Happy long weekend everyone! I hope you’re enjoying it so far. It’s crazy hot on the coast this weekend (record highs!) so we have either been in the pool or in the house with the air blasting. I hope you’re staying cool this weekend! If it’s already cooling off in your neck of the woods I hope you’re enjoying it! I mentioned in my last post that I recently ordered some new barstools for our kitchen. I have been looking at and debating different barstools since January! Ha. With bigger purchases like that (especially for home decor I know we’ll have and use for years) I really do my research. I was going to share my favorites in a post next week but just realized that a lot of these barstools are on major sale this weekend! So I’m sharing them now. :) I definitely have a style/look I’m going for and you can tell below that my favorites all have a similar vibe. I love every one of these barstools but finally decided on one and pulled the trigger!
Aren’t they all beautiful!? I ended up choosing #5 – the Eloise Woven Counter Stool. I had it narrowed down and was really debating between the Eloise and the Balboa Counter Stool. I proudly announced to Kenny a few months ago.. “ok.. I’m buying the Eloise! Decision made!” He of course was like “whatever.. I don’t even know/care what you’re talking about..” Then I went on-line to hit order and.. they had sold out! Ahhh! I was so bummed. I decided to just buy another option but every time I went to do that I just couldn’t pull the trigger. Then last month I was looking at something else on Mcgee & Co and saw that you could enter your e-mail to be alerted when the Eloise stool was back in stock so I did. I got the e-mail last week and didn’t hesitate to order them! They are backordered now and I have no doubt they will sell out again (at least temporarily!). I should have waited until this weekend to get them because everything is 15% off right now! I was too worried they would be gone again if I waited. I hope I love them once they get here! The barstools we have now are beautiful, but they are over 7 years old and are definitely starting to show some wear and tear. We are due for a change!
On a side note and speaking of Studio Mcgee.. have you seen their new Fall collection coming soon to Target? So many beautiful things! You can’t order on-line until the 13th but you can put things on your wishlist so you’re ready! I was really impressed with the items I ordered from their last collection and have a few things I can’t wait to snag from this one!
We might be roasting outside but we are still feeling all things Fall inside! I have been having so much fun adding Fall touches to our home this weekend! I ordered this large metal tray for my coffee table but it hasn’t come in yet, so I pulled out a large serving board I’ve had for a while and added my Eucalyptus swag, these candles, some mini white pumpkins and gold pinecones. So simple and I love the way it turned out! This would be so beautiful on a large dining table too.. just add more of everything for a pretty Fall tablescape. Any greenery would work (swags or garlands). (I added some options in my last post here.)
These candles are so fun. They come with a little remote control and light up so pretty at night!
I’m also loving this pillow combo on my couch! I’m going to put this knit tassel throw on my couch corner when it comes and move this cute Target throw I’m using now into my mudroom. Give me all the cozy pillows and throws! They are the simplest way to bring Fall into your home. I rounded up some favorites below.. so many are marked down this weekend! You’ll see a lot of these popping up in my home this month. :)
Just wanted to pop in with some happy Fall vibes. It has to cool off soon right!? Until it does I’ll just be over here pretending! Faking Fall is a skill I’ve perfected over time. Just ask my family as they wade through bins of faux leaves and pumpkins on their way to the pool and smell cinnamon spice on their way to the ice maker this weekend.
Happy September! I’m so excited to welcome Fall! I love summer but by this time of year (and especially THIS year) I’m over it and ready to have some sort of schedule and routine back. Kole starts school (at his actual school!) Tuesday and I feel like it will be Christmas morning for both of us. Ha. ;) I started pulling out a few fun things for Fall yesterday and it cheered me up immensely. I thought I would share some of my favorite go-to’s for Fall decorating along with a few new things I ordered this year. In case you needed a pick me up too.
I’ll probably use them again this year and do something similar because I love all of the neutrals with a pop of purple! Below are some other fun mats I’m loving this year.
A few other favorites I’m bringing back out.. my eucalyptus garland, swags and wreaths. These exact options have sold out but below are similar options! I’ve ordered some of these to add to my collection this year and will show you how I’m using them soon. Also these faux pumpkins are long time favorites that look so realistic! I always combine them with a few real pumpkins. How can anyone be sad/mad/depressed when your kitchen is full of pumpkins!? It’s not possible. I know because I’ve tried.
Pumpkins are just what 2020 needs. :)
I always get asked about my Thankful tray and haven’t been able to find another one like it but isn’t this Thankful serving tray beautiful!? Perfect for shelf decor and then to use for Thanksgiving or any other meal in the Fall. This 3 foot long serving board would also be so fun to decorate with and display on a table. Layer in candles and decor or delicious food.. beautiful either way. I’m also obsessed with these leaf shaped cheese platters! This photo doesn’t show off my linen glass pumpkin candle holder (to the left on my counter) but it is absolutely beautiful at night when it lights up! Another Fall favorite.
Eucalyptus swags are my best friend in the Fall! They dress up shelf and counter corners and are perfect to use on tables and mantels too. Layer in candles and pumpkins and other Fall decor for a cozy display.
I was so excited to pull out this stunning Fall print again! My family LOVES this as much as I do. Kenny and each of my kids commented at different times on how much they love this picture after I brought it out. Probably because they don’t get to see this outside in the Fall. Our palm trees don’t change much. Ever. Ha. Using it in my entry this year! :)
Excited about the pillows I’m using this year. These handknit pillow covers just arrived on my doorstep and are the coziest! I got them in brown but they also come in a green too. I have a few options to pair with them that I’ll share soon!
You can’t go wrong with faux Fall branches and in my opinion you especially can’t go wrong with faux Fall branches from PB! They can be a little pricy, but I consider them a great investment. They look so realistic and I use them again and again and again! Kenny and I don’t always see eye to eye on what makes a good investment but even he agrees with me on this one.
I know this because I just asked him and he nodded and smiled. He’s watching one of the Marvel movies while I type this post and might have not been really listening to me – just enjoying witty banter between the Hulk and Thor, so I’m taking full advantage and rolling with it. It’s probably a great time to also mention the new barstools I ordered on-line a few days ago. I think I’ll do that.
Just waiting for the right fight scene. ;)
I’ll be back with more Fall decor soon! Happy decorating!
Alright friends. My organized garage tour is almost finished! I shared the inside of some of my organized drawers the last time we talked garage and today I’m sharing the inside of my organized cabinets!
I’m so annoyed at myself for not taking “before” cabinet pics! Often when I get on an organizing roll I just start puling items and sorting quickly and I forget to take pics of the madness that was there to begin with. So you’ll have to trust me on this one.. they were a mess! Just random items stuffed inside each cabinet with no rhyme or reason. I pulled every single thing out of our cabinets and spent an hour just cleaning them. I got a ladder and some soapy water and just started on the top shelf – scrubbing, rinsing and drying. Once they were clean I made piles of like items and decided how I wanted to organize everything. Below is what I ended up with starting with the tall cabinets to the right of that first window.
These cabinets are where I’m keeping food storage and extra household items. This is the Costco run spot! I know this goes without saying because most of you know me well by now, but I’ll say it for the people who maybe don’t. I am in no way an expert on food storage or planning or cooking or really anything food related! So don’t judge the contents! Just sharing for the sake of organization. ;) I’ve always tried to just buy extras of the items my kids naturally eat. While this isn’t the most glamorous food storage (and there is much room for improvement), it has definitely come in handy! I’m always grabbing food from the garage when we run out and I don’t have time to go to the store. While we were all stocking up on food before everything shut down because of Covid I took the time to plan out meals for 3 weeks (really simple things I make often) and I bought what I needed for those meals. A lot of that is gone now because we ate it so I’m going to do that again! It felt so good knowing I could feed my family for a few weeks without going to the store if I needed to.
I’m using the right side of these cabinets for other household items I buy in bulk – garbage bags, paper towels, Ad’s extra allergy medicine, etc. We are lucky that with San Diego’s mild climate we can store anything in this garage and it never gets too hot or too cold. I keep some water on the bottom of these shelves and then we have other water storage in this corner of the garage..
Aside from water I also use this spot by the door for boxes that come in the mail – packages that come in before I can deal with them and returns I need to make.
When the cars are all parked we don’t have a lot of space so I had to keep a small opening for that type of stuff!
When we had a local company install our cabinets the first thing I told them I wanted was adjustable shelves! I love being able to customize the inside of cabinets to our needs by moving the shelves around. I removed a lot of shelves during this little makeover so that I would have bigger spaces on the bottom for tall items. On the left I’m storing our small vacuum and pressure washer (since I took this pic we’ve replaced our old pressure washer with this one and we love it!). Then random things like jumper cables, extension cords, etc. are above them. The top right shelves hold Kenny’s motorcycle gear and helmets and below that is all of our paint!
I can’t believe how much we’ve used our original paint since we moved in to touch things up or for new projects. I had some plastic liners from a paint store leftover that I placed under the paint cans so they don’t ruin the shelves. Then I just added simple labels to most of the cans to remind me what paint goes where! If I forget I have my paint printable to help me. :) (You can download my paint colors and get access to all of my printables HERE.)
Organized paint! I love it. :)
Moving on to the last section of cabinets on the far right!
This cabinet is a bit of an extra and I’m grateful to have some room in it for anything else that comes along I need to store! For now it’s holding some of my outdoor rugs, our bike pump, crutches from my knee surgery (I have to save them for surgery on the other knee at some point – SOB!), and then all of the extra cabinet shelves I’m not using.
The last cabinet on the far right is all of our camping gear. Tents and coolers and sleeping bags and lanterns and tarps and chairs. ALL the camping things.
Last section of the cabinets – organized and done! Angles sang at this point of the makeover.
I sing off key and have a terrible voice (just ask my family) but I sang with them anyway. ;)
I keep our large Yeti Cooler next to this slat wall with Kenny’s trailer and an old dirt bike I’m ready for him to sell/donate. He keeps his main motorcycle parked behind our bike rack (in-between the cars) and one motorcycle is more than enough for me. ;)
We have our main central vac unit in-between the two garage doors with a vacuum I use to clean out our cars.
I vacuum my car often because.. 3 kids.
This pic shows the vacuum location better.
We also put in this cool hidden garage storage when we built our house because we had empty space in the gable above our garage. We use it for all of our extra building materials (extra tile, wood floor slats, etc.), outdoor Christmas lights and some of my seasonal porch decor. You can see more details on this added space in this post. I wrote that post 4 years ago in 2016 and one of my first sentences is about how I was determined to get my garage organized that year. Ha! Only took me FOUR more years. Kole looks so little too. Feels like 4 weeks ago!
Now that my garage drawers and cabinets are clean and organized I have no shame leaving them wide open all day long!
But that would be weird. So I don’t. :)
It makes my day every time I open one of them!
And that’s enough for me.
If you’ve been with me a while you know that getting my garage organized has been an ongoing project on my to-do list for YEARS! I slowly chipped away at it for so long before it looked like this so please don’t feel discouraged if your garage is a hot mess. We have so been there. I’ll try to write a post sometime this Fall on garage organization tips I picked up along the way that really helped. I learned a lot with this massive project! If you have specific questions or things you want me to cover let me know in the comments.
*This post is sponsored by Nordstrom and affiliate links are used. All opinions and product selections are my own!
Happy Friday! It has been a week over here! My girls started High School on-line at home and while we aren’t running around as much it still felt a little crazy getting everything figured out. From class schedule issues to tech issues to time to get back in strict routine issues.. we’re all feeling it! I couldn’t help being a little bummed for my girls on their first day. They miss their friends and the social side of school so much! They are for sure doing school at home for the first quarter (end of Oct.) and then their schools will reevaluate. I hope they can go back at some point this year. Kole starts on Sept. 8th and things are looking good for him because our numbers have dropped and he’s in a smaller school with a good plan in place to keep the kids spaced apart. I will cry tears of joy if he can go back! I know you moms of Elementary school boys are all feeling me and nodding your heads right now.. ha. ;)
The Nordstrom Anniversary sale ends this Sunday (SO good this year!) and today I’m sharing a few other home favorites I picked up that are still in stock! These simple white towels were one of the first things I snagged because we can always use white towels. I’ve been slowly transitioning to all white towels for my girls for every day because it makes the laundry so much easier to just toss them all in together!
These towels have amazing reviews and so far have been a hit with my girls! They are so soft and plush! I just bough another set for my bathroom today before they go back to full price.
I picked up a few hand towels for my powder bath too. :)
I’m using this stunning throw as part of my fall decor this year.. so beautiful and soft! It comes in 3 colors (this is the beige oatmeal) and is one of those throws that looks perfect draped over a chair but is also cozy enough for movie night on the couch. My favorite type of throw. :)
{BEFORE}
El’s bedroom shelf got a quick re-fresh this week! We took everything off when we re-painted her room last year and then I never got around to styling it again so it has basically looked like this for months now.. a nice dumping ground for her stuff!
I ordered this fun Palm trees and sunset art to be the focal point on her shelves. It’s so beautiful and will go well with the other prints we are putting on her wall. I also fell in love with this ceramic pineapple jar candle the second I saw it on sale this year! Such cute decor for summer or a girls’ space.
Other than those two new items I just shopped my house quick to see what I could come up with! This honestly took 30 minutes and made my wonder why it took me so long to get around to it. I’ve learned that it always helps me tackle a project when I have at least one new item to use. Have you ever felt that way? Something new that I’m excited to decorate or organize with makes a project feel fun instead of a daunting chore I’m dreading and putting off. It can be a simple $10 candle or bin but it always motivates me! Ellie’s palm tree artwork came in the mail and I was instantly excited to style her shelves. Funny how that works. I’ll have to explain to Kenny that really it’s a good thing I love to shop because for me shopping = productivity.
Not so sure he’ll buy into my new theory but I swear it’s true! Ha.
I love this print so much I ordered a few other beach themed prints to try around the house. I also ordered this Wild Poppy Framed Art for Fall! These are my favorites..
We also bought El a new duvet cover from the sale! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this fun white duvet. I wanted this same look in the comforter (you know how I feel about duvet covers lately!) but it was sold out in the size we needed. El has always had a duvet and doesn’t mind them so I ordered this for her and we are so excited about it!
I have always been a huge fan of white bedding because you can add so many different pillows and throws to create a new look any time you’re ready for a change. The diamond pattern on this duvet is so much fun! It adds such great texture and style.
Plus it just screams clean! Ellie really wanted a lot of white in her room so that’s what we’re going with. The ballet slippers art has been there from the beginning (bought if for her when she was 10 and we moved into our house) and it works well with the white/soft pink color scheme. We might switch it out for something more “teen” or leave it. We haven’t decided yet. I would love to get a rug for her room and a bench for the bottom of her bed but El is funny and doesn’t want them! Crazy girl. I wanted to do a wall treatment in this room too and she wasn’t having it. I’m still trying to convince her that we need the rug and bench, but at the end of the day it’s her room and I want her to love it. Kenny always tells me “you get to decorate the rest of the house.. let the girls do what they want in their bedrooms!” And I say “Ok girls! Do what you want! But let’s maybe change your paint to this color and add this and swap out that… trust me you’ll love it!” Ha.
My favorite earrings from the sale are still in stock!
I’ll add links to a few past sale posts with favorites below if you want to snag something before Sunday night when prices go back up! The N sale is just too much fun isn’t it!? I look forward to it all year and I’m sad to see it end!
It’s time for Friday 5! But on a Saturday. I really should just start calling these posts “Weekend 5” because I always struggle to get this post done by Friday, but that just doesn’t have the same ring to it now does it? So Friday 5 on a Saturday it is. :)
1 – I got a new comforter! That looks almost identical to my old comforter! Ha. This is the duvet cover we’ve had on our bed for years and I still LOVE the look, but it was starting to look a little worn. I was going to just buy a new identical duvet cover, but to be honest sometimes duvet covers drive me crazy! Even with the corners tied I still feel like it’s hard to keep them straight and even. Our down comforter inside the duvet cover always bulks up on one side so every night I end up shaking it straight before we go to sleep. (Anyone else struggle with duvets!?)
When I saw this Mara Texture Comforter was part of the N sale I was so excited! It looks just like my duvet cover but it’s a comforter so no bulking up on one side.. YEA. We’ve had it on our bed for a week now and I love it!
It’s medium to lightweight so it has been perfect for this time of year (really for all year here in SD). You could definitely layer it with a blanket if you needed more warmth in the winter.
Another recent N sale favorite! Bobbi Brown is my favorite make-up and this Bellini lip gloss has been my go-to for years so I was excited to see it in a set as part of the sale this year! The eye shadow and blush colors are beautiful (all the colors I usually wear) plus you get mascara and this cute pink case for travel. Such a good deal! My favorite beauty purchase this year. (Second only to the T3 hair tools I already own.) :)
Here are a few other favorites for HOME that are still in stock!
2 – I won’t go on about my love for Bliss throws again because I know I sound like a broken record, but I did want to share a little tip with them! Really this tip works with most throws but I’ve found it especially works well with thick throws like the Bliss.
When I’m laying it over the back of a chair like this (or in the corner of the couch) I always twist it in the middle. Then I tuck it into the chair/couch corner. It makes a perfect little spot for your pillow and helps create the look you want!
You know.. like it’s casually draped over the chair with no effort on your part whatsoever. ;)
3 – I was getting some fun gifts ready this week for a few close friends and had to share because FALL! Isn’t this Pumpkin Oven Mitt & Potholder Set adorable!? All of my friends love to cook so I knew these would be perfect. I mean even I would want to cook if I had a cute pumpkin oven mitt. At least for one night. ;) I paired it with this Pumpkin Clove candle because it smells so heavenly! Fall candles are the best aren’t they!? I’m so excited to pull them out! It’s honestly one of my favorite things about the upcoming season. I love cleaning my kitchen and then lighting a Fall candle. Nothing like it. :)
This weekend all Anthro candles are 20% off! I can’t resist an Anthro candle sale. I had to order a pumpkin clove candle for me too (another long time favorite is the Spiced Cider!). Here are a few other cute things popping up that made me even more excited for Fall. TOO FUN!
4 – I’ve had a few people message me on IG asking how we are storing/organizing our masks so I thought I’d share! A pretty simple solution, but it’s working well for us. :)
The kids keep some of their maks on the hooks in their mudroom lockers too, but our little 1 2 3 sign has come in so handy. Kenny and I recently ordered two packs of these masks and they are our new favorites because we can tie them around our necks! So perfect for our evening hikes because we can just wear them around our neck and then put our masks on when we pass people on the trail. Then we can slip them off and we don’t have to carry them. A new stylish necklace. ;) (They come in these patterns too.)
5 – Last I’m sharing a few more simple N sale favs that are still in stock! These are another pair of Zella leggings that I absolutely LOVE. So comfy and flattering just like most Zella leggings/joggers are. I’m wearing them with the all day tee. I tried lots of tees from the sale and had 3 favorites! This BP tee is one of them. Great for lounging or layering under cardigans.
The leggings have a thick high waist band (sucking everything in!) and then cute pockets on the side. I would go down one size (I’m wearing xs in these).
I’ve honestly had these leggings on ALL week. I just want to wear them every day! Wearing them here with a long time favorite INDOORSY top. So me. And so 2020!
I’m shocked that my TB crossbody bag is still in stock! I love how I can wear it long or short. There are still a few curved hem tees left too. This is the top I’ve shared many times before in other colors. I’m a tad obsessed with it!
Alright friends. That’s it for Friday 5 on a Saturday! I hope you enjoy your weekend! My girls start school Tuesday so we are living it up during our last few days of summer. I’m sure the weekend will include some pool time (it’s still so hot!), a family bike ride and (since I bought myself the candle, not the cute pumpkin oven mit) takeout.
Today we’re taking a peek into my garage drawers today and then next I’ll share how I’ve organized our cabinets. Organized drawers make me so happy! You too!? It’s honestly such a little lift every time you open one of them. Not to mention the true benefit of organized drawers – being able to always find what you need when you need it and then keeping those items cleaned up and put away when you aren’t using them!
I won’t bore you with all of our garage drawers but thought I’d share this section just to give you some ideas for organizing tools and random garage “stuff.”
I assure you that this garage was a hot mess for years! I snapped a couple of pics with my phone when I was working on these drawers. They were stuffed full of so much junk with zero organization.
I had some leftover craft paper from when my painter’s finished our hallway so I just laid it down and pulled everything out of the drawers. I scrubbed the inside of all of the drawers with hot soapy water (they were so dusty and dirty) and then I started sorting! I got rid of what I knew I could and then had Kenny come and tell me what he wanted to keep. I hear from a lot that women that they feel like they can’t get the garage organized because it’s their husband’s zone. I get that! If you have time to work on it together that’s ideal. But if not, my advice is to just take charge and start! I did whatever I could do on my own (working for about 30 min to an hour a day) and then I would pull Kenny in for 15-20 minutes here and there just to tell me what I could get rid of or where he wanted me to put things that were his.
This is how this section of my garage is looking now..
In this large cupboard I’m storing cleaning supplies that we keep outside and our large buckets on the bottom. Some of Addison’s bearded dragon supplies are on top.
I ordered some inexpensive organizers to try and found 3 that I liked the best for tools and other garage items. This tray with 10 compartments isn’t as deep so it’s perfect for small, miscellaneous tools (nails, screws, drill bits, etc.) Two of the trays fit perfectly in this drawer and I love having everything so easy to view and find!
This tray with 3 compartments is perfect for larger tools. I’m using it told hold tools like screw drivers and pliers. We have a couple of hammers that I lay in the back of this drawer too (I had them upstairs when I took this picture).
I wouldn’t recommend keeping items like this low if you have younger kids! For obvious reasons. :)
The drawers on the right just hold a few other random items. Honestly I got rid of SO many tools and things we didn’t need and weren’t using. It’s crazy how quickly junk piles up in the garage! These drawers were all stuffed to the brim before and now I have room to spare!
Miscellaneous garden/paint supplies in this drawer. Some drawers just worked better without organizers in them. As long as similar items are grouped together they are easy to find and that was my goal! Before this makeover it would take us way too long to find something we needed.
This is the extra rack that goes with our bike system! Along with other tools in the grey case.
I honestly used to dread getting in these drawers. It took me so long to find what I needed and they were filthy! Now everything is nice and clean and has a place and we know right where things are. The best part is that we aren’t hanging on to so many items that we were never going to use. A simple makeover with a huge impact!
I hope that gave you a few ideas on how to organize garage drawers! If you are short on garage space, tools and similar items can also be stored in drawers in your house (laundry room, kitchen, etc.). That’s how I organized these items in previous homes we’ve lived in that were short on space.
I’ll link the rest of my garage organization posts I’ve shared so far along with N sale links for anyone interested! Enjoy your day! :)
I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend! It’s so hot on the coast right now! Major heat wave moving through and I know many of you are feeling it too. We’re pretty much living in the pool, at the beach or just sprawled out on the couch with the air on and zero energy. Ha. My girls have one more week of summer left (Kole has two more weeks) so we’re trying to enjoy it as much as possible. I’ve loved our low key summer days, but I’m looking forward to some cooler temps and more of a routine. It feels like we’ve been in summer mode for 5 months! Because we kind of have. :)
*affiliate links used
Talking garage organization again today! I’m so happy I finished this project before the crazy heat came! So far we’ve covered details on my organized slat wall.
It’s time to talk bike storage! I can honestly say that over the past few years I have lost more hours researching bike storage than you could ever imagine! Well.. you all know me pretty well by now so maybe you can imagine. ;) I’ve come up with so many different ways to store our bikes and before Covid hit I was planning on hanging them (staggered) on the middle wall section of our garage in-between our cabinets. BUT. Covid came before I got around to hanging them and suddenly we were home more with so much extra time in our schedule.
So we started hiking. And riding our bikes. EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I changed my mind about hanging them (at least for now) because I wanted us to all have easy access to them daily. Especially Kole who rides his scooters and bike multiple times a day. I just knew that if they were hanging on the wall it would be a pain to constantly get them down and hang them back up while we are using them so much.
Obviously I took all of these garage pictures without our cars inside. It’s a little tight with all of our vehicles parked in the garage, but there is room to get the bikes in and out and around the cars. We are making it work! If we get to a place where we are busier again with activities and not riding bikes as much I might hang them like I originally planned.
We ordered this floor parking rack and love it! You can add racks or take them off depending on how many bikes you have and you can also adjust the height of each individual rack. It’s very durable and steadies the bike as soon as you place it inside the rack.
We’ve had these interlocking scooter stands for years for the kids’ razor scooters. My kids have LOVED their razor scooters! My girls are too big for them now, but we kept all three because Kole rides his scooter daily and his friends often borrow the girls’ old scooters to ride with him when they come over.
So funny because I took these pictures a couple of weeks ago and just last week we bought a few new bikes! Ad and Kole both needed bigger bikes and I got a bike (haven’t had one for years!). Now we can all ride together. :) Our bike rack looks a little different now so I’ll have to take a new, current pic. We added one more rack and the bikes are bigger and everything still fits nicely.
Before I really deep cleaned and organized our garage we didn’t have room to store our bikes this way because there were piles of random things everywhere! It feels so nice to finally have everything cleared out other than the cars and bikes. I was ruthless with this garage and got rid of so many things we didn’t really need!
The bikes I kept. Kenny was probably surprised I didn’t haul them and the cars to Goodwill with everything else.
I thought about it.
;)
How do you organize your bikes? Hanging from the ceiling? On the wall? On a shelf? With a hook? Or a classic rack? On a pulley system? Using an electric lift? With a floor bike rack like ours? (Is it just me or am I starting to sound like Dr. Suess.. “Would you hang them in box? Would you organize them with a fox?” )
Tell me your system! Whatever system you’re using I know details all about it.
Even the system of randomly leaning them against the wall wherever they fit. We enjoyed that system for years.
But our new system is better.
;)
{POST SOURCES}
If you are shopping the Nordstrom sale below are my posts for easy access!
Happy (almost!) Friday! I’m sharing this Friday’s fashion post a little early because now that the N sale is open to all card holders items are flying fast! There are still so many cute things in stock though so I hope if you’ve been waiting you can still get some of your favorites! I ordered this marble lazy susan from the sale and it sold out, but you can find something similar here or here. Excited to use it for Fall decorating! I’m enjoying all of my pink peonies for another week or two and then it will be time to start pulling out the faux pumpkins. Bring it on. :)
Ok.. kicking things off today with this cozy outfit because it includes my favorite joggers from the sale this year. I’m shocked these haven’t sold out! You all know I live in stuff like this.. joggers are my favorite and these are GOOD. They run a little big (I went down to an xs in these) so if you’re in-between sizes go down one. So comfortable, flattering, a great fit. They are perfect for home life and so is this long sleeve tee!
Ok – same tee with faux leather leggings. I have to admit.. I didn’t think I would love the spanx leggings! I’ve heard so many people rave about them but didn’t think I would like the shiny look of them. I was wrong! Now that I’ve tried a pair on I can see why they are so popular. I love the look and they are VERY slimming!
In true spanx fashion they suck you in and smooth you out in all the right places. ;) I took a side pic so you can see the high thick waist band. Even though they are fitted they are very comfortable. I’m keeping them and would definite recommend them! *Short girl tip. Get them in petite! I tried on a regular pair and they were WAY too long. I’m wearing a small P and they fit perfect so if you’re 5’4 or shorter definitely go the petite route! These will be really cute with long sweaters in the fall.
The pattern in these BP joggers sold out but I wouldn’t be too sad about that. For me the pink/purple tie dye is a bit much! But Ellie loves this pattern so I’m giving these to her. :) What I do love is how cozy these are! If you are looking for a comfortable set of pjs you will love these and they come in LOTS of patterns. I just ordered them in the “pink smoke etched animal” print.
I also ordered this fun print. (I’m wearing an xs in the top and a small in the bottoms.)
But this feels a little more “me.” If I’m going wild and crazy on the top I like a solid basic bottom. ;) You can never go wrong with pj pants like this in a basic black or grey!
Aren’t they so cute in black too!? I love the way you can dress them up but still feel like you are wearing pj pants all day. My tee sold out but I linked similar options above. This leopard V-neck top would also be beautiful!
I love the slouchy fit with the big neck! It’s so comfortable and became one of my go-to sweaters last winter so I was excited to see they bought it back this year! I ordered it in another color (and love it in black too). This outfit makes me so excited for Fall! The sweater runs big so go one size down. (Wearing an xxs.)
Another beautiful sweater from the sale this year! Love the v-neck. I’m going to have to travel to visit family this Fall or else I’ll be waiting too long to wear all of these cute sweaters!
I’m so glad I found this Madwell top in my store because I didn’t notice it on-line and it’s darling! Cute and causal – comes in lots of colors. I love tops like this. :)
Last year during the sale I also stocked up on all things t3! Their curling iron and blowdryer are on sale again this year and I can’t recommend them enough.
I’m sure they will sell out so I wouldn’t wait if you want to try them. Hands down my favorite brand of hair tools!
*If you’re interested in just seeing my favorite items quickly you can click on the header at the top of my blog titled NORDSTROM SALE where I have the items linked that I’ve bought and love! I’m updating it daily as things come in that I’ve ordered. I’ll share a few more favorites soon. Happy shopping! :)
*If you’re interested in just seeing my favorite items quickly you can click on the header at the top of my blog titled NORDSTROM SALE where I have the items linked that I’ve bought and love! I’m updating it daily as things come in that I’ve ordered. I’ll share a few more favorites soon. Happy shopping! :)
These pics were taken right after the cabinets were installed. Kole was so little! I had every intention of getting right to work organizing ALL the things in our garage but life got in the way! I semi stuffed things in our new cupboards and around the perimeter of our garage and there it all sat. It sat unorganized and messy for FOUR years! With more random piles forming every month. Fast forward to 2020 and a little thing called quarantine when life/kids’ activities finally slowed down long enough for me to prioritize this space again. It took a world wide pandemic. ;) So happy to report that our garage is FINALLY organized. I’m excited to share details with you all and today we’re starting with the slat wall!
This is what it looks like today!
Finally being put to good use. :)
The actual slat wall was put up by the company who installed our cabinets but you can find similar options to install yourself here and here. I didn’t order any organizers at the time to use for the wall so the time consuming part for me was figuring out what items I wanted on this wall and then searching for the right baskets, hooks, etc. to make it happen. I knew it would take some planning and searching and honestly I think that’s part of the reason I kept putting it off!
But once I just STARTED everything came together pretty quickly. I wanted this wall to be a spot for items that we use often and need quick access to.
The first three small wire baskets on the top hold sunscreen, disposable face masks and gloves (hello 2020) and the headphones my kids use in our car when we travel. I’ve especially loved having sunscreen in this location this summer! It has been so handy to grab it quickly on our way out the door when we’re heading out on a hike or bike ride. I bought 4 larger baskets and the top two hold new pool toys we haven’t opened (I’ve never had a good spot for these!) and our bike helmets.
The bottom 2 large baskets hold my reusable shopping bags (smaller bags are inside the large striped bag) and duffle bags my kids use for sports stuff, going to a friend’s house, etc. We love having our mudroom for shoe storage but because we’ve been doing so much hiking and biking lately we constantly have muddy shoes sitting by the mudroom door. I was so excited when I found this slat wall shoe rack! I put two of them together and it has worked so well! Perfect spot for our dirty shoes so I can keep the mess out of the house and off of our front porch. :)
The small wire baskets going down the wall in the middle hold ponchos, knee pads/shin guards, and tennis balls. My youngest two are on a tennis kick this summer. :) I knew I wanted my outside broom on this wall because I sweep our garage and front porch often. I decided I deserved a new broom after my hard work on the garage so I did some research and ordered this broom. I loved it so much I ordered another one for inside my house. I think my previous brooms I had used for over 10 years! I also ordered this step ladder and told my entire family that it is for INSIDE USE ONLY! I always use a step ladder for cleaning and decorating – short people problems ;) – but the one I was using before we also use outside and I wanted my own that would stay clean for just inside use.
After doing more searching and research I decided these simple hooks would work best for smaller items on this wall. They came in a pack with all different sizes which was perfect! I ordered and tried a few different hook options for my ladder and items on the other slat wall and liked these heavy duty storage hooks the best!
They are perfect for larger, heavy items. I had extra room between the baskets and my broom/ladder so I put our umbrellas out here too. So nice because it freed up space in our mudroom lockers.
Most items on this wall we are using daily or weekly and this set up has been SO handy! I love having quick access to everything with it all up off of the garage floor. I’m sure over time the contents on this wall will change, but we’ll always love having a spot like this for random items we use often.
We have another slat wall on the opposite side of our garage so I used that side for tools and our outside ladders. We honestly don’t have much on this wall because I took a HUGE pile to Goodwill. We weren’t using most of our old tools and why did we need 3 shovels and 4 rakes!? I did keep the old broom on this side because I’m determined to keep this garage clean now that it’s so organized! I need to be able to sweep any section at a moments notice.. ha.
I was going to hang our larger outdoor ladders but decided to just slide them up against the wall instead. Simple and done!
I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am to have our slat walls and our sports equipment organized. Our floor is completely open and empty for cars (no more piles!) and I feel like I can breathe in this space!
We have lived with an unorganized garage for so long and honestly this makeover has made such a huge difference! My kids and Kenny have been RAVING about this. Which is saying a lot because they are used to me organizing things and aren’t usually all that phased by my “afters”.. ha. They all love how clean it is, that they can easily find what they need and how spacious the garage feels now. We are in and out of our garage so many times during the day (like most of you I’m sure!). Pulling in and out of this space feels like a breath of fresh air now that it’s clean and organized. WHY did I not finish it sooner!?
I know why. Because garages are a lot of work to clean and organize! They require time and energy. This project was so much work but I can tell you that now that it’s done it was 100% worth it. I’ll share the inside of my cupboards and drawers and how we are storing everything else soon!
Are any of you tackling your garage right now? Here’s hoping you come out smiling!
Happy Friday! Back with favorite purchases from the Nordstrom sale! It’s crazy good this year. So many cute things! I tried on A LOT and am so excited to share my favorites!
I know my posts have been a little fashion heavy.. this sale is so much fun for fashion lovers. And it’s a marathon (not a sprint!). ;) For those of you who aren’t as into fashion (maybe re-think things? Kidding! Kind of) .. I have some fun organizing posts coming. My garage is DONE and I’m so excited to share it with you all! But right now we have to talk shoes. Because honestly.. they are so good this year!
After trying on lots these are my favorite boots/booties from the sale! You honestly can’t go wrong with any of these. SO good. Every pair is a great fit and looks so cute on!
I didn’t notice these Tory Burch boots when I was looking on-line but they are worth the splurge! This is a side view.
While boots are always fabulous.. these are the shoes that I know will be on repeat for me this Fall! I can’t believe how much I love these Chain Pointed Toe Mules! They are my #1 favorite shoe of the sale this year and I love them so much I had to snag them in two colors!
I also adore this Madewell bag. There are two of them and I couldn’t tell on-line how big of a size difference there is between the two of them! The bag I got is much smaller but great for every day running around. I love the large Transport Stripe Embroidered Tote too, but came home with the small size because I already have a similar large leather Madewell bag. Be still my stripe loving heart. :)
They always have such cozy Uggs as part of this sale and this year did not disappoint! I would absolutely recommend either of these Ugg slippers. Both are so comfortable! One pair for now and one pair ready and waiting for when the weather cools off. I’m sure you will see me in these in MANY future posts. :)
Time to talk clothes! This dress was such a surprise for me! I saw it on-line and didn’t think much of it. I like Leopard but usually don’t LOVE it. I tried it on on a whim and fell in love! It is DARLING! It has such a flattering, flirty fit and is really lightweight making it a perfect “transition to Fall” dress. You can wear it now with flip flops.
Or in the Fall with black boots and this adorable TB purse! So cute right!? One of my favorite outfits from the sale this year. And I match my mudroom rug! Clearly it was meant to be. ;) I’ve had these over the knee black boots for a few years and they are part of the sale this year! I LOVE them. They are so comfortable (almost like slipping on a sock!) and go perfect with dresses in the winter when I don’t want to shave and my legs are scary white. :)
I loved this dress so much that I bought it in olive too. :) I’m wearing xxs (went down one size). I’m also short (5’3 1/2 – don’t forget the half) and you can see that it hits me a little above the knee. It would be a shorter look if you are tall. (Only $31!)
This was another dress that I saw on-line and just thought it looked “ok” until I put it on. Such a cute fit. It’s Madwell – I should have known I’d love it! I wish I would have had it to wear for the 4th of July! Next year. :) (Wearing 0 – I went one size down again)
I took my girls shopping with me this year and the 3 of us had so much fun together. We were cracking up. We ALL 3 grabbed the same sweater to try on without even knowing it and we all 3 loved it and wanted to buy it! I said “K – we have to just get one and all share it!” But Addison needed a small. I tried the small and it showed my stomach so I had to size up to a medium. Ellie is my size but buys everything BIG (she loves an oversized, slouchy look) so we ended up coming home with a small, medium and a large. Guess we’ll just have to wear them together and all match! Ha. (We were also cracking up at this picture. None of us liked how we looked after hours of trying on hot Fall clothes. We were wilting and went for a lunch break right after we took this!)
This was Addison’s favorite outfit from the sale this year! She loves these jeans and the sweater we all bought was one of the few things that actually fit her because it’s cropped short. She’s so small! She’s at a weird stage with clothes because she still fits in kids sizes (10-12 like Kole!) but is 14 years old so the kid stuff looks too “little kid” for her. I was so happy we found some clothes that worked!
This was one of my favorite sweaters from the sale and I knew it would be when I saw it on-line! SO cute. It’s a cropped look but not too short. Ellie saw it and said “that’s a sweater mom would love.” Guess she knows me well. :) So cute with the TB boots!
It’s also so cute with these Fringe Hoop Earrings! Another item I knew I’d love the second I saw them on-line. :)
I also really like it with shorts! These paper bag shorts are a really cute style. I love them even though I’m not a huge shorts person. To be honest I don’t wear shorts often because I have so many scars on my legs from knee issues/surgery. My favorite tanner helps. ;)
This Henley top is so comfortable! I love a good thermal. I also love this necklace because it comes in a set of 3 necklaces that can be worn together or all separately. I have on just two of the chains with this.. so cute!
I always love to see what Rails shirt will be part of the sale and this years shirt is my favorite! I love the blue plaid and the way this shirt fits. I bought the Rails shirt last year and wore it so much. A little pricey for a plaid shirt, but once you try one on you’ll see why! So soft and you can’t beat the fit! It hangs so cute in the back too.
Ok – I put together this outfit (all from the sale) and it’s actually tied with the leopard dress for my favorite! SO cute right!? The top is a splurge (FRAME always is!) so this is a cute similar less expensive black top that I have that would also work well. These satin joggers are long time favorites of mine and I was thrilled to see they were part of the sale! I have them in black too. SO cute. SO comfortable. And the best part is that you can dress them up like I did with this outfit OR wear them with a tee/sweatshirt and sneakers for a casual look. They are only $30 right now! With all of us staying home more I’m calling them a MUST HAVE. :) I also came home with this beautiful ID Cuff Bracelet and love how simple and dainty it is.
I put together this outfit and Ad saw it and loved it too and said she’d take a picture for me in the kitchen. So she did. :) Then I went and told Kenny – “I’m all cleaned up and I LOVE this outfit. You have to take me somewhere!” He said “how about a hike?” So I rolled my eyes and then changed into my everyday workout wear, pulled my hair back in my everyday ponytail.. and that’s where we went. On another hike.
Gotta love 2020. ;)
OK.. let’s talk cardigans! The Barefoot Dream cardigans CAN’T be beat for comfort! I have the Cozychic Lite Long Cardigan and this Cozychic Lite Circle Cardigan and love them both. I’ve had them for years and still wear them over and over every winter! They always look cute with jeans, but most of the time I’m wearing them over pjs around my house. They are so comfortable and this is the best time to snatch one up while they are on sale. (This pic is making me excited for Christmas!) :)
This is my favorite cardigan from the sale this year! It’s simple and neutral and classic and I love it. Could be worn with so many different tops under it! I paired it with a stripe crewneck.
You can see the color of the back in this pic. I also love it with these Davis Knee High Boots!
This Open Stitch Cardigan is also a favorite and only $31! Comes in lots of colors. I love this Rust Leather color for Fall. :)
My last favorite cardi is this Leith Cozy Long Cardigan. I have a similar long cardigan in a mint green and wore it so often last year. I love the length! Another green cardigan is always a good thing. :)
This Zella jacket I was looking for! I was so hoping there would be a Zella Live in Performance Jacket in the sale this year! I love them and the one I’ve been exercising in for years is starting to wear out. I sized up one size (s) so that it wouldn’t be too tight over my tanks/sports bra. I love it with these fun shoes! I wear a lot of black so they will be a fun way to add a little something. :) I have these Swift Run sneakers in black too and they are so comfortable. Long time favorites!
This cute pj set was Ellie’s favorite purchase from the sale this year! She came down to chat with me while I was taking pics in my clothes for this post so I snapped one of her in them. She borrowed my Uggs for the picture and then conveniently didn’t take them off.
She also conveniently took off with my new Barefoot Dreams blanket! The joys of having girls this age. ;)
This Barefoot Dreams in the Wild Throw Blanket was one of the items I was most excited to snag at the sale this year! When I was picking it up I thought of all of you and how much I appreciate your friendship and support. So I picked up 3 more Barefoot Dream Blankets and I can’t wait to send some happy mail to 3 of you! I’m going to add a few other fun things with the blankets during the month. So much fun. :)
This is what you need to do to enter the giveaway. Follow me on IG and subscribe to my blog (you just get an e-mail each time I post!). If you are already doing those two things you’re set! Then just like and comment on each of my August IG posts!
My August posts start with the shower curtain post. It means so much to me when you engage with my IG content! It helps with that tricky IG algorithm so that my followers actually see my posts in their feed AND it’s how I get to know you! I love chatting with you all through comments and DMs. :)
Whether you enter the giveaway or not thank you for being here! For reading my posts and supporting me and my blog. I hope this post was helpful for those of you who are shopping the sale this year! I’ve ordered some things that weren’t in the store so I’ll share more favorites next week too. Happy shopping! :)
5th grade! My baby boy is heading into 5th grade this year. His sisters will be in 11th and 9th grade (BOTH now in High School). I really can’t believe it. Want to know what else I can’t believe? They will all be starting the year on-line. I’m not going to lie.. when we heard the official news that our kids would all be starting the school year on-line I felt so depressed! I sat my kids down and told them the news expecting total disappointment and possibly tears (they all miss their friends and want to go back!). Kole immediately smiled and said “well.. the good news is that I don’t have to wear my school uniform!” We all laughed. It’s not the first time Kole has made us smile even when we don’t want to. :)
He’s right.. always a sliver lining and no school uniform for him this Fall! I decided to take Kole’s lead and look for the positive in this situation so I’ve been trying to think of ways to make on-line school a fun and positive experience for my kids. We are doing our usual back to school prep this month which includes cleaning out closets and shopping for school supplies and some cute new things to wear. Comfy clothes! Kole’s favorite. :) I bought him some really cute inexpensive clothes from Walmart and it was honesty all he needed to get excited about a new school year. He was even fine with me snapping pics in his new outfits because it meant he got to start wearing them sooner. He’s just thrilled that he can toss his button up shirt and khacki shorts aside for the time being!
I bought lots of cute tees and comfy shorts. Boys are so easy and this is the stuff he LIVES in. He is loving these slides too! So easy to slip on to play in the yard or run a quick errand with mom. :) I also just ordered him these cute Polo flip flops because we will still have warm weather for a while!
He has had his razor scooter for years and it’s still a favorite. He rides it around the yard every day. :)
These Champion shorts are such a great fit. I ordered so many comfy clothes from Walmart for Kole to try thinking I’d return some of it and we seriously kept everything we ordered!
Cozy sweatpants for the win! Kole and I have been on a Beverly Cleary kick this summer (I love her books!). We read together every night before bed and I try to make sure he’s also getting some quiet reading time in during the day.
Before you start thinking that we have it all together over here reading up a storm.. let me assure you that my son has looked like this WAY more than usual this summer. Survival mode has reached an all time high this month. I started off the summer with our Zone Cleaning Charts and rules and a schedule. At this point I leave the iPad and a bag of pretzels out on the counter for him at night to hopefully buy me an extra hour of sleep in the morning. ;)
This jacket is one of my favorite finds. It’s lined with fleece, a fun style, so warm and only $15! It will be perfect for when things cool off a little around here.
Kole loves it! He also loves his Player 1 tee. I bought his cousin the Player 2 tee. The two of them have been iPad partners in crime this summer. I always wake up to the sound of them laughing playing games together. Knowing Kole’s iPad time includes social interaction with his cousin has helped to justify the amount of time he’s spending on it.
Last favorite is this hoodie and jogger pants sweatsuit. Kole loves it because it’s so soft and warm! It will be perfect for any Utah trips we make in the Fall to visit family. He’s excited to wear it so I didn’t want to remind him that he’ll die of a heat stroke wearing it in San Diego. ;)
My girls will start school sitting at the little desks in their rooms so I bought them these pretty Rose Gold Desk Organizers to help them keep books, papers and pens organized. (I’m on the hunt for some comfy chairs for them to sit on all day!)
We’ll move these organizers to their bookshelves so they can actually work at their desks when school starts.
Kole and I will be sharing the office/craft room again! When Zoom is going I take my laptop to the dining room or couch.
I snapped these a few days ago while he was working on his typing. :)
When Kole was doing on-line school in the Spring it drove me crazy having all of his books and papers and supplies all over the office desk. It was an unorganized mess and I knew we could do better for the Fall! I totally went to my former school teacher happy place shopping for organizers! I ended up buying this Classroom Keeper 10 slot Mailbox and this Classroom Keepers Management Center to hold all of his stuff. Now we can label the tabs and organize his books and papers by subject. We can also use a slot for finished and un-finished work. This little set up and all of the new school supplies makes me GIDDY I tell you.
I taught 4th and 5th grade for years so Kole gets to have all sorts of help from his mom this year. Whether he wants it or not!
I’ll have to keep reminding him that at least he doesn’t have to wear his school uniform. ;)
*More back to school organization tips are in this post and below is a round-up of some cute clothes for Elementary school girls! My girls both wear adult sizes now so I had fun picking out what I would have bough them if they were Kole’s age again. This Dollie & Me Outfit Set would have been their all time favorite with an outfit to match their dolls too!
I love the stage my girls are in right now, but man.. every once in a while I miss the old days. :)
It’s here! The N sale is officially on! Cue the Rocky music. ;) In my last post I shared my favorite picks for HOME and TOPS. Today I’m covering pretty much every other category. I didn’t get to men’s clothes so we’ll have to cover that later, but wow. LOTS of fun things this year! I know this sale can be overwhelming with so many items so I tried to narrow it down for all of us. Below are my top picks! I was the most excited about active and lounge wear because that’s pretty much all I’ve been living in the past 5 months, but there are so many cute sweaters and cardigans this year too! I’m also excited to pick up a new purse and some of my go-to favorites I buy every year. I love that there is the option to put items on your wish list. Makes it so much easier when it’s time to shop! I’m heading into the store tomorrow with my girls to check everything out and I’ll share any other favorites we find and love. I hope this post is helpful for those of you who are shopping the sale this year!
Happy shopping friends! May the force be with you!
(Why do major shopping sprees always make me think of Rocky and Star Wars?! Ha..)
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