a snowday. 
7. Host a game or movie night with some friends Going out may not be much fun, with slick roads and bad weather, but that doesn't mean you have to sit at home all bored and alone. Have your friends or neighbors over for a game or movie night. 
8. Connect with friends and family. letters, FaceTime, email, a phone call My biggest problem with winter is loneliness. When you're housebound, it's easy to get lonely! Don't mope. Instead, give a family member or close friend a call. Or better yet, set up a FaceTime. It always cheers me up to actually see my loved ones, especially my two little nephews. 
9. Remember to get outside-- Vitamin D Vitamin D helps regulate our mood. So, bundle up and get outside. Play in the snow or go for a walk with your dog. Just because it's cold, doesn't mean you have to stay inside. 
10. Keep exercising Especially if you're into winter baking. However, exercising is a great stress reliever and mood booster. Hitting the gym with my husband in the evenings is one of my favorite parts of the day. Plus, at the gym, I can finally wear something other than poofy jackets and sweaters! 
11. Have a romantic dinner at home One of my favorite holidays is in winter: Valentine's Day. Why not light a few candles, whip up a tasty pasta, and pour some wine? Turn on some dinner music and have a romantic night at home with your loved one. Not only will it be fun, it's a nice way to pamper your loved one. 
12. Visit your library and stock up on winter reads. Winter weekends are the perfect setting for snuggly blankets, a mug of something hot, and a good read. Visit your local library and stock up on some good books. 
13. Indulge in coffee and tea-- or cocoa! Buy some artisan cocoa or coffee to go with your library books. I recently purchased some hot cocoa from a local boutique downtown Zoe's Chocolates. I can't wait to give it a try! 
14.  Revisit or take up a hobby I love knitting in winter. Plus, buying pretty yarn is fun. What is your favorite winter hobby? 
15. Go tanning!  Hey why not? Start working on your summer tan now. It's also a pretty nice way to get a dose of Vitamin D and finally get warm!

5 Quick Tips for Saving Money

This year, Mark and I have made it our mission to be more mindful with our money. Our main goals are to pay down debt and start saving each month.  If you're interested in a more detailed look at our financial goals, you can check out this post from a few weeks ago.
Throughout January, the main thing I've learned about saving money is that your attitude and mindset have a lot to do with it. Instead of thinking "I can't save" or "it's too hard to save right now" or "I'll just do it next month," I've tried to focus instead on what I can do, realizing that even small steps in the right direction are still good steps. An even bigger help has been focusing on gratitude. Instead of sighing over what I don't have or wishing for what I don't need, I've been trying to focus on all the amazing things we do have. Counting your blessings helps you realize that you already have enough, even if society tries to get you to shop, shop, shop. 
So today, I decided to share a few helpful tips that have worked for me this month. 
Plan out your meals. On Sunday evenings, I take a few minutes to think out the upcoming week's meals. I plan for us to eat one lunch (or brunch) and one supper out, with the rest of our meals eaten at home. Usually, I also try to plan a 'leftover" night in the middle of the week. This night helps us cut down on food waste and has the side perk of being a night I don't have to cook. I try to make it fun by looking up yummy Pinterest recipes to try. 
Invite people over rather than going out. Eating out can really eat up your budget. But eating at home doesn't mean you have to eat alone. Host a game night or movie night for friends. You can split the cost of the meal and enjoy good company. You get the benefit of eating out without the cost. 
Unsubscribe from those sale emails. This tip has two benefits: you clean out your inbox while simultaneously reducing those daily temptations to shop. Because who hasn't been tempted by those "scintillating offers of 40% off on top of clearance"?? Although, I'll be honest: Loft and Anthropologie get me every time. 
Budget for little splurges. One way to make budgeting and saving a little less, well, boring is to budget for splurges. Set aside an amount of money for personal use. Sometimes it's okay to #treatyoself right? One of my favorite indulgences is grabbing a coffee. So, I use the Starbucks app to determine how much money I can spend each month on coffee. I load that money on my Starbucks card and when I get to that spending threshold, I wait until next month. 
Just wait. Which brings me to my next point. Just wait. If you see something online or in the store that you really want, just take a breath and wait a day or two. If you still really want the item, well then maybe you should go for it. If you've forgotten about it, congrats, you just avoided a spontaneous splurge. This month has taught me that saving is kind of like exercising. If you can keep up the practice for 30 days, it'll become habit. Go a few weeks without spending, and you'll feel the urge to buy start to dwindle. You'll start to focus more on what you need rather than just what you want.   
What are some tips you have for saving money? 

Living Small // Solutions When You Have No Entryway

Have you ever noticed that the websites boasting "solutions for small entryways" always somehow have ideas that only work in homes that well... have entryways? Oh my goodness, y'all. Every time I read one of those posts-- with their oh-so-helpful tips for entryway or storage storage-- I think to myself "Yea but what if you have NO entryway? Like, not even a nook or a hallway?"

Am I alone in this? Our front door opens straight into the living room. There's zero space for a small bench or entryway table. You swing open the front door, and it's "Welcome to our living room." What little space our entry does possess is dominated by the living room's radiator. So in other words: we're warm, but we're tracking footprints all over the house.

When we bought the house, having no designated entryway didn't seem like that big of a deal. But one month into a Maryland winter, I realized how annoying having no designated entryway could really be. Translation: you step off the salt-encrusted sidewalk and onto your hardwoods. Ugh.

Today I thought I'd share a few simple tips for how we carved an entryway out of nothing. I'll be honest, sometimes we still feel frustrated in the midst of a Maryland winter, but for the most part, we've made our lack of an entryway work for us. For the most part.

1. Get thee an entryway rug.
After our first winter began, I quickly realized we needed an entryway rug. I just couldn't stand the thoughts of dripping water all over the original hardwood floors-- one of my favorite features of our home. I picked up a small Threshold rug at our local Target. Now, we have a place to wipe our muddy boots, and Solo meanwhile has a place to lie and stare at passerby.

2. Hang the coats.
Another big issue with having no entryway? Coats all over the living room.  To solve this problem, we simply installed a few decorative coat hooks. Now, we have a place to hang the rain jackets and Solo's leash. Whenever they're not being used, I try to round up the coats and take them to our upstairs coat closet. But sometimes necessity outweighs decor preferences.

3. Hide the shoes.
We don't really have a "no shoes rule" in our house, but my husband has always taken his shoes off as soon as he walks in the front door. His habit transferred to me. And before I knew it, a pile of flats and tennis shoes had become our new welcome committee. To corral the mess, I put a small basket beside the door. Now, as soon as shoes come off, they go in the basket. It's not a perfect solution, but it hides what would otherwise be an eyesore.

4. Stash the keys.
The final problem I had with our lack of entryway... nowhere to toss my keys! I don't know about you, but I like to just toss my keys onto a surface when I come home. You can't very well toss keys into the middle of the room. For awhile, our TV stand served as the gathering place for the odds-and-ends that find themselves by the front door: gym cards, car keys, doggy bags, random golf tees.  A few days ago, I saw this marble tray in HomeGoods' clearance section. That'll work, I thought. Now if I can just get the husband to put his keys in the tray rather than beside the tray.

5. Make it pretty.
This suggestion may seem a little flippant but, in my opinion, having a pretty entrance makes coming home a happier occurrence... and maybe make you forget the annoyance of the non-entryway. Our front door is a bright poppy red-- a color choice that cheers up even the dreariest rainy day. I also tend to go overboard decorating our little stoop with seasonal flowers-- right now we've got more mums than any home really needs. Finally, the seasonal wreath and our custom stained glass transom (from Terraza Stained Glass in Baltimore) give our front entrance a unique flair.

What tips do you have for the non-entryway?

How do you make your space work for you?

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Living Small // Green Cleaning Products

Today, I'm going to deviate from my fall crafting series and talk about something a little more practical: house-cleaning. Boring, I know, but unfortunately a necessary evil.

Lately, Mark and I have been making a conscious effort to leave a smaller footprint in our lifestyle. One of the ways we've tried to make this change is by choosing green household cleaners that use nontoxic, all-natural ingredients and chemicals. While green products can be somewhat pricier than your typical cleaner, I've learned that it so worth it to spend a little extra money in order to avoid possible health hazards down the road. The impetus to start buying green cleaners came after learning that the chemicals in our household products have been linked to breast cancer. Because a history of cancer does run in my family, I took the warnings to heart. I would rather spend a few extra dollars now than regret it later.

I decided to share a few green products I've been using lately, along with a little review on each one. Let me know if you've ever used any of these cleaners. Or, if you have your own favorite green cleaning products, share in the comments below.

All-Purpose Cleaner:
J.R. Watkins All Purpose Cleaner
Streak-free with a calm, lavender scent. This spray is my favorite "all-purpose" kitchen and surface cleaner yet. It's what I use to wipe down the countertops after meal prep or to give the bathroom a quick mid-week spot-clean. It doesn't have the harsh, abrasive chemicals of Clorox or bleach-- so if you spill chicken goo all over the counter you may still want to reach for a Clorox wipe. But for everyday messes, this spray is by far my favorite.

Hardwood Floors:
Method Squirt + Mop Wood Floor Cleaner
My biggest issue with wood floor cleaners is the waxy film that many leave on my floors. At first, I thought the streaks were from a dirty mop. But no matter how diligently I cleaned my mop, I still felt like a haze was on my wood floors. Finally, I tried out Method's Squirt + Mop wood floor cleaner. It does a great job, leaving my floors glistening and shiny. I highly recommend this product.

Laundry:
Method 4x Concentrated Laundry Detergent
I just bought my first bottle of this detergent but have been very impressed with it already. It smells amazing and does a great job, even on Mark's grungy work pants. A small little capful does the trick, which gives me the impression that one bottle will last awhile. My favorite flavor is grapefruit!

or...

Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent
This detergent is my typical go-to, but it tends to fly off the shelves pretty quickly. I usually buy the lavender scent (what is it with me and lavender??). It doesn't leave your clothes with that clean laundry scent as well as the Method detergent, but it does do the job. I probably prefer Method over Seventh Generation, but have always been very satisfied with this product as well.

Bathrooms:
Method Bathroom Cleaner
To be honest, I'm not entirely happy yet with green bathroom products. While the kitchen, floor, and laundry products always seem to get the job done, the bathroom never seems quite as sparkly-clean as I would like. This Method cleaner is the best of what I've tried, but even so I'm not crazy about the scent and don't feel that it cuts through shower scum as well as other cleansers. I've heard that Apple Cider Vinegar is a great shower cleaner. Has anyone tried this with success? Or do you have another natural bathroom cleanser that you like?

What green products do you use around the house?

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Living Small // Capsule Wardrobe Outfits

As you may recall, I recently threw every bit of clothing out of my wardrobe and began afresh with a spring capsule wardrobe, If you're new to the blog and missed the Great Purge, you can read more about it here.

One of the main questions people asked after hearing I had purged my closet was "But what if you run out of clothes??" In response to this worry, I decided to share three outfits generated from my capsule wardrobe. Each outfit features one item from the closet: a basic infinity scarf. Before you scroll down, please excuse the fact that I seem to know only one way to pose.

 "Hand on hip, camera held high-- work it girl," said the selfie model.

Outfit one: black maxi skirt (TJ Maxx) // grey tee (Theory) // infinity scarf (Target)

Outfit two: pencil skirt (Loft) // grey tee (Theory) // infinity scarf (Target)

Outfit three: emerald blouse (StitchFix) // shorts (TJ Maxx) // scarf (you guessed it) 

These outfits now comprise my "casual outing" wear. No more yoga pant fall backs! Due to the limited number of clothing as well as the fact that I actually like all of my choices, I have to build outfits in new ways, learning how to mix and match different pieces. For example, when paired with a nice blouse and colorful heels, the pencil skirt becomes a church outfit. Similarly, the emerald blouse, tucked into a bandage skirt, suits a night out. 

I will try to post more capsule wardrobe outfit pairings throughout the next few weeks. It's just hard to remember to photograph myself before heading out for the day. But don't worry, there will be more hand-on-hip goodness coming your way! 

Living Small: Creating a Capsule Wardrobe

"So... I think I may get rid of all my clothes." Wait. What the what?
Yes, you read that first line correctly. Over the weekend, I took the plunge and emptied my closet. You may be wondering why on earth I did such a thing. What could possibly motivate a reasonably sane young woman to pare down her wardrobe so drastically? To toss perfectly fine items into the heartless black donation bag? To--gasp-- purge her shoe rack?

Well, the motivation was fairly simple: this post which led me to this blog.

"Capsule wardrobe" is a term I have previously encountered on the interwebs. In the past, I would scroll through the images of immaculate closets, with their wooden hangers arranged in precise rows, their stacked jeans, their color-coordinated dresses, their neat rows of wedges and flats standing at the ready. Raising my eyebrows in disbelief, I noted that some of these closets even had room for artwork. I mean, really? Come on now.

Yet the more I read, the more the concept of a capsule wardrobe appealed to me. More so than the wardrobe itself... the attitude behind the movement captured my attention. Constantly bombarded with magazine ads, Instagram, emails, and television spots about clothing, clothing, and more clothing, we fall under the delusion that we need this shirt, that skirt, those jeans, that new purse to feel fashionable, with-it, or beautiful. (Cough...Lilly for Target...cough) Sure, if you love the clothes, want the clothes, and have the closet-space for it, then by all means, go buy the clothes. All the clothes. For myself, however, I constantly felt that I was wasting time and money purchasing clothing that I only half-liked, would rarely wear, and then inevitably stuff in the back of my closet. And why? 

But before I go any further...what exactly is a "capsule wardrobe" anyway?

According to Caroline of the blog UnFancy, the main source for all things capsule wardrobe-y, a "capsule wardrobe" is a mini wardrobe consisting of versatile pieces that you totally LOVE to wear. Caroline proceeds into more detail, explaining that for her purposes, a capsule wardrobe consists of just 37 pieces: 9 bottoms, 9 shoes, 15 tops, 2 dresses, and 2 jackets. (The remainder of your clothes either go into storage, get donated, or go to your favorite second-hand shop.) From these 37 pieces, you create numerous mix-and-match outfits which should last you one season, a three-month time period. During that time period, you buy clothes once. Yes, only once. At the beginning of the three months, you take inventory, determine what you need, and purchase additional pieces as necessary.

The overall goals: to possess a closet that consists of items you truly enjoy wearing, to determine your actual style, and to realize that less really is more.

Cue the Great Closet Purge of 2015.

With a cup of black coffee and armed with enough black garbage bags to do Santa proud, I woke early Saturday morning and began the process of creating a spring capsule wardrobe. How did I start?

1. I took everything out of my closet. And I mean everything. I emptied every shelf, bin, hanger, you name it. I deposited all the items on my bed and stepped back to survey the damage. (At this point, I may or may not have dusted and swept the closet. #slightlyOCD)

2. I sorted the clothes into four piles. The piles had fun names. There was the Love-it-and-would-wear-it-right-now pile. The Wow-why-did-I-buy-this pile. The Sometimes-love-it-sometimes-hate-it pile. And the Aww-but-Blahblah-gave-me-this pile.

3. Once the items were sorted, I returned only the "Love-It" items to my closet. Everything else either went into a donation bag or received a second level of scrutiny. For the latter objects, I asked myself "when did I last wear this?" If I had gone through an entire season without wearing it, it went into the donation pile. If I had actually worn it a couple of times and yet was still hesitant about the item, I decided to put it into storage. After all, I could always donate it later.

4. Seven black trash bags later... I felt I had pared my closet down to the items I truly loved to wear. Items that I felt really defined how I dress. I couldn't believe the style that emerged as I arranged the "Love-It" items in my closet. To my surprise, a common theme did exist among my clothing choices. Most of the items possess a simple cut (pencil or A-line skirts, sheath dresses, simple blouses) and vivid hues (coral pink, turquoise, citron, and navy blue), toned down by a few of my customary little black dresses. No wonder I gravitated to these particular items and over again... they all possessed some similar quality that apparently suits my figure and personality. I didn't even know it before, but now it is glaringly obvious.

5. Once I had determined exactly what I wanted to keep, I could assess whether or not I needed any additional items to supplement the wardrobe. As it turns out, I do need a few things. My tee shirt drawer consists of two white shirts. Well.... that's a bit sad. So I may need to supplement this lack by purchasing a few tees and tanks for the spring and summer months. After all, you can't just wear the same shirt over and over again. Additionally. I have no flats. Not even one pair. I'm currently determining whether I want to purchase a pair of TOMS again or just head to TJ Maxx to scout for a basic pair of leather  ballet flats that will match anything. Purchasing my supplemental pieces will complete the entire wardrobe-makeover process. And then... no more clothes shopping until mid-July, when I'll create my late summer capsule wardrobe.

So what did I end up keeping in my closet?

Well, to be honest, I didn't follow UnFancy's 37 piece rule. I considered my own lifestyle and determined what I genuinely needed in order to maintain that lifestyle. For example, since we attend church regularly, I knew I wanted more than the two dresses allotted by UnFancy's wardrobe formula. I knew I would want a few nicer pieces. So here are my final results:

4 casual dresses

4 dressy dresses

2 maxi dresses

4 short skirts

2 maxi skirts

2 cardigans

1 kimono wrap

6 blouses

1 vest

2 tee shirts *

1 tanktop *

2 light sweaters

2 pairs of jeans

3 pairs of shorts

3 wedge heels

1 pair of pumps

2 pairs of sandals

total: 42 items *

*Tee shirts and tanks to be supplemented somewhat. 

An important note: this list excludes my workout gear, outerwear, painting clothes, lounge wear, accessories, and intimates. No one should limit themselves to two socks and two undies, people. Keep it realistic. 

And that's her! To be honest, I was mildly intimated by this minimalist challenge. But I am so happy that I took the plunge and created a simplified wardrobe. It not only has reduced the amount of clutter in my life but has created room for other things--things I really value--as well. For example, Mark has his own storage space for his hiking and camping gear, whereas before these items were stored in the basement. Plus, I now have a craft drawer: my very own space to store my paints, ModPodge, paper, and work materials, stored in space created by emptying out the never-used-sweater storage. It is truly amazing how cutting down the possessions you own can make you feel like you have so much more. 

So, what do you think? Do you think you would try a capsule wardrobe? Do you want to trade it all in and start fresh? Give it a try! I heartily recommend it! 

If you've been inspired by this post

and want to create your own capsule wardrobe, 

please share your progress with me

either on Instagram or in the comments below.

Follow @ampnabi for updates and more wardrobe details!

Living Small // Tips for a Pleasant Evening after Work

Recently, Apartment Therapy shared this post, which inspired me to think about the things I like to do as soon as I get home from work.

Too often, it's easy to stomp in from the cold, toss my coat onto the coach, and grumble about the day's tribulations. In my current line of work (assistant director at a college's financial aid office), there is a lot of number-crunching and telephone-talking that results in a grumpy headache once the workday finally ends. However, I'm learning to drop those troubles at the door, shrugged from my shoulders like an over-weight backpack. After all, who wants to greet a grouchy bear walking into their home?

As a new workweek begins, I want to focus more on improving and valuing my evenings at home so that I'm not just living for the weekends. Maybe you can benefit from these tips as well!

Put away my work and cold-weather gear.
Winter comes with so much gear: gloves, scarves, salt-spattered boots, a hat. Sometimes I'm so tired after a long workday that I just want to toss everything on the dining room table and forget it, too lazy to walk up a flight of stairs to tuck everything away. But I've realized that staring at my winter-work gear--tote bag, boots, purse--just makes me dread the brief hours until I have to don it all again. Taking a few minutes to put things away not only helps deactivate "work mode" but also keeps our home looking fresh, clean, and tidy.

Connect with my little family.
Of course, our bouncy pitbull pup tends to greet us right at the door, all tail-wag and slobbery-grin. His cheerful, energetic welcome helps dispel any lingering workday gloom. In addition to patting your pooch, I feel its important to take a moment to connect with your family. I love falling to Mark's hug, but often find myself complaining about the not-so-great moments of my day rather than asking how his day went. In the coming workweeks, I want to make more of an effort to ask about his day and to not dwell on the hard parts of the workweek but rather focus on the happier moments at the office. Even if the only happy moment was my caramel macchiato.

Take time for the gym.
As hard as it is to drag myself to the gym after a long day, I always feel better once I do. Mark and I love working out together, It not only keeps us in shape (duh) but is an activity we can enjoy together. Sometimes we talk back and forth between sets; other times, we both choose to be quiet, needing a few minutes to defrag and expend some energy. Either way, working out always puts me in a better mood and helps me get a better night's sleep. If hitting the gym isn't your thing, just take a quick stroll around the block.

Do one load of laundry.
I know. I know. This tip is so boring. However, doing one load of laundry a couple nights a week keeps Mt.St.Smelly-Clothes from building up in our bedroom. Plus. it prevents my Saturday morning from turning into one, great laundry chore. Usually, I toss the load in before running to the gym, run the dryer during supper, and then fold the clothes while watching Netflix before bed.

Spend a little me-time on a hobby, habit, or goal.
Now, this "tip" isn't something I currently do. However, after reading this suggestion in AT's post, I want to make a personal effort to take even just 20 minutes in the evening and devote it to writing. Most likely with pen and paper since the thought of looking at another computer screen makes my eyes want to cross. Carving out some me-time during the week nights will probably do wonders to elevate the post-work mood.

Prepare for the next day.
Every night, right before bed, I prep the next evening's supper and set out the next day's clothes. Taking just a few moments to prepare for tomorrow makes the next day run smoothly and sets me up for another pleasant evening at home.

What are your favorite things to do after a long workday?

Any suggestions or tips? Share in the comments below!

Living Small: Green Products

It's been a few weeks since I've added a post to the Living Small series. Today, I wanted to share my favorite green household products.

But first of all... why go green? Let's face it. Often, green products are harder to find. Fewer stores carry them. (Although, thankfully, more and more are starting to.) Not to mention, green products sometimes are more expensive. The latter was the main obstacle preventing me from buying green household products. Why spend more money when I could just buy Clorox? What if I paid those extra dollars only to discover that the product didn't actually polish my floors, remove the soap scum from my showers, or get dirt stains out of a contractor's work pants?

Despite these worries, I decided to give green household products a try. I started by buying Method floor cleaner. Hesitantly, I squirted it all over the hardwoods and gave them a swipe with the mop...and discovered that wow, this hardwood cleaner didn't just clean the floors, it did an excellent job. The floors gleamed, absent the waxy film other cleaners had given it. From Method floor cleaner, I moved onto other Method products and then onto the Seventh Generation brand.  Now, our cleaning bucket is filled with non-toxic and green goods.

A few of my favorites:

• Method hardwood cleaner
• Method wood polish
• Method countertop cleaner, grapefruit scent
• Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes
• Seventh Generation dish soap, lavender scent.
• Seventh Generation laundry detergent. 

While using green products in our tiny house may not even be a drop-in-the-bucket on the grand scale of environmental issues... it does make our home happier, healthier, safer, and of course cleaner. So, if you've been wondering about using green household products, as a recent convert, I certainly recommend it. 

What the Georgia Girl Learned about Winter

Today, as the wind blew me down the sidewalk, I realized I've grown accustomed to the damp, bone-chilling ickiness that is Maryland winters. Not. Teeth-chattering, I leapt into my car, slammed the door, and curled into a little ball. I may or may not have smacked the dash a few times, urging the car heater to get its butt in gear. I won't even go into details about my most recent winter debacle. Let's just say it involved yours truly stranded on a snow-covered road with mascara-stained cheeks. If it hadn't been for a concerned farmer with a Tahoe capable of overcoming said snow-covered road, I would probably still be stranded there today.

Here are a few things I've learned in my attempts to survive Maryland winter despite being a clueless Georgian.

Give up and buy the big poofy coat.
In Georgia, you could easily get by with one or two light, stylish coats in winter. You might need your big wool coat, once or twice a year. But for the most part, that soft little Northface you've worn since October will continue to serve you well in January and February. But in Maryland...you need to buy the big poofy coat. And trust me, you'll be wearing the beast well into March.

Don gloves and scarf.
This second winter lesson I learned much to the benefit of my chapped. bleeding paws. When the wind is howling and sucking every bit of moisture from your skin, it pays to have one more protective layer.

Buy gas when the weatherman and everyone else says "buy gas." 
To be honest, I still don't know why we all do this. I think it has something to do with frost getting into your fuel lines. Either that or we're all preparing to make a quick getaway South.

Invest in fuzzy socks.
Wearing a pair of extra-thick, extra-fuzzy socks not only has kept my footsies warmer but just downright makes me happy inside. Yes, I may have on a tailored, distinguished pencil skirt and blazer... but little do you know, I secretly have absurdly bright and fluffy socks inside my boots.

Protect your flower beds and rose bushes.
This task was completely unnecessary in Georgia. Generally, in that southern state, I could ignore my rose bushes, which grew wild and tangled. In Maryland, however, my roses require a bit more pampering in the form of mulch and a burlap winter blankey.

Buy the salt, the snow shovel, and the windshield scraper.
The three tools for success in the winter months. Mark and I agreed that we feel like "real" homeowners now that we have winter weather equipment. Your coat sleeve and determination will only get you so far when you have a foot of snow on your windshield.

Become addicted to coffee.
This strategy is my personal favorite winter-weather safeguard. At the moment, I'm addicted (once again) to Starbucks' caramel macchiato.

What are some of your winter weather strategies? Because, trust me, I can always use more!

Thwarting the Winter Blues

Ladies and gentlemen, we have entered the Shlump. That dreadful time between the holidays and spring, when all is cold and icky and damp and slick. Our cars, boots, and foyers seem perpetually coated in salt. On the cold sidewalks, we bust our own groceries carrying the real groceries inside. We drive to and from work in the dark and glare at happy kids who get snow day while we shiver in our offices.

Or is that just me?

Personally, I find winter a difficult month to endure. Every January, my mom or husband remarks that I seem glum. Even though I love playing in the snow as much as anyone, I do find the long grey stretches a bit too long. So, I devised a list of ideas to thwart my winter blues.

Get outside.
Spending even just 20 minutes in the sunlight can help combat the January doldrums. I've noticed that whenever I take Solo on a longer walk, I come back inside feeling invigorated. The cold bites my cheeks and stings my eyes. It's like being shaken awake. If there are snowballs to throw, all the better. You know, because taking a snowball to the face would certainly wake one up.

Hit the gym.
Whenever I get home from work, I just want to collapse on the couch, a blob of coat and scarf. I don't want to lift even one finger. And the thought of going back out into that cold...to go to the gym? No way. But... Hitting the gym even in the dead of winter is integral to surviving the winter blues. As we all know, exercising not only benefits your health but boosts your mood due to the release of endorphins. So, rather than lounging on the couch working on my sweater-body, I've learned that taking the time to work on my bikini body does actually improve my winter mood.

Play a game. 
The other night, an idea plopped into my head. Rather than sitting through another evening of Netflix, Mark and I decided to play cards. We grabbed a deck of cards, pulled the ottoman toward the couch, and taught each other game after game, In minutes, we were laughing. Give it a try! Turn off the TV and play a game with your family.

Buy a houseplant or fresh flowers.
Have you noticed that right now every grocery store has a phalanx of houseplants greeting you when you walk through the slidey-doors? There's a reason for that. Bringing a little green into the house reminds us of spring and warmth. While I haven't bought a houseplant yet (having a nosy puppy
means that the houseplant would be strewn across the floor), I have splurged and bought a few bouquets of fresh flowers. Seeing them on the kitchen table adds a splash of color and life to the inside even though the outside is still icky.

Keep your space clean and organized. 
One benefit of being trapped inside: I'm forced to pay attention to problem areas in home organization. Since there's not much opportunity to get outside, I find myself poking around the pantry and those tippy-top cabinets, reorganizing and cleaning. Not only does purging and organizing help now, it benefits later in the year. No one ones to be cooped up in a disorganized, messy space. If I'm going to be stuck inside, it may as well be in a tidy space.

Bake something sweet and share it.
True, this seems in contradiction to the "hit the gym" idea. But, lately I've enjoyed trying out some sweet recipes on the weekends. The way to avoid acquiring some winter fluff is to simply share the goodies. Share them with your neighbors, your mailman, your friends. This way, I have an excuse to bake but also manage to get the baked goods out of the house.

Treat yourself.
Go out to dinner. Get a massage. Take a weekend trip. When all else fails, pamper yourself a little. After all, we all deserve an occasional treat.

Dill House Diary: Our Starter Story

While I've shared many renovation pictures, I realize I haven't really taken the time to talk about how we actually found our first home. So today, I thought I might share that story.

We found this house--our first real, purchased, this-is-ours house--by walking around downtown Frederick, searching for homes for sale. We happened to walk up Fourth and noticed a for-sale sign hanging in front of this somewhat pitiful-looking rowhouse. While its neighbors flaunted brightly painted brick and little transom windows, this home jutted like a sore thumb. All off-grey vinyl and weeds.

"This place is cute," my sister remarked. I cocked an eyebrow. Are you kidding me? I thought. Seeing my expression, she shrugged. "I don't see anything wrong with it. A little plain, but it could have a ton of potential you never know."

Later that week, Mark and I booked an appointment with a realtor to see the interior. Let's just say it was so small, plain, and cheap that our realtor didn't even want to walk inside. Her nose curled, she stood by the front door under the pretext of "letting us take a look around." In reality, I think the price tag was a little too low for her preferences. But something about the teensy brick house caught my attention.

Sure, the kitchen was tiny. Sure, there was only one bathroom. Sure, the upstairs had been divided into a patchwork of rooms so small they may have well been a series of connecting closets. There were plenty of icky cosmetic issues to correct. Linoleum floors, tangled blinds, an old leaky window unit, a particularly battered water-heater. The white walls and cabinets robbed the home of its homey-ness and rendered everything cold and institutional. Nothing about this home was welcoming. A layer of dust and grime coated the molding, cabinets, and floors, evidence of the owners' neglect and other buyers' indifference.

The couple who had owned the home before had clearly sacrificed much of the 120 year old home's character for convenience. Noting the number of days the home had been for sale in a fairly lively  market, I knew that the home's many cosmetic issues were scaring away other buyers. Yet, despite all the glaring ugly problems, something about the little house just felt inviting.

As cheesy as it sounds... when I walked in the front door, the space seemed to whisper "Come live in me. Come make me pretty again." The thought then formed in my mind: We could do this. We could fix this place. And thus we bought our starter home: a 900 square foot brick row-house, badly in need of some TLC, in Maryland.

Several gallons of paint, buckets of nails, and hours of elbow grease later... We did fix this place. Now, instead of hesitating at the doorway (as did our realtor), visitors step through the doorway with a smile, followed by "This is so cute."

Projects we've completed:

• removed vinyl siding 
• painted the exterior brick
• built a guest nook
• installed a custom-designed stained glass transom above entry door 
• laid new tile in the bathroom 
• installed a new water heater
• built a flower bed 
• removed several cabinets in the kitchen and laundry room
• stained and installed wood shelving in laundry room
• repainted every room in the house
• laid new hardwood in the kitchen
• removed an awkward, over-the-stairs closet
• tackled the veritable weed-jungle that concealed the patio
• removed a wall upstairs to create an open office space
• laid new hardwood throughout the upstairs
• created built-in bookshelves in the "guest nook"
• built a stair rail
• painted the radiators
• installed new light fixtures in the dining room

Projects to tackle:

• complete kitchen renovation: new countertops, backsplash, and open shelving above sink
• install a new vanity and new fixtures in the bathroom
• build and install bypassing barn doors for the closet
• create a patio "hang out space"
• build a bike shed 

While there are still many things left to do, the to-do list gradually shrinks. Sometimes, it's easy to take for granted everything we've done. To overlook all of these changes. But it has been nice in writing this post  to stop and admire our handiwork. We've put in so many difficult, sweaty hours to restore this home's character, enduring the old-house quirks, frustrations, and penny-pinching that come with renovations.

Yet I wouldn't take back one second of owning and renovating our own home Because this place is ours, all-ours. And with each hammer-fall and saw-grind, our little fixer-upper has slowly turned into a home.

As you look for a new home, you can do like we did and literally walk around town, looking for sale signs. However, our method was probably not the best way to tackle this house-hunting business. Especially if you live in a larger city. One of my favorite real estate websites is Compass. When I'm bored, I like to search other cities and imagine living in different neighborhoods. Compass has an "Explore" feature that essentially allows you to visit New York  or Washington, D.C. neighborhoods. Even for those of us who don't live in one of these awesome cities, it's fun to just check out the listings--to imagine what your life could be in another city. Whether you're in the market for a city apartment or just curious like me, you should check out their site! After all, like Mark and me, you never know what will speak to you. 

Living Small: Room by Room Critique

Living in a small house has many benefits: less cleaning, lower utility bills, lesser tendency to collect "junk." However, small homes have their drawbacks, one being less storage options. As a small-home owner, you may only have so many cabinets and closets. Your pantry--if you're lucky to have one at all--will be teensy and certainly not walk-in. While this lack of space may prevent you from hoarding unnecessary items, it also prevents you from being able to stock up on supplies and essentials. Plus, what you do have must be neatly organized in order to avoid feeling like your cabinet contents are going cascade all over you every time you open the pantry door.

In order to learn some new tips and tricks for organizing a small home, I turned to my favorite small-home resource: Apartment Therapy. This month, Apartment Therapy is running its annual January Cure series, a month-long endeavor to clean, tweak, and organize your living space. I decided to sign up (and you should to!). While I'm sure I won't have time to execute every single Cure assignment, I do plan to actualize at least some of them and maybe save the other suggestions for later use. Perhaps the winter will be long enough--and we'll be cooped up often enough-- that I'll find time to complete all of them before spring.

The first phase of the January Cure is to Plan Your Cure, or as I think of it, complete a Room-by-Room Critique.

Essentially, you will move through your home, room by room, noting any little "issues" you encounter on a notepad. These issues could be anything from "junk piling up at the door" to "loose cabinet handle" to "dim lighting." Any item or situation that bothers you and needs improvement should be jotted down on your pad. After you've completed each room's critique, look over your list and select 3-5 items that you actually can address. The purpose of this assignment is not to overwhelm you with issues but rather to just give you an idea of problems--both small and little-- that can be corrected over the course of the entire year.

A little trick I usually employ is to view my room through the camera lens of my iPad or iPhone. Just snap a picture or two of the room and then view them for anything that really jumps out. It's amazing what our eyes tend to gloss over due to familiarity. But then, when viewed through your camera lens, suddenly that same item or problem juts out. Somehow, I feel like the camera distances me from the room, allowing me to view it as a visitor seeing the space for the first time.

Bearing in mind that our home renovation is still underway, I dutifully marched around the house, pen and paper in hand and no doubt giving Mark heart palpitations. Oh no, what project is she thinking up next?

Here are my results.

Living room:

• coats tend to be tossed on the couch or dining table
• room seems dim--need another source of light
• basket to house throws and blankets
• replace ceiling fan with something more stylish and actually operational
• fill blank space over TV console table-- a clock? a mirror?
• find a better storage solution for Solo's dog toys

Dining room:

• create storage solution in living room so that coats don't wind up on dining table
• create storage somehow on back of basement door--to corral odds and ends/ Mark's hiking gear

Kitchen/Laundry:

• finish kitchen remodel of course
• add transition floor piece in kitchen doorway
• create storage on back of sink cabinet doors
• find some place to better store saved grocery bags
• re-organize pantry, especially the bottom shelf
• re-organize and de-clutter the cleaning cabinet

Bedroom:

• de-clutter dresser top
• create jewelry storage
• place rug at foot of bed
• purchase blackout shades for windows to correct "missing" blinds

Office Area:

• organize clothes in closet
• finally install closet doors.
• re-position and possibly replace ceiling fan
• smooth ceiling where wall was removed
• install outlet covers
• solve computer cord nightmare under the desk
• install new wall sconce and correct its light switch

Guest Bedroom:

• organize top shelf of guest closet
• purge any unused items from closet
• purge unused items from bookshelves-- donate to library?
• list big printer (stored under bed) on Craigslist
• purge unused/torn duffel bags in storage under bed
• provide under-the-bed storage for guest room
• empty "grad-school" crate at base of bookshelf and replace with two fabric baskets--possibly "guest laundry" area?

Bathroom:

• replace medicine cabinet with new mirror and sconce
• clean out and reorganize sink cabinet
• replace vanity with new vanity, counter top, and sink
• replace blinds with new, sleeker shade

Obviously, I may not be able to tackle every item on this list, but I plan to use this list as a reference for small improvements throughout the year. Sometimes the littlest change makes all the difference.

Your Side, My Side

My grandfather, a chiropractor in rural Georgia, kept a small plaque on his desk. It quipped "A messy desk is the sign of genius." This quotation is often attributed to Albert Einstein, who more than anyone else can surely claim to understand genius.

As I lay in bed last night, reading to calm my mind, I caught myself wondering what a messy nightstand may signify. What would Mr. Einstein have to say about that? "A messy beside table is a sign of...?" I wondered what my night stand says about me, as opposed to what Mark's night stand says about him.

Despite my constant attempts to simplify and edit our lifestyle, it is amazing what manages to accumulate on our nightstands, the things we feel we "need" in order to get a good night's sleep. Here is a list of the essentials each of us keep on hand, every night.

Hers

• glasses
• homemade lotion
• books
• journal
• water
• faux sheep rug

His

• glasses
• Tiger balm (for post workout soreness, apparently) 
• Outside magazine
• workout guide
• phone charger
• fan controller

Clearly, Mark and I have already reached that little-old-couple stage of reading before bed. What can I say? We're both book worms. Reading and spending quiet time together has always been one of our favorite ways to pass time together. As you can probably tell about our book genres, mine tend toward the literary while his tend toward the practical... which is actually a pretty clear insight into our personalities. 

What's on your bedside? Any good reads?

Easy Meals for Newly-Weds

Recently, a friend asked me what some of my "go-to" meals were. I don't know if I'm allowed to have "go-to" meals after only one-and-a-half years of marriage, but maybe I am.

With this question in mind this week, I tried to think of a blog post idea which would actually be helpful. While I typically share our renovations and adventures around town, unless you're planning a hike, coming to Frederick, or remodeling your house...my posts may be more entertaining than they are informative. That's when my friend's recipe question dredged from my memory.

What exactly are my go-to meals? While I still like to experiment with different tastes and yummies (more often than not taken from these two Pinterest boards: here and here), the press of work, school, and life occasionally take over. When that inevitably happens, it's nice to have some reliable recipes to fall back on. Thankfully, I have a husband who isn't afraid to lend a helping hand in the kitchen. He's always quick to grill out or help clean up--which certainly is a tremendous help.

I thought I  might start a mini-series sharing some of my favorite easy meals. These will vary on the healthiness scale from healthy to ehhh-not-so-bad. In all cases, I find them pretty easy to whip up. What's more: they often involve the holy grail of newly-wed cooking: leftovers.

Newly-Wed Meal Number One: Spicy Honey-Lime Fajitas

This recipe was adapted from the fajita recipe over at this blog. I first found this recipe in 2012... weird to think that I've been fixing this for almost two years! Time truly flies.

Here's what you'll need:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
red bell pepper
yellow bell pepper
green bell pepper
1/4 red onion

For the marinade: 
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice and lemon juice, mixed together
1/2 tsp smokey chipotle spice
1/2 tsp minced garlic
pinch of salt and pepper
drizzle of honey

Here's what you do: 

• Butterfly the chicken breasts and trim off any fat.
• Chop the chicken into long pieces and place pieces in a quart-sized Ziplock bag
• Mix marinade ingredients and pour into bag. Let sit for 30 minutes.
• Chop up veggies and saute in a little olive oil. Set aside in a bowl and cover.
• In the same pan, cook chicken until done. 
• When chicken is cooked, toss veggies in too, so that they are coated with marinade.
• Pour continents into your serving bowl! 

These fajitas taste yummy with black beans and corn tortillas. The only real prep work is chopping everything and mixing the marinade--which really doesn't take long. Plus, this recipe usually cooks enough for our lunch the next day as well. Just dump the leftovers into a plastic container and reheat for lunch!

What are some of your favorite recipes?

The Unsung Strengths

These days, a trend seems to have cropped up on the world wide web. A trend of self-bolstering, self-praise, and shoulder-straightening. It demands that people stop criticizing themselves, accept their flaws as beauty, and stop apologizing. With a hair-flick and a cocked eyebrow, it says things like #sorrynotsorry, #shinestrong, and #youareenough. These bicep-flexing blurbs seek to empower and embolden women in particular and fly in the face of our bizarre, perfection-driven society. After all, haven't we all had enough of a world that praises thigh gaps, labels curves as fat, and ridicules the soft mother figure?

Yet, at the same time,there's something about these advertisements and trends that gives me pause. For a while, I couldn't put my finger on what bothered me, but I gave it some thought today and realized what it is that makes my brow furrow every time I read or watch one of these seemingly-inspirational posts. My older sister, a working mother of two smiley, blonde-headed boys, helped me come to this realization.

In response to the "love your stretch marks" and "love your body" challenges circulating social media, my sister did the online equivalent of sighing and throwing up her hands in exasperation. While acknowledging that these challenges and calls-to-arms perform a good deed by empowering and praising motherhood, my sister dared to say something different. She put her hands on her hips and said "You know what, I don't like my stretch marks." When I first read her social media declaration, I thought "oh no! love yourself! you're beautiful and perfect!" Like I was some do-good fairy swooping from the sky to sprinkle her with magical strength-and-beauty dust. But then, I read on.

While acknowledging that she didn't like her post-baby figure, she made a very important and valid point: a woman is allowed to make judgments about her own body and, if she wants, take steps to change what she sees. Yes, disliking or unhealthily criticizing yourself is never a good thing. Looking down on yourself, on your story and identity, is never healthy. But self-criticism has its benefits. If you don't like what you see, change it! Your body is exactly that: yours. Dare I say it-- you don't have to love every aspect of it. Seeing room for improvement and taking strides to better yourself doesn't make you less of a woman. In fact, having the strength to say "I want to and will make a change" is perhaps even more empowering than the "embrace yourself for what you are right now" philosophies.

So, now I circle back to my original dilemma. To what was bothering me about these trending  posts, campaigns, and challenges.

It's not always healthy to praise your faults. Self-improvement is not an unworthy goal. Seeking to better yourself does not mean that you loathe yourself or are ashamed of your past. It's okay to look at yourself and think "this is not enough. I can do better." It's okay to strive for something beyond yourself, to reach out and upward.

Sometimes it's okay to say "I'm sorry." Sometimes, it's okay to be gentle and quiet. There's something to be said for humility and discretion: for the person who stoops to help, who puts others first, who is unassuming and unobserved. In our quest to better ourselves, we wouldn't want to forsake the unsung strengths--quietness, meekness, humility--for the sake of shouting our presence and worth from the rooftops.

While confidence and purpose are admirable and necessary, I hope I never become blind to my own need. It's through our lack that we learn and grow. Our need is what drives us to our knees, and there, in that exposed perspective, we receive a clearer vision. It's from our knees that we can be lifted up, whether it be through a God, a friend, a relative, or a stranger. But if we're always strong in ourselves, loving ourselves as we are, right now in this moment, we'll never be in that humbled, exposed place. We won't experience growth. More importantly, we won't experience one of the most intimate gestures of life: a hand held out.

Living Small: Fresh Flowers

I love our little house, more and more. The more we renovate, update, restore, and paint--the more I fall in love with this teeny townhouse. With each hammer-fall and paint-stroke, we make this house a little more our own.

With that being said, every once in a while, I feel the walls closing in and I think "WHY IS MY HOUSE SO TINY!" So here is something I've learned that always cheers both myself and our space up.

Fill your tiny space with flowers. 

If you have been following this blog for even a short amount of time, you will have noticed that I love fresh flowers. Love. Them. There's truly nothing that can liven up a space or brighten your day as quickly as a sweet-smelling, brightly-colored bouquet. If I was a woman of substance, I would flounce to and from the nearest market every day with armfuls of petals. Being, instead, a graduate student, I make do with a $5 bouquet from Wegman's every few weeks. 

This tiny addition to the space performs wonders for my attitude and outlook. I go from frustrated and cramped to cheery and upbeat.Tossed carelessly into a vase or glass pitcher, they bring the outdoors in and make my tiny home feel more like a meadow. Confession: Too many fresh flowers purchased in a row may result in my flitting about  imaging the kitchen to be a French bistro. But hey--we all need to channel our inner Julia Child, occasionally, do we not? Never apologize! 

P.S. If you want fresh flowers but just don't want to drop alot of money, buy baby's breath! 

It costs less, has a sweet, airy look, and stays fresh for a very long time.