MONEY SAVING TIP :: PLANTER SAUCER

Don't you hate it when you're watering your plants, forget that there are holes on the bottom of the pot, and realize there's now a giant pool of water trickling from underneath?  This not only dirties up the bottom of the planter, or chance ruining your hardwood floors with a pool of water, but it's also bad for the plant.  Having a plant sit in water will cause the roots to rot (aka your plants will die).

While replanting this snake plant, I had a small genius moment.

Instead of buying a new saucer, why not put to good use an existing household item that would've otherwise been collecting dust in your cabinets (i.e. a chipped plate, wide bowl or a large pie tin)?

I placed the snake plant in a plastic pot that came with holes on the bottom.  I added a plate to the bottom of the white planter.  Then, add the plant on top.  To finish off the look, I added some moss filler on top to cover the dirt.  This also helps hide the pot from peaking out of the planter.

This tip is especially helpful when your potted plants are nested in woven baskets where water will leak out of the bottom of the basket.

BOHO PILLOWS UNDER $50

Throw pillows have always been a sore subject between my husband and me.  Anyone else out there have the same problem?  If I could have it my way, I'd load up on pillows everywhere.  With the switch of a different colors, sizes and texture, they complete the look of the sofa or bed.

PLANT LOVE

Plants make me happy.  I have plants in almost every room in the house.  A little excessive?  Probably, but there's a good reason for that.

HOW TO END JUNK MAIL FOREVER

One of the easiest ways to stop clutter from entering your home is to refuse junk mail.  The weekly coupon mailers, sweepstakes scams, AARP membership sign-ups (when you're only 35), and countless credit card applications can really add up to a lot of unnecessary waste.  The average American household receives 848 pieces of junk mail per household, equal to 1.5 trees every year.  That's a lot of junk and not to mention, the number of trips to the dumpster.

While you can wait for the junk mail to pile up on the kitchen counter before deciding to throw it into the recycling bin, just say "no" by eliminating the clutter before it begins.

JANUARY DETOX

Happy 2018!  There's nothing like starting off the new year with a new perspective.  That means creating a cleaner, more organized and peaceful home.

Speaking of new perspectives,

DIY INSPIRATION :: BRANCH ON CANVAS

I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend after the holiday craze.  I wanted to quickly share a DIY inspiration that I spotted at my new hair salon.  I enjoy mixing clean, modern furniture with rustic accessories that have a natural element to them.  Beachy resort vibes?  Yes please.

Always looking for a new DIY project, this floral art piece stopped me at my tracks. 

STORING HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

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Holiday decorating can be fun but putting them away can become stressful.  To help you get it done faster so you can enjoy more time sipping hot cocoa next to the fireplace, here are a few organizational tips.

CALLING ALL MINIMALISTS :: WHICH TYPE ARE YOU?

The minimalism movement has grown in the last few years, as Marie Kondo and the likes have sparked an international trend to only keep what you really love.  I'm a firm believer of decluttering and being mindful of the things we bring into the house. 

OUR ENTRYWAY

First impressions are so important.  And that's why I decided to finally put some attention on building a welcoming transition from the outside in.

BIG NEWS

First, I’d like to say thanks to all of you who have been following my blog since I started last year.  It’s been a humbling experience being able to share my thoughts on how to implement a minimalistic lifestyle through fashion, beauty, and home.  I wasn’t expecting much when I started this blog.  

HOW TO HOST A STRESS-FREE THANKSGIVING

Every year, I look forward to hosting the biggest event of year at our home -- Thanksgiving.  Growing up, my parents would host about 40-60 of our closest local relatives, newly immigrated family members, new additions to the family, and friends of family.  Nowadays, my parents are usually travelling during this time of year.  While some family members who choose to spend their Thanksgivings at other homes, we have new guests that join our festivities each year.

It's an honor to continue this longstanding tradition and I have a few tips to share on how to keep a large (or small) gathering simple & stress-free.

2017 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

The holiday season is quickly approaching upon us with Thanksgiving right around the corner.  It's one of my favorite times of the year.  The Season of Giving is my excuse to look for the perfect gifts to add to my shopping list.

WELLNESS CHALLENGE :: FINDING GRATITUDE

A lot has happened since my last post.  Admittedly, I had not been feeling motivated to write about anything at all until now.  Perhaps it's because I tend to become introspective around my birthday (yay Libras!), and become a bit of antisocial.

LAST MINUTE "DAY OF THE DEAD" HALLOWEEN COSTUME

A few years ago, my husband and I were hosting a Halloween party and I didn't have a costume ready until the day of.  In last-minute desperation,

A YEAR-ROUND MINIMALIST WARDROBE

Luckily for me, living in Northern California where the seasons don't change too much makes it easy for me to transition my wardrobe from spring/summer to fall/winter.

THE ZERO CHALLENGE :: COFFEE TO GO

I often get asked about how one can start to reduce their waste and become more minimalist.  So, I'm starting a new series called "The Zero Challenge" where I will occasionally share ways to swap out using disposable products to reusable ones.  Creating zero waste has never been this easy.

5 WAYS TO BE ZERO WASTE AT THE DRY CLEANER

I wrote a few blog posts ago about an at-home dry cleaning method that I use (here) for two reasons:

1.  Save money from expensive dry cleaning fees, and 
2.  Avoid the use of harmful dry cleaning chemicals on my clothes.

However, I do take an occasional trip to my local dry cleaner to launder and press my husband's dress shirts.  He prefers his shirts extra crisp.

Here are 5 easy ways you can make your dry cleaning trip a zero waste success:

WEEKEND GUIDE TO SANTA BARBARA

Santa Barbara has long served as a go-to getaway since the days of Sir Laurence Olivier and John F. Kennedy.  Stretched over miles of beaches against the dramatic Santa Ynez mountains, upscale boutiques, art galleries and restaurants feature Spanish colonial-style heritage buildings.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY WITH THIS AT-HOME DRY CLEANING METHOD

2015 - Maximizing my cost-per-wear by dressing down a silk dress with sandals

Dry cleaning clothes can be harmful on people, the planet, and not to mention - your wallet.  The liquid solvent used at 85% of all dry cleaners, called perchloroethylene or "perc," has been identified as a possible human carcinogen.

(ALMOST) ZERO WASTE HOME :: CLEANING

In the past, I used a variety of cleaning solutions (i.e. bleach, Windex, Scrubbles, Comet, Draino, Clorox wipes) that I thought kept my house clean.  I remember my eyes would tear up uncontrollably and my hands started itching every time I cleaned.  I thought "maybe I'm just allergic to cleaning...or dust."