At Home

I didn’t know her very well, but from what I understand, my great-grandmother was kind of a bad ass.

Immigrated to this country when she was 17 without knowing the language or many people and proceeded to build a family and a life.

Going in to it, I knew a new house would come with lots of expenses — moving, appliances, special touches and of course decor. I also know area rugs are expensive, but that didn’t stop me from being shocked when it came time to shop.

I’ll let you reap the benefits of my labor, though, because a few months later here I am with all my rugs purchased (HA! I wish. But most of them anyway).

These past 12 months have been some of the busiest of my life! We moved twice, got married, traveled, got a dog and so much more in between. It should come as no surprise that, because of all that excitement, there’s been little time to sit and relax.

The dust has definitely started to settle over the last month, so it was perfect timing when Tryazon asked if I’d like to try out some pampering products by Rituals. Uh…don’t have to ask me twice!

Who knew curtains could cause so much anxiety? I swear my friends are about to abandon me because of my constant questions (What about this color? It is too this? Too that? Are you about to murder me if I ask anything else?).

There’s just something so permanent about them…despite them being easily removed. Even though I’m a bargain hunter, it’s still an investment when you’ve got as many windows as we do in our new place. And it will definitely impact what color rugs/furniture/decor I use.

But Amy, you ask, why start with curtains? Wouldn’t it make more sense to start with big pieces, like a couch? Um. YES. But of course I’m not going the easy route. Because I found this image on Pinterest a few months back:

I’m messy by nature. While I love and thrive in clean, organized spaces, the creative part of me can’t help but leave piles in my wake. But my “Type A” part can only take so much, which is why I knew I needed a system that could work for all of me.

Then I happened upon this quote: “It’s the little things that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”

I realized that if I could make myself adopt a few small cleaning tasks each day, that could make a big difference over time. I’m calling these little bits here and there:

This past weekend my finace and I spent a bunch of time decluttering — but not in the traditional sense. While paper and stuff can definitely clutter up a home, have you thought about the clutter you probably never see?

Spring has sprung! I’ve been enjoying a few days here and there away from the city to celebrate life’s wonderful moments with friends and enjoy equally wonderful moments eating pizza with my sister.

Do you have leftover holiday candy sitting around still? Maybe you stashed some Christmas or Valentine’s candy in the fridge/freezer and just remembered it just now? You are not alone.