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.

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:

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."  

DIY AFFORDABLE ART :: HOW TO MAKE AN ENGINEER PRINT

Like many young families, we are on a tight budget.

MONEY SAVING TIP :: HOW BUYING TOILETRIES IN BULK SIZES SAVES YOU MONEY

Here is a price comparison to show you how you can save up to 57%, just by purchasing the same product in a larger size.  The reason for the higher cost of the smaller product is due to the cost of more packaging.

DOUBLE DUTY FURNITURE

Double duty furniture is like a superhero.  They have maximum versatility and can be used for multiple functions.  By day, it could be a sofa; by night, a bed.

Whether you have a small studio and don't have the space, or want to live more simply, there are a number of advantages to double duty furniture.

• Less clutter
• No need to spend money on additional pieces of furniture
• Easier to rearrange if you move it to a different location.  Clunky furniture is harder to style and can be limiting due to its size restrictions.

Here are a few ideas on how to implement this in your home.

The next time you decide to buy a new piece of furniture, I encourage you to try shopping in your own home for an existing piece and see if you can use it for a different purpose.  I'd love to hear what great ideas you have!

SOFA  +  BED

Our Current Family Room - West Elm Tillary Sofa/ Bed :: Coffee Table/ Bench Seating/ Hidden Storage (similar)

Back when we lived in a one-bedroom condo, we had friends that would occasionally stay the night.  We remove the back pillows of the sofa and put the sofa bases together lengthwise.  It instantly became a queen sized bed.

MONEY SAVING TIP :: HOW TO EARN CASH BACK WHILE SHOPPING WITH EBATES

Who doesn't like shopping for a good deal?

If there's a way that I can save money by stacking coupons with sales promotions, AND get cash back, it's a successful shopping trip.  Ebates is my go-to website that helps me do just that.  Since 2014, I've saved hundreds of dollars in cash back rewards.

RECIPE :: HOW TO NATURALLY DYE EASTER EGGS BLUE

Natural dyes can create some of the most beautiful colors.  Plants, spices, animals & fungi have been used historically all over the world to dye clothing, textiles, artifacts and act as a color additive for beauty products.  You can easily create a rainbow of colors using everyday ingredients found in the kitchen.  Mix & match different dyes, or dye the eggs at various lengths of time and your results will multiply.

DIY SOLAR LED LIGHTS

Happy Spring!  It's been a record year for California with the rain and we're finally seeing a break from it.  This means it's time to get back out there to spruce up the garden.

One project that I tackled soon after we moved into our home last year was replacing our grassy yard with a drought tolerant plantscape.

STYLE REMIX :: 1 LITTLE RED DRESS | 18 LOOKS

Red Dress (Similar) :: Leopard Scarf :: Grey Beanie (Similar) :: Grey Cashmere Cardigan (Similar) :: White Blazer :: Linen Moto Jacket :: Faux Leather Moto Jacket :: Quilted Crossbody Purse :: White Satchel (Similar) :: : Gemstone Flat Sandal :: Black Moto Zip Sandal :: Perforated Clog (Similar) :: Leopard Stiletto (Similar) :: Black Bootie (Similar) :: Over-the-Knee Flat Boot



I subscribe to a streamlined philosophy when dealing with life in general, and my wardrobe is no exception.

PACKAGE-FREE GROCERIES

Eating healthy is not always easy, but I try to squeeze in fruits & vegetables whenever possible.  We live in one of the most culinary diverse cities in U.S.  In fact, our hometown won Rand McNally's 2013 Best of the Road competition for "Best Small Town for Food."  Locals and visitors get to experience everything from traditional steakhouses, to ramen bars with 1-hour long wait times, to Italian sandwich shops, and gourmet cafes.  We even host three Michelin-star restaurants (Wakuriya, Sushi Yoshizumi & All Spice).  It's tempting not to cook after a long day of work.  I enjoy cooking and often like to use fresh ingredients.  

This is nature's beauty at its finest -- in it's natural form without any packaging.  Whether I'm shopping for groceries in a supermarket or farmer's market, I try to look for produce that does not come pre-packaged for a couple of reasons:

VERSATILE GIFT WRAP

DIY Paper Flowers

If there's one wrapping paper I could recommend, it would be

THE BEST MULTITASKING HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

Whether you live in a studio with minimal space or in a large home with plenty of room to spare, having less products makes it easy to store, keep track of, and restock.