Tag: life hacks

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #92

Hello All!

Happy Friday! I hope you all have had an enjoyable week and are doing something fun this first weekend in May, maybe watching the Kentucky Derby?! It’s officially my favorite month of the year and I am pumped for everything that comes with the next few weeks, from birthdays, to end of school, holidays, and the start of summer.

First of many ice cream dates this spring and summer!

As always, I am linking up with  Erika and Andrea for another edition of Friday Favorites. This week features a mix of life hacks, foods, and some beauty and fashion finds. Let’s dive right in!

Taylor Swift’s New Album– I know I am late to the party but I have slowly been listening to Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poet’s Department. I am not a diehard Swiftie but I do enjoy her music and think she did a great job on her latest album. I have been listening to it in the car and out on walks. It’s been fun to find learn all about her hidden references and Easter eggs. If you are a fan, what are your favorite songs? I personally love, Florida.

New sandals– Summer will be here soon and I got these new sandals from Marshall’s just in time for outdoor fun. I love the style and support they provide and how you can truly dress them up or down with any outfit. I know I will be getting a lot of use out of them this summer, I just need the weather to warm up a tiny bit. I always love to pop into Marshall’s and T.J. Maxx to see what they have and it’s always a win when I walk out with some great finds.

Kashi Cereal– I will go through different favorites when it comes to snacks and right now, I am on the yogurt train. I have really been enjoying vanilla yogurt at lunch and topping it off with something crunchy. Kashi Cereal has been my current go-to. It’s packed with flavor and protein. I enjoy the saltiness of the cereal mixed with the sweetness of the berries. It has been making a difference instead of enjoying yogurt on its own, plus, it’s a healthy alternative to other snacks.

Logging Podcasts- This has been a new life hack that I have been loving. I often listen to podcasts when I am running or in the car and I am always looking for recommendations. I’m currently making my way through the Lazy Genius podcast, however, not every episode pertains tor I’m not interested in it. Whenever, I have some free time, I will go through the Lazy Genius library and log what episodes I am interested in. This way, whenever I am looking for a new episode to listen to, I am not wasting time looking for one, I have a list already to go. It saves me time and stress. Now, you don’t have to do this just for podcasts, you can keep track of music you want to listen to, or shows or movies to watch. In this situation, I am using Kendra’s idea of deciding once to make it easier on myself. 

New Scent- Now that the weather has finally broken and we are experiencing spring-like weather, I figured it was time for scent change (I also just so happened to be out of the scent I started using after Christmas, haha!) I decided to break out Gingham Fresh from Bath and Body Works perfect for spring. There’s a hint of floral to this scent, but it’s mostly a light scent, that’s not too overpowering. Although, I love fragrance mists, sprays and perfumes, I know not everyone does, so I always try to choose scents that are subtle as opposed to strong. 

That’s a look into life this past week, some time outdoors, some snacks and life hacks. What’s your week been like and what are you looking forward to during the week ahead? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Fri-yay!

Categories
Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #91

Hello All! Happy Friday!

I hope you had a great week. I can’t believe we are at the end of April. It has been a busy month full of work projects, spring fun, family time and dates with friends. This week’s Friday Favorites is a fun roundup of new things I have purchased or been given over the past week or so and I can’t wait to share them with you today as I link up with  Erika and Andrea for another roundup of Friday Favorites.

Library Books in Calendar– This was a recent life hack that I wanted to share. I’m a library book girl through and through. I typically make a weekly stop to the library to either pick up or drop off a book. In the past, I would write in my planner or phone when a library book was due, but I was getting confused when I had multiple books checked out and it was hard to keep their due dates in order. Now, when I add a library book due date to my planner, I write the book title, so I know when each book is due. It may seem like a silly life hack, but it’s been super helpful especially with multiple books out and to make sure I avoid late fees.

Net Positive Podcast- I mentioned a few weeks ago that my brother and I went to see one of our favorite comedians, John Crist perform. We really loved the show and I have started to listen to his podcast now too. Net Positive can be found on most platforms and episodes last between an hour to an hour and a half. He mostly talks about life; current events and he adds his own humor to the show. Episodes drop once a week and although I haven’t been listening every week, whenever I am on a long drive or am looking for something funny or light-hearted to listen to, this is my go-to. Definitely worth the listen.

Car Cup Holders– I got these car cup holders for Easter and they have been the cutest pick-me-up. They fit right into the cup holders in your car in the front seat. They help protect your cup holders and keep things clean. I love cute monograms and these are the cutest accessories for the car. I got them off Etsy and they have been making me smile whenever I get in my car. 

New Hand Lotion– Speaking of new things, I was due for a new hand lotion and have been loving this new scent from Bath and Body Works. Chasing Fireflies is a vanilla scented lotion that’s not too strong. I also like how it’s not too thick when you apply it. I like the mini lotions to test out the scents before I commit to the full body lotion. Definitely a scent worth choosing for spring.

Dear Edward– I finished this book at the start of the month and couldn’t stop thinking about it. It’s all about a young boy who is the only survivor of a plane crash. He loses his entire family and is forced to start over with his aunt and uncle. The book goes back and forth between the plane crash and the present day as Edward grows up. Once I finished the book, I watched the series on Apple TV. Although there were some differences between the two, I really enjoyed seeing how the show was adapted from the book. It was so cool to see the characters I thought about come to life.

That’s a glimpse into life as we say goodbye to April and Hello to May! Tell me, what are you looking forward to next month?

Categories
Fabulous living

A Few Favorite Things

 Happy Wednesday! I hope your week has been going swimmingly. 

As a child, the middle of June always felt like the official start to summer, once school was out. Now as an adult, once Memorial Day weekend arrives, it feels like the summer can begin. 

Even though I just put my bucket list out last week, I’ve already made some headway with summer fun. So far, I’ve enjoyed a trip to the drive-in, grilling and cook outs and eating by the water. Needless to say, it’s already been a very good start to summer.

Seeing the new Top Gun Maverick at the drive-in.

Speaking of good things, today, I wanted to share some things I’ve been loving lately. I’m all about using things that make my life easier, so if I find things I love, then I’m going to share it with you.

Here’s some of my favorite things:

Shoe Eraser: I love wearing white, almost as much as I love wearing black, haha! I wear a lot of white shoes and sneakers in the summer, but one of the things I found was the more I wore them, whether out and about or running errands, they were getting dirty or scuffed up. I got this shoe eraser for Christmas and it works incredible. It’s almost like a magic eraser that you can use for walls or marks. The shoe eraser works great on sneakers and softer leather shoes. I’ve had dirt and scuff marks on shoes and after adding some water to the eraser and lightly scrubbing, the scuff marks are gone. I’ve seen these erasers at Dollar Tree and Amazon, so they are fairly easy to find. If you wear white sneakers, these are a summer must.

You can see how much dirt and scruff was on the shoe.

Ear Bud Cleaner: If you wear headphones, whether they are air pods, other wireless ear buds or wired ear buds, these ear bud cleaners are super helpful. Again, I got this for Christmas and have used it so much, these different tools that you can use to clean your ear buds with, from brushes, to fine tooth combs and event ones like a tooth pick. After cleaning out my headphones, I immediately noticed a difference in the sound. I also wear an earpiece for work and used this little tool kit to clean my ear piece and it was night and day when it comes to the quality of the sound after cleaning. If you are a frequent ear bud user, you may want to consider grabbing this. 

Definitely worth the buy!

Hair Dryer Headband: This next one is more for the ladies. Whether you shower in the morning or night, this headband is a game changer when drying your hair and keeping your hair away from your face when using a face mask, washing your face, or even doing makeup. I don’t use it every night but when I’m pampering myself a bit or I need to dry my hair a bit faster then this is my go-to. There’s also essential oils in the wrap which makes the experience of getting ready a bit more soothing. 

And who doesn’t love a cute bow?!

Silk Pillow case: I’ve been reading about these pillow cases for years and got one for my birthday. I’ve been using it for over a week now and I’ve been loving it. Based on reviews, it helps with your skin and hair and prevents wrinkles, all major wins for me. I’m still new to using it but have been very pleased with it so far. Have you tried a silk pillow case? If so, what are your favorite part about using it?

A favorite way to get to sleep nowadays.

That’s a look into some of my favorite things right now. Some fun, some practical, what are some of your favorite things you are loving in the summer months? Let me know in the comments below! Have a great rest of your week!

Categories
Fun Ways to Organize

Life Hacks

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday! I hope your week is going well.

Last week, I went to visit my friend, Sydney for dinner and whenever I take a road trip, I always like to listen to podcasts. My favorite podcast that I listen to every week is Emily Ley’s Simplified podcast. The episodes are typically 30 minutes or less and they are packed with guests, life lessons, and tips to live a simplified life. If you are looking for a new podcast, this is it.

My favorite podcast.

When I’m in the car and on a road trip I love listening to The Bestie Breakdown. Two of my favorite bloggers, Shay Shull and Erika Slaughter share everything about life, travel, fashion, and kids. If you are looking for a fun podcast that will guarantee you laughs, this is perfect for you. I was listening to one of their podcasts where they talked about their favorite life hacks, they offered so many great suggestions that it got me thinking about some of my life hacks. 

This one is great for road trips

 When life gets busy, especially in the spring and summer, I crave order and stability even more. In order for my day to run smoother there’s a few tricks that I incorporate into my daily routine. I also reached out to some of my closests friends and family for their favorite life hacks too. This is a mix of things for at home or at work or on the go.

Five Life Hacks

  • Quick way to clean pots- Pots can be a challenge to clean out especially if you are cooking with cheese, lots of oils, or if you burn something. Instead of spending lots of time scrubbing out the pots after dinner, drop a cascade pod in the pot and fill it with warm water. Let it soak and then rinse, it does a great job giving it a good cleaning and it saves you time from scrubbing.

  • Quick way to clean grills or waffle makers- Making a panini with a panini maker or using a George Foreman grill to cook chicken or a waffle maker are all fun and games until you have to clean them out. Food can become trapped in the holes and on the grill. An easy way to clean it after you are done is by taking a wet paper towel and placing it on the grill or waffle maker after you finish using it, you get it cleaned easily and it saves the wear and tear on your appliances.

  • Never forget a coupon- If you are like me, I’m sure you get coupons or rewards offers in your email all the time. You may get excited by it but then forget about it and you lose out on the money. A new way I have been keeping track of rewards and coupons is by putting the expiration date on my calendar. Whenever I get a coupon or reward in my email that I want to use, I automatically add the date it expires in the calendar on my phone. Once a week when I’m planning out my week, I transfer all my digital dates and appointments to my Simplified planner. This is a way for me to keep all my long-term dates in one spot and not get too overwhelmed by the day to day stuff. You can read about my system here. 
An example of my online calendar.
  • Always keep in your car- Something I always keep in my car is stamps. I know mailing letters isn’t as popular anymore but when you do have to pay that bill, send that birthday card or drop something off in the mailbox, having stamps on hand is key.

  • One load a day – If you live in a big family like I do, I’m sure you have loads and loads of laundry. I’m still living at home and one of the ways I try to help out is by doing the laundry. With a lot of people under one roof, the laundry can get overwhelming. As a way to manage it, I try to follow the one load a day philosophy. Every day, I do a load of laundry, on weekends there may be more, but by doing a load a day, it helps me stay on top of it and not get overwhelmed.

Those are just five easy life hacks that I follow and that help my life run smoother. What are some of your top life hacks?!