Below are some of my top picks to make your home even more cozy, let me know if there are any you would add to this list!
12/17/2017
Cozy Up Your Home This Winter
Below are some of my top picks to make your home even more cozy, let me know if there are any you would add to this list!
12/16/2017
Finding An Apartment In New York City
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They say finding an affordable apartment in New York City is impossible, but I'm here to help make the impossible possible. After all, I have gone through this twice.
Below are some of my tips and tricks for finding an affordable apartment in New York City. It's definitely not an easy task...you've got to kiss alot of frogs before you find your prince!
12/02/2017
I've Been On A Break...
If you follow me on Pinterest, you've probably seen quite a few "Interior Designs" posts along with many pins revolving around home designs for studios.
If you've probably guessed it, I've recently moved into a New York City studio apartment! It's been quite a ride and I will be sharing my tips and tricks to find an apartment and how to make the most of your space (it hasn't been easy and my apartment still isn't 100% there yet).
In the meantime, if you have any particular questions please do share in the comments and I'll be sure to address them!
Xx
11/27/2016
How To Decorate Your Home This Holiday Season
I'm not afraid to admit that I've spent way too many hours browsing Pinterest for home decor inspiration - especially come the holiday season. Unfortunately, my budget (and my tiny NYC apartment) don't really allow me to put these ideas into action.
But that doesn't mean I can't browse and come up with some amazing ideas! And these are all from Target. Below are some of my favorite holiday pieces from Target that I think can make any home just a little bit cozier and festive this holiday season. Maybe I can pick some things up after all!
But that doesn't mean I can't browse and come up with some amazing ideas! And these are all from Target. Below are some of my favorite holiday pieces from Target that I think can make any home just a little bit cozier and festive this holiday season. Maybe I can pick some things up after all!
11/25/2016
How To Unwind With ASMR
Working in PR, there are days I
come home and I am physically and emotionally drained. Those are the days that
I really need to help unwind and take my mind off things so before I go to bed,
I tune into some ASMR videos on Youtube.
Some of my favorites videos:
ASMR also known as autonomous
sensory meridian response, is when the body is flooded with waves of euphoric
tingles. For me personally, I experience a tingling sensation down my spine and
arms.
I first realized this when I was
at the doctor’s office, whenever the doctor or nurse is listening through the stethoscope
or checking my ears and eyes, I feel this sensation. The same also happens when
I go for a massage. It is a wave of relaxation – and that’s why I tune in
almost every night to ASMR videos.
Truth be told, there is no solid
evidence backing ASMR or its effects on the body and mind. But by searching
Youtube, you will see thousands upon thousands of videos…so I realized I wasn't alone!
As I mentioned above, I feel this sensation
when I’m physically at the doctor’s office (tune into videos like “cranial nerve examination”) or
getting a massage which is why I am suggesting the videos below…these are my “triggers”
but there are so many more! I’ve included some additional ones below as well in case they are different for you.
Take a listen! It’s possible you
may not even know you have these triggers as well, and some people don’t get
any sensation whatsoever.
My favorite ASMRists:
8/18/2016
Your Back To School Shopping Guide
Back to school shopping was one of my favorite things to do! I was recently in Target and saw all the amazing things they are offering that I just had to offer up some fun inspiration and relive my glory days. Below are some of my top picks and tips on back to school shopping for your college dorm!
Picture Frames
You’ll definitely want to display photos, and having a cute clip line like this makes it easy to change photos as better ones come in!
Furniture
So I get more into furniture below, but having something that can easily be folded and stored away is always a great option. My roommates and I always loved having people over, but when it was just us we didn't always need an extra chair. Pulling this out from a closet to make everyone comfortable is easy!
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive commission for it. This doesn’t cost you anything additional.
Picture Frames
You’ll definitely want to display photos, and having a cute clip line like this makes it easy to change photos as better ones come in!
Loft by Umbra Clip Photo Line, $16.99
Stick On Wallpaper
Talk about making yourself at
home! Target is offering stick-on wallpaper which I think is SO COOL. Just be
sure you can put something like this on the walls before you do!
Art
This is your chance to show off who you are and make your room more about you. I love this watercolor map! It is
gorgeous – I may just get it for my own room.
Storage
These bins are perfect for storage!
To be honest, I had two of these that I just threw everything that I couldn’t
find a home for into. It may not have been the most practical way to organize but
it was out of sight, and always there when I needed it!
These bins are your friend! I have
so many of these (even now!) because they are just so easy to use. I would pack
my things in here before moving so that once I got to the dorm I could easily
unpack. Also, I usually opt for the clear ones since it makes it easy to find
things you need.
My roommates and & I didn’t
decide to buy shelves or a coat hook until our junior year – big mistake!
Having these things in your dorm are so helpful because it frees up more space
everywhere else and just makes life easier. Nothing is worse than making a last
minute decision to run out for ice cream or coffee and realizing you need to go
up 3 flights of stairs to get your jacket!
Curtains
I was in three different dorms
throughout college and none of them offered curtains. Even if you have blinds,
that sun can still peak through (and if you had a long night of partying OR studying!) – I highly recommend purchasing curtains for décor
but to also help keep the sun out.
Planner
This is so important! I was in a
sorority, on yearbook committee and worked on a website all while taking
classes. My planner helped me stay organized – I even color coded things. You
don’t need to be as crazy as I was (…I still am) but keeping track of your
deadlines in a easy to read place is so helpful.
Furniture
So I get more into furniture below, but having something that can easily be folded and stored away is always a great option. My roommates and I always loved having people over, but when it was just us we didn't always need an extra chair. Pulling this out from a closet to make everyone comfortable is easy!
Bedding
I’m pretty sure I always went with
a simple bed in a bag from Target. It
was just so easy to have everything already done for me and having it all in one place!
Things to remember:- Make sure you know the size of your bed – this will determine the size of your bedding. Most dorms are twin sized, but some are twin XL and if you're really lucky maybe you'll have something bigger!
- Find out if your bed is raised – if so, you can pick storage bins that will fit under your bed! I’ve used stackable ones just in case.
- Find out if you can paint your walls, nail things into the wall or use sticky hooks – most campuses will allow you to use any of these as long as you paint the walls back to the original color or cover up any holes that you put in (if they were major) but it’s always great to know in advance before you purchase anything
- Do you need to supply furniture for the dorm? As tempting as it might be to buy a futon for any friends you plan on having crash, if the dorm already supplies furniture you need to know what happens to it if you don’t want it. Does it need to stay in the dorm or can it be moved somewhere else?
- Same goes for kitchen supplies! Make sure you know what already comes in the kitchen (like microwaves or toaster ovens).
Are you excited to move into a college dorm?
4/17/2014
2014: The Year Of Improving My Budget
I started to make some changes, and although things fell through in my apartment search, I have found myself still sticking to these changes because they really aren't that hard to do! So whether or not you are trying to cut corners to save up for something, or just to cut back on spending, here are some of my helpful tips!
Create a list of things you NEED, and stick to it!
I found that when I go food shopping with a list, I actually stick to it and I am not tempted to go wandering around to find food I don't actually need. So not only am I saving money by not purchasing unnecessary items, but I'm also saving some calories too as I'm not checking out the junk food aisle!
Prepare your meals for the week
Working in New York City means I am constantly tempted with food at every corner. Literally. And that food doesn't come cheap! You want a sandwich? That's $9.50. A drink? Another $2.50. Want a snack for later? $2.00. That's a total of $14.00.
$14 at 5 days a week = $70 for your lunch every week
That's a total of $3,640 a YEAR for your lunch and a snack.
I never realized how much I was actually paying for lunch every week, and I started to pack my lunch for health reasons rather than financial reasons. But I am so lucky I did. I can spend $60 a week at the grocery store to stock up on food for my breakfast, lunch and dinner rather than $70 a week for lunch alone.
Keep your receipts that you spend on lunch for a couple weeks and see how much you end up spending. You'll be surprised, and packing a lunch may seem annoying but I usually prep all my meals on Sunday which means I just have to grab my container in the morning and I'm out the door!
Try to limit your spending using particular Apps rather than using a credit card
The one thing I cannot give up is my Starbucks. I treat myself to an iced coffee every morning just for getting out of bed and trekking into the city! Is it unnecessary? Yes. But do I need my coffee? Absolutely.
I don't NEED anything else from Starbucks given that I usually pack my breakfast, but in the case that I forget, I'm sometimes tempted to pick from their pastries.
So to remind myself that I don't need them, I downloaded the Starbucks App that lets me load any amount I want and instead of having to swipe my debit card at checkout, I can simply scan a barcode on my phone. Given that I should only be getting my coffee every morning, I allot myself $25 to my account so I know I can only spend that amount for coffee, and coffee only!
Knowing I only have $25 means I'm less likely to be tempted to purchase something I don't need rather than giving them my debit card where I carry more funds.
Switch to cash when possible
I know how convenient debit or credit cards are, but try making the switch to cash. I usually always have my debit card with me just in case of emergencies but cash is my go to. I find that I am much more aware of what I am purchasing when I have to physically hand over some cash rather than swipe a card because I can see my money disappearing from my hands!
There are always going to be exceptions, and it takes some time to get to know how much you usually spend and what you’re spending it on, but it also makes you much more aware of your purchases. But as I saw my savings account increase, I realized that the switch was really helping me and I no longer had the temptation to make little purchases that I didn’t really need.
I know it can be difficult to make the switch (it was for me at first, too!) but I keep my debit card buried deep in my purse so I can’t get to it easily.
There are so many different ways you can cut corners to save yourself money, if you have some please share them!
4/12/2014
2014: The Year of Good News?
Hello! I am so sorry for
the lack of posts this year but it’s all for good reason! So many
things have been happening and I’ve been so overwhelmed with life that I have
started to neglect my little blog. But I am back! Here’s what’s been happening…
Work
I found a new job! Yes,
I found a job in the industry that I’ve always wanted to work in – public
relations! I never really posted much about it, but I've always wanted to work in PR and now that I finally am I’d love to
incorporate some work-related posts into my blog.
Apartment Hunting
I also spent a lot of
time apartment hunting in the beginning of the year. Unfortunately things
didn’t work out (New York City is NOT cheap my friends) so things have been put
on hold. But I can definitely share experiences because I learned A
LOT in the short time I was searching.
Weather
To say
that we have suffered from the longest, coldest winter would be a complete
understatement. I can’t even begin to explain the amount of snow we received
this winter – and all the shoveling I had to do. But it is finally beginning to
feel like spring; the sun is shining, the temperature is slowly creeping up and
that means I can take better photos. And better photos means a happier blog!
In the meantime, keep
an eye out for brand new posts! I’m so excited to add some work related posts
into my blog and I hope you are too!
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