One of the best parts about having a small home is that there’s less to clean. That doesn’t mean my home is always spotless. In fact, I make a mess most days. And in a small space, small messes can look BIG.
But keeping a clean, tidy space is important for my mental health & over the last 10 years of living in small spaces I’ve learned a few tips and tricks. Here’s some of my best tricks to keep my small space clean and sparkly:
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Last week in a FB group I’m in (shoutout to Yes and Yes Blog’s Money + Happy group), someone asked how to make thrifted items look cohesive in a space. I, of course, was raising my hand enthusiastically to help! Here’s some of my best tips…
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Shop your home
I bet you have decor and/or functional home items squirreled away in closets and in cabinets. I consider myself to be minimalistic, but I know I have some hidden treasures! Take out those items and use or display them now. We don’t have to save our “good” plates for a special occasion. Today is special enough.
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Yard work > house work any day. I love getting out in my yard, digging in the dirt and feeling the sun on my face. Working in the yard is by far my favorite and IMO, the most satisfying chore. But it can also be expensive and can generate a lot of waste. Over the years I’ve learned how to beautify my yard in some inexpensive and sustainable ways.
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I’ve wanted a Little Free Library to share with my community for a while now. I love the idea of a place where you can share and give books freely. But the timing wasn’t always right. For a while I lived in the country where no one would walk by it. And then we had so many house projects that it got pushed pretty far down the list of importance.
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Did you know the food and beverage cartons found in your pantry and fridge are recyclable? I like to consider myself a gal with a low waste lifestyle, but I admit, I had been throwing my cartons in the trash. I just didn’t know until the Carton Council reached out to me. So many products come in cartons like dairy and plant-based milk, creamers, and broths– all holiday staples.
By making the simple choice to recycle my cartons, I can help reduce household waste and provide manufacturers with the fiber they need to make new paper products like toilet paper, tissue and paper towels. Remember how wild we all went for toilet paper in March?
One of my favorite holiday traditions is going to a local hotel, ordering a cider and sitting by their giant fireplaces. Unfortunately I won’t be doing that this year, so I decided to whip up my own apple cider sangria recipe to get in the holiday spirit. This recipe uses wine in a carton, which is found at most grocery stores and is a more sustainable packaging option.
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It’s been a while since we’ve been able to do a large DIY project. Since the pandemic, my husband George and I had put our home projects mostly on hold. Although we’re seven months into the pandemic, things with our business and money situation still seem very uncertain. That said, we’ve also been in the house a lot more and the dirt we were tracking in was driving me nuts. So for my sanity, we decided to scrape together some money to rebuild our small back porch on a budget.
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Lately I’ve been pretty unbalanced in the kitchen. I’m either making all the meals or eating frozen pizza for a week. On one of my COOK ALL THE MEALS days, I decided to write down my Grandma Phina’s sweet and spicy salsa recipe. I love her recipe because it’s got a little bit of heat, but it’s sweet enough to please a crowd too. (Remember her Pueblo Feast Day cookie recipe?)
Since I grow my own tomatoes in my DIY greenhouse, I had a mix of tomato types (German Johnson and Romas). Growing your tomatoes isn’t necessary, but I recommend trying this recipe when tomatoes are in season and buying local, if you can. Tomatoes grown in a greenhouse don’t taste nearly as good and make a big difference in the recipe. I like to make a big batch and then freeze it for later in the season.
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I used to think that vintage or antique rugs were stuffy. My only experiences with seeing antique rugs were in the context of traditional homes with large, dark wooden furniture and oversized drapes. But I’m grateful for designers and bloggers who allowed me to see that vintage or antique rugs can also look modern and add unparalleled warmth to a room. If that doesn’t convince you, here’s 5 Reasons to Buy a Vintage Rug.
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Hi friends. How are you… genuinely? It’s ok to feel anxious right now. It’s a time of unknowns and unknowns can be scary.
I have had generalized anxiety disorder for most of my life. Although I do recommend meditation, I know from experience that it’s not always easy or helpful in the moment. So I thought I’d share a list of 10 things that help me calm my nerves when I feel anxious.
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